We got in late last night, but there was enough time for Vicki and I to explore the “Temple Bar” area. It’s basically several blocks of pubs and the streets were filled with people, even at eleven o’clock at night. A real party atmosphere for a weeknight. The river walk by our hotel led us right to The Clarence Hotel, owned by U2. The lobby basically looked like a drab boarding school, but it’s a popular place.

My day in Dublin was another whirlwind of interviews at the hotel and the major cinema where we did the screening and kids’ workshop. I feel like I talked non-stop all day… so naturally, I was in heaven. Blah, blah, blah!! My movie, this, my movie that!! This screening was also a packed house and the best workshop I have had so far (the kids LOVE that high-speed tape recorder stuff). My PR rep was named Maude, who was much younger and nicer than any “Maude” I’ve ever met.

Vicki got to see much more of the city than I did, taking her own walking tour of the area. The day ended with another plane flight, this time back to London. It’s strange, but London now feels like the familar home city. It will be SO NICE to unpack our bags for three whole nights!

A short train ride first thing in the morning and we arrived at our next stop: Manchester, home of Steve Coogan and New Order. It seemed like a busy and cultured place, but I didn’t see much of the city except for the three-story cinema and mall they call “Printworks.” The staff there was very accomodating and Ben got me set up in a conference room for a blitz of interviews. Then we did the screening and workshop.

It was a very full day that ended in a mad dash to catch a flight to Dublin. The airline was much stricter about carry-ons this time, so I had to literally “carry on” my laptop by itself. And philosophically, I guess, I also “carried on.”

Cheers.

We kicked things off with a train ride out of London (I loves me the train!), which brought us to Birmingham, the second largest city in England. This town is also, I’m told, the birthplace of celluloid. So it’s a perfect place for a filmmaker to pay his respects… or if I consider myself a digital filmmaker, to laugh ironically at its demise.

I haven’t seen much of the city, since we went straight into interviews and a screening at the local multiplex. Mostly “phoners” for the interviews while the film played, but we also had a fun photo shoot where I drew cartoons for these two little girls. Today was the first of several children’s workshops to be held after the screening. I have to admit, I was winging it a bit, but I drew some of the characters and led everyone in some flipbook animation. Thanks to a new pocket digital recorder (with variable speeds), I could show kids how I really created Twitchy’s voice. The crowd was small but the response was enthusiastic. I signed lots of posters after the talk. Only at the end did I realize I had signed them with a dry erase marker. Kids, don’t wipe those posters!

They also got a goodie bag of promotional items, like this mask of Red: “Instantly Creepy On a Grown Man!”

Our room is a SWEET. And yes, I did spell that right, because it’s SWEET. So tonight, Vicki and I decided that our room is the number one place in Birmingham want to hang out in.

I’ve also taken to the local custom of saying “Cheers” when leaving a conversation. It’s like “thanks, buh-bye,” but friendlier. It is the “Aloha” of England, I like to think. Try it sometime. It just FEELS good.

Cheers.

Didn’t do much. Took a long nap and then went to the British Museum, the oldest museum in the world. It was just a fifteen minute walk from our hotel. Problem is, the place was closing ten minutes after we got there. So we ran through the mummy exhibit and then wandered the streets. Better than mummies wandering the streets, but not as interesting.

It’s the umbrella store! More umbrellas than you can possibly imagine!!

We ate at the “Duck and Dog,” a 300 year old pub. False advertising alert: they do not serve duck OR dog. But Vicki finally got a big British hamburger.

Today Vicki and I hopped on British Airways and took off for London. This begins a week of screenings and interviews for “Hoodwinked,” all over the United Kingdom. The film opens here in September, and they have many events geared toward kids.

I love a nice long international flight (at least when someone sends me “bidness class”). I have my laptop, DVD’s, iPod, noise cancelling headset… where else can I try out all of my cool toys at once? This is why I got no sleep. British Airways have these great reclining lounge chairs, and every two of them face each other…. so that… I don’t know, so you can toast. Plus all the attendants are… British. Which is delightful.

My contact, Ben, met us at London Heathrow airport. Nice chap. He’s done press for Ricky Gervais!

