ASIFA-Hollywood: The International Animated Film Society
Friday, December 31, 2004
Animation Rescue Team Response
Thank you Eric, you are on the list. This is just what we are looking for. If we have 20 or 30 people that can sometimes drop everything and sometimes can`t then we should be able to put together a small team at the drop of a hat to save Animation treasures when the time comes and we need to act quickly.
ASIFA is here to serve the animation community both professional and fan. What better way to do so then to save the artifacts of this field for history?
Hi, Larry.
An animation rescue team--an excellent idea!
I'm afraid I may not be a very good animation rescue team member, me
being in Tustin with a full time job and a very full schedule, but sign
me up for the call to arms anyway and I'll do what I can. Please add
both this address (eric@xxxxxxxx.com) and narkspud@xxxxx.com to
the email list (if any), and call work 949-xxx-xxxx 7:30 am to 4:30 pm,
and home 714-xxx-xxxx all other times if you need me. Sometimes I can
drop everything, often I can't, but it's worth a try.
Thank you Eric, you are on the list. This is just what we are looking for. If we have 20 or 30 people that can sometimes drop everything and sometimes can`t then we should be able to put together a small team at the drop of a hat to save Animation treasures when the time comes and we need to act quickly.
ASIFA is here to serve the animation community both professional and fan. What better way to do so then to save the artifacts of this field for history?
Stop Motion Bones
A few days ago I got on my soapbox (yet again) and started going on about how none of the schools will teach stop motion. One of my favorite red haired stepchild causes if ever I heard one.
It is all well and good to complain about stuff on the Internet, that is what the Internet is for, but how about doing a little something about the problem, I said to myself. At the same time I could fill up a little space here with some useful information, a completely novel idea in itself.
Stop motion animation starts with the armature and quite often ends with it because they are so hard to create. The example above took me about 60 hours to create.
Didn`t grow up in a garage like I did with tools as you toys? While you don`t know what you are missing but it is a little late now. So here is where to go to get a low cost armature kit.
http://www.armaverse.com
Now Armaverse strikes me as being a cutesy name but who cares. They have a good product at a reasonable price. What else can you ask for?
A few days ago I got on my soapbox (yet again) and started going on about how none of the schools will teach stop motion. One of my favorite red haired stepchild causes if ever I heard one.
It is all well and good to complain about stuff on the Internet, that is what the Internet is for, but how about doing a little something about the problem, I said to myself. At the same time I could fill up a little space here with some useful information, a completely novel idea in itself.
Stop motion animation starts with the armature and quite often ends with it because they are so hard to create. The example above took me about 60 hours to create.
Didn`t grow up in a garage like I did with tools as you toys? While you don`t know what you are missing but it is a little late now. So here is where to go to get a low cost armature kit.
http://www.armaverse.com
Now Armaverse strikes me as being a cutesy name but who cares. They have a good product at a reasonable price. What else can you ask for?
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Urgent Need to form ASIFA Animation Rescue Team
I ran into Burbank today and dragged my son along to help rescue animation art. It is a long drive from Orange County but I could not find anyone else and it had to be done and done now. Far too often that is the case. We get a call that an animation treasure is about to be lost forever.
After having run this drill far too many times I feel that it is time to do something about it. Therefore I am purposing a permanent ASIFA Animation Rescue Team.
What I feel is needed it a team of 20 or so people that will be on call a short notice so that we can always put together a team of 6 or 7 people to save animation treasures and endangered artwork.
If you would like to be part of this team please contact me: larry@agni-animation.com
The cool thing is that you get to touch the animation treasures of the past and make a real difference at the same time. I think we should have cool shirts that say Animation Rescue Team (ART) and get merit badges for the number of rescue missions we go on. If we are going to be boyscouts we should get the neat badges to impress our friends with.
I ran into Burbank today and dragged my son along to help rescue animation art. It is a long drive from Orange County but I could not find anyone else and it had to be done and done now. Far too often that is the case. We get a call that an animation treasure is about to be lost forever.
Good Morning Larry,
I hate to bother you with this, but we need to line-up a handful of volunteers to help move a bunch of stuff out of our old storage space, today. Late yesterday morning, Kathy and I went by the office to check on things, and found that there had been some flooding in storage.
Upon further examination, we discovered that there were several leaks in the ceiling, which was causing water damage to animation artwork and archival materials. Since the place was so packed with boxes, it practically impossible to get to leaks without having empty the space. With there being no room in the Animation Center, we ended up renting a 14 foot truck, and loaded it up with the boxes that were in danger of getting wet.
This material now needs to be taken to the new space, and unloaded. Ideally, we should try and clear out as much stuff as we can, in order for it not to be damaged. Therefore, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't mind contacting some folks, to see if they wouldn't mind helping out.
Since I am going to be running around this morning, would you kindly give me a call on my cell phone, to let me know if you help me out with this.
My number is (818) xxx-xxxx.
Thanks,
Antran.
After having run this drill far too many times I feel that it is time to do something about it. Therefore I am purposing a permanent ASIFA Animation Rescue Team.
What I feel is needed it a team of 20 or so people that will be on call a short notice so that we can always put together a team of 6 or 7 people to save animation treasures and endangered artwork.
If you would like to be part of this team please contact me: larry@agni-animation.com
The cool thing is that you get to touch the animation treasures of the past and make a real difference at the same time. I think we should have cool shirts that say Animation Rescue Team (ART) and get merit badges for the number of rescue missions we go on. If we are going to be boyscouts we should get the neat badges to impress our friends with.
One of my favorite places on the web is Don Markstein's Toonopedia (TM). Don is a writer and editor and giant toon culture freak which makes him alright with me.
I can spend hours, and often do, just wondering around his database of all this toony, both comic stripe/book and animation.
Don edited Comics Revue from 1984-87, and then again in1992-96, which puts him in a god-like pantheon in my book.
If you have never visited his site you owe it to yourself to get lost in it for a few hours, days, weeks: toonopedia.com
I can spend hours, and often do, just wondering around his database of all this toony, both comic stripe/book and animation.
Don edited Comics Revue from 1984-87, and then again in1992-96, which puts him in a god-like pantheon in my book.
If you have never visited his site you owe it to yourself to get lost in it for a few hours, days, weeks: toonopedia.com
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Hard Luck Charley Bowers Gets His Break
The Library of Congress inducts 3 animated films out of this year`s 25 films added to the Film Registry.
This is work the Film Registry should be about. Preserving the work of forgotten genus for the ages to come. Charley Bowers, was a stop motion animator, silent comedian, 2-D animator (Mutt and Jeff) and ex-circus performer. But very few people know him today.
As fortune would have it a DVD of his known complete surviving work is now available. DVDtoons The work is amazing and no longer hard to find. I even got one of his films on a 99 cent DVD. It`s about time that Hard Luck Charley gets his break.
The Library of Congress inducts 3 animated films out of this year`s 25 films added to the Film Registry.
8) Duck and Cover (1951) is a Conelrad atomic defense commercial
19) Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor (1936) is a Fleischer Popeye
24) There It Is (1928). is one of Charley Bowers surrealist shorts, a film combing live action with stop-motion animation. A forgotten genus of American cinema makes it into the Film Registry.
This is work the Film Registry should be about. Preserving the work of forgotten genus for the ages to come. Charley Bowers, was a stop motion animator, silent comedian, 2-D animator (Mutt and Jeff) and ex-circus performer. But very few people know him today.
As fortune would have it a DVD of his known complete surviving work is now available. DVDtoons The work is amazing and no longer hard to find. I even got one of his films on a 99 cent DVD. It`s about time that Hard Luck Charley gets his break.
Monday, December 27, 2004
Very Late Book Review
Christmas present time. I really wanted this book when it first came out but bucks were tight at the time, something that happens in a two artist household.
That is the really cool thing about Christmas, the people that love you get you the things you really wanted but didn`t feel you should afford for yourself.
Anybody that knows me knows how crazy I am about Aardman Animation. This book is a kind of great catch-all, behind the scenes, how to, and history of animation book. It has everything including flipbook animations in the corners of the pages. I love that.
The history section goes into the English parts of animation history that are always, for some strange reason, overlooked by the writers on this side of the Atlantic. It is nice to read a book that knows William Friese-Greene.
Lots of nice behind the scenes shots and production pictures. Good section on how to do the tricks, the rain, grommet with the drill, armature shots, in short all the things you need to know to learn to do stop motion animation.
