"You're only limitation in animating is your own imagination", said Bill Plympton last night following program 4 at the Aspen Shortsfest. 

This year Bill is part of the competition jury and is teaching a Master Class in Animation on Saturday afternoon.  Each of the programs has one or two Plymptoons screening out of competition.  THE FAN AND THE FLOWER is one of my favorite Plympton pieces.   It screened in program 3 along with 6 other films, including my pick for film of the night - THEIR FIRST JOURNEY.   It's a very funny 10 minute French animation about a father and his 10 month old daughter's first trip alone together.  The great thing about animation is that it allows the filmmaker to take things further than reality.  It enhances the truth.  That conceit is certainly true of HOW TO KISS which screened in program 4 - Plympton's ode to smooching, that originated as an illustrated series for Rolling Stone.  Following the program, Bill mentioned how much he liked to keep his enterprise small.  His New York studio employs four people.  What I really appreciate about Bill is that he is always out there working hard to promote his work.  I've seen him help sell his DVD's at Annecy to French fans by signing individual copies.  I mean here's a guy who has been nominated for a couple of Academy Awards, and he never balks at having to get out there and promote.  It's about a guy who lives his professional life on his own terms.