The site has finally moved into it’s rightful home!
This blog has certainly evolved a lot since 2009 and continues to evolve everyday. In the last few weeks alone I’ve completed a number of big projects:
I’ve also done some work on my archives eliminating outdated posts, unnecessary tags etc…
Why the movie? Over the last few years I began to promote other people’s films. Slowly, this site shifted from a personal blog to a full blown movie website. A blog dedicated to movies, screenwriting and independent film. It just didn’t seem right to run the site from www.jaymckinnon.com anymore.
Today I’m happy to announce The Athletic Nerd’s new home!
I’d like to thank the fine folks at 3magine for their help migrating the site seamlessly. Check them out if you have any design or development needs. I’d also like to thank WPZOOM for creating my new theme Meeta.
Now that all these changes are behind me, I can focus on creating better content.
One final note, I’ve decided to change my posting schedule slightly. I will still post at least 3 articles per week but now you will see them on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. For the next few weeks, I’ll be tinkering with a few things so be sure to let me know if you catch any strange bugs.
We all have favorites. Whether they are short films or full length features, we’ve all been captivated by animation. I often think about the animations that inspired me as a child and how I still hold those films close to my heart today. I love animation. I regularly search the web looking for new animated short films. I’ve actually featured some of these discoveries in nearly every edition of The Post I’ve ever published.
It was my dream growing up to create cartoons but my path deviated when it became painfully obvious I couldn’t draw. Still, I’m fascinated by the process and inspired by the limitless possibilities animators have at their disposal. I’ve always been jealous of people that can draw. I’ve written about it many times.
In a way, I have to thank animation for leading me to screenwriting. I may not be able to draw anything my mind comes up with but I can certainly describe it. Perhaps someday I’ll write something worthy of a talented artist’s time and dedication. Until then, I will always have the classic cartoons I adore and new cartoons that continually inspire.
Recently, Disney released it’s groundbreaking and Oscar nominated short film Paperman online. I missed Wreck-It Ralph in theaters and never got a chance to see it. If you still haven’t checked it out I recommend hitting play immediately:
This touching short film is a testament to how far technology has come but also a reminder of where it all began.
3D animation has given us some of the best animated films of all time but there are some who still love the nuance of hand drawn 2D work. Paperman blends both of these techniques to create something incredibly unique and new. In my opinion, Paperman is visually spectacular and features characters we can all relate too. The jealousy is taking over again…
XTRA | Be sure to check out the Paperman featurettes I embedded below.
The second Paperman began I was brought back to my favorite era of Disney Animation. Way back when they were steadily releasing classics from like The Lion King, Beauty & The Beast, Alladin, The Little Mermaid and more… It was a golden age because I was still able to watch legendary films like Snow White, Cinderella, Dumbo and my personal favorite: Peter Pan.
There is still a shelf back home that houses each and every one of those films on VHS. They are situated next to some of the best non Disney animated films I’ve ever seen. Movies like All Dogs Go To Heaven & The Last Unicorn. I’ll never sell those movies even though I no longer own a VCR. They mean too much to me. Also featured on my magical animation shelf are collections of animated short films featuring characters we all know and love:
I can’t believe some of the animated films I love are over 70 years old! Here we are, decades later and the medium is just as important and influential. I think back fondly on all the cartoons I grew up with and still love today. Now a new generation of children will grow up and look back on so many years of great stories.
Paperman was brilliant but beyond that, it brought me back to my childhood when 2D animation reigned supreme. When I discovered new and colorful worlds and characters that I’ll cherish forever. When a movie can do that, it’s hard not to love it.
A few weeks ago, I introduced an updated logo for 2013. Since then, I’ve gone through my archives of over 1000 posts and cleaned things up. The next step was to find a new theme that would offer a similar style but with enhanced features. Thanks to WPZOOM, I found that Theme and it’s called Meeta. In addition to the new look, I’ve also begun using a brand new email address: jason@theathleticnerd.com.
