One, two, three

I met up with Will today for a consult over all this . . . the paper and project and all.

We concluded three things needed to happen:

1. I need to read my paper again.

Simon finally got back to me about my preliminary outline, his last service to me. My paper is still not quite right . . . my topic can work, but I’m missing an element of analysis in my paper.

To recap, my current topic is to analyse how different work practices (e.g. studios compared to independents) impact the story of a piece. Will suggested I go find 3 examples of this and focus on them. In regards to the paper feeding the project and vise versa, Will believes that can only be applied so far in the case of cell animation where the production is tight. I need to contact Lynne over this.

2. I need figure out HOW I’m inking my frames.

This really, is my fault. Althea has been helpful in sending me links about how this could be done. And I’ve looked at some of it and experimented with it a little - - but I really need to sit down and set the process in metaphorical stone.

3. I need to quit my part time work.

This . . . is a tough one. On one hand I don’t want to let go of it (I can remember how dodgy it was not to have an income) but on the other hand I could do with the relief. Currently it demands about 15 hours (the minimum I have to work) a week of me. Time I could do with back, not only to work, but to also have a break. Or in Will’s words “take yourself on an art date”. At the moment my weekdays are tainted with pressure to work on my animation and my weekends to work for work.

I’m coping somewhat currently – but I know I need to step up the production somehow and it’s difficult as the hours I have to spend on my project are not changing (unless I quit work) and working as I currently am (slaving to the project and work) - I’m starting to burn out – or at least my enthusiasm is.

I want to make the cut, but I need to talk this through a bit more with the people it *may* impact.

Other things . . . I gave Will a file with all the line tests, backgrounds, schedules, animatic etc to date. We scrubbed through the animatic and talked a bit about shots that can possibly be changed, replaced, moved. There is one section in particular that has in the last few weeks has become more personal to me, or rather, people I care about. I cannot disclose details, it’s sensitive and not for me to disclose anyway. But I wanted to mention it, because as Will pointed out; this ‘event’ (if you could call it that) is impacting the way I deal with the story of my animation . . . material for my paper?

On a lighter note, I found this pigeon on Oxford Street . . . it was abnormally unafraid of anything. Cars, motorbikes and a strange Chinese girl taking a picture of it with her phone. I need that pigeon's fearlessness . . .