JOURNAL: Bowler

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  • JCA vs JLA 2002-04-28 00:36:33 kyburg: Unfortunately I don't get cartoon network so I can't even watch JLA. I really wanted to, because I know some of the guys working/worked on it. Besides, I really enjoyed the Batman/Superman stuff WB did, and had hoped that JLA would have been just as good. I guess Batman Beyond was the beginning of the end.

    As much as I like the stories in Beyond, I hated the fact that someone decided they couldn't write about Bruce Wayne anymore. When that happens, you're fired. I don't care how much tenure you have. When you come up to the boss and tell him you can't write about Bruce Wayne anymore, you're fired. They should have fired the writers when they said "hey, let's break Batman's back!" in the comic books, and they should have fired the writers on the spot at WB when they said "hey, let's let some kid wear Batman's suit!"

    I have to admit I like Jackie Chan Adventures, too. Ironically, I got a chance to do all of the character designs on that show (sounds like an internet lie, but it's true). Back when I was working on Startoons, they asked us to do some prelim rough designs for the show. They wanted something "leaning towards anime." I had just finished M7 at that point, so my boss asked me to do the designs based on the JCA show bible. So I did about 30 sketches and sent them off to the guys doing JCA. Let me tell you something. Jackie Chan's face is a BITCH to charicature. There's not a lot there to work with. Big nose, angular jaw, squinty eyes, and moppish hair. As it turns out, the crew really liked the designs, but felt that the team couldn't draw that way. 'Doh! So they ditched my designs for some in-house ones. My only real regret was not making copies of the drawings. Now that Startoon's defunct, I have no idea where they're at. Oh well. 
  • I'm forgetting stuff like crazy! 2002-04-25 23:00:38 Donna: I'll send you that demo reel this weekend. I'll try and remember ^^; 
  • I'm forgetting stuff like crazy! 2002-04-25 23:00:38 Donna: I'll send you that demo reel this weekend. I'll try and remember ^^; 
  • I almost forgot! 2002-04-25 22:59:49 Funniest thing I heard all weekend (after playing a quick game of DDR at Mitsuwa):

    Me: "I'm so out of shape."

    EK: "Huh? You're such an Irish ape?"

    Bwahahahhahhaa. 
  • FINALLY! 2002-04-24 23:48:35 I was about to start 'blogging on my site. Not that anyone would wander over there to read it ^^;

    Got back from ACen on Sunday. I apologize for not meeting anyone on Sunday or heading to any events I promised people I was going to attend. I drank *way* too much Saturday night. Turns out I was drunk the whole time and didn't even realize it. Oh god was I hung over on Sunday.

    Got to hang out with EK for a bit on Friday morning and then Saturday evening/night. Met Bruce and Carl (albeit briefly) Saturday night at Carl's SWANKY party. I love me some Golgo One Three. I wish I could have bumped into them earlier and hung out with them for a bit. I didn't have much to say to them there since...well...I don't know them very well :)

    Did the Mitsuwa thang with Phil, Phil's PSO crew, EK, and Liz Saturday evening. Awesome food, even though there was a mad run on the Sushi. I swear to god they had some kind of blue-light special on the Sushi and about 15 people ran to grab what was left and take it to the register. No joke. I was thinking of picking up some Salmon Maki (even though I'm not a huge fan of Salmon *or* Maki), but someone bought the last two packs of them before I had a chance. ::sigh:: And there was no Maguro. Tuna = my favorite. I had to pass again on the KoHD DVD, even though it BECONS to me daily. A). I have no money. B). I have no way to watch it. It would just put a hole in my wallet, and take up space on my shelf.

    Barely heard the Toshihiro Kawamoto and Ken Akamatsu panel on Character Design. Granted, I was only there to hear Kawamoto (never saw Love Hina). Unfortunately, Acen decided not to mike ANYONE on ANY panel at this year's show. The translator was mumbling the whole time, and I got a back-ache from trying to strain closer in order to hear what she was saying.

    I also missed the Melissa Williamson panel on Bebop's dub job. Somedays I wish to god I could wake up in time for something. I'll be late to my own funeral. I swear it. Hopefully some of you will be there to verify this ;)

    I went to Steve Bennet's cel painting class, because I wanted to paint a cel. I've done everything in the animation industry *but* paint cels, so I wanted to do it just once for the sake of completion. Unfortunately, the people who were supposed to xerox all of the cels hadn't done so by the time the class began. So there weren't any cels. I became slightly agitated but sat as politely as I could through two hours of Steve talking about his experiences in the animation industry. My poker face must suck ass, because he called me on it, and singled me out for looking like I wasn't having any fun. I blushed, smiled, and told him I'd talk to him about it after class. I wasn't about to trump the teacher in front of his class. That's just plain rude. So I caught him after class, after he signed some autographs and such, and let him know I'm a professional animator too, and that I was "upset" simply because I had heard the lectures (and given them) too many times before. We shared a laugh and talked shop for a little bit about the state of the industry, and he invited me back to his next class to talk about the industry for a bit. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time or the inclination to make it back. Sorry, Steve ^^; I think I'll email him later.

    I also missed the AMV presentation (albeit a bit intentionally) this year. I really wanted to see the vids, but I got there too late to get a decent seat, and I wasn't about to stand for 3 hours. Mind you, I didn't even look in the room to see what seating was like. Two years ago it was standing room only. I doubt times have changed much. Plus, I had the feeling Liz wouldn't have enjoyed sitting (let alone standing) for 3 hours watching AMVs.

