Just filled out the Stage 32 Education survey with my feedback. Spoiler Alert! Excellent rating, which is why I felt the need to stop by the Animation Lounge to personally thank the staff and member contributors here personally for a host of insights and valuable information that you have contributed.
Over the last three months, I have been in contact with sixty-nine animators from all over the globe. They have ranged from top tier award winning talent but also a slew of new and student animated film-makers, who are just beginning their careers. As a member since 2015, I look back on how much knowledge I've gained and applied to my craft that over the next three months it is my aim and hope to reach out and connect with those animators who are also on site, but also to invite the student animators to join and let them know about this platform and the Animation Lounge where they can find access to film industry professionals who can offer guidance and other forms of career assistance.
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All I cab say is..."WOWZERS!"
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Glad you made great connections on here, James Wunderlich! Congratulations on doing so much in just three months!
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I'm the Director of Education here at Stage 32 and am sitting here right now with the Education Team and we are all super appreciative of what you wrote and are completely thrilled that you've been able to use the tools and connections at Stage 32 to benefit your projects and career. It's why we love being able to support the community. Thanks so much for this post, James Wunderlich!
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Thanks James Wunderlich, really appreciate your kind words! I'm the Education Producer at Stage 32 and love hearing your feedback on the work we are doing every day! Please feel free to reach us directly at edu@stage32.com anytime!
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James Wunderlich that’s great news James. I’m thrilled for you. I’m about to go on a similar journey in my search for an Animator and wondered if you could share something about your meetings around the world. Did you find them on Stage32? What’s the best way to approach them? (I usually work in live-action and this is all so very new to me!)
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Thank you, Elaine Haygood. I'm looking forward to hearing the news on your progress and seeing more of your work.
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Maurice Vaughan, I feel that it is persons like you that bring so much to this animation lounge as I enjoy scrolling through and reading your posts and responses.
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Sam Sokolow and the Education Team, you are most welcome! Your dedication to the site and its members shows. I'm sure my sentiments are echoed by many on this lounge and site-wide.
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Nick Waters, I'm sure I speak for others; and as I have watched the site grow, your track record speaks for itself. Thank you for the invitation to reach out directly, I'm honored.
This year marks our twentieth year in business and during that time have had the pleasure to partner and are proud of our commitment to the One World Beat Festival (2004 - 2006) and to the Daniel Pearl Music Day Festival (2004 - 2007). For One World Beat we set up an audio-cast (before streaming, lol) that included percussionist Pete Lockett along with local artists and myself from our area. For Daniel Pearl World Music Days we set up a local show and also procured a proclamation from the Governor of the state that we passed along to Ruth and Judea at the foundation. More recently, I had the pleasure of working with Slater Brothers Entertainment on the FilmFreeway site in charge of screening their international film festival, HNYIFF. I'm a big fan of giving back to the community that has given so much in return. At the moment the goal is to onboard to Stage 32 the animators that I'm in contact with, especially the students who would benefit greatly from this site and the Animation Lounge with career advice and educational services that are offered. Perhaps in the future we could discuss a similar collaboration that could involve the Education Team, the Animation Lounge members and the Stage 32 site?
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Geoff Hall, thank you for reaching out. You are in the right place! I see from your later post that you are well on your way to getting your questions answered. Make sure you also post in the Jobs Section that you are looking for Freelance Animators and add a picture from your Lookbook if you can. Include your logline and add the keywords Anime, Satoshi Kon and Mamoru Oshii. Do what I did, and ask to see their work or send a link. Good luck, and keep me (and the Animation Lounge) posted on your progress!
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Thanks, James Wunderlich. I like to interactive with people in the different Lounges. Even though I'm not heavily involved in Animation, producing, etc., I like to learn about them in the Lounges. Knowing about these things helps me as a screenwriter.
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I'm so glad that you've had such a great experience here, James Wunderlich!
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Thanks for the connection request, Ashley Renee Smith. I'm looking forward to more great experiences here on stage 32!