A probable animated Klondike Story.

Soapy Smith
"The main villain"
courtesy of Averyl Veliz

(Click image to enlarge)

There are several projects coming up that I am excited to tell you all about but sworn to secrecy at the moment. One of the newest comes from Averyl Veliz, an Alaskan born concept artist who is currently completing my MFA in Visual Development at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California.

I found her blog a couple of days ago and immediately contacted Averyl about her project.

Averyl writes,

Jeff,

Thank you for your great interest in my project! You as well have a fabulous blog, and I linked you up. Just a little about me, I'm from the Denali area of AK, but my mom is from Juneau, so I spent almost all my summers between Haines-Prince of Wales Island. I don't even remember my first trip to Skagway or when I first heard of Soapy, but I've grown up with the legends. This project is a feature film treatment I'm writing and drawing myself (for the time being) as a graduate project for the Academy of Art in SF. It is something that I want to see go into production, whether that be animated of live action. It's fictional, but based off of much historical research.

(Click image to enlarge)
Clancy's Saloon & Jeff Smith's Parlor
courtesy of Averyl Veliz

This is the Abstract I presented to the Academy:

The Klondike Gold Rush begins in spring breakup of 1897. The native Tlingit Spirits are put to the test of dealing with human invasion in Alaska and its ensuing corruption and degradation of their beloved habitat. The Spirits are pulled into the world of mans’ greed and a town's whirlwind expansion when one of their own (Beaver) joins the men on a quest for wealth and power. The result of the prospectors’ actions is a path of destruction; their persistent selfishness keeps them from hearing the spirits’ warnings. The Tlingit spirits must save their lost spirit and the land that is suffering from his absence. The process of this salvation rids the land of the human invaders and the civilization they created ... for the moment.

Best,
Averyl

Here at Soapy Smith's soap box I cater to information regarding Soapy but to get the whole story about Averyl's project and to see the fantastic artwork in creating all the main animal characters of the proposed animation you should not miss the opportunity to check out this talented artist at her blog Averyl Veliz. I am keeping close watch on this winner and will keep all here up to date on her venture. Averyl we all wish you the best of success.