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Author
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Topic: The Animation Guild Holiday Party 2006 - Pictures
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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HO HO HO !!! The 2006 Annual Animation Guild Holiday Party was/is another terrific success. I really do love this get together. There's nothing like it. It's still going on as I post these photos.
Before I get started with the pictorial presentation, I'd like to say a great big THANK YOU to the Animation Guild for sponsoring the bash. You always out do yourselves and this year's party was no exception. Thank you, Kevin, Steve, Jeff, everyone involved with the Guild for your generous and warm hospitality, for bringing us together for the Holiday Season and for the great and dedicated service you provide for the artists of the animation industry throughout the year. Thank you many times over.
A word before the feature presentation begins. I took most of the photos without a flash to capture the warmth of the lighting. Some of the shots will need to be digitally adjusted so the subject can be seen a little better. If the photo comes out a bit grainy, I hope the subject of the shot and our viewers as well will pardon whatever may be lost in the detail. It's the spirit of the moment that's important and what I hope to capture and record for the sake of the community's posterity.
I'll be back to begin the show in just a moment.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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I think I'll call the pictorial presentation, "The Road to the Food Table" cause that's where the story leads.
Here's the first two bruthas I ran into and how fortunate I was to hook with them as soon as I got up the steps to the entrance of the garden area of the Pickwick.
On the left is an ol buddy of mine from long ago who I haven't seen in ages. That's Mike Camarillo of Cartoon Network. I swear this guy is timeless. On the right is Bob Harper, also of Cartoon Network, our very own toonedbob here on AN.
Lucky for me I ran into Mike and Bob. I got the lowdown on what's happening at CN and it was good positive stuff. You'll be seeing both Mike and Bob's projects coming out someday soon.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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One of the first people I ran into when I entered the party was Steve Hulett, the Business Rep of the Guild. Steve's a big man. As the Business Rep, he catches it from every angle and every side and continues to represent with honor. Another positive encounter on my way to the chow.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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Here's the head table at the entrance. The Guild collected donations for the Motion Picture Television Fund and for the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive. They gave away Tom Sito's book "Drawing the Line" and Floyd Norman's book "Son of Faster, Cheaper". There were other gifts they were giving away too.
And check out the tree!
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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Here's the scene as I work my way to the back of the food line. Way, way to the back of the food line. The bright room you see in the distance is the promised land. The additional space the Guild secured for the party. That's where the food was being served. If they hadn't arranged for this extra space, there wouldn't have been enough room for everyone in the big single hall they usually get. That's how many people were there tonight. The angle is from the area where the musicians were playing.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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I'm on way to the food line there in the distance, when who do you think I see...
Our very own Mr. Fun, the great Floyd Norman! What a thrill to finally get the chance to meet Mr. Fun.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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Well, here I am in the back of the train, waiting along with everyone else to get to the room where the grub is being served, when I suddenly recognized the guys in front of me...
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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How about that! Jon and Steve from AnimationMeat.com! That's Jon on the left showing off his copy of Tom Sito's book.
AnimationMeat is a virtual institution in the online community for the animation industry. John and Steve do a great service to the community with the fanstastic site they've been maintaining for years. Cheers guys!
Maybe you'll put a link to AN on your site someday.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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Whaddya know! Here's Robert Gold, AN's Animagus on the left and Chance Raspberry, AN's Raz on the right. Two good buddies to hang out with while we work our way to the Holiday goodies that're waiting for us down the road.
Robert is an instructor at The Animation Academy in Burbank and so is Chance. Chance also works as a staff artist on the Simpsons TV series.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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As the train moved along, who do you think we saw on the side of the tracks. None other than the big three.
There's David Coleman of Cartoon Network on the left, the one and only Stephen Silver in the middle and Patrick Morgan on the right.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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David, Steve and Patrick. Too good a shot to pass up so I used the flash.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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As the train slowly moved forward, a familiar tune caught my ear. It was the Martini Kings doing a lounge rendition of the Flinstones theme song.
Flintstones, meet the Flinstones...
Couldn't pass up the photo op so I worked my way towards the bandstand and captured the moment.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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Getting closer to our destination. Check out the density of the crowd.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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At the entrance to the other room. We can see the food tables up ahead.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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Another close encounter of the best kind. Here's Bob Tyler. I worked with Bob back in the days of the He-Man show.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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I turn around and what the hey! There's Enrique May from the days at Filmation and the He-Man show. Enrique later worked as a storyboard artist at Disney.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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Passing into yet another friend, here's animator Chris Hubbard.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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The other room and another full house.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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Here's Ken from the Guild. He trains artists in 3D animation. Take classes from him at the Guild's American Animation Institute in North Hollywood and he'll set you on the CGI path.
