A Postin' Storm

I've been posting a ton on my Tumblr blog. Be sure to check it out if you haven't already.

Edges

In my last post, I mentioned that I was working on an animation. It's funny, because since then I came up with another idea and it's done. It's short and I like it. It's called "Edges."

Time Keeps On Going

I'm working on a new animation. It's about a man trying to hypnotize a bear to make him some breakfast. Here's a screenshot: http://twitpic.com/3t7cob

Also, I created a new youtube account to store all my old Flash animations, so that people with smart phones can view them.

There's a dead fly on my table.

I created BoredBears.com. Bored Bears are decorative desk accessories that watch you while you work. They are bored and want to go home, just like you. They're very cute. I'll be selling them on Etsy soon.

Countown to Christmas

As you may, or may not know, I started a new job last September for a company called Smilebox. They make it easy to share photos and videos online in customizable e-cards. My job is to design, build, and animate them. For the holidays, I had the opportunity of creating this fun advent calendar style e-card titled "Countdown to Christmas." Unlike an advent calendar, you're encouraged to open all the doors at once, but it's got a lot of fun art, animation and sounds behind each door, so Check it out:

The voices for characters were done by Jessica and I. Thanks to Susan, who created a lot of the artwork. If you enjoyed Countdown to Christmas, feel free to download Smilebox and make your own e-cards. It's free to share through email, but if you want to print things--you have to buy a subscription.

Up up up date

Hello. I owe you an update.

1. I started a new job last week at a company called Smilebox. They're an online-greeting card and scrap-booking company located in Redmond, WA. I'll be doing animation and illustration for their cards and products. It's a great opportunity for me to focus and do some fun animation. The first week went really well and I like the people I work with. I work in a team with 6 or 7 other animators/illustrators. It's comforting to be in a team that all does similar tasks. At my last job, I was the only in-house person that could do Flash, so it was a little bit lonely.

The commute is kinda hard. On a good day it takes about an hour and 10 minutes each way. On sunny days, I like to get off the bus early and ride my scooter the rest of the way. I'm getting more exercise!

2. As I mentioned in the last post, I purchased the iPhone 4, which has made it immensely easier to maintain a web presence. I love that I can take a photo anywhere I am, and immediately share it. I had been getting bogged down with the process of looking through things I've made or photos I'd taken, scanning stuff, uploading, blabla, but the phone makes things pretttty instant and easy. The only issue I'm having so far is tendonitis in my right wrist. I bought a stylus to help with that. I'm becoming an old man. If you want to keep up with all my old man shenanigans, follow me on Twitter.com/tomthinks.

3. Jessica and I are going on a trip to Iceland next week! If you're reading this and you live in Iceland, send me a message so we can hang out. We'll be in Reykjavik from the 14th to the 19th. Jess and I are really excited!

New Spot

This is a still from a new TV spot that I animated that is currently airing in and around Colorado. Once it's posted to Youtube, I'll post the link.

Oh, and my car is all fixed, so that's nice.

Tom Sings His Songs

Last night I scanned several photos I had taken with my Holga. I posted a few of them on Facebook. My Grammy-nominated awesome designer friend Jordan Butcher was tickled enough by the above photo, that he quickly threw together this fake album cover. I'm so enamored with it, I'm thinking of writing the album to live up to it. Great song names Jordan!

Dreams Do Come True

Yeah! I know!

In recent years, I've had to repress my acrobat tendencies, because there wasn't a "safe" environment for it. BUT, that's over now. AND I will never have need for a gym membership, unless it's this gym: Sky High Sports, in Bellevue. It's got a trampoline arena, foam pit, and dodge ball area. It's $11 for an hour, and that's about all you need. It's been 24 hours since I went, and I can still feel it, but it's a good feeling.

They allow shoes, or bare feet, but no socks. I went bare, but I want to wear shoes next time. I scuffed my ankle up a bit and blisters were forming under my toes.

Major fun. Try it out!

Interview on WeLoveYouSo.com

I was also interviewed this week on Spike Jonze's blog: WeLoveYouSo.com. It started with a focus on "You Cried Me," but ended up being an all-around look at my work in general. Many thanks to Graham for writing the intro/interview questions!

Answering Questions

This has been an exciting week for me. "Kid Show" is currently featured on Channel Frederator, and they just posted an interview full of great questions (and hopefully great answers).

Check it out "Kid Show" on the Channel Frederator Youtube channel. If my film gets the most views for the month, I'll receive $200, so feel free to spread the word or embed.

Many thanks to Frederator and Bailee DesRocher for asking me questions!

I did another interview this week, but it's not posted yet. I'll update this when it's posted!

You Cried Me

I made a music video. It's for Jookabox's newest album Dead Zone Boys. The song is called "You Cried Me." It's a great song, and great album as well. Check it out.



I animated the video entirely in flash with my wacom tablet. Jessica assisted me with visuals and ideas. This usually consisted of me turning around and saying "Jessica, can I get your opinion about this?" Some of her responses included "His heads too fat." or "Leave it be-- I think you're overthinking it."

I'm excited about it and hope this is a kickoff to more animation and storytelling.

Color

I've been experimenting with coloring my drawings.

Want to have a cup of coffee?

The above drawing, or at least the right side of it, was inspired by a guy I met on the street yesterday named Kirk. I'm happy about it. I forgot how weighty true character is. I had lost faith in them for some time.

I've been doing a lot of reading lately. I'm reading Embracing the Wide Sky by Daniel Tammet. It's blowing my mind.

