ASIFA-Hollywood: The International Animated Film Society
Thursday, April 28, 2005
This is a test. It is only a test
So here is a test for my current stop motion project, it is only a test. The hair has no animation, no secondary action or follow through, nothing. Don`t look at the hair. The test is for masks, composite, support rod system, and shadow. Also looking as the environment and doing a little lighting. Still not there on the lighting. Long way on the lighting. Don`t pay any attention to the guy behind the curtain.
Volunteer Report
Twenty-six volunteers turned out last night for ASIFA-Hollywood`s monthly Act of Membership Volunteers Meeting. There were people from DreamWorks, freelancers, three ASIFA Board Members, two animation teachers, small studio owners, lots of students, animation fans, film makers, and one archivist of Disney comic books who effortlessly put a name to a Donald Duck comic book story that I haven`t seen since I was 8 years old.
Jerry Beck talked about this Saturday`s ScrappyAFI screening and lined up volunteers for the June 2-D Expo.
The next order of business was Comic Con. Strategies for parking; food, hotels, and just plane surviving the four-day pop culture ordeal were discussed. A play by play of last year`s Jerry Beck screening of The Worst Cartoons was spontaneous presented by Steve Gattuso and Jon Reeves. Okay, I was in on it too.
There was a break for pizza and talk. Scooter Milne suggested a Stop Mo Expo which is already starting to move from idea to action plan. I for one, as a stop mo geek, am heavily behind this project. Then the evening ended with Linda Lee and then David Kolodny-Nagy presenting practice pitches in preparation for Monday appointments at Nick. The whole group offered feedback and input. Jason Jones helped me clean up and then that long drive home to Orange.
NOTE: The Dudlie Do-Right Emporium sign is in the ASIFA Archive`s back room. And volunteers from the Fred Patten Library move delivered duplicate items for the ASIFA Archives. ¶ 9:55 AM
Jerry Beck talked about this Saturday`s ScrappyAFI screening and lined up volunteers for the June 2-D Expo.
The next order of business was Comic Con. Strategies for parking; food, hotels, and just plane surviving the four-day pop culture ordeal were discussed. A play by play of last year`s Jerry Beck screening of The Worst Cartoons was spontaneous presented by Steve Gattuso and Jon Reeves. Okay, I was in on it too.
There was a break for pizza and talk. Scooter Milne suggested a Stop Mo Expo which is already starting to move from idea to action plan. I for one, as a stop mo geek, am heavily behind this project. Then the evening ended with Linda Lee and then David Kolodny-Nagy presenting practice pitches in preparation for Monday appointments at Nick. The whole group offered feedback and input. Jason Jones helped me clean up and then that long drive home to Orange.
NOTE: The Dudlie Do-Right Emporium sign is in the ASIFA Archive`s back room. And volunteers from the Fred Patten Library move delivered duplicate items for the ASIFA Archives. ¶ 9:55 AM
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
More Books out on the market right now.
By now you have heard on this blog about the cool new books by Jean Ann Wright- ANIMATION WRITING, and Martha Sigal`s memoir LIVING LIFE BETWEEN THE LINES. If you have a desire for more literary material about our favorite subject -Animation, here are some other titles bopping around:
WALTS PEOPLE by Didier Ghez, Xlibris.com Didier assembled a number of interviewers including Mike Marrier and Jim Korkis who had done interviews with a number of past Disney greats including MILT KAHL, DAVE HAND, MARC DAVIS, BILL TYTLA, JOHN HENCH and JOYCE CARLSON. A must for folks seriously interested in the House of Mouse!
STRAY DOG OF ANIME The Films of Mamoru Oshii by Brian Ruh, Palgrave/MacMillan press. The first comprehensive biography in English of the great Japanese director/writer./producer who`s films include GHOST IN THE SHELL, THE PATLABOR series, JIN ROH and BLOOD OF THE LAST VAMPIRE.
My spies have brought in news that film director Richard Fleischer will soon be completing a biography of his father Max Fleischer, and Neal Gabler author of AN EMPIRE OF THEIR OWN, is finishing a new bio of Walt Disney. Oh, and . . . Tom Sito (uh . . . me) still finishing his/my book on the history of the animation unions from silents to CGI.
All these labels are available on Amazon.com or wherever you order books.
TS ¶ 1:09 PM
WALTS PEOPLE by Didier Ghez, Xlibris.com Didier assembled a number of interviewers including Mike Marrier and Jim Korkis who had done interviews with a number of past Disney greats including MILT KAHL, DAVE HAND, MARC DAVIS, BILL TYTLA, JOHN HENCH and JOYCE CARLSON. A must for folks seriously interested in the House of Mouse!
STRAY DOG OF ANIME The Films of Mamoru Oshii by Brian Ruh, Palgrave/MacMillan press. The first comprehensive biography in English of the great Japanese director/writer./producer who`s films include GHOST IN THE SHELL, THE PATLABOR series, JIN ROH and BLOOD OF THE LAST VAMPIRE.
