Wednesday, August 01, 2007

I hate not being online

Lately people have been drawing things for me and when I can't be online, I worry that they're be offended when I don't comment immediately. X_X I was woken up my my mom knocking on Selah's garage (thats where her room is) and i had to home how to go to the dentist. Then I got online and say that 1) I had way too many comments/submissions to go through of deviantart. 2) Shaku drew Sin and Thrax for me. O3O and 3) TOM SITO REPLIED TO MY EMAIL U GUYZ YAY. Last night I dreamed that I was at an animation studio with my family, I was watching them make... something... but I don't know what... I was so happy I thought I would die. And then I woke up. My theory is that Tom Sito's email triggered my subconscience into dreaming that. C:

UM UM. here's what his email says. I'm gonna reread, reread, reread and reply after I get home. <3 Then leave an obnoxiously long comment for Shaku.

"Dear Carmen,

Thank you for your letter. I'm sorry I haven't got back to you sooner. I had to moderate two panels at the San Diego Comicon and I had a deadline on a project. I enjoyed reading your letter and I like your spirit. I don't find your style ditsy at all. Now to your questions-

As to your concern about the fate of 2D animation, true, for the last few years pundits have been writing it's epitaph. Leonard Maltin said in 2003 that the problem with 2D animation is nothing that another Lion King couldn't solve. Well, this past weekend we saw the Simpson's Movie do 74 million domestic, 168 million worldwide, while 3D flicks like Surf's Up, Barnyard, The Wild, Ant Bully and Everybodies Hero took a big dump. I don't think 2D animation will return to the levels it was ten years ago when we were doing Aladdin and Lion King, but I think the Hollywood Players have gotten the message that 3D is not the golden pass to success they once thought it was.
I think there will be more 2d as well as 3d in the future, its simply too lucrative when it hits big. For instance Shrek III has earned over half a billion dollars. How many multiple Oscar winners have done that?.

When I was your age and beginning my career in the 1970s I was told that animation was a deadend business and I was crazy for wanting to work on day on films as good as Pinnochio or Bugs Bunny's Rabbit Fire. No one could see the Little Mermaid or Ren and Stimpy in the future. So it's hard to predict where things will go. Check out my blog for Aug. 1st for more ruminaitons in this vein. (www.tomsito.com)

The colleges that still teach 2D animation include the School of Visual Arts in NY, Sheridan in Ontario and Cal Arts in LA. Ringling in Florida may also, I'm not sure. I teach 2D mechanics at USC because I tell my students it's like Shakespeare for actors, it always stays with you, irregardless lf the platform youre working with. Its good for all potential animators to know their traditional as well as some CGI skills. The cgi is just learning the software, but it pays to have some knowledge of it. The more versatile you are, the more employable. Like ballet dancers who go from Swan Lake to some avant garde troupe like Merce Cunningham or Twyla Tharp.

As to whether animators can tell people what they animated, of course we can. We just shouldn't crit or diss our film until it comes out and has it's day before the public. The weekend before Shrek came out, I didn't know if the public would go see a move that goofs on fairytales. but it was a hit.

Zak Pen was a pistol to work with, but very talented. He's gone on to write the X-Men films and is doing quite well. On the Osmosis Jones director track I kept trying to credit people who I thought deserved special notice, while it seemed to me at times Zak and writer Mark Hyman kept trying to do jokes. I like director tracks that give good insider info on the creative process. I'm pleased that you liked all the inside jokes in the background. That is a specialty of mine. It's nice to know it's been appreciated. In my new series at PBS next summer I hope to add the same kind of flavor.

I hope you find these answers illuminating. Good luck in your pursuits and perhaps one day we shall meet.

See you in ToonTown,

Tom Sito"

One more thing! My mom asked me if I sent him my dA url. I laughed and laughed and then went on dA to remind myself why I couldn't... he actually WORKED on Osmosis Jones btw. Slander much?

1 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

I think your dream sounds wonderful! Sometimes I have dreams where I am living my dream life and I wake up feeling so awesome! And other times I dream about my nightmare life where we are penniless and living in hovels and have bill collectors chasing us! I wish for you many of the good dreams leading to a good life!

8/02/2007 2:42 PM  

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