"Life is Really Short....but it's Also Kind of Long.

Think about that" n.n

Hi :)
Well as I mentioned, I'm sorry to dissapoint those of you who were waiting for the next Project_ installment. Matt Timms (FX), Louis Thomas (Designs) and Thomas Reteuna (Bgs/compo) were all waiting in the wings - oh it would have been a glorious animation affair - but, as with many of the best laid plans, something always gets in the way :P

For me, that 'something' was a little Stateside adventure n.n
But to say it 'got in the way' implies it impeded me, when it actually did the opposite. It definitely opened my eyes to a lot of things, perhaps the most amazing thing being the hospitality and kindness shown by the people I couchsurfed with - a few of whom I would like to think have become good friends. The fact that lots of the folk I met weren't from the world of animation or even art, was refreshing also - made me realise how little I actually know of the world, ergo why I still want to get out there and find out more...



One thing that's a re-occuring theme is that when I think back to what was coolest about the places I visited, it always ends up just being the people.
In Richmond, Virginia (which, let's face it, isn't the ideal holiday destination :D) I mingled with the students at VCU, even participated in a very enlightening 'Design' workshop - creating art in a collective based on the principals of RENGA (form of Japanese poetry) - did some Life Drawing and caught some NCAA basketball games over yummy milkshakes n.n



In Washington D.C I did all the touristy things you can do (including being confused that the massive White building I came across first was not the White House :'D), but the things I remember most fondly are eating oatmeal with Sam and then going to the Kite Festival together..... sharing a room with 6 uber smart Parisian girls in a hostel who were competing in the prestigious Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition and going along to watch them in a moot trial.... staying with Sacha and Conor in Georgetown, jamming together (check out Sacha's awesome group, Mellenfolly!), playing basketball at the Uni, biking to the cinema and having Jazz the cat sit with me at breakfast....



These were the things I loved most about Washington.
You would think the NBA game I saw would have ranked up there..... but it was the Washington Wizards. Enough said :D
If you go, visit The Phillips Collection - that was my favourite gallery n.n

Conor's last words to me when I told him I would be leaving to stay in Brooklyn were, "Brooklyn!? Good luck(!)"
O.o



I didn't need it :D
N.Y.C was énorme, staying with the awesome Lisa & co in their magical appartment filled with plants and fairy lights *o*. I even had the pleasure of hooking up with Dana who recently graduated (along with co-Director Iker) with THIS delicious 9 Minute(!) film (please, if you're student, don't follow her example - she can actually manipulate time and isn't like the rest of us normal human beings. But although she has this ability, her map reading skills leave much to be desired :P)



The Moth Story Slam was a highlight. It's a really popular event that happens from time to time in various cities across the states where people sign up to tell five minute, true stories based on a predetermined theme. If you want to be inspired and love listening to stories, THIS is fo' you!!



Other highlights included The Moma (Bill Brandt photo exhibit = *o*), NY Public Library (Who doesn't love the smell of old books!), visiting the TED studio, seeing the work of Singer Sergent at the Brooklyn Museum, the night we went to a Bar called, 'One Last Shag' :3 (asking directions to which could land you a slap in the face, "excuse me, I'm looking for...).... and eating soup over our first ever episode of Game of Thrones X'D
I was pretty sad to leave Brooklyn.... but I don't think The Big Apple is for me. My use of the word queue proves it. And eeeeven when I said Line, I was meant to say On-Line instead of In-Line..... I mean, come on, "Are you waiting online?" "No, I can't seem to get any signal in this queue for the water(!)" ;)



Succeeding outside of your comfort zone is a great feeling - you learn a hell of a lot walking all day around cities you have never been before, absorbing the differences in culture, striking up conversations with stangers who find your accent strange yet charming, not knowing where you will sleep that night and eventually becoming horizontal across the room from someone you only met a couple of hours prior. I recommend you try it :)



To round off my travels I popped over to the UK for a couple of weeks (also in couchsurfing mode) - Such a pleasure to see familiar faces, and indeed new ones! Shout outs to the crew at THE LINE and all those lovely, hopeful, eager faces who looked up at me (and more importantly, stayed awake) through my very long talk at the AUB :3
Bournemouth certainly feels as good as it always did to me. I miss it.

And thus adventure over.

Aaaaaall the pages from the 2 sketchbooks that accompanied me

Almost :P

I had been back at work only a month (now working on "Minions") before I then headed to what was the best Annecy Festival eVerrrr.

The WIP for How to Train Your Dragon 2 (gave me goosebumps), the premiere of Despicable Me 2 and Monsters University, swimming in the lake, the Nickelodeon Party, Café des Arts, getting to play with a REAL Norman *o*, the closing MIFA party (^^)-(^^)-(^^), and just having people I know from all different parts of the world together in one place were a few of the reasons why Annecy rocked. Withdrawal symptoms were slow to subside.
Promise me you'll all be there next year! :3

As for Despicable Me 2, those of you who are eager cinema goers may have seen/be off to see it. As much as I would love to go along with all of you and poke you in the ear as each of my shots come up, I thought it would be more feesable to do a few quick scribbles of some of the shots I worked on :) Please let me know if you cry and/or vomit at my last shot!! ;)
*SPOILER ALERT!*



And so I'll end in the most appropriate way possible.... *clears throat*....

'Till the Next,
L

Eh ben, pas de traduction :D Désolé. MAIS! Vous avez vu?? J'ai mis tout ça le 14 Juillet pour vous, les amis!! Joyeuse Fête Nationale tout le monde!! On se retrouvera toute suite pour mater les feu d'artifices? n.n