To show off the amazing work being done in my classes over the years at Lone Star College in KINGWOOD I have started uploading examples from the past 13 years as a Full Time Faculty.
Please check out the Student Works Gallery page of my website!!
I'll keep posting the best work after each semester moving forward.
Hopefully, I will add YOUR work to our pages in the future!!!
So I wanted to take a moment and point out a New Years Resolution that ALL OF YOU should get behind, DATA PROTECTION.
One of the most COMMON situations that occur in our classrooms every semester is Hard Drive Failure. This can come in the form of an external hard drive failing, an internal hard drive on your home computer failing or one of the crappy flash drives students bring in failing, getting damaged or, most commonly, getting lost.
Three things you need to do NOW, TODAY:
#1 - BACK UP YOUR DATA!!! In the future you will NEED those files from your previous classes, clients or other creative endeavors. WHEN your drive fails you will lose that data FOREVER. LITERALLY! FOREVER!
Do not trust Windows or Apple Mac OS to somehow find that data somewhere, it's not happening. (And Cloud solutions suck, cost money and are unreliable, IMO) You can use software from companies to find that data if you lose it, but just ask Best Buy how much that's going to cost you. Hundreds if not thousands of dollars, and you won't spend it. Go out and buy a 1 or 2 TB slow USB drive (Cheap is fine) and hook it up to your computer. When you go to bed, just copy everything (well your original data, not software or applications you can re-download or re-install) to the new Hard Drive and let it just copy away. Do this once a week at minimum. Add new files as needed. Unplug and set aside. Simple solution, not elegant. There are also other solutions that do things like Time Capsule and stuff, plus probably a million for Windows, but seriously, it's as easy as what I just told you.
Professionally I used to use Retrospect BackUp. (https://www.retrospect.com/) This software would crawl our computers at night and back up all of the companies computers to one huge drive (tape back up actually) that was databased and versioned everything in case we had a failure. Easy to find and easy to retrieve. But professionally expensive.
#2 - If your hard drive DOES fail or you somehow delete your files you should also have a Disk monitor available to keep track of your files in case it goes down. In the last week of class Jared Anderson somehow deleted all of his final project for After Effects class (apologies Jared). He thought his files were lost for good and would have to take a failing grade or recreate the entire project from scratch, rushed, at a much lower quality, over the weekend (because I'm cool like that as an instructor, maybe I shouldn't be and teach people a hard lesson...).
BUT I showed him Disk Drill (https://www.cleverfiles.com/) This was able to search his hard drive for deleted files and recover them for him (for the most part, it's not perfect). When you delete a file it's not actually gone, instead what happens is your computer simply erases the computers ability to track the file in the OS database. The Data is still there, the OS just no longer cares. Disk Drill can look at the, now unused, sectors of your drive and see what WAS there. Then it can reverse engineer the files to be recovered.
One Caveat though, if you have written new files to your computer since you accidentally deleted the files you want, the computer sees the blocks as empty and will write new data over the old data. SO if you deleted 500 MB worth of files and then added 1 GB of files, most likely you are screwed. And hopefully you can go to your back up hard drive and pull off the backed up version.
#3 - Install Disk Drill or DriveDX (https://binaryfruit.com/drivedx) or something to keep an eye on the health of your SSD/Hard Drives.
A note about SSD drives, they don't last forever, nothing does, but these are actaully built to fail if you read and write to them too much. No they do not have mechanical parts (YEA!) so how DO they keep your data? Electricity, and when that electricity fails, no more data. At least with a Hard Drive the failure is mechanical and you can actaully move that disk to a working mechanism to recover it. Not so much with an SSD. It's not hard stored anywhere.
Now SSDs can last a very long time, but there are no guaruntees because they are a relatively new invention and have not been in use for very long (less then a decade, and that is not a long period of time). Disk Drill and DriveDX show you the Wear Rate of your SSD drives. How long the expected life of the charge is based on the amount of read and write you have put on your SSD. They also tell you a bunch of other diagnostics, you can find them for yourself.
For example, my SSD in my 2013 Apple Laptop has a PowerCycle count of 94% of life left, but a Wear Leveling Count of 88% of life left. BUT KNOW THIS, I do not keep any of my project files ON my laptop SSD. I read and write my projects to a 2 TB RAID Thunderbolt Hard Drive or a 1 TB USB 3 Hard Drive (or one of a dozen of hard drives I have stacked up in my office). So I am not taxing my SSD as much as many of you who I see using it for all of your work and games.
