watch MORRIS LESSMORE free

For a limited time, we have put Academy Award Nominated animated short film, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore on Vimeo and iTunes for FREE. You know how to find it on iTunes (to download, keep), but if you want to dive in for 15 minutes RIGHT NOW, here you go... and please share with a friend. We also have that cool iPad story app available, as well.

Thanks!

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.

Oscar Nominated

This morning is a "pinch me" moment...

THE NUMBERLYS

We are super-stoked that the App is out! Lots of games, lots of story, lots of film, lots of animation, lots of art, and lots of fun. I hope you try it and share it with a friend.

Download THE NUMBERLYS, TODAY!

The NUMBERLYS

Have an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad?

We've been cooking up something new here at Moonbot Studios, and it's available starting tomorrow (1-11-12) on the App Store...

www.NUMBERLYS.com

A sketch from 4 years ago

I lived in New York when I did this little marker sketch. Seems relevant. Looking forward to hearing from the good people of New Hampshire, and other places.

App of the Year

I can't help but be extremely proud... maybe that's not even the right word. Abashedly jubilant and calmly confident in instincts? Maybe that's it...

Moonbot Studios put out an App this year, called THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE (modeled/titled after the short film, completed in tandem). I was fortunate to be trusted to creatively lead and design, as well as take on sole management responsibility for this App. That's not to go without saying we have an AMAZING creative team, and we couldn't have done this without EVERY Moonbot.

Another team we could not have done this without is the stellar TWIN ENGINE LABS, also of Shreveport, LA. Keith & Ken (owners/wizards), Nolan, Jacob, and the rest of the team were integral in programming my specific, demanding needs, and are all-stars.

But here's why I'm overly proud: the first UI, App, Storybook, Managed project, creative lead role... has been awarded App of the Year:

http://www.imagine-publishing.co.uk/news/251/apps_magazine_selects_fantastic_flying_books_as_app_of_the_year

Moonbot is amazing! Happy end-of-2011, everyone!

Sketch Tuesday 12.20.11

(click to enlarge)
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RISE of the GUARDIANS

I work at Moonbot Studios for William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg. They have been collaborating on a project for years, which Bill (Joyce) had brewing and stewing for nearly two decades. As you probably know, Bill will be releasing over a dozen of the GUARDIANS series books over the next 4 years, and that's not all...

DreamWorks is the wonderful messenger of this epic tale, in its big-screen side of things. I've been lucky enough to be around for Bill's sketching on much of this, before Moonbot was fully formed, and to see an article and new poster is bliss.

(click to enlarge)

HERE is a great review of the movie, series, and story. It is a HitFix.com exclusive, and I can't wait!

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Another Fellow Artist

A few days ago I talked about a former co-worker here at Moonbot Studios.

I mentioned being a "former-caricaturist" and I got some flack for saying that (rightly so). I consider, and always will consider, myself a caricaturist. It is not my primary focus over the last several years, however it is something you don't just STOP doing, after investing so many years passionately pursuing it. So yes, I am still a caricaturist.

Here is a guy who is also passionately pursuing his craft, the art of ANIMATION and storytelling; MIKE KLIM.

This guy is as talented as any I've seen in this field, and I am very grateful to have worked near him for a year and a half. He will go far, and I hope we work together again soon. Mike is missed here at Moonbot and missed by myself. He is on the west coast doing (surely) great work. This is the card we gave him on his last day:

See you at The Village, Mike.

GREAT NEWS

I work as the Art and Story dept. lead at Moonbot Studios. From 2009 to early 2011, I worked with an amazing team on a short film (and led design on a subsequent iPad App!) called The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. I was fortunate to be in a perfect environment for me, doing story, storyboards, concept art, environment design, character design, color scripting, miniature fabrication, maquette making, 2d animation and 2d character painting, texturing, background painting, and art directing.

(click that link!)

We just saw 1 of 3 hopeful pieces of news. 1 down, 2 to go... Hopefully I'll have a good blog post on January 24... fingers crossed!