Gone Gatchaman, Gone

What a difference a holiday makes. After we got back from Christmas Break, we returned happy and expectant and hopeful. The world was full of promise and the crew was revved up to work on a really cool and unusual film.

A haiku:
Friday Afternoon
Just the Layout Crew
Waiting on the Producers...

We get the word that the higher ups are not really happy with the story and they want to take another crack at things and rebuild a new story reel and make sure it's the best film it can be and we won't need Layout anymore. Not just the crew, the whole department. Lead and all.

They set up some interviews with Pepe, the Layout lead on Astroboy, who had the unenviable position to pick two guys from a crew of seven. John Lee and Earl Hibbert got the spots and that's acceptable. They say they're making a "smaller" movie so they won't need a bigger team and have to transplant the whole department. We had a final meeting with the Line Producer and got to vent a little and discuss the movie's future. Their best guesstimate calls for a three story reel progressions by August 08. Then, they'll be sure to call us back first thing, pinky-swear.

So off we go on our own voyage of new employment. Chuck's been talking to Digital Dimension, Sammy don't know, Don has been talking to an event planner in New York about modeling mock-up locations which he sounds excited about. Josh got sneaky and took a week off and is in Nashville working on a Veggietales project. Adam has been taking meetings around town. He'll get snapped up quick and never come back. As for yours truly, I got a call from Omation and an interview is pending for Monday. I suppose the career track is slot in on Barnyard TV Layout for a bit and if/when the Sheen Show gets kicked off, move to Layout Lead for that. That's what Gasaway keeps telling me. It'll be consistent, steady, challenging work. I have always thought about a Lead position. Something good to do once I suppose.

Toasted our unemployment at Tonga Hut. I want to make a T-shirt that says "What is Tonga Hut?"

Let's hear it for 2008!

Christmas and a New Year

Merry Christmas y'all. I'm wishing everyone's New Year holds much treasure.

2007 is history and completes my first full year of migrant work for the animation industry. There were a few ups and downs: Got kicked out of my first big studio. Went to Siggraph. Got hired at a new studio (see Siggraph). And that was within 2 months. We'll see how long it takes next time. Saw some friends, made some contacts, went to the beach, went sailing, protesting, a little hero watching. A satisfying year. Through it all I had the love and support of both my wives and all my children. :)

Spent Christmas in Dallas with all the clan. Bren and the kids early Xmas morning (they made out like bandits), Brunch at the parents with the sisters and their significant others, and Dinner at Aunt Katie's compound with the whole clan. O, the Avarice. Plus a couple days to ourselves to do family outings like the local park and the Dallas Zoo. A very nice walking day with only a touch of depression for the elephants and giraffes.

Imagi was nice enough to give us the week off (after i had bought tickets for early return). Came in New Year's Eve Day and still could have skipped til Wednesday. So spent N.Y.E. with L.A. wife, Greg. Watched a slightly creepy Dick Clark drop the ball and celebrated with a toast of cider and a belt of scotch. Back to reality.