Settling in Columbus

Well, settling here, back in Ohio, has been a tad bumpy.  Had a studio space, don't have a studio space, have work, have too much work, have other stuff to do.  Would love to get to some of the projects on the docket, hope I will be able to get to something fun soon.

This is always the balance between making money and making progress, they do not always coincide.

Time

OMG, it is crazy. Does anyone give anyone enough time to do anything? It seems that speed is forever a big part of any animation or art endeavor. When I first started in art it was about getting it right, not about how long it took. You can't put a disclaimer on an animation and say "this production was done in a week, so give us a break, we know it sucks". I know the old cliche, "time is money" but here is another cliche that is so much more important, "art needs time".

The End is Near.

I just love a "Cartoon" Network that has abandoned cartoons. Great branding. Also announced today, FAO Schwartz is now making assault rifles for home use, General Motors is making shoes as a gas saving solution, and Steven Spielberg has decided to make a porno. I have a great idea, why don't they just start making live action cartoons. Tom and Jerry, people in cat and mouse costumes whacking each other. I think I will pitch that idea. Sheesh, this really bugs me. Kidscreen article below.

Cartoon Network debuts four live-action series
by: Emily Claire Afan May 22, 2009

In a first for the kidcaster, Cartoon Network US is getting ready to launch its all-live action block CN Real, pegged for Wednesday nights.

Beginning June 17, the block will kick off with reality-adventure series The Othersiders at 8 p.m., where five friends are on a mission to explore reportedly haunted locations to determine paranormal activity. Next up is Survive This at 8:30 p.m, which challenges teens between the ages of 14 and 17 to test their endurance and limits while developing survival skills.

Following those two unscripted series on Saturday June 20 are two game shows for kids competing for cash, BrainRush at 8 p.m. - which takes place on a roller coaster - and competition series Destroy Build Destroy at 8:30 p.m. that revolves around two teams charged with destroying a large structure, rebuilding it into something different and then smashing it again. The first one to finish wins the match.

Well the computer is fixed

I am happily back to work. Computer disk is warmly spinning. I did lose some stuff due to the drive failure but not enough to really break a sweat. The only problem is that it takes two or three days to install all the crap I have.

I know, I know

I really think the website will be up soon or at least a portion of it. I have been spread very thin lately. Working on a new independent film, creating a passive income website, designing and writing new projects, and unfortunately getting even more creative ideas on top of the pile. Dave Fedan of Knock Knock used to tell me all the time, "you need a clone, Gav". I think he's right but I don't have the time for another project;)

On the Cheap

Got a call the other day from someone who wanted to do a 30 minute film in flash for under 3G's. Yikes!!! If you are wondering how this could happen, well, to me it is a direct symptom of the willingness of many animation companies and individuals alike who are more than willing to "whore" themselves out just for the job. Animation always seems to be in quiet desperation mode. I will write more on this another time. No I didn't take the job.

Breaking the Rules of Engagement

Making an impact as an artist can be difficult even for the insanely talented. I have had many many gifted artists work for me over the years and watched them struggle in spite of their prodigious talent. Why? I have no clue. But I do have one suggestion, break the rules. Not in terms of your art, but in terms of gaining new business. We have a tendency as artists to think that our work is the only barometer. That one look at our portfolio and the pearly gates of destiny will sweep open and rose petals will be floated in our path to grand success. I only wish it were true. Our work either sets us a part or shows that we are capable of doing the work of any given work provider. That's it. The most important aspect is how you present yourself, are you a creative, and inventive person. That doesn't mean wear black nail polish, dye your hair blue, and talk about the spirituality of rodents. Don't freak people out, be inventive. Find an interesting way to present who you are. Find an inventive way to make contact and be noticed without burning down the building. We once needed information from agencies that they were no longer willing to give out. What did we do? We represented ourselves as a professional agency information service that would help them keep track of creative services of any agency. We cheated, got the information we needed and were never heard from again as The "Creative Directory", but this was also before caller ID.

A Weird time

Many of the producers I have talked to lately have been truly struggling in this economy. Not only are the banks holding on to OUR money (stimulus package), everyone else, agencies, clients, seem to be holding on to their money as well. What to do? Work, R&D, whatever you can think of to improve your position in this wacky world. The one thing this economy cannot not touch is an artist's commitment to his/her work and its production. So quit crying about how it sucks and get moving, maybe other things will begin to move as well. I am flipping broke but that isn't stopping me from producing new projects and keeping active creatively on three new fronts. Denial, Stupidity, and Self destructive behavior, wait I mean, working like a fiend, being creative every day, and producing great NEW work.

I have to blog

Now that I have posted the famous "Foot Job" I will have to start blogging again, just to get it to another page. Hard for me to look at it, and not cry.

Are you original?

I have seen many types of artists in my career and the most surprising type is the artist with tremendous skill but no true creative ability. They are great copiers. They can produce amazing images, perfectly executed, yet totally unoriginal. I knew an art student in college who had more ability than anyone in the class. He would bring in his assignments and they would be remarkable copies of art in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. He was remarkable, but I noticed that the teachers were surprisingly unimpressed. He later dropped out of BU and the last time I talked to him he had become a professional copying machine. Copying masters paintings for the rich, maybe even illegally who knows. All I know is here was a guy with tremendous talent and skill without one original idea. Tragic. I have known several artists like this and I always fear of becoming one myself. In animation, it is very easy to follow trends, to become a professional copying machine. The industry is a collaborative art field that feeds on artists being able to copy one another, the unfortunate result however is that there are mountains of unoriginal work out there.

The Biggest Hurdle

Time is animation's greatest adversary. We animate in a week what animators a generation ago had several weeks to produce. We battle in an era where clients and even those who should know better utter those famous words, "Well everything is done by computer, right?" We all know that computers are equipped with an "animation key" that with one press will automatically activate a wonderful sequence of perpetual motion and beauty. We all know that key, it's right next to the "Are you fucking kidding me?" button. Buzzer sounds! Wrong, so wrong. There is no disclaimer on any modern commercial or animated project that states, "this masterpiece was produced in two weeks, imagine what it could have been if we would have had time". We live in the Fed Ex, text your friend, hurry up, era and there is no turning back. Do it as best you can, as fast as you can and GOOD LUCK, right? I know there are some people out there who can dictate schedule to a client and they are truly lucky and blessed. Most of us are tied to the yoke of "we only have a week and half can you do it?" Perhaps if animation itself wasn't such a desperate pursuit, we could unite as animation professionals and stand up for quality and the time it takes to produce it. Unfortunately, that possibility only exists next to the "Not a chance in hell" key.