Ramona Criss & MyAnimations
Ramona Criss of MyANIMATION
By: Bliss Windlow
Ramona, like so many SL residents does not speak English as her first language. And, like many of them, she apologizes profusely for her English. It always makes me laugh because I think it is amazing they can speak my language. I cannot imagine anyone being offended. Now what WOULD be funny and offensive .. would be ME trying to speak any of their languages. I have taken the liberty of correcting a spelling here or there or adding a word when needed but the responses, are as delightful as the woman herself.
BW: Congratulations on the new store. Both Ohren and I were blown away by what a great build it is and while I don't know anything about building, when Ohren is impressed ... that says something. Tell me about the building and the design??
RC: Thank you so much for appreciation and for your kind words.
MyANIMATION’s new building is the result of 2 years of experience and skills and keeps the trend of all SD Serini Design buildings. At the same time, it combines all my new ideas about how a shop at this size should look like. I tried to apply the rules of minimal architecture style applied these days in real life.
BW: Where else can people see some of your other builds? SD Serini Design is the name of your Building Company, tell me a little bit about how that came to be and what kinds of builds you do.
RC: Yes, you are right SD Serini Design is the name of my Building Company and can be found on Xstreet or New Marketplace and of course in World in Luxor City 92/74/322.
I have start building in SL almost from beginning when I had need of a table for my rented house (smiling), then I wanted to make the design of my RL house in SL with furniture and all things needed for it. Well at the end I had a perfect copy of my RL home furnished and decorated in SL .... I was so excited ! When I started MyANIMATION Company I couldn't find a building designed similar to what I had in mind, so I started building it. Many people asked me to sell them MyANIMATION Shop building, but I wanted to sell my animations in a unique building ... so was not for sale (smile), and I thought since I like to build and that it is something which helps me relax, why not start selling them. This was the beginning of SD Serini Design, and became a very successful business.
I like to create Shops , Malls and Clubs, all are based on modern and minimal style.
BW: How did MyANIMATION come about? How long has it been around and when did you move to this new building?
RC: Well some of my closer friends know how I have arrived in animators field and how MyANIMATION came out and I would like to share this story with you. (smiling)My first contact with business environment in Second Life was when I started to manage a store with animations created by a friend of mine, and I tried to apply all my knowledge regarding management and marketing. I have to admit that in Second Life managing a business and marketing are a little different compared to real life. Because the creator I worked for did not have time to create new animations to fit with customer needs, I decided to create my own animations .... so this is the way that MyANIMATION came to life at the beginning of 2009 and my first store. After a while that I familiarized myself how to create animations, and how important the quality of the animations is, I have hired RL professional animators and developed a bigger shop ... which I like to call "my 2nd store".
Because costumers expectations raised and they desire more real and natural motions, we have bought a Motion Capture System and we created our own Studio and hired professional dancers, actors, and models.
In the middle of September we will release new animations full body motion capture, and because we need a bigger space we are moving to the new store.
All this will be marked by a huge Grand Opening Event, 60 nonstop hours PARTY that will start Friday September 17th 2010 Midnight SLT featuring 30 live DJ's, 30 hostess and 60 dancers.
BW: Can you explain, briefly, how one creates animations? Does it take a lot of time?
RC: Well I can tell you it's not easy job and actually requires quite a lot of work and dedication, the main issues is that you cannot find any how to's and basically you have to discover everything by trial and error. Even the well trained 3D designers have difficulties when faced for the first time with Second Life animations.
To get to the bottom of it we use advanced motion capture technology capturing real time movements performed by our professional actors, dancers and models.
BW: What about the dances? Are you a dancer? How do you keep them fresh and interesting?
RC: Hmmm, I wish to be a dancer because I seen how they performed in our studio and all of them are just amazing they make it seem so easy. Some of the movement I performed myself and with the help of the animators "tricks" I am quite good (smiling) ... well but those animations are for me and not for sell.
Except me, all of our performers are professionals and have studied dance, theatre and modelling all their lives.
We try to cover almost every dance style possible and use more dancers for every style, because every dancer has a unique way of performing and feeling the music and doing so we obtain unique animation for every dance style. Just as an observation the dancers feel the music like it is a part of them.
BW: Do you sell AO's that are set and ready to go or are all your AO's empty and people can pick and choose what they want to put into them?
RC: We have a free AO Hud that is empty and people can load what AO stands they like and what they think fits their own personality.
Our short time plans include also creating a new improved AO Hud complete (ready to go) with brand new features and of course customers will be able to load other animations they prefer.
BW: Tell me something about the people you work with. You have a partner - do you just complement one another fabulously or is it tough sometimes?
RC: Well as you can imagine I started alone and in time I have founded a bigger and bigger team that is growing as we speak. All the members of my team are very creative and good professionals at what they do and consider ourselves to be like a family. Kpusha Kanto is my business partner that is actually my real life husband that was very supportive from the beginning (not true - smiling), now he is my right hand in this project and his role is to test all animations. Also Shara Catiria that is my real life sister helps me to manage MyANIMATION Company and other business that I have in Second Life.
BW: What advise can you offer for someone looking to start business here in SL? What has been your toughest lesson that taught you the most?
RC:To be honest I am not very good at giving advice but if I where to start a business now in Second Life I very much would appreciate someone telling me: to create high quality, original and unique products, to be open minded, ambitious, to be able to work 16 hours a day (smiling - like I do) and most important always listen to your customers needs and offer them very good services.
As far as lessons learned, I have to admit that I've learned all my lessons the hard way in real life because I have a few good years of management background in a company and my main concern even then was to always satisfy my customers and make them happy.
BW: What can we expect from you heading into fall, anything new and exciting?
RC: As you already figured it out the next few months will be full with excitement. We will move to the new building, offering to our customers tons of new high quality animations, Grand Opening Event and other surprises. The new shop is situated in Luxor City region where our customers can find a beach to relax and a club to party.
Everybody is welcome to join us at MyANIMATION Grand Opening Event PARTY that will start Friday September 17th 2010 Midnight SLT.
To keep track of Grand Opening Party Event, and other information about us you can visit our website www.myanimation.sl.
I had so much fun with the dances, I did not want to leave. I thought that she also had some different poses than what you usually see with modelling and she Ramona is incredibly helpful and willing to talk to you about your needs and what you would like to see. The new store is open and spacious and lends itself nicely to taking your time and trying out the poses. Poses come in a copy or transfer option allowing for a variation in the price if you are counting pennies.
