Truth Is Legend

Re-Connecting with Mike

When Mike became a legend, I thought we would never meet again.

In 2014, I was delighted to add Mike to my list of Facebook friends. I wrote him a message and this is his response.

 Hi Mr. Rivers

You wrote- 'I want to hear all about your life...'  This line sort of freeze me up a bit and not sure how I would begin... Maybe I should start by saying that after all these years, I'm neither rich nor famous.  But I'm doing mostly what I'm compelled to do, especially since 2000.  

There were quite a few very difficult moments in time, but they happened to lie on the road I choose.  Life from a material standpoint could have been much more comforting but I didn't find that they were the paths for me 

  The rewards that I've been blessed with don't necessarily translate to monetary means but in other forms that pertaining to the human spirit and I definitely feel very blessed with such.

Since leaving Rochester and heading to California, my goal has been to nurture and share film works that aim to express beautiful thoughts about this life on Earth.  It was not my aim to work at the big studios like many of my classmates at CalArts, but then that was just exactly what I ended up when my college years came to an end...

In 1988, I began work at the Disney Studio and my production experiences began with 'The Little Mermaid'.  It was very nice to be acquainted and gaining some insights into the film industry.  It was just what I expected and I have no delusion even when the films I worked on were commercial successes.

I stayed there for 3 years and after Beauty and the Beast, I moved over to Warner Bros. at a time when animation suddenly become highly sought after by all the major Hollywood studios.  For me, this is one way to grow artistically and not getting pigeon-toed into doing something the same forever.

There were many more features to followed, but the only one that I feel grateful to be part-of is The Iron Giant directed by Brad Bird.  He's a wonderful director and definitely a very rare breed to find in such commercial enterprises.

In year 2000, a chance encounter allowed be to co-found a production company of my own and I began my indie feature entitled- 'My Little World'.  I've been on this journey since, continuing and ongoing at moment...  And so one may say- my tree hasn't bear fruit just yet 

Also from 1994 to 2010, I became part time  faculty at CalArts and giving classes relating to character animation.  I thought this would be one nice way of sharing my creative experiences to the younger generations of artists.  Many of my close friends today were once taking my classes over the years... and many new friendships are being forged in this same way and ongoing.

  I'm very grateful for still keeping me in your thought  (I have to say the content of this writing is definitely first of its kind in my life's journey).

In Vietnamese, there is a proverb 'When eating sweet fruits, do remember the ones who planted the trees'.  I will always be grateful that our paths have crossed, for your always very supportive and encouragement at a time when a young person might need the most^^

Wishing you wonderful days and am definitely  looking forward to learning the many interests in your universe through your postings here on Facebook 

And in the End, the Truth Becomes Legend

After I posted Truth and Beauty on ABC tales I reluctantly sent Mike a copy of the story. Reluctant because I wanted the legend to be true. Mike responded and sure enough, the truth is as beautiful and wondrous as the legend and the perfect post script.

Hello Mr. Rivers

WOW haha what an honor and I must say that I read most of your writing in extreme blushed condition... You have already prepped me with the differences between truth, legend, fiction & faction… (Here, I remembered a moment in your book-  the moment in the Eastman House theater I think) 
 
Memory often turns facts into larger-than-life legend, and in turn, more faction than true facts. I try to read your recollection from a 3rd person-point-of-view, learning about a person name ‘Mike’ in your story.
From this view, the story is fascinating and carries its own structure, with pieces of info that connect themselves into the grand ending, from beauty, to Kathy to Belle in Beauty & the Beast.
It was all very flattering and to this day, I still don’t know how to behave when being flattered.
It really is an honor for me to appear in your memory in such loving and delicate recollection as you have stated in the starting paragraph.  
If I can make one wish, I wish the Disney facts can be more accurate.  There are die-hard Disney fans that know all the facts on who did what; I worked on that film but I wasn’t contributing in such deeper level creatively.  I was credited as an animator in the Belle unit, but I wasn’t the lead and didn’t design that character.
Funny enough, the Lead Animator was James Baxter (very famous in the animation industry circle). He designed Belle after someone that he had a heart for at that time. Belle looked just like her. James had a Kathy and a beauty of his own. 

Perhaps this particular part can be reworded in such a way that connects to the Kathy in your story, but from your perspective when you saw ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and recalling memory on Mike and Kathy that you once shepherded. 
I don’t have photographic memory of my past especially those early Henrietta days, and so it is always fascinating to learn how such moments in time were reflected especially, through the closer circle of friends and mentors that I crossed paths with.
I was surprised of your memory about Kathy.  I did have a heart for a classmate named Kelly.  But I thought no one knew that hahahaha She didn’t know that for sure… I was extremely shy back then, especially with such social relations.
One fact that is completely true, beautiful, honest and elegant

‘Mike is not famous.  Mr. Rivers is FAMOUS!’  It was true then, and still is now. 

It's nice to be a legend in the mind of a legend.