The Cartoon Academy Inc.

Done like dinner

2008-09-26T13:16:00.003-05:00

Thought you might like to see some pics from the event, including the crowd of people that were there and (when it was all over) my apartment that I retired to. I got a lot of people that came by, there were laughs and claps, so that felt good. I made some "swag" that people bought, that was good too. I'm planning on entering this into some festivals and stuff. I've even got some ideas for a sequel because of things people were saying during the screening. It was a good night and I'm happy that all the people that came enjoyed it. Now off to Wimbledon.

Is that what you're wearing??

2008-08-19T14:33:00.003-05:00

Well here's a artist's conception of some merchandise ideas I have for my film. Available in all sizes, just tell me which size you want. $10 for each item. Any other ideas for other items? Send them over. I'm getting some mini-posters printed up for the screening. Next time I pay someone to do the worrying for me.

Before the Dark Times

2008-07-29T08:09:00.003-05:00

The Dark Knight is GREAT. I don't pay any attention to all the media garbage that's constantly being strewn on the airwaves or in print. Everyone's going on about praising Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker, mostly because he died after filming. Even if he was still alive, his performance would knock you over. It's creepy, unsettling and WOW!!! Everyone in this film did a fantastic job. If you like good movies, comic books, and great story, direction and acting....this is the film. People are saying it's too long, I say NO. I could go on with a detailed analysis of it (and it would be lost on a lot people) but it's easier to say to people worthy of hearing it....GO SEE IT.

I can see clearly now...

2008-07-17T09:24:00.002-05:00

.....and here are some screen caps that should wet your appetite. I'll be hosting a screening for people who are in the Toronto area. Hope you can make it and hope that you like it.

Don't stand under a tree

2008-07-17T09:11:00.003-05:00

Well, here it is, at long last. My poster for my short film "When Lightning Strikes". It's been quite a ride, and it's STILL not over. It's like the kid you never want. After I get some copies made, it's festival bound, television bound, and whatever other boundaries await it....and me. I've been incredibly fortunate to find a producer/promoter/artist for this "event". Her name is Alexis Victor and she's been invaluable to me in terms of putting this poster together, making dvd covers and contacting people for me. I hope to keep her busy with stuff for a very long time. Here's hoping to a very long future with Adam, Penny and the gang.

Almost there...

2008-06-24T18:32:00.003-05:00

Well, I've just finished looking at the final mix of my film. There's a couple of things left for the sound engineer to do and it's done. I walked home feeling incredibly depressed. Not because of the sound guys and what they've done, they actually fixed alot of the mistakes that needed fixing because of the animation. The fact that I don't like the designs, the animation, pretty much everything has little to do with it. It's probably about 50% of what I want. Some of the blame, nope, alot of the blame comes from the "d list" "talent" I was forced to deal with. Without getting into any specifics, let's just say that her talents were NOT to dai for.....yeah you read that right. Anyway, for me to elaborate would be for me to be broadcast on every media outlet possible so NOBODY hires this idiot. There has to be alcohol involved as well.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

2008-05-23T10:58:00.002-05:00

Well things are happening. I got a notice from my website provider that if I don't renew my account for my site, then my domain name will vanish from cyberspace. To tell you the truth, I didn't have a lot of business when my site went up, but I did get some nice compliments. Unfortunately when I tried to play the "compliment card" at my bank, they said it could not be substituted as a mortgage payment, so to all that saw my website and the drawings therein, thanks for the nice words, but my website will soon be closing as of mid-June. My blog however, will still be running, how could I deprive my readers (I think there are 2....and I'm one of them) my opinions. Anyway, lots of stuff going on and I'd like to type more but this construction makes it hard to concentrate. More to come.

Andy Knight R.I.P.

