ASIFA-Hollywood: The International Animated Film Society
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
 
Oscar nomineees announced. Good slate in feature and short animation.
 
Monday, January 30, 2006
 
Just got an email from a friend wanting to know when the reception prior to the Annie's starts? Good question! The answer is 3:00 PM but when I tried to find that info on the Annie web site I could not find it. That does not mean that that info is not there just that I could not find it.

So I said to myself, self, maybe other people will also be unable to find out the starting time. Therefore the post of same.
 
 
GOOD NEWS / BAD NEWS:

The bad news is that there will be no student comps given out this year by ASIFA-Hollywood for the 33rd Annie Awards and the good news is there will be no student comps given out this year by ASIFA-Hollywood for the 33rd Annie Awards.

In the past years ASIFA would give out comp tickets in the hard to sell nosebleed section of the upper balcony to animation students in animation programs around the LA and Orange county areas. This year we are very close to being sold out.

Sales have been very good and we just had a very large order from one of the studios that we had a hard time filling. But there still are a few single and double seat tickets left so if you or you and your guest want to go to the Annies you better move quickly.
 
Sunday, January 29, 2006
 
Afternoon of Remembrance:


Amid Amidi a few seconds before he accused me of being the Paparazzi of the animation blog set



Mark Kausler speaking about Selby Kelly


Drawing of some of the other speaker by my 15 year old daughter Raven.



Cels painted by Martha Sigall as gifts for my son Toby and daughter Raven. She knew my kids would be at the Afternoon of Remembrance because they have been to the last three years.

What a sweet lady. What a great gift, something my kids will love a lifetime. (if they can keep me from stealing them)



Martha picked my favorite Bugs design, Wild Hare. Bugs has just become gray and white but still had the nose design of the early nameless but insane Bugs Hardaway white bunny.

The Afternoon of Remembrance was a great coming together of the animation family to pay our respects to members of our family. There were great stories and touching memories.

It is always one of my favorite events of the year because the Afternoon of Remembrance is the place where the true family nature of the animation community is on display.
 
Saturday, January 28, 2006
  Archive: 2005 Year In Review
The ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive is now open to the public in its facility on Burbank Bl in Burbank. Volunteers and ASIFA members are working to build out a virtual archive of material for the use of researchers, artists and students. Three workstations are networked to a main server used for digitizing. There is an extensive library of books related to animation, and an exhibit space for displaying artifacts from the history of animation. It is quickly becoming one of the foremost facilities devoted to animation in the world.

In the past year, the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive has reached several of its initial goals. Through the generous donations of ASIFA members and corporate sponsors, we funded the purchase of the computer equipment- top of the line Macintosh computers with high resolution digitizing ability. We leased the building in Burbank, networked it and set up the equipment, and mounted the first two exhibits- a collection of drawings from the Fleischer Studios, including Grim Natwick's original character designs for Betty Boop; and the Annie Award nominated submissions for the character design, production design and storyboard categories.


Annette O'Neil takes a break from helping to organize the Annie Awards Ceremonies to look over the submissions from this year's nominees for Character Design.

Over 600 rare cartoons have been digitized and entered into the database- including the Fleischer Popeye cartoons, an important collection of rare B&W Terrytoons, and important Eastern European films from the Kratky Studios. We have also scanned original artwork from the 1950s commercial animation house, Ray Patin Studios, classic illustrated books by Disney concept artists Gustaf Tenggren, Mary Blair and Kay Nielsen; and comics by cartoonists Virgil "Vip" Partch and Milt Gross.

The physical archives have been growing as well. John Kricfalusi donated the archives of Spumco Studios to ASIFA-Hollywood. The collection includes the original hand drawn storyboards to all of the original episodes of Ren & Stimpy, reference and training manuals, and a collection of rare cartoons on broadcast quality 3/4 inch tapes. Terry Thoren donated the archives of the Animation Celebration, containing a wealth of information on independent animation. Lee Klynn, the son of Format Films founder, Herb Klynn donated some marvelous material from his father's collection as well.

The ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive is currently open two days a week- Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1pm to 9pm. In the coming year, it is our goal to secure funding to be able to open the archive to the public five days a week. This will allow us to continue building out the animation database as quickly as we can and to design the user interface.