A great book that I have wanted for a long time. It is obviously still on the market because my wife found it for me somewhere. Once I am done reading it I will make a place for this book on my reference shelf right next to my copy of Don Dohler`s 1980 Stop Motion Animation.
Here comes the soapbox part, why can`t I find a school that will teach their students stop motion. I have been after a number of schools for a number of years. Come on guys, let me teach your students a stop motion class or seminar.
Everybody says that learning animation principals on the computer is very, very hard. Camel through the eye of a needle stuff. Traditional 2-D and 3-D (stop motion) are the best ways to learn to animate. In fact I feel stop motion teaches animation faster. For some reason none of the schools will teach stop motion, even the schools that still teach 2-D. End of soapbox.
Christmas present time. I really wanted this book when it first came out but bucks were tight at the time, something that happens in a two artist household.
That is the really cool thing about Christmas, the people that love you get you the things you really wanted but didn`t feel you should afford for yourself.
Anybody that knows me knows how crazy I am about Aardman Animation. This book is a kind of great catch-all, behind the scenes, how to, and history of animation book. It has everything including flipbook animations in the corners of the pages. I love that.
The history section goes into the English parts of animation history that are always, for some strange reason, overlooked by the writers on this side of the Atlantic. It is nice to read a book that knows William Friese-Greene.
Lots of nice behind the scenes shots and production pictures. Good section on how to do the tricks, the rain, grommet with the drill, armature shots, in short all the things you need to know to learn to do stop motion animation.
A great book that I have wanted for a long time. It is obviously still on the market because my wife found it for me somewhere. Once I am done reading it I will make a place for this book on my reference shelf right next to my copy of Don Dohler`s 1980 Stop Motion Animation.
Here comes the soapbox part, why can`t I find a school that will teach their students stop motion. I have been after a number of schools for a number of years. Come on guys, let me teach your students a stop motion class or seminar.
Everybody says that learning animation principals on the computer is very, very hard. Camel through the eye of a needle stuff. Traditional 2-D and 3-D (stop motion) are the best ways to learn to animate. In fact I feel stop motion teaches animation faster. For some reason none of the schools will teach stop motion, even the schools that still teach 2-D. End of soapbox.
Sunday, December 26, 2004
The Incredibles: Best Film of 1972
People just stair at me like I have grown another head every time I mention the time setting for the Incredibles.
Maybe it is because the Incredibles is not really a period piece even if it is set in 1972 or 1973? You did`t catch that? Missed the year somehow? You`re not alone.
Thunderhead dies in a cape related accident in 1958, Thunderhead was at the wedding of Bob and Helen Parr, in costume, therefore their wedding happened before 1958. Dead heroes don`t show up at weddings that often. Add 15 years and we are in the early 70`s. Prime superhero comic book time!
Still don`t believe me? Just look at the cars, the furniture, the High Karate used by Frozone. Do they still make High Karate? But somehow everybody misses the fact that the movie takes place in 1972 not 2004.
Maybe it is because the film is filmed like a current movie not a period piece? Maybe it is because the characters are stylized to the point that they become archetypes as every true superhero and Villain should? Maybe it is all the modern comic book devices used by the heroes and villains? It might just be a combination of all of these factors?
Somehow there is something timeless about this film that sets it outside space and time to the point that people just miss the 1972 time setting completely. When a filmmaker can put it right out there, music and all, and nobody can see it there is something really magic going on in the filmmaking process.
Is it important to the story that the Incredibles is set in the silver age of comic book heroes? No, not at all. What is important is the filmmaking magic that makes everybody miss that fact.
What I want to know, and tried to ask the last time Brad was in town, is did he do this on purpose? Did he set out to hide the time period in plan site or did it just happen? On that question hangs just how incredible his talent really is as a master magician of the modern cinema?
Incredibles 70`s Cars
Maybe it is because the Incredibles is not really a period piece even if it is set in 1972 or 1973? You did`t catch that? Missed the year somehow? You`re not alone.
Thunderhead dies in a cape related accident in 1958, Thunderhead was at the wedding of Bob and Helen Parr, in costume, therefore their wedding happened before 1958. Dead heroes don`t show up at weddings that often. Add 15 years and we are in the early 70`s. Prime superhero comic book time!
Still don`t believe me? Just look at the cars, the furniture, the High Karate used by Frozone. Do they still make High Karate? But somehow everybody misses the fact that the movie takes place in 1972 not 2004.
Maybe it is because the film is filmed like a current movie not a period piece? Maybe it is because the characters are stylized to the point that they become archetypes as every true superhero and Villain should? Maybe it is all the modern comic book devices used by the heroes and villains? It might just be a combination of all of these factors?
Somehow there is something timeless about this film that sets it outside space and time to the point that people just miss the 1972 time setting completely. When a filmmaker can put it right out there, music and all, and nobody can see it there is something really magic going on in the filmmaking process.
Is it important to the story that the Incredibles is set in the silver age of comic book heroes? No, not at all. What is important is the filmmaking magic that makes everybody miss that fact.
What I want to know, and tried to ask the last time Brad was in town, is did he do this on purpose? Did he set out to hide the time period in plan site or did it just happen? On that question hangs just how incredible his talent really is as a master magician of the modern cinema?
Incredibles 70`s Cars
Friday, December 24, 2004
Thursday, December 23, 2004
A lot of people look at the Disney Strike as a very bad thing. A lot of people won`t even talk about it. Back in 1941 Walt Kelly was a Disney Striker. If he had not gone out on strike we never would have had Pogo Possum and without Pogo Possum we never would have had my favorite Christmas merry Boston Charlie carol. So why don`t ya mossy on over ta da swamp an dish yarselves a big heaping mess of the one and only Pogo lyrics. http://www.pogopossum.com (I grewed up in the South so I can talk that way an still be PC)
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
99 and 44/100`s % Hayao Miyazaki
The 99 Cent Only Store has done it again! This time I am almost positive that they have a Spanish version of the 1974 Zuiyo Studio Heidi with layouts and design by Hayao Miyazaki and direction by Atsuji Hayakawa, Masao Kuroda, and long time Miyazaki collaborator Isao Takahata.
I can`t be 100% because I have never seen it before but Yee Gods and littl` fishes it looks like Miyazaki even if the picture quality is not the greatest. It is copyright 1974 which is the right year. Not only that but they do credit Takeo Watanabe with music even when no one else gets credit but the people that repackaged it in Canada.
One of the things that makes it a little hard to nail down is the fact that the original was a Japanese television series and this one is packaged as a feature. A lot of the images I find around the web look like stuff that has been cut from this packaging.
The final fact in favor is that the characters look the same just a little washed out in the 99 cent version. As you can see from the images below. This has got to be the real thing, it just has got to be. And if it is not then you are only out a dollar.
Miyazaki`s Heidi -------- 99 Cent Mystery Heidi
The 99 Cent Only Store has done it again! This time I am almost positive that they have a Spanish version of the 1974 Zuiyo Studio Heidi with layouts and design by Hayao Miyazaki and direction by Atsuji Hayakawa, Masao Kuroda, and long time Miyazaki collaborator Isao Takahata.
I can`t be 100% because I have never seen it before but Yee Gods and littl` fishes it looks like Miyazaki even if the picture quality is not the greatest. It is copyright 1974 which is the right year. Not only that but they do credit Takeo Watanabe with music even when no one else gets credit but the people that repackaged it in Canada.
One of the things that makes it a little hard to nail down is the fact that the original was a Japanese television series and this one is packaged as a feature. A lot of the images I find around the web look like stuff that has been cut from this packaging.
The final fact in favor is that the characters look the same just a little washed out in the 99 cent version. As you can see from the images below. This has got to be the real thing, it just has got to be. And if it is not then you are only out a dollar.
Miyazaki`s Heidi -------- 99 Cent Mystery Heidi
Monday, December 20, 2004
Clueless in Germany
I just got this e-mail from some jerk in Germany. Hey read the blog. I said NO, I will not sell or give away my screeners to you, my friends, my students, or anybody else. Don`t ask. I am glad, glad, I say that they have tracking numbers on them because it cuts down on fools like this that ask me studid questions. I teach copyright law you fools don`t ask. Too bad the tracking numbers does not get rid of greedy fools completlely.
