Gatín A Bordo (Kitty on board)

This is an important day to me.

About a year ago I decided to start a new phase in my life, as I started to think about making an animated short film. I've been into animation since many years ago, but I felt I was in debt with myself.

About 2 years ago I started to think that the animation nowadays was missing something. I felt as if all the characters in the animation were played by the same "actors". Then, I read at draw.ca that animator John Kricfalusi was starting a blog. So I started reading it. One day, to my surprise, he wrote about the things I was thinking. Obviously he have more concepts and expeerience, but it was a bout the same. All animation character were acting the same. Stock animation, was his term. Then I began to read his bolg on daily basis.

At the same time, I was thinking about going to an Animation University (if such a thing exists, hehe) in U.S. or Europe, since here in COlombia we don't have anything like that. I was consider Animation Mentor, or Art Institune on-line, but they were expensive and more focused on 3d. So I didn't know what else to do. At that time, I remember that in the site of ASIFA (www.animationarchive.org) it was the Preston Blair book. So I decided to read it.

But then, suddenly,  John K. started to make a FREE ONLINE COURSE!!! I couldn't believe my luck!!!

I started to make the exercises, and reading each and everyday his blog. I bought classic warner cartoons DVDs, and watch them over and over again, frame by frame (that was a great way to learn animation that I discover years ago).

Well, time passes and just as I started this post, about a year I decided to quit my job and begin making an animation short film.

I decided to make it old-school, I mean, hand-drawn, paper, pencil. My guide was all the tricks that John K. put on his sites, i make the layouts, the storys, etc.

Well, it took more time than I imagined. It took more things than I imagined, it took even tears, despair, thoughts of quitting, etc. But it also takes me to another level.

I've learned a lot, and I just wanna thanks to all the people that helped me, specially my friends Angelo Contreras,  María Arteaga and No (my bro), also Carlos Moncada (who helped my with the coloring phase). The music is made by my talented friend Alejandro Guarín. And LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I wanna thank my girlfriend Diana Aristizábal, for her patience, her help, her encouraging words in time of despair, her help in the coloring phase, her advices and many many many things that would take a whole blog to tell.

Well, finally, this short film is dedicated to Jonh K, and it's my gift and my way to say THANKS A LOT for all the things that you do for animation around the world. I decided to finish it today as a gift for your Winsor McKay (on of my heroes) award. Thanks again, and I hope you like it.