A Good Kick in the Pants.

Do you have someone who's willing to give you a good swift kick in the pants? You should.

Someone willing to tell you when you're heading in the wrong direction, or not moving at all. Who can pull you off the couch and down into the desk chair and stand over your shoulder to make certain you start working.

They'll remind you of what your original goals are and help you refocus on your target once more.

You might get momentarily upset with them. After all getting kicked in the rear hurts. But the sting will fade, and it'll be soon be forgotten as you thrown yourself back into the work that is your passion, whether it be writing the novel that's been collecting dust, or finishing the next page of your comic book.

Or, get back to writing that blog you left hanging several weeks ago.  (Who, me?)

For me, that person is my fiancée Shannon Muir who last night wanted to know what I was currently doing in my writing. I told her of all the plans for this project or that.

That's when she gave me that strong swift kick in my pants.

She didn't tell me anything I didn't already know, but reminded me of all I was capable of, and what I should do to get myself moving again. I had no right to complain I didn't have enough time (that's an easy one, I know you've used it too), but she gave me the kick saying that I'm only working three days a week while she works a full five days and sometimes more and is still able to find the time to write the latest installment in her WILLOWBROOK SAGA series of novels.

Shannon also gave me some guidance towards how to get myself and my books noticed and revive my existing websites to use them for the best outcome and promotion.

So with her standing over my shoulder ready to give me that next hard kick, expect to see more of my work, and more activities out there starting this week.

Thanks Shannon it only stung for a little while, I still love you.

Kevin Paul Shaw Broden

Four Names of Professional Creativity

Are these the Heroes you're looking for? And have you found them recently?

Are these the Heroes you're looking for?

            And have you found them recently?

I've been doing a lot of old style pulp writing recently, and had a sudden thought about characters. So I wrote down several brief character descriptions

Tell me if you recognize them, and if you thought I got them correct?

•           He was raised by loving parents who taught him right from wrong; to respect others, and to help his neighbors, who ever they might be, however he could. He has moved to the big city to do just that.

•           Raised by a single father, he never knew his mother. Reaching adulthood, he discovers his is heir to a distant and mysterious kingdom. He will become king if he can bring the kingdom together, even though they see him as an outsider; even as an enemy.

•           Recruited for a special police force, his personality is both greatest strength and greatest weakness.

•           She was raised and loved by her entire family, but when they are threated she must turn away from them in order to save them.

•           A police scientist discovers something in his lab that allows him to fight crime in ways no other cop can.

•           Traumatized in childhood he struggles to prevent it from happening to others.

•           Two police officers are sent undercover to a distant city. They must use their training to fight a new kind of criminal, while struggling with their personal relationship.

•           Kidnapped to a new land; he must act like one them to survive while saving them from themselves.

Kevin Paul Shaw Broden

Four Names of Professional Creativity

Pitching Prt 2 - The Bad News

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Just received an e-mail from the producer I pitched my animation series ideas to.

Unfortunately they don't fit what he is looking for.

Disappointing, I will admit, but as I have stressed before every one of these meetings are great learning experiences.

I knew they were looking for concepts that would work to an Internet market, but was surprised to learn the actual age demographic they were shooting for.

At least they gave me a reason for the rejection.

It wasn't that my ideas were bad; they just didn't have the sharp edged humor they are looking for. Or so that's how I understand it.

Now comes the next hard part, not letting a rejection get to me and prevent me from doing more.

Because that really is the next order of business, moving forward, working on the next ideas, and pitching to more and more producers. Now I have to discover the next step in the path of my career. Even stumbling blocks can be milestones.
 

Next, never give up!

Thank you for following along on my #Mission818 adventure, I will keep you informed as it continues.

Kevin Paul Shaw Broden
Four Names of Professional Creativity 

Thoughts after Pitching an Animated TV Show. Part 1.

BLOG - Animation Pitch

As promised, here are my first thoughts after having the opportunity to pitch an animated series.

This is not the first time I've pitched to television. The first time was a live action sitcom that I pitched to two of the cable networks. There was some interest but no bite, then an animated series to one of the educational networks. No bite or response there.

I can't tell you a whole lot about the current pitch itself because I expect to hear back from the producer with in the week.

Probably the most frustrating thing of the day was that I was late. Late by only a few minutes, but late all the same. The producer wasn't bothered by this, but it really shouldn't have happen. I'm prone to showing up places early, so this was really bothering me as I was stuck in snail crawling traffic. But I can't let that frustration get to me, admit it, apologize and move on. No excuses.

The next thing that came, as it should, was the casual chitchat. The producer was quite happy to show off how his office was starting to look better since they moved in. They even had their sign up since the last time I was there. We then ended up talking about the fly over of the Space Shuttle Endevour earlier in the day. One of those things that everyone was chatting about that day.  (I got to see it while it flew over Disneyland.) He also asked about how things had been with me since the last meeting. I told him about my part time job at the college's foundation and the scholarships they give out.

