Pre-History
I sit here, staring out across the endless maw in front of me. Preparing to go where hundreds have gone before me, but still I sit in fear. For as many who have tried, there have been countless others who haven’t. Most people, it seems, are content to let their dreams be only dreams. If their dreams can’t be handed to them on a silver platter, then they won’t dare risk following them. I have chosen not to be one of these.
They are brought into existence by the rise of the Failures. AnimationMentor.com claims a 78% placement rate in the industry for their graduates. This admits a 22% failure rate. Lower than most animation school’s failures I’m sure, but its presence remains present, looming heartlessly over my thoughts. I hope not to be one of the 22%.
30 years old. Wife. Two kids, 3 years and 3 months respectively. House. Good job, but not the job I dream of. Always…. always …. have I wanted to make movies. Began performing and modeling at age 3. Writing at 6. Directing at 14. First writing award at 16. First directing award at 17, handed over by no less than Steven Spielberg. International acclaim at 27. Movie in the Smithsonian at 29. Lots of success, but still I work a day job as a computer programmer instead of a filmmaker. At 30, this will not stand. Though actually, I found the answer over two years ago: Animation.
In preparing to raise financing for my first feature – which was to combine live action, puppets, and animation – my team and I decided to make a short film incorporating all of these different mediums, to prove to investors that we knew how to pull such a thing off. So, in late 2006 I began prepping for the production of PUPSOCK & WENDELL in THE GALLERY OF DOOM. Animation was something I always admired, but never thought I’d be able to do. I figured I’d have to somehow find some animators to help me pull this crazy short off, and that I’d need to know something about their craft in order to direct them effectively. To that end, I bought my first animation book: The Animator’s Survival Kit. This was a purchase that forever changed my life.
I began reading it slowly at first, unsure if the tasty morsels inside were fit for my palette. Once I began to sample them, however, I found a whole new world of delights. The book pulled back the curtain, allowing me to see how the magic of animation worked. And yet, the very workings of it were magical. I knew the secrets, and became even more impressed. More importantly, I felt like I got it. I suddenly felt like it was something I could do, and wanted to. I devoured the book quickly. My search for a 3D animator for GALLERY OF DOOM slowed down a bit. I decided to give it a try myself. I started animating a shot using Blender 3D. I started remembering things I’d read, and started applying them. My character came to life. I couldn’t believe it. I was hooked.
I hired myself as my CG animator, and enlisted coworker Jimmy Compher to do the 2D animation. From then on, I’ve lived and breathed animation every day. My Christmas wish list became a list of animation books. My blogroll filled up with animators. My Netflix queue overflowed with animation documentaries and animated entertainment — in that order. Jimmy confirmed his suspicions that he really want to be an animator and signed up for Animation Mentor. I, for my part, wanted to do it, but thought I couldn’t afford it. Thought, I really want to direct, and animation is just a distraction from that. Yet, every project I’d planned since then revolved around animation in some way, and the budget always included sending me to Animation Mentor as well.
Now, Jimmy is getting ready to graduate, and I’ve turned 30. I’m confident in who I am, and what I want to do. And I want to animate. Sure, I want to direct, but animated films need directors too. If I can follow my passion into the world of animated features, then I will plant myself deeply in that field, and blossom. Sooner or later, if I apply myself, I’m sure I’ll get my shot. Even if I don’t, I look at this way: Spending the rest of my life as a computer programmer is not awesome. Spending the rest of my life as an animator is awesome.
And it’s only 19 months away from happening.
That’s why I’m here. The journey begins now. I invite you to share it with me.
