I have been updating my ebook, something I normally do just before Comic Con each year. This year I am updating it before the Stop Mo Expo. That means I have been a bit crazed for the last 4 days. Lots of research on produces and produce prices. Lots of new reviews of produces and books. I just got around to reviewing the Ken Priebe Stop Motion book. Here is that review doing double duty as a blog entry:



The Art of Stop Motion Animation
Ken A. Priebe
Thomson Course Technology
25 Thomson Place
Boston, MA 02210
ISBN-10: 1-59863-244-2
http://www.courseptr.com
$49.95
$32.99 at Amazon.com


Books on the how-to of stop motion are few and far between. Books that address the beginner or student (outside of my own stop motion section in my Animation on a ShoeString ebook) just do not exist.

Ken dares to start at beginning level and goes to about mid independent film or entry level professional level. A gutsy thing to do. Think about it. This is an area that needs to be covered and never is cover. This makes the book valuable. High-end how-to books are pretty and have a build in fan market but what real use are they to the beginner who can never hope to duplicate the work? Not the case here.



I like this book a lot but there are a few small things a little strange about the CD that comes with it. The CD is very weak, an after thought. I see the hand of a publisher here demanding CD content on top of an already overly tight deadline.

The video clips on the CD are in a weird codex and would not play smoothly on any of my machines. But if they had played without a hitch they would still have been just adequate. Not really adding anything that is not already in the text. My real problem was with the 2 Exposure Sheets. What are they all about? This is stop motion, straight-ahead animation folk. The Exposure Sheets should have been left out. They have no place in a stop motion book.

Forget about the CD it only mars an otherwise fine book. I don’t want you to think I am down on this book in any way, the book itself is a very welcome offering with a lot of very useful information. I am very happy with this book because it fills a gapping hole in animation education that has been neglected for far too many years.


Larry Loc (ASIFA Blog Guy)  ¶ 7:03 AM

 

This just in from Tennessee Reid Norton, the line up for his panel at the Stop Mo Expo:

Ask the Experts - Mediator: Tennessee Reid Norton

Rob Ronning (Nightmare Before Christmas, Mars Attacks, The PJ's)-
Character Fabrication

Ross Shuman (Davey & Goliath Xmas Special, Robot Chicken, Moral
Orel)- Props & Sets

Misha Klein (Bump in the Night, PJ's, Robot
Chicken, Moral Orel)- Animated Performance

Christiane Cegavske (Blood Tea and Red String)

Larry Loc (heaven knows what this guy has done or how he got on this panel - must know somebody)

Larry Loc (ASIFA Blog Guy)  ¶ 10:26 AM

  Looking Back With An Open Eye:



How important is Walt Disney`s Show White? It is not really the first feature animation, like a lot of marketing people like to say even thou they should know Prince Achmed and a few others clocked in at feature length more than 10 years earlier. So why Snow White on this big pedestal?

There is a reason. Walt Disney was the greatest animation producer that ever lived? The Babe Ruth of animated cartoons! Snow White was the film he learned to do feature animation with. It became his template for long form animation. The blue print for the animation pipeline at Disney and the master plan for all other animation pipelines.

We animate the way Walt did. We teach animation the way Walt and Walt`s artist learned to animate and how they learned was on Snow White. That makes this a pretty important picture. The weird thing is that nobody really gets the facts that Walt created his Animation pipeline to fit his own strengths and weaknesses. (And he did have some. My gods, I am going to be burned as a heretic)

We slavishly follow in Walt`s footsteps. Nobody dareing to question the Walt pipeline, it has become sacred. Carved it stone. The only way. The right way.

Walt would be the first to throw out something that didn`t work for him but his followers blindly repeat his steps like it is some magick ritual that will create alchemist gold at the box office.

Maybe it is time to look as why Walt did something not just what Walt did. Don't just copy, think. That is what Walt did. One size does not fit all. Sometimes Walt`s isn`t the only way.

Larry Loc (ASIFA Blog Guy)  ¶ 6:48 AM

  Archive: Colliers Magazine Illustrations Today, we posted a great selection of vintage illustration from Colliers magazine...



Illustration: Kent Butterworth Donates Colliers

It's amazing the skill and craftsmanship that went into advertisements in the 40s.

Enjoy!
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive  ¶ 7:17 PM

  Archive: Eldon Dedini's Satyr's and Nymphs Today, we posted an important overview of the career of one of the greatest print cartoonists of all time, Eldon Dedini...



Pinups: Eldon Dedini's Satyrs and Nymphs

The image gallery includes well over a dozen great Dedini cartoons featuring his famous Satyr and Nymph characters, and we include a great interview with Dedini conducted shortly before his death where he discusses how he got his start, and his years at Disney as a story man.

Don't miss this one!

Thanks
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive  ¶ 3:58 PM

 

I have been too busy to post that much of late, shame on me. But is you click on the image of my stop mo to do list (above) you will see that I have updated the Stop Mo Expo web site.