2008-04-13T22:43:00.002-05:00

You never think you'll read about this kind of thing when it's about someone you know. I STILL can't believe it. When I read an e-mail that I received on Thursday afternoon, I was shocked to say the least. Andy Knight died from a stroke at the age of 46. He was the director of Red Rover, a studio here in Toronto. I remember Andy giving me the opportunity to join the studio. When I walked in and saw some of the talent he assembled, I was floored. Andy's talent was incredible. I'm remembering how easily he could draw something, it made me think of Robert McKimson's drawing style. Andy was laid back, easy to talk to, and loved a good laugh....and a good drink. Naturally I felt at home. There are some great memories I have of Red Rover...the "beer fridays", the laughter at the studio, the Charlotte Room pool nights, the friendly atmosphere, the boat trip to St. Catherine's with the studio....DAMN great memories. A class act, a great guy, I'm very honored to have worked with you Andy. My heart goes out to his wife Linzi and their 3 kids. I don't know what else to say. Rest in peace Andy. You'll be missed.

Money don't get everything it's true, but what it don't get I can use

2008-04-08T14:09:00.002-05:00

Well, it's that time again where I'm wandering the streets of Toronto enjoying the sunshine but still wondering where I'm going. It seems that in order for something to be a success, it requires three things. You need a product, you need to sell it and you need people to like it enough to buy it so it makes you money. Let's tackle the first. I have a product but I need money to finish it. Now taking a job that pays anywhere from $7 to $8 dollars an hour won't cut it, unless I want to finish my product in 2089...and even then I have the added worry of bills and a mortgage. Having a job that requires you to free some time for your product would be nice, but no one will hire anyone unless they have an EXTENSIVE knowledge of computer programs.....that's funny, I thought the ART work came first. There's also the time factor, if I take the time to learn what I need to know in order to get the job that pays well...well there's that 2089 year again. So basically, I need money. The second issue is the selling. Of course the dollar rears it ugly head again. You need money to make money. The more money you want to make the more money you need to spend it seems. I could do the 1920's method and stand on a sidewalk doing caricatures or whatever and MAYBE get enough by...you guessed it...2089. Now the third issue, the public. People I guess will buy what they are told to buy, you can even go so far as to convince people to get something they don't really need, $5 coffee from Starbucks anyone? Getting people to pay for something is always a gamble. It always depends on taste and whether or not some people have it....and even that can be manipulated. That's why most artists have minor strokes wondering if they're really doing anything worth while. Now most people who aren't in the biz will tell me...well why don't you start your own company? Why don't you do an online comic? Why don't you get a job while your waiting for your "epic" to be finished? I think the first and third questions are answered above, as for the second I can only say that in order to think of something you want to do, have the time to do it, and have the atmosphere to do it in...well that takes...um....what was that word again?