Anyway, I'm sure there are a million of solutions out there for all three of these issues. I welcome you to post your favorites below and share them with your collegues. But please do SOMETHING NOW to protect your data and get in the habit or protecting your data today!
Happy New Year everyone.
I have been invited as a Guest Artist speaker to the SFASU School of Art Graphic Design Portfolio Night event at 4 PM on Tuesday December 13, 2016.
I am honored to have been asked to speak to the students of my Alma Mater on my 25th anniversary of my graduation from the Advertising Design program.
This is one of the reasons for the recent updating of my website.
So today I showed our Portfolio Students the simplicity of Squarespace.com.
After two years of nightmares with a new web hosting service I am finally able to get back online in a functional manner. Fingers crossed with this one!
February 2007
It was February 1997 when I left Hollywood and decided to create something of my own. SGS Creative was born.
Now, 10 years later and a lot wiser, we are celebrating this momentous anniversary. In the coming weeks you will see a new website and for those of you who are on our mailing list you will be receiving a Brand Spanking New 10th Anniversary Demo Reel 2 disc special edition!
Thank you to all of you who have help us make it this far. We intend to keep you happy in the coming years as well as we are making some big changes this year to serve you better.
January 2007
2007 already? Where has the time gone? So many things have changed over the years. This 'Press Release' section is now technically called a 'Blog' and the original HTML of this website is WAY outdated. It's time to make some changes.
During these cold winter months we've been working on a couple of projects, some we can't discuss yet. But Hawthorne Direct has a new show coming out that we've worked on for a new product called the SoapJet. Look for it on TV and pick one up for yourself, they're really great! (The animations on their website were NOT created by me!)
FYI, many have asked me why I've stopped posting movies to the website here. The answer is twofold, time and bandwidth. Making little movies takes time and many of the shows I have created in the last year, especially the Maze and City projects for Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc and the 900 Frames shows, have so many different elements that it's like cutting a demo reel each time. Don't worry though, a new compellation is coming soon!
November 2006
The holidays are once again upon us and we're keeping busy as always. Some more character illustrations for a Los Alamitos company. Plus the graphics package, 3D logos and character animation for the latest infomercial from Launch DRTV, the Orbitrek Elite. And more graphics for Humble Pie Creative and 3 and 2 films.
September 2006
Wow, again a LONG Summer for SGS Creative. It's summer so you know what that means, Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc, auto dealer show time! This year it was for Honda.
We spent our time revamping the Element piece from the NY Auto Show and creating a series of fun cartoon characters that try and destroy Honda in a labyrinth! Kind of hard to explain, you really have to see this one.
July 2006
We've added a new client to our family here at SGS Creative. 900 Frames has contracted SGS Creative to create the designs and animations for a variety of shows they are creating over the summer.
Hawthorne Direct also kept us busy with an infomercial for the Half Time Oven a discovery Channel Store product.
June 2006
Another Wagner show under our belt for Hawthorne Direct. Here's how those animations work:
We receive the CAD data from the creator of the product, convert their SolidWorks, Parasolid or whatever file the manufacturer has for data to an animatable format, and then we create the animations from scratch.
Call us and we'll explain more of what we can do for you!
April 2006
Hmmm, I thought last years Summer show was the best, but it got even BETTER! In February, Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc again asked SGS Creative to revamp the cityscape from the summer for an even larger show to introduce the New Honda Element to the world at the New York Auto Show!
Longer, better, cooler! More twists and turns in the road, a freeway... whew! But we, and by 'we' I still mean 'I', got it done.
That's right, in case you didn't know SGS Creative is just Shawn Sedoff. Everything you see on this website, every texture, every model, every light and every animation, is created by me, Shawn Sedoff. Now watch the demo reels again and look at all of that work!
December 2005
This Summer's Honda Project was one of the best ever.
Look here to see some amazing animation: Sorry, No Longer Available
It's large (63 MB) so be prepared to wait a couple of minutes.
BIG NEWS!!!
SGS Creative and family has moved to Texas! Right next to The Woodlands.
