ASIFA-Hollywood: The International Animated Film Society
Monday, February 28, 2005
Really, Really, we are Going to Move this Time (If it Doesn`t Rain)
Hi Larry,
I'd like to try and complete the move of our old storage space, this Saturday, March 5th at 11am. Volunteers should meet at the 721 S. Victory, Burbank location, and we'll take it from there.
Antran
Here we go again. I hope you guys don`t think I am crying Wolf, Wolf. We really need to move this stuff. I know we have been rained out 2 times before. But third time`s the charm., right? RIGht! So please come on out and help us move some rare animation. ¶ 6:43 PM
I'd like to try and complete the move of our old storage space, this Saturday, March 5th at 11am. Volunteers should meet at the 721 S. Victory, Burbank location, and we'll take it from there.
Antran
Here we go again. I hope you guys don`t think I am crying Wolf, Wolf. We really need to move this stuff. I know we have been rained out 2 times before. But third time`s the charm., right? RIGht! So please come on out and help us move some rare animation. ¶ 6:43 PM
International Cartoons and Comics Festival - Dervio (Italy)
The 7th edition of International Cartoons and Comics Festival in Dervio (Como Lake, ITALY) is coming: the official competition will be from 15th to 23th July 2005. If you have an animation film and you want to participate, you can download Regulations with entry form from site www.dervio.org (also available in English).
If you need more information please write us at festival@dervio.org
No entry fee is required. Entries will be open till 15th April, 2005.
See you!
International Cartoons and Comics Festival - Dervio (Italy)
"Dervio Festival" festival.dervio@virgilio.it ¶ 6:31 AM
If you need more information please write us at festival@dervio.org
No entry fee is required. Entries will be open till 15th April, 2005.
See you!
International Cartoons and Comics Festival - Dervio (Italy)
"Dervio Festival" festival.dervio@virgilio.it ¶ 6:31 AM
Tom sent some photos but I could not open them so here is a shot of the first feature animation Oscar from the lobby of DreamWorks 
¶ 4:28 AM
¶ 4:28 AM
SUNDAY Feb 27th OSCAR DAY!
After weeks of pounding rainstorms and mudslides LA on Oscar Day was dry and sunny. Bill & Sue Kroyer, Chris Buck, Bruce Morris, Denis Venizelos, Greg Manwaring and myself with our lovely ladies all pile into an absurdly long white stretch SUV Limousine for the ride to the Kodak Center on Hollywood Blvd. W e looked like a cross between the Godfather and a circus clown car. The traffic around Hollywood Blvd is so congested this seems the most sane way to get there. Bill Plympton, who is nominated for his short GUARD DOG, declared he was coming in a pedalcab! It reminds me of 1995 when Nick Park won for A CLOSE SHAVE. Nick came to the ceremony in a bright red motorcycle and sidecar a` la Wallace & Gromett. Traveling the few short blocks to the theater he was stopped by the LA police and given a ticket for not wearing a helmet!
We have to get there pretty early as the ceremony gets going around 5:00PM so it can be seen prime time on the East Coast. So you are usually on the road by about 1:45PM. Since Sept 11th the amount of sun-glassed police lining the Hollywood streets make it seem like a coup d`etat in a small country.. This was the first year they put concrete obstacles out to discourage car bombers.
Exiting your limo on to the red carpet at the Oscars is a pretty chaotic experience. As soon as you step out there are glaring lights, screaming people, valets urging you to move on and not hold things up and religious zealots screaming from across the street how we are all going to Hell for our iniquity. For one split second there are two thousand cameras pointed at you, until they determine you are nobody and turn away. "Hmmm, he`s too big to be DeCarpio -.maybe it`s MeatLoaf?" They confiscate all our cameras and cel-phone cameras so all you have is a chance for a quick snap then toss it back into the limo. Crowds in the bleachers were screaming: ORLANDO! ORLANDO! Orlando Bloom was behind us. Hmm, Leonardo DeCaprio is taller than I expected.
For us non-celeb types the trick is to walk slowly down the red carpet and stand behind some big shot being interviewed, so maybe you`ll get on TV back somewhere your family can see you. Meanwhile the ushers know what you`re up to and keep urging you along At times it has the finesse of a cattle drive. After a few years here you begin to recognize friends in the media wall. Former Disney-Amblin animator Raul Garcia does a syndicated commentary for Spanish radio as Raimundo Hollywood.
After the madness on the red carpet once inside the large hall there is plenty of time to get a drink and schmooze with some biggies. Last year I got to meet classical composer Phillip Glass and ask Antonio Banderas where my seat was! This year I said hi to Quincy Jones. The PIXAR crowd was there in force. Brad Bird, Steve Jobs, Ed Catmul, Joe Ranft. INCREDIBLES producer John Walker was passing out small lapel pins with the Incredibles logo "I" on it for all us true believers. Lots of other great animators were on hand to cheer on their friends like Mike Cedeno, Jay Jackson, Jim Beihold, and Jim Hillin. Brad Bird looked great when he accepted and did a great speech. Best regards to Chris Landreth for his animated short RYAN. It was a tough choice this year because all the other shorts nominees like LORENZO, HAPPY BIRTHDAY and GUARD DOG were terrific too. It was weird watching Chris Rock go for so long without any swear words. I kept hoping Chris would break into some dialogue from my favorite movie OSMOSIS JONES, but oh, well, at least he didn`t goof on it like POOTY TANG. He`s going to be a voice in Dreamworks MADAGASCAR this summer.
You have to get in your seat quickly since when the show commences they lock the doors, only opening them during TV commercial breaks. Huge lights shine in your face and a big loudspeaker announces `TAKE YOU SEATS PLEASE, TEN SECONDS, NINE, EIGHT, APPLAUSE!" In 1981 when Polish animator Zbigniew Rybcysnski won for his short TANGO, he stepped outside for a smoke. Suddenly unable to get back in he grew agitated and security guards subdued him. He shouted the only English he knew:" I have Oscar!" but was arrested anyway for fighting and spent the rest of the evening in a police station. By the third hour of the evening more of the audience is in the lobby at the bar then sitting down. The show went on pretty smoothly, although Best Actress Hilary Swank was still thanking people when they cut her mike off for a commercial.
There are lots of parties around town afterwards, if you know someone. The Governors Ball is for the bigshots and winners by invitation only. The former President of Disney Animation recalled once when at the Governors Ball getting an elbow in the back by rabid photographers intent on getting a better shot of Meryl Streep. Brad and his crew went to the Vanity Fair Party to celebrate. My posse went to the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel for dinner. That`s the hotel that is supposedly haunted by actor Montgomery Clift and it is where Clark Gable used to meet Carole Lombard for their assignations. For you young folks Gable & Lombard were the J.Lo & Ben Affleck of the 1930s.
After a long night in Tinseltown our stretch limo dropped us home and we got
back around 1:00AM. Then I had to write this out fast because tomorrow morning
I have to go pitch some TV projects! Hope you all had fun watching the Oscars and I hope your favorites won. See you next year on the Red Carpet.
TS ¶ 4:08 AM
We have to get there pretty early as the ceremony gets going around 5:00PM so it can be seen prime time on the East Coast. So you are usually on the road by about 1:45PM. Since Sept 11th the amount of sun-glassed police lining the Hollywood streets make it seem like a coup d`etat in a small country.. This was the first year they put concrete obstacles out to discourage car bombers.
Exiting your limo on to the red carpet at the Oscars is a pretty chaotic experience. As soon as you step out there are glaring lights, screaming people, valets urging you to move on and not hold things up and religious zealots screaming from across the street how we are all going to Hell for our iniquity. For one split second there are two thousand cameras pointed at you, until they determine you are nobody and turn away. "Hmmm, he`s too big to be DeCarpio -.maybe it`s MeatLoaf?" They confiscate all our cameras and cel-phone cameras so all you have is a chance for a quick snap then toss it back into the limo. Crowds in the bleachers were screaming: ORLANDO! ORLANDO! Orlando Bloom was behind us. Hmm, Leonardo DeCaprio is taller than I expected.
For us non-celeb types the trick is to walk slowly down the red carpet and stand behind some big shot being interviewed, so maybe you`ll get on TV back somewhere your family can see you. Meanwhile the ushers know what you`re up to and keep urging you along At times it has the finesse of a cattle drive. After a few years here you begin to recognize friends in the media wall. Former Disney-Amblin animator Raul Garcia does a syndicated commentary for Spanish radio as Raimundo Hollywood.
After the madness on the red carpet once inside the large hall there is plenty of time to get a drink and schmooze with some biggies. Last year I got to meet classical composer Phillip Glass and ask Antonio Banderas where my seat was! This year I said hi to Quincy Jones. The PIXAR crowd was there in force. Brad Bird, Steve Jobs, Ed Catmul, Joe Ranft. INCREDIBLES producer John Walker was passing out small lapel pins with the Incredibles logo "I" on it for all us true believers. Lots of other great animators were on hand to cheer on their friends like Mike Cedeno, Jay Jackson, Jim Beihold, and Jim Hillin. Brad Bird looked great when he accepted and did a great speech. Best regards to Chris Landreth for his animated short RYAN. It was a tough choice this year because all the other shorts nominees like LORENZO, HAPPY BIRTHDAY and GUARD DOG were terrific too. It was weird watching Chris Rock go for so long without any swear words. I kept hoping Chris would break into some dialogue from my favorite movie OSMOSIS JONES, but oh, well, at least he didn`t goof on it like POOTY TANG. He`s going to be a voice in Dreamworks MADAGASCAR this summer.
You have to get in your seat quickly since when the show commences they lock the doors, only opening them during TV commercial breaks. Huge lights shine in your face and a big loudspeaker announces `TAKE YOU SEATS PLEASE, TEN SECONDS, NINE, EIGHT, APPLAUSE!" In 1981 when Polish animator Zbigniew Rybcysnski won for his short TANGO, he stepped outside for a smoke. Suddenly unable to get back in he grew agitated and security guards subdued him. He shouted the only English he knew:" I have Oscar!" but was arrested anyway for fighting and spent the rest of the evening in a police station. By the third hour of the evening more of the audience is in the lobby at the bar then sitting down. The show went on pretty smoothly, although Best Actress Hilary Swank was still thanking people when they cut her mike off for a commercial.
