After a dream run I finally got festival rejections yesterday. 2 at once in fact, from Edinburgh and Toronto.
I'm not too disappointed since they are both general film festivals and not animation festivals, as a result there's always a lot more competition. There are many thousands more live action short films made every year than there are animations.
Let's face it, animation takes a certain level of skill and commitment that isn't necessarily required to make a live action short film. I said isn't necessarily, so please don't get hot and bothered by my lack of respect. We all know it is actually possible to make a live action short in one day, I've done it myself, I'm not saying that's the way to make quality films but sometimes it works out.
In any case, I couldn't have travelled to Edinburgh this year, and not screening in Toronto probably means I have a better chance of getting into the Ottawa aniamtion festival later in the year.
I am sniffling and feeling pretty terrible right now, I have a nasty head cold. If I was in Australia I'd be at home, but in Japan you're expected to work through. No wonder so many people end up sick, people rarely stay home to keep themselves isolated.
I blame the ALT meeting we had on Monday. I got a message from Marcus yesterday and he is also sick, since we both got sick at the same time and we both attended the meeting on Monday I'm guessing someone there was infectious.
After the recent food poisoning trauma my immune system was probably not at 100% either. Whatever the case I feel terrible. I was hoping my classes today would all be in the morning, then I would have said I needed to leave early and go to bed. But the classes are spread out over the day, so there's no chance of getting away.
I was sick so I didn't go to Tokyo and see the Astroboy exhibition, I went to the movies in Isesaki and saw 'Gran Torino' instead, it was a real disappointment. I don't see what all the fuss was about, a terrible script and some really bad performances from the supporting cast. Clint Eastwood was ok but not as great as I'd heard. If you haven't seen it I wouldn't rush to get it.
On another note I finally found out the new Star Trek movie starts in Japan on May 29, I'm annoyed I'll have to wait 3 weeks longer than most places but at least it's in the same month as the international release date. I am looking forward to that, all the reports so far are very positive.
Have to go to class now...
