animation

On Wednesday, April 11th, 2012 I had the pleasure of giving a lecture and video presentation to the 1st and 2nd Year Animation Students at the World-Famous Sheridan Animation College, in Oakville, Ontario.

I was right where they were, a first year student 20 years ago. It's hard to believe it's been that long.  So, as a Sheridan Alumni, it felt quite surreal to be back... and see how much it has changed.   Read more »

Yesterday I went by the old "Fox Animation Studios" building where I started my career back in 1995. (Click on the small image to the left, to see the full-size images.)

The photograph I'm holding in the first image was taken on my first day of work in August of 1995. I worked there for Over 4 years.

At this studio we completed 3 Animated Feature Films for 20th Century Fox. "Anastasia" (1997), "Bartok the Magnificent" (1998), and "Titan A.E." (2000) with Director's Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. Clicking the links to the movies will open up previous "Career Highlights" blog entries about my time working on those films.

The studio closed down halfway into the year 2000. The building has been boarded up behind a barb-wire fence since then, and It's scheduled to be demolished this summer since it's really prime real-estate in the ritzy "Biltmore" shopping area of Phoenix. So while visiting my friends in Phoenix, I thought I'd stop by and get some photos for the last time.

Really what this building represents to me is one of the best moments in my career, some of the best years in my life, and its the place I met the many talented friends, who I remain friends with today. I'm grateful to know them all. :)

"The Jinx Project" - Back on Track!

Read the original Jinx Project "Story Commentary" from the beginning by clicking HERE.

Here it is... the beginning of August 2011... a couple years after I started this blog... and started talking about "The Jinx Project". It's been put on hold for many reasons, life and work mostly.... both of which ate up my time, and enthusiasm.

I love being an Artist and Animator... it's a great job, and yet, working on someone else's project for a living, puts a damper on your own creative works. Usually, you're just too tired or unfocused to keep going on your own projects at the end of the day. It's common with all professional creative types. I was missing that creative 'spark' we all get when we're excited about what we're working on... I needed to get that back. Read more »

After 4 years living and working in Arizona, I moved back to my "Home and Native Land", Canada in the fall of 1999. After taking a short time to get everything re-established here, and securing a place to live, I began my job at a local video game company. Read more »

Following "Anastasia" and "Bartok the Magnificent", we produced one last feature film... Read more »

If you want to own your favourite "Stoked" episodes or take them with you on your iPod... here are the links to download "Stoked" at Apple's iTunes store.

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After a succesful few weeks on Canada's Teletoon cartoon channel, the first episode of "STOKED" will finally air this week on CARTOON NETWORK in the USA!

Check it out on Thursday, July 16th at 8:30 pm EST on the Cartoon Network channel! 

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It's been a while since my last post, as there has been little time to update lately... but that will change soon enough!  Look for new Posts and Tutorials Soon!

For the past couple months, I have basically been working Two jobs for the same studio.  Full-time Creating and Compositing Flash-Animated Ocean and Surfing Effects on "Stoked" during the day... and my evenings and weekends have been spent creating a minute-long Flash Animated Short for a new pilot project for the same studio.  Read more »

"The Jinx Project" - Writing the Story - Part 3

Read this "Story Commentary" from the beginning by clicking HERE.

On Sunday, March 9th / 2009, I read my story to my family for the first time.

 My Dad and his Wife listened quietly as I read everything. I started off reading at a normal pace, but by the end I was going through it all much quicker than I should. I lost track of time in the process. I knew that I had been talking for quite a while, but I had forgotten to look at the clock before starting. Read more »

"The Jinx Project" - Writing the Story - Part 2 

Read this "Story Commentary" from the beginning by clicking HERE.

As a kid, I enjoyed writing poetry occasionally... rhyming or not. Both of my parents write poetry, so I guess that's why I've found it comes naturally to me.

On this project, however, I still had my share of writer's block!  I would sit there staring at my laptop trying to make sense out of my sentence... and say what I wanted to say, using only rhyming words... Read more »