Let the producer guide the chat, it's his time and office, so when the moment is right he'll ask to know what you brought.

Based on what we had discussed during our first meeting I put together what I hoped would interest the producer. The first was a pitch for a complete animated comedy adventure series. That was followed up with two 'short subjects'.

I'll admit right here that I stumbled a bit in my transition between one pitch and another. But once I got past that things went smoothly.

When I was done with my three pitches the producer did mention that he had seen something similar to one of them before. Actually, he had seen it a lot, and he explained when he meant. I'm never one to ride the wave of what's currently 'hot'. Know that I won't be pitching any 'sparkly' vampires. The concept of my pitch, however, from what the producer had seen, had been on several people's minds. Sometimes that happens.

This wasn't a rejection, and he went on to say that after he read more of my pitch packet, if it had a unique enough hook there was still a change.

Sure I might be disappointed, but I did understand what he meant. I look forward to his thoughts.

He did react and know exactly what I was going after with one of the other pitches. So that was good.

The meeting was short, nice, and very friendly. Even if nothing further comes out of these pitches, it was a great learning experience. I now can put more notches into my animation development belt and work on the next one based on what I've learned here.

What comes next? More writing, more developing, and more meetings.

That last part for me is the hardest, the networking and getting to know more people to arrange such meetings, but over the last while I am improving with that as well.

This is all part of #Mission818 and things are going along very nicely.

Right now I'm contemplating if there is a way for me to pitch my novel "Revenge of the Masked Ghost" as a live action series. Now to find the right producers that would be interested in talking with me about it.

Thanks all for your support. Hope to tell you more when I hear back from the producer.

Kevin Paul Shaw Broden

Four Names of Professional Creativity

"The Sad Day the Cat Wore A Mask"

Thirty-One years ago today, I put a mask on my cat.

I had only been reading comic books for a couple of years, if that, but had fallen in love with all the super heroes. One of the earliest books I picked up was a reprint of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #100 which had dozens and dozens of heroes in it. I reread that story over and over, and I tried to learn about all of heroes.

I had only begun to draw them. (I've long destroyed those pictures.) Once I drew a hero I called "Captain Combo" (dumb I know), whose costume was made of every single one of the super heroes I knew about.

In my childish thoughts, Captain Combo needed a sidekick. What better partner could there be than my cat Sunshine? So I drew a mask with all the hero emblems on it, cut it out the eye holes and tried to put it on the cat's face. To say Sunshine didn't like the idea would be an understatement. Don't know why the cat wouldn't wont a secret identity. Wouldn't you?

I never got a second chance at putting the mask back on Sunshine because we had to take my grandfather to the doctor's office, and that day would change our family's lives forever.

The day was already strange, and for those of us who believe in the supernatural side of the universe, sometimes things happen all at once and you wonder what else is going to happen.

We had been living down at my grandparents house to take care of Dad for a while, as my grandmother had passed away only nine months earlier.

That was the day of the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana; it was also the day that our cousins left to become missionaries in Taiwan. It had two major things happening, for us a third thing was about to happen.

We took my grandfather to the doctor's office. Being my mother (his daughter), her brother, and my father. My sister and I were basically tagalongs, we went everywhere as a family.

Less than a mile away, us kids waited in the waiting room. As stated, I was on my way to becoming a comic book artist and so had a pad of paper and a pencil.

The doctor examined Dad and even said something like 'this is the best I've seen you in a while.'

Then we guided him back out to the car and my father and uncle helped him get into the car. That's when it happened. My father, who had his arms around my grandfather at the time and half way into the car, swears he could feel the soul leaving.  My grandfather was dead.

What was I suppose to do? This was now the third family death in a very short time.

I was angry, but didn't have the strength to even break the pencil I was holding. I so wanted to, but couldn't. It was like my hands were numb.

So with the world celebrating a royal wedding, our family had very little to celebrate. Yet we did celebrate in a way, that my grandfather was now reunited with his love. For nine months earlier he had told her "Keep the gates open."

He died of a broken heart.

I couldn't draw a super hero to save him from that, I couldn't draw one to save us from the pain of loss.

We would have to be each other's heroes to get us through the days, weeks, months, and years to follow.

Sunshine the cat never did wear the mask, but became a source of comfort as I held it and it purred back. So in a way he became the perfect sidekick when needed.

SDCC - Pre Con Blog 2012

When I first attended the San Diego Comic Convention, I couldn't believe there would be that many people interested in comic books and get together in one location. That year there was this shocking number of over 5000 people in attendance.

This year the Convention Center has capped the attendance at 130,000 people.

That's quite a bit of a difference, and that's a whole lot of years in-between.

Through those years my goal has been work in the industry; first as a comic book artist, then as a writer both in comics and in animation, and pursuing a career in production as both.