Once the database reaches "critical mass" and is fully functional, we will be able to pursue grants to sustain the project. But until then, we depend on the support of the members of ASIFA-Hollywood and the animation community to make this all possible. We have plans for several fundraising events to benefit the archive during the coming year. We hope that all of you will generously support this project.

Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
 
 
TODAY: Afternoon of Remembrance.
Saturday January 28, 2006 - 12 noon - all day!

No RSVP necessary. Free of charge and open to all. Light Refreshments will be served.

Hollywood Heritage Museum
2100 N. Highland (across from the Hollywood Bowl)
Hollywood
 
Friday, January 27, 2006
  A Letter From Leonard Maltin
Dear Friend of Animation,

It's very easy to become so focused on the current state of the animation scene that we forget the debt we owe to the innovative filmmakers whose passion built the foundation for the art form we all benefit from-- whether as professionals in the industry or as members of the audience. The history of animation isn't just a dry catalog of studios and films. It's the living story of the PEOPLE who made the films we all love. These stories need to be heard by students of the medium, those who currently work in the industry, and the millions of people who love the animated films they see on TV and DVD and in theaters.

Did you know that there is no archive, library and museum dedicated to animation anywhere in the United States? There are museums devoted to hundreds of other aspects of film-making and the entertainment business, but none for the history of the animated film. Hollywood is clearly the proper place for a facility like this. With its proven track record of over three decades of service to the art of animation, ASIFA-Hollywood is clearly the organization that should undertake the project.

The Board of Directors of ASIFA-Hollywood has established a digital archive in Burbank as the first step toward creating a world class research facility dedicated to animation. This resource is bound to be of tremendous value to the animation industry. ASIFA-Hollywood's Animation Archive will provide a foundation for untold numbers of students... the animators, directors and designers of the future. It will also be a useful resource for research by industry professionals and animation historians. And it will function as an outreach to the general public on behalf of the art form.

I encourage you to generously support this project, either personally through a monetary donation or professionally as a Corporate Sponsor. Every dollar donated to the project will be used to establish, maintain and expand ASIFA-Hollywood's Animation Archive Project. We owe it to ourselves, and to the future growth and nourishment of the art form we love.

Thank you,

Leonard Maltin
LeonardMaltin.com

To contribute, please see the... Contribution Categories Page

Donate online using our PayPal button...

To join ASIFA-Hollywood, please see the Membership Page

Contributions can be sent to...

ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
2114 Burbank Bl
Burbank, CA 91506

When contributing to this project, please write ARCHIVE DONATION on the subject line of your check.
 
  Archive: More Mary Blair
More jaw-droppingly beautiful Mary Blair paintings...



...at the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive Project Blog.

Thanks
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
 
Thursday, January 26, 2006
 
Spent the day reading up on Disney/Pixar deal (still don`t know what to think but hoping for the best) and setting up meetings, getting contracts and contacts together, and otherwise helping Ed Gonzalez get his video shoot off the ground for the Annies. Man, has he put a lot of work into this project.

Found out that I do have to do some kind of short thank you speech (important word here is short) at the Annies, maybe I should thank the guy that laid me off from my place as the head of the corporate art department way back in 1995. That lead to me to starting my state funded animation program in Orange, which lead to me joining ASIFA in that same year. No one ever thanks the mean spirited jerks that do us back handed favors all the time thinking that they are doing us dirt. Life is strange but it is still the best show in town.

Next Friday (day before the Annies) I am meeting up with Tom Geller who is coming down from San Francisco with a piece of the Nightmare Before Christmas set that he is donating to the ASIFA-Hollywood Archives. I think it is part of the Bogeyman wheel of chance set where the big showdown happens. That is what it looked like from the photos. Tom pulled it out of a dumpster behind a subcontractor studio shortly after the movie was finished. That is what happened to all of the stuff on Nightmare. Not so with Corpse Bride all of that went straight to the Warner Museum as soon as the shoot was over. About time we get some respect for Stop Motion.

The votes are all in so I can talk a little about the features. Three way race between two stop motion movies and a 2-D movie from Japan. I feel the clay movie is in the lead. We will find out a week from Saturday.

Just got a number of emails from people wanting to volunteer for the Annies so that they can get in free. Man, that boat has saled 3 months ago, so don`t ask. It is getting in the way of my spam.
 
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
 
This Saturday is the Afternoon of Remembrance. You really don`t want to miss this special event.

