Well, the name is Charles of King Charles.
At least, that's the full English translation of my last name 'de Charleroy'. ;3
I'm president and founder of United Paws Animations, Inc. We went for a full 501(c)3 not-for-profit status, since it simplifies tax paperwork (once you get past the ungodly complex application part!) in addition benefitting a particular cause (local public television in our case).
Our first project is a mixed animation media and has the working title "A Day of Dreams", and consists of 7 short films united by a theme: different aspects of dreams and dreaming, particularly those not often thematically represented as centerpoints. We focus a good deal on how dreams can influence real-life actions, especially day-dreams and personal fantasies; whether it's leading to a particular goal, reflecting on what could be or has been, or taking strength from hopeful mental musings. We also enter several times into an in-between world, where what is seen may or may not be just a dream, such as one of my favorite ideas of the entire project "The Phantom Circus", with its spectral fox ringmaster and Depression-era Midwest setting.
It's slow-going, as my primary job as a research technician in a biology lab keeps me exceedingly busy most of the year, but I do what I can! I'm in charge of all the organizational and executive aspects of United Paws, as well as the writing and most of the direction. I don't draw well, alas. I like to joke that writing is the desperation of those who have no talent at drawing. ;P
I can copy well enough to let me know that had I the inclination at a younger age, I could have learned to draw fairly well, well enough to illustrate my ideas myself at least in a storyboard form. As it is, it takes me several hours and many references to scribble out a meager original image of questionable quality. A missed opportunity, but how could I have known I'd be needing those skills? I planned on being a biologist from age 6 and never did much creative writing through all of my schooling; and so the sudden inspirations for this project were a complete surprise!
All of the company work right now is volunteer and freelance-based, to keep employee costs to an absolute minimum (which is pretty much critical for not-for-profit start-ups to survive their first major project).
Our little website is
www.unitedpawsstudios.org. With luck and hard work, it'll begin to grow as we can afford to do more of the concept and storyboarding work.
And I think that's enough! ;3
