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Bwana Spoons + Abe Lincoln Jr.
Pencil Fights and poo!
Friday, July 10, 2009
6:00pm – 9:00pm
Schmancy Gallery
1932 2nd Ave
Seattle, WA

One of our favorite artists will be in Seattle to launch his new book “WTF”. It’ll be fun!

So get this, I was the grand prize winner of the “Extra Special Totally Rad Preferential” version of the KidScreen Summit (okay, that wasn’t really the official name). What I was to receive was a suite upgrade at the Manhattan Hilton, limo rides between JFK Airport and the hotel, a $50 Starbucks gift certificate, and a private lunch with a decision-maker at a kids’ entertainment network.

The particular “kids’ entertainment network” just so happened to be Cartoon Network International. As soon as I found out which network, I contacted my friend Debbie Reber. Debbie is an author with amazing integrity; she produced videos for CARE and UNICEF and has written books that help guide and mentor teen girls. Debbie also worked as Director of Development for Cartoon Network.

Now we here at Plexipixel have been working very slowly on a super secret project together with a very talented artist in Portland over the last year or so. This super secret project was nowhere near prime-time but I knew a few things:

1. private audience opportunities that may involve alcohol don’t happen often,
2. Cartoon Network just has a great philosophy on how they like to work with Creatives, and
3. I know two very nice people who either work for or have worked for Cartoon Network and they’re mighy fine people.

With those three arguments, I knew that we had to have something to show my KidScreen lunch date.

I bribed Debbie with a delicious lunch at Kisaku and procedeed to pick her brain. I subjected Debbie to the “proof of concept”, very rough super secret animation we’ve been working on. She gave me a couple of tips on what I should try to take away from the meeting (“ask as many questions about what they’re looking for as you can”). Finally, Debbie also kindly let me know that she knew the person I was meeting with and that he was “a very nice guy”.

There were still a few weeks left before the Summit, so I continued my fact finding. I met with our dear friend Tom Doughterty who has not only pitched a number of game and TV property projects to networks in the past, he rubs elbows with folks like Erik Wiese (co-creator of the Mighty B!). He gave me a plethora of ideas and pointers: examples of pitch material, what to put in a “leave behind”, why having breakfast for dinner is never wrong…

I took all of the pointers back to the studio. We put all of our heads together and came up with a game plan that was inspired by Stephanie’s Gocco (and all the many cool things it can do), Patrick Tribett (of gold paint huffing fame), and the Portland artist whose amazing art we’re getting to work with. I worked on the pamphlet content, Troy laid out the pamphlet design, Ryan was responsible for the DVD label and the aqua paint-splattering, Stephanie Gocco’d and made Fimo bagels, and Matt continued with the animation like a mad man. Jamie made sure that everything was all packed and ready to go for the big trip. Talk about team work!

Next blog post from me… report from the actual trip!

Vicky’s new article on her “Stop Being So Pushy!” blog at AllBusiness.com: The Long-Tail of Elves, is up, and discusses the viral Holiday tour de force Elf Yourself, our own Flash and social networking phenomenon Twilight Pixie Glide, and how to extend the tail of your ROI:

It was once thought that viral marketing entertainment burned bright then burned out fast and was only good for grabbing folks’ attention and not much else. Campaigns like ElfYourself prove year after year that is just an old wives’ tale. A great idea with a strategic plan and great execution can not only get great attention, but can bring in both cash and good-will to your brand for many years.

I’ve been remiss. Yes, horribly remiss by not writing blog posts when they’re actually timely. I’m sorry!

Tonight is Christmas Eve. Matt and I had dinner at the Sizzler down in Southcenter. It’s not fancy, but it sounded like fun and we were feeling a little nostaglic. Besides, remember when going to the Sizzler or Taco Bell were special occassions? We might be old but we don’t need fancy to have fun.

Once we got home, I decided that I needed to shed a little tear to help remind me that a lot of people would be happy to have something as nice as Sizzler for dinner. So I sat down on the couch, turned on my laptop and did a search for “The Little MatchGirl”.

Don Hahn screened this gem at the 2D or Not 2D Festival last month. It’s 6:39 minutes long (including the credits) and took 2 – 3 years to produce–it shows. The animation is beautiful: well-paced, adorable character designs, great story… and done without dialog and colored in monotones.

The rest of the festival was also a treat. The speakers were top notch. We also had a chance to hang out with some talented animator friends and had direct access to lumniaries from the business.

Besides seeing Don Hahn’s screening of rare Disney shorts that included “Steamboat Willie”, “Der Fuhrer’s Face“, and “Lorenzo”, Matt and I also went to the presentation based on his book The Alchemy of Animation. We were joined by Peter Moerhle, Geraldine Kovats and Suzanne Kaufman. Don’s talk was very inspirational and motivating. Animation a result of a lot of hard work and can be a frustrating and long process. He reminded us that “animation is the ultimate team sport” and requires a lot of dedication and passion but that the end results can be like magic.

A few other highlights included Dean Yeagle’s and Barry Cook’s presentations. Dean has been in the animation industry for decades and has worked on projects for Disney, Jim Henson, Playboy, Nestle, and Kraft. Barry directed Mulan and worked as an animator on Torn, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Black Cauldron. Most recently, Barry was directing an animation for Laika studio in Portland, Oregon.

