Independent filmmakers were gathered for a panel discussion on the challenges and triumphs behind the films they made. Chris Gore the author of “The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide” acted as moderator. I was intrigued my Paul Cotter’s comments on how he got financing for his film. He actually came to Orlando to meet someone who had plenty of expendable income. The investor said that there was no problem offering a huge sum of cash to finance the film, but he wanted to make changes to the premise of the film. Although it was hard to do Paul refused the financing. He joked that most people who are rich are rather cheap whereas smaller investors are more generous.
Andrew and Joshua both worked on the film “Cleanflix” about how the Mormons started bootlegging films and cutting anything out that they found objectionable and then reselling the films for profit. This highly unmoral practice was eventually shutdown.
Amber Benson was a co-director for the film “Drones“. I saw this film and it was one of my favorites from the festival. It takes place in an office and Brian has the strange feeling there is something wrong with the people he works with. His best friend, Clark convinces him to date a co-worker, Amy. Brian discovers that both Clark and Amy are aliens who are sent to earth as scouts to judge when the earth is ready for conquest. When Brian breaks up with Amy she become furious and decides that the planet must be destroyed. The actors, Jonathan Woodward and Angela Bettis both had amazing performances. Amber explained that the film came about because the office space became available for a week and so the screenplay was quickly written and the film shot at a breakneck pace. This charming endearing film proves you don’t need tons of special effects to tell and amazing story.
Camilla pointed out that it is impotent to have one very strong image to market the film even before it is finished. For her film,”The Tiger Next Door“, they had great photos of the subject, Dennis Hill, with his big cat “Pets.”
Much of the panel discussion centers around financing the films and all the challenges that entails. Everyone agreed that investing your own money is never a good idea. They said that once you are fully committed to the project then people become interested and want to help finance the project. Listening to this animated discussion I couldn’t help but feel that anyone with a story to tell can find a way to make a film.

As evening rolled around I decided I wanted to see the documentary “Waking Sleeping Beauty” directed by Don Hahn. This film is about the rise of Disney animation in the 1980’s and then its fall because of executive infighting. Having lived through that decade I was more than a little curious about this film. I arrived more than an hour early from another screening and decided to pass the time with a sketch. The screening was at the Regal Park Cinemas of Winter Park and the Festival staff had this makeshift table set up outside to sell tickets for the festival shows. As I was sketching the volunteers at the table people slowly drifted in and picked up tickets. I recognized the person I sketched buying his tickets as Bryan Brinkman an animator who had spoken at the animated shorts program the night before. Brian and his girlfriend Ashley Culver sat on the wicker bench next to me. I stopped sketching long enough to tell Brian how much I had enjoyed his animated short, Circlepic, from the previous night. To make this film Brian has put out a request on twitter for photos of anything circular people found around their house. He instantly had hundreds of photos to work with and he played with the motion and animation in Adobe After Effects. He tried to explain all the technical points of how he animated the hundreds of layers, masks and compositions but most of the information flew over my head. I actually had checked out his website and had admired a short he did called Gordy which was based on the turn of the century vaudeville show Winsor McCay had once performed with an animated dinosaur. I found it very funny but Brian said non animation types don’t get the references and are confused. he and his girlfriend were also going to see “Waking Sleeping Beauty” and so I told him about my ten years of experiences at the Disney Studio. Several times former Disney Coworkers walked up to the ticket line to pick up tickets. Each time I saw someone I got up to say hello and talk for a bit. Needless to say this sketch took quite a while to finish. Brian told me that there were only ten tickets left for the showing of the film and that the previous showing had sold out. I got nervous and got one of the last tickets. As it turns out I could have gotten in on stand by but I wasn’t willing to take that risk.
The film itself was really enlightening to me. It first and foremost is a story of how a group of artists hit rock bottom and then over the next decade created a series of animated hits. Finally I understood all the executive infighting that had resulted in the collapse of the Florida Studio. Jeffery Katzenburg and Michael Eisner all wanted to be viewed as the next Walt Disney and that battle of egos helped bring down the house the mouse built. The early history of the studios rise from the ashes in the early eighty’s was fascinating and it goes to show that when the right mix of creative individuals get together that kind of magic can always happen. The film left me proud to have been a part of that golden tradition of animation magic and that animation is far from dead.

