Image: Spare Change by Ryan Larkin

I remember the New Year's eve at my home, Ryan Larkin was drunk as a skunk, mad as hell and he wasn't going to take it anymore...

And with many more expletives Ryan drew this image a la Michaelangelo The Hand of God - on the back of a 2 x 3 inch business card from the Copacabana Bar...in animation terms its a short field.... in about three minutes flat.

"You want a drawing??? I'll make you a f*cking drawing!!",  Ryan spitting venoumous words in my direction as he threw the card violently onto the floor.

I scrambled to the ground and picked it up. Scared meek and panicked and at the whims of Ryan's tempermant lashing out against my naivete and always hopeful outlook I saw the beauty and wit in his quick "doodle-scribble"...Ryan was never dead as an artist to me. Yet, we had no money no funding and no believers. I was his target for verbal lashings and emotional upheavals. Again again and again..why? Perhaps it was a calling...

With this I leave you a glimpse to the result - imagination that never dies. In the end Ryan and I were friends at great costs and a story that will endure the test of time.

Here is the film Ryan by Chris Landreth which caused a lot of angst pain and glory for Ryan and those who knew him. It was a pivotal moment for Ryan Larkin the man - not the animation.

I will upload our animation film Spare Change in Musivision's  next blog here on filmfestivals.com

Ryan byChris Landreth, National Film Board of Canada