Sonic X: Cosmic Chase is out now! Never thought this day would come, huh?http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/544726Go watch it and enjoy!

I run a very small company and have partnerships with a few other small (but bigger than mine) companies. Before this, I worked in the enterprise space, and was used to all the formalities and software that rises up to take the wiggle room out of experiences. As a recovering senior project manager for a wireless telecommunications company, I’ve really resisted project management software as long as possible. But I’ve come to realize that that the lack of a group workflow platform was impacting my collaboration. A Glimpse into My Workflow In my company, we do a lot of our interactions via email and text. We sometimes jump on GoToMeeting with HDFaces to get the visual component on the go, or sometimes, we’ll use Google Talk’s video, if we’re already into a chat session on that platform. We’re good at rapidly moving information back and forth between systems. But what was missing was something a bit more static. We needed a project management solution that let us look at all our projects at a glance, if only to realize just how over-committed and busy I was making everyone. We’d tried a few, let a few accounts just flap in the breeze, and then went back to trying one we hadn’t looked at for a while. And That’s How We Rediscovered Podio Now, I know that I’m writing on behalf of Citrix, and that reading this, you’re like, "Oh jeez. Citrix just acquired Podio," but really, the two events weren’t related. We mentioned on a phone call with Citrix that we were just getting our project management software back in line to help with collaboration, and when they asked who we were using, we said Podio. And then they giggled and couldn’t tell us anything for a week or two until the news broke. What we like about Podio is that it has the capability of being either very lightweight or very detailed. As a former project manager, the last thing I ever want to see is a dense Gantt chart full of linked deliverables and cascading commitment days anchored together. What we like is that we can build apps within it that let us choose our level of personal and professional neurosis. Flow What we found inside our company is that we like collaboration that flows. Throw on GoToMeeting with HDFaces? Sure! Sprawl across Twitter and onto the blog and off again? Check. And MOBILE. If apps don’t have a mobile-friendly interface, at the very least, then they’re no go for us. We’re looking forward to the enhancement of even more apps that allow us to collaborate better while mobile. It doesn’t have to be smartphone-sized. I like the iPad scale just as much. But wow, if something doesn’t work in mobile and I have to wait until I pull out my laptop to do it, things aren’t going to happen. Why the Future Is Getting Cooler and Cooler I’m really enjoying collaboration technology’s advancement. Starting back in the 1990s, we used to have to jump through hoops. The other problem was that IT departments used to be very insistent that employees use specific software packages and the like (usually Microsoft, because of negotiated deals). The current trend is something like IT-sumerism, for lack of a better word. You want an iPhone in an all-BlackBerry world? Well sure! It seems to be working better for folks that way. Sure, it’s a bit of a mess handling all the various maintenance and "extra parts" issues, but that’s just part of the mix these days for IT departments. What I like, also, is that mobile interactions are getting more and more acceptable and simply fluid. It used to be a hassle to be that one guy "on the phone" while everyone else was online and watching the demo. With tablets, we’re smoothing out that experience nicely. For me, for my business, I’m really coming to enjoy collaboration and portability in all my tools. Now that Podio is back in place as our project management tool, I’m looking forward to seeing what the integration of that tool into the Citrix platform looks like, too. (I know. I’ll have to wait a little while. The ink’s not even dry.) What say you? How are you collaborating? What are your flows like? Photo Credit: AlphachimpStudio

Since the weight of Cosmic Chase has been lifted, I've been focusing on character design and storyboarding my new film. It's something I've never done before as I try to push and challenge myself with each new project. It's been in the works since May and since then a draft of the script has been written. I'm excited about it. It's titled "Robiety".Robiety is a story driven tale about a robotic society and the struggle of one robot to rebel against the corporation and discover happiness. This is a more mature film geared towards the older crowd, containing various intertwining themes and symbolism which is left up to the viewer to interpret. It's an open-ended story and you can take what you want from it.I've been studying and looking up different types of robots over the last month to solidify characters. So far I've got the main character and villain along with a few extras. It'll be a heavily stylized film and contain minimal action as it will focus on acting and emotion.Robiety will be completed in April 2011. I'll be posting more on production as I do it throughout the year.And now for something different. Here's some stuff I worked on last semester.Monster O's from Jeff Yandura on Vimeo.2010 Work Reel from Jeff Yandura on Vimeo.Hope you guys like!