There are lots of parties around town afterwards, if you know someone. The Governors Ball is for the bigshots and winners by invitation only. The former President of Disney Animation recalled once when at the Governors Ball getting an elbow in the back by rabid photographers intent on getting a better shot of Meryl Streep. Brad and his crew went to the Vanity Fair Party to celebrate. My posse went to the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel for dinner. That`s the hotel that is supposedly haunted by actor Montgomery Clift and it is where Clark Gable used to meet Carole Lombard for their assignations. For you young folks Gable & Lombard were the J.Lo & Ben Affleck of the 1930s.
After a long night in Tinseltown our stretch limo dropped us home and we got
back around 1:00AM. Then I had to write this out fast because tomorrow morning
I have to go pitch some TV projects! Hope you all had fun watching the Oscars and I hope your favorites won. See you next year on the Red Carpet.
TS ¶ 4:08 AM
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Oscar Report Pending
A lot of people will tell you that they really don`t watch that much TV but they still know every person`s name on every reality show and hum along with all the commercials. When I say that my family does not watch TV I mean that we watch videos and DVD`s all the time but only just turn on the TV on Oscar night.
We have a tradition at my house where we pop lots of popcorn, put a bed sheet down in front of the TV, and then throw popcorn at the tellie when we think someone was robbed. (don`t try this at home unless you pop some without butter)
Tom Sito has a tradition too, he and his friends rent a limo, get all dressed up, and then they go to the show. Later, after the madness, Tom will be reporting on the event for all you ASIFA blog readers. ¶ 4:35 PM
We have a tradition at my house where we pop lots of popcorn, put a bed sheet down in front of the TV, and then throw popcorn at the tellie when we think someone was robbed. (don`t try this at home unless you pop some without butter)
Tom Sito has a tradition too, he and his friends rent a limo, get all dressed up, and then they go to the show. Later, after the madness, Tom will be reporting on the event for all you ASIFA blog readers. ¶ 4:35 PM
Calvin and the Colonel
(from left) Frank Andrina, John Sparey, Phil Roman, June Foray, Mark Kausler, and Mike Karaleh
So here it is Oscar Sunday and I haven`t blogged yesterday`s Calvin and the Colonel screening at AFI yet. I had familial duties to perform last night. It was my night for dishes. At the DreamWorks party yesterday I was talking to real nice lady named Rita who seemed to be the wife of the head of post at DW (noise levels). She asked me what I was about and we got talking about the animation history classes I teach.
Jerry Beck`s AFI screenings keep me humble. I was privilege to set in on a conversation between Mark Kausler, Ray Pointer, and a number of others after the screening that ranged from studio locations to music timing devices in animation to the sound signatures of animation composers. I keep picking up pieces to hundreds of puzzles I have running around in my head.
The screening started with a Van Beuren Amos and Andy cartoon. I was surprised at how mild this demonized series really was. Scrub Me Mamma With a Boogie Beat is much more racist in content. Amos and Andy, at lest in this incarnation, was like a black Life of Riley with a sympathetic Andy in the Riley role.
Next came Calvin and the Colonel. Good solid UPA style animation with very good posing and solid situation comedy writing.
Here is an example of one of the hundreds of those animation puzzles running around in my head. What about Shull Bonsell? I got an answer to that question from Fred Patten who was up and around and looking very good after his hospital stay of last month.
For those of you who don`t know who Shull Bonsell is let us just say that he is not the favorite person of Lucile Bliss, Jay Ward, or Alex Anderson and that through very hardball business practices he gained the rights to Crusader Rabbit. (see Keith Scott`s The Mouse that Roared for more details)
I know a lot about Bonsell from his days in the lime light but I never knew what happened to him. Fred tracked him down to his son-in-law`s horse ranch some years ago.
Bonsell had gone bankrupt and was now the foreman on said horse ranch. Bonsell partly blamed the NAACP opposed Calvin and the Colonel for his business going belly up.
The panel was not nearly long enough. Nor was the conversation afterwards. All and all a very good day. Next up at AFI is commercials of the 50`s and 60`s followed the month after with a Scrappy screening with a display of Scrappy collectables showing before the screening.
Mark Kausler (It`s the Cat) and Bob Stenhouse (The Dog the Frog and the Devil)
Frank Andrina
Mark Evanier, Phil Roman, with Jerry somebody with his back to us
Frank Andrina, John Sparey and Phil Roman
Ray Pointer, Bob Stenhouse, June Foray, back of Phil Roman and I am not sure who the last person with his back to the camera is ¶ 9:47 AM
(from left) Frank Andrina, John Sparey, Phil Roman, June Foray, Mark Kausler, and Mike Karaleh
So here it is Oscar Sunday and I haven`t blogged yesterday`s Calvin and the Colonel screening at AFI yet. I had familial duties to perform last night. It was my night for dishes. At the DreamWorks party yesterday I was talking to real nice lady named Rita who seemed to be the wife of the head of post at DW (noise levels). She asked me what I was about and we got talking about the animation history classes I teach.
So you are an Animation Historian?
No, I am a teacher of Animation History who would like to be an Animation Historian some day.
Jerry Beck`s AFI screenings keep me humble. I was privilege to set in on a conversation between Mark Kausler, Ray Pointer, and a number of others after the screening that ranged from studio locations to music timing devices in animation to the sound signatures of animation composers. I keep picking up pieces to hundreds of puzzles I have running around in my head.
The screening started with a Van Beuren Amos and Andy cartoon. I was surprised at how mild this demonized series really was. Scrub Me Mamma With a Boogie Beat is much more racist in content. Amos and Andy, at lest in this incarnation, was like a black Life of Riley with a sympathetic Andy in the Riley role.
Next came Calvin and the Colonel. Good solid UPA style animation with very good posing and solid situation comedy writing.
Here is an example of one of the hundreds of those animation puzzles running around in my head. What about Shull Bonsell? I got an answer to that question from Fred Patten who was up and around and looking very good after his hospital stay of last month.
For those of you who don`t know who Shull Bonsell is let us just say that he is not the favorite person of Lucile Bliss, Jay Ward, or Alex Anderson and that through very hardball business practices he gained the rights to Crusader Rabbit. (see Keith Scott`s The Mouse that Roared for more details)
I know a lot about Bonsell from his days in the lime light but I never knew what happened to him. Fred tracked him down to his son-in-law`s horse ranch some years ago.
Bonsell had gone bankrupt and was now the foreman on said horse ranch. Bonsell partly blamed the NAACP opposed Calvin and the Colonel for his business going belly up.
The panel was not nearly long enough. Nor was the conversation afterwards. All and all a very good day. Next up at AFI is commercials of the 50`s and 60`s followed the month after with a Scrappy screening with a display of Scrappy collectables showing before the screening.
Mark Kausler (It`s the Cat) and Bob Stenhouse (The Dog the Frog and the Devil)
Frank Andrina
Mark Evanier, Phil Roman, with Jerry somebody with his back to us
Frank Andrina, John Sparey and Phil Roman
Ray Pointer, Bob Stenhouse, June Foray, back of Phil Roman and I am not sure who the last person with his back to the camera is ¶ 9:47 AM
Free Animation / Flash Seminar
Free Flash Seminar
When: March 8, 2005
When: 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Where: Brooks College room E130
4825 E Pacific Coast Hwy
Long Beach, CA 90804
Admission: Free
Appetizers and Drinks Available
Please RSVP to: info@lbtechpoint.com if you would like to attend this seminar. ¶ 9:42 AM
When: March 8, 2005
When: 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Where: Brooks College room E130
4825 E Pacific Coast Hwy
Long Beach, CA 90804
Admission: Free
Appetizers and Drinks Available
Please RSVP to: info@lbtechpoint.com if you would like to attend this seminar. ¶ 9:42 AM
Saturday, February 26, 2005
SITO'S OSCAR BLOGG 2005 Part 1
Here is the first of the Tom Sito Oscar Reports. More will come sometime in the wee hours tomorrow depending on the parties that Tom goes to and how they effects his state of mind.
SATURDAY FEB 26th- DreamWorks threw it's tradigital? Errr-traditional Pre Oscar party at a fashionable eatery called Campanile on LaBrea Blvd. Down the road from the original 1925 Chaplin Studios. Charlie Chaplin had built the structure originally as a house in a Venetian Palazzo style. But Chaplin never got to enjoy it. Before he could live in it he had to sell it in one of his frequent messy divorces. That's Hollywood!
The party was attended by such ToonTown luminaries as Jeffrey Katzenberg, Mike Gabriel the director of the Oscar nominated short LORENZO, Bill Plympton the nominated director of GUARD DOG, Vicky Jenson and Bibo Bergeron the directors of the nominated feature SHARKTALE, Andrew Adamson who with Vicky were the directors of the 2001 Oscar winner SHREK I, Will Finn the co-director of HOME ON THE RANGE and many other luminaries, agents and producers. Antran Manoogian , Jerry Beck and the ASIFA/Hollywood crowd were well represented as well. The nominees looked as breathless and expectant as June Brides. Larry Loc brought his son Toby to witness the scene. What a cool dad! Growing up in Brooklyn I was lucky if my old man took me to the Pulaski Day Parade.
The other day the Canadian Consulate to Los Angeles held it's soiree' for the Canadian nominees at their beautiful Hancock Park residence. I was once at one of these parties when in the middle of a toast by comic Andrea Martin the grounds were rocked by a small earthquake. Let me tell you, there is no better place to experiences an earthquake than at a Hollywood party. Everyone is being much too cool to admit we want to scream and duck under the nearest table. You just stand nonchalant and watch your drink wiggle.
Driving home through Beverly Hills it was difficult negotiating through the traffic snarls caused by all the private valet services hosting private pre-Oscar parties. This day in Tinseltown a stray crab puff or glass of Pinot Noir could not be had for love of money! Hollywood Blvd is closed off and the red carpet being laid down. Tuxedos coming out of the drycleaners, hairdressers working overtime, all is in readiness for tomorrow!
TS ¶ 8:03 PM
SATURDAY FEB 26th- DreamWorks threw it's tradigital? Errr-traditional Pre Oscar party at a fashionable eatery called Campanile on LaBrea Blvd. Down the road from the original 1925 Chaplin Studios. Charlie Chaplin had built the structure originally as a house in a Venetian Palazzo style. But Chaplin never got to enjoy it. Before he could live in it he had to sell it in one of his frequent messy divorces. That's Hollywood!
