The Secret of Nimh

Posted on by Thor

On the last day of the 2D Animation class at Full Sail each month, Kathy Blackmore lets the students vote on an animated movie to watch. Before they voted, students asked the instructors about their experiences in the animation business. One student asked, “What was a highlight or defining moment in your career?” I described the day when I found out I was accepted into the Disney internship. “This might be way before your time, but it was a Mary Tyler Moore moment. I danced in the streets of NYC and threw my cap in the air!” Kathy described the pride she took in one particular Stitch scene where she did every drawing herself. Alex Kupersmidt the lead animator paused for the longest time when he looked at it. Such a pause usually meant he was contemplating a change or fix to the animation. He said, “It’s perfect.” He then turned and walked away. Such praise from an animation legend isn’t often offered.

The class had a split vote between Secret of Nimh and Lilo and Stitch. Dan Reibold really wanted to see the Secret of Nimh since he hadn’t seen it in a long time. Kathy’s heart warming stories about working on Stitch might just throw the voting in favor of the Disney film. Dan decided to pick up the Nimh DVD case and he made up a story about how this movie was the reason he wanted to become an animator. The students didn’t buy his story, they laughed. Kathy decided to show the movie to keep Dan from crying. Some students continued to work on their animation flip books as the movie played. This has to be the best animated feature Don Bluth produced. It is a classic.

Waiting for the rain to stop

Posted on by Thor

As the 2-D Animation class wound down, I heard thunder and the distinct sound of rain hitting the building’s flat roof. I didn’t have my umbrella. Kathy Blackmore, the Course Director, suggested I could dash out a little early but I didn’t want to get drenched. More importantly, I didn’t want my tablet PC or sketchbooks to get drenched. I lingered after class straightening up the classroom at a leisurely pace. When I finally got out to the lobby, I stopped in my tracks.

Looking out the large glass doors was a view of a cascading, torrential waterfall. I couldn’t even see the nearest cars in the parking lot. I always park at the furthest parking spot away from the building under a shady tree. I like the walk and I always know where I parked. Now that was a problem. I decided to sit on the floor and sketch. There were quite a few students who waited along with me. Occasionally a student would run in soaking wet and laughing. one particularly wet girl followed a classmate around offering a hug. Kathy decided to make a run for it.

As I finished up the sketch the rain began to slow. I walked out to my truck in the faintest drizzle just having to avoid the lake sized puddles in the parking lot.