Ah Dear Blog,
So sorry that it has been a while. Lots of
things going on. One new noteworthy thing is that I have moved to a new super
awesome space. This move has inspired emotions of new starts, thinking about
what I want for the upcoming year. (I'm a teacher so I always treat September as
the start of a new year)
Every time I move, I dig up things that I have
stored away deep in my closets, storage bins, and boxes. I can't help but
sitting on the floor and looking through all the letters- old high school and
college papers, photos, and portfolio books full of sketches and ideas that
have been gathering dust and set sadly aside. Moving is the only time these
things see the light of day.
I came across some letters I wrote in Middle and
High School to animation companies. My favorite letter is
from Animator Mark Henn. I'm not sure where Mark is right now, when I wrote to
him in 1993, he was known at Disney for being the lead animator for Belle
in Beauty and the Beast. My 13 year old self had just read an article in
Animation Magazine about how Disney had been planning to create "Fantasia
2000." I excitedly wrote to Mark, explaining how I was looking forward to
seeing it in the future. I also wrote how when I was eight, while sitting in a darkened
theatre watching, "The Little Mermaid," I decided that I wanted to be
an animator. (I remember actually tearing up at "Under the Sea," all
the colors and music making me giddy.)
Happily, Mark wrote be back, but it took him
awhile...about a year. The day I got the letter, it was a cool but sunny winter day. The night before it had snowed,
but unfortunately we had school the next day. I was tired from shoveling
the driveway after school. My cheeks were rosy and my fingers numb. Before
going inside to warm myself, dreaming of a hot cup of coco, I opened
the mail box and saw an envelope printed WALT DISNEY ANIMATION. I think
I screamed. I stayed on the front steps, ignoring my numb fingers and
carefully opened the top of the envelope. Marks opening sentence
was, "I'm sorry, but I can't remember if I wrote to you or not, so
this might be my second letter to you! " It was awesome. He answered some
of my questions, encouraged me to keep drawing, and to keep my enthusiasm. I
will never throw this letter away.
This year, as I start the fires again and get
the juices flowing, the memory of the passion and enthusiasm a had a kid will
serve as a guide to what will hopefully be a kick ass and creative year!!!
PS
Another place I wrote to, was the Canadian Production company that produced the computer animated show, "Reboot." A show I was obsessed with in High School. I still have a draft of the letter I sent to them.
PS
Another place I wrote to, was the Canadian Production company that produced the computer animated show, "Reboot." A show I was obsessed with in High School. I still have a draft of the letter I sent to them.
2 comments:
This reminds me of the hilarious form letter that Stephen King sent me when I wrote to him. I was 10 at the time. The letter included an article called "Everything You Need to Know About Writing Successfully--in Ten Minutes." Those tips now hang on my wall near my computer, while the letter is still in my old desk drawer in Connecticut, where it has stayed for 23 years, excepting the times when I have removed it to read it.
That is awesome. Thanks for sharing
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