Sunday, July 14, 2013

"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

13 comments:

Joël CORCIA said...

Ooh comme c'est joliiie !
Super tout ça mec ! Annecy c'était vraiment bien oui...
A demain matin =) !

Frankie Swan said...

living a dream man! gutted i missed you when u in the UK!(thats wes right?got his strong jaw)
im in california at the end of the month, hoping my journey is as awesome as this.
man your amazing.

Kristian said...

Wow what an adventure Laurent. It will take me a while to really digest this awesome post.

Nölwenn Roberts said...

Epic Post Laurent!! I love your drawings! It's so cool when you put colors on them =)

Frankie Swan said...

2nd look. ah man today i draw!

Aaron Ludwig said...

Great stuff.

L Rossi said...

@Joël
Je t'ai vu!!! n.n J'aurai plus du temps demain midi :)

@Frankie
I was only in London town for a few days, but I'm coming back in October so I will pre-warn you this time :)
That is indeed Mr Libra Bear :D
Whoa! Cali! So cool!!!I'm sure you'll have a wicked time!

@Kristian
Take all the time you need man :D I am officially worn out from sketching :'D

@Nölwenn
oh ... oh i say :')... well... oh...
Thank you kindly miss Roberts! :))

@Aaron
Thank you sir!

J Lou said...

aaahh so cool! love the massiveness of this post 8O and yay pics!

I watched Despicable Me 2 with my dad the weekend it came out in the US! I can still picture those scenes too :D So many funny moments and probably overloaded with cuteness (which I looooved!)

Dana said...

AHHHHH SO EMBARRASSING. Hahahaha ;; But it was so worth looking like an idiot to meet you! And I know Lisa took good care of you so that was a relief :')

L Rossi said...

@jLou
Yay! Glad you liked it! n.n
Heheh - as much as I would have liked to, turns out I can't draw everything! Hence the photos :'D

@Dana
XDD Nothing to be embarrassed about, silly! Pleasure was all mine n.n

fados do lar said...

it's really nice the way you describe you "adventure" in Washington - and i cannot help notice what you said - that what makes the places are, indeed, the people. i really enjoyed reading and following it with such awesome drawings of yours. Awesome job :D

Leïla said...

C'est tellement trop génial ! j'adore tes observations!

(une première année en anim avec qui tu as discuté !
Leïla)

executeyk said...

Just saw Despicable Me 2 recently, Love the guacamole hat scene (also it makes me hungry)!