Fire Destroys 'Wallace and Gromit' Warehouse

The much-loved inventor Wallace and canine companion, Gromit.

Sadly, a fire has destroyed the warehouse of Aardman Animations in Bristol, west England early this morning and claimed much of its animation past.

Thankfully nobody was in the building, but most of the company's history has been lost. Sets and props from 'Chicken Run' and the first 'Wallace and Gromit' shorts are believed to have been consumed by the fire. CNN had this to report:

"Today was supposed to be a day of celebration, with the news that 'Wallace and Gromit' had gone in at No. 1 at the U.S. box office, but instead our whole history has been wiped out," Aardman spokesman Arthur Sheriff said. "It's turned out to be a terrible day."

Sheriff said the warehouse contained sets, props and models from the company's productions, from the children's cartoon character "Morph" through the Oscar-winning, anthropomorphic "Creature Comforts" series to the Wallace and Gromit films.

Wallace and Gromit's creator, Nick Park, said the earthquake in South Asia helped put the loss into perspective.

"Even though it is a precious and nostalgic collection and valuable to the company, in light of other tragedies, today isn't a big deal," he said.

You can read more at the CNN article and Bloomberg U.K. site at this link.

Word also comes from BBC News that all is not lost...

"I'm pleased to say Nick Park's original 'A Grand Day' out rocket, that he built by hand, is safe and sound," Mr. Sproxton [company co-founder] says. "It's very close to him."

Park's three Oscars for Wallace and Gromit and Creature Comforts were also elsewhere.

The clay characters themselves are not kept after filming because they disintegrate, and the Aardman film studio is in a different part of the city and so is unscathed.

The original film and negatives are stored in a humidity-controlled vault at a different location and the sets from the current Wallace and Gromit feature film, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, were also elsewhere.

and regarding the studio's future...

Although the company's history may have gone up in smoke, its future is still looking rosy.

"The fire doesn't really affect future productions because even the Wallace and Gromit sets tend to be built almost from scratch for each film that we do," Mr. Sproxton says.

My best wishes to the entire animation studio and staff in recovering from this disaster. Now get out there and see 'Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit' at your local theater!

As a note of interest: Not only did the studio create award-winning shorts and feature films, but also the much celebrated 'Sledgehammer' video for musician Peter Gabriel. Find more of their history at the official website.

Update: December 11, 2005 - The Big Cartoon Forum has posted an article on the cause of the blaze. It's believed that the fire was started by an electrical fault with an appliance.

Image courtesy of Aardman Animation Studios.

More Tortoise Photos

I've been receiving lots of kind feedback regarding the story, writing, and photography of the Franklin the Tortoise post. A big thanks for your support! Along with the comments, photos of other shelled pets have found their way into my e-mail box, so I thought I'd share them with all you tortoise fans.


3-year-olds Sam (Sulcata) and Ella (Box Turtle) enjoying some tomatoes. Photo from Lori.


Nicholas in the office. 43 lbs. 10 years old. Photo from Kerry.


Nicholas napping. Photo from Kerry.


Stanley and Nicholas. Best of friends. Photo from Kerry.


Morning Nicholas. Photo from Kerry.


Nicholas takes a bath. Photo from Kerry.

Life is about the people you meet.

Thanks to friends and the post at BoingBoing.net, I've watched the hit count on this blog soar. Many thanks from me to all the linkers and readers! I hope I can continue to bring you interesting things to read and see.

One of the purposes I had in mind when I started this personal blog was to talk about subjects that interest me, including people and places near and far. I've always found that one of the most important ingredients in life is the people we meet and that any other benefit is secondary. I've based a good deal of my personal and business decisions on the people I have a chance to work with and who I feel can really bring something positive or challenging to the relationship. Sometimes it becomes a lasting friendship, other times they become excellent contacts for projects, and still other people bring that one bit of wisdom to your life that allows you to progress on a personal or professional level.

