Up at 4 am and off to the computer, to turn the sound up loud and work on the sound effects for my cartoon. It's now about 2 1/2 minutes long. Jon's away so I can get these sound effects in order today. Sound effects are great fun, but hard to work on without driving the person across the room nuts. Hmm, which doorbell do I like better?
It's taken me the entire day but I think I have the cartoon in a first presentation state. Only problem is, the file size is huge. So I'll have to upload it to a storage site. I'm sure I could figure a way to get the file size reasonable, but at this early stage I'd rather have people see it looking the way I designed it.
I'm going to post a link on the blog, probably on Valentine's Day, for anyone who wants to download and criticize. I can take criticism well. Then I'll probably remove that link, because I don't want this going onto youtube yet. It certainly falls into the category of "what was that?", or maybe it doesn't.
Classic example of taking criticism well: years and years ago I had an opportunity to work with Quincy Jones and Chuck Jones (no relation!) on an anti-drug rap cartoon starring Bugs Bunny. I know it sounds as if I dreamed that but it's true, and it was nuts, and came to nothing. Ultimately Warner Bros felt they couldn't trust me with Bugs Bunny. (Like I'm an offender moving next door. Love those long ears, Bugs.) But that's what they told me. I still have the storyboards. I remember Quincy explaining to me what rap was. (i actually already knew.) This was the 80s.
But as to the criticism, I remember when I met Chuck Jones, who didn't want me to get the job. He'd just looked at "Quasi at the Quackadero," or maybe I had to watch it in real time with him, because he said, "Right there, at the end, it almost begins to work." Over the years, this has become a pet expression in our house.
Quincy Jones was a whole other kind of trip.
But as for my trip today, first thing at the lake, speaking of Chuck Jones: that darn stalkin coyote from Sunday was even worse behaved today. He chased us-- he was running after us.
It was a bit scary.
The exorcist voice does not work anymore. But I have one thing in reserve, which I learned from our bad goats. Make a loud spitting noise and see what you've got: a coyote in reverse. My adrenaline peaked. I warned my dog walking friends at the lake. Molly's too big to be a coyote snack but others aren't.
Then I stopped to feed my buds the darling young roosters. The coots overwhelmed them when they saw I'd dumped chicken mash. I turned back to look at the rooster buds as I headed to the car, and the roosters were running after me! A day of animal attraction? I felt young again.
Came home and received a series of belligerent and bold phone calls from Scientology, looking for Jon, using his nickname from before he went to college. These people were truly nasty and hard to shake off. Someone must have been p.o.ed that he didn't go to the high school reunion and filled out a postcard. I can't remember another time when I've yelled into the phone: "go to h@ll!" These cartoons do seem to tip my wagon.
And some creatures get cuter every day. Unfortunately I'm not one of them.
8 comments:
Sally, I'm so excited that we'll get to see your cartoon on Valentine;s Day!
It sounds like you're having a great time ... I wondered how it was with Jon gone.
Sure wish you could've stopped by for a glass of wine though...
Have a good walk tomorrow; be careful!
Turn up the sound really loud.
I'm laughing about Chuck and Quincy; but really. What exactly was Quasi doing when Chuck made that comment? It's nutty & beside the point, but I'm dying of curiosity.
Say more about the Scientology (!!??)
You need to arm yourself before you get chewed by that coyote. Get some pepper spray or silly string or something.
I think you should name that coyote Chuck Jones. Or Juck Chones. As Linda says, be careful.
And I too, want to know when C.J. decreed the "Quasi at the Quackadero" cartoon "almost begins to work." When Quasi is in bed watching the assembly line? When Anita tells Rollo the sooner they get rid of him, the better?
I'm somehow picturing Norman Rockwell telling Salvidor Dali "The upper left corner of your painting almost begins to work...."
This morning I remembered I'd quoted it wrong, and went back and edited it. What he said was, "right there at the END, it almost begins to work." It was the shot of Quasi eating watermelon and then throwing it, and in fact I do remember when I got to animating that part I was starting to feel a bit looser and yet more in control of the line.
Still, an odd way to get things started. It was still the male only club at Warner Bros, and the old timers were not happy to have me around. There was an executive who set it all up. I'm sure he got fired.
Quincy Jones was coming off of the "We are the World" hit, as I recall. What gave me the creeps about him was he said, paraphrased by memory, "If you're going to do this you have to make yourself available to me 24 hours a day. I insist on that." Available?
I really liked the storyboard I did for the rap, still have it around here somewhere, must find it.
Silly string is a good idea. Didn't see the beast today-- went a little later.
Sally
I'd definately be packing a 9MM if I were you when it comes to walking the dog. It isn't just a primative guy thing but this animal may have rabies. I am primative but being careful is everyones right. Wish my picture came through here. It is of the head Blue Meanie.
Can't wait to see the new work. Hope it has some of the anthromorphic shuff and off the wall psychadelic flavor of Quasi.
I'm so glad you sent the sci. cult to hell. What did they (he? it?) say...any general topic of conversation, or just hostility when you don't do as you're told.
About the scientology call: at first they just asked for him by his childhood nickname, and I said he's not here, who's calling?
The person said, "We're calling on behalf of the publishers for L. Ron Hubbard." Maybe they thought I was dumb enough not to know who that was.
At that point I merely said, "Oh, go away," and hung up.
They called back about ten times after that within five minutes! The first couple of times I spoke to them, then I would just lift the receiver and pop it down again. They were so aggressive!
Maybe that nervy coyote is a scientologist?
They're lucky you only told them to buzz off and slammed the phone a few times. I'd have put the phone up to the smoke alarm and let that machine pick it up...
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