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Director's Notebook
August 22nd, 2007



Say shipmates,

Did ya ever wonder what an animation director actually does? Do they sit in a folding chair with a megaphone and explain the motivation to Orcs and Funny Fish?

Well, I'm directing a ten half-hour episode TV series for PBS currently, I thought I'd give you a snapshot of my day today.

Currently- I have to get the first three reels of Show 105 to people who will conform my changes to the paper copy storyboard. We use the old cinema term "reels" for convenience, its really a digital file and I do my changes on Wacom tablet. Then I have to rush down to Hollywood by Paramount Studio to run the recording session of the last character for Show 106. Yesterday I ran the recording session in New York from a studio here in LA.

Show 106 is in rough storyboard right now. Show 101 is coming out of animation, Show 102 has been laid out, I need to approve models of bgs and props of Show 103 on an FTP site before those artists can continue.

Storyreels of show 103 and 104 were shipped to Washington for PBS to approve. I had a late meeting with my line producer Bill to go over the reels for Show 105. I need to complete the timings and notes for shipping this friday.

I received a first draft of show 107 and an outline for show 108. If I get half a minute I'll read them and send notes. I also have to meet this afternoon with the musicians who will be scoring the soundtrack.

So thats a typical schedule at the peak of production. This Fall the first shows will be in post production and I'll be in editorial and cueing sound effects as well. I oversee things right to the final mix session, which in some countries is called the Dub, or the Dubbing Session.

Then I rub my rabbits foot and light a candle under the statue of Our Lady of Peristance of Vision and hope people like it enough for a second season!


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