Rushing to and from work, or the shopping malls and restaurants, the little gems of stories might not surface if we don't stop to talk to some of the more interesting people around us. Tragedies in life teach us that people can be gone in an instant and we should take every opportunity to meet the souls who make up our world. You may not get that second chance to talk to that girl at the bus stop, that artist you've watched sketching at the coffee shop, or the guy walking down the street with his pet tortoise.

The story I posted on Franklin the tortoise and his caretaker Jeff has helped one more interesting individual be introduced to the rest of the world. I had seen Jeff walking Franklin previously, slowed down to look, but then drove on. So when I saw him again the day I posted the story, I wasn't about to pass up this second chance to meet him. Little did I know that others would also find the story of interest.

When people enjoy our tales, they'll want to share them with friends and family, just as they would do when gathering around a crackling, summer campfire. The Internet, and blogs specifically, offer us a way have our own 'digital campfires' and regale our readers with our own thoughts, tales, and brilliant ideas. Often the stories are driven by themes but during other moments they're completely random. Sort of like this blog, which serves a collection of my varied interests.

Of all the items I've discussed on here, I had no idea that the one of the most read postings to date would be about a man taking his tortoise for a walk. In addition to that, stop-motion animation, the Muppets, and movies have all proved popular reading material for visitors. Evidently, I've found topics that people enjoy and I'm pleased to be able to share my thoughts on them.

Through Luxo, a Pixar blog I collaborate on with my friend Ken Bautista, I was asked by a reader to contribute opinions for a magazine article about the animation studio. The Alberta Movie Guide has provided a venue for readers to inquire about the provincial film industry, and recently I received an invitiation to submit photos of the tortoise and his caretaker to the Greek edition of FHM Magazine. In the past few hours, I've also discovered that the Franklin story was featured on USATODAY.com's Tech News & Web Guide.



Even with my limited contributions to the Palaeoblog, edited by Dr. Michael Ryan, I've been fortunate enough to share my interest in dinosaurs and meet like-minded individuals. Not only has it allowed me to discuss the latest palaeontological discoveries or newest video games, films, and comics showcasing the giant beasts, but it's also directed visitors back to this site to learn about my other adorations.

Contributing to these blogs takes a tremendous amount of time but I truly enjoy all the various subjects I'm able to talk about. More importantly, and back to my initial statement, life is about the people you meet and I'm constantly fascinated by those I encounter. If these links from other blogs, websites, magazines, and papers help me meet new people and put a smile on our faces, then I believe I'm doing something right.

Thanks for all your support!

A big 'thank you' also goes to my wife who continues to indulge my many creative passions including writing for these blogs. She's easily one of the most important people I've met yet!

Live Giant Squid Photographed!

Because I'm a bit of a science geek, and because they have that 'cool' mythic element to them, news regarding Giant Squids excite me. Well, on September 27th, word spread that a live one had been photographed underwater!


Photograph courtesy T. Kubodera and K. Mori.


Photograph courtesy T. Kubodera and K. Mori.

The Japanese scientists estimated the animal to be an astounding 25 feet long but the longest giant squid on record measured 59 feet (18 meters), including its two elongated tentacles. Along with photos of the exciting discovery, National Geographic posted the story:

"The scientists say they snapped more than 500 images of the massive cephalopod before it broke free after snagging itself on a hook. They also recovered one of the giant squid's two longest tentacles, which severed during its struggle.

The photo sequence, taken off Japan's Ogasawara Islands in September 2004, shows the squid homing in on the baited line and enveloping it in "a ball of tentacles."

Tsunemi Kubodera of the National Science Museum in Tokyo and Kyoichi Mori of the Ogasawara Whale Watching Association report their observations this week in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

"Architeuthis appears to be a much more active predator than previously suspected, using its elongated feeding tentacles to strike and tangle prey," the researchers write.

They add that the squid was found feeding at depths where no light penetrates even during the day."

Check out the link for the full story and more on the history of the Giant Squid!

This post seems like a fitting one to share one of my all-time favorite poster images. It was created by the great Disney Imagineers and can be seen in the book Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real.


