LA Story

I've been here only a week and it's been just amazing so far. We had a great US premiere in the Egyptian Theatre yesterday , so fun - and another screening at Manns Chinese Theatre on Wednesday at 6.45 - tickets are free and available on the Afi website so please do join us if you are in the area :-)

I was part of a Hollywood Reporter Rond table with Jorge Gutierrez and Travis Knight ,Bonnie Arnold , Dan Lin and Don Hall. It was good fun and really an honour to be at the table with such seasoned and talented filmmakers. I am always tickled by the fact that our budgets are so far apart - for example - Jorges beautiful Book of Life is considered low budget at 50 million ! That's almost ten times the budget of Song of the Sea - so it's really special to be counted as part of the top oscar contenders despite that disparity .

I was at the Academy's Governors awards ceremony as well where I was amazed to have the chance to shake hands with Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki! I met so many other great animation directors and filmmakers  as well -John Lasseter , Pete Docter and Dean DeBlois graham annabelle and Anthony Satchi , Phil Lord and Chris Miller as well as Don Hall and Chris Williams - but meeting Miyazaki will be a lifetime  highlight for me I think , I was so glad to get chance to thank him for his films and all the inspiration he has given us .

Here's a selfie from the night - 

There were loads of movie stars and stuff there too but honestly who cares about that when you are in the presence of a legend like Miyazaki.

 Paul and I said to John Lasseter how great it was to see beautiful 2d animation celebrated by the academy and he just responded by giving us both a high five 

;-)

What a night!