Have you ever browsed the Citrix GoTo Developer Center? We created it in late 2011 as a resource for building integrations with the Citrix GoTo products. And now Citrix customers are beginning to see the fruits of this effort. We have collaborated with key third-party software providers and developers to offer integrations between GoToTraining and your learning management systems (LMS). Here’s what happens when you use them: You save time, improve the efficiency of your learning processes and increase your productivity. Two roads to integration GoToTraining integrations are being developed using custom integrations and LMS-agnostic integrations. Some LMS providers are building custom integrations with GoToTraining for use with their solution. One great example of this is the GoToTraining integration developed by Vitalect for their Techniq University LMS. This integration is tightly woven into the workflow and processes offered by Techniq University. The LMS-agnostic approach is a new and, we think, unique approach to providing integrations developed by Intelladon. Intelladon Cloud Connector integrations leverage SCORM or AICC to transfer information between GoToTraining and virtually any LMS - at a fraction of the cost, time and effort of custom-built integrations. Both the Vitalect Techniq University and Intelladon Cloud Connector integrations are available now. For more information about the Vitalect integration, please call Vitalect at +1 650 265 7542 or +1 510 468 4191, or email them at contact@vitalect.com. To learn more about the Intelladon Cloud Connector, please contact your Citrix Online sales representative or account manager. Photo Credit: opensourceway

Finished the storyboard last week and slapped an animatic together. Currently I'm reworking the animatic's timing and adding and redoing a few shots to make the pacing flow better. For the most part it's looking pretty good.Here we have the protagonist, SIMB (Standard Issue Maintenance Bot). He's a small bot in comparison to the others at the corporate factory and is a mindless worker drone until he takes matters into his own hands to change the way society works and thinks.The film relies heavily on real life pre-existing symbols and themes to create a comprehensive story about the inner workings of society.

Two months ago we added our awesome new HDFaces feature to our GoToMeeting app for iPad to coincide with Apple’s release of its third-generation iPad. It’s amazing how quickly people are adopting it, and now massive numbers of people are joining GoToMeeting sessions from their iPhone or iPad! But we haven’t stopped tinkering with it: We figured out how to optimize the GoToMeeting app for the new iPad retina display. That means even clearer, more vibrant video quality no matter where you join the meeting from. Check out this video of the GoToMeeting app for iPad to get a better idea of how it works. We love the revolutionary ripple of GoToMeeting for iPad. Now that people can download the free app and join a face-to-face meeting - while also viewing the presenter’s screen - from anywhere, customers are finding even more ways and reasons to collaborate. Our customers are using HDFaces on the iPad to deliver patient care, show whiteboards to remote colleagues and customers, demonstrate moving physical objects in the field and much more. Here’s a reminder of what GoToMeeting for iPad can do: See up to 6 meeting participants with HDFaces Join a GoToMeeting session in seconds by tapping a link in an email. View presentations, mockups and reports - whatever the presenter shares on-screen. Share HDFaces video from the front or back camera on the second- and third-generation iPad. See who’s presenting, who’s talking and who else is attending. Chat with individual attendees or the entire group. Connect to audio through your Internet connection (WiFi or 3G/4G) or dial in over the phone. Try it out today - the new GoToMeeting app for iPad app is available free from the App Store. If you’d like to start hosting GoToMeeting sessions from your Mac or PC, a free 30-day trial is available at www.gotomeeting.com.

Last week I set up robiety.com as the official site for the film. I hope to have it complete sometime early next year. I don't plan on devoting a whole lot of time to it right now as I am still developing content for the movie. The animatic is done for now; I'll go back another time and tweak some shots most likely, but my main focus at the moment is cranking out background layouts and designs. The final movie will be in 1080p HD, but for now these images are scaled down.More to come within the next few weeks.