The party was attended by such ToonTown luminaries as Jeffrey Katzenberg, Mike Gabriel the director of the Oscar nominated short LORENZO, Bill Plympton the nominated director of GUARD DOG, Vicky Jenson and Bibo Bergeron the directors of the nominated feature SHARKTALE, Andrew Adamson who with Vicky were the directors of the 2001 Oscar winner SHREK I, Will Finn the co-director of HOME ON THE RANGE and many other luminaries, agents and producers. Antran Manoogian , Jerry Beck and the ASIFA/Hollywood crowd were well represented as well. The nominees looked as breathless and expectant as June Brides. Larry Loc brought his son Toby to witness the scene. What a cool dad! Growing up in Brooklyn I was lucky if my old man took me to the Pulaski Day Parade.
The other day the Canadian Consulate to Los Angeles held it's soiree' for the Canadian nominees at their beautiful Hancock Park residence. I was once at one of these parties when in the middle of a toast by comic Andrea Martin the grounds were rocked by a small earthquake. Let me tell you, there is no better place to experiences an earthquake than at a Hollywood party. Everyone is being much too cool to admit we want to scream and duck under the nearest table. You just stand nonchalant and watch your drink wiggle.
Driving home through Beverly Hills it was difficult negotiating through the traffic snarls caused by all the private valet services hosting private pre-Oscar parties. This day in Tinseltown a stray crab puff or glass of Pinot Noir could not be had for love of money! Hollywood Blvd is closed off and the red carpet being laid down. Tuxedos coming out of the drycleaners, hairdressers working overtime, all is in readiness for tomorrow!
TS ¶ 8:03 PM
The Other Fantastic Four movie
Those that know me, know that I am a big Marvel Silver Age comic book junky. Gary Sassaman has a story of the first Fantastic Four movie (1993) over at his Innocent Bystander blog that jingles all of my comic book bells.
Having worked on Bob Schreck`s (now Senior Editor at DC) Incredible Hulk Meets the Ever Loving Blue Eyed Thing movie back in 1981 I always thought of this Roger Corman company turkey as a masterpiece of visual effects. innocentbystander ¶ 6:28 AM
Having worked on Bob Schreck`s (now Senior Editor at DC) Incredible Hulk Meets the Ever Loving Blue Eyed Thing movie back in 1981 I always thought of this Roger Corman company turkey as a masterpiece of visual effects. innocentbystander ¶ 6:28 AM
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Jack-Jack Attacks
Cool stuff at Animated News about the Incredibles DVD content including screen grabs of the short Jack-Jack Attacks Jack-Jack
¶ 8:33 PM
Confusion About Robots Screening
I got a mailing about a screening about Robots today.
So the first thing I do is call the number and the message on the recording talks about a screening with Chris Wedge on Saturday the 5th. So what is going on here? Is Chris going to be at the showing on the 10th? Is there a showing on the 10th? Is there a showing on the 5th? More details when I get them.
Just called the RSVD number again and the message has been changed to reflect the March 10th ASIFA-Hollywood screening. Still do not know if Chris Wedge is going to be there for our screening. - Story Pending ¶ 7:57 PM
I got a mailing about a screening about Robots today.
Thursday, March 10th
6:00 PM Reception
7:30 Screening
Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
5220 Lankershim Blvd
North Hollywood, CA
RSVP 310-369-3116
So the first thing I do is call the number and the message on the recording talks about a screening with Chris Wedge on Saturday the 5th. So what is going on here? Is Chris going to be at the showing on the 10th? Is there a showing on the 10th? Is there a showing on the 5th? More details when I get them.
Just called the RSVD number again and the message has been changed to reflect the March 10th ASIFA-Hollywood screening. Still do not know if Chris Wedge is going to be there for our screening. - Story Pending ¶ 7:57 PM
Silent Animation Screening
I`m not too sure about the design of this poster but I have a pretty good idea about the design of the screening since I put that together.
This silent animation event is taking place at:
Mission Viejo High School
25025 Chrisanta Dr.
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
March 5th
2 PM to 4 PM
Ticket Price $3
For info call 949-837-7722 ext 5536
It is to benefit my daughter`s Model United Nation program.
I love silent animation. I give a screening at San Diego Comic Con each year which has a good sized following. So when I set up this first school screening I decided to go silent.
I will be showing Humorous Phases of a Funny Face, Fantasmagouie, Little Nemo, How a Mosquito Operates, Gertie, Mutt and Jeff, Bobby Bump, Koko`s Earth Control, Feline Follies, and a whole lot more including some Virginia Davis Alice cartoons (She is such a doll and now that I`ve met her I am more smitten with her then ever)
Since this is a younger audience (Junior High and High School) I have had to edit out a few racist bites in Funny Faces and Slice Sleuths. (nothing too heavy but sign of the times stuff, racist times racist images in cartoons) I normally don`t like to go all PC and try and hide the past and pretend it didn`t happen but I can understand it in a younger audience in a social setting. ¶ 4:08 PM
I`m not too sure about the design of this poster but I have a pretty good idea about the design of the screening since I put that together.
This silent animation event is taking place at:
Mission Viejo High School
25025 Chrisanta Dr.
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
March 5th
2 PM to 4 PM
Ticket Price $3
For info call 949-837-7722 ext 5536
It is to benefit my daughter`s Model United Nation program.
I love silent animation. I give a screening at San Diego Comic Con each year which has a good sized following. So when I set up this first school screening I decided to go silent.
I will be showing Humorous Phases of a Funny Face, Fantasmagouie, Little Nemo, How a Mosquito Operates, Gertie, Mutt and Jeff, Bobby Bump, Koko`s Earth Control, Feline Follies, and a whole lot more including some Virginia Davis Alice cartoons (She is such a doll and now that I`ve met her I am more smitten with her then ever)
Since this is a younger audience (Junior High and High School) I have had to edit out a few racist bites in Funny Faces and Slice Sleuths. (nothing too heavy but sign of the times stuff, racist times racist images in cartoons) I normally don`t like to go all PC and try and hide the past and pretend it didn`t happen but I can understand it in a younger audience in a social setting. ¶ 4:08 PM
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
ASIFA-Hollywood and Triumph Films present
STEAMBOY
with Director KATSUHIRO OTOMO in person!
The latest film from the director of AKIRA is one part masterful traditional animation, two parts state of the art anime, a dose of steam-punk -- and 100% pure Otomo.
A retro science-fiction epic set in Victorian England, Steamboy features the invention of a new form of energy, capable of powering an entire nation. A young boy must use it to fight evil, redeem his family, and save London from destruction. With more than 180,000 drawings and 400 CG cuts, Steamboy is sure to be one of the most elaborate animated features of 2005.
A Q&A with Mr. Otomo follows the screening.
Tuesday March 8th * 7:00pm
LAEMMLE SUNSET 5
8000 Sunset Blvd.
(at Crescent Heights Blvd.)
West Hollywood, CA
Limited Seating! Asifa-Hollywood members only, RSVP by March 4th (323) 202-4024. Free Parking with validation at theatre. Official STEAMBOY website ¶ 2:19 PM
Is This Brad`s Year?
Will Brad Bird take home the Oscar for best Animated Feature? Most people in the animation industry think so. But then this is the whole film industry talking not just the sub-industry of animation.
The real question is what about best screen play? Has he got a chance there? Or is this a case where getting the Oscar nod is all the honor he and we can hope for?
The fact that there is a animation screen play in the running shows just how far animation has come in the few short years since there has been a feature Oscar category.
A tip of the hat has got to go to June Foray and Art Leonardi and all of the others that fought so long and so hard to get the feature animation category on the ballot. Your work has paid off. ¶ 7:14 AM
Will Brad Bird take home the Oscar for best Animated Feature? Most people in the animation industry think so. But then this is the whole film industry talking not just the sub-industry of animation.
The real question is what about best screen play? Has he got a chance there? Or is this a case where getting the Oscar nod is all the honor he and we can hope for?
The fact that there is a animation screen play in the running shows just how far animation has come in the few short years since there has been a feature Oscar category.
A tip of the hat has got to go to June Foray and Art Leonardi and all of the others that fought so long and so hard to get the feature animation category on the ballot. Your work has paid off. ¶ 7:14 AM
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Heck Freezes Over
Jim Hill Media reports the upcoming release of Song of the South
Song of the South
KAFI 2005 CALL FOR ENTRIES DEADLINE NEAR!
Animation as entertainment, education, employment and art will be in the spotlight when the third Kalamazoo Animation Festival International (KAFI) is staged the weekend of May 13-15, 2005, in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Call for Entries for 2005 is still open in Studio, Independent, Educational and Student Categories. There`ll be more than $15,000 in cash and awards! In the spirit of ASIFA, entry is free. Have your entries postmarked by March 1, 2005.
Professional-development seminars and events will feature John Fountain of Nickelodeon, Brian Tindall of PIXAR, Ed Newmann and Monica Kendall of Calabash, Ellen Besen and other special guests. Call for Entries is also open for the Cartoon Challenge - a four-day intercollegiate animation competition.
Nuts-and-bolts information about the KAFI events and activities, the Cartoon Challenge submission guidelines, deadlines, prizes and awards, and other details is available on the Web at kafi.kvcc.edu. The KAFI hotlineis
269-373-7883. ¶ 6:08 AM
Song of the South
KAFI 2005 CALL FOR ENTRIES DEADLINE NEAR!
Animation as entertainment, education, employment and art will be in the spotlight when the third Kalamazoo Animation Festival International (KAFI) is staged the weekend of May 13-15, 2005, in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Call for Entries for 2005 is still open in Studio, Independent, Educational and Student Categories. There`ll be more than $15,000 in cash and awards! In the spirit of ASIFA, entry is free. Have your entries postmarked by March 1, 2005.
Professional-development seminars and events will feature John Fountain of Nickelodeon, Brian Tindall of PIXAR, Ed Newmann and Monica Kendall of Calabash, Ellen Besen and other special guests. Call for Entries is also open for the Cartoon Challenge - a four-day intercollegiate animation competition.
Nuts-and-bolts information about the KAFI events and activities, the Cartoon Challenge submission guidelines, deadlines, prizes and awards, and other details is available on the Web at kafi.kvcc.edu. The KAFI hotlineis
269-373-7883. ¶ 6:08 AM
Monday, February 21, 2005
Monday, Monday
So here we are, coming up on Oscar like a run away train. I have an invite to the DreamWorks pre-Oscar brunch on Saturday, which I will report on sometime later.
Tom Sito has offered to give us an Oscar report on the event itself. So look for that something around Monday. It will be nice to get a report from an animation point of view, instead of the typical red carpet beautiful people magazine designer gown view.
Saturday is also the Jerry Beck AFI screening of Calvin and the Colonel.
