Orange County Regional Occupational Center

Orange County Regional Occupational Center

Pioneering 3D Graphics Before It Was a Thing

Where Do You Learn 3D Graphics for Film Before It Even Exists?

If you wanted to break into 3D graphics and animation for film in the early '90s, you had a problem. The industry was still experimenting, schools weren't teaching it yet, and the Internet didn't exist to help you figure things out. There were no YouTube tutorials, no Udemy courses—just books. Lots and lots of books.

And so, I bought dozens of technical manuals from Barnes & Noble, choked them down, read them multiple times, and completed every single lesson. Every spare dollar I had went toward books, because I sure as hell couldn't afford a formal education at the time.

Still, I was determined.

The Orange County Regional Occupational Center – A Stepping Stone into the Future

Returning to California (again), I brought with me something most people didn't have: a personal computer workstation and some strategically acquired software. My goal? Master 3D tools before the industry even knew it needed them.

The Orange County Regional Occupational Center had an AutoCAD program that I jumped into headfirst. AutoCAD 12 with 3D extensions was cutting-edge at the time. I graduated as the top student in my class and immediately began applying what I learned to real-world projects.

Pushing 3D Graphics Before It Was Cool

While most people were still using traditional illustration and paint software, I started using CAD and 3D graphics to design full-color static logos for clients. The results were insanely good.

  • The 3D software allowed me to render logos faster than traditional tools.
  • The look was new and amazing—it appeared as if I had photographed a physical logo rather than drawn it.
  • Clients loved it, and I quickly built a side business offering 3D-rendered branding before anyone else was doing it.

The year was 1991-1992, and while I was rendering futuristic designs, Jurassic Park was already in development. Spielberg—who was already my favorite director—was about to change the game for CGI in film. Little did I know, I would eventually graduate from his alma mater, CSULB.

Building a Powerhouse Workstation – With Donna's Help

Of course, all this 3D wizardry required some serious hardware. That's where Donna was invaluable.

Donna believed in me so much that she maxed-out her credit card to help me build my first serious workstation. That's true love, trust, and faith right there.

The Specs:

  • Intel 386 processor with a math co-processor (a must for 3D work)
  • A whopping 8MB of RAM (because why not go all out?)
  • A massive 130MB hard drive (yes, megabytes!)
  • A gargantuan 15” CRT monitor that weighed almost 50 pounds

The Software Arsenal – The Best Tools (One Way or Another)

I made sure to get my hands on the best 3D software available, including:

  • AutoCAD 12 with 3D extensions (great for precise modeling)
  • 3D Studio by AutoDesk (a game-changer for animation)
  • WaveFront (workstation-class software, later used in big-budget productions)
  • A few other high-end 3D packages (because one was never enough)

Recreating Star Wars Battles & Learning Animation the Hard Way

One of my biggest early projects was recreating famous battle scenes from Star Wars using 3D models. I built a library of as many Star Wars ships and vehicles as I could find and got to work.

The most challenging? The AT-AT Walker Battle from The Empire Strikes Back.

The problem?

No surface detection. This meant keeping the AT-AT's feet from melting into the ground was a nightmare. I had to manually adjust everything, frame by frame, just to get a believable motion.

The World's First Fully Computerized Feature Film? Almost.

Shortly after that, I embarked on an even crazier project—one that, if completed, might have been the first feature-length animated movie made entirely with computer graphics.

The project was called rAnt.

  • The story revolved around a red ant in a world of black ants.
  • I planned to work around the limitations of the technology by using photographic backgrounds combined with poly-primitive characters.
  • The ants were animated, talked, and had their own little world.

It was ambitious. It was groundbreaking. It was... doomed.

Before I could finish it, Toy Story (1995) happened, proving that Pixar had the horsepower I didn't. In retrospect, even if I had continued, I would have been hopelessly underpowered for a full-length feature.

Looking Back – At the Forefront of a Revolution

Being there at the beginning of 3D animation and CGI felt like being part of a secret society—a group of nerds who knew what was coming before the rest of the world caught on.