Saturday January 28, 2006 - 12 noon - all day!
ASIFA-HOLLYWOOD, Women In Animation & The Animation Guild present

AN AFTERNOON OF REMEMBRANCE
January 28th 2006

A non-demominational celebration of departed friends from our animation community who touched our hearts and furthered the advance of the art of animation.

Honorees this year include: Don Adams, Rueben Apodaca, Henry Corden, Ed Friedman, Vance Gerry, Joe Grant, Wendy Jackson Hall, Gene Hazelton, Selby Kelly, Derek Lamb, Norm
Prescott, Joe Ranft, Thurl Ravenscroft, Hal Seeger, Paul Winchell - and others.

No RSVP necessary. Free of charge and open to all. Light Refreshments will be served.

Saturday January 28, 2006 12 noon - all day!
Hollywood Heritage Museum
2100 N. Highland (across from the Hollywood Bowl)
Hollywood

 
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
  Archive: Mary Blair Week
It's Mary Blair week at the Animation Archive!



Rita Street was kind enough to loan a copy of Blair's beautiful Golden Book, "Little Verses" to be digitized. You can see some of the images at the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive Project Blog.

Thanks
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
 
 
Okay, this is getting weird. Just got my Animation Magazine. Always a great read. Somehow they too have me as getting a Certificate of Merit for Dream on Silly Dreamer.

There are 2, count them 2, Certificates of Merit being handed out at the Annies this year. The first one is for the stuff I do with ASIFA and volunteers and writing this blog and handling Comic Con for ASIFA and so on.

The other is going to Filmmaker Dan Lund and producer Tony West for Dream on Silly Dreamer.

 
Monday, January 23, 2006
 
Spent the weekend putting finishing touches on my syllabus for my History of Animation class at Laguna College of Art & Design. Which is one of the reasons I have not posted all weekend. The other reason is that I wanted the June Foray letter to stay at the top of the page as long as possible. It is a good cause and a long time coming.

Friday I was in to LCAD (Laguna College of Art & Design) working out guest speakers for the semester. Have not gotten the response yet but looks like we will have a good group across the range of animation.

Afternoon of Remembrance is this coming Saturday. Hollywood Heritage Museum. I haven`t missed one in years and wouldn`t for the world.

Annies are less than 2 weeks away. I can not believe that. Do I have to do an acceptance speak for this certificate of merit thing? I want to thank my 8th grade English teacher, Peggy Russell, for teaching me to read.



The early students end up in the Blog
 
Thursday, January 19, 2006
  An Important Note From June Foray
Dear Friend of the Art of Animation,

When Bill Scott and I served as officers of ASIFA-Hollywood, we had big dreams for the organization. My goal was to honor the people who create animated films by hosting an annual award ceremony. Today, my idea has grown into the Annie Awards, animation's highest honor. I'm very proud that the seed I planted has grown and flourished the way it has.

Bill's vision for ASIFA-Hollywood involved the establishment of an Animateque... a world class research facility devoted to animation, complete with an archive, library and museum. For many years, ASIFA-Hollywood has wanted to begin work on Bill's idea, but the right people and resources were not yet in place. Happily, today ASIFA-Hollywood has grown to the point where Bill's dream can finally become a reality.

The Board of Directors of ASIFA-Hollywood has taken the first step by creating a Virtual Archive full of resources that will benefit artists, students and researchers, as well as providing important information about the art of animation to the general public. ASIFA-Hollywood has leased storefront space in Burbank, in the heart of the media district, and has opened the archive to the public on a limited basis. We need YOUR help to expand and sustain the project.

The membership rolls of ASIFA-Hollywood have grown tremendously since I served as President. Many studios are providing memberships to their production staff as part of their benefits package. There's strength in those numbers....

If every member of ASIFA-Hollywood donated an amount equal to their yearly dues, the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive would be fully funded for the entire year. This isn't a great deal to ask for such an important project. If you are not yet a member of ASIFA-Hollywood, please sign up with double dues and you will be a part of our groundbreaking efforts to build this valuable resource for the animation community.

If you are able to, I hope you will consider becoming a Project Hero or Angel. Your generosity and support will go a long way to establish this project in this critical first phase.

Bill Scott would be proud of the great work being done by ASIFA-Hollywood. I know I am.


To contribute, please see the... Contribution Categories Page

Donate online using our PayPal button...

To join ASIFA-Hollywood, please see the Membership Page

Contributions can be sent to...

ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
2114 Burbank Bl
Burbank, CA 91506

When contributing to this project, please write ARCHIVE DONATION on the subject line of your check.
 
 
Remember to Mail you Annie Ballot today!
 
 
It`s mail bag time. Let`s pull this one out of the electronic mail bag and take a look at what is happening in the Great VHS sell off. Looks like somebody is dumping old warehoused stock.

Good morning, Larry.

If you're still on the hunt for cheap VHS animation, I suggest a quick trip to the nearest 99 Cents Only Store. Last night I came up with two VHS compilations of early Looney Tunes and one of MGM shorts, containing several classics that aren't out on DVD.

(A couple episodes of Taz Mania as well -- I didn't get those.) The compilations are official Ted Turner ones from the early 90s. They had plenty of copies.

For three bucks, I got

Smile Darn Ya Smile
Shuffle Off to Buffalo
Page Miss Glory
I Love to Singa
Have You Got Any Castles
Speaking of the Weather
Katnip Kollege
The Night Watchman
Old Glory
Sniffles Takes a Trip
The Dover Boys
My Favorite Duck
The Aristo-Cat
Inki at the Circus
Rhapsody in Rivets
Pigs in a Polka
Little Red Riding Rabbit
Duck Soup to Nuts
Hare Trigger
Back Alley Oproar
Tweetie Pie
The Unwelcome Guest
The Captain's Christmas
Screwball Squirrel
The Lonesome Stranger
The Blue Danube
Little Rural Riding Hood
King Size Canary

Too bad they couldn't get any decent cartoons in there, eh?

Eric

I agree with you Eric, nice list. I`m there, might have to camp out and wait and see if any on these tapes will make their way to my 99 Cent Only store. I could use a good VHS Dover Boys my current copy is 30 years old and on its last elbows. And some of those others are mighty tasty too.
 
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
  Archive: Vip Partch Man The Beast
Today, we digitized another incredible book by Virgil "Vip" Partch. This one is called "Man The Beast"...



Check it out at the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive Project Blog

Thanks
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
 
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
 
WARNING:

Annie ballots must be received by ASIFA-Hollywood no later than this Friday January 20th. That means you need to get them in the mail by tomorrow, Wednesday the 18th or Thursday 19th at the latest so that you can be sure of getting them in on time.

Mail the ballots or drop them off at 2111 Kenmere Ave., Burbank (PIP Printing). Do not, do not, drop them off at the ASIFA-Hollywood Archives.
 
Monday, January 16, 2006
 
HIGH-PROFILE TALENT SLATED FOR 33RD ANNUAL ANNIE AWARDS HONORING THE YEAR`S BEST ANIMATION

William Shatner, Jason Alexander, Craig T. Nelson and Brad Bird Scheduled to Present at February 4 Ceremony

BURBANK, CA (January 16, 2005) - A talented and eclectic group of presenters are scheduled to share the stage with host Tom Kenny at the 33rd Annual Annie Awards on Saturday, February 4 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA (216 N. Brand Blvd.). William Shatner, Jason Alexander, Brad Bird and Nick Park among others will hand out trophies for the year`s best animation before a crowd of nearly 1,000 industry insiders.

Animation`s biggest night will feature a who`s-who`s of performing and filmmaking prowess: William Shatner now starring in the highly-rated Boston Legal TV series and a lead voice in the upcoming animated features Over the Hedge and The Wild, Jason Alexander a frequent animation voice actor renowned for his indelible role on Seinfeld, Craig T. Nelson of last year`s blockbuster The Incredibles and currently starring in The Family Stone, the multi-talented Brad Bird perhaps best known as the writer and director of The Incredibles, Nick Park, creator and director of the nominated Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Seth MacFarlane creator of The Family Guy and the new animated series American Dad, and Lee Unkrich co-director of Toy Story II and Monsters Inc. Additional presenters to be announced and line-up is subject to change.

Tom Kenny returns to host the ceremony bringing his signature comedic edge and mastery of impersonation. The 33rd Annual Annie Awards gets underway with a black-tie pre-reception and red carpet arrivals starting at 3 pm; awards ceremony at 5 pm and a post event celebration immediately following at Milano`s Cucina Italiana (525 N. Brand Blvd.).

The Annie Awards recognize the year`s finest animation across film, television, short subjects and gaming in 22 categories covering overall excellence as well as individual achievement in areas ranging from production design, character animation, and effects animation to storyboarding, writing, directing, music and voice acting. Entries submitted for Annie consideration must be from productions that originally aired, were exhibited in an animation festival, or were commercially released in the United States between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2005.