Ben flexes his mad PR skills on the train, scheduling another interview.

Ben got us to the Soho Hotel, a really nice place. It’s raining, but so cool in this area. Theaters all around, museum down the street… Starbucks on the corner. I’m set. The hotel itself is full of modern art and funky fixtures.

In the room, they did NOT have my requested Diet Coke with Lime or my bowl of green M & M’s. So naturally I went ballistic. Busted a couple lamps and threw the toilet out the window. I put it on Harvey’s tab.

Today is a rest day and I think that was well planned. Vicki is already crashed on the bed and I’m on my way. Then we’re gonna go carousing… or whatever the Brits call it. Canoodling?

Many of you know that my brother Todd is a filmmaker.
You probably also know that he wrote most of the songs for “Hoodwinked.”
Now he is expanding his musical horizons with a brand new album,
and he’s presenting it in a very innovative way.

Check out this link, and start following the journey toward the album’s release!

As I wait for the stars to align for my next film, I have kept very busy as a writer. In case you’re wondering, I have just crossed the finish line on three assignments:

1. Arthur And The Invisibles – This is a rewrite I did for a Luc Besson movie (formerly titled “Arthur and the Minimoys”), along with my co-writers Todd Edwards, Peter Bedgood and Tony Leech. It is a cool kid’s fantasy film, based on two of Luc’s books that are best sellers. We got to meet Luc and were assigned with the task of putting some of our American humor and “Hoodwinked style” into the existing film. The film is a combination of CGI animation scenes (which look beautiful) and live action scenes. We just got done with a first pass, which both Luc and Harvey Weinstein are very pleased with. There will probably be some more tweaking on this script as pickup shoots commence and animation is adjusted.

2. Escape From Planet Earth – Tony and I have completed a draft of the screenplay for Tony’s directing effort, a CGI animated film about aliens breaking out of Area 51. We are very happy with the script… but the real boost came when the Weinstein camp told us that it was “one of the best first drafts they’ve ever read.” Nice to hear. The next step is waiting for that magical GREENLIGHT from the studio that will put the film into production. Then Tony has a busy couple of years ahead of him.

2. Hoodwinked 2: Hood Vs. Evil – As of this writing, Tony, Todd and I have just completed a third draft of the screenplay. With each draft of this project, many scenes have gone through dramatic changes. But I think we’ve landed on something really great. It’s HUGE compared to the last movie. Big, big action, with a completely new look and tone to it. We’re very proud of it, and now we wait for the reaction from Kanbar Entertainment and Weinstein Company. Everyone is hoping that this is the draft that puts the project into production.

Whew.

Having these three assignments off my plate (at least for the time being) is a huge relief. It is also very exciting for me, because now I’ve got nothing but time and energy to throw myself back into getting my next film ready. I’ll have to keep the details secret for now, but it’s far more ambitious than anything else I’ve ever done. And that’s how I like it.

This is my second year to go to the San Diego Comic Con. It is pure heaven for me, both as a fan and as someone in the industry. This crowd is MY crowd; the people I want to entertain with my movies. So as a filmmaker, it is inspiring, motivating, and a good place to take the pulse of the culture. As a pure fan, let’s just say I walked the exhibit floor until they closed it on Sunday.

Highlights for me were meeting Genndy Tartakovsky (Samurai Jack), Lisa Henson (Jim Henson Company), and Brian Froud (designer for The Dark Crystal). Did I mention they are making a Dark Crystal sequel? And that Genndy is directiing? DUDE.

The panel speakers I enjoyed the most were Jon Favreau (Iron Man and being just plain “money”), Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, Neil Gaiman, Zack Snyder (300), Edgar Wright (Shawn Of The Dead), and comedy screenwriting machines Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon (Reno: 911, The State). Three days is never enough for me.

I also get a kick out of the imaginitive costumes walking around. Below are some of my favorites.

This guy is “more than meets the eye.” Seriously, he’s on parole.

These guys just showed up, blew away all the leaves out front, and left.

Don’t laugh. This guy lost his eye in Viet Nam, and he’s pretty bitter about it.

I thought these kids were cute until the left one tasered me.

Any other day, in any other building, this guy would be escorted away quietly.