My spies have brought in news that film director Richard Fleischer will soon be completing a biography of his father Max Fleischer, and Neal Gabler author of AN EMPIRE OF THEIR OWN, is finishing a new bio of Walt Disney. Oh, and . . . Tom Sito (uh . . . me) still finishing his/my book on the history of the animation unions from silents to CGI.
All these labels are available on Amazon.com or wherever you order books.
TS ¶ 1:09 PM
So here I am in the teacher`s workroom. Yesterday was like 5 minutes long. Stop motion is like that. One minute it was 6 AM and the next it was time to pick up the kids at school.
Got some test footage done. Got the lighting right to make if possible to cut masks. Did a test run or two with the rod support system, and built the background in 3D Max. I will put up a clip later.
Tonight is the volunteer meeting. Come on out and support ASIFA. As mentioned below, we will have a group doing run-thoughs for a Nick pitch. Should be fun. ¶ 7:48 AM
Got some test footage done. Got the lighting right to make if possible to cut masks. Did a test run or two with the rod support system, and built the background in 3D Max. I will put up a clip later.
Tonight is the volunteer meeting. Come on out and support ASIFA. As mentioned below, we will have a group doing run-thoughs for a Nick pitch. Should be fun. ¶ 7:48 AM
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
I will not be blogging anything here today. I have set the day aside for animation. I will not be answering the phone or my e-mail either. I will be back Wednesday. ¶ 6:27 AM
Monday, April 25, 2005
Jean Ann Wright - Animation Writing
ASIFA-Hollywood Proudly Presents a Booksigning
with author Jean Ann Wright
ANIMATION WRITING & DEVELOPMENT
Below is the press release for the ASIFA book signing with Jean Ann Wright. I want to add my 2 cents. I have thoroughly examined this book and found it to be a very important work. I am considering it as a textbook for one of my classes.
This is a no nonsense, step by step guide to the animation writing process that focuses on television animation but covers all areas of animation. What I really love about this book is that it deals with subjects that my students are not going to want to hear. This book has a straightforward attitude about the very real collaborative nature of the professional animation business and the need for compromise in the writing process.
Students don`t want to hear this kind of truth, I know I didn`t when I was a student. But somebody has to tell them. This is your chance to meet Jean Ann Wright and hear her truths for yourselves.
Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 7pm
ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Center
2114 Burbank Blvd. ¶ 5:24 AM
with author Jean Ann Wright
ANIMATION WRITING & DEVELOPMENT
Below is the press release for the ASIFA book signing with Jean Ann Wright. I want to add my 2 cents. I have thoroughly examined this book and found it to be a very important work. I am considering it as a textbook for one of my classes.
This is a no nonsense, step by step guide to the animation writing process that focuses on television animation but covers all areas of animation. What I really love about this book is that it deals with subjects that my students are not going to want to hear. This book has a straightforward attitude about the very real collaborative nature of the professional animation business and the need for compromise in the writing process.
Students don`t want to hear this kind of truth, I know I didn`t when I was a student. But somebody has to tell them. This is your chance to meet Jean Ann Wright and hear her truths for yourselves.
Jean Ann Wright has been teaching writing and development since 1996, and has pitched animation projects around Hollywood herself. Her teaching resume includes Women In Animation, Learning Tree University, The Animation Academy, DH Institute of Media Arts, and Screenwriting Expo 2. She regularly judges for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, ASIFA-Hollywood (animation awards), Writers Guild of America west (animation writing awards), and the State Thespian Conference (high school drama awards). Her new book, Animation Writing and Development (which includes a chapter on pitching), was published by Focal Press in February 2005.
Jean`s animation career began as a trainee at Hanna-Barbera in 1978, working for eight years as an assistant animator on shows like The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo, The Jetsons, and The Smurfs. She`s sold her writing to DIC Entertainment, Hanna-Barbera, and Filmation. She`s a member of Women In Animation, Women In Film, the Writer`s Guild Animation Caucus, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and ASIFA-Hollywood.
Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 7pm
ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Center
2114 Burbank Blvd. ¶ 5:24 AM
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Last night as I was sewing a tutu for my Skipper doll and watching the original version of Star Wars I was struck with how weird the life of an animator really is. Now I am sewing a tutu for a Skipper doll because she is going to star in a stop motion animation blitz that I am working on at present.
I do these every so often when I have been too long from the process. They are free form, unplanned, animation attacks without any planned commercial value. In a way they are the purest form of animation. Only after the fact do I ever try to do anything with them.
Yesterday when I was building a support rod system for Skipper I got a call from David Kolodny-Nagy. He and a couple others (one a past student of mine) are getting ready pitches for Nickelodeon. He wanted to know if they could use the Animation Center to practice their pitches?
I did him one better and we have now grafted their practice onto the end of the ASIFA-Hollywood Volunteer Meeting this Wednesday night. So come on out and help plan ASIFA events like Scrappyland, 2-D Expo and Comic Con. Have some pizza with your peers. Then stay to see some young animators sweat.
Wednesday, April 27th
2114 W. Burbank Blvd.
Burbank, CA
7 PM ¶ 10:08 AM
Saturday, April 23, 2005
Aladdin Reunion Wrap Up
Robin Williams said wake up and smell the hummus. He was not making fun of the homeless. Really he wasn`t. And Aladdin said good tiger etc, he never said good teens take their clothes off. Okay, we got that out of the way.
