Benji Davies with bonus rant

Here is a quick snatch from the babies carriage, The Grotlyn by Benji Davies. I know I have been on a British tea and crumpets kick lately but they have such great on-line access and support of their animators. Mind you that the funding for animation isn't what it used to be in the U.K. but it seems though they have kept the foot on the ball and continued with co-op schemes such as Animators in Residence. This is how the Grotlyn got made with the partnership of StudioAKA and A.I.R. which is sponsored by the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television and Channel 4. (Aside) you can see former A.I.R animator Ali Taylor's short, Puleng, in the Super Short Festival posting below. These types of partnerships should be something the CBC and the NFB should be looking at to emulate and support the growing Canadian animation talent stuck in limbo. I realize that they have that Maple Shorts thing and the Hothouse scheme respectively but the results of both of these have been colder than winters of my youth. It is time we really address the issue of jobs, support and independent distribution here that can meet the needs of the talent we have cultivated for the last 20 years. I know there are groups like the Quickdraw Animation Society, studios like Global Mechanic and media exposure and support through BRAVO! but the fact of the matter is that it stills falls too short. Rant rant rant...anyway, I will stop for now because the issue is too big to address on this blog format of mine. Damn, I need a vacay...oh yeah I am going on one. Viva Habana! Don't worry it is nothing a Mojito can't help with:)