chase the light

ALL THE REST OF THE MOVIE RATINGS!!! ?Ǭª ?Ǭ†

Apparantly it’s be inspired by friends week around here! About 7 years ago I met my friend [Ben at PDI]. We were on the same team and went through a bit of hell near the end of the project but it was exciting to know we were working on something really good. Although we had no idea it would turn into that giant green ogre phenomenon.

Well flash forward and Ben and Mandi moved back to Sydney and two years ago while I was bumming around Australia I stayed with them for a week. Ben toured me through Animal Logic and showed me the first clip they had finished of this fuzzy, and cute as a damn button, baby penguin dancin’ his little ass off to Stevie Wonder. All I remember thinking was if they pull this off they’ll be printing money. The only concern… it’s being directed by George Miller?!? He directed Mad Max?!?… and he’s a making an animated musical with penguins? Then last year lightning struck the penguin world in the form of March of the Penguins and everybody was mad for penguins. It looks like the love affair is still going strong because Happy Feet is on fire at the box office!

Anyway, I finally made it out to see Happy Feet tonight and can’t believe how amazing it is! Ben was the lighting surpervisor and got a “card”! A card is when your name appears all by itself in the credits before the longer list starts scrolling. You know, the ones you don’t sit through. Way to go man! Love it! Loved the orcas, the mexican penguins, the australian elephant seals, so much to list. It was inspiring to see and what a great job on Ben’s part! Cheers mate! It’s one thing to be inspired by the random artist or musician, but when you can be inspired by your friends it’s brilliant! I get to take his hard work and bring it into mine. Although we now work for different companies, whenever an animated film does good things it’s good for the whole industry. So go see it, and yes it’s a musical, but don’t let that scare you because it’s quirky as hell too.

Internal thought: (judging by anything i’ve typed this week, I’ve had waaaaaay toooo much caffeine. Focus Chris, focus.)

Oh my God! Even more amazing, Ben’s updated his website… Ha ha ha!! IT’S. ABOUT. TIME! He’s a fantastic photographer too so check out his pics.

So my prediction… Happy Feet will be taking home the Oscar for best animated picture this year. You heard it here first. Ben made it a beautifully lit film, and if it doesn’t win I’m going over to the Academy building and throw eggs at it. You heard that here first too.

I swear I’m going to have a penguin dream tonight. Don’t want to, I just have a feeling. One penguin, two penguin, three penguin, four penguin, five penguin, six…. zzzzzzzz