Image courtesy of Walt Disney Imagineering.

If anybody knows where I can get a large-scale poster of the above image, please contact me. I think I see the Nautilus now!

I've made it onto Boing Boing!

Yay! My blog made it onto Boing Boing! Web users consider this a big honor! No doubt it means an increase in hits as well.

Pixar artisan Ronnie del Carmen also made the site due to an unfortunate incident involving his car.

Thanks for the post Mark!

Redefined: A Cappella Nintendo Medley

To lighten the mood, check out this fun QuickTime Video link where a group of University students perform 'Redefined: A Cappella Nintendo Medley.'

Fans of the original 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System games will especially get a 'kick' out of the...'Link.'

Thanks to Dean for the link!

In Memory: Kelly Ian McConnell (1968-2005)

The world lost another great human being on Tuesday, August 30.

My cousin, Kelly McConnell, was one of the friendliest souls you could ever meet. Whether you were a family member, long-time friend, or just introduced, you felt genuinely comfortable around him.



I didn't see much of him the last few years, but he would e-mail me occassionally, always trying to make time for me whenever I made the trip down to Calgary. Whether it was a quick get together for a bite to eat, or to invite me to stay the night at his place and chat away into the late evening hours, Kelly would welcome you with a firm handshake, a big smile and hearty laugh, and plenty of stories to tell. Just like his dad.

Kelly and I used to have wide-ranging conversations about outdoor pursuits, technology, historical and even paranormal subjects (a particular fascination we shared), movies and TV, and life in general. There was always something the two of us could find to philosophize about.



Kelly was known to have an affinity for family and friends, all wishing we could see him more often, but he was also a free spirit, constantly roaming around trying to experience all that life has to offer. He lived life the way we all should, pursuing his passions and constantly searching for something new to explore and appreciate about this planet and its people. One could easily look up to his many admirable traits and come away a better person for having met him. I know most of us did.


Kelly, his sisters and mom.

If there's an afterlife, he's sure to be affecting others there the same way and exploring all the crags and creeks it has to offer!



Until we see you again...we'll miss you buddy!

---

The obituary:

It is with tremendous sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our dearest Kelly on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 at the age of 36. Treasured by his mother Denise; sisters; nephew and niece (Adam and Kara Bunz), along with numerous relatives and a wealth of friends. Predeceased by father Brian (2000). Kelly had a heart like no other and loved spending time with family and friends. He is loved and admired for his devotion to always helping others and genuine interest in getting to know people. He had an affectionate smile, positive outlook and fantastic sense of humor. His enthusiasm and upbeat personality was reflected by his multitude of friends, young and old. He was the humblest guy you could ever know. Simply put, the ornaments of Kelly's life were the friends that gathered there. His awe and wonderment in God's creations was steadfast and never waivered. He had a zest for life and will be remembered for his adventurous spirit from mountain and ice climbing to photography (mountains, glaciers, sunsets, waterfalls) and most recently his passion for motorcycling. Kelly's message to each of us is clear: slow down, relax, listen and love one another without judgement. He never complained or tried to impress others, he just wanted all of us to be happy. The Lord has brought Kelly home to reward him for all his inner riches. Thank you for enriching our lives Kell. May God Bless you and keep you safe and secure in the palm of His hand. We will miss you Kell Kell. XOXOXO. I love you big brother.

Prayers will be held at HERITAGE FUNERAL HOME,
1708 - 16 Avenue N.W. (across from the North Hill Shopping Centre)
Monday, September 5 at 7:00 p.m.

A Funeral Service will be held at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church,
640 - 19 Avenue N.W.,
Calgary, Alberta
Tuesday, September 6 at 11:00 a.m.

HERITAGE FAMILY FUNERAL SERVICES
"Heritage Funeral Home"
Telephone: 299-0100.

Published in the Calgary Herald from 9/1/2005 - 9/2/2005.

Update: You can view a Kelly McConnell Flickr photoset I've created at this link.