Dear Friends:

After my project "Gigantic" was shelved last fall, Disney Animation now faces leadership accusations, corporate mergers, and departures from all levels. It's been hard to stay positive, but I've found myself temporarily on a development project (unannounced 2020) as the dust continues to swirl and I evaluate the landscape.

At the same time, family obligations linger in the path forward, but that has made Levi's companionship an even more welcomed addition to my routine. The pup has happily accepted my self imposed challenge to be the best dog dad possible - researching nutrition, training, grooming, and the cute model poses for social media.

On the home front, I've made adjustments to allow for cohabitating with the lady friend, Connie. While space remains tight, we found a way to accommodate all of Levi's toys and still make some of our own upgrades, like a 65" OLED 4k HDR TV.

Levi happily joins family visits to San Diego, San Francisco, and while Philly may be a stretch, will make his second camping trip this summer.  While in NorCal, I also did some work at the Walt Disney Family Museum and sat court side at my first Warriors game.

Although the future uncertainty makes it hard to plan travel, we took a much needed 12-night expedition to New Zealand in February - skydiving over the snowcapped mountains in Queenstown, heli-hiking on the Franz Josef glacier, trekking up Roy's Peak for sunrise, and soaking in the warm sanctuary of the Onsen Hot Pools.

The year is moving fast, so I am anxious to find my cadence, but prepared for these life hurdles to continue outside my control. If anything, the Super Bowl LII champion Eagles have taught me that despite the odds, being the underdog makes victory that much sweeter.

Fly eagles fly!
-Mike

Dear Friends:

The past 6 months have proven to be unfamiliar territory for me.  After celebrating 14 years in California and 10 years at Disney, I find myself emotionally drained from unexpected family obligations and professionally unsatisfied losing traction in my current role at work.

I have admittedly been fortunate to experience a consistent period of time which has allowed me to enjoy my independence and orient my career, so the sudden division of focus and energy has been very humbling.

Given the relatively uncertain times, I am eager to announce that I adopted a dog.  Levi is a one-year-old miniature poodle mix from the Burbank Animal Shelter.  Although I have never been a 4-legged pet owner or had the best impression of how they could benefit the household, I am so glad to have learned they can make excellent family members and adapt to your personal lifestyle.

In only 3 months, Levi has immediately become a loyal and affectionate companion - providing routine and regiment that I haven't found personally or professionally this year.  I may have rescued him, but he has certainly rewarded me with an immeasurable degree of support and engagement I never could have predicted.

Wedding celebrations in Temecula, Huntington Beach, Utah, Hillcrest, and Hollywood were all refreshing moments with loved ones, along with family visits to San Diego and San Francisco.  When small pockets of time did allow for personal indulgence, I camped in Sequoia National Park, Point Mugu State Park, and booed the Chargers at my first ever Philadelphia Eagles game in LA.

While I may have found a difficult patch, I do know that sharing this blog for the past 10 years has been a gratifying outlet.  I really appreciate the comments, updates, responses, and simple notion knowing these 300 words find a place in your day.

Woof,
-Mike

Dear Friends:

Disney Animation Studios started 2017 as the recipient of three Academy Award nominations, and winner of best animated feature for "Zootopia" (2016).  Following Oscars for "Big Hero 6" (2014), "Feast" (2014), "Frozen" (2013), and "Paperman" (2012) one may guess the studio is a well oiled machine, but such critical and box office success is an elusive formula to sustain.

In fact, Disney's release slate just shuffled for the next 3 years, which is the backbone I use to navigate my career.  Since I enjoy forecasting my life around these release dates, I am now struggling with this new uncertainty having been deeply engaged in the story development on "Gigantic" (2020).

Earlier, when I was anticipating a busy year, I spontaneously booked a last minute deal for 5 nights in Maui over Christmas just 40 hours in advance.  The naturally scenic waterfalls, beaches, and mountains were a photographer's paradise and kept me busy through all 550 miles on the windy roads and hiking trails (the island is 48 miles long).  

Similarly in March, I soaked up 13 nights in Latin America, weaving through Costa Rica's rain forest in a harness, celebrating nuptials on the secluded beaches of the Dominican Republic, and witnessing a unique transitional period of time in Cuba.  I've developed an addiction to chasing sunsets, so being surrounded by warm sand and clear water (plus Zika), was truly a delight.

