Jackson Alley Film Festival Screening

Darren Michael and Talon Beeson introductions

Tonight was the screening of the First Annual Jackson Alley Film Festival!

We had 4 submitted final films, around 20 students participating, 6 faculty mentors, and almost 100 people show up for the Festival screening.  We held the screening in the lecture hall of the Art + Design building, and it was great to see everyone's hard work on the big screen.  The films were enthusiastically received by everyone and it was just a really fun night.

We got great responses from our student participants and learned a lot ourselves along the way.  We've agreed to start earlier next year with the Festival and will adjust the format a bit based on this year's experience.  Next year we'll have a budget, some visiting artists from Screen Actors Guild, and hoping to get some animation/visual effects students involved.  We'll be putting the films online soon and I'll post a link when those are up.

Student diretor Juan Romero Q&A

End of Third Year at APSU

It's the end of another year here at Austin Peay.  Today was the last day of regular classes and it was a busy day around the Art + Design Department!  We held a BBQ for students and faculty out in the green space outside our building.  As part of the department committee putting it on, I was running around most the day getting food and supplies.

That led right into the 50th Annual Student Show - which is the last gallery show of the year and is curated from student submissions.  I'm proud that we had some animation representation in the show this year.  It's always really fun to see everyone come out for it - students, faculty, parents, siblings, etc.

And if that wasn't enough, the graphic design students also had their senior showcase happening at the same time in the main hallway of the building.  About 15 students spent the semester coming up with a full branding assignment and set up display tables of their work.

So that wraps up yet another year.  It's been going by fast.  This was a big year with the new building and getting the Animation Lab space all set up and functional.  Next year should be even bigger and better - we have new toys to play with finally ready to go (MoCap suits and Oculus Rifts) and I'm offering two brand new classes in the fall (Digital 3D and Visual Effects).  Time to rest up over summer!

Bink Storyboards

Eric Miller posted the original storyboards for Bink on his YouTube channel.  It's a fun chance to see behind the scenes and see what we start with as animators.

Orlando Mayor Talks Wizard The Frog

Here's a video from the local Fox News 35 interviewing Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer about voicing the blue dart frog in Planet Blue.

FLASHBACK: Madagascar 2 Halfway Party

Entering the party grounds

So I believe it's been about 10 years since this occurred.  PDI was an amazing place.  It sounds like a cliche' but it really was like a family there.  I only had one brief year before I transferred down to the Glendale campus - but one of the surreal highlights was definately the Madagascar 2 "halfway party" they threw for us for hitting the 50% mark on the film that spring.  It was also one of my first experiences seeing the fun and crazy parties the company likes to throw.  And it was a heck of a party...

There was a petting zoo with zebras.  They brought in lemurs (to "move it move it").  There was a fake volcano that erupted after a few words from the co-directors of the film.  They had a golf cart that took guests on a safari.  It was all held in the beautiful outdoor common area of Redwood Shores behind the studio.  And of course tons of food, drinks, and friends. 

Directors Tom McGrath and Eric Darnell

Look - crowd characters printed out life size!

A younger me petting a zebra

So damn cute

My first "real" job involves a confetti volcano