Here is you answer Oliver, NO!!!!!! If you want the swag then join ASIFA-Hollywood and then you can put up with fools wanting you to get yourself banned from the studio screener lists.
hi larry,
let me introduce myself: my name is oliver and i live in cologne, germany. i was seeking the web for a dvd screener of the incredibles and i suddenly saw that you wrote something about the dvd (having pic problems,whatever...). i know that im just an unimportant person out of millions on this world whos writing to you. anyway, im sure, that youre a nice person and so i wanted to ask you if theres a possibility for me to get one of those 3 the incredibles-dvd`s that you have from the asifa. dont worry, id surely pay you for that.
greetings from germany
oliver
Here is you answer Oliver, NO!!!!!! If you want the swag then join ASIFA-Hollywood and then you can put up with fools wanting you to get yourself banned from the studio screener lists.
DAY OF REMEMBRANCE!
I just got this copy from Tom Sito. I never miss this event. For the past 3 or 4 years my kids and I go together. I take notes and learn things that I can pass on to my students. It is not a sad event at all and I wouldn`t miss it for the world. * Larry Loc
IT'S THE HOLIDAY SEASON: parties, gifts, family- and time to plan to attend the 2005 DAY OF REMEMBRANCE! Okay, okay, I know going to a memorial is not everybody's idea of spending a fun-filled Saturday afternoon. But the Day of Remembrance was never conceived as a dreary funeral. It's a celebration of the lives and careers of some of animation`s most wonderful people.
It's not a religious service; it`s not in a church; nobody`s in black; frequently, there`s more laughter than tears. You don't have to be a family member or have some personal connection to attend. The event was created for friends and co-workers to share stories about their old friends. It`s the animation industry saying goodbye to some of its own. I`ve learned a lot over the years just by listening to old animators tell war stories of their careers. During these ceremonies, I've found it particularly interesting to hear about the things the honorees did besides animation.
In previous years we`ve heard about one animator who designed the board game Chutes & Ladders; He-Man layout man, Wes Hersenschonn, hung out one summer with Picasso and wrote a book, My Summer with Picasso; another artist was a drummer for the rock band the Turtles. Disney assistant, Dale Oliver, flew a
glider with the 82nd Airborne in the D-Day invasion. Bugs Bunny animator, Ben Washam, created the fat kid logo for Bob`s Big Boy. Still, another, had an award-winning collection of tropical pith helmets.
Among this year`s 45 honorees will be the Disney legends Frank Thomas, John Hcnch and Volus Jones; Kathrin Victor, who, when not doing the job of animation checker, starred in 60`s B movies like The Wild, Wild World of Batwoman; Dayton Allen, the voice of Heckle & Jeckle; announcer Jackson Beck who first said "Look! It`s a Bird! It`s a Plane! It`s Superman!" Mitsuteru Yokoyama the creator of Gigantor, And Donald Trumbull who was a major designer of the effects for 1977 STAR WARS and was the father of visual effects great Douglas Trumbull.
We honor all persons who were part of the animation world, from studio heads to ink & painters. The speakers are frequently the leaders of animation. Chuck Jones, Bill Stout, Arthur Davis, June Foray and many others have come to speak in the past.
At the end of the year we pause to recall those who left us and how much they meant to us. You are welcome to come to ASIFA/Hollywood, TAG 839 and WIA`s Day of Remembrance.
Tom Sito
IT'S THE HOLIDAY SEASON: parties, gifts, family- and time to plan to attend the 2005 DAY OF REMEMBRANCE! Okay, okay, I know going to a memorial is not everybody's idea of spending a fun-filled Saturday afternoon. But the Day of Remembrance was never conceived as a dreary funeral. It's a celebration of the lives and careers of some of animation`s most wonderful people.
It's not a religious service; it`s not in a church; nobody`s in black; frequently, there`s more laughter than tears. You don't have to be a family member or have some personal connection to attend. The event was created for friends and co-workers to share stories about their old friends. It`s the animation industry saying goodbye to some of its own. I`ve learned a lot over the years just by listening to old animators tell war stories of their careers. During these ceremonies, I've found it particularly interesting to hear about the things the honorees did besides animation.
In previous years we`ve heard about one animator who designed the board game Chutes & Ladders; He-Man layout man, Wes Hersenschonn, hung out one summer with Picasso and wrote a book, My Summer with Picasso; another artist was a drummer for the rock band the Turtles. Disney assistant, Dale Oliver, flew a
glider with the 82nd Airborne in the D-Day invasion. Bugs Bunny animator, Ben Washam, created the fat kid logo for Bob`s Big Boy. Still, another, had an award-winning collection of tropical pith helmets.
Among this year`s 45 honorees will be the Disney legends Frank Thomas, John Hcnch and Volus Jones; Kathrin Victor, who, when not doing the job of animation checker, starred in 60`s B movies like The Wild, Wild World of Batwoman; Dayton Allen, the voice of Heckle & Jeckle; announcer Jackson Beck who first said "Look! It`s a Bird! It`s a Plane! It`s Superman!" Mitsuteru Yokoyama the creator of Gigantor, And Donald Trumbull who was a major designer of the effects for 1977 STAR WARS and was the father of visual effects great Douglas Trumbull.
We honor all persons who were part of the animation world, from studio heads to ink & painters. The speakers are frequently the leaders of animation. Chuck Jones, Bill Stout, Arthur Davis, June Foray and many others have come to speak in the past.
At the end of the year we pause to recall those who left us and how much they meant to us. You are welcome to come to ASIFA/Hollywood, TAG 839 and WIA`s Day of Remembrance.
The food & drinks begin at 1:00PM and the speakers at 2:00PM. There is no admission and attire is better casual. You may laugh, you may tear up, but you most certainly will learn some new stuff. For more info check the ASIFA-Hollywood or the Animation Guild websites.
It will be held on Saturday, the 29th of January 2005
at the historic Hollywood Studio Museum,
aka the DeMille Lasky Barn where the first Hollywood movie was filmed.
Across the street from the Hollywood Bowl at
2100 N. Highland Blvd. in Hollywood.
Tom Sito
Sunday, December 19, 2004
Saturday, December 18, 2004
I have posted my last set of grades for the semester. Free at last, free at last! Now it is right on to Christmas. Speaking of which the ASIFA-Hollywood party was great. Couple hundred animators or so hanging out and talking about animation. I sang a few verses of Deck us all with Boston Charley to Rita Street, hung out with old friends, met new friends, proudly introduced around some of my students that were smart enough to get my message on networking.
I know I said that I would talk a little on the Brad Bird screening at a later date. (This being that later date) I lied. I re-read the stuff over on Animated News and they cover all the bases.
What I will do is pass on some insights from my History of Animation students from Cal State Fullerton. On the final I asked them to give me their favorite fun fact that they got from the class. Here is a sampling of their answers:
I know I said that I would talk a little on the Brad Bird screening at a later date. (This being that later date) I lied. I re-read the stuff over on Animated News and they cover all the bases.
What I will do is pass on some insights from my History of Animation students from Cal State Fullerton. On the final I asked them to give me their favorite fun fact that they got from the class. Here is a sampling of their answers:
- The voice of Boris Badinou was a narc (Paul Frees was not just a voice actor he was also an FBI Special Agent on the Hollywood narcotics squad)
- I learned that there is a Dark Side of the animation history. All the breach of contracts, the strikes, and the backstabbing. I also like the guest speakers that came.
- I`m not sure its really a fact but having Tom Sito come and speak on the strikes really gave us an opportunity to get an insiders point of view. I`ll never forget his pro union speech.
- The guest lecturers, I really enjoyed Tom Sito. I`d write down the paint lady`s name but I forgot what it was. (Martha Sigall)
- Learning about how the industry really works and that the Disney company wasn`t all happy and wonderful as they claimed to be.
- The animation industry was brutally serious! Walt Disney was not as heroic as I thought!
- Flintstones advertised cigarettes!
- That Betty Boop used to be a dog. (Betty was originally designed as a girlfriend for a cartoon dog named Bimbo back when Bimbo meant a tough or gangster)
- I really enjoyed seeing the cartoons that the animation studios and film companies deny ever making. The guest speakers were also amazing.
- All the back stabbing that goes on in this industry. Awesome. Also, I am a new fan of Karl Zeman. I need to get my hands on to Baron Munchhousen.
