In an attempt to get away from the unbearable sadness caused by the untimely death of Joe Ranft that has permeated the animation community and the Internet animation sites (this one included) I went out looking for web sites that didn`t deal completely with animation.

Mark Evanier`s mePOV blog has a story on the new home of Mort Walker`s National Cartoon Museum. I well remember it in its Greenwich, Conn. incarnation. I still have a T-shirt that I bought at the time even if it will no longer fits me. Those things all seem to shrink for some reason.

I went there with a girl named Norma that my 8th grade art class buddy, Steve Rothman, set me up with. I was in the area to show my portfolio to the Joe Kubert school and the Cartoon Museum was the one place I really wanted to go.

Over the years I have followed their downward spiral with sadness. I am glad to hear that things are starting to look up for this important work.

Here is what the New York Times has to say about it Mort Museum  ¶ 8:37 AM   

  Joe Ranft Remembered:

We just heard about the death of Joe Ranft. Joe died much too young, age 45, in a car crash in Montecito. Joe was one of the finest story artists in animation. He was one of the most important contributors to the great PIXAR films, as well as Disney hits like the Lion King and Beauty and the Beast. Tutored by the past Disney storyboard greats like Vance Gerry and Bill Peet, Joe passed on his inspiration and experience to dozens of new artists. He literally wrote the manual on how to do storyboards for feature animation. Here is what Ronnie Del Carmen had to say about Joe in his blog:

He was the very first Head of Story in PIXAR feature animation and I've had many talks with him about how that came about--but the likely reason that this position continues to be necessary is because he defined the role from the very beginning and is still the very best example of how to do it. To the benefit of all subsequent feature endeavors he had been part of and all future HOS's that have had to do the job anywhere. Mighty big shoes.

When I entered the building I saw Mari, Bill and Gaylyn at the stairwell, all visibly dealing with heavy emotions. It was only when Kevin Reher walked me into my office and told me I figure why. I got the wind knocked out of me. It is a massive surge of disbelief, I cannot process it still. I searched out the story people I've served with, Jason Katz, Jim Capobianco, Matt Luhn...People cannot say much but just gave each other embraces to quell the sadness. Eventually we all met at the atrium. It is the saddest day at Pixar. The population at work had never been this silent except for the sound of grief. Ed Catmull, visibly shaken walked out to deliver the sad news. John Lasseter stood beside him but could not speak.

Joe is the very best story man ever and the best human being I've known in animation. He is mentor, friend and inspiration to all of us who do this job. The last meeting I had with Joe was a Story Lead meeting where we share the collective known knowlege of those of us who've done Head of story jobs. Great stories of how to and why. And we earmark things we want to improve. As always with Joe it was about accentuating the positive and finding what works with people. I will miss him.

Our heartfelt prayers to his family. RDC

I worked with Joe on a many a Disney story meeting like Roger Rabbitt and Lion King. He was one of the few people I knew who never had a bad word to say about anyone, and who no one could meet and not immediately like. What a terrible loss. I will miss him, the whole animation community will miss him.

-Tom Sito

Ronnie Del Carmen
Cartoon Brew
Hollywood Reporter
Animation Nation
Luxo  ¶ 8:31 AM   

 

I spent the last week getting ready for my upcoming Animation History class at Cal State Fullerton. I have picked a new textbook for the class because there is a new book available.

For the last couple of years I have had to use a book that had the sole advantage of being more current that other much better books. That was its only advantages. I would spend the first class telling students the pages that needed corrections; page 107 where it states that Snow White came out in 1939, wrong, first screening was December 21st 1937. And what they didn`t say about Emile Cohl, don`t get me started. Thank gods that is behind me.

It was with great joy that I was able to pick Animation Art: From Pencil to Pixel, the History of Cartoons, Anime, and CGI. And it is not just because Jerry Beck, Will Ryan, Tom Knott, Fred Patten and half of the other people working on this book are friends of mine.

No one book is going to cover the history of animation, it can`t be done. You need to read every book and talk to everyone you can find before you come close to getting any type of handle on this subject. But this book comes closer to a one source book than any I have seen so far.

