Animation Featured Film Podcast Technology Television

How Artists deal with Technology Failures, and Tips for You!

Stephen BrooksDecember 16, 20152 Mins read1.2k Views

HOT COCOA SHOW! This show’s topic is “What to do when Technology lets you down as an Artist” and we talk all about our (mis)adventures in using technology, how to troubleshoot problems when they arise, and how to even avoid problems before they happen! If you are technologically-challenged, this is the episode for you and you should definitely check out the main blog post. And don’t miss the giveaway announcement in the podcast… it’s first-come-first-served!

And don’t forget to check out the companion blog post with this podcast to read a more structured list of ways to be troubleshoot and prevent technology failures!

Listen for Rob2001, #TechShaming, caramel-snort, ♫calling Stephen Brooks♫, cats = computer bugs, and “Samsonite… I was way off!”

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Topics & Timestamps:

(7:44) “The Secret” vs “The Obvious”

(9:31) Why you should always have System Restore on

(12:48) How Stephen became the “computer guru” for others

(15:08) “Technologic” by Daft Punk

(17:17) Stephen’s flipbook animation done while stranded in Dublin

(19:29) Being an Artist at this point in time

(25:05) Everyone adapts to technology at different rates

(26:46) *****FIVE THINGS to prepare for tech failures

(27:26) 1: Equivalent Programs

(28:37) 2: Multiple Computing Devices

(29:42) 3: Alternate Workflows

(31:00) 4: Style Changes

(33:00) 5: BACKUP EVERYTHING

(34:15) Rob’s 1st story: why you shouldn’t punch your computer

(36:30) Stephen’s “Aspen” story: troubleshooting hardware issues

(43:38) Actions in vain: polaroid pictures and NES cartidges

(46:44) PODCAST BREAK: Flipbook animation pages GIVEAWAY announcement

(48:45) Stephen troubleshoots a problem Rob’s having in Flash LIVE/(prerecorded)

~~~~~FIVE THINGS to troubleshoot problems~~~~~

(56:21) STEP 1 – Getting Information on the Problem

(57:17) STEP 2 – Search for Existing Solutions (and Googling tips)

(1:01:25) STEP 3 – Reach Out on Social Media

(1:05:14) STEP 4 – Find a Workaround

(1:07:28) STEP 5 – Revisit with New Information

(1:08:30) Rob’s 2nd Story: why you shouldn’t stab your computer

(1:09:24) Should you buy High-End or Average computer?

(1:26:48) The RubberOnionPodcast episode 50 story

(1:34:17) Parting tips

(1:36:22) What is the most important thing if you’re “bad at computers?”

Media Referenced During this Episode:

“My Friend the Computer #2: B.S.O.D”

“My Friend the Computer #3: Replacement”

1:04:05 I talk about the BSOD before recording the tech-failures podcast ep, this is it haha https://t.co/JeZ1XtD9Sb pic.twitter.com/DyiXrkrE78

— Stephen Brooks (@rubberonion) December 16, 2015

“Technologic” by Daft Punk

“Eggnog Santa” flipbook animation loop by Stephen (and GIVEWAY!)

Flipbook loop: "Santa likes eggnog" Needed something to do while I'm stranded without my computer! #christmas #holiday #animation #animatedshort #animated #animatedloop #loopinganimation #loop #animation #Animator #handdrawn #traditional #penandink #penciltest #classic #classicanimation #handdrawnanimation #traditionalanimation #santa #santaclaus

A video posted by Stephen Brooks (@rubberonion) on Dec 6, 2015 at 3:39pm PST

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Stephen Brooks

Stephen Brooks is a freelance animator in NYC that specializes in a hand-drawn style. Being a professional since 2005, he also produces indie shorts with self-made music, sound fx & voices. Lately Stephen has taken to introducing others to animation with production VLOGs, a podcast, instructional videos and is writing a book on traditional principles in a digital world. View his animation work www.rubberonion.com