- Animation does not have to be done by Disney to kick ass! Hertzfeldt rocks! (I showed Rejected in class)
- That Walt Disney was not as charming as I thought he would be. He was a grumpy guy who many animators had mixed feeling about. Walt took things very personally like the strike but at times he can be a sweet man like when he paid for the hospital bills of one of his workers. (Walt left Al Zinnen on the payroll for a year and a half when Al was dying. He also paid for Al`s funeral. * source, Al`s nephew, one of my former students)
- That Speedy Gonzales was based off the animator Frank Gonzales.
- I was most fascinated by the pre Disney portion of the class. I learned a lot that I had not known before taking this course. I think it is good for animators and other in the same field to learn and know as much as possible about the history and heritage of the medium.
Rita Street, just back from Japan, doing something like a dance or maybe cleaning the floor? The party was very large. Steve Worth announced the gift to the archive of the complete Spumco library, black and white popeyes and all. How cool is that?
Friday, December 17, 2004
Incredibles with Brad Bird
Thursday night screening of the Incredibles with Brad Bird. We all get the sound track at the swag table
Rare shot of Brad without hat. You can see that he really is Buddy, I`m your biggest fan! I will not have time to talk about last night`s event until later because I had to close down 5 different classes today (grades etc.) at 2 different colleges. Until then Animation News has a nice report. Now it is off to the ASIFA-Hollywood party. Hope to see you there. I`ll have more on that later.
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Party Invite
Hello,
You're invited to ASIFA-Hollywood's annual Holiday party this
Friday, the 17th of December. It starts at 7:30 pm.
This is a special night because it's your first chance to take a look
at the new location in Burbank that will be the home of ASIFA's
Virtual Archive, Library and Exhibit Space. We have big plans...
Come on down and get the inside scoop!
Come hungry and ready to have fun. There will be plenty of food
and drinks, along with live music by Michael Sullivan. Everyone is
welcome, so bring all your friends.
Your hosts for this party are Jerry Beck, Antran Manoogian, Rita
Street and Steve Worth.
FREE FOOD AND DRINK! LIVE MUSIC! NEW DIGS!
For more info, see the ASIFA-Hollywood website...
http://www.asifa-hollywood.org
You're invited to ASIFA-Hollywood's annual Holiday party this
Friday, the 17th of December. It starts at 7:30 pm.
This is a special night because it's your first chance to take a look
at the new location in Burbank that will be the home of ASIFA's
Virtual Archive, Library and Exhibit Space. We have big plans...
Come on down and get the inside scoop!
Come hungry and ready to have fun. There will be plenty of food
and drinks, along with live music by Michael Sullivan. Everyone is
welcome, so bring all your friends.
Your hosts for this party are Jerry Beck, Antran Manoogian, Rita
Street and Steve Worth.
FREE FOOD AND DRINK! LIVE MUSIC! NEW DIGS!
ASIFA-Hollywood Holiday Party
December 17th 7:30 pm
At the NEW ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Center
2114 Burbank Bl
Four blocks East of Buena Vista (near Chili John's!)
For more info, see the ASIFA-Hollywood website...
http://www.asifa-hollywood.org
I`ve talked about The Space Explorers film that Fred Ladd did before. I just got this e-mail talking about how much this film impacted some young viewer. What we do as animators effects those that come after us. Something to think about before you pick up the pencil.
Chuck Scholtz
www.thespaceexplorers.com/guestbook.html
Alive and well. Chuck in Frankfurt.
Larry, I've told you how the kid who played "Jimmy" in "The Space Explorers" grew up to be a big shot with NASA. I thought you might enjoy seeing today's message about others who saw that show when they were kids..and how they feel about it today. (Don't ask me how they disccovered Chuck's web site..'cause I have no idea!)
- Fred Ladd
Chuck Scholtz
www.thespaceexplorers.com/guestbook.html
Alive and well. Chuck in Frankfurt.
Taught my last session of Animaiton History for this semester at Cal State Fullerton. Didn`t get to show as many oddball cartoons as I wanted to. Never enough time. All and all a very good class. Had a lot of fun.
Monday, December 13, 2004
Matt Groening joins Brad Bird at ASIFA-Hollywood screening of the incredibles. Jerry Beck is reporting that Matt is joining Brad at this Thursdays screening at the Writers Guild Theater: cartoonbrew. For more info on the screening go to asifa-hollywood.org or scroll down this page.
Sunday, December 12, 2004
David Derks, one of the hardest working members of the ASIFA-Hollywood Executive Board, has been putting in some hours over at the Annie Award web site. Especially in the awards database area: http://www.annieawards.com/database.htm.
He is not done yet but he has listed all the winners back to 1997 and has the feature winners pictured back to 1992. Good work David.
He is not done yet but he has listed all the winners back to 1997 and has the feature winners pictured back to 1992. Good work David.
Saturday, December 11, 2004
I am back from Silverado Canyon Craft Fair. I sold most of my monster musicboxes and the last Gigantor 40th Anniversary T-shirts left over from last year`s Fred Ladd presentation at Comic Con. (I finally broke even on those shirts Fred and even made a little for ASIFA at last year`s comic con so everything is cool).
You know something Fred, there are some people in Silverado Canyon that sure love your work. I had someone wanting to know where she could get a Kimba T-shirt. I know you don`t have the rights to that but you sure started something when you started bringing early Anime over here and there are a lot of people who still love the early stuff.
Next week I have 2 colleges ending their semesters and then the Brad Bird showing on Thursday and the ASIFA party on Friday. Going to be busy. More later.
You know something Fred, there are some people in Silverado Canyon that sure love your work. I had someone wanting to know where she could get a Kimba T-shirt. I know you don`t have the rights to that but you sure started something when you started bringing early Anime over here and there are a lot of people who still love the early stuff.
Next week I have 2 colleges ending their semesters and then the Brad Bird showing on Thursday and the ASIFA party on Friday. Going to be busy. More later.
I'm off to the Silverado Canyon Craft Fair today. A very un-animation type place where I will try to sell t-shirts and hand crafted knifes, and homemade candy, and musicboxes painted like classic Universal movie monsters.
Friday, December 10, 2004
Just finished editing the Martha & Sol Interview DVD. It is hand held with some real jerky movement but the info and Sol & Martha are great. It is only for my use and the use of the school and of course I am sending Martha & Sol a copy and will put one in the ASIFA archives. I had fun doing the cover.
Pixar Sends Incredibles Script to ASIFA-Hollywood Members
The other day I told you that something was coming that was way cool. Here it is, a bound copy of the script of the Incredibles. Pixar is making this a very nice Christmas around my house.
The other day I told you that something was coming that was way cool. Here it is, a bound copy of the script of the Incredibles. Pixar is making this a very nice Christmas around my house.
Okay, time for me to eat some words. Back in October I mouthed off on how un-useable Disney's "On the Front Lines" DVD is in a classroom setting with limited time. over-protective-on-front-lines
I believe everything I said then is still true, the user interface is hard to use, they force you to watch a disclaimer before each cartoon but Jerry Beck put me into the right prospective when he said that he doesn`t care who he has to listen to for what kind of disclaimer before getting to watch Education For Death. He`s just glad that they opened the vault.
He`s right, he`s right. The only way to see the stuff on this DVD use to be to find a bootleg 16mm print up some dark alley.
This year ASIFA-Hollywood is giving a Special Achievement award to Disney's "On the Front Lines" DVD.
The things on this disk set are amazing. My god, Victory Through Air Power. I didn`t have that before. And this film may have changed the very outcome of the war. It shifted the US war effort from Sea Power to Air Power.
And Der Feuhrer`s Face, before this disk all that we could find out there is Milt Neal on Cartoons at War talking about this Oscar(R) winning short animation.
I`m sorry for badmouthing the interface with its forced disclaimers. I was just mad that I couldn`t show my class more of the treasures from the Disney vault. I should be grateful like Jerry just to see these films to have them to show my students. And if I am going to have to set through a disclaimer to get to the good stuff then Leonard Maltin is the guy I would chose to listen to.
This is a great set of disks and Disney done good! (sic) Thanks for opening the vaults guys.
Thursday, December 09, 2004
I hear tell that another package is in the mail for ASIFA-Hollywood members. I promised not to tell what it is or even who it is from but it is so very cool.
