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| Program for the 1982 show, designed by Fred Cline. |
Forty years ago this week, I took part in my first CalArts Character Animation Show. Through the course of the school year, I had managed to fool myself into thinking I was good. But seeing my film next to those of Dan Jeup, Chris Sanders, Kelly Asbury, Bruce Smith, Rob Minkoff, and a couple dozen other better skilled artists, a hard, hard reality hit me like a brick from Krazy Kat. I sucked.
I did not make the cut for the Disney show, where all the old timers came up to watch. At the post-show reception, I got to hob nob with Frank and Ollie, Ken Anderson, and Marc Davis. It was a comfort to know they did not waste a minute of their shortening lives watching my mess of a film. Marc Davis cut me to the quick anyway, because apparently, he was good for that. You can read about it in an old post here.
