What Up?

Tonight I'm off to a film festival....no....it's not Sundance, however, I could get to Park City in under 30 minutes....hmmmm. I am going to a local Film Festival where I will go through screenings, seminars, workshops etc talking about film, the future of film, and whatever else they have planned. I really look forward to this each year. (third year attending)
It should be fun. Maybe I will post some pictures.

I must say, I saw a recent animated film that was such a downer to me. You would think that in a world of such fantastic technology, that films anymore would be top notch in every way. But that is clearly not the case. It seems to me, that although the sky has no limit on ideas and creativity, films seem too rushed, too politically correct, too peppered with agendas, and the storylines seem too bland, too much "stuff".
Where are the classics anymore? I wanted to like it. I wanted to love it. Instead, I cringed through the first hour...and never made it to the end.

The film I saw was, "Meet The Robinsons". That film was such a waste of creative talent. What is sad, is that we rented the movie as a family...sat down and watched it as a family.....and over time, one by one, each family member kinda slipped out and disappeared. There was an occassional holler from the couch, "This movie is so dumb", and, "Dad, can we watch something else?" but I was determined to stick it out for this family activity....

and then I too looked for my escape.....

I ditched to the kitchen and found something else to do and forgot about the movie. My 8 -year old son was the last man standing. Poor little guy.
I asked him what he thought of the movie, and he said, "it was lame".

He was right.

Again I ask, "Where are the classics?" You know, those are the films you buy and watch over and over with your children? Yes, that is called a "classic". You buy it in every format; vhs, dvd, dvd HD, dvd Blue-Ray, and the "special editions" and whatever other technology comes our way........you even buy the audio cd, picture books, toys, games,.......and the list goes on and on......Then, when my kids get married, they will have children of their own and repeat the cycle.

"Meet the Robinsons" will never be in my dvd collection, my kids will never watch it, nor their children etc. And that is one example of the millions of crappy films we are getting pushed into our lives.

Hollywood needs to get back to the basics. Look at the films of the 50's and 60's. Something was working right. What was it? Smaller teams? Smarter work? It seems to me that this is a mystery worth solving. But hey, what do I know.

This is what I DO KNOW.
-Focus on the story. Just because you can do it in a movie, doesn't mean you should.
-Always remember, families watch movies. They watch them together. They buy your films and bring them into their homes. You are a guest. Family is what keeps you in business. The majority of families want good quality films....void of raunchy humor, rushed storylines, pop culture, hidden agendas, etc.
If you make good films, you will make millions of dollars.
(REPEAT 100 X)

-dev

Temp artwork placeholder

My Children's Show Production Bible

More artwork

Artwork

Artwork portion.

The text/ script

The text portion in my production bible.

The temporary cover

This is the current book I am working on.

Ticonderoga

These are the "coveted" Ticonderoga pencils that I love to draw with....however, even though I buy them by the dozens, they somehow disappear. I realized that my favorite pencil has become the "only" pencil my children will use....arghhhhh.

Devourax presents "The Production of a Book/ Film"

I will post some pics and images of a book I am currently trying to finish.
I hope this may be of some help to someone else who enjoys writing children's stories and or films.

stay tuned...

-dev

I can't wait!

This is beautifully rendered....I just hope the movie doesn't suck.......(you must agree that the grinch and cat in the hat were the worst movies ever made....i bet dr. suess was turning in his grave!)

another goofiness drawing

another

Goofiness

A great character sheet

The art concept

here is the character's rough sketch.

Monster

This is an "in-progress" creature I made in Maya for a website. (its supposed to be shaped like a musical note)

another

I love Marc Davis's art

Marc Davis......one of my heroes.....

I love the film "Song Of The South"

I love these characters. They bring back so many memories of me listening to the LP and staring at the pictures trying to imagine what what going on. Kids don't do that anymore. They get the instant stuff like videos and video games....I'm not sure they have it better though...

 

A New Year

As 2008 is already here, I want to start out the year with some tangeable and attainable goals.

Goal #1 draw draw draw.
- I actually have been drawing alot lately. I am trying to finish up the "Kookaburra Roo" children's book.

Goal #2
- Finish a 7 page script and make it into a short film and enter it in a festival.

Goal #3
- Finish my children's show. Or a segment.

There you go.

Happy New Year!