Alas! poor Yorick

2008-03-19T16:26:00.003-05:00

I was talking to some buddies the other day and they said that they didn't like Brandon Routh's performance in Superman Returns. Even some idiots like Roger Ebert said that his performance was "bland", this from the guy that gives "Anaconda" a good review, shove that thumb up your ass. I disagree with everyone...big surprise. The fact is he did a great performance. It's just that we've become so accustomed to Christopher Reeve's portrayal that we have no choice but to compare Routh to Reeve. If Superman were being released today instead of 1978, people today would be saying the same thing about Christopher's performance. That's because a lot of performances today rely on buzzwords and a single look as opposed to a well rounded character study. You're going to tell me that Vin Diesel or Ashton Kutcher have training?? The only thing that Vin did that was good was the voice of the Iron Giant. But then again how hard is it to find a low voice, then augment it with sound equipment? If you splice every scene that these "actors" did, you probably won't find a 10th of what Routh OR Reeve has. Christopher Reeve played The Man of Steel "as a friend trying to help"....something that would probably be considered boring by today's standards. Brandon Routh did the same thing. Has anyone seen the approach they were thinking of taking Superman in??? Tim Burton envisioned him as a thin black suited character with a metallic "S" on his chest, and whoever's idea it was to cast Nicolas Cage....JEEZ less said the better. Now in the case of let's say "Star Wars", Mark Hamill's performance was perfect, NOT because he was trained by Lee Strasberg or Robert DeNiro, it's because in the context of the film, he doesn't detract from it. Nobody ever says "Oh man they really miscast Luke". They wanted a 20 year old naive farmboy and they got him. If William Katt or Kurt Russell were chosen as Luke, the film wouldn't be the same but it would have been interesting to watch their take on the character. The character has to be done in such a way that you forget who you're watching on the screen. EVEN if it's a big name star. One of the (many) reasons I didn't like The Matrix is because of Keanu Reeves. His approach to that role was one in which it left me asking "Why didn't they cast someone else?" Ask anyone who saw that film if they remember how amazing Keanu was....they'll say that "the effects we're great". There are certain performances that are perfect and NOBODY can ever recreate them. Marlon Brando in The Godfather, Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz, even Charlie Chaplin in....well almost everything he did. If you try to copy those performances you end up with either a spoof or an embarassing footnote on your resume. If you take a different approach to it you get James Gandolfini in the Sopranos. GREAT!! Point is, (I tend to ramble but hey, you're still reading) I think you have to know something about acting, choices actors make and how a film is put together to comment on a actor's role. Till then, keep watching the skies.

Artpreciation

2008-03-10T07:33:00.004-05:00

It's been about a year, and not much else to report. STILL working on "Lightning", still going thru crap with my computer, still wondering what the future will bring. Wish I could go to LA again, borrow my buddy's car, travel to the future and see what happens. I am however learning a lot about the filmmaking process, and I'm sure there's so much more to learn. I've heard a lot of advice over the years, heard and read a bunch of interviews, and my advice is to GET AS MUCH MONEY AS YOU CAN before starting this because money can buy you what you want. If I had unlimited funds, my film would turn out a lot different and would probably be close to what I really want it to be like. I have however finished animating and I'm just spending time going through the scenes fixing stuff that's really bad or better organizing my dope sheets, so it's still going on. I've been visiting a bunch of sites looking at other people's work and still marvel at the talent out there. I love the fact that I know how some stuff is done but I STILL get a kick out of it. That's when you know something's good. Speaking of good, I wonder what Indiana Jones, Bats and Shell-Head are going to be like this year. I hate it when people say "I hope they don't screw it up" or "It better be good". If you go in with that kind of mentality, you're almost expecting a bad time. I also think people better rethink about what kind of films they enjoy....more on that in another post. Now I'll only comment about the posters I've seen. I LOVE the art of movie posters which is sadly non-existant. Remember when movie posters used to be good? When seeing the poster was part of the excitement? I just saw the poster for the new Indy film, and because it's Drew Struzan's work....GREAT. Much better than the Iron Man poster which is probably some exec's idea of art. If it's a comic book movie than have some poster that has the characters doing something that draws you in. Instead, I can actually here the "art director" talking..."Well we gotta have an image that has him flying because how else will the audience know he flies?"...and make sure to have some explosions in there, and we gotta show the villain, is Robert's face bigger? we gotta have Terrence's face in there too.....AAAGHHH. It looks like some kid with a knowledge of Photoshop did it, with someone behind him no doubt. I've tried uploading the images of the posters but OF COURSE the computer won't let me...when did machines become tempermental? Whatever... here are the links to check them out yourself. http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=42763...http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=42763...http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=6888... Till next time, same Bat Time, same Bat Channel.

