Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Red Stick Festival in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Here's Jackie Edwards and I picking up the Pulcinella in Salerno the other week. Note the Lobot-esque headphones that I've handily dropped around my throar like a bit of cyber-bling. Jackie, on the other hand, went for the full on John Motson commentator look, and by jove, i think she cracked it. Haven't got any snaps of the actual award yet, but once I do I'll update it onto here.


Left to right, here's Professor Stuart Sumida, Red Stick Director Stacey Simmons, Dougie Pincott, myself, and Pete "Pedro Diablo" Draper. This was on my first night getting over to Baton Rouge last week for the festival, and it was lovely to spend some quality time with a bunch of old friends. Stuart digs up dinosaur bones for a living, as well as consulting on numerous motion pictures re: anthropology, paleantology, anatomy and physical motion. He has the best job in the world. Official. But you just try bringing up Jurassic Park with him, saying "Could happen..." and watch the fur fly!
Genuinely, I hadn't really been drinking. I'd got off the plane after an extremely long flight. The same, however, can not be said for Dougie...
Graham and Badger in addition on this one - these chaps are the drivers from the Animex Festival, and such is the friendly, familiar nature of both festivals, the two were invited out by Stacey this year. Top blokes.
And the last roll call here - Cliff Cohen from Animaction, Tom Martinek from Industrial Light & Magic, the rest of us as before and on the far right a lovely lady who by all accounts appeared to be a preschool nazi. By her own admission, I might add.

I held a talk on how we brought Frankenstein's Cat to life (so to speak) at the festival, where I got to show loads of clips and early footage, topped and tailed by the finished thing. I followed this up with a character design workshop the next day which was really well attended and I hope proved useful to the participants - it's always tricky with a workshop not knowing the spread of ability within the group, but I was hugely impressed by some of the guys present. Eric and Mike and the other chaps - a pleasure to meet y'all!

And huge thankyous to Stacey and Steve Beck for getting me over once more - I missed Red Stick last year through moving home, but if they'll have me back next year we'll be sure to bring the little ones.

Bada Bling!

Monday, April 14, 2008

Frankenstein's Cat wins Pulcinella Award at Cartoons On The Bay


Just got back from a few days in Salerno, Italy, where Jackie Edwards and I have been attending Cartoons On The Bay, the international television animation awards festival. On Saturday night we were very giddy and slightly gobsmacked recipients of the Pulcinella Award for Best Childrens Show. Hopefully Jackie is able to get some pictures printed up from the camera she took, although judging by her technical wizardry on the laptop I'm not holding out too much hope ;-) If I get some pix we'll whack them up here.

Many thanks to everyone who has worked on the show and helped to make it the fun, fast paced, mad science comedy that it is.

Also managed to visit Pompei round the corner, beneath the shadow of Vesuvius, coincidentally on the day that the Doctor visited it on the Beeb. Awestruck by Pompei, the sheer size of it was breathtaking.

Off to Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Wednesday to attend the Red Stick Animation Festival. Looking forward to catching up with old friends as well as holding a talk on how we got the Cat into production and onto the screen, plus a character design workshop.

Bada Bling!