Nomination highlights of the 33rd Annual Annie Awards include 25 nods for DreamWorks Animation with 16 for Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit and nine for Madagascar both earning best animated feature nominations. Rounding out the Best Animated Feature category are Chicken Little (Walt Disney Feature Animation), Corpse Bride (Warner Bros. Presents A Tim Burton/Laika Entertainment Production) and Howl`s Moving Castle (Walt Disney Studios/Studio Ghibli). In the Home Entertainment category Disneytoon Studios dominated the category with 3 nominations for Kronk`s New Groove, Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has A Glitch, and Tarzan II. Across televison categories, Nickelodeon scored 12 nods. For a complete list of nominations, please log onto www.annieawards.com.

Prestigious juried awards will also be given. June Foray Award for significant impact to Mark Kausler; Winsor McCay Awards for lifetime achievement to Cornelius Cole, Tyrus Wong and Fred Crippen; Ub Iwerks Award for technical achievement to Corpse Bride and Certificates of Merit to Larry Loc and Dream on Silly Dreamer.


Tickets for the 33rd Annual Annie Awards are available to the public as space permits.

Contact the Alex Theatre Box office at (818) 243-2539. Admission is $75 per person and tickets include both pre and post receptions.

Sponsors of the 33rd Annual Annie Awards include Cartoon Network, Disneytoon Studios, DreamWorks Animation, Pixar Animation Studios, Sony Pictures Imageworks, 20th Century Fox Animation, Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Television Animation. Second-tier sponsors are Hignite`s Miracle Films, IDT Entertainment and Laika Entertainment. Media partner: awn.

ASIFA-Hollywood, the largest of an international network of chapters, supports a range of animation initiatives through its membership. In addition to the Annual Annie Awards projects include special animation events, classes and screenings, film and video archives and film preservation.

For information on the 33rd Annual Annie Awards visit www.annieawards.org or contact
ASIFA-Hollywood at (818) 842-8330.
 
 
Who is Michael Maltese and why don`t you know?

Working with Michael Maltese, the writer of all three of the National Registry cartoons, . . .

Jerry Beck, Cartoon Brew points us to a January 15th article by Roger Ebert on the career and cartoons of Chuck Jones Suntimes

As much as I love the work of Chuck Jones and respect him as an artist and person, he did not do it all alone. One of the things I really respected about Chuck was that he would be the first to tell you this. Unlike so many others in the field, Chuck always gave credit where it was due. (With the possible exception of Leon Schlesinger, who never forgave Chuck for leading the strike and made his life a living hell so I can completely understand why Chuck always belittled Leon`s importance in public)

Then why is Mike Maltese so overlooked? Roger Ebert only mentioned Maltese once in passing (see the first sentence that tops this article). But if you have eyes to see you will note that all 3 of the Chuck Jones (sic) cartoons in the National Film Registry are written by Mike Maltese and he also wrote the first Road Runner cartoon Fast and Furry-ous (1949).

What does that word wrote really mean? It seems to say that Mr. Maltese worked with words, typed out scripts. Nothing could be further from the truth. Mike Maltese was an artist, a great artist, what is known in the business as a story artist. He thought up the idea, he drew it all up in storyboard form, and then he worked hand in hand with the director to bring it to the screen. True teamwork.

That means that when the first time Road Runner was drawn he was drawn by Mike Maltese and the same is true about Michigan J. Frog. But Chuck gets all the credit for creating both even when he tries to place that credit where it belongs.

Chuck Jones, being the man he was, always, always made a point of telling this to people. You can see this for yourself in any number of video taped interviews. But no one ever seemed to listen to Chuck and Mike Maltese never seemed to made a big deal about it. That is just the way it is.

I feel it is about time to set the record straight; Chuck Jones and Mike Maltese were a team, a great team. Chuck and Mike could stand alone and they did on a number of very fine projects but together they made real magic, magic which the press and the public has laid solely at the feet of only one of the members of this great team.

Mike Maltese, you are up at the top of my list even if no one else seems to know who and what you were.
 
Friday, January 13, 2006
  Archive: Biopedia Contest
The next three people to contribute a Biopedia entry will receive a set of Animation Masters Series Postcards. Just email me at sworth@animationarchive.org with your mailing address after you submit your entry, and I will send the cards right out to you. If you do three entries, I'll send you a set of Animation Masters Series Prints too!

