Deleted Intro - Pan Shot
Source: TV
Layers: 2
Sketches: 3
Cel Number: SNA1799
Standard size
Opening Cel
Key Cel
Original Matching Background
Added 7/19/2006
Updated 11/16/2019
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The story behind this masterpiece, and the SAINT that gifted it to me, is so long I almost don't even know where to start. You will NOT believe it if you have the patience to read it all. It's like a cel fairy tale. See if you can hear the choir of angels in the background while I tell this story. XD
To summarize the backstory, I randomly got an e-mail one day via RS's cel gallery feedback from a man that said that he was clearing out his cel collection, and wanted to give me the opportunity to give a new home to some of his Sonic the Hedgehog cels; he said that he'd found my gallery by searching RS for Sonic cels, and thought that I was really enthusiastic about the series.
It was interesting, and on some level flattering, but also bittersweet. I mailed him back to say that I was definitely interested in at least looking at what he had to offer, but warned him that I'm a nickel-and-dime collector and would not be able to afford much. He agreed that there was no harm in at least looking, and went ahead and sent me the photos.
The collection was definitely nice; there was the opening logo from the SatAM series, a nice shot of Sonic with OMB from AoSTH, and another shot of Sonic that I still don't recognize. And then, rising far above the other three, there was this absolutely GORGEOUS pan cel. My jaw about hit the floor when I realized what I was looking at: a 2-layer cel of a deleted scene from the pilot episode of the SatAM series, including 5 of the 8 main characters, with original matching background, and I later found out also had 3 sketches and its certificate of authenticity. You probably could've knocked me over with a feather. I quickly mailed him back to say that the selection was phenomenal, but that I would probably never be able to afford any of them. I pined excessively over the pan cel.
We exchanged a few more e-mails over the course of the next couple of weeks. He said that he was making a lot of good money on the auctions for his other cels, and that if he made enough of a profit, he'd cut me some great deals on the Sonic cels if I was willing to wait for the auctions to end. So a week or so goes buy, and we again come in contact. I was then informed that a buyer had been found for the pan cel -- another dealer he'd been talking to. That didn't surprise me in the least, and I mailed him back to tell him I was sad to hear the news, because I'd really adored that cel, but that it was just as well because I could never even pay back what he'd paid for it (which he'd told me was somewhere between $500 and $1,000 USD).
Another week or so passes, and I get another e-mail from my Australian guy; he's mailed me to announce that he's made so much money on his other cels that he's decided to donate the Sonic cels to me outright, because he knew that I'd take good care of them and truely appreciate them. I was stunned, but elated, and immediately e-mailed him back to thank him for the generosity he'd decided to show me and assure him that the cels would definitely be loved. I also offered to at least pay for the shipping cost, especially since shipping from Australia to the States would probably be pricey; he thanked me for the offer, but told me not to worry about it.
Then it became a waiting game. OH GOD THE WAITING. After the first couple of weeks I started checking the mail feverishly, because I knew it should be arriving soon. Every day that the parcel didn't come, it was an agonizing realization that I'd have to wait ANOTHER WHOLE DAY. @_@ Saturdays were definitely the worst, because that meant I had to wait 2 days. All the while I kept thinking how insanely lucky I was that he'd picked ME of all people; I mean, there are other galleries on RS with much nicer Sonic cels than my skraggly collection, and that paid a lot more money than I did on my dirt cheap lot. It made me realize just how wonderful this man really was, because he could've easily gotten one of the other collectors to pay a lot of money for them, but he said he chose me because of my spirit. :3 It made me feel fuzzy.
And then... THE DAY OF ARRIVAL.
So I'm in the living room reading a book, and I hear a thumping outside the wall. WHOO, THE MAIL'S ARRIVED!! I sit tentatively and listen to the rhythmic jerking of the carrier yanking the apartment boxes open and shut as she unsympathetically crams our bills and magazines into those ash tray-sized slots. All seems to be well. Then when she finishes I hear her approach my door, followed by a "thump". WHOO HOO, LARGE ITEM LEFT ON MY DOORMAT!!
I rush over and yank the door open... And it's some Naruto sketches from someone on eBay. Which IS good and all, but not what I had been hoping for. SNORE.
