Keith Reynolds couldn't make it to Brussels last night

Not to be outdone by Francis Cooper, Keith Reynolds won Best Student Short Film at Anima in Brussels this weekend - his first international award. Sadly he couldn't make it (aha!) in person to pick up the prize as he would have been too tired for his trip to New York this week (for his screening March 8th at 3pm, Heebie Jeebies category, NYICFF.) as he is leaving tomorrow.

Francis has got into Cartoons On The Bay 2009 - maybe he will go to that though.

Today I worked a little on Sam Morrison's new film. It's a good one.

Also the Arthur Cox website has been remade. I even have my own page where you can see some of the animation I co-directed and did for CBBC Newsround. And if you click here you can watch the Property Ladder advert and Five ident I animated on.

New York, NY, Arthur Cox

Am off to New York, New York next week for the New York International Children's Film Festival. 'Keith Reynolds...' is in the Heebie Jeebies category showing on March 1st at 11am and March 8th at 3pm. I should be at the screening on the 8th.

Then, the following weekend, Sarah Cox will be there with her film 'Don't Let It All Unravel'. Award winning writer, director and animator, Matthew Walker has his film 'Operator' in as well but sadly old age, and several mild strokes, have deemed him unfit to fly and he is unable to make the trip.

Francis Cooper is not a miserable failure

'The surprise demise of Francis Cooper's mother' won the Best South West Region Animation Award at Animated Exeter this weekend. To celebrate I got to have my photo taken whilst looking like a goon again.

'Keith Reynolds can't make it tonight' was also screened in the World Wide Programme but don't think anything exciting happened to him. But I did see this on the internet the other day...

Thanks to Skillset Screen Academy Wales for the bursary so I could go down.

Francis Cooper clip online

Uploaded a clip of my latest film, 'The surprise demise of Francis Cooper's mother', today. Hope you like it. You can see a bigger version than the one above, along with promotional stills, a synopsis and full list of credits, by viewing it on the film page here. It has also been accepted into Animated Exeter (this month) and the Florida Film Festival (April). I should be at Exeter this Sunday thanks to a grant from Skillset Screen Academy Wales. Bought a ticket to see 'Sita Sings The Blues' which I've been trying, but failing, to see for a while now.

Saw Bolt today as well. Enjoyed it a lot! It is the first film I've ever seen with 3D glasses. Was slightly worried it wouldn't work for me as I am almost a one eyed man but it was really good if slightly alarming.

I'll go get my ball.

Keith and Francis at Animex 2009

'The surprise demise of Francis Cooper's mother' and 'Keith Reynolds can't make it tonight' are, according to a man from The Animex International Festival of Animation & Computer Games named Chris, both being screened at The Animex International Festival of Animation & Computer Games this week. Though they are not in the festival programme so perhaps not. If they are, however, it will be Francis' competitive debut and the second time Keith has been there (he was there in a different category last year).

Snowing outside the window at work today.

a reel

Finished my showreel. It is mostly made up of commercial things I've been working on in the past couple of years but also contains some clips of 'The surprise demise of Francis Cooper's mother' if you are interested in seeing any of that at all.

The music is by 'ok' - the same band who feature in my little 'i can't colour in' animations. Joe Paine is in that band - he is the man who has done the soundtracks for both my films.

Felix Massie 2009 showreel.

Keith Reynolds at Sundance 2009

Got back from Sundance on Friday. Saw my film twice while there and was nice to see it on 35mm. I even got to stand on stage to say hello and look like a goon.

I only managed to see two other shorts there - the rest were features. My favourites were 'Dare', 'Bronson' and 'Peter and Valdy Vandy'.

Didn't meet Scott Johnson.

I drank two Buds, ate bison rib eye steak, pancakes, pizza and a meatball sub, threw snowballs, built a snowman, sent postcards, watched Obama's inauguration, got some free boots, a free jacket, hat, gloves, socks, and crystal ashtray, went to a 7-eleven, tried a Twinky, lost my luggage, met someone who has met Matthew Fox and Evangeline Lilly, saw Kevin Spacey, didn't see Kevin Bacon and felt left out because I didn't have a Blackberry.

20000000000000000009

Booked my flight to Sundance. Matthew Walker has booked the accommodation. We should both be there from the 17th to 22nd January.

Until then I am working on a new film idea and also going to make a showreel.

Happy new year.

Things that never made it.

This shot never made it into the final edit of '...Francis Cooper...' but it was one of my favourite backgrounds. Nevermind. I also did a spinning bike wheel and a kitchen floor. Here they all are...

Keith Reynolds homecoming

'Keith Reynolds can't make it tonight' is in the official selection for International Animated Shorts at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. This is not far from where Scott Johnson, the narrator, comes from. Thanks to the British Council and their grant gun I'm going to be going and so begins my quest to finally meet Scott Johnson and finally make him see the film (on 35mm film - I can't wait to see it on that).