Friday, January 06, 2012

The Party

The Animation Guild's big January bash was going like gang-busters when I staggered off to home. Hope everybody had a good time.

For the second year in a row, the Autry Museum did an outstanding job. Maybe we'll get some pictures up by and by.

Add On: It was terrific catching up with old friends. I fell into conversation with a couple of recent retirees who said that having the MPIPHP pension plan there when work assignments slowed down to a trickle saved them when they badly needed help.

That's the nice thing about "safety nets." They prevent people from having to downsize to a studio apartment in Barstow. Or worse.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

We still need Bob Foster or Steve to give sort of speech on the museum's PA system. Maybe set up some big screen monitors to address the crowd, just so there is some sort of ceremony to kick off the party.

Anonymous said...

Were only Guild members invited to this year's party? In the past, the entire animation community was invited to attend.

Floyd Norman said...

I'd like to see Bob Foster on a huge screen as he gives his address to the crowd. Sort of like Orson Welles in Citzen Kane.

Anonymous said...

FROM BOB FOSTER, posting as "Anonymous" only because I don't want to wait until Monday to find out why I can't log on to the TAG blog as if I was the president or something. I've spent hours trying to figure out how to log on without accidentally changing all my passwords and/or screen names, all to no avail. Anyway...

Starting with Floyd and working backwards -

I actually could see it more like the famous Ridley Scott Macintosh commercial from 1984. But Citizen Kane would work. Maybe I'll prepare something for next year.

To Anonymous 6:30 - As stated in the invite, "No RSVP necessary. Open to the communities of animation and labor."

I'm saddened and disappointed at the number of fellow workers in fields so closely related to animation who didn't show up. I really wanted them to be there so they could experience first-hand what it's like to hang out with so many like-minded people in the biz. All they had to do was show up. I would have bought them drinks.

To Anonymous 5:02 who posted the first comment -

If there's a PA system I'm glad we didn't use it. I prefer one-on-one, face-to-face.

If there are big screen monitors available I'm glad they stayed in storage. All we need is a ten-foot image of some old guy from New York in the Autry Museum. Yeow!

Thank you for the kind thought, but kicking off the New Year isn't about me or Steve. It's about friends getting together and hanging out for a few hours.

When you look around the place and you see so many old friends, it becomes a very warm, intimate party instead of a union function. Yeah, it was a great party, but give credit to the people that were there. That's what made it great. Re-connecting, catching up, laughing. A few good drinks, some really good food, a gallery... what else could you hope for?

I'm happy to meander through the crowds and run into people just like everyone else. It's not a case of the Guild President saying hello to the Guild Members - it's me and you and we both belong to the same great family. Somebody wants to talk to me, come up and talk. If you don't know me, have someone point me out. If you do know me, I'm still the same guy you knew forty years ago, or that you met ten years ago, or last year. But now I know your kids and grand kids, and I still know you. That's why I don't want to wear a name tag - it separates me from the crowd, and I don't want to be separated from the crowd - I want to be a part of the crowd. And last night I was.

And for those of you who like to call me "Mr. President," please don't. I very much prefer Bob.

Have a Happy New Year.

Anonymous said...

I only meant there should be some greeting at the front, along with the Motion Picture fund at the front desk.

Don't get me wrong, having the party at the Autry after the Holidays is great. It's just a bit chaotic and trampled in there.

No need to freak out about some "Big Brother" image floating above the crowd. I'm sure Gene Autry wouldn't approve either.

I'll try to catch you next year:)

Steve Hulett said...

I caught a lot of people as they came in. Great to see so many industry faces.

We could do some sort of amplified "greeting" early on, but only the first-arrivers would hear it ...

Steven Kaplan said...

Bob - Give me a call on monday and I'll square away your blog login. I'm pretty sure we set one up for you a while back.

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