In California, I made an overdue trip to Pixar Animation Studios, LACMA's rain room, and the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve.  On March 6, the world welcomed Lillian Noa, my sister Jennifer and Josh's second child and my first niece.  Uncle Mike now frequents San Francisco and San Diego regularly with toys to keep up with all three niblings (that's a word, right?) and their rapid growth.

New toys, of the selfish adult variety, include an Apple Watch Series 2, custom 2009/Nehalem MacPro tower, and Sony RX100III compact camera.  Otherwise, aiming to clarify my professional, personal, and travel cadence soon - but hope it brings me closer to each of you!

Best,
-Mike

Dear Friends:

Immediately following the premiere of Disney's "Inner Workings" in France this summer, I didn't come home without first soaking in the magic of Italy's Amalfi Coast, cruising the blue waters of the Adriatic's Croatia/Montenegro/Greece, and savoring the flavors of the South of France.

Stateside, I hiked and camped in Joshua Tree, Cabrillo, and Yosemite to celebrate the centennial anniversary of our National Park System, taking advantage of my annual pass from the photo contest you all helped me win last spring.  Traveling fueled my appetite for photography, investing in my Sony A7RII with upgraded glass, filter system, carbon fiber tripod, and dedicated pack.  Same joker behind the lens, but hopefully you'll see a difference!

On the family front, we welcomed my second nephew, Tobias Finn, on September 18 which quickly followed with a visit to San Diego to congratulate first time/sleep deprived parents Pete and Rica.  Not to be overlooked, I made additional visits to San Francisco for my older nephew and Philadelphia for the granddaddy of them all.  The Huang dynasty is growing!

Professionally, this year has allowed for a tremendous variety of experience not only with my elevated role on the short, but also through the mentorship workshops with Ed Catmull and my peers.  This earned me the opportunity to assist with Disney Animation's workforce planning process for the past 4 months, in which we gather production resources to inform talent management and guide studio strategy.  While business operations and analytics is something I hope to revisit in my career, I am still driven by production and the art of storytelling at this time.

As a result, I am transitioning to a new senior supervisor role on the forefront of the creative story process for Disney's feature film "Gigantic" (Holiday 2018) - from the director of "Tangled", co-writer of "Inside Out", and songwriters of "Frozen".

Meanwhile, "Inner Workings" continues to run the circuit of film festivals and screenings, but will finally be in theaters worldwide this Thanksgiving playing in front of Disney's epic adventure "Moana" - so be sure not to leave your seats.

Onward,
-Mike

Dear Friends:

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

Dear Friends:

As promised, I turned my attention to the domestic front this summer - introducing my bedroom to talalay latex, embedding a 20-hard-disk-drive network attached storage into my home theater, cleaning crevasses with the cordless Dyson DC59, and upgrading my ride to a first generation Acura RDX with SH-AWD.

Desperately trying to avoid crinkling into an old man, I jetted off to Southern Europe for an aggressive 7-night holiday in August - soaking in the rich architecture of Barcelona, diverse culture of Istanbul, and luxurious beauty of Santorini.  Here in California, new adventures on foot took me through the Channel Islands, Mt. Baldy, Abalone Cove, Scipps Pier, El Matador State Beach, and Leo Carrillo State Beach (just last night).

Documenting life along the way, I harnessed myself with my first full-frame 42mp Sony A7RII 4k mirrorless camera.  I am pleased to announce I was one of 250 finalist for the National Park Service, Centennial Project - a photo contest to find and celebrate the top 100 Find Your Park stories.  As an individual who finds refuge in our natural and cultural resources, I could not be more honored and thank you for your support.

At Disney, the theatrical short is on track to premiere next year.  Even though we are far from finished, my elevated/hybrid role has offered a new level of challenges and learning opportunities, all while I've attempted to not completely and utterly fail.  Professional outreach continues to keep me busy, taking a research trip to the Aquarium of the Pacific along with speaking engagements at Siggraph at the LA Convention Center and the upcoming CTN eXpo in Burbank in November.

