A bunch of announcements to make…let’s start with Animania 2005, in the Sydney Town Hall, this weekend (8th-9th October). Once again, I’m on a panel, and I’m on another one the weekend after at Supanova, a pop-culture convention in Sydney. Busy busy busy, but at least this time I don’t have to get on a plane or cross-country train. Details are as below, but not before…
The Dreaming Preview: The Dreaming is finally online at Takuhai!!! Or… the magazine formerly known as Takuhai. It’s now called Manga Online, I think. Not that it matters, go on and read it!!
Animania: I’m doing 3 events at Animania, though there is the chance I’ll be so tired from all the work this week that all I’ll be able to manage is to slump over the artist’s table at the Iron Artist’s Challenge. Once again, panels and drawing sessions.
Iron Artist (Prelims)
Time: 11:00 am, Saturday, 8th October
Place: Sydney Town Hall, Main Stage/Hall (front)
What: The artist’s equivalent of the Iron Chef cult TV series. I hope I won’t be too tired to at least scream a pro-wrestler’s scream at the top of my voice.
Self-Publishing Panel
Time: 1:00 pm, Saturday, 8th October
Place: Sydney Town Hall, Art Room (right)
What: I’m not self-publishing, but here’s a good chance to chat about the ins and outs of the business.
Drawing 1 Workshop
Time: 2:00 pm, Saturday, 8th October
Place: Sydney Town Hall, Art Room (right)
What: It’s a… workshop! Run by me! Right after the self-publishing panel too. At least I’ll be able to watch the AMV entry screening afterwards.
Otakulture Art Exhibition: Photoes were not allowed at this event, but I was surprised by the amount of interest people had in the exhibition. The exhibition is on at RocketArt gallery, along with numerous numbers of highly talented artists. And very nice people they all were, especially Kirsty the robogirl (whom unknown to both of us, were both speakers at the Monash Manga Symposium earlier this year), and Thea Baumann, the curator of the exhibition. Looks like Pop Japan scores again – but that’s not the only good news. Thea has gotten a grant that will allow the exhibition to tour, so instead of only going to Brisbane this year in December, it’s going to go to all major Australian cities, including Sydney and Melbourne. When that happens, I’ll be sure to tell everyone so they can crash the party in the Sydney exhibition. And darn it!! My book will be already published by then! Good publicity! Go Thea!!!
The Dreaming proof copies: Has arrived, along with some old issues of the magazine formerly known as Takuhai. I normally hate re-reading my work, but this time it’s unavoidable, and it’s also a bit different. Regardless, it’s very exciting to be holding an actual COPY of the book in your hands, even if it’s just a raw proof copy. There are two things in my mind though: (1) I’m never, ever going to use Anime Ace as a font ever again, thanks to all the kerning problems, and (2) I’ll be hand-inking the speech bubbles in volumes 2 and 3 of The Dreaming. It may look inconsistent, but it will also look much nicer. I originally did computer-generated balloons for the ease of foreign translations, but right now I’m not so sure whether it was a good idea or not. Apart from that, let’s party!
New Job: I’m working part-time at a gaming studio right now. I’ve been at work for 2 days before I found out it was a gaming studio – before that, I thought it was an animation studio (actually, I didn’t know what it was). Thanks for Poshua for my job, who today brought stacks of yaoi to work to disturb the predominantly male co-workers. Poshua rocks. My job is to colour in the animated character frames for the 2D online fighting game they’re making for the PC market in Japan and South-East Asia. Luckily I’m a gamer too, so I’m in the loop – it’s interesting to see how games are developed and gain some experience working in the field. Maybe it’ll come in useful one day!
The character I’m doing right now is a huge, buff chef, and I’m getting damn good at colouring in the “muscle-bound” Capcom way. The game’s called “Chaos Code” by the way… it’ll be out at the beginning of next year. I must get my name in the credits…