A few hours pass, and as this was a day off from work for me, I was there to hear my mom come home. I come out of my room to greet her and ask about the day and etc, and I note a large awkward object in her hand. And by large, I mean about 3 ft tall and 1 ft wide. My first response: "What the HELL did you buy??"
She tells me that she didn't buy anything, and that it was leaning against the door when she got here.
...
INTERESTING.
I go over and take a look at it and realize it's a postal parcel. ... From Australia. I didn't DARE to think he'd actually been so insanely nice to me as to send me... THAT. Based on the package size it seemed the only logical explanation, but there's no way 1) anyone these days is THAT generous, or 2) I'm EVER that lucky.
So I meticulously begin to open the package. My mom's talking, but I can't tell you a word she said. I think my heart was pounding 100 times a minute. Finally I get the wrapping off and start tossing bubble wrap at my mom (she's a nut for that stuff). First there's the black jacket, with the cels he'd said he was sending. ... And some interesting sketches. I have basically the same mini-argument with myself as I did before. The cynic in me could never believe it to be true, but those sketches were some pretty damning evidence.
Finally I dig a little deeper... And there it is. I swear my heart completely stopped for just a bit. I just kind of sat there and... stared at it, for I don't even know how long. I just couldn't believe it. REALITY WAS NOT COMPUTING WITH MY BRAIN.
My mom comes over and says "WOW, that's a really amazing cel!! You didn't even tell me you'd gotten this one!"
My brain's first response was, "I didn't KNOW I'd gotten it," but all that came out at the time was something along the lines of, "I think I'm gonna throw up a little bit. O_O" Rest assured I never vomited, but the tingly butterflies in my abdomen never quite lifted. It was taking a REALLY long time for me to actually fit it into my head that he'd actually sent me that beautiful, amazing, awe-inspiring pan cel.
Eventually I was able to speak again, and I very carefully picked it up and showed it to my mom. I asked her, "Mom, do you have any idea what this is?"
Apparently assuming that, "A cel?" was too easy of an answer (which is correct), she said, "No, what?"
I replied, "This.... IS THE HOLY GRAIL."
I then proceeded to fill her in on more of the backstory; she knew that I'd been chatting back and forth with him about Sonic cels, and she'd heard the news that he'd decided to donate the other three. She didn't, however, know about the pan cel; since I knew I'd never be able to afford it, I just never even bothered to bring it up. Once I caught her up on the additional information that'd been negated, however, she was just as amazed as me.
My mom immediately said that she'd take me to get it professionally framed, and in the meantime I could store it in her room (which is the only room safe from our three cats) (two of which are named Amy and Sally after Sonic characters, eh heh) (yes I name all my pets after Sonic characters, I'm that far gone). I find myself constantly venturing into her room just to sit and gaze at the cel. It's so utterly mind-blowing in and of itself, but just knowing that it was GIVEN to me by a complete stranger simply to make a silly fangirl happy makes it even harder for it to really sink in.
Eventually I manage to get on the computer and tell my friends the news. Using the photo I'd originally been sent (which I'd saved, since I doubted I'd ever see that cel again), I uploaded the image to my PhotoBucket account and wasted no time in showing it off and filling them in on the details. Every single one of them was absolutely blown away by the infinite generosity. One of my friends still refuses to believe that it was a gift -- and a surprise gift at that. Buuuut once the initial shock wore off for them the conversation quickly regressed into my friends threatening to send ninjas to kill me in my sleep and steal the cel. XD
The next day when I got up, I started to do my usual routine... but made a detour to look at the cel again. I literally was just sitting there and staring at it; my best friend joked that I was going to end up doing a daily worship of it... which actually was true for a while, lol. I still haven't gotten it framed (mainly because I ony just recently found a frame that would work), but I'm sure that once it gets framed and hung up, it WILL receive daily worship.
As a footnote to this, I started to throw away the mailing packaging, but saved it at the last minute so I could possibly send my Australian benefactor a card or something sometime. Upon retreiving it to save his address, however, I instead ended up noticing the shipping stamp. He'd spent $45 AUD to send that parcel to me! Granted that's less than USD, but that's still a lot of money for shipping. And don't forget, I offered to pay shipping, and he declined.
So, as I've been saying since this whole incident: If there is a god, he summers in Australia. XD
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