Ultimately, all of these changes were made to get the site ready for it’s big move to www.theathleticnerd.com. I’m currently in the process of making the transition and it will happen soon. Until then, there are a ton of new features on the site!
First and foremost, the new wider format supports larger graphics across the board. The theme also allows me to create featured pages. An example of which can be found on the all new ‘About‘ page.
The new header features a giant logo and an updated navigation bar. The new navigation is simpler and I’ve also added a new Archives page where you can find a list of EVERY post separated by month.
The sidebar now features wider graphics that allows me to promote features like The Post a lot better. I’ve finally implemented Google search on this site with search results popping up right in the sidebar.
You’ll also notice a new footer that includes links to the most popular sections on this site. There is also a brand new Trending section featuring popular posts and easy contact & subscription options.
There are tons of little tweaks here and there but I’m thrilled with the new look. Some of these changes may seem tiny but I think they will add a ton to the overall experience. Let me know what you think!
It’s part of a new look I’ll be rolling out in the coming weeks right before… THE SITE MOVES!
I’m currently in the final stages of reorganizing The Athletic Nerd which includes clearing out old posts and graphics. It’s all in preparation to finally move this blog to it’s rightful home: www.theathleticnerd.com. I’ll have more on the big move soon.
In the mean time, I’d also like to announce that my other blog, People Tales, is no more. I’ve taken the site down in an effort to better focus here and on my screenwriting. It was fun to write my little short stories and you never know, a few movie related tales may pop up here in the future.
I launched The Athletic Nerd on September 15, 2009. Since it’s inception it’s always been about movies, screenwriting & independent film. Today I’m thrilled to announce that I didn’t lose interest within two weeks! Over three years later, I’m posting my 1000th article. Time flies when you’re having fun.
MOVIES
I wanted to write about the movies that inspire the aspiring filmmaker. This section has evolved a lot since day one and now includes reviews, all time best, countdowns, 10 flicks and series like Movies That Changed Everything.
SCREENWRITING
I’m addicted to screenwriting but like many aspiring screenwriters out there, I struggle at times. This section chronicles my own personal screenwriting journey. A journey that now includes a 20 part series called The Summer of Screenwriting. I challenged myself to be a better writer and finally completed a new feature length film. The passion is back and I’m hard at work on another script.
INDEPENDENT FILM
This section began as a look behind the scenes of my own films. I’ve directed a few over the years but that was a while ago now. Since then, this section has evolved into one of the most popular on this site. At the center of it all is a regular feature called: The Post. Here you will find hundreds of independent film projects from around the world. Short films, trailers, features, animations, documentaries and more from dedicated filmmakers.
You’ll also find exclusive interviews with some of these filmmakers as they discuss what inspired their films and the challenges they faced along the way.
1000 POSTS LATER: WHICH ONE STANDS OUT?
I love writing for this website. After 3 years I’m still just as devoted to creating new (and better) content. 1000 posts is a lot when you factor in the graphics I’ve created, videos I’ve included & research I’ve completed. Not too mention the constant promotion required in order to gain more readers. Through everything, one post does stand out because it’s the most personal:
The post is about my anxiety and how screenwriting helps keep me calm. It’s something I don’t talk about often but this blog has been a wonderful outlet for me and I was happy to finally write down how I felt.
WHAT’S NEXT?
I took last summer off from this blog in favor of my screenplay. I missed it but I reached my goal and finished my script. Once I started writing posts again, I scaled things down to 3 posts a week to give me more time to balance screenwriting and this blog. For the first time in three years, I’m planning my posts well ahead of time. This gives me more time to write better posts.
The next 1000 posts will definitely be better. I feel like I just got momentum going and it took three years of hard work to get to this point. Now it’s up to me to raise the bar even higher. Another thousand posts will most likely take another 3 years to complete at least. Who knows where this site will be then. All I know is, I love this blog and I can’t wait to write another 1000 posts.
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