The Finnish Sauna Party by the lake.

Marv Newland third from left.

Carolina Lopez from Barcelona

Lou Beauchard from Paris

Spike from the Spike & Mike Festival (California) with his usual understated head-dress.

Annecy Day 3

Thursday 10^th June 2010

Je suis fatigue!

Started the day at MIFA following up some new contacts.

It’s a HOT day and the UK stand is not benefitting from the air-con system.

Managed to step outside for a catch-up with my friend Lou Beauchard – a young French Animator/Director, Armaturist and Sculptor. She’s made a good small film based loosely on Wilde’s ‘Dorian Gray’.

Lunch with my old friend Carolina Lopez from Barcelona. Carolina is Executive Producer at the production company ‘8deAgosto’.

Other people I met today:

Andrew Simmons – Animation Supplies manufacturer.

Sylvain Vaucher – from SwissFilms who kindly gave me the latest Swiss shorts DVD to consider.

Peter Parr from the newly named Arts University College Bournemouth.

Alex St George from Skillset Academy Wales.

Russell Taylor from 16 03 Films in Edinburgh.

Marta Jiminez Pumares – Exec. Producer from Forma Animada in Seville.

Tina Klemmensen – Illustrator from Denmark and ex-Aardman colleague from way back.

Vrej Kassouny – Festival Director from ReAnimania in Yerevan.

Without a ticket I managed to follow Dave Sproxton, Angie Last and Natalie Martin from Aardman into the Simpsons show thanks to Angie’s persuasive techniques.

The Simpsons show was hilarious, as expected. The auditorium was packed.

After swiftly visiting the Finnish Sauna Party by the lake (I love the way the Finns pack with them their strong drink, saunas and folk songs – how I miss the Tampere festival!), then the Gobelins School party where I met Fumi Kitahara (ex-DreamWorks Publicity) and meeting Paul Driessen again with the marvellous director Marv Newland (Rocketship) a small group of us finally managed to get out to the Passion Pictures villa out of town to have a long chat with Hugo Sands and Darren Walsh by the lakeside. It was without doubt the most picturesque meeting environment I’ve ever experienced. A large Otter like mammal was spotted by Hugo as it swam past us - Hugo couldn’t quite remember the correct name in French but it looked like a big Otter to me. I really appreciated Hugo and Darren’s time and it was really useful to discuss possible ways for future collaboration between Passion Pictures and Animated Encounters.

A storm was brewing, the wind picked up considerably, lightning and thunder rolled in so some of us made a dash for the very rare and very expensive taxis back into town.