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A DAY AT THE CROSSWALK - Anamatic (Feb. 28, 2011)

UPDATE: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20

Shots from the animatic for "A Day at the Cross-Walk."

AN UPDATE

Its been a while since my last post...so here's whats been going on.

- Finished a "final" draft of "The Ugly Duckling."

- Started working on an animatic for "A Day at the Crosswalk" using Photoshop and Final Cut Pro.

(background shot from "A Day at the Crosswalk")

- Had an extra role on ABC's "Detroit-187" as an EMT.

- Plan on rewriting a dramatic comedy based on a certain outlook on life.

- Have emailed some of my past contacts for help and advice, and have been unsuccessful in getting any response. This kind of befuddles me. I guess you're better off asking and receiving advice as a college student as opposed to being out of school.

So there you have it. Catch up with you later.

WHAT COMES NEXT...

For the past couple of weeks I've been rewriting a screenplay for a modern adaptation of "The Ugly Duckling." Its been a process thats taken me 4 years and I've had a lot of fun creating a world and a group of characters that I can call my own.

I've been asked a lot lately as to what I'm going to do with the story when I'm finished with the rewrite. To be quite honest, I've been asking myself that throughout this whole process. Well...there's only one logical decision that makes sense at the current moment, and that's to just hold on to it. In dreamland, I would be part of a writing team, going over how we could make the story better and more appealing for all age groups. In reality there are thousands, maybe even millions of people just like me how have written stories of their own. Most have the same dream I have, while others may be more equipped for the next step of the animation process.

That being said, I do have great confidence in this story idea. I just need to work on getting the word out. I know there's still a lot that needs to be accomplished, for example: I need a collection written material that varies in genre and I need to mingle with and learn from more experienced writers. I did, however, in an attempt to seek a professional opinion, leave an early U.D. draft with a story artist at the Disney Studios 3 years ago...A move that I thought was a good idea at the time, but has yet to pay off and probably won't...but there's still no shame in envisioning that it might one day.

So...there you have it. "The Ugly Duckling" will hopefully be the start of a great collection of stories which will, hopefully one day, flourish into something greater. And even if the story never gets picked-up or produced, at least it will be something that I said I accomplished.

NEW CHARACTERS

These two lovable characters are for a short I've written entitled, "A Day at the Crosswalk."

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG - PRINCE NAVEEN

THE GREATEST EVER

Yes, Kobe Bryant may have just won another NBA title...but no matter what, Michael Jordan will always be the best ever.

MY FIRST ANIMATED CARTOON CHARACTER: DETECTIVE SLICK WILLIE

So here he is. I've had this character roaming around my head for a couple of years now. I have a very, very...very rough draft of this squirrel's first case and will be working on fleshing it out. But for the time being I'm just excited to have a physical presence for this character.

CARS - LIGHTNING MCQUEEN

SAYING GOODBYE...

For those of you who don't know, "3/21 STUDIOS" has been the name I've used for my own production services for the past 5 years. Originating from Room 321 in Taub Hall at The University of Houston, this self-created venture introduced me to the world of digital movie making and allowed me to create various shorts on a no-budget basis.

Its most successful project was the comedic short "Mr. Success," which was a finalist in two film festivals back in 2005.

As with so many things in life, we must learn to grow, learn to seek new adventures, and learn to move on and appreciate our past achievements. With that being said and for the time being, "3/21 STUDIOS" is closing its doors.

SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT

So this isn't one of my traditional cartoon drawings or recreations. Its refreshing to be a little different every now and then.

THE CAPTAIN

"I'M NOT BAD. I'M JUST DRAWN THAT WAY."

THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME

Part of a dream can come true, but only a few minutes...so enjoy the moment while it lasts...

(Mickey Ave. at the Disney Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World)

Back in 2007, I decided to fly out to Los Angeles and met up with a few business contacts I had made during my college tenure. Originally, I had set up three meetings: one with a talent scout at FOX, one with the Director of Operations & Engineering for Digital Services at Universal Studios, and the other with the Executive Director of Sound Operations at Universal Studios.

Months, weeks, and days leading up to the trip I kept envisioning what it would be like to actually set foot on a Hollywood backlot. Questions about the people, the environment, and a possible job opportunity also kept coming to mind. Finally, when the time for waiting was over, I got off the plane arriving at LAX and wondered where the heck my hotel pick-up point was. Not really knowing the lay of the land, I accidentally overshot the location (which did have an available vehicle that left the second I walked back). Feeling a little foolish, I got on the next shuttle that arrived and was hoping for no more mishaps.

I ended up sitting next to and striking up a conversation with a nice couple who were coming home from a trip. As it turned out, the husband was a Story Artist for the Home Entertainment division at Disney. I told him how much of a Disney freak I was, about my WDW internships, and about how much I wanted to work for the company. He then asked me if I wanted to have lunch with him at the studios. The two words that came to mind where, "NO WAY!" and the one word that came out of my mouth was, "Really?" I accepted the invite.

(The real Mickey Ave. at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, CA.)

(My rendering)

So there I was. After my meetings at FOX and Universal, one hellacious taxi ride, and a quick Q&A with front gate security I was actually standing on the real Mickey Ave. I walked around the studio a little and was consumed by its ivy league atmosphere and history.

(At the Walt Disney Studios)

(The original animation building)

(The Studio Commissary)

(The original water tower)

Part of my dream had come true. Having the chance to walk on these hollowed grounds was truly a moment I will never forget.

THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE

There are always certain movies or television shows that connect us with our past. The Emperor's New Groove is one of those films that takes me back to my high school days.

A PLACE OF INSPIRATION - PIXAR PLACE

This is from Pixar Place in The Disney Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. Although it is nothing like the actual studio out in Emeryville, CA, it definitely reminds me of a place I hope to visit someday.

COMEDY = DAFFY DUCK