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?  

Second Annual Animation Book Look

A quick announcement and invitation.

Along with my fiancee Shannon Muir, I will be attending the Second Annual Animation Book Look to sign and sell copies of Shannon's book: GARDNER'S GUIDE TO WRITING AND PRODUCING ANIMATION.  I provided all the interior art, and will be selling original art during the event. 

There will be many other artists and authors from across the animation industry as well.

The Animation Book Look will be at the Van Eaton Galleries in Sherman Oaks on Saturday May 17th from 1pm to 6pm. Please visit the Animation Book Look website for further information.  It is co-sponsored by the Creative Talent Network.

Book Looking to seeing you all there. 

Grand Reopening

Announcing the opening of the new website of:

Kevin Paul Shaw Broden

"Four Names of Professional Creativity"

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

With fifteen years of providing creative content as both writer and artist, Kevin is ready to do the same for you.

Having worked in both domestic and international animation markets, Kevin has written episodic scripts and developed full series, and has pitched to major studios.

With an artistic background he has provided conceptual drawings and character designs for animated projects, and continues to draw the weekly online comic book Flying Glory and the Hounds of Glory.

As a Creative Consultant, Kevin provided guidance towards various story and artistic approaches, researches demographics, and meeting with creative staffs and potential financial partners and co-producers.

Kevin seeks a position to use his experience to coordinate between the writers and artists on your next production.

Check out his website, and drop Kevin a message. He's ready to work for you.

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

Development and ReCreation

Hi all,

Really didn't want to take this long to get back to posting, but it happened all the same. 

Here are a few things that I've been up to.

The final page of Issue 9 of Flying Glory and the Hounds of Glory. I'm currently painting the cover art for Issue 10 and hope to have it up with in the week. 

I am also in the process of redesigning my website, but won't post the link here until it's finished. Will be really stressing my animation development and production work there.

Things seem to be going better in my pursuit for work. Though I not hired yet, I have been meeting with people from several different studio who are really interested working with me. Yesterday's meeting could really turn into something fantastic.  I also got to pitch another series idea and expect to hear back on it in a month.

Looks like I may be in a gallery show next month, will post all the appropriate information when it's ready.  Have to actually finish the art work itself first. :)

Speaking of art, as bonus for sticking with my quiet moments here, I'm posting drawing that will eventually be part of new website. I do most of this type of work, like I do the web comic, on my computer using Painter. So these "pencils" were actually done digitally, I will then "ink" it and paint it the same way.

When I wrote the Title line for this blog, I was thinking in one direction, and then I realized what I really wrote.  Don't know about the rest of you, but though my writing and art work is done for a job, it is also done out of enjoyment.  I love animation, that any hard job is also enjoyment. Creation is Recreation.  What do you think?

Stick around, I hope to have more postings soon.

Best,

Kevin