Couldn’t be a Super Hero - so now I Animate!

Even though I’ve only been here for a few months, I think the most amazing things have happened to me in that short time. Here’s a quick recap:

1.) Got my first real studio job doing Storyboarding at Yu+Co - thanks to my dear friend, Ron Noble! (shameless plug for Ron: http://www.nobletown.com)

2.) Met and worked alongside one of my favorite animators, Pendleton Ward, creator of Adventure Time! Here’s hoping Adventure Time continues, Pendleton! I wasn’t kidding when I said I was a huge fan!

(I’m such a fangirl sometimes, but I can’t help it, I love animation.)

3.) Joined ASIFA (finally!) and I got to vote for the 2008 Annie Awards. Since I was a little girl, I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be on a committee like that. I know I’m just one voter, but to me it means the world to be able to vote and show my appreciation  to all the nominees. It’s a big honor to me and I hope to continue to do it and hopefully volunteer as much as I can.

4.) Started my own web business! That’s right, if you need a website, just come see me at: LAWEBCHICK.com I’m also offering to tutor in Flash for either animation or websites if you are interested. Just drop me an email at:  joaniegecko at gmail.com.

5.) Met some great friends, including my newest friend, Shondalia White, who I met through WIA. It’s so nice to have a girlfriend my age in town! I miss all of my usual gal pals back in KC, so it’s refreshing to have someone to run around with. Shondalia works at Nick as a Production Assistant on Tak and she loves it!

6.) And last but definitely at the top of my list: I just signed on for an entry-level job at Disney Interactive in their QA department! Many of you who know me know that I’m a huge gaming fan and that a few of my favorite titles have come from DI - including Kingdom Hearts - and that although Animation is my first love, I can’t deny my Gaming side - SONIC FOREVER! *laughs*  Which is just as strong. I’m really excited to start work. I know it will be hard and long hours and it won’t always be pixie dust and rainbows, but heck, it’s working for DISNEY! If you would have told my 10 year old self that she would have died of some kind of happiness heart attack.

She was funny like that.

That’s the thing too, I never seem to know what’s coming up around the bend. Ron’s been trying to get me on at his studio too (very excited about that!) and I’m working with a couple other people on possible animation jobs. I went from nothing to do to having to choose between projects, which is something I never forsaw for myself.

Looking back, I’ve really matured the past few months that I’ve been here, and I feel like Hollywood is my home now. I even know how to drive well on the highways without getting lost and that’s saying something in itself! My first time alone on the 134 I had a death grip on the steering wheel and the look of a hamster stuck in a toaster, lol.

Here’s hoping 2008, the year of the Rat, is just as good, if not better, than the last.

Love to all, especially to my new friends: Indy & Tasha, Ron, Georgette, and Shondalia!

- Joanie /^>

This past week has been a blur of events! And each one I’ve walked away with more wisdom, knowledge and of course business cards than I’ve ever gotten. If you’re new like me and you haven’t gotten involved in a group

Full house for the WIA Short Film Panel!

like Women in Animation, Animation Army, or a gathering like the WIA Writer’s Round Table, I strongly suggest you do so, no matter where you are.

You can check out the WIA Blog for info about the Short Film panel here: http://wia.animationblogspot.com. As you can see from the photo, many people attended from all ages and ranks, from industry veterans to students and people everywhere in-between!

Animation Army (check out their website here) had their monthly meeting last Sunday at the Bigfoot Lodge in Glendale. Animation Army basically is a social networking group for animation artists of all kinds where we meet together to talk about opportunities, to find project help and to make some new friends. Our guest speaker was Rusty Mills of MyToons.com (a producer of Animaniacs and Pinky and The Brain to name just a few of his credits) and he spoke about pitching series ideas to studios. We also got to view his work and he even brought along some of his pitching material, giving advice on creative things to do - and equally what not to do.

And finally last night was the first new meeting of the recently reinstated Women in Animation Writer’s Round Table! Our speaker was animation writer Craig Miller who has been in the business for a long time (whose credits include a lot of the shows I grew up with in the 80s like The Real Ghostbusters and G.I. Joe) and had a lot of good advice on what makes a story great. (The answer by the way, is the characters!) Craig also answered questions about how to pitch yourself to a studio as a writer and how pitch a good series bible to a studio as well. Friendly and humorous, he was a great speaker and we all enjoyed talking with him. For me, it was a wonderful opportunity to finally come face-to-face with a real animation writer and to hear what it’s like.

If you want to attend the next Round Table and will be in the LA area sometime early December send an email to wiawritersrt@gmail.com. You don’t have to be a WIA member to come and we’d love to have you! Our next speaker will be one of my personal favorite animation writers, Jeffrey Scott, author of the book “How to Write for Animation.“

Drop me a line to if you want to know about any of these events at  joaniegecko at gmail.com.

Everything fit into my car! Magic!

It’s been a few days since I moved in to Altadena and things have been happening so fast I hardly have time to keep up with them. But today was especially sweet because today I finally received my Californian driver’s license in the mail. Huzzah! So it’s official now, I’m Californian and here to stay.

Unfortunately, there’s been nothing new on the job front yet. I’m still applying to jobs and waiting to hear back from one. I’m really hoping to get a chance to interview with Nick for a Production Assistant job. I know I’d do a great job with it!

Of course, as everyone knows (and if you’re new like me, listen closely) it’s really hard to break in and get that fabled “First Real Job”! (Can you hear the heavenly choir when you read that?)
Speaking of which, since I’m knew to the neighborhood, I’m looking to meet some friends in the industry! Any hungry animation artists out there? I’d be more than happy to buy you some lunch. Just send me an email.

Look at all the studios! I’m almost there.

On a very happy note, tonight is the semi-annual General Meeting for the Women in Animation guild in Glendale - and this will be my very first meeting in person. I’ve been involved with WIA since 2005 and they helped me find a good school and now I’m volunteering on their website (which, if you haven’t seen it yet, then you must)! I’m hoping to make some friends and possibly make some networking connections. I will type up a report, but for now I have to get ready.

- Joanie /^>