Sometimes people can be a jinx.  There are some that have suggested that I might be one of those.  I don't believe in all that stuff but you never know.... 

Nothing important really.  If you don't read this you won't miss a great job opportunity or any special Zen like enlightenment.  You won't get any good tips on playing the ponies or how to make a perfect souffle or even where to pick up Boys/Girls....  If you have 5 minutes to waste give it a read, otherwise go in peace and know that you won't be any less informed or likely to regret missing my secret 'Five Steps to Growth and Success in the Business of Animation Filmaking." - (Just kidding).

IF YOU CAN'T GET IN THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR GO AROUND THE BACK.  IF THAT DOOR'S CLOSED AND BOLTED THEN TRY A WINDOW.  IF THAT WINDOW'S LOCKED TIGHT THAN CLIMB UP ON THE ROOF AND TRY TO SLIDE DOWN THE CHIMNEY!  TO MUDDLE A QUOTE, "FORTUNE FAVORS THE PERSISTANT".  SOO MI KIM AND HER PRODUCING PARTNERS DECIDED TO NOT EVEN TRY TO BREAK INTO THE HOUSE - THEY JUST PICKED UP A MEDIA PHONE AND MADE A CALL...

It's clearly a love/hate thing for a lot of us.  It has become so much a part of our lives that we have a hard time looking away.  Television, we can't do without it but couldn't we expect more for this member of our family that is always there. always tempting us to sit down and let it entertyain us?

What considerations should you consider when casting and selecting voice talent for your project?

sort of like going back to Junior Highschool - It's not always about the film.

Everyone making a film now seems to be looking for ways to subsidize their production through government tax credits, grants or pure subsidies. Now, even if you are not a producer or investor, you might have wondered how all of these seemingly complex deals get put together where a company in Ireland does the post, a Canadian company does the pre-production and the animation goes to China. 

Some of you may have worked on a show where you only did the sheets or the storyboard and everything else was split up and done elsewhere.   What drives these deals and can cause a very awkward division of creative input and production services?  Why of course it’s money, and most often the access to soft money.

So what exactly is soft money?  Does it bend easier than hard money and by the way, what is hard money?  Does soft money fit better in your wallet or what?

Part 1 - How does this all work and who gets to participate?

UNIVERSAL/NBC UP FOR GRABS BY COMCAST IF VIVENDI WANTS OUT

After looking at how Europe, Asia and the rest of the world offer subsidies to support their animation industries we turn our gaze on the good old USofA.  How do we stack up against our neighbors to the north or our cousins across the pond? Actually not very good.  Neartly all of our programs are though various states and their offerings are geared for live action - not animation.  Oh well, you could move to Australia or France, or....?

It's often said that you can't appreciate things unitl they're gone but we shouldn't let that happen.  We should all try to remember how fortunate we are to be working with so many wonderfully talented and creative people.  Animation is not only a small industry, although growing larger due to CGI, it is tradionally an intimate business.  We work closely together and often shoulkder to shoulder with one another.  We should all stand back once in-a-while and enjoy the moment.

A short while ago, without a great deal of fuss, Marty passed away.  He was not one of the industry people whose name and work neveryone knew but he was a fine artist and cartoonist who was known and highly respected within the heart of the animation industry.