Eric Goldberg was in a position to put his stamp on this film. Everybody else in the studio was working on some other animated film when Eric came in from England (He closed his English studio because of too much stress, he said, and then moved to Disney. Does that remove the stress factor, Eric?)
As the first animator on board Eric did a pass at most of the characters. This is how he managed to put over his Al Hershfeld inspired designs and set the look of the film. We got to see many of these designs last night at the ASIFA-Hollywood sponsored Glendale Library event when Eric and others showed their rough story reels from the 1992 movie.
There were rough animation reels from Eric Goldberg (Genii) Andreas Deja (Jafar), Tina Price- (CGI pioneer who animated the Magic Carpet) and many others that showed the characters in the development process. There were a couple of reels where you could see when the character jelled and first came to life.
To start Tom Sito asked everybody on stage to relate their first contact with the project. Ron Clements and John Musker (co-directors) spoke to the early development process. The move away from Alan Menken`s songs and the later journey back to them.
A comment that gave a lot of insight for me was that Robin Williams was not really a singer but he could do a good impression of a singer.
They made Kathy Zeilinski (animator of Jaffar as a beggar) stand up in the audience and relate the embarrassing story of how her water broke on her last day before maternity leave as she was finishing her very last scene (Jaffar as a snake). I can`t have my baby now, I`m suppose to have 3 more weeks.
Will Finn (Iago) was unable to attend because of health issues. Duncan Marjoribanks (Abu) was drafted from the audience. Hey I paid my money to get in, I`m not suppose to be on the stage. We offered him his money back but that didn`t seem to be the point.
I got a chance to catch up with Norma Rivera (assistant animator on Aladdin) I hadn`t seen her since Chuck Jones` last public appearance way back in 2001.
I also tried to talk one of the panel into appearing on our State of the Industry panel at Comic-Con. I`ll let you know if that works out.
Also in attendance were Raul Garcia, David Burgess animators; Brian Cliff -lead key assistant on the Genii; and Chris Heller -assistant animator
You know, you just have to come to these events folks. There is no way that I can remember all the cool stuff related to the audience. I do know that it will come out in my History of Animation classes or when I talk of Aladdin but it is like trying to relate a flowing stream of water.
All the crew members signed a poster (Eric Goldberg drew a great Genii and Andreas Deja did a killer Jafar drawing. This poster will be auctioned off in an online silent auction to raise money for the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Center Project. I will give you the link when I get it.
The night ended with a number of questions from the floor and then the event broke up into long lines of people wanting to get sketches and autographs. Everybody from the Aladdin team was very generous with their time and talents.
This was a once in a lifetime event. You really should have been there! ¶ 9:07 AM
Eric Goldberg was in a position to put his stamp on this film. Everybody else in the studio was working on some other animated film when Eric came in from England (He closed his English studio because of too much stress, he said, and then moved to Disney. Does that remove the stress factor, Eric?)
As the first animator on board Eric did a pass at most of the characters. This is how he managed to put over his Al Hershfeld inspired designs and set the look of the film. We got to see many of these designs last night at the ASIFA-Hollywood sponsored Glendale Library event when Eric and others showed their rough story reels from the 1992 movie.
There were rough animation reels from Eric Goldberg (Genii) Andreas Deja (Jafar), Tina Price- (CGI pioneer who animated the Magic Carpet) and many others that showed the characters in the development process. There were a couple of reels where you could see when the character jelled and first came to life.
To start Tom Sito asked everybody on stage to relate their first contact with the project. Ron Clements and John Musker (co-directors) spoke to the early development process. The move away from Alan Menken`s songs and the later journey back to them.
A comment that gave a lot of insight for me was that Robin Williams was not really a singer but he could do a good impression of a singer.
They made Kathy Zeilinski (animator of Jaffar as a beggar) stand up in the audience and relate the embarrassing story of how her water broke on her last day before maternity leave as she was finishing her very last scene (Jaffar as a snake). I can`t have my baby now, I`m suppose to have 3 more weeks.
Will Finn (Iago) was unable to attend because of health issues. Duncan Marjoribanks (Abu) was drafted from the audience. Hey I paid my money to get in, I`m not suppose to be on the stage. We offered him his money back but that didn`t seem to be the point.
I got a chance to catch up with Norma Rivera (assistant animator on Aladdin) I hadn`t seen her since Chuck Jones` last public appearance way back in 2001.
I also tried to talk one of the panel into appearing on our State of the Industry panel at Comic-Con. I`ll let you know if that works out.
Also in attendance were Raul Garcia, David Burgess animators; Brian Cliff -lead key assistant on the Genii; and Chris Heller -assistant animator
You know, you just have to come to these events folks. There is no way that I can remember all the cool stuff related to the audience. I do know that it will come out in my History of Animation classes or when I talk of Aladdin but it is like trying to relate a flowing stream of water.
All the crew members signed a poster (Eric Goldberg drew a great Genii and Andreas Deja did a killer Jafar drawing. This poster will be auctioned off in an online silent auction to raise money for the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Center Project. I will give you the link when I get it.
