Ottawa
So, last week I went to the Ottawa International Animation Festival.
I gotta say, it ROCKED!
I met all sorts of super awesome people!
I caught Michael Sporn and got him to sign my copy of The Hunting of the Snark,
right after that, who did I see in front of me but David Levy, and got him to autograph my copy of Your Career in Animation.
Then the next day I caught Amid Amidi and made him sign my copy of his book, Cartoon Modern.
And oh boy. I got Richard Williams to sign my copy of The Animator’s survival Kit, AND Who Framed Roger Rabbit?!
Luckily, John Canemaker was interviewing Richard Williams at the presentation of The Animator’s Survival Kit DVD Set, so I was able to snag him up to sign my copy of The Art and Flair of Mary Blair.
If for some reason you don’t know about these books, and DVD’s, LOOK THEM UP BECAUSE THEY’RE PHENOMINAL!
I tip my hat off to Chris Robinson and the Festival Crew because this year was absolutely amazing! Best festival I’ve been to yet!
I was able to actually go up and talk to people for once in my life. Actually started a few conversations, like the one with Mark Thorton, the Director of Total Drama Island!
Probably one of the most exciting parts of the Animator’s Picnic!
There was a wonderful workshop on portfolio’s and interviews. Not that the ones I’ve ever seen before were inadequate, but they did mention quite a few things that I wasn’t aware of! And I finally saw the completed version of Nina Paley’s Sita Sings the Blues which truely is the greatest break up story ever!
Eric Goldberg’s book Character Animation Crash Course is finally out, and he gave a very cool presentation on the material in it during the festival.
And Michael Sporn had a retrospective that included the brilliant The Marzipan Pig and The Man Who Walked Between the Towers! Although I didn’t catch all of the short competitions, the ones I did catch were brilliant in every way shape or form.
I could go on for line after line and page after page about the festival, but nobody would have the time to read everything that I’d like to put up about it. All I know is that it was by far the best animation festival I’ve ever been too and I bid everybody good luck at topping that off!
P.S.
Mr. Amidi,
I understand the situation about the Animation Makes Me Laugh panel discussion, but it still rocked!