The icing on the cake for me was that since we designed and developed the website for the festival, we were given an all-access pass that included the festival gala event. I was priviledged to be able meet Don Hahn, Barry Cook, and Dean Yeagle. Every one of them were nice and nice can be.

We look forward to next year’s festival and hope more people take advantage of this great event.

It’s that time of year again, time to sprinkle some light and joy on your dark winter days with Plexipixel’s annual animated holiday card: Twilight Pixie Glide! Collect cookies and candies as your Plexipixie glides about a snowy winter’s evening lighting up the night. Those of you eager for some Festive casual gaming or Chistmas social gaming can play at Plexipixel’s Twilight Pixie Glide site, or on Facebook for a little added social networking!

And we’d like to thank Aaron Simpson at Cold Hard Flash for his Animated Holiday Bonanza shout-out!

Happy Holidays!

November 18th, 1928 was the debut of “Steamboat Willie”–the film in which Mickey Mouse was introduced. The film was the first cartoon with synchronized sound and was written and directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks.

Congratulations, Mickey! You’re just as spry (but perhaps a little less surley) as you were back in the day…

What’s funnier than a turkey at a disco? A turkey at the disco doing the “kickin’ chicken” (patented move, trademarked)!

Dance Away your Turkey Day at Toon Disney by choosing your moves and your music. Don’t forget to tell the turkey what you’re thankful for the possibility of getting your message to flash on the disco wall!

Emru and Tamu Townsend, December 1973 sourced from Heal Emru

Emru Townsend, writer, technophile, father, son, brother, passed away last night a little before 10pm last night. Emru was diagnosed with leukemia just last December. He spent the bulk of 2008 blogging about his life with the disease and encouraging people around the world to register as bone marrow donors with the assistance of his sister Tamu.

Emru’s short 38 years on this earth seemed so much longer because of the seemingly super-human way he lived life. He accomplished much and touched everyone he came in contact with, even if it was virtually. In his very last year he packed in more life than many do in a lifetime. He worked tirelessly for the marrow registry, created a huge community of other people needing bone marrow transfusions, identified a potential match in the summer, got a transplant in September, all before he finally succumbed to the disease less than a year after his diagnosis.

Emru leaves us with an amazing legacy that includes a memory of someone who had a knack for cheering everyone else up even when he should have the recipient of said cheer.

If you’d like to honor Emru’s memory, please please please register with your national bone marrow registry. You may be able to save a life like Emru’s.

Links:

• National Marrow Donor Program – the US bone marrow registry organization
• Heal Emru – Emru’s leukemia blog
• Heal Emru’s Facebook Group
• 5×5 Media – Emru’s media website
• Frames Per Second Magazine – Emru’s animation magazine
• EcoDigital – Emru’s digital green site
• Michael Franti and Spearhead : “Say Hey” video – the most current song Emru listened to before his death and the way that Tamu and Emru’s wife Vicky ask you remember Emru–happy, full of life and love

Great speakers and a super cute website (designed by Plexipixel, of course). LOL

The Animaticus Foundation presents the
Third Annual 2D OR NOT 2D Animation Festival
at the Boeing Imax Theater in Pacific Science Center in Seattle

Friday, November 14th 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Saturday, November 15th 11:00 am – 11:00pm

This year’s “2D OR NOT 2D Animation Festival” has to be the most exciting and extensive festival ever held in the Pacific Northwest! Not only are there hours of newly animated films (in 2D, 3D, Claymation and Cut-Out styles, from around the world) but there are also incredible top-drawer, industry speakers appearing, showing their work and teaching some of their amazing techniques. All submitted films will be vying for a coveted “Golden Pencil Award” in several categories, announced at a special Awards Ceremony on Saturday evening. The Awards Ceremony will also be the time when the “Roy E. Disney Award” will be announced… a special, non-competitive award that is presented to the person or organization who the organizers fell have most contributed to the world of animation in recent times. Rounding up the entire festival will be the special Gala Event, where attendees, speakers and invited guests will be able to meet ‘n greet each other in a relaxed social setting, entertained by the “Pontiac Bay Orchastra“, conducted by Hollywood composer Hummie Mann.

Keynote presenters Include:

• DON HAHN ~ Emmy Award-winning producer for Disney and Tim Burton. His credits include “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King” and will be presenting a rarely seen selection of Disney shorts
• BARRY COOK ~ Director of “Mulan”
• DEAN YEAGLE ~ Animator/ Creator of Playboy’s “Mandy”

Workshops presenters include:

• DANIEL DOCIU ~ Chief Art Director for ArenaNet; creators of “GuildWars”
• PETER MOEHRLE ~ Production and Background Artist for Disney and other major studios
• MICHEL GAGNE ~ Designer and Animator extraordinaire, creator of the “Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet”

Last night Matt and I were invited to see Richard Williams speak at a 2D or Not 2D Festival pre-event at Digipen. Richard presented a few excerpts of his new Animator’s Survival Kit – Animated animation course to a room of enthralled animators both professionals and students. Even at 75, Richard is not only a brilliant and giving instructor but also an amazing storyteller. I’m so thankful that we had the chance to meet him and listen to his personal stories working and engaging with Disney’s Nine Old Men.

The Animator’s Survival Kit – Animated is available for purchase as a 16-DVD box set on the web and will be offered for 20% off at the 2D or Not 2D Festival which will be held at the Pacific Science Center, November 14 – 15, 2008.