Germs are everywhere

Someone just told me why none of the kitchen or bathroom sinks I have encountered have a “hot water” option. “Only hotels” she said.

“How do people kill germs?”

“Soap.”

“Oh…does this mean there is no hot water in the kitchens of restaurants?”

“I don’t know. Germs are everywhere.”

Ok so I am just accepting. Yeah I was sick the first two weeks here. Maybe I just had to get used to germs? I don’t know. I can’t change it. I will just accept it.

Ok now that I’ve hidden my post from those who don’t care about killing germs... Here’s the juice: I am currently watching over 17 would-be-animators as a director. Yeah I am practically directing now and being more of an asshole than I was teaching.

The other day I was in the middle a lecture about gestures. I did not tell them specifically to “find the force” but I did try to make them not afraid to make messy drawings and to feel out the action. And so that made its way into my frustration with SVA drawing theories. Yeah I talk a lot. But then I was called into the office.

My supervisor asked me if it was possible to let my 5 best students on a real show today and to start the rest on the project tomorrow. She said there are exactly 17 scenes. My face dropped. I answered with “I don’t know…”

“Do you think any of them are ready for this?”

I was like, “I’m not sure… the style is so different from what I’ve been teaching them. I have a test on the show ready but I can’t expect them to jump onto a real project when they haven’t even seen a test.”

“Do you think there are maybe 5 students that could handle it? It’s up to you. If not, I’ll have to pull animators from another show. It’s do at the end of next week.

I’m thinking this is totally not cool because I hangout with the animators too and hear about their deadlines, but still. The schedule of the studio is not my problem and regardless of the project…the animators are getting paid. My students are not. But I was in the middle of the conversation and didn’t have time to form a sentence that wouldn’t sound like I was calling her an ass.

“I can’t give it to them today.”

“It’s up to you. Maybe Monday if they do well on the test?”

“Well I really wanted to test them on the other show too because it’s more traditional. Um will they work with the director? I mean so the director can lead them through it?

“Well you would sort of be like the director.”

Face drops again.

“I’ve never seen the show. I’m not familiar with the animation style.”

“The scenes are all timed out with audio. They just have to make them move. You could just check files. Make sure it looks ok.”

“Can I think about this?

Ok so now its Friday 5:25pm. I really don’t think anyone is finished with their test which I gave on Wednesday. Is it because they are bad animators? I’m a bad director? I’m a bad teacher blogging this minute? Or it’s a lot to ask of someone? I’m going to guess that the majority are on the right track but not in the groove of the show yet. A few I am worried about and I’m not sure if they could figure it out later. Fuck, who am I to judge? Fuck this. I think I am sure I’m giving them the other test and not an episode.