Contemplating Animating

We were stuck in a classroom for most of the summer of 1991 - attempting to learn the subtle shades of animation layout.  'What the heck am I doing here' was a common refrain at the time as I recall.  Enjoy the experience I did not.  And it wasn't too far into the process that I decided I'd rather let it all pass me by like a stage play - than participate and complete all the pointless assignments.  Such was my disappointment in the strict, ultra technical approach to animation layout.

Yes, looking back, it was a strange chapter in my timeline.  I could have done without the whole shebang ever happening, to be honest, except that it DID end up serving two purposes.  #1: it convinced me that the deadly dull occupation of animation layout (and animation in general) would NEVER be the life for me.  Thanks to this sampling of the job, I would never again wistfully wonder if I had been missing out on something special.  And #2: after the final lesson drifted off into the setting sun, I was able to count two new friends (Rob/Jason) that would add many a'good time in the years to follow.  Two blokes that I would never have met without joining the service as I did.

The retrospective video that I recorded in that summer of '91 at Capilano College will need at least three parts (episodes) to spit it all out.  But we can start the review today with this quick opening entry where a few of the main characters will enter, stage left.  Special treat:  Three short, rough cartoons - hastily constructed during a single group visit to a working animation studio - from Jason, Rob and Eddy are featured at the tail end of this first episode.