After 18 months, I am so excited to finally announce that "Inner Workings" is a brand new short from Walt Disney Animation Studios that will premiere at the Annecy Film Festival in France this June, and release theatrically with Disney's "Moana" this Thanksgiving. Even though it is only 6 minutes, I have dedicated more time, strategy, and effort into every single frame on this short than any other project in my career - which has been rewarded with my first Associate Producer credit.
This heightened visibility has catapulted me into the 2016 Creative Leadership Mentoring Program at the studio, where I have been paired one-on-one with a mentor - Dr. Ed Catmull - the President of Walt Disney Animation Studios and co-founder of Pixar . With five Oscars, lifetime achievement awards in the computer graphics field, and a New York Times bestseller which has been described as the most thoughtful management book ever, Ed and I are practically exist on different planets. However, I am extremely honored and privileged to have this opportunity with such a legendary pioneer, and encouraged by the investment in my future a leader in the workplace.
Despite the focused attention at work, I found balance renovating my kitchen counter tops, rehabilitating elbow stitches from basketball, and spending time with family in Philadelphia, San Diego, and San Francisco. Additional California explorations took me to Monterrey, Point Vicente, Murphy's Ranch, The Broad, Sausalito, and Mount Tamalpais where, in each case, the amount of photography equipment I packed would continue to grow. Luckily, this has been rewarded with a Best in Category ribbon in the Burbank Library Amateur Photography Contest and 1st Place in the National Park Service, Centennial Photo Contest (thanks to your votes).
Weeks away from wrapping "Inner Workings", I cannot wait to share more, starting with the world premiere in Europe. Immediately following the business trip, I will embark on personal time off in the French Riviera, Amalfi and Dalmatian Coast.
If you haven't already, do yourself a favor and watch "Zootopia".
Au Revoir,
-Mike
