Happy Holidays

As always, I've made a card for the New Year, since that applies to all men, women (and cats), and isn't restricted to one religious denomination. (Some time differences may apply.)

Here is this years' card; it features our late family dog Peaches, who died in 1982, and my current friend Gizmo, who nearly died this year of cancer but somehow beat the odds, and is still here.

I hope that all of us can make the same statement (at least the beating the odds bit and still being here) in the New Year.

The new Year celebration does not only mark the passing of chronological time. Several of my friends died this year (not all of them members of the animation community) and they will be remembered at this time, as they are on a daily basis.

Happy Holidays.

I've been a neglectful poster...

...and both of my remaining readers may be mildly upset at this. It's been a really fast semester, and a busy one, at Sheridan...and I do seem to be on Facebook a lot more than here. I like the interactivity, and the ability to learn about artists in all media that you might not have met otherwise.

The truly remarkable thing about Facebook is that it allows you to post your work, portfolio, and credentials online in a venue that 'overshoots' the usual studio watchdogs. In other words, it's a fulltime, permanent animation jobfest and you can show your work to just about anyone, anytime and anywhere. Small wonder that studios are starting to recruit on Facebook for talent. DreamWorks has just created a Facebook page for 'top animation students' (hope I got the name right.)

It would be really nice to have a Facebook page for the Sheridan animation program; I've even offered to administer it. There is plenty of student material on Youtube to link to; the page would simply serve as a focus and updates to the program (such as visiting lecturers, festival wins, etc.) could be posted there.

In the meantime we are coming down the wire to the end of fall semester. It seemed to go remarkably quickly this time. Possibly because I had an additional class to take care of (first year story lecture). Possibly because I am a bit more used to teaching the other class now, though you never really teach the class the same way twice. Student years appear to have their own 'cultures' and some vary dramatically from section to section.

So a quick update: The book may or may not be doing well; it at least has received good reviews. I did another podcast for "Sam" Heer on November 18, the day before I flew to L.A. to participate in the second Creative Talent Network Expo on the 19th and 20th. Sheridan may have a booth or table at this event next year. (That would be very good, since the event is an excellent networking opportunity and lots of potential students were talking to me at my half-table setup.) Due to the intricacies of California and Canadian tax laws, I wasn't able to sell any books! C'est la vie. I had a few on display, and gave copies to Glen Vilppu and the Walt Disney Studio, where I did a short presentation along with former student and current Disney animator Jamaal Bradley.

Gizmo is still alive.

I guess that covers most of it.

Again, my apologies for the absence of posts...it really has been that kind of year.
cheers!