A New Positive Year

That's how I'm looking at it.

Even with a killer headache on the First of the Year (wasn't able to enjoy the party), and a knee that was in extreme pain for a couple of days after that (have no idea what caused it, and it's not connected to the headache), this year has started off really well.

This first real week of the year saw me talking with many new professional contacts across the internet. A meeting with a young producer from back east, and a job interview that included a story board test for a Revisionist position at an animation company.

Looking forward to what God and the next week brings.

To 2008 I thank you.

I sit here with only hours to go before 2008 comes to an end, and want to summarize the last 365 days (and 1 second) of my life. But I don't want to look backwards, because when I do it feels like absolutely nothing happened. This isn't true, but it certainly can feel that way when I couldn't find a job. So I refuse to look back with that mind set.

Instead I would like to take a moment to thank people who have helped me in one way or another, no matter how small. As you all know by now, I've been pursuing a career as a writer in animation and comic books for a very long time, and it certainly hasn't been easy, and one of my greatest problems I have is networking.

So I want to thank all the people who have talked with me over the last months, either in person, on the phone, or across the internet.

To the veteran animation and comic book writers who took the time to give me advice. I thank you.

To the president of a publishing company who though isn't in a position to hire writers, was willing to give advice and point me towards editors who might be able to hire me. I thank you.

To those editors who did response to my e-mails, asking what I had done and was seeking to do. I thank you.

To the editor who not only is willing to consider me to write for him in the future, but also willing to read my series pitch. I thank you.

To the comic book writer and animation story editor who took the time to read my spec scripts. Even though your current series is fully staffed, you were willing to consider me and remember me for future projects. I thank you.

To the studio executives and production staffs that have spent time to talk with me about working with them even though there is no work to be had. I thank you.

To the Human Resource Manager at a TV network who called me for a job I had not applied to, and was very impressed with my resume in ways no one else had ever commented on before. That I was one of only four people in consideration for the position. I thank you. And who was very apologetic when a company wide hiring freeze came down. I still thank you.

To my representative at an employment agency, who was willing to take my angry phone call when they didn't seem to be doing anything, and explained things more clearly to me. I thank you.

To the animation and film producers from other countries who sought me out through the internet. I thank you.

To everyone at the Writers Guild of America and the Animation Writers Caucus who have always been a great support to me, because they've all been the same place I am. I thank you all.

To all my new friends in the comic book and animation industries that I am getting to know through facebook and twitter, I say hello and thank you.

To those of you who have begun to check out my website and web comic. I thank you.

To my family who has supported me through this crazy pursuit. Thank you and and God Bless.

And lastly to Shannon Muir, my writing partner, my love and fiancée, and most importantly my best friend who walks with me hand in hand through this life. I can not thank you enough. We will be married soon!

I may not have gotten a job, or written a comic book or animated episode, or sold a television series, but I have gotten to know a lot of very wonderful people. To you all I thank you, and may 2009 be filled with more opportunities to meet one another and give thanks.


Kevin Paul Shaw Broden
December 31st, 2008

It's Raining outside

It never rains in southern california... Ya right!

Our back yard is flooded, but hasn't gotten in the house yet.

Boy this blogging thing is harder then I thought. :)

There hasn't really been anything worth writing about, but always happy to do so.

The latest page of FLYING GLORY AND THE HOUNDS OF GLORY went up this weekend. I am really surprised at my art sometimes. Some of my work, and certain characters come across absolutely terrible, while other characters hit the mark perfectly and I find emotion and depth coming from their faces more then I expected. Check it out at www.flying-glory.com.

This past week I submitted a series proposal to a comic book company. Can't say anything in fear that it won't happen, but if nothing else, I am building a positive relationship with the editors.

The Christmas holidays are upon us, and I have to think gifts for family and friends. We all know how it's not that easy. We all promise to start making notes early in the year as we learn what he or she is interested in, but by the time the holiday's or their birthday shows up we haven't a clue what that idea was.

Other random thoughts before I sign off. I'm discovering that facebook and twitter are becoming more useful then I first thought they would be. I know I need to network more and this seems to be working out better then going to an industry holiday party.

Enjoy the holidays everyone, hopefully I'll post again before the end of the year.

Neither rain nor... from animation.

From facebook:

Shannon Muir wrote on your wall.

"Hey, you need to update your blog!

(Hey for that matter I need to update mine. ;)  Seem to have reduced my life to Facebook updates.)

We're writers, we should be WRITING,..."

She's absolutely right, I need to be writing more here on my blog, but I find writing a blog, or journal to be harder then writing anything else, would like to hear what your thoughts are on that.

That said, I'll give it a shot.