This Wednesday is the Act of Membership Volunteer meeting. For all my animation students out there, 2 points of extra credit for any animation networking event.
Tom Sito has offered to give us an Oscar report on the event itself. So look for that something around Monday. It will be nice to get a report from an animation point of view, instead of the typical red carpet beautiful people magazine designer gown view.
Saturday is also the Jerry Beck AFI screening of Calvin and the Colonel.
Saturday February 26th at 3:00pm
The American Film Institute
TED ASHLEY/WARNER BROS. SCREENING ROOM
2021 N. Westen Ave.
Hollywood, CA
This Wednesday is the Act of Membership Volunteer meeting. For all my animation students out there, 2 points of extra credit for any animation networking event.
February 23rd, 2005 - 7:00pm - at our new improved location:We have got a lot of things to plan, 2D Expo, the Aladdin Reunion, and Comic Con. Come be a part of the action. ¶ 8:37 AM
ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Center
2114 Burbank Blvd.
Burbank (4 blocks east of Buena Vista on the South side of the street)
7:00pm
Friday, February 18, 2005
Part 3 of the ASIFA Archive Move Part 2
NooOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!Not again. I am being turned in to the boy, the boy who cried wolf. Get the volunteers together. It is rain or shine and I get the volunteers together and then. Tell them it is off because it is raining. My big fear is that the next time I put out the call no one will believe me. I am acting in good faith. I have had my car gassed up and ready to go both times.
I really thought it was rain or shine, I did. I was only doing what I was told. They told me to call up the volunteers. It was not my fault. I`m innocent, I`m innocent! It is the old Eichmann defense, yeah that`s the ticket. Wolf! wolf! ¶ 3:37 PM
---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: Antranig manoogian
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2005 08:27:21 -0800 (PST)
I hate to do this again, but since it is going to be raining on Saturday, I think we are going to have to cancel the move, Larry, would you kindly put out the word to our volunteers? Thanks.
Antran
NooOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!Not again. I am being turned in to the boy, the boy who cried wolf. Get the volunteers together. It is rain or shine and I get the volunteers together and then. Tell them it is off because it is raining. My big fear is that the next time I put out the call no one will believe me. I am acting in good faith. I have had my car gassed up and ready to go both times.
I really thought it was rain or shine, I did. I was only doing what I was told. They told me to call up the volunteers. It was not my fault. I`m innocent, I`m innocent! It is the old Eichmann defense, yeah that`s the ticket. Wolf! wolf! ¶ 3:37 PM
Thursday, February 17, 2005
I Don`t Own My Image
I am violating copyright every time I put my own image on the Net. Two comic book companies, Marvel and D.C., own my image. Just how did that happen?
I went to the Q.B. School of Cartoon and Graphic Arts to become a Superhero. I didn't know it at the time, I thought that I wanted to be a cartoonist.
It was Spider-Man that made me want to be a superhero. The real Spider-Man, the Steve Ditko Spider-Man, not the years of rewrites and rip offs.
Copyright is a strange thing when taken with the work for hire loop hole. Big companies get rich off the blood and sweat of writers and artist who have to sell their intellectual children to put food on the table. The guys that created Superman starving while the company makes a billion on their creation ever year.
In 1980 I became a Superhero. Steve Bissette, my Q.B. daze room mate, modeled ABSURDMAN after me. I have the original of this page and it is a picture of me, no doubt about it. And I never signed anything or even knew that Steve was doing it until after it came out. So Marvel Comics owns the copyright on my image.
From the day that Tom Yeates did his first stint on Swamp Thing right up to the end of the run there never was a time that at lest one of my school mates wasn't working Swamp Thing Comics.
In 1985 Stan Wok* and Ron Randall used my likeness as the model for Chester Williams in Swamp Thing. I had modeled for life drawing classes at the Kubert school and my likeness made its way into a lot of comics. Steve Bissette and John Totleben kept up the in joke as did Veitch and Yeates again.
*(When D.C. refused to print the last Veitch Swamp Thing I wrote a letter to them telling them to take my image out of their book or else. Up until that time Stan freely admitted that Chester was modeled after me. After I got vocal Stan changed his story)
Having my image usurped by 2 major corporations is kind of a dubious honor. It's like getting kissed by a beautiful woman with bad breath. I am flattered that my friends wanted to use my image but uncomfortable that the big 2 own part of my soul. Technically both companies could come after me for printing my own image. ¶ 7:49 AM
I went to the Q.B. School of Cartoon and Graphic Arts to become a Superhero. I didn't know it at the time, I thought that I wanted to be a cartoonist.
It was Spider-Man that made me want to be a superhero. The real Spider-Man, the Steve Ditko Spider-Man, not the years of rewrites and rip offs.
Copyright is a strange thing when taken with the work for hire loop hole. Big companies get rich off the blood and sweat of writers and artist who have to sell their intellectual children to put food on the table. The guys that created Superman starving while the company makes a billion on their creation ever year.
In 1980 I became a Superhero. Steve Bissette, my Q.B. daze room mate, modeled ABSURDMAN after me. I have the original of this page and it is a picture of me, no doubt about it. And I never signed anything or even knew that Steve was doing it until after it came out. So Marvel Comics owns the copyright on my image.
From the day that Tom Yeates did his first stint on Swamp Thing right up to the end of the run there never was a time that at lest one of my school mates wasn't working Swamp Thing Comics.
In 1985 Stan Wok* and Ron Randall used my likeness as the model for Chester Williams in Swamp Thing. I had modeled for life drawing classes at the Kubert school and my likeness made its way into a lot of comics. Steve Bissette and John Totleben kept up the in joke as did Veitch and Yeates again.
*(When D.C. refused to print the last Veitch Swamp Thing I wrote a letter to them telling them to take my image out of their book or else. Up until that time Stan freely admitted that Chester was modeled after me. After I got vocal Stan changed his story)
Having my image usurped by 2 major corporations is kind of a dubious honor. It's like getting kissed by a beautiful woman with bad breath. I am flattered that my friends wanted to use my image but uncomfortable that the big 2 own part of my soul. Technically both companies could come after me for printing my own image. ¶ 7:49 AM
Ghibli Buy Out?
Animation World Network Reports:
Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki, director Isao Takahata, Hayao Miyazaki and other top employees have formed an independent company in Tokyo with a market capitalization of ¥10 million ($96,000) and are seeking between $96 million-$144 million to buy out the rights to all past Ghibli productions. ¶ 6:43 AM
Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki, director Isao Takahata, Hayao Miyazaki and other top employees have formed an independent company in Tokyo with a market capitalization of ¥10 million ($96,000) and are seeking between $96 million-$144 million to buy out the rights to all past Ghibli productions. ¶ 6:43 AM
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
The Festival Goes Annual
It is offical, Ottawa follows Annecy into becoming a yearly event. It had to happen sooner or later. Annecy has made such a big mark as a yearly festival. It was only a matter of time before one of the other big festivals followed suit.
The Ottawa 05 International Animation Festival¶ 1:03 PM
September 21-25, 2005
February 15, 2005 Newsletter 1
The Festival Goes Annual
The Ottawa International Animation Festival is now annual! We are taking the successful Student Animation Festival of Ottawa (SAFO) and incorporating it into the main Festival to create one giant animation event. We will once again be running the Television Animation Conference (September 21-22) at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, the Animarket (featuring the Technology Forum, School Showcase and Recruiting Fair) plus the usual incredible line-up of screenings and workshops.
Call for Entries
Independent, commercial, and now, student animators working in a variety of media are invited to submit their entry forms by June 1, 2005, under six umbrella categories, including commissioned films, independent short films, student films, films for children, school showreel, feature films, and new media.
“The competition categories,” says Festival Artistic Director Chris Robinson, “remain virtually unchanged except that we have now incorporated categories from our now defunct Student Fest. The SAFO categories added to OIAF 05 include: best school, graduate, undergraduate, elementary and secondary school film.
The OIAF 04 entry deadline is June 1, 2005. Preview tapes or dvds must be received by June 18th, 2005. An online entry form, plus festival and Television Animation Conference information, are available on the animation festival web site at www.awn.com/ottawa/OIAF05/fest_entry.php
Inquiries may also be sent by e-mail to info@animationfestival.ca or by telephone at (613) 232-8769.
Great Festival Merchandise
The NEW Canadian Animation Directory is now available
An accurate and comprehensive guide to the Canadian animation industry for 2004-2005. Researched and published by the Ottawa International Animation Festival team, the directory is an excellent resource for animation professionals, students, independent artists, organizations, and industry leaders. It covers a broad spectrum of existing and emerging production companies, funding agencies, schools, and post-production services. 100pages, spiral bound.
$30 CAN plus shipping. Call (613) 232-8769 to order.
For other great festival merchandise visit:
www.awn.com/ottawa/merchandis
I planned on doing a big push today of Jerry Beck`s AFI screening of CALVIN AND THE COLONEL. Something I can`t wait to set my eyes on.
Saturday February 26th at 3:00pm
The American Film Institute
TED ASHLEY/WARNER BROS. SCREENING ROOM
2021 N. Westen Ave.
Hollywood, CA
The thing is Mark Evanier beat me to it with this great article complete with stories about dumpster diving for Amos and Andy films behind Television City. mePOV
Mark will then send you back over to Jerry`s Cartoon Brew so I am going to do the same thing. brew
Seems to be a day for reruns. It is time to call again for the second part of the archives move. We got rained out last week. But the forecast looks good for this weekend. So if you are not doing anything and would like to take part in moving rare animation art?:
Saturday Feb. 19th
10 AM
721 S. Victory Blvd.
Burbank, CA
It is part 2 of the ASIFA archives move part 2.
¶ 6:25 AM
Saturday February 26th at 3:00pm
The American Film Institute
TED ASHLEY/WARNER BROS. SCREENING ROOM
2021 N. Westen Ave.
Hollywood, CA
The thing is Mark Evanier beat me to it with this great article complete with stories about dumpster diving for Amos and Andy films behind Television City. mePOV
Mark will then send you back over to Jerry`s Cartoon Brew so I am going to do the same thing. brew
Seems to be a day for reruns. It is time to call again for the second part of the archives move. We got rained out last week. But the forecast looks good for this weekend. So if you are not doing anything and would like to take part in moving rare animation art?:
Saturday Feb. 19th
10 AM
721 S. Victory Blvd.
Burbank, CA
It is part 2 of the ASIFA archives move part 2.