I know that this is a nah, nah, nah, nah, nah I know something and you don`t kind of message. But it is so, so, very cool. Keep an eye on your mailbox.
I know that this is a nah, nah, nah, nah, nah I know something and you don`t kind of message. But it is so, so, very cool. Keep an eye on your mailbox.
I just discovered this cool Pixar Animation Blog http://pixaranimation.blogspot.com/. The first thing I see when I click in is a scan of the Incredibles DVD case that I posted here last Monday with a link back to this ASIFA blog. I guess people really are reading my blog. And here I am setting in my pajamas thinking that I am pontificating to myself. I think maybe I should go comb my beard before I blog again.
Martha and Sol Interview
Digital video is such a great thing. It just snuck up on us or at least me. Back in October I had Sol and Martha Sigall in as guest speakers at my Cal State Fullerton History of animation class.
I am currently editing down the tapes and yesterday I burned the first DVD of their interview. Last night when I came home from teaching at another college I popped in the disk and there they were.
Of course there I was too but that is another story. I think Brad Bird directed that one. Now all I have to do is get out to a train yard and get in shape by lifting a few boxcars.
Digital video is such a great thing. It just snuck up on us or at least me. Back in October I had Sol and Martha Sigall in as guest speakers at my Cal State Fullerton History of animation class.
I am currently editing down the tapes and yesterday I burned the first DVD of their interview. Last night when I came home from teaching at another college I popped in the disk and there they were.
Of course there I was too but that is another story. I think Brad Bird directed that one. Now all I have to do is get out to a train yard and get in shape by lifting a few boxcars.
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
This Year`s June Foray Winner
ASIFA likes to honor the living but some times we just can`t. We get there too late. Bill Moritz left us far too soon. This man was too important to go quietly into that goodnight. To find out more about the life of this great friend to animtion follow this link: http://www.deneroff.com/Commentary/2004/0402.htm
ASIFA likes to honor the living but some times we just can`t. We get there too late. Bill Moritz left us far too soon. This man was too important to go quietly into that goodnight. To find out more about the life of this great friend to animtion follow this link: http://www.deneroff.com/Commentary/2004/0402.htm
I have not posted anything on the up coming ASIFA party for a week or two. We are getting closer to the day and I thought I would give you another heads up.
December 17th, 2004 - 7:30pm
ASIFA-Hollywood cordially invites you to its annual XMAS PARTY!
The International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, will be holding its annual animated Xmas Party at the new ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Center in Burbank on Friday December 17th. Refreshments will be served. All are invited.
This will also be the first public viewing of our new headquarters in Burbank. Before we move our archives, library and offices into the space, while it's still empty, it's a perfect place for a Holiday Season bash!
Live music! Food! Cartoons! Fun!
Join us!
December 17th, 2004 - 7:30pm
The New ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Center
2114 Burbank Blvd.
Burbank (4 blocks east of Buena Vista on the South side of the street)
December 17th, 2004 - 7:30pm
ASIFA-Hollywood cordially invites you to its annual XMAS PARTY!
The International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, will be holding its annual animated Xmas Party at the new ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Center in Burbank on Friday December 17th. Refreshments will be served. All are invited.
This will also be the first public viewing of our new headquarters in Burbank. Before we move our archives, library and offices into the space, while it's still empty, it's a perfect place for a Holiday Season bash!
Live music! Food! Cartoons! Fun!
Join us!
December 17th, 2004 - 7:30pm
The New ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Center
2114 Burbank Blvd.
Burbank (4 blocks east of Buena Vista on the South side of the street)
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
I just got off the phone with Rob Ankor at Techicolor, the people that created and shipped the screeners for Pixar`s Incredibles. It is really nice for a change to deal with a company that knows the meaning of customer service.
That`s cool, that`s friendly.
(rant) Why can`t my bank be this cool? They have my money and I can`t get an answer out of them without a pack of lawyers and hellhounds. The banks of the world could sure use a lesson in manners from folks like Techicolor. (/rant)
So here is the skinny from Rob. The DVD screeners they send out are DVD R`s. Each one is burned separately. This makes sense. How else are they going to put a tracking code on each disk. (Don't lend it to your friends)
This means that there is going to be a small percent that are defective. But most of the problems come from compatibility issues stemming from the nature of a DVD R. Some systems just will not play them. So if you are having trouble with your screener try it on a couple of systems. A least you will know if it is the system or the disk.
Whatever the reason is that you can`t view your screener, Techicolor will replace it. Just call their toll free number 1-800-993-4567 and then select option #2. You will get to a real live human.
They will ask you for your tracking number from the shipping package, what guild you are a member of, your name, and maybe what type of DVD player you have. If you want the screener in VHS they can do that too.
They told me that they would work on it until you got a screener that will play. I believe them too. I just wish my bank would say anything like that when I call with a problem.
Sure, we will replace it right now. Oh, you need to ask a question about general replacement policy. Here is the number.
That`s cool, that`s friendly.
(rant) Why can`t my bank be this cool? They have my money and I can`t get an answer out of them without a pack of lawyers and hellhounds. The banks of the world could sure use a lesson in manners from folks like Techicolor. (/rant)
So here is the skinny from Rob. The DVD screeners they send out are DVD R`s. Each one is burned separately. This makes sense. How else are they going to put a tracking code on each disk. (Don't lend it to your friends)
This means that there is going to be a small percent that are defective. But most of the problems come from compatibility issues stemming from the nature of a DVD R. Some systems just will not play them. So if you are having trouble with your screener try it on a couple of systems. A least you will know if it is the system or the disk.
Whatever the reason is that you can`t view your screener, Techicolor will replace it. Just call their toll free number 1-800-993-4567 and then select option #2. You will get to a real live human.
They will ask you for your tracking number from the shipping package, what guild you are a member of, your name, and maybe what type of DVD player you have. If you want the screener in VHS they can do that too.
They told me that they would work on it until you got a screener that will play. I believe them too. I just wish my bank would say anything like that when I call with a problem.
Incredibles Screener Poblems?
There are 3 members of ASIFA-Hollywood in my family. That means that 3 Pixar packages came to my door yesterday. The problem is that my daughter`s DVD of the Incredibles will not play at all. My disk and my son`s disk are fine but Raven`s disk comes up with a DISK ERROR.
I don`t want to look at any gift horse mouths. The Incredibles screener was an incredibly nice gesture on the part of Pixar. I know that they really had to rush the production of this screener to get it out to the membership of ASIFA and other Award voting guilds.
So there are 3 of us with disks in my house and 1 DVD player. No problem until my daughter goes away to school or something. Then I got the following e-mail from a friend.
My question now is are these isolated incidents? If anybody else has had problems with this pressing of the Incredibles screener please let me know at: larry@agni-animation.com
I can`t promise anything to anybody but if there are a lot of bad disks I will look into it and see if anything can be done.
More News on Screener Troubles From Steve, Long Time ASIFA Volunteer:
More Info:
I don`t want to look at any gift horse mouths. The Incredibles screener was an incredibly nice gesture on the part of Pixar. I know that they really had to rush the production of this screener to get it out to the membership of ASIFA and other Award voting guilds.
So there are 3 of us with disks in my house and 1 DVD player. No problem until my daughter goes away to school or something. Then I got the following e-mail from a friend.
Hi Larry,
As an ASIFA member I am now a very proud owner of an Incredibles screener DVD.
However I`m bummed to say that the quality on this particular disc is really bad. Its got pixles flying all over the place and the audio is skipping out, I've checked various chapters but no luck, still a mess. I plan to contact the company that sent the DVD out but just wanted to give you a heads up should other ASIFA members receive bad discs. I hope not.
Sorry to bother you with this but you`re the goto guy.
I hope I can get a disc to replace this one but at the same time I've seen
the movie three times and on the 16th it will be my fourth sitting.
Cheers.
My question now is are these isolated incidents? If anybody else has had problems with this pressing of the Incredibles screener please let me know at: larry@agni-animation.com
I can`t promise anything to anybody but if there are a lot of bad disks I will look into it and see if anything can be done.
More News on Screener Troubles From Steve, Long Time ASIFA Volunteer:
I will see what can be done about this and post it here.
Nope, you and the other people aren't alone. I had to get a fresh one myself after a quick check. Tried mine in three different machines and none of them could read it. Ah well. That's what you get when you do a rush job....
