Good News from {Mumbai Intnl Children's Film Festival} ...
{Gerald's Last Day} wins the Best {Global Animated Short award!! }......
Wooo Hooo......
This is really special win for us........to know people in India actually Liked our film is thrilling! .
I get so excited looking at that little map on the side of our blog showing visitors from new places in the world........
We cant wait to enter Our next film in this fest again in a year and some months ........and Maybe we could actually visit next time too. ?!
As far as shooting....I've been surpassing my animation Quota every week
- untill this last week....only got 5 seconds of footage....dangit!!
I ran into a few roadblocks - a Light bulb death and lots of that Invisible stopmotion Set up time consumption.
I shot a test or 2 for playing with a focal shift.....didn't work too good though ...ha! but .... a couple tries was worth it.....the finished shot looks Excellent even though its short .
I can also tell you that the flea is on the surface now and In full cowboy stare down mode.
In Animation Adventure news.....Me and Shel attended the CTN Expo this weekend. 
It was a really fun time and we attended many panels filling our heads with knowledge and inspiration. We are very lucky to be around such an HUB of animation related activites... I got to meet a couple of LONG TIME Inspirations {Gary Goldman and Don Bluth} 
I have ta say......it meant alot to let them know that I can actually trace back my first true artistic-animator JOLT to when I saw {The Secret of Nimh} as a child. I told them how much I hold onto the story of how they got started in Don's Burbank Garage as an Inspiration and how we are in the very same Situation now.
I believe our conversation with them broke up the countless faces and handshakes a little bit and allowed some genuine Connection for that brief moment. I really enjoyed meeting them.
He and Gary had a very Inspiring talk on their starts and Careers.....
what they think about 2d animations future as well as the Opportunity we have as animators storytellers these days-A whole studio in that inexpensive box In front of us. We just need the inspiration -imagination and Work ethic to make things happen.
He also mentioned how doors flew open for them that they did not have to force.....they were doing something they loved and were very passionate about. Each time they created something it lead to new doors opening.....and new opportunities.
This whole inspiring talk was in stark contrast to an early panel on making independent feature films......the whole message of the talk was - DONT DO IT ...!! Ha!
.....I dont think were gona listen to that one....... We are choosing to tell animated storys if people want to support us or Not.....so we have Nothing to lose and everything to gain in chasing this Dream.
Ill be shooting again tonight....I am looking forward to our thanksgiving Power Party-
Rockclimbing -Walk football- Wiffleball and Awesome Food!! Happy thanks giving people.
jriggity
....woooo hoooo!!!!!
ALWAYS LOCK Down everything people - I dont know how many times I need to learn this lesson....jeeez. 
I have also done a Shot that was "THE SHOT" When I was first storyboarding the film.
Captain Kirk - Saw Him in an Airport
Me and shel got to Talk with him for a little bit and He was very kind to us
Shel watches my inner Dork meter going off the charts-
....and for some reason I felt that this was an important inner milestone for us. 
Our paths crossing early in our career as director-story tellers and perhaps again someday as Professionals.
.....This was a really incredible festival guys! This is the BEST one we have attended thus far -
....and provided us with Lots of Yummy food and Films to feast on.
Me and Shel got to walk the city -even go for a night Run in the Park
This was also the first fest where we really got to talk in length with many filmakers....In particular the Animation Group. 
We got to discuss tons on the Process and everyones goals as filmakers. This was really exciting and educational.
and Hal Miles. 
They enjoyed our film and approached us after the showing with an invite to dinner.
in there Home - museum Hal took us on a tour of the artwork with almost every piece having a story .
I got to see and touch some of the actual pieces of film and stopmo History. They are going to open a stop mo museum in the future and Hal has an enormous collection of stopmo History that will thrill any lovers of stopmo.
Me Touching the armature -on a real -Christmas Town set from the film.
Some of James's faces - 
the seagulls from the film - 
One of the things that was So cool about seeing this stuff up close was that - It didnt seem IMPOSSIBLE anymore - they use the same stuff we all do - its all that much closer now for me mentally!!
Stan Winston sent it to him as a gift after the film finished. Awesome!!!
This is {SUCH AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF STOPMOTION} I wanted to touch every piece in the museum.....a physical connection with this object that Magically came to life on Film -WOW!!!
Gumby-
and way WAY MORE - ....it was a thrilling visit and I will be back someday Im sure. 
The last piece that Ill show was my very favorite - A few copies of the original sculpt-maquette from {The Secret of Nimh} Mrs Brisby!!!!!! WOW WOW WOW!! I gota get a copy of one of these..........One of the defining films from my Youth -a True instigator in me becoming an animator!
......