Venti Mota

2007-10-17T06:55:00.000-05:00

Well, the last post had me saying that Superfriends was on Teletoon, well apparently not if you only have the ONE Teletoon channel, you have to get the Rogers Cable thingy to get channels above the 70 number. Apparently the Teletoon Retro channel is on channel 284. Bloody stupid cable companies. Life sucks, film is shit, REALLY bad day. I walked into HMV the other day to look at some dvds that I'm not ready to buy yet, and they had their screens showing the cinematic wonder of fantastic four 2 (not worthy of capitals)...the thing that gets me is the fact that they STILL haven't taken this property seriously. The change with Sue is the most drastic, making her look like a spacey hooker. Jessica Alba deserves better than this...so does this group of superheroes. I dare anyone one with half a brain (and there are limited quantities out there) to pick up an FF comic by Kirby or Byrne, (and if you don't know who they are just by their last names, you shouldn't be seeing this film) and see what good writing and drawing can bring to this group. Something they didn't get on this film, let alone the first. I've always said it looks like a MADTV sketch with more money thrown in. Sorry to insult the MADTV troupe. Not much of a review, but I didn't start out reviewing films, just venting....still in a bad mood.

The More Things Change.......

2007-09-05T07:45:00.001-05:00

Well, forget what I wrote last time. Mike can't do the computer stuff. BUT, I did manage to spend the day counting my drawings and it comes out to approx. 2797 drawings (give or take, I know there will be more, with stuff I've forgotten, or drawings I have to add or whatever, I just don't give a crap now) So lets just say around 3000 drawings. The only thing I'm excited about now is the airing of Superfriends on Teletoon. I remember when the channel was launched in 1997, I thought "Why don't they put on Superfriends?"...not bad, it only took ten years. Mota luck.

Lightning aquas, turquoises, and cobalts

2007-08-29T08:19:00.000-05:00

Well summer's almost come to a close, my computer's been dead since Christmas of 2006, BUT I did get a new one, with a flat screen monitor, a new modem, and a vistariffic system....we'll see how long that lasts. Is anybody out there reading my digital musings?? ANYWAY I've finished animating, cleaning up and inbetweening my film and am awaiting the finishing touches on working with a scanner, painter, compositor in the form of Mike Polito, a colleague from the Animation House days. I hope to get this cinematic event done by the end of 2007 (hopefully). Until that time, I'm fiddling around with the inevitable tweaks, and strengthening my thumb and index finger for that contract that no doubt everyone in the entertainment industry will want me to sign. Either that or I'll sign a contract with Wal-Mart and blow my brains out. I'm sure it's a fine store.

Not the post, not the post

2007-04-23T09:41:00.000-05:00

Yup, well it's been a while. Let's see, what have I done? Saw Superman Returns, 300, Grindhouse, and I'm sure some other movies I can't remember right now. Forgive me father for I have sinned, it's been a year since my last post. Well not to worry I'll be posting some images and stuff from my film "When Lightning Strikes" soon. I've been on this thing for what seems like the past 10 years..and actually it's been about that. What with work, health, money problems and all that other stuff intruding, it's a wonder I got anything on it done. It's in the process of scanning and compositing and all that other crap computers do. I'll post ruff color models and some drawings soon. Don't know if anyone's actually reading this stuff, but if you have, thanx, and if not, well welcome to what will hopefully be a long and enjoyable journey.

Here comes the sun?

2006-07-10T07:24:00.000-05:00

Just think, a week ago today, I was (around this time) enjoying a peaceful morning on the dock, when I heard rumblings indoors. These female melodies, I realized, were coming from inside. I entered to see two lovely ladies, a beautiful blonde wearing light, white flowing pajamas that resembled fashion of days gone by, and an auburn haired beauty whose choice of fashion was equally feminine. Both ladies greeted my morning smile with faces that resembled that of grumbled union employees, highlighted by the question posed to me, "Did you sleep well last night?". It seems I prevented the Sandman's activities due to my "playing the symphony". Came the dawn, and we all enjoyed breakfast, and then lunch at a typical roadside cafe, then a 5 hour drive back to Toronto. All things considered, I would rather live that day over again as opposed to the rainy Monday morning I now face.