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE BIOPEDIA

Each Biopedia name has a stub entry with the outline of the headings for organizing the information. To see examples of two completed entries, see John Kricfalusi and Richard Williams. You can submit an entry on any name on the alphabetical list on the Biopedia Page, or submit a biographical entry on an animator that isn't on our list by emailing it to me at sworth@animationarchive.org.

ABOUT THE ANIMATION MASTERS SERIES POSTCARDS AND PRINTS

Grim NatwickASIFA-Hollywood and Vintage Ink & Paint have teamed to produce a series of collectible postcards and limited edition prints honoring great artists from the history of cartoon animation. The first two artists featured in the series are Ub Iwerks and Grim Natwick. Included with the postcards and prints is biographical information on these important figures.

Grim NatwickA set of 20 5x7 inch postcards (10 of each) are available for $20 a set; and a pair of numbered 8x10 archival digital prints (1 of each) is $30 a set, plus shipping and handling. A significant portion of the proceeds from the sale of these items will be donated to the ASIFA Animation Archive Project.

Spread the word about the Animation Archive Project by sending postcards to all your friends!

Order A Set Of 5x7 Color Postcards
Ten of each design - Twenty Total
$20 (+$2.50 shipping)

Order A Set Of 8x10 Color Prints
One of each design - Two Total
$30 (+$2.50 shipping)
 
 
I am happy to report that when I stopped in at the Animation Archives last night, before the John Canemaker screening, that there where lots of voting members of ASIFA in going over the paper categories.

The Archives is open Tuesday and Thursday from 1 PM to 9 PM at 2114 W. Burbank Blvd. Steve told me that a large number of people have been coming in all day to view storyboards, production design and character design.
 
 


When I got to DreamWorks last night the first person I met in the parking garage was my long time friend Kent Braun. I use to put interns into his company in 1996 and 1997 when he was still running the AXA ink and paint devision.

Kent has gone on to create the popular PC ink and paint software Flipbook. Last night he showed me the early bata of the MAC version which should be in general bata release in one month. This is good news for all the MAC users since until now they haven`t had much to work with for 2-D computer ink and paint.
 
Thursday, January 12, 2006
 




Here is the rub. It is Annie Screening time and The Moon and the Son is up for best short animation. So it is not really fair for me to review John Canemaker`s film and give my opinion on the ASIFA-Hollywood site. I found myself in the same bind last year with Mark Kausler`s It`s the Cat.



Tonight you will get another chance to view this film as part of the Annie Award Screening part 2. The Annie screening takes place at DreamWorks. (See Below for Details)

The Canemaker event was well attended by industry animation lovers. Jerry Beck hosted the event and did the interview. The Moon and the Son is a very personal film dealing with John`s family history. The questions ran the gambit from family and react to filmmaker and production.

The rest of the program was make up of short animations that have had an influence on John and his work. It was great to see John Hubley`s Flat Hatting on the big screen. A very important ground breaking work and one of my favorites.





Fox Hunt followed it was a charming fun and buoyant take on the English sport of the same name. I had never seen this film before and now want to see more of the work of this very short-lived English studio. It was a real joy.





Next was scenes for George Dunnings unfinished Tempest that go way beyond he Yellow Submarine for tripped out imagery. I am a big fan of Dunning and love his early Canadian Film Board work. It was bitter sweet to see these few scenes from the animation it was working on at his death.





Len Lye`s (1957) Free Radicals was next on the show. A great example of scratch animation that manages to stand out from under the shadow of Norman McLearn`s Begone Dull Care. Not an easy thing to do.




Mysterious Mose is one of my all time favorite Bimbo and Betty cartoons. I can`t believe that I have not dug it out of the collection in a couple of years. That is the problem, too much animation and not enough time to just watch it all over and over again like it deserves.




The evening was finished up with Disney`s The Band Concert another favorite that I haven`t looked at it some time. I think it is time to catlog so that I can re-watch everything all over again.




Dan Blank (former Canemaker Student and Track reader for The Moon and the Son) with John Canemaker


Jerry Beck and Kevin Koch
 
 
Tonight at DreamWorks, John Canemaker, The Moon and the Son.

 
 
Just got this email from David Fuller, one of the long time ASIFA volunteers. Sounds like something right up my alley.

Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry Film Fest:

Those of you who enjoy stop-motion animation might want to check out a film fest
coming up hosted by the Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry. Here are the details:

For the fourth straight year the Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry will host an evening of rare puppet films from the collection of Mark Bryan Wilson.

7:00 PM, Saturday January 21st 2006
at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater
1345 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026
213-250-9995

This year's selections from the Wilson Studios 16mm Film Vault will include ...

"Why Man Creates" a Saul Bass Production that our beloved Bob Baker worked on

"Snow White and Rose Red" from The Salzburg Marionette Theater which also includes a
documentary with dozens of behind the scene photos

"The Walrus and the Carpenter" a delightful clay animation production

... and other short films will include examples of finger puppets, shadow puppets and stop motion animation.

Come and enjoy the films!!

Feel free to bring snacks to share!!

Admission is free for LAGOP members...
$5. donation for non-members.


Mark's films are always gems and puppeteers are fun folks to hang out around. Come out and enjoy the fun -- and feel free to pass the word along to anyone you think might be interested.
 
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
 

You Can`t Vote on What You Have Not Seen:

Well you can, and far too often people do. But you shouldn`t! It is not fair to the nominees. The first Annie Screening was held last night for a very small number of viewers. I counted 30 people.

In the past I have been on the receiving end of general flack They are not holding screenings, there is nowhere to see the paper categories . . . We have always done a great job of screenings but I must admit that I have not always been happy with the display of Production, Storyboard, and Character Design.




Not the case this year. The display of paper categories is open to the voting public 1 PM to 9 PM Tuesdays and Thursdays at the ASIFA-Hollywood Archives at 2114 W. Burbank Blvd, Burbank. So far 6 people have come in to see the nominations and 3 of them were my son, my daughter and me.

There is another screening at DreamWorks this Friday. RSVP and show up. If you are going to vote for the Annie Awards you owe it to your peers to look at their work first. Next time it might be your work.
 
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
  Archive: East of the Sun and West of the Moon
Today, we digitized one of the greatest illustrated books ever published... Kay Nielsen's "East of the Sun and West of the Moon". There are color schemes and design elements in this book that you will recognize from films as diverse as Sleeping Beauty and Nightmare Before Christmas.



Please click though the feedback links at the bottom of each posting in the Archive Blog. We want to know what you find useful to serve you better.

ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive Project Blog

Thanks
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
 
 
New Minds to Warp:




So here it is the first day of classes at Brooks College. In a half hour I will looking into the faces of new students in their first term of animation. I am teaching Fundamentals of Animation this semester. Always a fun class. I get to be the first to warp their little young minds. (evil laughter)

On ASIFA news: Tonight is the first Annie screening. It will be held at DreamWork as it was in the past, Thanks DreamWorks, you have always been there for us.
 
Sunday, January 08, 2006
  Archive: Bill Nolan
Today we posted a book by pioneer animator, Bill Nolan called "Cartooning Self Taught".



The ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive Project Blog

Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
 
Saturday, January 07, 2006
 
ANNIE NOMINATION SCREENING:

ASIFA-Hollywood is pleased to present a special Annie Award Nomination screening at the DreamWorks Animation Campus.

Tuesday, January 10, 2006 6:30 p.m.
Nominees for the Individual Achievement categories.

Friday, January 13, 2006 6:30 p.m.
Nominees for the Production categories.

Note: Commercials and Short Subjects will be screened in their entirety. All other Nominees will be represented in short clips from the productions.

DREAMWORKS ANIMATION CAMPUS
1000 Flower Street
Glendale, CA

Free admission - ASIFA-HOLLYWOOD members only
(each member may bring one guest).

Due to studio security considerations, you must RSVP to attend
this event. To RSVP, please send an email to gdixonpr@aol.com by Monday, January 9th, 2005 to reserve your seat(s)and indicate which evening(s) you would like to attend.

To guarantee your reservation(s), include your full name and full name of your guest at the time you RSVP. For security purposes, everyone attending must have their name on the RSVP list, and you and your guest 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.

No phone calls please.

Nomination material for the Character Design,Production Design and Storyboard categories will be available for viewing at ASIFA-Hollywood's Animation Center, located at 2114 W. Burbank Blvd., Burbank, CA. Materials may be reviewed on either Tuesday, January 10 or 17, or Thursday, January 12 or 19, between the hours
of 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
 
 
An evening with the animator, educator and historian:
One of the people I respect the most in animation is John Canemaker. Here is your chance to meet him and see his new short animation.