¶ 6:25 AM
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
There is a Reason they call it a DEADLINE
Well, my mid-term grading is finished and once again the biggest cause of failure is missed deadlines. This is not just in school; this is all through the animation and film world. People just don`t understand the concept. People have been cutting them too much slack all through school. They think a good excuse is all that is needed to buy them more time.
I like to tell my students this story that I got from my friend and mentor the late Tex Blaisdell, the man of a thousand styles. Tex could copy any artist`s style from Orphan Annie to Prince Valiant to Rube Goldberg all of which he ghosted at one time or another.
For a long time he was the assistant to Stan Drake on the daily strip Heart of Julia Jones. The thing about a daily newspaper comic stripe is that you can not miss deadlines. There is a blank hole in the funnies and a lot of other stripes dying to fill your space.
So when Stan Drake went on vacation or when he came back from vacation he would have to get ahead or catch up. Any time off had to be paid for with a lot of work.
Stan had a trick he would do with deadlines. His wife would fix him foot-baths of hot water and ice water and he would move his feet from one to the other to keep himself awake at the drawing board while he ground out one stripe after another.
One time he was 48 hours into this hell of deadline doom and he collapses at his drawing board and starts bleeding at the nose. Stan`s wife quickly calls the editor to tell him about this physical breakdown and the editor says: He didn`t bleed on the originals did he?
In my book, the most important thing for an art teacher to do is to set deadlines and stick to them. A medium level talent with a master`s dedication to deadline goes much farther than a genius that thinks talent buys them the right to take their time. So when my students come up to me with an excuse I always say: He didn`t bleed on the originals did he? ¶ 10:39 AM
I like to tell my students this story that I got from my friend and mentor the late Tex Blaisdell, the man of a thousand styles. Tex could copy any artist`s style from Orphan Annie to Prince Valiant to Rube Goldberg all of which he ghosted at one time or another.
For a long time he was the assistant to Stan Drake on the daily strip Heart of Julia Jones. The thing about a daily newspaper comic stripe is that you can not miss deadlines. There is a blank hole in the funnies and a lot of other stripes dying to fill your space.
So when Stan Drake went on vacation or when he came back from vacation he would have to get ahead or catch up. Any time off had to be paid for with a lot of work.
Stan had a trick he would do with deadlines. His wife would fix him foot-baths of hot water and ice water and he would move his feet from one to the other to keep himself awake at the drawing board while he ground out one stripe after another.
One time he was 48 hours into this hell of deadline doom and he collapses at his drawing board and starts bleeding at the nose. Stan`s wife quickly calls the editor to tell him about this physical breakdown and the editor says: He didn`t bleed on the originals did he?
In my book, the most important thing for an art teacher to do is to set deadlines and stick to them. A medium level talent with a master`s dedication to deadline goes much farther than a genius that thinks talent buys them the right to take their time. So when my students come up to me with an excuse I always say: He didn`t bleed on the originals did he? ¶ 10:39 AM
Monday, February 14, 2005
So whats new.....
Well I decided on some thing new.
We will have you folks ask questions about the industry or maybe just need some advise on how to get into the industry. Workshops to attend, Meetings, what ever comes to mind. I know we have lots of students that visit us, along with people that just have a question about animation and film. Want to know about animation history? We've got the best. Want to know about how to make a cartoon? Grab your pencils or turn your computer on.
We would like to make this kind of a "Dear Blog". Lots of things for everyone to learn. Lots of surprises will be comming. So sit back and enjoy.
Start thinking of those questions you need answered.
Just contact me and we will get your questions answered.
Egh2oboy@hotmail.com ¶ 4:30 PM
We will have you folks ask questions about the industry or maybe just need some advise on how to get into the industry. Workshops to attend, Meetings, what ever comes to mind. I know we have lots of students that visit us, along with people that just have a question about animation and film. Want to know about animation history? We've got the best. Want to know about how to make a cartoon? Grab your pencils or turn your computer on.
We would like to make this kind of a "Dear Blog". Lots of things for everyone to learn. Lots of surprises will be comming. So sit back and enjoy.
Start thinking of those questions you need answered.
Just contact me and we will get your questions answered.
Egh2oboy@hotmail.com ¶ 4:30 PM
Aprils Fools Improv
My friend Aki Umemoto, ASIFA volunteer and Creative Director at Mattel, sent me an invite to an improv show.
My friend Aki Umemoto, ASIFA volunteer and Creative Director at Mattel, sent me an invite to an improv show.
From: Aprils FoolsIf you want to see what one animation person does when he is not working you might want to check this out. ¶ 7:01 AM
Location: Comedy Underground
Wilshire at 3rd Street Promenade,Santa Monica,CA
When: Saturday, March 19, 8:00pm to 10:45pm
Aprils Fools take over the Comedy Underground. There will be two shows:
8:00 to 9:15 Improv in the Raw!
Come and see comedy improv in the purest form - proof positive that nothing is written out ahead of time. How do these people come up with such clever ideas right off the top of their heads???
9:30 to 10:45 Improv Feud
It's a battle between two improv teams to see which one can make you laugh the hardest!
Seating is limited - 50 per show - so reserve now
$10 for one show - $15 for both shows
Join in the hilarity - see you there!!!!
So there was this madman in the slammer for heaven knows what. And he spent all his time pricking love messages onto flower pedals and throwing them out of his cell window. This may have gotton some of the others on D block looking at him a little funny but for this he becomes a saint even after his gig in an auto repair joint in Chicago a few years back torqued off J. Edgar and Elliot.
Happy hearts and flowers everybody. Some times if you get too realistic in your drawing you lose the symbolic meaning and sometimes that is the meaning. Back in the days when I was the art department for a corporation this was my yearly valentine`s day card. It was a way to keep my identity in Scott Adams land.
¶ 6:39 AM
Happy hearts and flowers everybody. Some times if you get too realistic in your drawing you lose the symbolic meaning and sometimes that is the meaning. Back in the days when I was the art department for a corporation this was my yearly valentine`s day card. It was a way to keep my identity in Scott Adams land.
¶ 6:39 AM
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Rainy Saturday
I found it a bit hard to shift gears today. I had planned my day fully expecting to spend most of it moving boxes of rare animation artwork. Then I found myself with a morning off because, as Antran so rightly said, it is not a good idea to move artwork in the rain.
That meant I had the time to start in on my mid-term grading but I found it hard to dig into that stack of 40 student scripts looming over me. They are just 2-minute rough student animation scripts but still somehow I found it easier to spend my time in some other pursuit knowing that I would have to pay the price later.
Enough on my whining, on to the upcoming events. This Thursday is the ASIFA-East reel over at DreamWorks.
I have seen a lot of these shorts before from running the Annie short nominating committee and was really impressed by most of them. Some I am completely in love with. One or two where not really my cup of tea but might be yours. Everybody`s tastes are different.
Still, let me give you 2 great reasons why this reel is a must see. Mark Kausler and Bill Plympton. I don`t think I have to say much more.
WINNERS OF
ASIFA-EAST'S 35th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL
ANIMATION FESTIVAL
Thursday, February 17, 2005, 6:30pm
DreamWorks Animation Campus
1000 Flower Street
Please RSVP by email to asifaeast@yahoogroups.com by Wednesday, February 16, 2005 at 6pm to reserve your seat(s). To guarantee your reservation, include your full name, contact information, and the full name of your guest(s) at the time you RSVP. For security purposes, everyone attending must have their name on the RSVP list, and you and your guest(s) will be asked to show a photo ID when arriving at DreamWorks to be allowed on campus no exceptions. Seating is limited to 150 people. Due to limited seating, we cannot accept all requests. We ask that everyone on the guest list be in attendance at the event.
¶ 12:20 AM
That meant I had the time to start in on my mid-term grading but I found it hard to dig into that stack of 40 student scripts looming over me. They are just 2-minute rough student animation scripts but still somehow I found it easier to spend my time in some other pursuit knowing that I would have to pay the price later.
Enough on my whining, on to the upcoming events. This Thursday is the ASIFA-East reel over at DreamWorks.
I have seen a lot of these shorts before from running the Annie short nominating committee and was really impressed by most of them. Some I am completely in love with. One or two where not really my cup of tea but might be yours. Everybody`s tastes are different.
Still, let me give you 2 great reasons why this reel is a must see. Mark Kausler and Bill Plympton. I don`t think I have to say much more.
WINNERS OF
ASIFA-EAST'S 35th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL
ANIMATION FESTIVAL
Thursday, February 17, 2005, 6:30pm
DreamWorks Animation Campus
1000 Flower Street
Please RSVP by email to asifaeast@yahoogroups.com by Wednesday, February 16, 2005 at 6pm to reserve your seat(s). To guarantee your reservation, include your full name, contact information, and the full name of your guest(s) at the time you RSVP. For security purposes, everyone attending must have their name on the RSVP list, and you and your guest(s) will be asked to show a photo ID when arriving at DreamWorks to be allowed on campus no exceptions. Seating is limited to 150 people. Due to limited seating, we cannot accept all requests. We ask that everyone on the guest list be in attendance at the event.
¶ 12:20 AM
Friday, February 11, 2005
Animation Archive Move Part 2
Just got off the phone with Antran who has called tomorrows archive move because of Rain. The second part of the ASIFA-Hollywood archive move will take place one week from Saturday on Feb. 19th. Sorry for the last minute change.
So it looks like we will be meeting at the old animation center
721 S. Victory Blvd
Burbank
at 10 AM one week from tomorrow
See you there ¶ 6:27 PM
So it looks like we will be meeting at the old animation center
721 S. Victory Blvd
Burbank
at 10 AM one week from tomorrow
See you there ¶ 6:27 PM
Martha Sigall`s Living Inside the Lines
I have been waiting a very long time for this one. At last Martha Sigall`s book, Living Life Inside The Lines: Tales From The Golden Age Of Animation has a release date. I got to read the first couple of chapters in proofs and I have been waiting for the publisher to get their act together so I could read the rest of this insightful work.
Martha said she thought the publisher was joking when they told her that April 1st would be the release date. But this is no joke, this is first hand knowledge from a lady that worked with everybody in the industry and has a memory as sharp as a razor.
I have learned so much just talking to her on the phone and at events about the golden days of animation. She will make a simple statement about somebody and everything just falls into place and makes sense. I am ordering mine today.
Living Within the Lines
¶ 7:22 AM
Martha said she thought the publisher was joking when they told her that April 1st would be the release date. But this is no joke, this is first hand knowledge from a lady that worked with everybody in the industry and has a memory as sharp as a razor.