Steve Gattuso
More Info:
Hi Larry,I tried my daughter`s DVD on both my player and a couple at work. Even tried a computer DVD and still nothing. DISK ERROR. So I will be making that call myself.
I had a very pleasant conversation with the people at Technicolor in regards to the disc not playing correctly. They asked for all my information and what kind of player I was using. They plan to send me out a new disc. If people should contact you I think its safe to point them in the direction of the security number that comes with the DVD its 909-974-2290,. They will need to say their a member of ASIFA Hollywood, Name, tracking number from the shipping label and what kind of DVD player they are using.
Now on a side note I tried a DVD player at work and it looks fine so maybe if people try a different player it will work fine. Maybe some DVD players are not compatible with the screener?
Thanks again Larry.
...Ira
Monday, December 06, 2004
Membership has it privileges
I love being a member of ASIFA-Hollywood. I was just taking a bath and the postman came to the door. As luck would have it my wife was home to answer the door and then she brings me in this package.
Sure the DVD has an anti-piracy water mark that can be traced right back to me and then Mickey and his lawyers will show up and brand a letter P into my forehead.
So I can`t let anybody borrow the disk. Good, now I have an easy out when they ask. I never let anybody borrow my Iron Giant tape when I had it 6 months before the video release. But I did have to took an awful lot of flack from people who wanted to. I don`t have to take the flack anymore.
I like this anti-piracy system much better than last year when they just did`t send out any movies and we had to guess when it came to voting.
I love being a member of ASIFA-Hollywood. I was just taking a bath and the postman came to the door. As luck would have it my wife was home to answer the door and then she brings me in this package.
Sure the DVD has an anti-piracy water mark that can be traced right back to me and then Mickey and his lawyers will show up and brand a letter P into my forehead.
So I can`t let anybody borrow the disk. Good, now I have an easy out when they ask. I never let anybody borrow my Iron Giant tape when I had it 6 months before the video release. But I did have to took an awful lot of flack from people who wanted to. I don`t have to take the flack anymore.
I like this anti-piracy system much better than last year when they just did`t send out any movies and we had to guess when it came to voting.
2004 ANNIE AWARD NOMINATIONS
Just got this e-mail so I guess it is time to post the:
2004 ANNIE AWARD NOMINATIONS BY CATEGORY
PRODUCTION CATEGORIES
Best Animated Feature
Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence - Go Fish Pictures
The Incredibles - Pixar Animation Studios
Shrek 2 - DreamWorks Animation
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie - Peanut Worm Productions
Best Home Entertainment Production
The Lion King 1 1/2 - DisneyToon Studios
Mickey, Donald & Goofy "The Three Musketeers" - DisneyToon Studios
Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster - Warner Bros. Animation
Best Animated Short Subject
Agricultural Report - Barley Films
It's The Cat - Mark Kausler
Lorenzo - Walt Disney Pictures
Rockfish - Blur Studio
Ryan/Copper Heart Entertainment - Nat'l Film Board of Canada
Best Animated Television Commercial
Looney Tunes AFLCA - Warner Bros. Animation
Nintendo Freeboy - Asylum
Quaker Chewy Bars Three Bears - Hornet Inc.
Reebok - Blur Studio
United Airlines Interview - Acme Filmworks
Best Animated Television Production
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends - Cartoon Network Studios
My Life As A Teenage - Frederator/Nickelodeon
SpongeBob SquarePants - Nickelodeon
Star Wars: Clone Wars - Cartoon Network Studios
The Batman - Warner Bros. Animation
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES
Animated Effects
Scott Cegielski - "Shark Tale"
Hisashi Ezura - "Ghost In The Shell 2"
Matt Hausman - "The Polar Express"
Martin Nguyen - "The Incredibles"
Jonathon Gibbs - Shrek 2
Character Animation
Ken Duncan - "Shark Tale"
John Kahrs - "The Incredibles"
Angus MacLane - "The Incredibles"
Peter Sohn - "The Incredibles"
Kureha Yokoo - "The Incredibles"
Character Design in an Animated Feature Production
Tony Fucile - "The Incredibles"
Carlos Grangel - "Shark Tale"
Joe Moshier - "Home on the Range"
Teddy Newton - "The Incredibles"
Character Design in an Animated Television Production
Ben Balistreri - The Fairly OddParents "Crash Nebula"
Shakeh Haghnazarian - "Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi"
Patrick Mat'e - "Father of the Pride"
Lynn Naylor-Reccardi/Pilot "House of Bloo's" Foster's Home for Imaginary
Friends
Chris Reccardi - Powerpuff Girls - "West in Pieces"
Directing in an Animated Feature Production
Andrew Adamson, Conrad Vernon & Kelly Ashbury - "Shrek 2"
Brad Bird - "The Incredibles"
Will Finn & John Sanford - "Home on the Range"
Stephen Hillenburg - "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie"
Mamoru Oshi - "Ghost in the Shell 2"
Directing in an Animated Television Production
Keith Alcorn - "The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius - Love Potion
#976/3"
Shaun Cashman & Phil Cummings - "Attack of the Clowns"
Eric Pringle - Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends - "Who Let The Dogs In"
Brian Sheesley - "Nursery Crimes"
Genndy Tartakovsky - Samurai Jack - "Tale of X-49"
Music in an Animated Feature Production
Michael Giacchino - "The Incredibles"
Harry Gregson-Williams - "Shrek 2"
Don Harper, Martin Erskine & Seth J. Friedman - "The Lion King
1 1/2"
Kenji Kawai - "Ghost in the Shell 2"
Gregor Narholz - "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie"
Music in an Animated Television Production
Steve D'Angelo & Terry Tompkins - "Peep"
Jeff Danna & Steve Sullivan - "Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends"
Yoko Kanno - "Wolf's Rain"
Robert J. Kral - "Duck Dodgers"
Production Design in an Animated Feature Production
Lou Romano - The Incredibles
Pierre-Olivier Vincent - Shark Tale
Sam Michlap - Shark Tale
Armand Balthazar - Shark Tale
Scott Fassett - Winnie the Pooh, Springtime with Roo
Production Design in an Animated Television Production
RIchard Daskas, - Samurai Jack "Season of Death"
Michael Giaimo - Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi "Episode 1"
Alex Kirwan, - "My Life As A Teenage Robot"
John Over - "Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks"
Mark Whiting - "Duck Dodgers"
Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production
Chen-Yi Chang - "Home on the Range"
Ted Mathot - "The Incredibles"
Kevin O'Brien - "The Incredibles"
Chris Otsuki - "Winnie The Pooh: Springtime with Roo"
Conrad Vernon - "Shrek 2"
Storyboarding in an Animated Television Production
Alex Basio - Atomic Betty - "Spindly Tam Kanushu"
Wendy Grieb - Disney's Dave the Barbarian - "The Maddening Sprite of the
Stump"
Adam Van Wyk - He Man & The Masters of the Universe - "Awaken the Serpent"
Rossen Varbanov - Disney's Brandy and Mr. Whiskers - "To The Moon, Whiskers"
Matthew Youngberg - Teen Titans - "Haunted"
Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production
Tony Anselmo - Voice of Donald Duck - Mickey, Donald & Goofy "The Three
Musketeers"
Antonio Banderas - Voice of Puss in Boots "Shrek 2"
Brad Bird - Voice of Edna Mode "The Incredibles"
Samuel L. Jackson - Voice of Lucius Best/Frozone "The Incredibles"
Rob Paulsen - Voice of The Troubadour - Mickey, Donald & Goofy "The Three
Musketeers"
Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production
Maile Flanagan - Voice of Piggley "Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks"
Carolyn Lawrence - Voice of Cindy Vortex "The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron,
Boy Genius"
Candi Milo - Voice of Mrs. Wakeman "My Life As A Teenage Robot"
Brittany Murphy - Voice of Luane Platter - King of the Hill - "Girl, You'll
Be A Giant Soon"
Russi Taylor - Voice of Ferny "Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks"
Writing in an Animated Feature Production
Andrew Adamson, Joe Stillman, David J. Stern and David N. Weiss - "Shrek 2"
Brad Bird - "The Incredibles"
Michael J. Wilson & Rob Letterman - "Shark Tale"
Writing in an Animated Television Production
Etan Cohen, - King of the Hill "Ceci N'est Pas Line"
Lauren Faust, - Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends "World Wide Wabbit"
Evan Gore & Heather Gore - Disney's Dave the Barbarian - "Ned Frischman: Man
of Tomorrow"
Butch Hartman & Steve Marmel - The FairlyOddParents "Channel Chasers"
Brandon Sawyer - Disney's Brandy and Mr. Whiskers "Cyranosaurus Rex"
JURIED AWARDS
June Foray Award - Significant and benevolent or charitable impact on the art
and industry of animation.
