Day 1: Where We Want To Be At This Point, Next Year On This Date

This video is about the submission deadline for the Student Academy Awards

So a lot is going into this project, from research materials for the team, to planning out guest lecturers for the class I'll be leading, to ensuring we put together a film that will represent the talent that CCA has to offer. Most of all is dealing with the hard date set for the completion of the film April 01, 2017 and the campaign needed to attract attention to what we are doing to bring something new and exciting to the field of storytelling; through the medium of animation.

Personally, I'm looking at this project as a means of entering the story department at Pixar Animation Studio; located just a few miles away from the Oakland campus. If my vision is applied and adapted correctly over the next ten months, I feel that the odds of this happening are very high. Yet, this project isn't all about me. I'm looking forward to working closely with my fellow peers in developing each other into the roles they seek in the industry. I realize that it is going to take a larger pool of talent, than that of which I have, to see what's in my head, moved onto the screen; hence my pitching for a group project during my Junior Review, this past semester.

Over the past year that I've been here at CCA, I've been given the opportunity to grow as a storyteller, as well as given the freedom to experiment as an artist. I've discovered my strengths and weakness, fears and hopes, and where I need just to call it quits and move on. Throughout the up and downs of balancing academia and society, I've never felt that my voice wasn't important. A way of thinking I hope to pass along to my co-workers on this project/ journey. For I remember hearing a wise man say to me when I was ready to abandon rewarding my inner self and continue on the path of contentment for others:

There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love; there's only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.
-Wayne Dyer

Day 0: The Autumn 2016 Group 2D Animation Short Film Project Blog is now live!

Uploaded by Mister Kennedy on 2016-06-01.

For this first post, I just wanted to establish that indeed the Kennedy Compounds has relocated the office from downtown Oakland to the SOMA neighborhood in San Francisco. I will be using this blogpage for the first couple of months over the summer to document the teams work, my ideas, and research materials on a daily base; while I finish designing the next blogpage.

Selected!

Last night at the year end Animation Show, it was announced that I had been selected to participate in the inaugural three-week Pixar@CCA Summer Intensive: New Voices in Animation. I'm so pleased that my talents as a storyteller and story artist have been validated and now I'm on my way towards contributing diverse experience into stories that will impact generations to come.This has been a spiritual journey and experience getting to this point in my career and I’m hoping the conversations over the past year continue to open up possibilities. Thank you again for letting me bare my soul and passion for animation to everyone involved. I recently revisited the team at Pixar and decided to share some photos.

Green light: Review of My Junior Project Pitch

Moments before entering my Junior Review/Senior Thesis pitch and my life taking a huge leap forward. Founder's Hall CCA. 2016©.

Here's the link to my Senior Thesis which was selected during my Junior Review last night, as the FA16 Animation Group Short Film Project here at the California College of the Arts (CCA). I have been assigned the duties of writing and directing, an assistant lecturer for the 2D animated group project and yes I’m trying to take advantage of the Stratasys sitting over at the SF Campus! Yah’ll thought I wouldn’t ask and pitch it in my THESIS!!!

10 people owe me a whole pizza from the Zachary’s down in Rockridge.

I did get a lot of push back and rubbing of fingers to make that sandpaper sound I hate, when I brought up rapid prototyping my segment; but I’m going to find a way to put the right parts in place to attribute to my original medium decision of creating a hybrid animation project. Words can't describe what I'm feeling right now. More exciting news I want to share with everyone... but it has to wait till next month!

For learning purposes on my senior thesis.

Okay here's a hint to where it will be announced.

Selected...

So glad to have been selected to participate in this historical addition to the animation community, here in the Bay Area.

The 1st annual GLAS Animation Festival takes place March 3-6, 2016 in the historic city off Berkeley, California, just a quick ride away from San Francisco. GLAS Animation Festival puts its emphasis on what is new, innovative, and exciting in the contemporary world of independent animation. We focus on the artistry of the international independent animation community while uniting all aspects of animation including professionals, and students alike. Our venues include the Shattuck Cinemas,  the David Brower Center, and the Berkeley Art Center. 

At GLAS Animation Festival we have a complete competition program for best Narrative, Non-Narrative, Undergraduate, Graduate, and Commissioned short films as well as a Best Featurecompetition category. We feature retrospectives, special curated programs, guest curators, Q&As, behind the scene screenings and panels, animation installations and more. GLAS Animation Festival unites the animation community with the Berkeley and Bay Area community, sharing great and unique animated works from around the world.

Our goal is to become the leading animation festival in the United States where the international animation community can gather together to view and share work from around the globe.

http://www.glasanimation.com

A Chance Encounter With Pete at the Walt Disney Family Museum!

Life has a way of putting you in the right place at the right time. Today I got the rare opportunity to sit and talk with Pete Docter, as we both visited the Walt Disney Family Museum at the Presido, to hear Andreas Deja speak on his new book about Disney's Nine Old Men. We talked about Inside Out, candy, and my first-year student film Doctored. I had reached out to Pixar's Andrew Gordon about using a piece of audio from a Spline Cast interview he conducted with Pete. I was nice to here that Pete remembered my inquiry and a real treat to spend two hours talking to him. Reassurance that I am on the right path towards achieving my goals in story.

IMG_1266.jpg
IMG_1265.jpg

I also had an interesting conversation with historian Don Peri about my research into documenting animation, and a student who had heard about me from a friend of hers, that I help over the summer session at CCA during the Pixar@CCA lectures. What a great day! 

Back to the Future With A Twist of the Dial...

Well for the past two months I've been settling into my role as an RA here at the California College of the Arts, as well as starting with Patagonia SF. The plan is working out as planned, with bonuses, more on this after next weeks activities end. I just want everyone to know that things are progressing forward and this coming semester should be one for the record books...

I'm Going Back to Cali...

image.jpg

After a well needed five weeks of reconnecting with my daughters and wife, I'm heading back to Oakland to continue to dream. It was nice traveling thought Texas eating, sleeping, and laughing as a family once again; despite the crazy continuous rain shower everyday for three weeks. At times it felt like my own version of National Lampoons Vacation...

As I've stated in previous posts over the semester, this journey still seems a bit surreal for me. Six months ago I took the 43 hour train ride here (inspired by Walt's preferred traveling method), leaving behind a somewhat decent life, in exchange for adventure. I had grown tired of just working for the sake of providing for my family and needed something more to call my life. Many of my friends and family belied I was going through a form of "mid-life crisis", I likened it to a life re-examined. I guess the fact I began to prefer spending my days off trekking through the woods and listening to the world that lives between wind and silence; was what made me realize that there's more I could be doing with my life.

I always wanted to live in San Francisco since the days of watching Full House as a young boy growing up on Shippan Point. I still find myself standing and looking upon the skyline of San Francisco from various points throughout the Bay. It's just so great to be here and take advantage of the opportunities of creating a better life for my family. Proof that life long dreams can become reality...

Tzedakah

image.jpg

I owe everything to these two wonderful, giving, and loving friends. They appeared in my life when I was ready to abandon all of my goals, in exchange for a steady low waged future. I was told to step out on faith and believe in what had laid inside of me for thirteen years dormant, eager to be awaken. It is with 100% gratitude to Chuck and Emily that I am here at CCA, balanced with the emotional support of my wife Twinkie and children Giordan, Madso, and Groceries.