CTN-Xpo

My presentation on Searle at the CTN-x conference went down well. Many people thanked me afterwards for showing all the rare material, some weren't even familiar with his work & were seeing it for the first time.



'Energetically Yours' was well received-I showed the behind the scenes photos that Searle had given me, Amid Amidi contributed storyboards that didn't feature in his book 'Cartoon Modern' and Bill Melendez' son Steve allowed me to screen his print of the film which his father animated.



Searle himself wrote a great introduction for my presentation that I read for those assembled:

"Greetings to this sparkling constellation from an ex-Hollywood dinosaur.
Yes, it is weird to realise that when I was born, radio and television did not exist in the home.
But the cinema was wildly alive- and animation was bursting out all over.

Every week I gathered up my pocket-money and dashed to the local flea-pit to lose myself in the splendidly eccentric adventures of Felix the Cat. Drawings were actually coming alive! I was hooked.
Animation has come a long way since those golden pioneer days of Felix. Now the future is the hands of you lucky people.

Forgive me if I take advantage of this exotic occasion to make a small plea as an infatuated pen & ink dipper.
Please do not forget that the magical pen line still exists!
Also, merely as an observer, I feel that some of you could switch off the automatic pilot and wing your way into wilder territory. Just a thought.
Thank you very much for inviting me. I will now go back into my hole."

The highlight of the presentation was the slideshow of the two sketchbooks that Searle allowed me to photograph on my last visit. Very few have seen inside these books so it was a real treat for Searle fans. I plan to put up the images here on the blog in due course . . .


Nov. 20-22 I'll be at the CTN-X animation conference in Burbank, LA. I'm giving a presentation on Searle's work in animation & film titles. Support materials will include a slideshow of the 2 sketchbooks Searle filled on the sets of SCROOGE and MONTE CARLO OR BUST! and I'll be screening several animated shorts Searle collaborated on with Ivor Wood.

There will also be a panel discussion with animation director John Musker, animator James Baxter, CalArts Student Manny Hernandez and myself.
If anybody coming has an original Searle drawing please bring it along, I'd love to see any Searle related material.



I've updated the Ohio University exhibition section and put up a post on Searle's work for Lilliput magazine here. Also I continue to add more to the Punch Theatre section and the French sub-section.