This holiday I look forward to making a trip back to the East Coast before entering a focused production period at work in the new year.  For the first time in my career, there will be no Disney Animated film in theaters this year (but not to worry, there are two in 2016).  As a result, I will probably keep myself entertained renovating my kitchen countertops and a flying around to balance it all out.

Talk soon,
-Mike

Dear Friends:

2015 is off to new heights, having spent new years day on the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,341 ft).  In December, I took 26 days traveling over 30,000 miles through air, land, and water to Africa (and Dubai).  In addition to hiking the world's highest free-standing mountain, I watched the sunset from the world highest's observation deck, witnessed millions of wildebeest migrate across the Serengeti, escaped to the white sand beaches of Zanzibar, and swam with great white sharks in Cape Town.

"Big Hero 6" took home the academy award for Best Animated Feature, while "Feast", the accompanying short film, won for Best Animated Short.  Disney is the first animation studio to ever sweep both categories.  "Big Hero 6" not only opened #1 in box offices this holiday, it has become the third largest grossing Disney Animated film of all time.

Professionally, I have begun a new adventure in an elevated/hybrid role on a Disney theatrical short film (to be announced for 2016) under the personal mentorship of a 2-time Oscar winning producer.  After 20 years, our Burbank studio (the "sorcerer hat" building) is undergoing a year+ renovation and I have temporarily moved offices to Disney Toon Studios in Glendale.

Work related conferences and speaking engagements brought me to the CTN eXpo in Burbank, Fast Company's Innovation Uncensored in San Francisco, SXSW Interactive in Austin, and the Gnomon School of Visual Effects in Hollywood.

Nearly out of gas, I continued through Northern California's Point Lobos State Nature Reserve, Big Sur State Park, Muir Woods National Monument, and Lassen National Park.  In addition, I carried heavy objects up steep hills in San Francisco assisting my sister (and now 1-year-old nephew) as she moved from NYC to join her siblings on the West Coast.

My passion for photography continues to grow, investing in full-frame gear, earning recognition in the Burbank Library amateur photography contest, and (just now) beginning to explore the world of instagram.

This year, having accomplished my immediate international goals, I anticipate turning my attention to the domestic front - like unpacking, roasting turkeys, and learning to fold a fitted bed sheet.  However, I'm always open for to new opportunities or ideas?

Get at me!
@whoismikehuang

Dear Friends:

As expected, my year was focused in full sprint on Disney/Marvel's "Big Hero 6".  I refused to be denied the summer circuit of E3 in LA in June, ComicCon in San Diego in July, and a cross country visit to my newborn nephew in New York City in May (plus the Electric Daisy Carnival).

In the months bordering production, I jumped on opportunities to explore new (always overdue) corners of Southern California - Mt. San Jacinto in Palm Springs, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, the Sriracha Factory in Irwindale, and of course the Big Hero 6 sneak-peak at Disneyland.

For the remainder of the year, I plan to enjoy an extended mix of paid-time-off and "professional exploration" to step back and reevaluate my career trajectory, which is not limited to my geographical commitment to Southern California (or the United States).

Although business flights for me are extremely rare, the mouse house covered a spontaneous trip to Times Square in September to screen a work-in-progress version of the movie to 3 people, and will be sending me to San Francisco in November to attend Fast Company's Innovation Uncensored Conference (featuring Disney Animation & Pixar President Ed Catmull).  Feeling generous, I returned the act by initiating a Disney themed indiegogo fundraising campaign for the Ryder Buck Memorial Scholarship Fund.

I am currently in Salt Lake City cheering on my struggling USC Trojans at Rice Eccles Staidum, and off the grid in Utah to take in nature's Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Arches National Park this October.  I plan to be in San Diego this November, and will depart for 23 nights in United Arab Emirates, Tanzania, and South Africa this December.  With 5.5 inches of screen space, the iPhone6 Plus will satisfy my tech crave this holiday and securing a savvy Global Entry membership will help me keep pace.

I know I won't be able to keep my mind idle for long, so look forward to new personal and professional endeavors in 2015.

On November 7, treat yourself to Disney's first ever Marvel animated film, "Big Hero 6", and look for my surname cameo on a sign within the first 15 seconds of the film.

Excelsior!
-Huang Dumplings