Why? Well, land value and family.
Moving back to my wife's home state allows me to continue to provide you and all of my clients with exceptional work at a reasonable price. Not to mention that our children will be able to grow up in, what we feel to be, a more wholesome environment.
Anyway, what does this mean to you? Not much. The rates will stay the same, the ease of working with me will stay the same, the quality of work will stay the same (actually it should increase now that I can relax a bit without keeping up with the Jones's out in CA and the out of control state taxes) and the file transfers will remain the same.
The great news is that work has remained steady during this transition time. We are already up and running here.
New Contact information:
Cell Phone (has not changed): 949-633-2610 (Old Now)
Phone: 936-447-1827
September 2005
Still Busy, Busy, Busy. Last Spring was fantastic!
Hoover Silentair 4000 Air Purifier and Wagner Control Spray infomercial's turned out great.
This Summer's Honda Project for Martin Brinkerhoff & Associates was one of the best ever.
Look here to see some amazing animation: Sorry, No Longer Available
It's large (63 MB) so be prepared to wait a couple of minutes.
I will post more new information as I complete projects. New producers calling and new editors to work with! Thanks for checking in.
Fall 2004
Cort Howell Productions kept me busy working on the Winsor Pilates award winning infomercial series for 2005.
Hawthorne Direct also kept me busy working on animations for Aquapel glass treatment and others.
Summer 2004
Oh boy. I spent this summer creating a 3 screen 20 minute pop up world for the New 2005 Honda Odyssey for producer Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc.
In other side projects, I helped Launch the Knockout Group's new cleaning line with a minute long animation explaining their new encapsulation process. The full launch of the cleaning line will be kicked off by George Foreman himself sometime in 2005.
Winter 2004
After taking most of the month of January off for the passing away of my grandmother and helping my grandfather get adjusted to his new life we began new animations for Cort Howell Productions and Hawthorne Direct.
Come back soon to see new movies of the recently completed animations for the SoapWorks infomercial's and IcyHot commercials with Shaquille O'Neil.
Fall 2003
NEW 2004 DEMO REEL RELEASED!
Contact Shawn for one today!
That's right, a new reel is ready for you to look at.
This DVD contains the Original Reel from 2000 and the Movie Titles reel separately as well as a NEW "Unseen Footage" Compilation Reel from the past four years.
I have also included four of my long format videos so that you can see the amazing amount of animation, in full screen, that I deliver in very short periods of time. These are the Toshiba Copier Nightmare, Acura's 2002 Dealer Meeting Ending Race, Acura's RDX Concept Car and the Honda 2000 Run and Gun Game Simulation.
The fall was filled with infomercial's for Cort Howell and Associates and Hawthorne Direct clients such as a new exercise bike (premiering 2004), tanning spray and close ups of bacteria.
Summer 2003
The summer was once again a blur with more Honda of America and Acura work from Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc.
Again, these were HUGE multiscreen productions with a million elements that just don't translate to the internet at all, so I am going to refrain from posting movies at this time. But some of the awesome footage is on our newest demo reel.
July 2003
SGS Creative has completed the stereoscopic 3D nightmare opening for Toshiba's copier division meeting, for producer Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc.
(file size 25.4 Mb, 2 min 40 sec)
We are presenting it here without audio or other embellishments from the editors. Of course, it is only presented in non-stereo here.
June 2003
SGS Creative has moved to a new server that will allow for more freedom. Thank you to Wes Houghton for making this transition possible.
April 2003
Wow it's been quite a year at SGS Creative. Very busy.
I thought I would update the press release section with a quick re-cap of projects for the last year:
BeachBody hired SGS Creative to create their branding animation that bumpers all of their shows.
As well as their Power90 logo animations for producer Cort Howell and Associates.
Of course, producer Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc. kept me busy with another Acura Dealer Meeting. Here is a taste:
Atlas Partial Movie (2 Mb)
(These are only the 3D elements, over the alpha (Black). At 10 fps, low resolution and only the center screen. It's a long complicated piece, so if you want more info you'll have to discuss it with me via email or phone.)
And a 3 screen show for Wellpoint.
Wellpoint Beginning (3.6 Mb)
(Of course, this goes on for each globe and requires you to imagine the worlds over a background. Plus tons of other animated elements for the show that I don't have room to share here)
Hawthorne Direct kept us busy.
