I'm coming to TAAFI 2019!

I'm going to be at the TAAFI (Toronto Animation Arts Festival International) Industry Conference 2019 in a couple of weeks doing a special talk and some panels! Details below!

https://taafi.com/#/

Saturday Nov. 2 2019
11:00AM - 12:00PM
A Conversation With Aaron Long
@The Spin Master Atrium Stage
Join Sam Chou for an in-depth conversation with Aaron Long about his career starting as an intern for the Chuck Grammage studio with little experience and a ton of passion, through to his current work as a director for Bojack Horseman and Tuca & Bertie with Netflix.

With Aaron Long Director - Bojack Horseman, Netflix & Shadow Machine
 Moderator: Sam Chou Creative Director of Development, Kickstart Entertainment

2:30PM - 3:30PM
Animation: Not Just For Kids
@The Spin Master Atrium Stage
We know that animation isn’t just for cartoons, but recently it seems like the rest of the world is starting to wake up to that notion, as new streaming services start to take animation seriously. Join us for a discussion on the ins and outs on crafting your ideas for a primetime world.

With Aaron Long Director - Bojack Horseman, Netflix & Shadow Machine
 Liliana Reyes Senior Vice President, Content, Portfolio Entertainment
Moderator: Jason Martinsen Lead Animator, Reel FX

5:30PM - 6:30PM
The Big Pitch
@The Spin Master Atrium Stage
It’s time for our annual Big Pitch contest! Most competitions usually only offer critiques by industry execs. The Big Pitch will feature a panel of judges representing departments throughout the animation pipeline. You’ll learn not only what makes a pitch sell but how to make it work from every angle!
With Aaron Long Director - Bojack Horseman, Netflix & Shadow Machine
Moderator: Barry A Sanders 3D Animation Supervisor, Animatic T.O

TAAFI - Sunday

Today was the final day of TAAFI. I went to the "Style vs. Design" panel and the "Shorts 3" screening. My favourite shorts were "Dr. Breakfast," "Wiretap - Never Say I Love You" and "Psychic Land."

The last thing I went to was the screening of "Shorts 1 - Straight Up Toons" where my own short Fester Goes Fishing was screened. I was afraid the audio/visual quality wouldn't hold up on the Lightbox screen, but it looked fine. The audience seemed to enjoy it, and laughed at all the right parts. It was also nice to finally see "The Last Belle", which featured some brilliantly trippy layouts and animation in the scenes with the drunk guy.

All in all, it was a fantastic weekend. Let's hope the festival returns next year!

TAAFI - Saturday

Today I went to TAAFI (Toronto Animation Art Festival International). The first thing I saw was John Kricfalusi's "Cartoony Animation" panel. It was pretty entertaining, and afterwards I got to talk to him and he drew a caricature of me.

I also got to shake hands and speak very briefly with Kaj Pindal. If I wasn't already scheduled for something, I'd probably go to the Retrospective panel on him tomorrow.

After seeing John K, I went to the "Indie Animators - Making It Work" panel, which dealt with time management, self-promotion and distribution for independent animators. It was fascinating. On the panel was Nick Cross, uber-talented artist and all-around awesome guy. I definitely learned a few things from the discussion that I want to apply when I do my next project after this upcoming Fester Fish short.

I ended the day by going to a screening of the Canadian cult classic Rock & Rule. When I first discovered this movie as a teenager, I was kind of obsessed with it. I made VHS copies for my friends, who were completely uninterested, and forced them to watch it. It's been years since the last time I last saw the film, so I was expecting my fond memories to be shattered, but while it does have some story issues, it also has a lot of really interesting stuff in it and I had a great time watching it, especially with such a big audience. Afterwards, there was a with a Q&A session with many key members of the original staff. It was fascinating, and there were some funny moments as the filmmakers recalled the agony of the production.

So I got to meet some of my heroes, watch some amazing animation and I learned a few things. Not a bad day overall! And now to get some rest before heading out again for the Sunday events.

Excited for TAAFI!

TAAFI is less than two weeks away, and I'm really excited for it! My short "Fester Goes Fishing" is going to be screened as part of the "Shorts 1 - Straight Up Toons" package, and there are a whole bunch of amazing things going on throughout the weekend. I'll be at the following events:

-"Nelvana Bouncing Ball party" on Fri. July 6
-"John K and Cartoony Animation" panel on Sat. July 7
 -"Indie Animators: Making it Work" panel on Sat. July 7
 -"Rock and Rule" screening on Sat. July 7
 -"Style vs. Design" panel on Sun. July 8
 -"Shorts 3 - Stylin'" on Sun. July 8
 -"Shorts 1 - Straight Up Toons" on Sun. July 8

I'm looking forward to seeing some fantastic animation up on the big screen at the TIFF Lightbox, the greatest theater in Toronto. See you there!