Last month, I headed up north to Chico, CA for the 5th Annual Animation Chico Film Festival. 'Of Crumbs and Dreams' was screening there (it's second festival and California premiere) so I did what anyone would do, and flew to Sacramento, and drove another 90 miles to Chico. Last year 'When Comes the Rain' also screened at this festival, but I was unable to attend, so I welcomed the second chance to visit. And I'm glad I did!
The festival programmers, fellow animators in attendance, and audiences were fantastic to meet and work with, there was a nice Q&A, some fun swag, and even stop motion cameras and puppets that kids (or kids at heart) could play with - a fun time for the whole family! Chico itself is a small eclectic college town with a strong artistic community, and lots of opportunities for aspiring and established artists to explore their interests, so it's always nice to surround one's self with that kind of supportive and welcoming environment. Here's hoping I can get 'Dog Meets Cow' up and running and get it entered for next year.
It was also the northernmost I had ever been in California, so that was a mind trip in and of itself. The wide open and flat plains of Sacramento, and the fall colors in Chico were basically foreign to my current LA tastes, and it was hard to believe I was in California still, while seeing these places that felt so traditionally un-Californian - at least in terms of what I was used to. Always good to get out of one's routine, and realize (at least in my case) that my state stretches on for thousands of miles, and southern CA is but a drop in the ocean. And by ocean, I mean land, since the actual ocean is like right there... you know what I mean...
In addition to the festival, I bore witness to the world's largest functioning yo-yo, and maybe the world's largest (sadly non-functional) bottle of Maker's Mark whisky. Chico indeed has it all, and I can't wait to visit again! On the trip home, once back in Sacramento, I stopped by the capital building to see the fancy dome, and learned that there are apparently 58 counties that make up this state. (Why is it so big?!)
Next weekend, I have another festival lined up (this time local!), and more upcoming news to share on my Sermonibus Animalis series... Stay tuned!
-Brian