I have learned so much just talking to her on the phone and at events about the golden days of animation. She will make a simple statement about somebody and everything just falls into place and makes sense. I am ordering mine today.
Living Within the Lines
¶ 7:22 AM
Storyboards for World Peace
Entries are now being accepted for the 10th International Helen Victoria Haynes World Peace Storyboard & Animation Scholorship Competition.
Submit a storyboard for a Public Service Announcement on “How to Achieve World Peace”. The winning entrant produces an animation of their idea.
The competition is open to undergraduate animation students and awards a total cash prize of $1,500 for the winning entry, Deadline for entries is April 1, 2005. For competion rules and entry form go to our web site at
world peace ¶ 5:20 AM
Submit a storyboard for a Public Service Announcement on “How to Achieve World Peace”. The winning entrant produces an animation of their idea.
The competition is open to undergraduate animation students and awards a total cash prize of $1,500 for the winning entry, Deadline for entries is April 1, 2005. For competion rules and entry form go to our web site at
world peace ¶ 5:20 AM
Thursday, February 10, 2005
One of those days.....
Well it's now Thursday.
It's raining down here in Beautiful "sunny" San Diego. Things have been going crazy lately.
Ever have one of those days? You know when the only thing that comes out of your mouth is AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well it's been one of those days! Oh well?!? We always have tommorrow. Right? Of course we do.
I learned a long time ago a way to fix this.
You know when you just don't feel like a kid at heart. Where you actually have to be a "grown up". Well the one thing , and I believe we should ALL do this one time or another, Is go to a toy store and go buy a toy that youve always wanted but never had. Why you ask? Well just because you can! That little Hot Wheels car you always wanted, That "special" Barbie Doll, The Monkeys in a barrel, what ever floats your boat. It will give you so much happiness. Not because the fact that you can afford it. But because of the memories it will bring back to when you were a kid! I tell this to all my friends. And you know what? They've all done it! Most of the time we donate the toys to a charity. But I like to keep some. sshhhh!!! My little secret. I tried to do the candy thing but, well most of the candies I used to eat, um no longer exist.
What makes you smile? Me? its toys. My studio is covered with them. Mainly for inspiration or because i'm just weird? Mainly inspiration though.
If anyone else has any ideas on what makes them smile, what ever gets you out of a creative slump. Contact me and maybe you'll see it on the blog.
For the record porn is not allowed. That's a different blog....
In no way is this to promote toy sales or is endorsed by the major toy manufactures. But if there are any manufactures that need promotions , call me!
As again keep your dreams and the smiles alive....... ¶ 7:00 PM
It's raining down here in Beautiful "sunny" San Diego. Things have been going crazy lately.
Ever have one of those days? You know when the only thing that comes out of your mouth is AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well it's been one of those days! Oh well?!? We always have tommorrow. Right? Of course we do.
I learned a long time ago a way to fix this.
You know when you just don't feel like a kid at heart. Where you actually have to be a "grown up". Well the one thing , and I believe we should ALL do this one time or another, Is go to a toy store and go buy a toy that youve always wanted but never had. Why you ask? Well just because you can! That little Hot Wheels car you always wanted, That "special" Barbie Doll, The Monkeys in a barrel, what ever floats your boat. It will give you so much happiness. Not because the fact that you can afford it. But because of the memories it will bring back to when you were a kid! I tell this to all my friends. And you know what? They've all done it! Most of the time we donate the toys to a charity. But I like to keep some. sshhhh!!! My little secret. I tried to do the candy thing but, well most of the candies I used to eat, um no longer exist.
What makes you smile? Me? its toys. My studio is covered with them. Mainly for inspiration or because i'm just weird? Mainly inspiration though.
If anyone else has any ideas on what makes them smile, what ever gets you out of a creative slump. Contact me and maybe you'll see it on the blog.
For the record porn is not allowed. That's a different blog....
In no way is this to promote toy sales or is endorsed by the major toy manufactures. But if there are any manufactures that need promotions , call me!
As again keep your dreams and the smiles alive....... ¶ 7:00 PM
Tales of Remembrance
Kathrin Victor
There were so many cool stories at the Afternoon of Remembrance this year. I would like to recount one of the quirkiest.
Kathrin Victor (Born Katena Ktenavea in the Hell's Kitchen district of Manhattan 18 August 1923 died Los Angeles 25 October 2004) Animation checker, actress, real estate salesperson, technical illustrator.
Labeled a B-movie actress, for starring roles in MESA OF LOST WOMEN in 1953, RYMDINVASION I LAPPLAND, TEENAGE ZOMBIES, CAPE CANAVERAL MONSTER, CREATURE OF THE WALKING DEAD, HOUSE OF BLACK DEATH, FRANKENSTEIN ISLAND, and FUGITIVE RAGE (aka CAGED FEAR). She was perhaps best known as Batwoman in WILD WORLD OF BATWOMAN (1966).
I well know the lures of B monster movies, I was always trying to bring my films up to the B level. But Ms. Victor was not just another pretty face who gave great scream. She had a rock solid career in the animation industry as a checker for Graphic Arts, Snowball, DeTeige, Eagle, Creston, Hanna-Barbera, DePatie-Freleng, Filmation, Don Bluth, and Disney.
Ms. Victor loved clothes and jewelry of a flamboyant nature and wore them well. One lunch hour Kathrin and a friend were walking down the street when Kathrin saw the most outrageously drop dead beautiful dress in the store window.
She had to try it on even if she would be late back to work. It fit her like it was painted on. The price was way out of her reach. She found herself saying in a small choked voice I`ll take it.
I`m sorry said the sales lady. This dress has already been sold to a Mr. Leichliter. He told us to give it to the woman who could wear it. All he wants in return is for you to have coffee with him.
Kathrin Victor Leichliter had a full and productive life. She also had a love story worthy of the movies. I know there are guys out there thinking, buy a gorgeous dress and wait for a gorgeous lady to come along and fill it. Happy St. Valentine`s day. ¶ 8:20 AM
There were so many cool stories at the Afternoon of Remembrance this year. I would like to recount one of the quirkiest.
Kathrin Victor (Born Katena Ktenavea in the Hell's Kitchen district of Manhattan 18 August 1923 died Los Angeles 25 October 2004) Animation checker, actress, real estate salesperson, technical illustrator.
Labeled a B-movie actress, for starring roles in MESA OF LOST WOMEN in 1953, RYMDINVASION I LAPPLAND, TEENAGE ZOMBIES, CAPE CANAVERAL MONSTER, CREATURE OF THE WALKING DEAD, HOUSE OF BLACK DEATH, FRANKENSTEIN ISLAND, and FUGITIVE RAGE (aka CAGED FEAR). She was perhaps best known as Batwoman in WILD WORLD OF BATWOMAN (1966).
I well know the lures of B monster movies, I was always trying to bring my films up to the B level. But Ms. Victor was not just another pretty face who gave great scream. She had a rock solid career in the animation industry as a checker for Graphic Arts, Snowball, DeTeige, Eagle, Creston, Hanna-Barbera, DePatie-Freleng, Filmation, Don Bluth, and Disney.
Ms. Victor loved clothes and jewelry of a flamboyant nature and wore them well. One lunch hour Kathrin and a friend were walking down the street when Kathrin saw the most outrageously drop dead beautiful dress in the store window.
She had to try it on even if she would be late back to work. It fit her like it was painted on. The price was way out of her reach. She found herself saying in a small choked voice I`ll take it.
I`m sorry said the sales lady. This dress has already been sold to a Mr. Leichliter. He told us to give it to the woman who could wear it. All he wants in return is for you to have coffee with him.
Kathrin Victor Leichliter had a full and productive life. She also had a love story worthy of the movies. I know there are guys out there thinking, buy a gorgeous dress and wait for a gorgeous lady to come along and fill it. Happy St. Valentine`s day. ¶ 8:20 AM
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
So here it is Wednesday morning and I didn`t drive in to the Egyptian Theatre last night to see the screening of Ryan. I just couldn`t face another long rush hour drive that would have gotten me there too late for the before screening reception that I was invited to.
That means that I have nothing to report about this morning and I have to talk about what I didn`t see and wish I did.
I just got these Annie photos from my former student Amy Lodevico form Cal State Fullerton. Here is a student that understands networking. Here she has all CSUF animation students lined up with Brad Bird and they are all screaming go Titans.
¶ 5:58 AM
That means that I have nothing to report about this morning and I have to talk about what I didn`t see and wish I did.
I just got these Annie photos from my former student Amy Lodevico form Cal State Fullerton. Here is a student that understands networking. Here she has all CSUF animation students lined up with Brad Bird and they are all screaming go Titans.
¶ 5:58 AM
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Helllooooooo out there..........
Well its time again that we do a call out to all of our volunteers. Comming this April 22, As most of you have heard, It`s the Aladdin reunion. This is such a neat way to experience a cartoon. With the team that created it! Learn first hand on what went on behind the scenes. Everyone gets an opportunity to ask questions. Maybe autograph your favorite Aladdin memorbilia. When the Lion King reunion happened, we had to turn some of the volunteers away, because we had so many that wanted to help. I did the last one at the Glendale library. It was great! The stories they told us. To think no one even watched the movie. We wanted to hear and learn more about themselves and the picture. Please sign up early because the volunteer list does fill up early. We are expecting a good crowd too. So if the list does fill up, come down anyways and see what went on behind the scenes. See you there.
¶ 5:59 PM
¶ 5:59 PM
Son of Faster and Cheaper Speaks
Over at Jim Hill Media Floyd Norman , the first and for the longest time only black animator at Disney, takes a look at Song of the South and doesn`t find much to be upset about. Black to the Future
¶ 5:44 AM
Monday, February 07, 2005
Aladdin Reunion
This one has been hanging for a little and is at last a go. We are confirmed for the Aladdin Reunion
Friday Night April 22nd
at the auditorium at the main branch
Glendale Library.
7 PM
Confirmed Guests will be Andreas Deja- animator of Jafar, Eric Goldberg animator of the Genii, directors John Musker & Ron Clements and Will Finn-animator of Iago. animator and Crazy Hakim the dung salesman-Tom Sito will moderate.
We will be looking for some volunteers to help run this event. More details as they are available, more guests as they confirm.
¶ 6:28 PM
This one has been hanging for a little and is at last a go. We are confirmed for the Aladdin Reunion
Friday Night April 22nd
at the auditorium at the main branch
Glendale Library.
