DREAM

After working in some illustration and animation studios in Minneapolis and Los Angeles it became clear my passion was not in production...and it showed. The more mindless the work the more I found myself doing re-dos.

I moved to LA to be an animator at Disney, Dreamworks, Cartoon Network, or one of the other big boys, but the process of trying to get into a studio coupled with the way some artists consistently got shafted...made the winds change.

I had no desire to work on a "studio test" for a week without pay and not get the job, or submit my portfolio and maybe get it back, or work for 2 months(or 2 weeks) on a project only to find myself jobless for 6 months like other friends who took that road. Nothing against the studios, they make some amazing work, sometimes, but "get in where you fit in". I realized, at this point in my life, I was not cut out for the studio life.

I had some cool freelance jobs but one disastrous one was the last straw and put me on the road to working on my own stuff full time no matter what the consequences.

So I fight the fight not just because I want to but I have no choice. I'm currently physically, mentally and emotionally unable to go to the same place everyday and work on things I have zero interest or desire for. Places like Giant Robot, Meltdown Comics and Cartoon Brew accepted and sometimes exalted people with my same "issues" and, unknowingly, gave me an outlet, a reason to be. Their beliefs and community of artists are a constant flow of inspiration.

I made this video(a few years ago) a short time after the bad freelance gig. 2 weeks to animate and edit. It's no masterpiece but it's not supposed to be. It's a dedication to my dream and freedom.

To my dream:: "I will love you always, all ways".

This video is terrible quality so I'll be uploading a crisp version on youtube sometime soon.