Bill Moritz
Winsor McCay Award - Recognition of lifetime or career contributions to the
art of animation.
Don Bluth, Virginia Davis and Arnold Stang
Ub Iwerks Award
Dr. Ed Catmull
Special Achievement
Disney's "On the Front Lines" DVD
Certificate of Merit
DreamWorks Animation SKG
Sivert Glarum
2004 ANNIE AWARD NOMINATIONS BY CATEGORY
PRODUCTION CATEGORIES
Best Animated Feature
Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence - Go Fish Pictures
The Incredibles - Pixar Animation Studios
Shrek 2 - DreamWorks Animation
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie - Peanut Worm Productions
Best Home Entertainment Production
The Lion King 1 1/2 - DisneyToon Studios
Mickey, Donald & Goofy "The Three Musketeers" - DisneyToon Studios
Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster - Warner Bros. Animation
Best Animated Short Subject
Agricultural Report - Barley Films
It's The Cat - Mark Kausler
Lorenzo - Walt Disney Pictures
Rockfish - Blur Studio
Ryan/Copper Heart Entertainment - Nat'l Film Board of Canada
Best Animated Television Commercial
Looney Tunes AFLCA - Warner Bros. Animation
Nintendo Freeboy - Asylum
Quaker Chewy Bars Three Bears - Hornet Inc.
Reebok - Blur Studio
United Airlines Interview - Acme Filmworks
Best Animated Television Production
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends - Cartoon Network Studios
My Life As A Teenage - Frederator/Nickelodeon
SpongeBob SquarePants - Nickelodeon
Star Wars: Clone Wars - Cartoon Network Studios
The Batman - Warner Bros. Animation
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES
Animated Effects
Scott Cegielski - "Shark Tale"
Hisashi Ezura - "Ghost In The Shell 2"
Matt Hausman - "The Polar Express"
Martin Nguyen - "The Incredibles"
Jonathon Gibbs - Shrek 2
Character Animation
Ken Duncan - "Shark Tale"
John Kahrs - "The Incredibles"
Angus MacLane - "The Incredibles"
Peter Sohn - "The Incredibles"
Kureha Yokoo - "The Incredibles"
Character Design in an Animated Feature Production
Tony Fucile - "The Incredibles"
Carlos Grangel - "Shark Tale"
Joe Moshier - "Home on the Range"
Teddy Newton - "The Incredibles"
Character Design in an Animated Television Production
Ben Balistreri - The Fairly OddParents "Crash Nebula"
Shakeh Haghnazarian - "Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi"
Patrick Mat'e - "Father of the Pride"
Lynn Naylor-Reccardi/Pilot "House of Bloo's" Foster's Home for Imaginary
Friends
Chris Reccardi - Powerpuff Girls - "West in Pieces"
Directing in an Animated Feature Production
Andrew Adamson, Conrad Vernon & Kelly Ashbury - "Shrek 2"
Brad Bird - "The Incredibles"
Will Finn & John Sanford - "Home on the Range"
Stephen Hillenburg - "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie"
Mamoru Oshi - "Ghost in the Shell 2"
Directing in an Animated Television Production
Keith Alcorn - "The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius - Love Potion
#976/3"
Shaun Cashman & Phil Cummings - "Attack of the Clowns"
Eric Pringle - Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends - "Who Let The Dogs In"
Brian Sheesley - "Nursery Crimes"
Genndy Tartakovsky - Samurai Jack - "Tale of X-49"
Music in an Animated Feature Production
Michael Giacchino - "The Incredibles"
Harry Gregson-Williams - "Shrek 2"
Don Harper, Martin Erskine & Seth J. Friedman - "The Lion King
1 1/2"
Kenji Kawai - "Ghost in the Shell 2"
Gregor Narholz - "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie"
Music in an Animated Television Production
Steve D'Angelo & Terry Tompkins - "Peep"
Jeff Danna & Steve Sullivan - "Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends"
Yoko Kanno - "Wolf's Rain"
Robert J. Kral - "Duck Dodgers"
Production Design in an Animated Feature Production
Lou Romano - The Incredibles
Pierre-Olivier Vincent - Shark Tale
Sam Michlap - Shark Tale
Armand Balthazar - Shark Tale
Scott Fassett - Winnie the Pooh, Springtime with Roo
Production Design in an Animated Television Production
RIchard Daskas, - Samurai Jack "Season of Death"
Michael Giaimo - Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi "Episode 1"
Alex Kirwan, - "My Life As A Teenage Robot"
John Over - "Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks"
Mark Whiting - "Duck Dodgers"
Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production
Chen-Yi Chang - "Home on the Range"
Ted Mathot - "The Incredibles"
Kevin O'Brien - "The Incredibles"
Chris Otsuki - "Winnie The Pooh: Springtime with Roo"
Conrad Vernon - "Shrek 2"
Storyboarding in an Animated Television Production
Alex Basio - Atomic Betty - "Spindly Tam Kanushu"
Wendy Grieb - Disney's Dave the Barbarian - "The Maddening Sprite of the
Stump"
Adam Van Wyk - He Man & The Masters of the Universe - "Awaken the Serpent"
Rossen Varbanov - Disney's Brandy and Mr. Whiskers - "To The Moon, Whiskers"
Matthew Youngberg - Teen Titans - "Haunted"
Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production
Tony Anselmo - Voice of Donald Duck - Mickey, Donald & Goofy "The Three
Musketeers"
Antonio Banderas - Voice of Puss in Boots "Shrek 2"
Brad Bird - Voice of Edna Mode "The Incredibles"
Samuel L. Jackson - Voice of Lucius Best/Frozone "The Incredibles"
Rob Paulsen - Voice of The Troubadour - Mickey, Donald & Goofy "The Three
Musketeers"
Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production
Maile Flanagan - Voice of Piggley "Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks"
Carolyn Lawrence - Voice of Cindy Vortex "The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron,
Boy Genius"
Candi Milo - Voice of Mrs. Wakeman "My Life As A Teenage Robot"
Brittany Murphy - Voice of Luane Platter - King of the Hill - "Girl, You'll
Be A Giant Soon"
Russi Taylor - Voice of Ferny "Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks"
Writing in an Animated Feature Production
Andrew Adamson, Joe Stillman, David J. Stern and David N. Weiss - "Shrek 2"
Brad Bird - "The Incredibles"
Michael J. Wilson & Rob Letterman - "Shark Tale"
Writing in an Animated Television Production
Etan Cohen, - King of the Hill "Ceci N'est Pas Line"
Lauren Faust, - Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends "World Wide Wabbit"
Evan Gore & Heather Gore - Disney's Dave the Barbarian - "Ned Frischman: Man
of Tomorrow"
Butch Hartman & Steve Marmel - The FairlyOddParents "Channel Chasers"
Brandon Sawyer - Disney's Brandy and Mr. Whiskers "Cyranosaurus Rex"
JURIED AWARDS
June Foray Award - Significant and benevolent or charitable impact on the art
and industry of animation.
Bill Moritz
Winsor McCay Award - Recognition of lifetime or career contributions to the
art of animation.
Don Bluth, Virginia Davis and Arnold Stang
Ub Iwerks Award
Dr. Ed Catmull
Special Achievement
Disney's "On the Front Lines" DVD
Certificate of Merit
DreamWorks Animation SKG
Sivert Glarum
32nd Annual Annie Awards Announced Today
In 1973 Ed Catmull digitized a casting of his hand and animated the 3D computer model scanned from that cast. In the process he ripped all the hair of his hand when it became stuck in the plaster he used to mold his model. He has had his hairless hand in computer graphics ever since. Dr. Ed Catmull earned a bachelor of science degree in both physics and computer science and a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Utah.
In 1974 Ed Catmull had just finished his Ph.D. at Utah and taken a job at Applicon, a CAD/CAM company when he was approached to head up the Computer Graphics Laboratory (CGL) at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT).