As Image Comics is celebrating a major anniversary in its existence I remember how it was through them I got my first professional credits (though my name only appears in one of the books I worked on), that year I got to sit in the company booth and I even signed my autographs on a few items.

I've only missed one year over all these year.  And though I have never completely gotten over all my nerves each year I get better and better at talking with the professionals as I am one of them. I am.

So once again, I am heading down to San Diego to schmooze with my fellow script writers, authors, artists, editors, actors and producers. And Mission 818 is going with me.

This is the third year that I am taking the train down and riding it back home each night. It's a relaxing trip, and it is a whole lot cheaper than any hotel you'll find (or not find) in the entire city this weekend.

Can't promise that I'll be blogging all through the weekend, but check out my twitter feed  at @Kevinpsb00 I'm sure I'll have something to say.

Kevin Paul Shaw Broden

Four Names of Professional Creativity

What is #Mission818?

UPDATE - Sept 17. 2012 - See bottom of post.

What is #MISSION 818?

The name of my blog is "Four Names of Professional Creativity" and I have posted about my writing, about my artwork, about comic books and movies. I've also given suggestions and guidance to new writers on how to find ideas out of the world around them. I've promoted my novels, and written reviews of the novels of others. This week I'm writing about employment and my continued long-term career search and what I call Mission 818.

For over a year I have been in a part-time job with the Fullerton College Foundation where I design, assemble, and write content for newsletters, event programs, and advertisements that have increased the Foundation and it's scholarship programs. They tell me I do a good job.

I am blessed by this job, and glad to help to the Foundation and my alumni of Fullerton College, however I know it is time I turn my focus towards the future.

I am engaged to one of the most – no, make that the most – wonderful woman in the world. We've been together for years and we share so much including a lifelong passion for television animation. It is time we get married and I become the best husband she deserves.

To make that happen, I need to find a full time job and join her in the 818.

With that intent, I can't continue the way I have. Whether it be at an animation studio or not, I must find employment now and it must be near her in the Burbank area, hence the 818.

So, what is Mission 818?

It is my quest to find employment, be married, and live in the 818 area code.

As I've mentioned before, since heaven knows when I have wanted to work in comic books and animation. My goal was patricianly achieved in comics, but I still intend to do more with it and I keep my hand in with the webcomic "Flying Glory and the Hounds of Glory" (now in it's eleventh year). As for animation I got my first script writing credits on several episodes of a show called "Midnight Horror School" in Japan. Unfortunately it has never aired in the U.S. I have also professionally written and developed series.

Additionally I have worked with numerous studio executives and producers as a contracted assistant from time to time over the years (read temp.) With every job, no matter how small, I have gained experience, which I bring to the next one.

Though my dream is to be a scriptwriter on a long running animated television series, or better yet, create my own show that runs for multiple seasons with fantastic rating numbers (I really am dreaming), for now that's not what Mission 818 is about.

I will not to give up that dream (even those ratings) and will keep fighting for it. Yet, right now, I need a concrete foundation to build that dream upon. I am seeking a "day job," a secure position in the production offices of an animation studio or prod co. Yes, I know there is no such thing as a long-term secure position in our industry, especially now, but that's what I'm after. Receiving a regular paycheck while helping produce the best animated television series.

So what type of position am I looking for? It would be so easy to say, I want to get my foot in the door. Well, that's not enough any more; I need to get my entire body in the door and down the hall. A Production Assistant or Coordinator on a show would be great start, and wouldn't turn it down, but with my experience and skills I'm looking for something more.

The assistant position I am seeking is in the Television Animation Series Development department of a major studio. A few years ago, I had a temp job in the development department of one such studio, and even though I was there for a short time, it was an extremely thrilling experience as new and potential shows passed across my desk. I fell in love with those offices and am looking to return and be part of that work on a long-term basis.

Additionally, working in a studio's development department may have a whole lot more stability than in the production of a show.

As much as I would like the above jobs and working in animation, I won't say no to other positions in or out of the entertainment industry. My only requirement is that should be in the 818, preferably Burbank/Glendale area.

So Mission 818 has begun, seeking employment, and planning for marriage.

Part of this is asking my friends in the industry if they know of or could keep an eye out for any job opening inside or outside of television animation.

All help is appreciated. Know that this isn't just for me but for the woman I love.

Who knows, one of the studios might need someone to work on their newsletters. I've been told I'm pretty good at them.

UPDATE - Sept 17. 2012 - I'm still pursuing employing with in the 818 Area code and the studios. This coming Friday I will be visiting the offices of an Animation Production Company and have the opportunity to pitch a television series. I've prepared a pitch bible for a action adventure series, and a pitch for a short, and have also have a back up in case the producers ask "What else you got?"  This is very important.

I've had the opportunity to pitch before, and even if the shows are bought or turned into successful series, the experience is always good. A little scary, a little fun. It's a great learning experience.

Hope to write a blog about the experience next weekend.

My #Mission818 continues.

Thanks for the support.