The night ended with a number of questions from the floor and then the event broke up into long lines of people wanting to get sketches and autographs. Everybody from the Aladdin team was very generous with their time and talents.
This was a once in a lifetime event. You really should have been there! ¶ 9:07 AM
A Dozen Animators Aladdin
A thousand words times twenty-four for what it is worth. I will write on the Aladdin Reunion in the morning when I get some sleep under my belt, not that I wear a belt to . . . let`s just leave that one.
¶ 12:13 AM
¶ 12:13 AM
Friday, April 22, 2005
Reunion
Tonight is the night. The Aladdin Reunion is going to be big. We know who is on the schedule but here is a little secret for you girls and boys, there will be other people that worked Aladdin there.
When we did the Lion King Reunion last year there were 8 people on the stage and about 12 more in the audience. I expect the same thing this time around. You don`t want to miss this once in a lifetime event.
I will be posting photos here somewhere around 11PM, the good creek willing and the Lord don`t rise. ¶ 12:22 PM
When we did the Lion King Reunion last year there were 8 people on the stage and about 12 more in the audience. I expect the same thing this time around. You don`t want to miss this once in a lifetime event.
I will be posting photos here somewhere around 11PM, the good creek willing and the Lord don`t rise. ¶ 12:22 PM
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Wine Whine
So a couple of days ago it was the anniversary of my nativity. I don`t give out details - but let`s just say I share the day with a famous rejected artist that got into public service when he couldn`t get into the academy - fund the arts guys you really don`t want artists in power.
I have already shown the cover of an album I got, Firehouse Five + Two. I listened to it last night and it is very good. These guys are not just a group of animation artists playing a little music on the side. I would listen to them even if they couldn`t animate.
Here is another of the presents I got for the feat of making it through another year. Fellow Kubert student and old running mate, Chris Kalnick, sent me a bottle of his latest vintage. I love the label and am saving the wine for a special occasion. I bare a little bit of the guilt here, I turned him on to wine in 1980 with a bottle of Mouton Cadet. But who could have known?
I love the label by Chris. If you would like to see more of his art here is a link to a comic stripe he did a number of years back NON
Cheers ¶ 11:18 AM
So a couple of days ago it was the anniversary of my nativity. I don`t give out details - but let`s just say I share the day with a famous rejected artist that got into public service when he couldn`t get into the academy - fund the arts guys you really don`t want artists in power.
I have already shown the cover of an album I got, Firehouse Five + Two. I listened to it last night and it is very good. These guys are not just a group of animation artists playing a little music on the side. I would listen to them even if they couldn`t animate.
Here is another of the presents I got for the feat of making it through another year. Fellow Kubert student and old running mate, Chris Kalnick, sent me a bottle of his latest vintage. I love the label and am saving the wine for a special occasion. I bare a little bit of the guilt here, I turned him on to wine in 1980 with a bottle of Mouton Cadet. But who could have known?
I love the label by Chris. If you would like to see more of his art here is a link to a comic stripe he did a number of years back NON
Cheers ¶ 11:18 AM
ALADDIN REUNION UPDATE:
This just in from Tom Sito with a look at some the subject areas to be addressed at the Aladdin Reunion this Friday night. Don`t know about you but the Geni`s bellybutton is the big, can`t miss need to know, issue for me.
April 22nd, 2005 • 7:00pm
GLENDALE CENTRAL LIBRARY
222 E. Harvard Street
Glendale, CA ¶ 8:50 AM
I hope you all can make it to the Aladdin Reunion on Friday April 22nd at
the Glendale Library. This is the largest event about the making of this classic
film since the DVD came out last year. We`ll going to show rare, not before
seen, rough footage and reveal some of the secrets and stories that were not
covered in the Special Edition DVD.
Stories like:
- Our layout supervisor who went to Bagdhad to take research photos just as Gulf War Part I was breaking out.
- The Battle Of The Geni`s Bellybutton.
- How to make a funny film about a thief during the LA Riots.
- Whatever happened to Jafar`s Song?
- Was Aladdin really a "Disney" film?
These issues and more will be discussed by our panel of vets and many
more friends and co-workers in the audience. We`re going to have a poster signed
that will be auctioned off on line to benefit the ASIFA Animation Center.
If you've been to the panels we did for Beauty & The Beast and the Lion
King, you know these events are pretty cool and are once in a lifetime. Look
forward to seeing you Friday!
T S
April 22nd, 2005 • 7:00pm
GLENDALE CENTRAL LIBRARY
222 E. Harvard Street
Glendale, CA ¶ 8:50 AM
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Loading up trucks for Fred Patten
We need people to help move Fred Patten`s library. Fred, a lone time member of ASIFA has donated his library to UCR Library Special Collection. Fred is currently in at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Downey recovering for a stroke. Lee Gold needs help moving all the stuff.
