Hi, nice to be back.  Over the last few weeks, we’ve been working diligently to raise some more funds to allow us to get more Episodes up on the site.  Over the past week or so we’ve been putting the finishing touches on a service we are about to embark on with Animation Magazine, to start producing and duplicating high-quality EPK and presentation DVDs for the animation community.

These DVDs will be especially priced for animation professionals and companies who want to show their work to prospective animation studios, cable and broadcast television, commercial clients, agents, on their websites and even share with good friends.  These presentations may include clips from films, art work, a tour of the artist at work, the artist describing their passions on camera, and on-camera references, and all with the expert eye of an experienced filmmaker, who will help you decide what to put in it, and how to arrange it in the most effective way, from a quick, short, montage, to a multi-part presentation, individually accessible through menu branches.

Animation Magazine will be running a full-page ad in their next issue to announce the new service.  In addition, we’ll be with them at SIGGRAPH, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, August 12th through 14th, sitting in at the Animation Magazine booth. We’re looking forward to talking to everyone in detail, and showing them samples of the level of quality we will be able to achieve.  These custom-made DVDs are valuable for all sorts of animation folks; animators, designers, directors, background artist, story artists, voice talent, and so on. The price will vary according to the complexity and length of the presentation, but we’ll keep the price below the going rate for animation people.

Also, for those who want multiple copies, we can produce high-quality duplication with slick professional imbedded labels. We’ll also be setting up a special page on our site, so if you’d prefer, you can save the cost of extra copies and just send people to your presentation on our site.

So, contact Us if you’re interested, or come on down to SIGGRAPH and we can talk there.

We’re still working on getting a couple more sponsors lined up to help pay our expenses, and we’re getting very close.  We should be able to start putting Episodes up again in a couple of weeks.  In the meantime, CTN (Creative Talent Network) has posted another new Toon In Episode in the “At the Drawing Board Level” section of their site.  It’s Michael Giaimo, who we interviewed a couple of months ago (see photo as we set up for his interview, in front of a dazzling ceramic mural in his home).  A graduate of Cal Arts in the 70’s, Giaimo has worked with Tim Burton, Brad Bird, Darrel Van Citters, Eric Goldberg, Mike Gabriel, and many others headliners.  He’s been involved with Animé projects, and worked at Warner Brothers, but for the last 18 years he’s had a wonderfully creative career, primarily at Walt Disney productions, most recently working as an Art Director and Production Designer.

But, our interview with Michael Giaimo is quite different than our other Episodes.  Instead of talking about his own careen, Giaimo preferred to pick a subject to explore, which turned out to be “Fine Art and Animation”.  CTN has already received their first comment, from Dave Pruiksma … “Wonderful interview with great insight into the mindset of the animation artist as independent artist from one of the people in the field whom I respect the most for their staunch commitment to quality, honesty and integrity. This is a perspective that I feel is very important for the animation community to hear particularly in these times where it would appear that the world of animation has taken steps towards the technical over artistic expression. I particularly applaud Michael’s opinion about exploring more and varied visuals both in traditional (I think the term 2D sounds demeaning to the medium) and CG. Thanks, Tee, for an inspiring and thought provoking half hour with Mike Giaimo.”

Of course, Rubén Procopio is still up, and as soon as CTN returns from Comic Con, more will follow.  If you are going to Comic Con stop by their booth #5022 to say hi and tell them that Toon In sent you.  So, except for San Diego, don’t go too far away, August promises to be a busy month for all of us.  We have interviews waiting in the wings, artists waiting to be interviewed, and a couple more surprises in store, as early as next week.  Hope you’re all having a great summer.

CTN (Creative Talent Network) has truly thought outside the box by initiating a dialogue that led to a project that we never could have imagined when we first put the word out for sponsorships. As of Friday July 2, 2008, Toon In! and CTN have joined forces to present a new online podcast series entitled “At the Drawing Board Level”. The Creative Talent Network, owned by animation veteran Tina Price, is an online community for top talent animators, designers and production artists from all departments and era’s within the animation community. Launched in 2004, CTN is now home to over 250 talented contributors to some of the highest grossing films in animated history. Members such as Animation Director Mike Gabriel, 3D Animator Gabriele Pennacchioli, Animation Director Eric Goldberg, Designer HB Lewis, and many more who will share a lifetime of experiences “At the Drawing Board Level”. We are highly honored to have been chosen by CTN to help these artists tell their stories.

So stay tooned as I’m sure you’ll agree that these new interviews will be well worth waiting for. First interview in this series is Rubén Procopio posted this evening on CTN’s “At the Drawing Board Level” and soon it will appear on our own podcast series, Toon In ! … to the World of Animation. We interviewed Rubén Procopio last year, and we will link you to other CTN members as they are posted and ready to listen to. The next interview will be Michael Giaimo, who we just interviewed last month.