  • The industry was changing right before my eyes.
  • Rendering was a nightmare, but we pushed through.
  • 3D graphics were about to take over Hollywood—and I had a front-row seat.

It was a wild time to be a computer nerd. And honestly? I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Timeline:

jack w marvin 2022
3 years ago

53 Years Old

2022
jack w marvin 2020
5 years ago

51 Years Old

2020
jack w marvin 2018
7 years ago

49 Years Old

2018
1987 Toyota Sunrader
9 years ago

1987 Toyota Sunrader

1987 Toyota Sunrader: A Vintage Camper's Road to...
2015
10 years ago

46 Years Old

2015
j w marvin 2014
11 years ago

45 Years Old

2014
2013
12 years ago

44 Years Old

2013
California State University Long Beach
14 years ago

California State University

California State University, Long Beach: My Journey in...
jack marvin 2011
14 years ago

42 Years Old

2011
Academy of Art University
16 years ago

Academy of Art University

San Francisco State of Mind: A Summer at the Academy...
j marvin 2009
16 years ago

40 Years Old

2009
Orange Coast College
17 years ago

Orange Coast College

My Journey at Orange Coast College: A Tale of Growth,...
jw marvin 2007
18 years ago

38 Years Old

2007
2006 - Idiocracy
19 years ago

2006 - Idiocracy

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2006
19 years ago

37 Years Old

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2005
20 years ago

36 Years Old

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2003
22 years ago

34 Years Old

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2002
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2001
24 years ago

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2000
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31 Years Old

2000
1999 - Matrix
26 years ago

1999 - Matrix

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1999 - Galaxy Quest
26 years ago

1999 - Galaxy Quest

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1999 - Fight Club
26 years ago

1999 - Fight Club

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1999
26 years ago

30 Years Old

1999
1997 Pontiac Trans Am
27 years ago

1997 Pontiac Trans Am

1997 Pontiac Trans Am: A 30-Year Journey
1998 - Dark City
27 years ago

1998 - Dark City

Dark City – A Cinematic Masterpiece of Visual...
1998
27 years ago

29 Years Old

1998
1967 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia
28 years ago

1967 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

1967 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia: A Brother’s Journey
1986 Nissan 300zx
28 years ago

1986 Nissan 300zx

1986 Nissan 300ZX: A Digital Experience
1997
28 years ago

28 Years Old

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1996
29 years ago

27 Years Old

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1995
30 years ago

26 Years Old

1995
1969 Ford Falcon Futura
31 years ago

1969 Ford Falcon Futura

1969 Ford Falcon Futura
1994
31 years ago

25 Years Old

1994
1984 Honda CB900 Custom
32 years ago

1984 Honda CB900 Custom

1984 Honda CB900 Custom
1993 Mazda Miata
32 years ago

1993 Mazda Miata

1993 Mazda Miata: A Fun and Affordable Convertible
1993
32 years ago

24 Years Old

1993
Orange County Regional Occupational Center
33 years ago

Orange County Regional Occupational Center

Pioneering 3D Graphics Before It Was a Thing
1992
33 years ago

23 Years Old

1992
1991
34 years ago

22 Years Old

1991
1990
35 years ago

21 Years Old

1990
1982 Toyota Corolla
36 years ago

1982 Toyota Corolla

1982 Toyota Corolla: A Car That Could Do It All
1989
36 years ago

20 Years Old

1989
1979 Mazda RX7
37 years ago

1979 Mazda RX7

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Saddleback College
38 years ago

Saddleback College

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United Airlines Apollo Training Center
38 years ago

United Airlines Apollo Training Center

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1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88
38 years ago

1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88

1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88
1987 - RoboCop
38 years ago

1987 - RoboCop

RoboCop – The Movie that Defined a Genre
1987
38 years ago

18 Years Old

1987
1974 Porsche Carerra S Targa
39 years ago

1974 Porsche Carerra S Targa

1974 Porsche Carrera S Targa
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