This means that for the first time I can assign reading so that the student will get the base framework of the subject and spend my classtime showing rare animations that fit into that framework. I am looking forward to this class.  ¶ 7:22 AM   

  Filmmakers Without Roots:

I do this class on preproduction were I show a whole lot of film and talk about camera angles and visual storytelling. I show lots of classic live action films to my students and try to get students to think like filmmakers.

Every semester the class has at least one film buff in the group that kind of saves the day and teaches the rest of the group on a peer to peer level with lots of after hours video watching. Every time but this semester, John Ford who? Hitchcock who? Akira Kurosawa does he do Anime? My gods, these guys are doomed.

It has got me to thinking, a Top 100 Live Action Films that all animation students should see. Who and what would be on it and why?

• Sam Peckinpah - The Wild Bunch?
  
• Vittorio De Sica - The Bicycle Thief
  
• D.W. Griffith - The Birth of a Nation
  
• Orson Welles - Touch of Evil
  
• Sergio Leone - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
  

I am working on putting a list together. If you have any ideas what should be on it then give me an email (if not then I will have to do all my work myself).  ¶ 8:37 AM   

 
Thursday August 25th - 7:30 pm
A Walt Disney Pictures` presentation
VALIANT

A Vanguard Animation Production
Directed by Gary Chapman

Asifa-Hollywood members and their families are cordially invited to a special screening of Valiant.

From the producer of Shrek and Shrek 2, comes this high-flying computer-animated comedy-adventure tale of a brave-but-undersized pigeon named Valiant (voiced by Ewan McGregor), who dreams of joining the elite Royal Homing Pigeon Service (RHPS), and serving crown and country during World War II. John Cleese, Tim Curry, Jim Broadbent, and an all-star vocal cast of British favorites also add to the fun and excitement of this imaginative feature.

Story by: George Webster. Screenplay: Jordan Katz, George Webster, George Melrod. Music by: George Fenton. Producer: John H. Williams. A Walt Disney Pictures release.

Thursday, August 25th, 7:30 pm
Alex Theatre
216 North Brand Boulevard
Glendale, CA

RSVP to: (818) 295-5213
Rated: G - Running Time: 76 minutes  ¶ 4:59 AM   

  Pitching 3-D:

I am not that knowledgeable about the Visual Effects Society. I have heard about them but never attended one of their evens. Shame on me. Sadly, I had to check the email address to find out what VES stood for; I had never seen it abbreviated.

But I do know Pam Thompson and she is good people and I know what she stands for. This should be a good event. Looks like a great lineup of industry heavyweights. Thanks for including ASIFA Pam. Anything dealing with the pitch process is an important event for professional development.

Could you help get the word out about this to the ASIFA membership? Thanks so much! Hope you are having a cool summer!

Pamela Thompson
Recruiter/Career Coach
Ideas to Go

This event is also open to members of ASIFA.

Dear VES Members,

Wondering what`s the next event? Well wonder no more. The Education Committee has developed an exciting two-part event on Animation. Coordinated by Janet Muswell and Susan Zwerman, Here are the details.

PART 1
ARTISTIC PITCHING FOR ANIMATION

This seminar is geared towards everyone out there that has a great idea. If you think you have the makings of the next great 3D animation blockbuster, our panelists will give you an in depth insight on how to present and pitch your project to a studio, what works for 3D and why, what makes a successful studio pitch and what materials are needed - from concept to finish product.

Our amazing panel comprises of :

• Francis Glebas - Moderator - Animation Director - Disney
  
• Frank Gladstone -VP of Artistic Development - IDT Entertainment, Feature Animation
  
• Karen Foster - Creative Executive - DreamWorks Animation
  
• Mark Andrews - Director - Pixar
  
• Roland Poindexter - SR VP of WBA (Warner Bros. Animation) Development
  
• Heather Kenyon - Senior Director - Cartoon Network
  
• Peter Gal - Director, Development - Nickelodeon
  

Date: SATURDAY - SEPT 10, 2005
Time: 10:30AM - 1:30PM
Location: SONY THEATER
9050 W. Washington Blvd.
Culver City, 90232

Tickets: $15.00 VES Members and ASIFA members
$20.00 General Public and at door

Please call the VES office 310/822-9181 or email the Visual Effects Society to order your tickets today. Hurry, seating is limited and you do NOT want to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity. See you there!

  ¶ 9:12 AM