¶ 5:54 AM
Sunday, April 24th
11 AM at Fred's apartment
11863 Jefferson #1,
(310) 827-3335
(wait awhile before hanging up; one of the phones has
disappeared
under boxes; the only one under location is in the office)
and also, perhaps a little later, at the Shurgard facility
11510
Jefferson, 391-9929
where we'll be moving stuff from #1145 and #2299
We're going to move all of Fred's boxes into the trucks
We're going
to finish boxing the stuff in the office room
and bedroom of Fred's
apartment and move that all into the
trucks. The next day the trucks will go
down to UC Riverside
Library Special Collectiosn and be unloaded there.
Fred is THRILLED that his collection will be kept together,
not
dispersed, and be in the same place as that of old friend
Bruce Pelz's
collection and in general at a facility that
specializes in SF and anime and
fandom.
See ucr
and ucr
UCR Library Special
Collection only wants ONE copy of each item.
Duplicate DVDs will be divided
among tax-exempt organizations
whose members show up and help during this
time of need.
Fred is currently at Rancho Los Amigos National
Rehabilitation
Center in Downey, Building 10, Room #1016, bed 2.
562-401-8328.
--Lee Gold
Lee Gold
Sunday, April 17, 2005
Sol looks on as Paul films for ASIFA Archives - Martha Sigall Book Signing -Van Eaton Gallery - Sherman Oaks
¶ 7:29 PM
Happy Birthday to Martha Sigall - And Happy Book Signing -Van Eaton Gallery - Sherman Oaks
¶ 7:28 PM
Martha and Jerry Beck talk animaton history - Martha Sigall Book Signing -Van Eaton Gallery - Sherman Oaks
¶ 7:25 PM
Martha Sigall Book Signing -Van Eaton Gallery - Sherman Oaks - The stuff on the walls could run me into the poor house if I wasn`t already there.
¶ 7:23 PM
Follow Termite Terrace Alumni - Martha Sigall Book Signing -Van Eaton Gallery - Sherman Oaks.
¶ 7:20 PM
Martha and Sol`s Son and Daughter-In-Law - Martha Sigall Book Signing -Van Eaton Gallery - Sherman Oaks
¶ 7:18 PM
The Line to Sign - Martha Sigall Book Signing -Van Eaton Gallery - Sherman Oaks.Martha Sigall Book Signing -Van Eaton Gallery - Sherman Oaks.
¶ 7:16 PM
Sheila Mullens wins the raffle - Martha Sigall Book Signing -Van Eaton Gallery - Sherman Oaks.
¶ 7:15 PM
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Martha`s Book Signing
Tomorrow (Sunday) Book Signing – Be There
April 17, 2005 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Van Eaton Gallery
13613 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA
MORE ¶ 7:17 PM
Tomorrow (Sunday) Book Signing – Be There
April 17, 2005 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Van Eaton Gallery
13613 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA
MORE ¶ 7:17 PM
We are all just animators on this bus
First week of new term, last class of the week. Walking out of the school when one of last term`s students calls me over. He is standing with a number of other students I have taught. Mr. Loc I have given up trying to get some students to call me by my first name we have something to show you.
They are all excited and active and filled with life. I sense a non-assigned group animation project. Nothing makes a group of separate students into a closely-knit conspiracy like an independent personal driven animation project.
One of the conspirators pulls out a character design and it is me all hat and beard and glasses without any other sign of face. I am in a student animation again. Cool! It is one of the highest complements an animation student can give a teacher. (Sometimes it the highest form of revenge, but I don`t think that is the case here?)
Now here is my complement right back to this group of fresh, eager, minds and faces. I`ve got a big personal animation project in pre-production that is going real slowly, laid down the voices, started working on the armatures, but these students infected me. I have to get to some animation right now. I need it. I have to get to a quick project. Something I can bang out in 3 or 4 weeks.
It is not a matter of how good the animation is or what I do with it after it is finished. It is the process. Hell, it is always the process. I ask my first term students how many of you want to be animators? and every hand goes up. Stupid question to ask animation students. Then I ask them how many of you have to be animators? How many of you would not be happy doing anything else?
Now that is the question. If you have to answer yes to that question then, my friends, you already are an animator. Everything else is just becoming a better animator. And that is why I try to get students to call me by my first name. We are all just animators on this bus. ¶ 9:29 AM
They are all excited and active and filled with life. I sense a non-assigned group animation project. Nothing makes a group of separate students into a closely-knit conspiracy like an independent personal driven animation project.
One of the conspirators pulls out a character design and it is me all hat and beard and glasses without any other sign of face. I am in a student animation again. Cool! It is one of the highest complements an animation student can give a teacher. (Sometimes it the highest form of revenge, but I don`t think that is the case here?)
Now here is my complement right back to this group of fresh, eager, minds and faces. I`ve got a big personal animation project in pre-production that is going real slowly, laid down the voices, started working on the armatures, but these students infected me. I have to get to some animation right now. I need it. I have to get to a quick project. Something I can bang out in 3 or 4 weeks.
It is not a matter of how good the animation is or what I do with it after it is finished. It is the process. Hell, it is always the process. I ask my first term students how many of you want to be animators? and every hand goes up. Stupid question to ask animation students. Then I ask them how many of you have to be animators? How many of you would not be happy doing anything else?