High on my priority list was getting out to the Florida Film Festival animated shorts screening. When I was ushered inside my first instinct was to search for a place at the very back of the theater. On the way there I bumped into Anna McCambridge, Dina Mac and friends. I sat at a table next to them and talked for a while while munching on some of the free cranberry Raisinettes on the table. I started to wonder what I would draw or even if I could draw when the shorts started. I got up and wandered around looking for a subject and then found a seat way up front that was unoccupied. The seat overlooked the couches and seats in the front rows. I got my art supplies and moved. I had the sketch blocked in and was starting to ink it when the lights went down and the theater went black. I waited. There was some problem with the projector so we all continued to wait. Someone shouted out, “Well, I guess it’s time for the question and answer session!” Everyone laughed. After a few more awkward moments, the lights came back up. Everyone groaned by I started sketching frantically. Once the films started I simply sketched anytime the screen was bright enough to light up the front rows. If there was an animated film that was literally on the dark side, I didn’t see it.
One of my favorite films was “The Mouse that Soared” directed by Kyle L. Bell. This Computer animated short had beautiful art direction and was funny as hell. I didn’t sketch the whole time it was on the screen, I was transfixed. Another of my favorites was from a filmmaker I had admired at last years film festival. Lev Yilmaz showed two shorts from his ongoing series of shorts called “Tales of Mere Existence.” His Woddy Allenish dry humor is contagious. His inner monologue presented in a flat monotone voice is hilarious. I got the feeling he doesn’t have much luck with any lasting relationship but I didn’t have the nerve to ask him about it in the question and answer session. Bill Plimpton presented his new short “The Cow Who Wanted to be a Hamburger“. This very funny short has a bold new look that Bill attributed by a Kandinsky show he had seen. The film was drawn with sharpies. The idea for the film came to him as he was driving through farm country and he saw huge fat cows eating as fast as they could as if they were training to become the perfect steak or burger. He said he had some of the production drawings and that everyone could have a free cow drawing after the screening. For once I stood in the long line of people waiting to get a free cow drawing. I am usually above standing in line for a signature, I can draw my own cow, thank you very much. He quickly drew the cow on a postcard with about ten well placed lines. I wasn’t satisfied. I asked, “How large were the production cells?” I then started thinking to myself, “He didn’t use cells you dope. Why didn’t you say drawings?” Bill said” Oh, yes I have some original work right here.” He reached back and got out a large manila envelope. I apologized to the people behind me for holding up the line. In the envelope was a pile of signed drawings from the movie. He offered me one for a very reasonable price. At least, that is what I’ll tell Terry. There was one drawing of a cow screaming that I kept returning to. I remarked, “This looks like Picasso’s Guernica.” He said, “You know, I hadn’t thought of that, it does.” Was this a smooth sales pitch, or had we just made a connection? I didn’t care, I had to have it. He had to reach across the table to get the bill out of my hand because I was busy admiring the drawing. I had just bought a drawing from a long time animation idol and I was giddy! I had fallen to the level of an animation fan boy, but I didn’t care.

I drove up to the Maitland Art Center for the Wrap party. Joining me tonight would be Jana who who would search the crowd for hidden human interest stories while I sketched. I arrived early and went down to the water front to enjoy the sun and watch the water skiers ride the wakes. I pulled out a sketch book and splashed on some watercolor on an unfinished sketch to pass the time. When I heard the music start up I went over to the entrance to wait for Jana so I could get her in. I waited, and waited. I pulled out the sketch again and messed around with the colors while leaning against a light pole but my heart wasn’t in it now, I was getting annoyed. When Jana did show she said she had been writing and lost track of time. As an artist I suppose I should understand that, but right then I didn’t understand anything.
When we got in, there was Travis Blaise an animator from my old Disney Feature Animation Days. Travis and Jana introduced themselves. (I should have done that, but I could not think straight) A photographer swooped in and herded us together for a photo. When Travis and Jana started talking, I took that as my cue to move on and start casing the room looking for a sketch. I was immediately drawn to the music so I sat on a wooden bench and pulled out the sketch book. With the first lines my mood softened. The music slowly charged my lines with rhythm.
With one sketch done, I decided to get some food. With some chili in one hand and a Coke in the other I heard Jana call my name. She introduced me to her friend named Jennifer and since we couldn’t shake hands we did an exaggerated cheek kiss. I assumed I would touch base with Jana after the event was over, but she left with her friend early without saying goodbye, which left me wondering if I had insulted them in some way. I haven’t got time to sort it all out. I am having to much fun sketching to the jazz beat.