Juan M. Cordova
Computer Graphics Technology and Art
Dürer's demonstration of the principles of perspective,
representing three dimensions on a 2D screen.
Curriculum Vitae
The info on this page has not been updated since 1999!
(I s'pose that means I don't need the work, hehehe...)
INDEX
- 3D Software Systems
- 2D Software
- Operating Systems / System Administration
- Hardware
- Programming Languages
- Exhibitions
- Videos
Recent (?) Professional Experience
- 1989 - 1994
- FACULTY, CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS, FILM/VIDEO and MANAGER,
CALARTS COMPUTER ANIMATION LAB. Taught Computer Animation, installed and
maintained hardware and software systems and supervised assistants.
- 1994 - 1996
- FREELANCE COMPUTER ANIMATOR including work for Lightspan Entertainment,
Crystal Sky Communications and Jon Voight Productions. Animated for CD-ROM
game and Special Effects for Feature Film.
- PRESENT
- FREELANCE WEB DEVELOPMENT I am currently designing and developing web
sites. Some recent jobs include:
CalArts Office of Public Affairs; http://www.calarts.edu/~pubafrs/ CalArts
Alumni Office; http://www.calarts.edu/~alumni/
-
TECHNICAL
Selected Skills
3D Software Systems
I began learning CG in 1986 with the CUBICOMP system in CalArts’
Computer Animation Lab under Vibeke Sorensen. Next I learned WAVEFRONT.
I excelled and became Ms. Sorensen’s Teaching Assistant. In 1989, after
two years of a three year master’s degree program, I was asked to join
the CalArts faculty where I remained, teaching Computer Graphics and Animation
for the next five years.
- 3D STUDIO & MAX
- Four years intensive experience using these systems.
- WAVEFRONT T.A.V.
- I used and taught this software system for six years in CalArts Computer
Animation Lab. Completed Wavefront Training at their facility in Santa
Barbara (1991).
- CUBICOMP
- Cubicomp was, to my knowledge, the first commercially available Hardware/Software
3D Modeling, Rendering and Animation System. I have seven years experience
using and teaching this System.
- WAVEFRONT EXPLORE
- Four months professional experience.
- LIGHTWAVE
- Four months professional experience.
- SYMBOLICS
- Completed Symbolics Training at their facility in Westwood, CA, September
1991.
- OTHER
- In addition I have had contact with other 3D computer animation systems
on UNIX, PC and MacIntosh computers including Alias, Soft Image, Vertigo,
Topas, Swivel 3D, Imagine and others.
-
-
2D Software
- I have been using PAINT and IMAGE EDITING packages since 1986, beginning
with LUMENA and TIPS and later ADOBE PHOTOSHOP, FRACTAL DESIGN PAINTER
and FAUVE MATISSE, etc. on SGI, PC and Mac platforms.
- I have similar experience with IMAGE COMPOSITING and IMAGE PROCESSING
software such as SOFTIMAGE'S EDDIE and WAVEFRONT COMPOSER and IMF_COMP
on SGI platforms, Ron Scott's QFX on the PC, SPECTRAL COLLAGE and ADOBE
AFTER-EFFECTS on the Mac.
-
-
Operating Systems / Systems Administration
- For over five years I was responsible for System Administration
in California Institute of the Arts' Computer Animation Lab. During that time I completely reconfigured
the Lab, fully integrating SGI, RS6000, Sun, PC and Mac machines, as well
as Video and Film recording, scanning and digitizing equipment into a unified
and highly functional facility and greatly increased its functionality,
interconnectivity and interoperability.
- UNIX
- I have extensive experience in various flavors of UNIX including BSD,
System V, IRIX, AIX, Linux, etc. C-SHELL programming and the X-Window system.
- WINDOWS
- Six years experience configuring and maintaining WINDOWS systems, including
Windows 95 and Windows NT up to version 4.0.
- DOS
- Extensive knowledge of this Operating System including Batch File programming
and configuring systems to facilitate use by many users (login/home-directory
system).
- MACINTOSH
- Familiarity with the Mac and its Operating System and Apple networking,
Hypercard programming, etc. I’m also familiar with ResEdit, the Apple
Resource Editor.
-
-
Hardware
- COMPUTERS:
- SGI
- Extensive experience on 3000 series IRIS machines, 4D/25 Personal Iris's
and 4D/80's.
