Disney Animation Studio Visits

We had lots of funny visiting Heather at work as much as possible this summer! We had lunch at the lighting departments "Snuggly Duckling" bar (from Tangled) to the commissary at the ABC Building to coffee on the main old Disney Lot. And lots of shopping at the Disney Employee Store. And LOTS of playing the Wreck-It Ralph arcade machine!

Disney Animation BBQ

In the time Heather previous was at Disney, we never were able to make it to the annual Family BBQ. The first year she was on maternity leave, and we left for Tennessee about a week before it was held the second year. But finally we made it! We had lots of fun, the kids lost their minds getting to see a sneak peak of Frozen 2, and I found out that Lewis and I together have GREAT taste in Hawaiian shirts.

Heather's Disney Summer

Today Heather takes off for a huge adventure - she has been hired over the summer to head back to Disney Feature Animation and be a Set Extension Artist on Frozen 2! The boys and I will join her in a few weeks when they get out of school. I'm so proud and excited for her and can't wait to see what the summer will hold!

End of the Semester and 2nd Year

Well, another semester (and year) at APSU has wrapped.  I'm still getting used to the idea of having months off of work in the summer!  It was quite the transition year - literally transitioning to our new building.  I think we all had a form of senior-itis trying to wrap up the semester in the old building knowing this awesome facility is empty and waiting just a few yards away. The last week of finals and the following week consisted of moving the equipment from the old Mac labs to the new ones.  My sons came with me one day and we played frisbee outside the new building - the quintessential college activity.

One last thing to share - something I ran across while cleaning out the old computer lab.  Drawn on the white board was this cartoon (yes, that character is me). As you can see, my students first semester diving into Maya was met with....a few technical hurdles and learning curve.

Leaving Los Angeles

Jon Jackson's work "Adios LA"

The title is a bit misleading - we're actually leaving all of California!

Around the end of April I went to Clarksville, TN to interview at Austin Peay State University. I had actually applied way back in Jan when I could tell DreamWorks was in for a rough spell. Well, the University reached out recently and it was followed by an on-site interview.  The job is Assistant Professor of Animation within the Art Department.  What's really exciting is that they want to create a brand new animation program, so this role also comes with the chance to create this from the ground up.

Heather and I have been looking to escape the industry for a while.  We love our co-workers, and have each landed at great companies...but it comes at a cost.  Both our kids are in daycare 9 hours a day, we don't eat dinner till after 7, and we are so exhausted from it all we don't want to go out on the weekends.  And this is being at the two most "family friendly" companies in the industry.  It's a tough world out there these days - and if we were younger and didn't have kids (or a dog), it'd be a great adventure to be had.  But when the focus shifts from career ambition to a quality homelife - something has to give.  It's a frustrating industry in many ways.  We see the flood of old co-workers who have to sacrifice all their homelife and move away from their kids to another country for months at a time.  We don't want to ever be stuck in such a situation - so it's time to get out while the getting is good.  Something we actually see many former colleagues doing...

Heather's family is in TN, and will be just about 2 hours away.  My family is a (long) day's drive away.  So this means our two kids will see their grandparents more than a few times a year.  It means we can have a night off of parenting here and there.  It means our kids will get a giant backyard filled with trees.  It means Heather can stay home with the boys (never an option in crazy-housing-market LA) and I can be home for lunch each day with them.  It means being able to take family vacations.  It means a good life that we never have figured out how to have in Los Angeles.

I've always aspired to go into teaching full time.  It was always my 10 year plan...we are just bumping up the timetable a little bit.  And Heather and I always are up for a little adventure!

Oscar Pics

Had a great Friday night taking the boys up to the new Disney Animation Studios up by the Burbank Airport.  They had a big celebration for winning the Best Animated Feature and Short Oscars this year.  Heather had William (who's a "production baby" on Big Hero 6) and Wesley join her for a photo with the film's producer.  A fun evening - there's such a great energy and excitement with everyone at Disney.  Also, I think this may be the first photo we have where both boys are smiling at the same time :)

Halloween at DreamWorks

Today my whole family got to come join in the Halloween party at DreamWorks.  It's been 7 years that I've watched all the families and cute kids parading around the studio - so I'm super excited to have all 4 of us at last!  In honor of William's nursery theme, we went full "Harry Potter" as Harry, Professor Lupin, Draco, and Hermoine. 

It was also our first Halloween as homeowners, in an actual neighborhood, with actual trick-or-treating.  Just the perfect Halloween anyone could ask for.

Back to Work & Penguins

Well, it's back to work.  It's been less than two weeks since I last sat down at this desk.  Crazy how much can happen in two weeks.  It was hard even remembering which shot I left off at - seems like a year since I had stayed till 10pm trying to get a penguin animation ready for the following days rounds.  Little did I know that my wife had been having contractions since dinner time, and didn't want to "freak me out" while I was trying to finish up stuff at work.

Lots of energy around the studio trying to get Penguins across the finish line.  Some fun publicity out of a Comic-Con panel with the stars Benedict Cumberbatch and John Malkovich.  As a huge "Sherlock" fan - gotta say I'm super excited to be working on the same movie as B.C. :)

Voice of Skipper Tom McGrath, North Wind leader B.C. and villian Malkovich

UPDATE 8/7:  New Trailer also out!

Newest Addition to the Family!

A week ago, little William Oliver Raymond was born!  The little guy is 9lbs 7oz!  Both baby and mom are doing great and we're already home.  Here's a super chill baby, and is making our lives as new parents (again) relatively easy :)

It's amazing to have a newborn around again - so many little details I've forgot in just the last year and a half since Wesley was this size.  The big brother is taking to the new addition pretty well - he's big on hugging his little bro whenever he's within reach!

A Focus on Home

My short gig on KFP3 has wrapped up.  Those were a fun and fast five weeks!  But, to quote the Head of Animation Dan Wagner - "It's time for you to go back Home now"

It's always interested coming back onto a show.  Even after just over a month away, a lot has changed on "Home".  I think there's a bit more energy to the show now - the short really galvanized the crew, and it's been really fun seeing everyone's response to it.  It's even informing some decisions on the feature film now.  So I'll be on this one until the show wraps....or my new son is born - whichever comes first!

And speaking of Family and Home.  The big event this week is my family will be moving into our very first house!  In a very frantic month, we managed to find and purchase a home in Burbank that we really fell in love with.  It'll be great to have a yard for the dog and kid(s) to play in, and a place to finally call our own.  Also, it'll be the first time in over nine years in this industry where I won't have to drive an hour to work!

An Animation Family

Today my wife is starting a new job at Disney Feature Animation!  I couldn't be more proud or excited for her.  I think she's been stellar in live-action...working on Oscar winning VFX films, learning from the master matte painters that worked on all the 80s films we became obsessed with, getting the chance to work in New Zealand on the most profitable film in history.  But I know her heart has always been in animation, and I can't think of anyone who deserves to "work for the mouse" more than her!

Visiting Daddy at DreamWorks

He seems happy about the free lunch

With temp babysitters D'Lun and David

I got to have my son Wesley over for lunch at work today.  Normally him (and his mommy) are way down south - but today they made the trek up to the valley.  It was a blast having him hang around for the afternoon.  His favourite thing was walking around the edge of the fountain, again and again.

Wesley

So, I keep this blog pretty much just on work-related topics...but gotta post a picture of this little guy!  This is him out for a walk with his mom in the afternoon.  He's just about always this happy.  Having a little one at home definitely changes your perspective on things...can't wait to see what the next months bring!

Hello Wesley!

Little Wesley joined us on Dec 7th!