Thursday started off with a bang at the Governer's Ball Food and Beverage preview. We were still basking in the glow of Wolfgang Puck as we started our video editing for the day.
By late afternoon, our updates were ready and it was time for us to get ready for the Animated Feature Symposium at the Academy Headquarters in Beverly Hills. We arrived at the Academy at 6 p.m. L.A. time. Nervously, we followed the growing crowd to the door. About 100 people hovered outside while we entered the main lobby. Inside, media types with every make and model of camera lounging around waiting for something to happen. We joined them.
A young lady with a clipboard entered the room, so we decided to take a chance and ask her for directions. She located our names on the guest list and escorted us to the red carpet media area. We setup right on the rope and waited for the VIPs of the evening to arrive. The media handlers handed out copies of the press instructions and on the back were the printed pictures of the panelists, the film makers behind the aninmated features "UP", "The Princess and the Frog", "The Secret of Kells", and "Coraline" and the events moderator animator Tom Sito.
About half an hour later, the VIPs faced the media gauntlet. We patiently waited while our print media counterparts put them through dozens of poses with a large Oscar statue. Finally, the film makers started taking questions from those of us with video cameras. I waited my turn and studied the technique of the Associated Press reporter beside me. One by one, I had my chance to ask questions about the ever expanding world of animated entertainment. I felt acute pressure to formulate an impressive question to pose to these titans of entertainment, but in the end, we simply asked the normal questions: "Was there a point in the process where you knew you had an Oscar caliber film?", "Did you ever feel like the film wouldn't make it", etc. The film makers were gracious, but we tried not to ask anymore than three questions of any of them. There is nothing worse than doing an interview and the celebrities publicist or the press handler cut you off! After all of the VIPs finished the line, the other members of the media started for the door, but not us. Mr. Haberkamp from Wednesday had arranged tickets for us. We passed him on our way into the theater.
He called for us to turn back. We followed him back to the lobby where he secured "Priority Seating" passes for us to sit in the corded-off areas. The Symposium impressed us with the 10 minute clips of each film, along with the candid and thoughtful explanations to the art of creating a story and film for an aminated feature.
We left the theater at 9:50PM, again pinching ourselves to see if this were really happening. As we walked to the car, we were as animated as any feature we had seen on the screen at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
A big thank you to our sponsors who helped make our trip a reality: The Star Beacon, ACMC, Conneaut Savings Bank, EB & Co., Star 97, 98.3 The Bull, Magic Oldies 102.5, New Knoxville Telephone and Cable Company, and of course, my employer Conneaut Telephone Company and CableSuite 541.
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Ken at the Oscars
Related Photos
Discussion
An animated evening
Ken goes to the Oscars
- Ken at the Oscars
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An academic look at the Oscars
Yesterday, we wrote about our sit down with Randy Haberkamp, director of Education and Special Projects at the Academy. In addition to his role at the Academy, Randy is also a student of film and a movie fan like the rest of us.
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Oscar excitement moves closer to home
The countdown to the 83rd Oscars continues in Hollywood. The red carpet area is coming together, statues are in place, and most of the media outlets are ready to go for the broadcast. Back in the Greater Cleveland area, our folks are busy readying for the first Oscar Night America Cleveland watch party in several years, which will take place Sunday night at the Geneva Lodge.
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A little trivia animation
It’s Thursday night at the Academy and that means time to honor the nominees for Best Animated Feature Film. This year there were three nominees for Best Animated Picture – Feature Length: Toy Story 3, How to Train you Dragon, and The Illusionist.
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A look at documentary films
Wednesday was a tough one in L.A. Locals were bundled up in their winter coats on this frigid sixty degree day! We Midwesterners though, were in shorts and hoodies, enjoying the warmth and sunlight for the one brief week we’ll be here.
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Appreciating Oscar short subjects
After a five-hour road trip, we arrived in Los Angeles to start our “real” Oscars coverage. The first event on our schedule was the Shorts! reception at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Although we’ve attended several events at the Academy headquarters, it’s still quite a thrill to push past the hundreds of attendees lined up outside and take our place among the media inside the building.
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Ken Johnson off to mingle with the stars
Well, on Monday morning, we hit the skies flying to Las Vegas to prepare to cover the 2011 Oscars. I t doesn't seem possible that this will be our third year covering the Oscar s. Again this year, I am permitted to cover the progress of the Red Carpet until Saturday night, but after that, I have to hang up my video camera.
- Cablesuite 541 goes to the Oscars
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Day one at the Oscars
Well, today was the day to leave cold weather and snow behind for the warmer air of Hollywood. We were revelling in having missed the big snow storm and were expecting clear sailing on our flight out of town.
- At Hollywood and Highland at the Oscars
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A busy day with the Oscars
As slow and boring as Tuesday was, Wednesday took off with a life of its own. In addition to my Blog on the Star Beacon Website, I am calling in to Star 97, Magic 102.5, and 98.3 the Bull with Oscar reports, then calling into Conneaut AM Live in Conneaut later.
- More Ken at the Oscars Headlines
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An academic look at the Oscars