Joining with other graduates from the University of Utah and researchers fresh from Xerox`s famed Palo Alto Research Center Dr. Catmull was the midwife to the young computer graphics industry.
Many of the things we graphic computer artist take for granted today were created at CGL NYIT under the supervision of Ed Catmull, the RGB paint program, networked computer systems, the alpha channel (which he co-authored with Alvy Ray Smith) and his ground breaking Tween program.
In 1979 Dr. Catmull brought his expertise to the film industry as Vice President of the computer division of Lucasfilm, Ltd. where he managed development efforts in the areas of computer graphics, video editing, video games and digital audio.
In 1986 Steve Jobs purchased the computer division of Lucasfilm and with Ed Catmull founded Pixar. Dr. Catmull was named Vice President and Chef Technical Officer of the new computer animaton studio. Ed Catmull is still the CTO at the famed Emmeryville animaton studio but he has moved up to be the President of Pixar.
He is a key developer of RenderMan, Pixar`s Academy Award-winning computer digital effects program. His is the invisible hand always behind Woody, Gerry, Nemo, Mr. Incredible and all the other Pixar characters and magic we love so much.
Dr. Catmull has won 3 Oscars (R) for his technical advancements of the art and science of film making. He has received the ACM SIGGRAPH Steven Anson Coons Award for his lifetime contributions to computer graphics. And this year on Sunday, January 30th at the 32nd Annual Annie Awards at the Alex Thearter in Glendale, ASIFA-Hollywood takes great pleasure in honoring Dr. Edwin Catmull with the Ub Iwerks Lifetime Award for Technical Advancement in the Art of Animation.
For a complete listing of all of the winners of the juried awards and a slate of nominations being placed before the voting membership of ASIFA-Hollywood for this year`s Annie Awards please go to http://www.annieawards.com
In 1973 Ed Catmull digitized a casting of his hand and animated the 3D computer model scanned from that cast. In the process he ripped all the hair of his hand when it became stuck in the plaster he used to mold his model. He has had his hairless hand in computer graphics ever since. Dr. Ed Catmull earned a bachelor of science degree in both physics and computer science and a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Utah.
In 1974 Ed Catmull had just finished his Ph.D. at Utah and taken a job at Applicon, a CAD/CAM company when he was approached to head up the Computer Graphics Laboratory (CGL) at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT).
Joining with other graduates from the University of Utah and researchers fresh from Xerox`s famed Palo Alto Research Center Dr. Catmull was the midwife to the young computer graphics industry.
Many of the things we graphic computer artist take for granted today were created at CGL NYIT under the supervision of Ed Catmull, the RGB paint program, networked computer systems, the alpha channel (which he co-authored with Alvy Ray Smith) and his ground breaking Tween program.
In 1979 Dr. Catmull brought his expertise to the film industry as Vice President of the computer division of Lucasfilm, Ltd. where he managed development efforts in the areas of computer graphics, video editing, video games and digital audio.
In 1986 Steve Jobs purchased the computer division of Lucasfilm and with Ed Catmull founded Pixar. Dr. Catmull was named Vice President and Chef Technical Officer of the new computer animaton studio. Ed Catmull is still the CTO at the famed Emmeryville animaton studio but he has moved up to be the President of Pixar.
He is a key developer of RenderMan, Pixar`s Academy Award-winning computer digital effects program. His is the invisible hand always behind Woody, Gerry, Nemo, Mr. Incredible and all the other Pixar characters and magic we love so much.
Dr. Catmull has won 3 Oscars (R) for his technical advancements of the art and science of film making. He has received the ACM SIGGRAPH Steven Anson Coons Award for his lifetime contributions to computer graphics. And this year on Sunday, January 30th at the 32nd Annual Annie Awards at the Alex Thearter in Glendale, ASIFA-Hollywood takes great pleasure in honoring Dr. Edwin Catmull with the Ub Iwerks Lifetime Award for Technical Advancement in the Art of Animation.
For a complete listing of all of the winners of the juried awards and a slate of nominations being placed before the voting membership of ASIFA-Hollywood for this year`s Annie Awards please go to http://www.annieawards.com
Saturday, December 04, 2004
Fred and Wilma Light Up the Small Screen
Jerry Beck over at cartoonbrew posted a picture of Peter Pan and told everybody he is busy finishing up a couple of books. I know just how he feels. I`m spending my weekend updating my gradebooks and writing tests.
He ends up with books that he can be proud of and I end up with students I can be proud of. I don`t know who has the better deal. Strangely I can`t wait to read his Pink Panther book but I really doubt that he wants to read any of my students.
Here is a screen grab from a commercial from the first prime time TV animation. Yes, this is real. Fred and Wilma sold cigarettes on their show.
Jerry Beck over at cartoonbrew posted a picture of Peter Pan and told everybody he is busy finishing up a couple of books. I know just how he feels. I`m spending my weekend updating my gradebooks and writing tests.
He ends up with books that he can be proud of and I end up with students I can be proud of. I don`t know who has the better deal. Strangely I can`t wait to read his Pink Panther book but I really doubt that he wants to read any of my students.
Here is a screen grab from a commercial from the first prime time TV animation. Yes, this is real. Fred and Wilma sold cigarettes on their show.
Friday, December 03, 2004
The Boys From West Wallaby St.
Anybody that knows me knows what a big fan I am of Wallace and Gromit. Nick Park is god, breathing life into clay on a daily bases.
Coming Soon has a piece on the new feature length adventures of the boys from West Wallaby Street. Park bless Dreamworks for supporting such great animation.
Wallace and Gromit
Anybody that knows me knows what a big fan I am of Wallace and Gromit. Nick Park is god, breathing life into clay on a daily bases.
Coming Soon has a piece on the new feature length adventures of the boys from West Wallaby Street. Park bless Dreamworks for supporting such great animation.
Wallace and Gromit
Thursday, December 02, 2004
It is that time of year again. I just renewed my ASIFA-Hollywood membership. That means that I just received my new membership card. I always stop and think when I get the letter about the other card that comes along with it. The International ASIFA membership card.
I like the idea that part of my dues go to the International Chapter. There is a certain one note quality to Hollywood animation. Don’t get me wrong, I love Hollywood animation. But sometimes you need more in your diet then just one food group.
I always flip over my new International ASIFA card and read the back.
All foreign cinematographic artist or
scientific authorities and institutions
are requested to give the bearer protection
in case of need.
It is good to remember that in some countries it is a dangerous political act to make film and animation. I think it is good to remember that art has often been a dangerous political act even in our own country and may well be so again.
When Brad Bird had to cancel his appearance at the ASIFA-Hollywood screening of the Incredibles he promised to make it up to us. Brad is not only one of the major animation talents of our generation he is also a man of his word.
There will be a Screening of the Incredibles with a Brad Bird Q and A and a dissert buffet to follow, on Thursday December 16th at the Writers Guild Theater.
The RSVP number is 818-295-5213
I`ve already called mine in before I posted this. Hey, I love you guys but not enough to cut my throat on this one.
There will be a Screening of the Incredibles with a Brad Bird Q and A and a dissert buffet to follow, on Thursday December 16th at the Writers Guild Theater.
The RSVP number is 818-295-5213
I`ve already called mine in before I posted this. Hey, I love you guys but not enough to cut my throat on this one.
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Too Much Time on Their Hands Department
Way back in 1999 I worked on an independent film called Return to Innsmouth. Did some 3-D computer models for the opening scene. Did the end credits. I got into it by trying to get my students some work on the film, ended up doing most of the work myself.
In the course of the filming I created a font for the Old Ones. It ended up only being used in the end credits. I have since used it in an space alien project.
So why am I bringing this up here? The other day I stumbled onto this page at Internet Movie Data Base. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0359899/crazycredits Someone with way too much time on there hands has translated the last 2 lines in the film credits back into English. Not only that but they have posted it with a credit for me.
Way back in 1999 I worked on an independent film called Return to Innsmouth. Did some 3-D computer models for the opening scene. Did the end credits. I got into it by trying to get my students some work on the film, ended up doing most of the work myself.
In the course of the filming I created a font for the Old Ones. It ended up only being used in the end credits. I have since used it in an space alien project.
So why am I bringing this up here? The other day I stumbled onto this page at Internet Movie Data Base. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0359899/crazycredits Someone with way too much time on there hands has translated the last 2 lines in the film credits back into English. Not only that but they have posted it with a credit for me.