A few years  ago, during one of those rare moments that it rains in Southern California, I was heading towards a job. As when it does rain here, it was coming down hard, flooding streets and houses were sliding down hills (we're thinking of making it an Olympic sport, House Sliding), and I was caught in the middle of it.

I had been called by my temp agency to head up to one of the studios to sit at someone's desk. I'd prefer being hired on permanently, but I can't turn down even the smallest job if it will get me closer to working in animation. So happy to have even a one day job, I jumped into the car and headed North towards the valley of the studios.

 Heading up the 5 FWY, the rain was getting heavier, but that didn't stop everyone in the cars around me to try and keep as close to the speed limit as possible.   Moving at a "safe" speed I came to a place in the FWY where it drops down under a railroad bridge. 

That's when everything went crazy. The water was building up in the lower area of the road, and I hit it and began to hydroplane. 

I lost control of the car and it flew across the road and spun around and came to a stop in the fast lane facing backwards. Realizing I had come to a stop I was able to take a breath and look over to see my passenger door only inches from the wall that supported to bridge above. Then I looked around to discover that there wasn't one care on the road, when there had been many only moments earlier.

I began to thank God for protecting me, from hitting the wall, and for having cleared the raod so that no one else was caught in the accident.

The road remained clear long enough for me to turn the car around and get moving again, but it wasn't long before others were traveling along side me once more. It was as if they had vanished from the road and now reappeared.

I remember pulling off the road into a parking lot to let my heart slow down, but once settled I started moving again and headed for the job.

A job, like I said, was a temp for only one day; but it was in or related to the animation industry that I kept going even after a near crash.

Though it has been a real struggle for e to find employment, especially in animation, I am so dedicated to it that nothing is going to stop me from working in it.

Now to get a long term job in animation, no car accident will keep me from it. I just need to find it.

Kevin

http://www.duelingmodems.com/~kevinpsb/index.html

My website, thanks for looking...

The traffic through my website/resume has been dead since soon after I put it up.  There were a few people that looked at the beginning, but for weeks and weeks now there hasn't been anyone.

I was surprised when someone looked at it this past Sunday, and then again yesterday.

So who ever you are, I just wanted to say thank you.

(Oh apparently you're in Argentina.) 

Now if only there was someone who'd look at it and hired me.  

(Not certain I am willing to move to Argentina, but can tele-commute and be your company U.S. representative.  I can always writer scripts here and send them to you.)

For the rest of you, check out the site and consider me.  http://www.duelingmodem.com/~kevinpsb/index.html

Kevin

After Comic-Con 08

I've been home now nearly a week since the San Diego Comic-Con, boy does time fly.  Other people have already posted their thoughts on the Con, and I probably don't have a lot to add, but here is a small ramble if nothing else.

I've been attending the con for many many years now, since it was at the downtown convention hall and watched it grow every year since then. The first year I was there the total number was 5000, today we reach over 120,000 people and can't really get much hire then that. 

Even though it was crowded, I wasn't really bothered by the crowds, I was a crowd to them after all.  I won't even blame the greater influx of Hollywood.  Someone the other night said that it was Hollywood was taking too much of the con.  But I see all this as part of the same. Sure there is a love of comics that have been pushed into a corner, but truthfully we are all part of the same world of visual story telling.  Over sixty years ago there were comics based on movies and comedians like Jerry Lewis and Bob Hope.  I think that the important thing in all this is that the world, if for only those four days a year, sees comic books, animation, gaming, television, and movies as equals and all have time to shine all interconnected. 

I guess I can say that because I have great dreams to be working in all those areas and see them all the same.  Sure writing for a comic is different then for movie, but it is still story telling and that's what I dream to do.  There are those who get into animation as a step towards live action writing, but there are also live action television and movie writers who are now writing for comics because they love. 

I haven't always been the best at networking with people at the con, and the crowd makes it all the more fun at trying it.  But I came away from this con feeling much better about things, and making greater contacts along the way.

Didn't expect my ramble to go in the direction it did, but that's where it is. I have a passion for story telling, visual story telling, "narrative illustration" as my professor and I called. So I'm going be working in this world right along side the best comic, animation, gaming, and movie giants.

Interested in working with me, check out my website: http://www.duelingmodems.com/~kevinpsb/index.html

Hope you all had a good time and enjoying your summer.

I realized today that there is only a week and a half before the Comic Con down in San Diego.  I'm going to try and complete an animation pitch package before then. Use the con as a working deadline. 

Am still drawing pages of Flying Glory and the Hounds of Glory, should be able to do two pages before the Con. Check them out at www.flying-glory.com.

I also would like to get a job interview or two in, so that I'll be able to start work the Monday after the con.  Anyone know of any animation production positions?