Bring back the "SHHHHH!" campaign

I went to see the latest Ben Stiller movie, "Night at the Museum" last night. All in all, a really fun movie with some GREAT effects and animation, as well as good comedy from Stiller, Robin Williams and Owen Wilson. But this post isn't a movie review. No, it's a rant about how people these days (specifically tweeners—those inbetween childhood and the teen years) don't have any theater ediquate. At first, we thought we had it made with open rows in front and behind us. As for my friends from my time in Taiwan can attest too, I don't like being around people I don't know when I go to a movie. At least if it can be avoided. Well, after an awesome "Fantastic Four and the Silver Surfer" and a "Transformers" trailer that brought me back to my childhood(KICK-ARSE trailers by the way!!), these three pre-teen girls come in and sit behind my group of movie watchers. I thought to myself, "It'll be fine. They'll get settled and then allow me to be immersed into the fantasy of the film. But NO! Throughout the entire film, they would talk "quietly" (input sarcasm here!), slurp loudly on empty drinks and open candy package after candy package. Now most of the time, I can fight through the urge to turn around and glare continually at the little movie goers. But this time I was numerously pulled out of my film experience to turn around and try and give them that "Shut the Frick UP!" look; hoping they would see it and fear in terror. Which i think happened once. If that wasn't the worst, these girls picked the quiet, intimate points of the movie to do all of this. WHAT THE FRICK!! I even try to find a loud part of the movie soundtrack to open up my bottle of Coke Zero so that the fizz sound doesn't disturbe my fellow movie fans!

After this expereince, I longed for the days of the dancing hotdog singing "Let's all go to the lobby..." and the "Shhhh! Please no talking during the show" movies or title cards. I know I have been known to talk a little in a movie, but I try to keep it to a whisper and SHORT! If you want to chat with your friends, why the heck did you just pay $8.25 to come into a dark theater and carry on the conversation instead of a local restaurant or your own home??? well..I'm glad you have taken the time to read my ranting and hope that we can work together to end this needless, noisy chit chat. So that we may all be transported into the far off galaxies or distant lands we paid good money to be taken too. Not to be reminded how rude some people in this world are!

Thanks for your time!
Until laterz!

Northern Lights

Last night I walked outside from my room and looked toward the northern sky high above the town lights of Brandon to watch the faint dancing lights of the Aurora borealis! It was kind of amazing. It was tough to see them and not as clear as I'm sure it is up in Alaska or Canada, but I couldn't help think about the Disney film "Brother Bear". This film might not be on most peoples top animated film lists, but there was something simply magical about the story and the look of this film when I went to see it. And each time I pop in the DVD, I get the same feeling. In college, I took a Native American art class to fill an Art History requirement for my degree. One of my favorite regions of Native American art was the Pacific Northwest and this film brought those studies back to my memory. I'm not sure if last night was the only night the lights could be seen from my part of the world, but if your awake at around midnight..and you don't live in a brightly lit city..run out and check it out. You might be plesantly surprised at the glory of God's creation! (yes...I know there is a scientific reason for the event, but God created that scientific reason!!)

Until laterz!

Networking...

Hey all!

Some of you readers may know that I have been waiting to get an interview with a studio here in town since about August of this year. I was told Nov/Dec would be when they were getting to the interviews. It's a small company that I don't want to name (not that you'd know it) but they are owned by a BIGGER company (still that you probably wouldn't know). They said it takes longer to hire then when they were locally owned. Anyways, I got an email today telling me that another guy that had applied about the same time as I did was most likly going to be hired instead of me. I was told that basically it was because he had a loose association with someone at the company.

My main reason for this little rant is how I've discovered how important networking and "who you know" is in my chosen biz. I'm both bummed and happy that my work was good enough to hire me, but that it was the fact these guys didn't know me more then they personally know Walt Disney and that they know this other guy a tad bit more. Ultimatly, the chance of getting hired at this place is still there. Even though I didn't get an interview for THIS position, I was told the company would proabably be hiring again in six months.

But that's what freelance and coaching team gymnastics is for, ain't it! To fill the void between rejections and that ever eloosive "YOUR HIRED" email!

Until laterz!

Happy Birthday Mr. Disney!!

As some of you may know, but most probably don't, today would have been good ol' Uncle Walt's birthday. He was born in 1901 and would have been 105 today! Many that know me personally, know that I have had a love for all that was Walt's passion and love since I was a child. I remember writing several reports on the man through out my school days. I can only hope to do a small part of what this great American treasure did to entertain the world during his life (and even after his death!).
I wish I could have gotten to meet the man, but today's generation of animators has enough men and women following in his footsteps for me to meet! Many that owe a lot to his contributions to artform!

Happy Birthday Walt Disney!