Join us for a special evening with internationally recognized animator and animation historian John Canemaker.

Canemaker is a professor and director of the animation program at New York University Tisch School of the Arts. His projects have won an Academy Award, Emmy Awards, Ace Award, and Peabody Award. His independent animated shorts are in the Museum of Modern Art permanent collection. He is the author of ten books on animation history (including Disney's NINE OLD MEN and WINSOR McCAY: HIS LIFE & ART) and is a writer on animation for the New York Times.

We will be screening Canemaker's latest film, THE MOON AND THE SON (a possible Oscar nomineee) and we will discuss his career in animation with rare clips from animated films hat have inspired him and his career. Jerry Beck will moderate the Q & A.

Thursday January 12th, 2006 - 7:00pm
DREAMWORKS ANIMATION CAMPUS
1000 Flower Street
Glendale, CA

Free admission - ASIFA-HOLLYWOOD members only (each member may bring one guest).
RSVP@asifa-hollywood.org by Wednesday Jan. 11th.
 
Friday, January 06, 2006
 
Les Clark Display at ASIFA-Hollywood:
How cool is this? I have seen the Les Clack art table around the old Victory location for a couple of years and it always had a preceived glow of history to it.

But Steve has out done himself on this disply. He has the X-sheet of a Mickey cartoon clipped next to the board, a Mickey drawing under glass on the board (the glass is only Museum concession) the work folder on the shelf above the board and a stack on rough animation in the slots.

It looks like Les has just gone out to a story meeting with Walt and the rest of the staff.





 
 
The Los Angeles Professional Chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH
Presents:

"A Taste of T.V.-- A Smorgasbord of Effects for the Small Screen".

Sponsored by Autodesk.

Join us in January for comfort food for the mind as we present the latest in the world of computer graphics on Television. This soup to nuts presentation will cover visual effects and animation in episodic television, commercials, 2D animation, and broadcast packages.

Details at:
www.la.siggraph.org
 
 
I`ve gotten a lot of questions, like this one from Christian at Animated News, about Annies screening.

Are there going to be screenings for the Annie Awards? I never saw anything about it.

Christian

I am also putting my answer here because there may be others out there wanting to know:

The invite cards are in the mail (really). Screenings 10th and 14th at DreamWorks need id to get in may need rsvp. The paper categorie (prod. design, storyboards, etc) will be on display at the animation archivesr (2114 W Burbank Blvd. Tuesday and Thursday 1 - 9 PM) next week.
 
  Archive: Annie Award Nomination Exhibit

Annette O'Neil takes a break from helping to organize the Annie Awards Ceremonies to look over the submissions from this year's nominees for Character Design.

The entry materials for the nominees in the Individual Achievement categories for Storyboard, Production Design and Character Design are now on display at the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive in Burbank. The ballots are in the mail to the membership, so when you get yours, make a point to stop by and make your choices. The Archive is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1pm to 9pm. The address is 2114 Burbank Bl, just a few blocks East of Buena Vista.

There's a lot of other things to see at the Archive too. Behind Annette in the picture above is our exhibit of sketches from the Fleischer Studios, including Grim Natwick's original designs for Betty Boop. We also have Les Clark's animation desk which he used to animate scenes from Steamboat Willie and Snow White. There are hundreds of rare cartoons available for viewing too. Stop by and take the tour.
 
Thursday, January 05, 2006
  Archive: Gustaf Tenggren's Small Fry and the Winged Horse


Today, we digitized an early book by Gustaf Tenggren. It's an interesting contrast to the Golden Book by the same artist that we posted a few weeks back. Check it out...

ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive Project Blog

Thanks
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
 
 
I was looking though my art files the other day trying to find a copy of my infamous 1978 cartoon Prehensile & Grendel (my daughter just read Beowulf) when I came across a few other goodies.



Joe Kubert drawing of me from around 1979 or 1980




John Totleben drawing of what King Kong really wants with Anne. You may have got it wrong Mr. Jackson
 
This is a public bulletin board for the Directors and volunteers of The International Animated Film Society: ASIFA-Hollywood to communicate with the membership and the general public. ................. . All the opinions stated on this blog are the opinions of the individual authors and not of ASIFA-Hollywood.

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