- OTHER UNIX
- Additional experience on SUN, IBM RS/6000, Celerity and UNIX
on PC's.
- PC (DOS/WINDOWS)
- Extensive experience configuring, repairing and upgrading 80x86 based
computers including Pentium and Pentium Pro.
- MACINTOSH
- General experience configuring, repairing and upgrading MacIntosh hardware.
- OTHER HARDWARE:
- ETHERNET
- Installed, managed and maintained a network between unlike UNIX machines
(SGI, SUN, IBM RS/6000, PC), IBM/PC compatibles and MacIntosh computers,
including NFS (Network File System) configuration and mail systems.
- SCSI
- Extensive installation and problem solving experience connecting peripheral
devices to various computers using this interface/standard.
- VIDEO
- Extensive knowledge of Video Standards and equipment including: Composite
Video (RS-170A) and Component Video. CAMERAS and VIDEO RECORDERS including
VHS, S-VHS, 8mm and Hi8, U-MATIC(3/4"), BETACAM and 1". Editing
and SINGLE FRAME controllers including LYON-LAMB, DIAQUEST and the ACI
PIK box. Experience in the use of VECTOR SCOPES, WAVEFORM MONITORS, etc.
- FILM
- General experience with film and cameras, particularly MITCHELL pin-registered
16MM animation cameras, OPTICAL PRINTING (conventional and digital) and
MOTION CONTROL techniques.
- RS-232
- Extensive experience interconnecting equipment via RS-232 serial protocol,
including COMPUTERS, TERMINALS, MODEMS, DIGITIZING EQUIPMENT and VIDEO
CONTROL DEVICES, etc.
-
-
Programming Languages
- HTML
- I am currently involved in developing my own and other web sites. Though
I use various HTML editors including Netscape Gold and Pagemill, I find
I usually have to tweak the HTML manually to some extent.
- JavaScript
- I have begun using this scripting language to enhance web pages.
- C-SHELL
- Created various EXTENSIONS to the WAVEFRONT system, general UTILITIES
including controlling output to film and videotape and System Administration
utilities.
- BASIC
- Created EXTENSIONS to the CUBICOMP system, wrote 3D geometry format
translators, a fractal landscape generator and other geometry generators
and utilities for interfacing to peripheral devices.
- C
- Completed UCLA Extension introductory course and a self taught tutorial
program in this language. Wrote small utility programs and modified existing
code for task specific applications.
- PASCAL
- Completed UCLA Extension course in this language.
- HYPERCARD
- Participated in the production of a HyperCard stack index for the laser
disk The Dream Machine, an Anthology of Computer Animation for The
Voyager Press.
- 6502/6510 M.L.
- Considerable experience with Apple II and Commodore machines programming
in Machine Language for optimizing performance of High Level language
programs.
ART
Exhibitions
- Aug. 93
- Anima
Mundi, an international festival of animation held annually in Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil. Screened This Other Eden.
- Apr. 91
- (Those are pearls that were his eyes. Look!),
an installation with computer animation. CalArts Black & White Studio.
- Aug. 90
- New Expressions with Computers and Video. Video Screening and panel
discussion curated by Rebecca Allen at EZTV Gallery. Screened the video
Tetratorus.
- Jul. 89
- Asian Eyes, a collaborative multi-media performance produced by Scott
Kellman and The Pipeline, L.A. Musical Director and performer.
- May 88
- Ouroboros a large scale dance performance
and interactive video installation utilizing CalArts' Modular Theater.
- May 88
- Freak Vector Concerts, a series of electronic
music, dance and video performances by CalArts students that took place
in Calarts' Modular Theater. Producer and Production Designer.
-
-
Videos
- This Other Eden 1991
- Computer Animation (MFA Thesis, CalArts Film/Video)
- Ouroboros 1990
- Processed Live Action experimental video
- Tetratorus 1989
- Computer Animation
- Earthwork/Process 7 1987
- Documentation of the construction of a major earthwork by Nobuho Nagasawa
at CalArts. Co-editor.
- In Paradise 1986
- Live action & Computer Graphics experimental video
- Self Portrait 1968
- (Transfer from 8mm film.)
-
-
Education
- 1990
- MASTER of FINE ARTS, CalArts School of Film and Video with a concentration
in Computer Animation. Studied under Vibeke Sorensen and served as her
Graduate Assistant.
- 1988
- BACHELOR of FINE ARTS, CalArts School of Music.