They asked us to make a lady exercise and lose weight. Although we couldn't get an actual woman to do this we were able to show off their product through the magic of 3D.
Hawthorne Direct also wanted a thin woman cartoon animation for a separate show.
As well as animations about airflow and dent removal.
Caudill and Associates, Inc. asked SGS Creative to 'augment' virtual breasts for an infomercial they produced.
There were also updated shows for AutoLock (anti-theft device), from producer Future Thunder Productions Inc, and Rotozip® came out with a new version in their SpiralSaw line, producer Script to Screen...
Well, there has been other stuff too, but this is enough for you to chew on for now. Please drop me a line when you stop by and let me know you were here. shawns@sgscreative.com Thanks.
April 2002
March 2002
Acura 2002 Dealer Meeting Ending Race on three screens for producer Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc.
January/February 2002
January 2002
SGS CREATIVE PROVIDES 3D ANIMATION OF ACURA'S RDX CONCEPT CAR for rtin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc.
For three minutes on January 7th, 2002 the Automotive press in Detroit and around the world was treated to a showing of the RDX Concept car in motion around the streets of Seattle... even though the car was not even built yet.
SGS Creative working in close collaboration with MBA Productions help to co-write the concept of the 3 minute showcase of the RDX Sports Adventure Vehicle lifestyle. This heart pounding show included nearly two minutes of automotive animation created by SGS Creative in one month. Please check out the animations by clicking on the image above.
October/November 2001
Here is what I've been up to this Fall:
September 11, 2001
As with the rest of the nation, my family and myself mourn the tragic loss of life at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. For what it's worth, here are my thoughts on this horrible act of terrorism. (Link Disabled)
September 10, 2001
Just another extremely busy summer working with Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc. on our third annual Honda of America 2002 Dealer Meeting. This year was five screens (although I can only show three efficiently here) in a 'theater in the round' forum, to be shown at the Venitian Hotel in Las Vegas. Final work delivered on the morning of September 11, 2001. By clicking on the image above you can view three screens of the animations.
August 2001
Just another extremely busy summer working with Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc. on our third annual Honda of America 2002 Dealer Meeting. This year was five screens (although I can only show three efficiently here) in a 'theater in the round' forum, to be shown at the Venitian Hotel in Las Vegas. Final work delivered on the morning of September 11, 2001.
August 2001
Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc. looks to SGS Creative for a beautiful logo animation of Warner Home Video's Magic logo, seen above. Please click on the image to see the animation.
June 2001
Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc. hires SGS Creative to work on another 5 screen show for Mary Kay Cosmetics.
May 2001
Wow, with a triple whammy from Hawthorne Direct, SGS Creative has been running full steam on three new products being released at the end of Spring. From Betty Crocker's new Rotisserie Grill to the Sleepmatterzzz Mattress System we've been busy making them shine. Also throw in the Halloway House QuickShine dancing bottle and a soothing animation for a Hemmeroid Cream! Really . . . no kidding . . .
March 2001
Future Thunder Productions Inc. launches Skywriters Greeting Cards with the help from a little guy named Sky that SGS Creative designed and animated for the launch. Images forthcoming as soon as work slows down.
January 24, 2001
Future Thunder Productions Inc. and Rotozip® are unleashing a new SpiralSaw Tool named SolarisTM. SGS Creative is once again helping to define their look with 3D elements and Logo's.
January 17, 2001
Holiday? What Holiday?
Between Acura's 2002 Dealer Meeting, Acura's Detroit Auto Show reveal and Mitsubishi's Detroit Auto Show reveal, Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc. kept me busy from November 1st through January 10th.
Acura's 2002 Dealer Meeting this year was an abstract road map in space of everything, well, Acura. Three moving screens and projections on the wall of winding, twisting roads and automotive impressionist paintings made for quite a spectacle. Also involved was a magical data dance where live dancers were rained on, splashed in and twirled data streams around in space. You really have to see these to understand what I'm talking about. I'll put up the movies soon.
Acura's Detroit Auto Show reveal was a race across America in Stereoscopic 3D. SGS Creative's contribution was creating a talking character to 'smart off' during the ride and 3D menu's throughout. Also of note, MBA asked me to find, hire and help oversee the Stereoscopic 3D racing elements that were created by Rainbow Studios in Phoenix, AZ.