Now that is the question. If you have to answer yes to that question then, my friends, you already are an animator. Everything else is just becoming a better animator. And that is why I try to get students to call me by my first name. We are all just animators on this bus. ¶ 9:29 AM
Friday, April 15, 2005
Call for Entries - Angelus Awards Student Film Festival
Special cash awards for best
Call for Entries NOW OPEN through July 1st. Enter by June 1st to get the EARLY BIRD $25 rate. www.angelus.org
$10,000 Grand Prize
Over $23,000 in cash and industry prizes
$10,000 Grand Prize
Over $23,000 in cash and industry prizes
Special cash awards for best
documentary and animation
Screening at Directors Guild, Hollywood October 22
¶ 7:48 PM Screening at Directors Guild, Hollywood October 22
Fantastic Memories
Gary Sassaman has this great piece on his blog today about the early days of the Kirby Fantastic Four comic books. It made me want to go dig out some old comics and spend the whole weekend re-reading my past. If you grew up with the FF, like I did, you will want to head on over to:innocent bystander .
¶ 5:55 AM
Thursday, April 14, 2005
The new semester is underway at one of the schools I teach at. I am also putting together a lot of stuff for Comic Con right now. Not able to put much here today, but I was at a school meeting the other night so here is a copy of my not so hidden agenda.
¶ 5:35 PM
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Martha`s Book Signing and Birthday Bash
Here is the one, my friends. Martha is doing a number of book signings, even one that I am putting on at Comic Con, but this is the big one. This is her birthday / book signing combo put on by ASIFA. So everybody is going to be coming out the woodwork. I`m taking the whole family. I`m getting my book signed. And if you have read her book yet then you know that animators know how to party!
Here is the one, my friends. Martha is doing a number of book signings, even one that I am putting on at Comic Con, but this is the big one. This is her birthday / book signing combo put on by ASIFA. So everybody is going to be coming out the woodwork. I`m taking the whole family. I`m getting my book signed. And if you have read her book yet then you know that animators know how to party!
April 17, 2005 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm¶ 5:53 AM
ASIFA-Hollywood cordially invites you a
Book Signing & Birthday Party for MARTHA SIGALL
In honor of the
publication of her biography
Martha`s book!
LIVING LIFE INSIDE THE LINES
Join us as we celebrate the publication of Martha
Sigall`s book, "Living Life Inside The Lines: Tales From The Golden Age of
Animation", and a special birthday celebration at the Van Eaton Animation Art
Gallery in Sherman Oaks. Martha will be signing copies of her book, rare
one-of-a-kind items will be on sale and raffled away - and they`ll be cake for
all!
Martha is one of the last of those who worked (as a teenager) at
the fabled Termite Terrace. Her stories of her career at Leon Schlesinger, MGM
(alongside Hanna, Barbera and Tex Avery), with Bob Clampett, Chuck Jones, etc.
are collected in her book - and here`s a rare chance to meet her in person!
Don`t miss this rare Asifa-Hollywood event!
April 17, 2005 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Van Eaton Gallery
13613 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA
http://www.vegalleries.com/
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Teenage Robot Event Update
I was checking the RSVP list for the Teenage Robot event and I will say I am very happy with the responses we received from members. Not only did the list fill to capacity, we also received a couple of new members because of the interest the event caused. We had to close the RSVP line due to the amount of responses we were getting. So far, 2005 has been a tremendous year for ASIFA-Hollywood and events like this make the experience for members an incredible one.
¶ 10:39 PM
99 Cent Review, $1.07 with Tax
I took another chance at the 99 Cent Only Store the other day. The Felix and Friends Volume One was the one I thought would be killer. Okay, I knew that the first 3 Felix cartoons are Van Beuren, Burt Gillett / Tom Palmer, squeaky voiced, not really Felix, crap cartoons. I knew that.
It was cartoon number four that I had high hopes for. It was listed as Felix in a Tale of Two Kitties. Now I know that there was no such animal. I`m thinking, Bob Clampett and the first Tweety. The only one where Tweety is flesh colored because the Hays office made them paint him yellow. The one with the Abbott and Castello cats. I don`t have that on DVD.
Well folks, I still don`t have it on DVD. The transfer was really, I mean really bad. The only good thing about the disk is one of my all time favorite Famous Studios cartoons Hep Cat Symphony.
The find turned out to be the Nursery Classics Volume One. Five, count them five Ub Iwerks Cinecolor cartoons with okay to very good transfers. And the Ray Harryhausen Humpty Dumpty fairytale. (You never know when they say Humpty Dumpty one one of these DVD`s what you are going to get) ¶ 9:20 AM
I took another chance at the 99 Cent Only Store the other day. The Felix and Friends Volume One was the one I thought would be killer. Okay, I knew that the first 3 Felix cartoons are Van Beuren, Burt Gillett / Tom Palmer, squeaky voiced, not really Felix, crap cartoons. I knew that.
It was cartoon number four that I had high hopes for. It was listed as Felix in a Tale of Two Kitties. Now I know that there was no such animal. I`m thinking, Bob Clampett and the first Tweety. The only one where Tweety is flesh colored because the Hays office made them paint him yellow. The one with the Abbott and Castello cats. I don`t have that on DVD.