7 PM
Confirmed Guests will be Andreas Deja- animator of Jafar, Eric Goldberg animator of the Genii, directors John Musker & Ron Clements and Will Finn-animator of Iago. animator and Crazy Hakim the dung salesman-Tom Sito will moderate.
We will be looking for some volunteers to help run this event. More details as they are available, more guests as they confirm.
¶ 6:28 PM
A SPOTLIGHT ON "MY LIFE AS A TEENAGE ROBOT"
Nicktoons and Frederator Studios invite you to a colorful Q&A with the creators of Nickelodeon's hit series, MY LIFE AS A TEENAGE ROBOT. This special event will cover the how the show was created and sold, the artists inspirations and stories of behind the scenes mayhem. Rare episodes and new unaired episodes will be screened - and food will be served! Seating is limited.
Wednesday April 13th - 6:00pm
NICKELODEON STUDIOS
Gymnasium
231 West Olive Ave.
Burbank, CA
¶ 6:26 PM
Wednesday April 13th - 6:00pm
NICKELODEON STUDIOS
Gymnasium
231 West Olive Ave.
Burbank, CA
¶ 6:26 PM
The Process of Making Great Video Games
The Los Angeles Professional Chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH Presents
The Process of Making Great Video Games
Tuesday, February 8, 2005
Speakers
Carey James Chico - Executive Art Director, Pandemic Studios
Stuart Roch - Executive Producer, Shiny Entertainment
Jeff Berting - Art Director, Heavy Iron Studios
Moderator
Bijan Tehrani - Editor in Chief, Digital Journal Online
Hosted By Softimage and Alienbrain, divisions of Avid Technology
Come out to see the latest in video games and the innovative ways they are being made
Program
6:30-7:30 P.M. Social Hour
7:30-9:30 P.M. The Program
Members will be given priority entrance from 6:30-7:00 P.M.
Location
Bradley International Center
417 Charles E. Young Drive West
on the UCLA Campus in Westwood, at the intersection of
Gayley and Strathmore Avenues
The meeting will be held on the upper level in Bradley Hall. Take the elevators to "UL".
Fees/Registration
The event is free to Los Angeles ACM SIGGRAPH members
$15 for non-members. New members that sign up on site and pay the $35 annual membership fee (checks or cash only) do not have to pay the $15 fee.
For updates on this meeting go to la.siggraph.org
¶ 6:24 PM
The Process of Making Great Video Games
Tuesday, February 8, 2005
Speakers
Carey James Chico - Executive Art Director, Pandemic Studios
Stuart Roch - Executive Producer, Shiny Entertainment
Jeff Berting - Art Director, Heavy Iron Studios
Moderator
Bijan Tehrani - Editor in Chief, Digital Journal Online
Hosted By Softimage and Alienbrain, divisions of Avid Technology
Come out to see the latest in video games and the innovative ways they are being made
Program
6:30-7:30 P.M. Social Hour
7:30-9:30 P.M. The Program
Members will be given priority entrance from 6:30-7:00 P.M.
Location
Bradley International Center
417 Charles E. Young Drive West
on the UCLA Campus in Westwood, at the intersection of
Gayley and Strathmore Avenues
The meeting will be held on the upper level in Bradley Hall. Take the elevators to "UL".
Fees/Registration
The event is free to Los Angeles ACM SIGGRAPH members
$15 for non-members. New members that sign up on site and pay the $35 annual membership fee (checks or cash only) do not have to pay the $15 fee.
For updates on this meeting go to la.siggraph.org
¶ 6:24 PM
AN EVENING WITH CHRIS LANDRETH
Chris Landreth does not completely abandon the stable outside forms of his character in his animation Ryan in the way that John Hubley did in Flat Hatting but Chris does concentrate on the emotional landscape behind the face with a style he calls psycho-realism.
This film is a love song of one animator to another animator. It is also an attempt by the filmmaker to pull his hero out of the dust hemp. You can see in unflinching detail every flaw of both the filmmaker and his subject. This is the most honest film I have seen in years.
If you have not seen Ryan, this strong contender for this year's short film Oscar will be playing at:
The Egyptian Theatre
Tuesday February 8th • 7:30pm
6712 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA
If you have seen this groundbreaking short animation then this is your chance to meet the filmmaker.
Only animation could get to the level of truth revealed in the documentary auto interviews with Ryan Larkin, once one of Canada's most acclaimed animators, and until lately a forgotten street person.
A must see film
¶ 8:28 AM
This film is a love song of one animator to another animator. It is also an attempt by the filmmaker to pull his hero out of the dust hemp. You can see in unflinching detail every flaw of both the filmmaker and his subject. This is the most honest film I have seen in years.
If you have not seen Ryan, this strong contender for this year's short film Oscar will be playing at:
The Egyptian Theatre
Tuesday February 8th • 7:30pm
6712 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA
If you have seen this groundbreaking short animation then this is your chance to meet the filmmaker.
Only animation could get to the level of truth revealed in the documentary auto interviews with Ryan Larkin, once one of Canada's most acclaimed animators, and until lately a forgotten street person.
A must see film
¶ 8:28 AM
Sunday, February 06, 2005
What Are You Doing Saturday Morning
The second part of the move into our new animation center has been scheduled and we need your help.
Call for Volunteers
Animation Center Move Part 2
Saturday February 12th
at 10 AM
at the old ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Center
721 S. Victory Blvd,,
¶ 8:00 PM
Call for Volunteers
Animation Center Move Part 2
Saturday February 12th
at 10 AM
at the old ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Center
721 S. Victory Blvd,,
¶ 8:00 PM
Friday, February 04, 2005
Its Friday!!!!
Anyone figure out this blogger thing???
I've got a little story. Well maybe it's not a story but something That should be known to all about ASIFA. A few weeks ago. I walked into a school where the students were studing to be animators. Great group of people. Just watch out for the flasher......Anyways, I met some folks with an ambition to draw and create magic with a pencil or at the push of a button. Even though they were not members, yet?! They volunteered to give ASIFA a helping hand. Not really knowing what they were getting into. But many wanted to help. Larry Loc and myself explained what was going on, and what are goals were. To think they still volunteered! I had mentioned what goes on at some of the ASIFA events. They knew that they would see the best in animation but that was it. Or so they thought!? At the Annie Awards it was like nothing what they had expected, I think?. But when the limo's began to arrive things had changed. Now they had recognized someone, then two, then three. Here we go! Not only were these guys and gals seeing their idols, but they were actually conversing with them. Some held their cool, But in the middle of filming, I get a tap on the shoulder with an appology. But it wasnt a bad thing because he was just so excited on someone he had just seen. That he had gotten all gitty and was besides himself. Kind of like a teenage girl at a Brittany concert. Just kidding , but it sounded good didn't it? It was great! But THATS what it's all about. The dreams of meeting the people that put the smiles on their faces... The film shoot went great. I applaud every one of you for an awsome job done. These Guys and gals are the future of animation. And you know what? I cant wait.
Dave Au
Dawn Fujioka
Patrick Reding
Lesley Hur <----- watch out for this one
Dan Weeks
Khoa Le
Aaron Knight
Richard Chow
Sean Needham
Steve Munoz
Shannon Eisenberg
Alex Caldwel
ASIFA thanks you all dearly
¶ 8:28 PM
I've got a little story. Well maybe it's not a story but something That should be known to all about ASIFA. A few weeks ago. I walked into a school where the students were studing to be animators. Great group of people. Just watch out for the flasher......Anyways, I met some folks with an ambition to draw and create magic with a pencil or at the push of a button. Even though they were not members, yet?! They volunteered to give ASIFA a helping hand. Not really knowing what they were getting into. But many wanted to help. Larry Loc and myself explained what was going on, and what are goals were. To think they still volunteered! I had mentioned what goes on at some of the ASIFA events. They knew that they would see the best in animation but that was it. Or so they thought!? At the Annie Awards it was like nothing what they had expected, I think?. But when the limo's began to arrive things had changed. Now they had recognized someone, then two, then three. Here we go! Not only were these guys and gals seeing their idols, but they were actually conversing with them. Some held their cool, But in the middle of filming, I get a tap on the shoulder with an appology. But it wasnt a bad thing because he was just so excited on someone he had just seen. That he had gotten all gitty and was besides himself. Kind of like a teenage girl at a Brittany concert. Just kidding , but it sounded good didn't it? It was great! But THATS what it's all about. The dreams of meeting the people that put the smiles on their faces... The film shoot went great. I applaud every one of you for an awsome job done. These Guys and gals are the future of animation. And you know what? I cant wait.
Dave Au
Dawn Fujioka
Patrick Reding
Lesley Hur <----- watch out for this one
Dan Weeks
Khoa Le
Aaron Knight
Richard Chow
Sean Needham
Steve Munoz
Shannon Eisenberg
Alex Caldwel
ASIFA thanks you all dearly
¶ 8:28 PM
Just A Note Before I Give In to This Cold
This last month has taken its toll on me. There at the end I was just running on will power and adrenaline coming up to the Annies. I know that Gretchen and Annette had more responsibilities but they were not putting as many miles on driving in from Orange County and I had classes and lots of other stuff going on. The flue or a cold or something is moving in.
Just finished my last duty for the week. I talked on the benefits of networking, volunteering, and membership in ASIFA-Hollywood to one of the senior classes over at Laguna College of Art and Design. I have been doing a lot of stuff with them lately. They are just a few miles down the road from me and they have a very nice program.
A number of the Laguna students helped out with the video archive shoot at the Annies this year. Everybody was very please with their attitude and work ethic. The fact that some of the students had already volunteered at a major ASIFA event made my whole dog and pony easier.
All week the video crew had been talking about the people they met, the access that they had to celebrities, the people they got to interview, and the fun they had at the party. All I really needed to do was come in a talk a little bit about the importance of networking for students or anyone else trying to break into animation and they signed up.
I showed a little swag, showed some screening invites, opened up my card file and showed some of the people on my contact list without giving away their numbers. ASIFA has been very good for me. I`m excited about the work we do. I`m a teacher, I know when my message gets across. Everybody in the room signed up for ASIFA. I`ve never had that happen before.
Students writing checks, something that does a teacher`s heart good. Everybody joined ASIFA
Got home to a nice note from Martha and Sol Sigall with some photos. She said she had a great time at the Annies even if none of her favorites won.