Lots of my personal projects are piling up. I need to improve, or acquire, time management skills.

Just got back from Boston. It was good to see "old" friends. Old, because they're friends from college, but not detached. I'm excited that our bonds haven't weakened, even though we see each other about once or twice a year.

I've been struggling with a condition for the past 10 months. I'm not quite ready to share it with the world, except for the fact that it's improving.

Kid Show, Big and Beautiful

So a year or two ago, I uploaded Kid Show to youtube and it looked like a piece of crap. I patiently waited for compression qualities to improve on video portals like youtube, and the waiting has finally paid off, thanks to vimeo.com. You can now watch Kid Show, BIG, and CLEAN, in STEREO (ooooo) on vimeo.com. So for those of you who always watched the tiny, crappy version on my website, this should be a treat for you.

Also, I've been very inspired by The Mighty Boosh. If you've never heard of it, watch some clips on youtube. It's a silly, British, surrealistic, comedy show.

Victoria BC 2009

Last weekend, Jess and I went on a little 4-day vacation in Victoria, BC. The above is a little mini-documentary of the trip. Over half the video is from our last night, which we spent with Brandon Velestuk and his friend Jason. We stayed up drinking beer, discussing film, art, and Victoria. It was a great trip.

Our hotel was amazing. We swam everyday and I actually was able to teach Jess to swim 10 feet! We need to find a local pool so she can continue her practice. Good job Jess!

Inc. and Lost Beer

...Not every potential client is ready. A while back, Jansport came by. Jansport makes backpacks. Tom Deslongchamp, who is an art director but, like everyone else at Wexley, is agile and contributes to pretty much everything, put on a white jumpsuit and a top hat and squeezed himself into a gigantic Jansport bag that sat in the corner of the upstairs conference room. When Jansport's marketing reps arrived, Deslongchamp hopped out of the bag and handed over the presentations. Perhaps it was a little much -- Wexley didn't get the job. Which is OK. Either you get what Wexley is selling -- a very particular sensibility and approach toward marketing -- or you don't.

The above excerpt is from an article about Wexley School for Girls (my employer) in the March issue of Inc. Magazine.

I'm trying to figure out how to datamosh(watch in HD). I can do it sloppily, but nothing close to the quality in that Chairlift video.

Jess and I are looking for a house to buy.

Here's a flyer I saw taped to a utility box:

Sufjan Stevens' A Christmas Game

The Sufjan Stevens Christmas Game is finished! Many thanks to Leeni, the chiptune artist that arranged some 8-bit versions of Sufjan's songs. Check out her myspace as well. Also, great thanks to Asthmatic Kitty Records and the Bents! Check out the game and let me know what you think! Oh, and there's a whole bunch of other Christmas stuff to play with/watch at xmas.asthmatickitty.com!

In the past, I've made two other 8-bit style flash games: Daily Danger and Tidal Wave. Check those out if you haven't. They're a little rough around the edges, but likable.

I'm a person who avoids drinking coffee... 1. because I don't like the taste and 2. because I don't want to rely on a drink to feel normal, but I'm succombing to its power through free starbucks peppermint mocha twist coupons! They're so tastey and they make me buzz like woody the woodpecker.

I'd probably feel a lot better if I just got more sleep. Maybe I'll try that.

Kid Show on TV

Kid Show aired on the Nicktoons Network this evening. The above photo is from last weekend when Jess and I flew down to Burbank for the awards ceremony/creator's night. That there is a 4 foot LEGO statue of Spongebob Square Pants.

Kid Show didn't win any awards, but is eligible for an Audience Choice award, so go and vote for it if you can at http://nicktoonsnetwork.nick.com/nnaf/viewshorts.jhtml. You can only vote for the next 24 hours, so hurry. Thanks!

Stan Lee was the special guest at the event. He's such a cool guy. If you're not sure who he is, he's the guy that created Spiderman and the X-Men, etc. I'm the kind of person who can never think of a good question during a Q&A, but I managed to squeeze out a decent one: "At what point did you realize you HAD to do what you do?" and his answer lives on in my mind forever.

He said that he was about to quit. He had been doing comics for almost 20 years already, but they weren't his ideas. His wife suggested he make one his own way just to try it out before he quits. So he does, and it's a comic called The Fantastic Four. BANG

Super Punch

This is me super punching at the beach in Gloucester, MA last week.

Hey, Jess and I are going to LA in a few weeks for the Nicktoons Network Animation Festival Creator Night. If Kid Show won anything, they'll announce it that night, so it sounds like a lot of fun. Plus our plane tickets were super cheap, because of Virgin America.

Oh No Spider

I found this huge spider in our stairwell the other day. It scared the crap out of me, but I had to capture it and take photos.

Jess and I just got back from a weeks visit to Boston to visit family and such. It was pleasant, although we both were sick the whole time. I saw No Country For Old Men for the first time. Wow. It was so original... it sucks you in and you want it to keep going forever.

Good news:

- Kid Show will screen on Nickelodeon's "Nicktoons" channel October 12th. I'll give more details later, but it's for the Nicktoons Network Animation Festival, so that's exciting!

- Earl Boone Is Alive is part of Slamdance's Anarchy Short Film Competition for the month of September, so go watch it and vote for it! (requires registration at their site)Click here to see what it's competing against and click here for a direct link to my film.

-Kid Show is also going to screen at the Austin Film Festival in mid October. Not sure if I'm attending yet.