Well folks, I still don`t have it on DVD. The transfer was really, I mean really bad. The only good thing about the disk is one of my all time favorite Famous Studios cartoons Hep Cat Symphony.
The find turned out to be the Nursery Classics Volume One. Five, count them five Ub Iwerks Cinecolor cartoons with okay to very good transfers. And the Ray Harryhausen Humpty Dumpty fairytale. (You never know when they say Humpty Dumpty one one of these DVD`s what you are going to get) ¶ 9:20 AM
Last Chance to See Inside Nickelodeon - Deadline to RSVP
Not sure if there are any seats left, but it is worth a shot.
Wednesday April 13th
6:00pm
NICKELODEON STUDIOS
Gymnasium
231 West Olive Ave.
Burbank, CA
ASIFA-Hollywood presents
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. Please RSVP by email to teenagerobot@yahoogroups.com ¶ 8:42 AM
Wednesday April 13th
6:00pm
NICKELODEON STUDIOS
Gymnasium
231 West Olive Ave.
Burbank, CA
ASIFA-Hollywood presents
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. Please RSVP by email to teenagerobot@yahoogroups.com ¶ 8:42 AM
Monday, April 11, 2005
(from left Tom Sito and Bob Kurtz) Golden Awards. My server was down for much of yesterday evening. Somehow Pat Sito managed to get a couple of photos from Saturday`s event through anyhow. (Maybe there will be more later?)
¶ 5:41 AM
Sunday, April 10, 2005
GOLDEN AWARDS
Hollywood is known for liking awards and awards shows. Many lumps of electroplate and crystal are handed out year round for various reasons. In 1983 the Hollywood Animators Guild Local 839, then called the Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists, thought there should be a way for the animation workers to receive an acknowledgement from their peers for a lifetimes worth of work. So they
created the Golden Awards.
The Golden Awards honor the well known and the not-so well known. It's only requirement was fifty years of service in the animation field. The late, great Frank Thomas joked when he got his: "It's the first time I ever got an award for being old!" But besides famous artists like Frank the Golden Awards were at last a chance for the "great anonymous" craftsmen and women who made some of our favorite cartoon memories to receive some long over do recognition. Because of a problem getting volunteers for the support infrastructure the awards were allowed to lapse for a few years. So this years ceremony had to cover a long period, people who had entered the industry from 1943-1955. A lot of animation history to cover in those years, WWII, the Age of UPA, the great Warner Shorts like Rabbit Fire and One Froggy Evening, Disney's Cinderella and Peter Pan; and the dawn of a new technology called Television.
On warm, breezy, Saturday night April 9, 2005, Four hundred animators and their families packed the Pickwick Banquet Center strategically situated directly between the Walt Disney and Dreamworks Studios. Folks flew in from Phoenix, NY, England and Ireland. Guild President Kevin Koch and MC President-Emeritus Tom Sito introduced presenters Bill Melendez, Floyd Norman, Chuck Swenson, Martha Sigall, Tee Bosustow, Tina Price, Tim Walker, Gary Owens, Rusty Mills, Mark Kausler and Scott Shaw!
These luminaries handed out awards to the 55 present out of 72 honorees: Iwao Takamoto the creator of Scooby Doo, John Wilson the creator of the 1971 film Shinbone Alley, Chris Jenkyns the creator of Super Chicken, Paul Carlson of the How-To-Draw-Magoo books and many more. A complete list of the Class of 2005 is available on the Guilds website www.mpsc839.org
Now that the Golden Age Generation of the Walt, Chuck Jones, Friz, Hubley and the Nine Old Men are fading into legend, this event marked the honoring of the next tier of animation masters. Fred Wolf and Jimmy Murakami, Phil Roman, Gene Deitch, Gwen Wetzler, Eve Fletcher, Willie Ito, Tiger West, John Sparey, Lee Guttman, Corny Cole. For baby boomers like me, when you entered the business the great masters of the 1930's were distant idols you were fortunate to interact with at times. But this second generation were the on-the-ground, in-your-face supervisors and directors who worked with you every day. That night there were many of the Boomer Generation on hand to say thank you to their teachers and mentors.
Writer Leonard Maltin handed out a special award to June Foray, the voice of Rocky and Natasha Fatale. Other highlights were a rare gag reel of Termite Terrace artists clowning around, Footage of the Disney Strike of 1941 a montage of cartoons intercut with timely news footage of MacArthur, Marylin Monroe and Uncle Milty. Martha Sigal had copies of her new book Living Life Inside the Lines to autograph. Stuart Ng was there selling copies of rare animation books.
There were lots of laughs. One running gag was the number of artists who listed on their credits the TV series Qwicky Koala. We joked that development execs are even now are on their Blackberries checking on the rights for a possible revival series.
Multiple Accolades to organizers Bob Foster, Dave Brain and the TAG 839 staff for a masterful job. The 2005 Golden Awards was the largest gathering of top animation talent in a decade. The numbers of new people entering animation declined in the late 1950s as the large studio units closed and the industry shrank. So future awards ceremonies may not be as large as this one was. Discussions will start soon whether to make the event annual or every few years.
