December 4, 2007

Lists and Plans

Occasionally I have been known to purchase a lottery ticket. This typically doesn’t occur until the jackpot reaches almost triple digits, but as I had some cash on me last night at the gas station, I got five quick picks for the MegaMillions $82 million drawing tonight.

Occasionally, I have also been known to daydream about what I would do with those millions, particularly when caught in nasty bouts of Atlanta traffic and even more particularly when I pass a MegaMillions billboard while inching down I-75. These fantasies sustain my sanity during those potentially high-stress situations and also clue me a little in on what my actual dreams are. I’ve never been one to have long-term goals, but lately my million-dollar dreams has tended toward only one goal (aside from the requisite real estate, travel and additional dog criteria).

I’d open an animation studio.

Locations, staff size and character design/target audiences have varied in the past, but lately it’s been 1. A renovated warehouse in Atlanta, 2. large-ish staff, as the studio will be working on multiple properties for multiple licensors, and 3. I’m thinking something along the format of Rocky & Bullwinkle where the main characters comprise the majority of a serialized cartoon, broken up by 2- or 3-minute self-contained shorts, a rotating slate of mini-cartoons and live-action skits. I have folks in mind I’d be working with, the industry legends who’d stop by and tell me what huge fans they are and even the amount of creative meddling from the licensor(s).

I’ll write later in the week how this ticket pans out for me. And if things go the way I plan, I’ll also post details about the “Name My Animation Studio” contest I’ll be running.