Jerry Beck, Martha Sigall, & Larry Loc (wearing the tie that Sol gave me - DeMille Barn) Photo by Sol
Now that the Annies are over I can finally talk about my favorites. I too was hoping that Mark Kausler`s It`s the Cat would win. It was hand drawn on cells with 15 years of love, that gave it an edge with me. I thought that every short that was up was very deserving, I loved Lorenzo. It was a great story with a whimsical execution, great music and a great look. It was very close in my voting.
But the 2-D look and feel of the real cell animation of It`s the Cat is so refreshing. It is so good to see that again. It was like a full meal after being hungry for a long, long time. But I can completely understand Lorenzo winner as I could have for Ryan and Rockfish and Agricultural Report. They were all good. Tough year for picking shorts.
That`s it for me. Lots of sleep and orange juice and whatever else is cool for feeling like you want to crawl under a rock. Hope Ed takes up the slack while I am sleeping.
¶ 6:52 PM
Just finished my last duty for the week. I talked on the benefits of networking, volunteering, and membership in ASIFA-Hollywood to one of the senior classes over at Laguna College of Art and Design. I have been doing a lot of stuff with them lately. They are just a few miles down the road from me and they have a very nice program.
A number of the Laguna students helped out with the video archive shoot at the Annies this year. Everybody was very please with their attitude and work ethic. The fact that some of the students had already volunteered at a major ASIFA event made my whole dog and pony easier.
All week the video crew had been talking about the people they met, the access that they had to celebrities, the people they got to interview, and the fun they had at the party. All I really needed to do was come in a talk a little bit about the importance of networking for students or anyone else trying to break into animation and they signed up.
I showed a little swag, showed some screening invites, opened up my card file and showed some of the people on my contact list without giving away their numbers. ASIFA has been very good for me. I`m excited about the work we do. I`m a teacher, I know when my message gets across. Everybody in the room signed up for ASIFA. I`ve never had that happen before.
Students writing checks, something that does a teacher`s heart good. Everybody joined ASIFA
Got home to a nice note from Martha and Sol Sigall with some photos. She said she had a great time at the Annies even if none of her favorites won.
Jerry Beck, Martha Sigall, & Larry Loc (wearing the tie that Sol gave me - DeMille Barn) Photo by Sol
Now that the Annies are over I can finally talk about my favorites. I too was hoping that Mark Kausler`s It`s the Cat would win. It was hand drawn on cells with 15 years of love, that gave it an edge with me. I thought that every short that was up was very deserving, I loved Lorenzo. It was a great story with a whimsical execution, great music and a great look. It was very close in my voting.
But the 2-D look and feel of the real cell animation of It`s the Cat is so refreshing. It is so good to see that again. It was like a full meal after being hungry for a long, long time. But I can completely understand Lorenzo winner as I could have for Ryan and Rockfish and Agricultural Report. They were all good. Tough year for picking shorts.
That`s it for me. Lots of sleep and orange juice and whatever else is cool for feeling like you want to crawl under a rock. Hope Ed takes up the slack while I am sleeping.
¶ 6:52 PM
Thursday, February 03, 2005
lets hope this works
Hi folks ,
Groovy I'm up and running.
I just wanted to say thanks to ASIFA for all they have done to make the animation industry stay near to our hearts. I look forward to being a big part of ASIFA this year. But this is why ASIFA is so great! Let me explain. I've been a member for over a year now. Since day one the orginazation has opened their arms to me and everyone else around me. I have learned so much by being a part of this group. (the freebeeies don't hurt either!) I wouldn't trade it for the world. The people that I have met. The people I have seen. And especially the people I will meet. Many that I have met just this past weekend. Wow! Still taking that all in! This is just the beginning! For all of those that are here for the first time to "check things out" Take a look at the laughs that have been put on our faces, young and old. This is the heart of all of our smiles. Where we all come together and smile. Tell your freinds about ASIFA. Its people like yourself that make these things come true. help us preserve the past, the present, and the future. Because we might be trying to preserve your work someday. You'd be surprised how far a little pixie dust can go......
¶ 9:36 PM
Groovy I'm up and running.
I just wanted to say thanks to ASIFA for all they have done to make the animation industry stay near to our hearts. I look forward to being a big part of ASIFA this year. But this is why ASIFA is so great! Let me explain. I've been a member for over a year now. Since day one the orginazation has opened their arms to me and everyone else around me. I have learned so much by being a part of this group. (the freebeeies don't hurt either!) I wouldn't trade it for the world. The people that I have met. The people I have seen. And especially the people I will meet. Many that I have met just this past weekend. Wow! Still taking that all in! This is just the beginning! For all of those that are here for the first time to "check things out" Take a look at the laughs that have been put on our faces, young and old. This is the heart of all of our smiles. Where we all come together and smile. Tell your freinds about ASIFA. Its people like yourself that make these things come true. help us preserve the past, the present, and the future. Because we might be trying to preserve your work someday. You'd be surprised how far a little pixie dust can go......
¶ 9:36 PM
Wrap Up
Last night was the ASIFA board meeting where we did the post on the Annies. It was all in all a very good event. Today I had to catch up on stuff for my classes that have been hanging while I work on the Annies. I can`t demand that my students meet deadline if I can`t, so I did.
Tomorrow is another ASIFA school program for me. This one is at Laguna College of Art and Design. I already know a lot of the students because these were the heroes that helped with the archive video shoot for this year`s Annies. Thank you guys. You guys were tops.
Ed Gonzalez, the director of this year`s Annie shoot is going to be joining us as a regular contributor here on the ASIFA blog. Ed lives and works out of San Diego with a lot of trips into LA. He should have a different insight from the other LA animation warriors. Welcome aboard Ed. And thanks for the great work at the Annies and the editing to come.
¶ 8:03 PM
Tomorrow is another ASIFA school program for me. This one is at Laguna College of Art and Design. I already know a lot of the students because these were the heroes that helped with the archive video shoot for this year`s Annies. Thank you guys. You guys were tops.
Ed Gonzalez, the director of this year`s Annie shoot is going to be joining us as a regular contributor here on the ASIFA blog. Ed lives and works out of San Diego with a lot of trips into LA. He should have a different insight from the other LA animation warriors. Welcome aboard Ed. And thanks for the great work at the Annies and the editing to come.
¶ 8:03 PM
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Go Ask Alice
I talked to Virginia Davis, the first Disney star, for about 20 minutes before the Annies. I then talked to her on and off throughout the night. As an animation history freak with a real jones for the silent years I was in heaven.
I found out how she got pushed out of the Alice comedies. Charles Mintz cut the budget on the Disney cartoons maybe as part of his campaign to take over the Disney studio.
Then I found out just who owned the car that Ub Iwerks and his mother drove out to Hollywood. Leslie Iwerks tells in her book and documentary that grandfather and great grandmother drove a borrowed car from Kansas City to Hollywood. The car, it turns out, was the property of the father of Virginia Davis.
That makes sense, because Walt had already talked the Davis family into moving to Hollywood. Margaret Winkler wouldn`t buy the Alice comedies without Virginia in the lead roll. Walt`s next goal was to talk Ub into moving to Hollywood because Winkler also wanted the same level of quality as the demo reel, Alice in Wonderland. And without Ub that wasn`t going to happen.
Virginia`s father had to leave a car behind when they drove out to Hollywood and this was the car that Ub and his mother used to made their trip. This may not mean much to you but it means a lot to me. It is another piece of the puzzle that fits nicely into the silent era.
¶ 8:20 PM
I found out how she got pushed out of the Alice comedies. Charles Mintz cut the budget on the Disney cartoons maybe as part of his campaign to take over the Disney studio.
Then I found out just who owned the car that Ub Iwerks and his mother drove out to Hollywood. Leslie Iwerks tells in her book and documentary that grandfather and great grandmother drove a borrowed car from Kansas City to Hollywood. The car, it turns out, was the property of the father of Virginia Davis.
That makes sense, because Walt had already talked the Davis family into moving to Hollywood. Margaret Winkler wouldn`t buy the Alice comedies without Virginia in the lead roll. Walt`s next goal was to talk Ub into moving to Hollywood because Winkler also wanted the same level of quality as the demo reel, Alice in Wonderland. And without Ub that wasn`t going to happen.
Virginia`s father had to leave a car behind when they drove out to Hollywood and this was the car that Ub and his mother used to made their trip. This may not mean much to you but it means a lot to me. It is another piece of the puzzle that fits nicely into the silent era.
¶ 8:20 PM
A Word of Thanks
I know that the Annie Awards have been much on our minds and blog as of late but I would like to go back to the day before the Annie Awards and talk about the Afternoon of Remembrance. I want to talk about the speech by Mark Pudleiner. But this is not really just about Mark or his wife Shannon Scudder-Pudleiner who we honored last Saturday, it is about the reason that Mark came to the Afternoon of Remembrance, it is about the Animation Community, the Animation family.
Shannon died of cancer in June leaving her husband and small children. It had to be hard for Mark to come and talk to us about this open wound but it was obvious from his first word that he was there for a reason, he needed to be there to thank the people in his animation family for all of their support during his ordeal.
Mark is a Disney animator and Shannon was an editor before they had children. During Shannon`s illness Mark`s fellow employees, many of them facing layoffs, donated 75 vacation and sick days to Mark so that he could be with his wife and family. The higher ups at Disney arranged to move computer equipment into his home (an unheard of thing in the studios) and hooked him up to the network so that he could work from home and be with his wife and sons. His boss told him not to worry, to just take care of his home life. His animation family made it possible.
Mark was overwhelmed by this kindness of his animation family, and quit frankly so am I. But I wasn`t surprised. I feel honored to be about to pass on Mark`s thanks to his follow members in the animation community.
¶ 9:32 AM
Shannon died of cancer in June leaving her husband and small children. It had to be hard for Mark to come and talk to us about this open wound but it was obvious from his first word that he was there for a reason, he needed to be there to thank the people in his animation family for all of their support during his ordeal.
Mark is a Disney animator and Shannon was an editor before they had children. During Shannon`s illness Mark`s fellow employees, many of them facing layoffs, donated 75 vacation and sick days to Mark so that he could be with his wife and family. The higher ups at Disney arranged to move computer equipment into his home (an unheard of thing in the studios) and hooked him up to the network so that he could work from home and be with his wife and sons. His boss told him not to worry, to just take care of his home life. His animation family made it possible.
Mark was overwhelmed by this kindness of his animation family, and quit frankly so am I. But I wasn`t surprised. I feel honored to be about to pass on Mark`s thanks to his follow members in the animation community.
¶ 9:32 AM