For now let's enjoy the glow of the magic that still lingers in the air. Congratulations once again to the honorees. It was a truly special night.
Tom Sito
(photos to follow) ¶ 11:34 AM
created the Golden Awards.
The Golden Awards honor the well known and the not-so well known. It's only requirement was fifty years of service in the animation field. The late, great Frank Thomas joked when he got his: "It's the first time I ever got an award for being old!" But besides famous artists like Frank the Golden Awards were at last a chance for the "great anonymous" craftsmen and women who made some of our favorite cartoon memories to receive some long over do recognition. Because of a problem getting volunteers for the support infrastructure the awards were allowed to lapse for a few years. So this years ceremony had to cover a long period, people who had entered the industry from 1943-1955. A lot of animation history to cover in those years, WWII, the Age of UPA, the great Warner Shorts like Rabbit Fire and One Froggy Evening, Disney's Cinderella and Peter Pan; and the dawn of a new technology called Television.
On warm, breezy, Saturday night April 9, 2005, Four hundred animators and their families packed the Pickwick Banquet Center strategically situated directly between the Walt Disney and Dreamworks Studios. Folks flew in from Phoenix, NY, England and Ireland. Guild President Kevin Koch and MC President-Emeritus Tom Sito introduced presenters Bill Melendez, Floyd Norman, Chuck Swenson, Martha Sigall, Tee Bosustow, Tina Price, Tim Walker, Gary Owens, Rusty Mills, Mark Kausler and Scott Shaw!
These luminaries handed out awards to the 55 present out of 72 honorees: Iwao Takamoto the creator of Scooby Doo, John Wilson the creator of the 1971 film Shinbone Alley, Chris Jenkyns the creator of Super Chicken, Paul Carlson of the How-To-Draw-Magoo books and many more. A complete list of the Class of 2005 is available on the Guilds website www.mpsc839.org
Now that the Golden Age Generation of the Walt, Chuck Jones, Friz, Hubley and the Nine Old Men are fading into legend, this event marked the honoring of the next tier of animation masters. Fred Wolf and Jimmy Murakami, Phil Roman, Gene Deitch, Gwen Wetzler, Eve Fletcher, Willie Ito, Tiger West, John Sparey, Lee Guttman, Corny Cole. For baby boomers like me, when you entered the business the great masters of the 1930's were distant idols you were fortunate to interact with at times. But this second generation were the on-the-ground, in-your-face supervisors and directors who worked with you every day. That night there were many of the Boomer Generation on hand to say thank you to their teachers and mentors.
Writer Leonard Maltin handed out a special award to June Foray, the voice of Rocky and Natasha Fatale. Other highlights were a rare gag reel of Termite Terrace artists clowning around, Footage of the Disney Strike of 1941 a montage of cartoons intercut with timely news footage of MacArthur, Marylin Monroe and Uncle Milty. Martha Sigal had copies of her new book Living Life Inside the Lines to autograph. Stuart Ng was there selling copies of rare animation books.
There were lots of laughs. One running gag was the number of artists who listed on their credits the TV series Qwicky Koala. We joked that development execs are even now are on their Blackberries checking on the rights for a possible revival series.
Multiple Accolades to organizers Bob Foster, Dave Brain and the TAG 839 staff for a masterful job. The 2005 Golden Awards was the largest gathering of top animation talent in a decade. The numbers of new people entering animation declined in the late 1950s as the large studio units closed and the industry shrank. So future awards ceremonies may not be as large as this one was. Discussions will start soon whether to make the event annual or every few years.
For now let's enjoy the glow of the magic that still lingers in the air. Congratulations once again to the honorees. It was a truly special night.
Tom Sito
(photos to follow) ¶ 11:34 AM
King of the Jim Hill Media
Jim Hill over at Jim Hill Media has a story on our upcoming Aladdin Reunion. Jim will be flying in from the east coast for the reunion. If you live in California you have no excuse to miss this once in a lifetime event. For more information on Aladdin Reunion
¶ 5:49 AM
Saturday, April 09, 2005
50 Years In Animation
Fifty years in one job (maybe not at the same place but at the same type of tasks) there are not many fields that anybody would or could do that in except Animation. Today is the local 839 Animation Guild`s Golden awards for 50 years in animation.
Someone told me a long time ago that artists live longer because even when we retire we don`t stop working. Tom Sito has promised us a report from this event. I will post it as soon as I get it. ¶ 8:03 AM
Fifty years in one job (maybe not at the same place but at the same type of tasks) there are not many fields that anybody would or could do that in except Animation. Today is the local 839 Animation Guild`s Golden awards for 50 years in animation.
Someone told me a long time ago that artists live longer because even when we retire we don`t stop working. Tom Sito has promised us a report from this event. I will post it as soon as I get it. ¶ 8:03 AM
Friday, April 08, 2005
I found a couple of boxes of these cool program books while moving around some stuff in the achrive. We are thinking of selling some of these at this year`s comic con. ¶ 7:39 PM