L.A. is my lady

2006-05-02T09:12:00.000-05:00

WOW.....just spent a week in Los Angeles with some good friends of mine. Had a tour of DreamWorks, saw the Hollywood sign, Walk of Fame, Graumann's Chinese Theatre....loved it. Lots of talented people there.........makes me sick. If you want to check out some great stuff, go to http://shanezalvin.com/. I've known this guy since our early days at Canada's Wonderland. Also check out http://www.jetpackbenny.com/ . A great children's book drawn in a Disneyesque style...it's great. Thought I'd post this pic I got taken of me in front of the house that stood in for Marty's house. Yeah pretty geeky, screw you.

Short work

2006-04-11T06:29:00.000-05:00

Oh CHRIST!!!!! I'm getting sick of all of these short forms that people are using. It's bad enough that you hear them at work, or on a subway, NOW they're on the news and tv shows CONSTANTLY!!!! What the hell is wrong with everyone? Is everyone a conduit for the media and how these idiots are speaking? "I have to repeat what they're saying, or else I'm out of touch......JEEEZ!!!! WMD, FYI, IMHO, LOL, 24/7, BTW........you know what I say???... JFC. I can just see some moron going on their list of internet speak and saying "hey this guy's brilliant, I never thought of that one." Ecccghghghggghhhhh!!!!!!!!! People actually use these short-forms in their natural way of speaking....."FYI...the meeting has been moved up an hour." Are people going to start laughing like this when they think something's funny?...LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL...and since when is it okay to advertise a movie as "laugh out loud funny"???? Isn't it enough just to laugh anymore?? Will people incorporate short forms in every sentence? "OMG, I jst sw ths movee lsnt, CK, it ws GT!! Cldnt blv hw realstic it ws, I ws SO enjng it".....losers!!!! I also hate how people have to "syllablize" (new word for the Webster people) a word....."That film was UN...BE....LIEV....A....BLE!!!!!" ...........ANYWAY!!!!!!!!!! This morning observation was brought to you by the people at Sunshine Incorporated.

Duck Duck but no Goose

2006-03-28T09:20:00.000-06:00

WOW.....now THESE are cartoons!!! God forbid we should do appealing drawings with no shadows and no highlights. Oh oh, look at those backgrounds, the simplicity, the colors, WOW...of course when you create your own stuff you're limited to budget, talent, budget, favours, and of course budget. It's all in the way you approach it. BEAUTIFUL. Just go to this link and look at some of the genius that is no longer with us.http://classiccartoons.blogspot.com/2006/03/to-my-hero-john-k.html

Ahhh yes....the old ones

2006-03-24T15:52:00.000-06:00

Just browsing around and found this model sheet in my files. Oh look no nipples, no bloody shiny black form fitting leather, I can't believe it took two shitty films for them to FINALLY make a great one. Batman Begins really hit all the right marks. I'm also looking forward to Superman Returns, if you notice they followed the same formula. I also think X3 might be the start of two bad films, why on earth they chose the director of Rush Hour for the job...eeeccchgghghg

You say it's your Birthday

2006-03-23T06:05:00.000-06:00

Well they say be careful what you wish for, that's crap, I still don't have a million dollars, I'm not with Salma Hayek and I don't have hair like Stalin. However I'm STILL working on my film (I'll be posting stuff soon) and I'm still living in a construction zone and I'm still, still, still.......

Teknahlahgeee

2006-03-22T17:22:00.000-06:00

Yup these things are supposed to help you in a lot of ways, we'll see, if this can get me a job or many many jobs then it'll be worth it. I just came back from doing some work on this game called "Cecropia"........whatever the hell that means. We're paid by the drawing, not by the foot, which makes it annoying when figuring out the amount we should invoice for. Like Bugs used to say "It's a living".

Art

2006-03-22T17:12:00.000-06:00

Art

This was from my friend Alexis Victor, who helped me get this thing started....thanks sweetie

Blog This...

2006-03-22T13:13:00.000-06:00