    I avoided talking to the Moy Boys this year. Every year, be it the comicon (Wizard World or whatever it's called now) or Acen, or Gencon, or any other function I happen to see them at, I make it a point to talk to them (and have to remind them who I am, *EVERY TIME*), they seem like they couldn't be less interested in talking to me. We happened to be in the same class with the same professor in college. We graduated from the same Illustration program, one year apart. It seems because I'm not a fan drooling all over them and worshiping their drawings that they don't want to have a thing to do with me. All I want to do is talk shop. So I just avoided the whole drama this year.

    Saw some neato stuff in the dealer's room. A bunch of cels I couldn't afford (again), and Phil bought this RC car that's smaller than a matchbox. They were unbelievable! Fully controllable (just like a real RC car) but beyond small. You charge the car on the controller for 45 seconds, and it supposedly gives you a 45 minute charge. Just A.Maze.Ing.

    Liz picked up a way-cool Kodama black shoulder bag, and the FFVIII soundtrack. I have shoulder bag envy.

    I didn't have any money to buy anything. What, with paying $129 for a bug-infested six tatami mat room at the O'Hare Hyatt, $30 to park for three days, $90 for admission for two for the entire weekend, and probably somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 in hotel food (we're only talking about 2 and a half meals here, and they weren't steak or lobster dinners, either), I didn't have any money to spend. I know, I know, what about the people who had to pay for airfare and three hotel nights? I gotcha. Don't forget I'm paying for two people with one income right now :) I shouldn't have even been there at all on the budget we have.

    Don't get me wrong. I had a great time while I was there. Phil put on the "Gronk" suit (a giant foam armored silly knight costume) and went down to the dance Saturday night in it. I *finally* caught up with him later, and found when people (mostly mothers) would ask him "who are you?" (i.e. what character from what series), he would just reply "GRONK!" They would then just smile and nod their heads politely, and wander away going "that's gronk...!" to their children, as if they were now somehow "in the know." That's Phil for ya. Always has to be messing with people's heads.

    I even got sick of sitting in the room and went down and *danced* for the first time in years. Glo-sticks are an amazing crutch. I found out I only needed about 9 beers and something to focus on and I'd stop being self-concious enough to dance again :) Unfortunately I didn't get to show off my moves. No Young MC being played at this particular rave ;)

    OH! Before I forget! They had this dance contest thing at the dance (duh), and forgive me if you've already seen this: These girls spun glo-sticks on strings like ninjas. Two at a time! It was the coolest freakin' thing I've ever seen at a "rave." Granted, they couldn't spin them like the lightning fast chain-of-death kung-fu girls (or spin them off their elbows or inner thighs), but WOW was it cool looking. ::clapping::

    ::WARNING:: Incoming <rant> End of rant (</rant>) marked below.

    But I have to raise an issue with the con's hotel choice. My apologies in advance to any of you who might be reading this who are Acen con staffers. I'm sure you get nothing but complaints all the time, but please hear me out.

    I'm aware that the Arlington Heights Sheridan was getting too small (and after them doing renovations during the middle of the con last year, and the air conditioning being broken the year before that, I can't say I blame you for leaving). But the Hyatt is just too big. Granted, it's the right size for having over 3,000 on Friday alone. But it's too BIG.

    The Hyatt is a businessman's convention hotel. And it's an international business hotel, to boot. And it's located directly next door to the second largest convention hall in Illinois (Rosemont Convention Center, now known as the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center). THEY WANT TOO MUCH MONEY. $129 for that shitty room? And I don't mind calling it shitty. Shitty was an understatement. God knows what stains in the carpet in the hallway. ASHES on the toilet seat (the part you sit on) in my NON SMOKING ROOM (which is to say not only was someone smoking in my non-smoking room, but fucking room service DIDN'T CLEAN THE TOILET SEAT. Unless, of course, room service was smoking in my room while they were cleaning it. Which still isn't O.K.) Malted Milk Balls anyone? Found 'em on the floor of the room! How about greasy forehead and hand prints all over the windows? Like spiders? We got 'em! And since when is a bathtub large enough for a small child in the bottom of a stand-up shower considered standard? And don't get me started on the towels. I could have done some fine finishing sanding on my shop projects with those towels. I thought towels were supposed to be fluffy and comfy, not pressed with extra starch.

    I'm sorry if I sound bitter, but when I'm paying FIVE FRICKIN DOLLARS for a bottle of domestic beer, I would hope that some of that money would go towards maintenance, y'know?

    And why do we have to pay for parking when we're paying for admission? This isn't Chicago. It's Rosemont. It's not like land isn't cheap there. You're next to the busiest airport in the world for god's sake. Every inch of land is underneath a plane's landing pattern. I bet it doesn't go at a premium, so why am I being fleeced like it is?

    What I'm saying here is that for $129/night, I could get something VERY nice in the suburbs. We're talking suites with two rooms and a jaccuzi tub. I don't know if the hotels in the burbs could handle that kind of convention traffic that Acen is starting to attract, but I would hope that the Acen staff would consider looking at some of them as an alternative to the O'Hare ring of convention hotels. I imagine they have, and I'm just going to have to suck it up and pay for parking next year.

    </rant>

    Sorry to end on a rant. But I'm petered out now. 
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