October 31, 2000
October has been a month of infomercial projects for Future Thunder Production. SGS Creative has completed new work for AutoLock, Kineto, and a picture frame product. We also laid the ground work for a new RotoZip product due out next year.
July - September 2000
Another extremely busy summer here at SGS Creative. I was asked by Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc. to once again be the 3D supervisor for Honda of America's '2001 Automotive Dealer Meeting.' This year the show was held in New Orleans and what a show it was. Not only did I have to complete 2 modules for the show, but I also had to co-ordinate and Art Direct 3 other 3D houses to boot. Additionally, for one shop I built the entire world that they animated the characters in.
One of my animations (which can be seen in full on the 2004 Demo Reel) consisted of a Quake/Unreal like 'run and gun' scenario where we ended with our simulated characters caught in a web by an 8 armed predator creature I designed, built and animated. There is a Honda dealership and dealer being eaten and a giant exploding Predator at the end. You've got to see this to believe it. It was a great deal of fun to do and to watch.
The other animation was based on 'The Game Of Life' board and video game. I built a cartoon land and put our characters into a Honda to drive around. This segment of the show ended with the White House dancing to 'Who Let The Dogs Out' along with performers on stage dressed up as characatures of celebrities (Bill and Hillary leading the way). This will also be online as soon as there is a break in my schedule.
June 1, 2000
New SGS Creative Demo Reel available. Please contact Shawn Sedoff at shawns@sgscreative.com for a copy.
May 12, 2000
Jim Caldwell, owner and producer of Future Thunder Productions Inc., has been named DRTV'S RENAISSANCE MAN by Response Magazine - The Leading Magazine for Business to Consumer Direct Marketers. Check out Response Magazine's Cover Story.
May 12, 2000
I've been informed that Jim Caldwell and Future Thunder Productions Inc. have been racking up the awards in the past years for many of the infomecrcials I have helped out with.
Most notibly:
Click on the titles for a look at the work SGS Creative has completed for that project.
Click here to swing on over to Future Thunder Productions Inc. Awards page.
May 12, 2000
All new Future Thunder Productions Inc. and Rotozip® 2000 page with examples online. Click here.
March 12, 2000
"Larry Anderson's Jawdroppers" logo animation for Hawthorne Direct.
February 5, 2000
After a grueling January 2000 schedule, SgS Creative completed animations for Acura's 2001 Dealer Meeting.
Hired once again by Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc., this will be our third year working on an Acura dealer meeting.
This year the show is an hour and a half long on 5 screens. All animations are done at film resolution. Elements created run the gambit from a fully realized dealership created from a blueprint to flowing musical notes and chords creating a guitar and piano road. Plus a ton of Acura eye candy.
December 29, 1999
Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc. taps SgS Creative again. This time to create graphic elements for Lincoln/Mercury's reveal of their SUV, the Mountaineer, at the LA autoshow.
December 17, 1999
Future Thunder Productions Inc. looks to SgS Creative to create animations for the Rotozip® Rebel power tool.
December 17, 1999
SgS Creative is hired by Hawthorne Direct to animate the O Cedar® Solo Mop.
December 10, 1999
Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc. contracted SgS Creative to create environmental graphic elements (snow, rain, wind blowing leaves) and special effect logo treatments for Acura's reveal of their new SUV, the MDX, at the Detroit Auto Show.
November 11, 1999
Future Thunder Productions Inc. hired SgS Creative to demonstrate an automotive anti-theft device that really works. The project included three animations of the Autolock working and two logo treatments.
October 27, 1999
Rotozip® Revolution® animations finished for Future Thunder Productions Inc. infomercial about this amazing new tool.
September 10, 1999
Animations for 'Clean Machine 2000®' infomercial delivered via the web to Hawthorne Direct.
September 3, 1999
Final 3D animations completed and delivered to Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, Inc. for Honda of America's '2000 Automotive Dealer Meeting.'
SgS Creative provided 2 digital city flythroughs and more special effect elements then we can keep track of.
May 1999
SgS Creative is tapped by Caudill and Associates, Inc. to create 3D demonstration animations for the new 'Controller® Golf Driver' infomercial.