Happy Birthday GoToAssist! 120,000 satisfied users delivering over 50 million support sessions can’t be wrong! Our customers tell us that GoToAssist "just works" each and every time. For over a decade now, GoToAssist has provided cloud-based tools for supporting people and technology. GoToAssist remains the remote support market leader, with 38 percent market share, because of its rapid innovation, high customer satisfaction, and a simple-to-use design philosophy. To help us celebrate, just "like" us on Facebook to enter the GoToAssist Android Tablet Giveaway Sweepstakes). Ten years in the cloud means 10 lucky winners will receive a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. Enter today to win! What Is GoToAssist? GoToAssist is an easy-to-use remote support tool that enables businesses of all sizes to connect and support customers or end users online. With GoToAssist, you can improve customer service, reduce support session times, decrease overall support costs and eliminate time-consuming, expensive travel. The GoToAssist Monitoring module provides IT management tools that are perfect for IT managers, consultants and MSPs who need to monitor server health, manage inventory, monitor network and off-LAN devices and receive proactive alerts to help them keep tabs on their IT network. Solutions for the Next Generation of Users and IT Professionals GoToAssist will once again revolutionize the market with the unveiling of new and innovative mobile remote support and social customer support features this week at Citrix Synergy 2012, the conference where mobile work styles and cloud services meet, in San Francisco at the Moscone West Convention Center May 9 through 11, 2012. Citrix will be demonstrating its commitment to solving the support needs of a new generation of users and of IT professionals. These users demand new apps and services for their multiple devices and need to be able to request support from anywhere, while IT and operations teams crave the tools to provide quality support and access from mobile devices and through social channels. To learn more visit our website, www.GoToAssist.com.

I was bored in class yesterday and decided to start doing keys of some simple animations. I can only do so many layouts during a period of time until it gets stale. Starting a new production element is always a daunting task for me. As afraid I was to start animating, I jumped right in not worrying about failing because I can always fix it. I'll post when I'm satisfied with the assets.

A little bit of success can be a bad thing. Success can provide "false positives" - indicators that you are doing the right things for growth when in fact you are only doing enough for your current growth. So, if you are happy with what you are achieving, then stick with it. However, if you believe that you can and should be growing faster, I have a couple of ideas for the next rungs you need to climb on your growth ladder. The givens For the sake of this post, let’s assume that you are already great at 3 keys to business success: product, passion and people. You do a good job in providing what you deliver to your customers. You care and invest with energy and commitment in your business. You have people who believe in the dream, even if it is only your immediate family and friends. You are also probably good at resolving customer issues, solving mini-crises and meeting your obligations. This means long hours, hard work and a firefighter mentality. To take the next steps in climbing your growth ladder, you are going to need to make some important business shifts. Rung #1: Shift from what to why Strong customer loyalty is driven by the why behind your business. What you do, the products and services you provide, puts you in the marketplace. How you deliver it, the quality of service and commitment, puts you in the upper tier of competitors. But why you do it is what creates raving fans who will try whatever you offer, tell others and stand in line to be first to have what you are introducing. The why separates Dell from Apple, Southwest from Delta and you from your competitors. When you start a company, you focus on the business issues of products, services and pricing. That’s healthy and appropriate. To take your next big leap, you need to focus on your why. Rung #2: Shift from all to few When I was starting one of my first businesses, a mentor of mine posed this question: "Do you know what your most important job is in the first year of running your business? Surviving to your second year of business." For most companies, this survival instinct initially drives great behaviors, but over time, these same behaviors become problematic. When you are in the desert, you drink the dirty water because you must. Similarly, when you are starting a business, you take almost every customer. Once you have established your business, however, you need to shift to a very rigorous process of evaluating potential clients, especially large ones. Transactional accounts are not as potentially damaging to your company because of their relatively small size. As you grow, however, the most important business that you do is the business you do not do. Your next rung is to create a strategic map for hunting new business that fits your growth best. Rung #3: Shift from heroes to systems Most businesses have legends of incredible sacrifice, commitment and service as part of their cultural lore. But if you’re frequently celebrating your "firefighters," then you must be a company with lots of fires. One of the most important transitions a company can make is the creation of systems with cycles of improvement to eliminate problems with replicable success. There are 5 such key systems that a company needs to develop in order to move from this hero-dependent design to a system-strong approach to business growth. I’ll be explaining these systems and more in my upcoming free webinar, "Your Next 3 Ladder Rungs to Double Your Business," sponsored by Citrix. I hope you will join me for it. Please click here to register. Photo Credit: Tie Guy II