NO TO OTTAWA!

When I say Ottawa International Animation Festival,
(or the OIAF as we call it on the mean streets of Toon Town)
I want you to say:

AAAAAAW YEAH!!!

Ready?

OTTAWA ANIMATION FESTIVAL!
(or the OIAF as we call it on the mean streets of Toon Town)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW YEAH!

See... Ottawa was the first animation festival I ever went to way back in, like, 1994.
The signal film I had done at J.J. Sedelmaier Productions for the latest ASIFA-EAST animation festival had been accepted to the OIAF so I wasn't just going as some punk-butt film-watching festival attendee...

I WAS GOING AS A FULL-ON PUNK-BUTT DIRECTOR IN COMPETITION!

Woooooooooord.

I had never been to Ottawa before and instantly fell in love with the city's old world charm.


I hung out with lots of good friends...
Made a ton of new ones...
Watched films until my eyes bled...
And, of course, went to a whole lotta really fun parties!

I especially remember going to the closing ceremonies and dreaming that I...
sooper young and excited young animator Mr. Warburton... might one day stride on stage to accept an award.

So can you imagine the smile on my face when, many years later, Codename: Kids Next Door won the prize for Best TV Series For Children not once, but TWO years in a row?!

SWOOOOOOON!!!

But you know what?

Even after having a couple films accepted and a couple big winners, I still get that sooper triple giant thrill when a new film gets accepted.

Like it was my very first time.

So I am pleased, and proud, to announce that the animated version of my picture book, 1000 TIMES NO, will be featured in the 2010 Ottawa Animation Festival.


And while I can't show you the version that's currently airing on Nick Jr.
I can show you the original promo.

I know, I know...

You've all seen it before.

But maybe there's one or two folks who haven't yet.
So for you one or two folks... check it:



Thanks OIAF official selection committee!

I love that you've taken NO for an answer!