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Hockey Frog
IE # 32
Member # 1432
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posted
Charles...Following your posts' was like being there! Enrique looks no older than when I worked with him in Germany some fifteen-odd years ago! And many others I know by face, if not by toast!
Thank you.
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"I was obliged to work hard. Anyone who works equally hard will succeed, equally."
Johann Sebastian Bach
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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We made it through the food line and stocked up with enough munchies to keep us going for a while, when low and behold, who is that man at the end of the tracks.
None other than Tom Sito, famed director, past president of the Guild back when we called it the Union, and author of the book "Drawing the Line: The Untold Stories of the Animation Unions from Bosko to Bart Simpson". Here he is autographing a copy for an appreciative friend.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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I must have been a good boy this year cuz Santa treated me right when I realized that sitting at the table next to Tom Sito's autograph station was Eric Goldberg, the living legend himself.
Eric is a great animator and director from Disney Studios. Meeting Eric was the highlight of the evening for me.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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Just like the Christmas story, there was no room at the inn, so Robert, Chance and myself hunkered down at the farthest corner of the party to enjoy the food we traveled so long and far to finally indulge ourselves in. The perfect place for the evening's Holiday outing.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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Here's a corner view of the auxillary hall. Packed with people having a good time at the Holiday Party. Keep in mind that the main hall was full of revelers as well.
All those folks in the distance? That's still the food line trailing off into the other room..
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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Steve Kellener from AnimationMeat.com goofing off for the camera in Kathleen's company, AN's q. Whenever I see her my heart skips a beat.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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It was good seeing Ray Pointer. Ray's involved with Inkwell Images.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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Gregg Davidson, Caracal here on the forums. Gregg's a long time friend and a veteran animation artist, who's just authored an excellent book on storyboarding.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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Here's the scene from behind the bar.
A couple of cute ladies saw me taking the shot...
... which got me a pretty smile and a wave from one of them.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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The perfect moment. I took the shot right at the instant of recognition when he realized it was me. This is Kristen Sych, a good friend and an animator at Activision.
Here's Kristen with his beautiful wife Shavon.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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Robert was in the spirit of things.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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One of those priceless moments. People lining up to get their books autographed by Tom Sito while the tikes frolic about at the place where we're trying to eat. It wouldn't be a Holiday party without the little kids enjoying themselves and the big kids taking care of business.
This is a good spot for intermission. There's lots more pictures on the way ladies and gents and I'll endeavor to have the rest of them posted up very soon.
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Kevin
IE # 44
Member # 26
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posted
These are awesome, Charles! I've linked to it from the TAG Blog. Thanks for putting them up -- it's really appreciated.
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Mr. Fun
IE # 63
Member # 352
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posted
It was great meeting you, Charles. It's clear to see you are not lacking in enthusiasm.
Thanks all for a great party, and thank you Charles for AnimationNation!
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toonedbob
IE # 45
Member # 422
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posted
It was great luck running into you Charles. I had to leave early - kids ya know! Thanks to the guild for a dandy shindig, hopefully I can stay longer next year, when thing really get hopping.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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It was indeed a superb event, and there's more memorable moments coming along that I'll be posting for everyone to enjoy. I want to once again extend my thanks to the Guild for hosting the party. From the people I spoke to about it today, nothing but rave reviews from all who attended.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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The man. Kevin Koch, President of the Guild. When it's going right, kick back, have a drink and enjoy the success.
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E. Allen
IE # 301
Member # 3297
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posted
It's unbelievable that the food line could be that long! What'd the Guild do, let anybody and everybody in??? ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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I'm going to call the second part of the presentation "The Hunt For Mr. Fun" and it started with this fellow.
His name is John and he was working the front tables. I came to pick up the gift of Tom Sito's book and also Floyd Norman's. John was very friendly and had a cool vibe. There were some pen and pencil gift sets available so John offered one to me so I could have something for the authors to sign the books with.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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I knew where Tom Sito was, but Floyd Norman wasn't sitting at the table I met him at. So I started a campaign to track him down.
In the course of this particular trek, I ran into Mike Allen. Mike took a character design and storyboarding class years ago at my school. This was the first time I'd seen him since. As we caught up, he mentioned that the educational experience he had at the Academy made the difference for him to break into the industry. Mike is currently setting up a new venture in animation.
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