The waiting is the hardest part

Gonna have to get used to that. Imagi did give us about 3 weeks paid vacation through the end of our contract to find the next job. A flurry of new reels and emails and two interviews later, nada. Even the "gimme" job at Omation fell through. I really thought that was a slam dunk. A Layout guy quits on Barnyard the week after we get the news about G-man. Job is a perfect in to get to know the pipeline and all parties involved so that if/when Sheen gets the go-ahead, I can slip over to lead it. Producer's words, not mine. My fault for expecting it. I was even planning to move south to avoid the train ride. Don't know what happened except nothing. I wished Mike had called but what's he gonna do and he's got other things to worry about instead of whiny me. Miiiiiiiiiiiiike. Whyyyyyyyyyy? We'll see if Sheen gets the greenlight for reals and try again. The other possibility, Halon Previs, has to wait until they actually get a job to work on.

So bailed on L.A. and came home for the twins' birthday #2 on saturday. Today, a ray of hope from Don Reich who passed on info about Disney Toon Studios projects and they are ramping up yesterday. Got a quick contact phone call this afternoon and I'm on the list. If I get the word, I'll be back in L.A. by Monday. Plus, interviews with ReelFX and a headhunter tomorrow.

Just follow the bouncing ball.

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!