After spending a better part of this weekend working on GFGames #5, "How to Hook Up the NES", I can safely say that this is it. The final stretch. Right there. Just the slightest bit to go. No lie this time, honest. Frank and I have two shots to complete, and tomorrow I'm heading to Joe's with a near final copy for him to do the final sound. We're that close.

Initially Frank and I wanted to have a "launch" date of Friday the 10th, but that day has been ruled out. We're not quite sure where to place it next. Rest assured, you can bet that you'll be seeing it before the 17th of this month. That's a two week window, but when you consider the 8 month wait, those two weeks are nothing. Once we wrap up the shots, I then have to move onto getting it ready to show. Believe it or not, but even when we're done with the short there's even more work preparing the various versions that go out and then all the site updates that go along with it. In the past, I've pretty much put the video up the moment Joe handed it back to me, but this time I'm going to take the time to get it right and have an exact date ready for when you guys can expect to watch it.

Frank and I went through the near final short together yesterday afternoon. I think it has come along really great, and I think it's something that we can be really proud of. Regardless of how much people end up enjoying it once it's released, I can say with confidence that this is our most beautiful short yet. Frank has done ridiculously nice work that rivals what you saw him do back in Man-Bot. I also just finished the hardest shot I've ever had to animate in my life. I personally don't think it looks as nice as the harder shots that Frank handled, but it surely made me stretch whatever type of animation muscle I have. It was a brutal one, that's for sure. I actually wonder if people will notice the two scenes that the two of us spent an insane amount of time on, or if they'll just blend in with the whole thing?

Joe asked me tonight if I believe people will enjoy it and I told him absolutely. If you have enjoyed our previous work (and I imagine you must have if you're reading this) then this will be no different. Though that doesn't mean it's the same old you might expect from us. The short relies a lot more on classic slap stick style cartoon humor, which is the main reason the thing has taken us so long. In order to sell visual gags, it's more work... lots more work. While our pal Jacquo is the center of attention, you'll hopefully just enjoy watching his actions instead of waiting for his next one liner.

So just hang in there a bit longer, the wait is almost over.