The Mysterious Traveller

When someone mentions a blog, what do you initially think of? Perhaps a self indulgent article written by that up-and-coming journalist you met at College. It could be promotional diary entries from a comedian or poet. Or maybe even an online record of all your updated status' and locations collected by corporate social media platforms. Who bloody knows?  However, the most likely answer to what a blog is will probably be the idle ramblings of a friend or colleague who you lost touch with, but is determined to remain in the zeitgeist of your social media.  This is where I, Thomas (Barrels) Grainger, find myself presently shelved.  In the guise of a graduate seeking work, I have blasphemed the blogging network with tales of my own woes, mingled amongst the pretty pictures and funny videos of an attention seeking individual who needs some level of gratification. My own love of writing could easily be my undoing because I don't want to taint my side-line passion by ...

It has been ten months since my time concluded on My Grandfather's Demons (Os  Demônios do meu Avô) where the final puppet was rigged and the last tie-down was painfully screwed into the bottom of Rosa's foot. These characters bear the visual aches and tears that the majority of the team felt throughout this production. This is by no means a slight against the film; it is simply the nature of such scale of work. But when you frantically start to use super glue to fix props to a puppets silicone hand, you know that things are looking bleak. For the record, we normally take the time to screw said prop into the 2mm access point in the palm of the hand, but on that particular day I definitely remember thinking fuck this shit (I can this perfectly in Portuguese; it's a frequent saying). The feature film itself has been greatly received across the globe, being part of numerous international animation and film festivals including A nnecy in France and Fantasia in Montreal, Quebec ...

For the full experience, please click play below: Yesterday ... [This is not today] How has 2020 become 2021 so quickly? [this was my original opening when I first embarked upon this entry. That was four months ago]. The current star date: 09/01/2022. The fact is that 2021 did happen so quickly. And now it's too late! I genuinely spent 10 minutes trying to fathom what year it was on my first day back at work after the New Year. Anyway, I digress. My initial thoughts are that I am perhaps too apathetic with my blog posts, leading me down a dark path of neglect and carelessness. Although we each of us consider that lazy side of us, I must power through with my explanation of 'there simply isn't enough time!' Moving to Portugal has given me a plethora of tales and woes, journeys and misgivings, creative fortunes and artistic delights. But my inspiration to continue with this blog has waned over the years, at a time when it conceivably means more to express what we are all...

It has been quite a long time since I have posted a blog entry; even longer for an exclusively animation based post. But this year has subjected me to a whole new level of animation from around the world and I couldn't possibly let it slip by without writing down a few. I would very much like to continue my story of how I ended up at a particular studio here in Lisbon, but perhaps I could ramble upon this tale another time. For now, I would like to look through some of these wonderful and interesting animations and creative ventures that have caught my eye over the past year.  The studio I am currently working at is called Sardinha em Lata  (this has now totally ruined the big reveal in my next chapter of the 'road trip' BUT DO NOT WORRY READER... there are surprises galore in my adventures). The studio is home to a whole bunch of talented and creative folk, of whom I am very lucky to be working alongside. The current project that I am working on has combined the in-house S...