Larry Loc (ASIFA Blog Guy)  ¶ 12:45 PM

 

Not Just Another Pretty Voice! (the story of a nice Jewish boy who wanted to be Porky Pig) every Wednesday night at 8:00pm April 25-May 30 at The Stella Adler Theater in Hollywood, Ca.

Tickets are on sale now!! The link below will take you directly to the reservation page, or you can order by phone at (323) 960-5771.

Thanks so much!

Bob Bergen




Larry Loc (ASIFA Blog Guy)  ¶ 12:31 PM

  Fools at the Westside Eclectic



My good friend Aki Umemoto (font row far right), who has just had his first paying gig as an actor, is going to be appearing with Aprils Fools impov group as listed below. Aki`s first animation (a 25 plus years old stop motion music video) will be shown as part of the festival at the Stop Mo Expo. See there is life after animation.

Host: Aprils Fools
Location: Westside Eclectic Theater
1323-A 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica, CA View Map
When: Saturday, March 24, 8:00pm
Phone: 310-318-1705
Laugh til it hurts!

Join April's Fools at the Westside Eclectic located in the alley between 3rd and 4th just south of Arizona!

http://www.westsideeclectic.com/showdetail.aspx?showid=870

Larry Loc (ASIFA Blog Guy)  ¶ 12:10 PM

  Archive: N C Wyeth's Legends of Charlemagne Today, we digitized a great book illustrated by N. C. Wyeth...
\


Illustration: N. C. Wyeth's Legends of Charlemagne

Thanks
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive  ¶ 6:39 PM

  Archive: Studying the Comics Page (1950) Today we posted the second section on newspaper comics from Gene Byrnes' "Compete Guide To Cartooning" (1950).



Byrnes' Complete Guide To Cartooning Part Two

This installment contains articles on how to come up with ideas for comics, editorial cartoons and advertising gags. But the meat of the chapter is an in-depth overview of the leading newspaper comics of the late 40s.. Blondie, Bringing Up Father, Mandrake The Magician, Prince Valiant, Gasoline Alley, Dick Tracy... There are high resolution dalies and Sunday pages for you to download and features on leading artists like Hal Foster and Chic Young..

Print this stuff out and put it in a binder so you can refer to it!

Thanks
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive  ¶ 11:27 PM

 

I am off to Burbank today. First for a lunch meeting with one of heroes, Len Janson. Len Janson & Chuck Menville and a bunch of other animation students in the late 60s created one of my all time favorites, Vicious Cycles. I am hoping to be able to show it at the Stop Mo Expo (April 21st - Woodbury). And I very much want to put together a panel and screening of all of the Len Janson & Chuck Menville films for Comic Con this year.

Speaking of Stop Mo Expo there is a planning session tonight at Woodbury University Design Center Room D104 at 7 PM. 7500 Glenoaks Blvd, Burbank.

Larry Loc (ASIFA Blog Guy)  ¶ 9:59 AM

 

I got this in my email from a place out of Taxas named mytoons.com. Seems to be a toon showcase with lots of demo reels. Not sure what or why they are? I was unable to check out their copyright policy because they try to force me to upgrade my browser before they let anyone look at their site (I hate that and think it tells a lot about the mind set of the people running the site). They also want to make me join before I can get anywhere on their site and see if I would want to join. (again something I don`t like very much) Anyway, click on the image above to try your luck.

Larry Loc (ASIFA Blog Guy)  ¶ 7:59 AM

  Archive: Kurtzman and Elder's Little Annie Fanny Today, we digitized some early Little Annie Fanny stories by Harvey Kurtzman and Will Elder...



Pinups: Kurtzman and Elder's Little Annie Fanny

We'll have more vintage Playboy cartoons soon.

Thanks
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive  ¶ 4:21 PM

  Archive: Alex Toth Model Sheets Today, we digitized a batch of model sheets by Alex Toth...



Animation Art: Alex Toth Model Sheets

I'm sure you'll find some amazing stuff in this post.

Thanks
Stephen Worth
ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive">  ¶ 1:01 AM

 

Just in from Stephen Chiodo, the layout for the Stop Mo Jam with power needs and lighting schematic. We are right on schedule with the finish of the set early last night.

Now we need animators. We have 7 time slots for 7 teams of up to 4 animators. larry@agni-animation.com or come to the Stop Mo Expo planning session 7 PM this Friday night:

Room D104
Woodbury University Design Center
7500 Glenoaks
Burbank, CA

Larry Loc (ASIFA Blog Guy)  ¶ 9:25 AM

  Archive: MGM Animation Drawings Today, we digitized a collection of animation drawings from MGM Tex Avery and Tom & Jerry cartoons...



Animation Art: MGM Animation Drawings

Check it out.

Thanks
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive  ¶ 8:28 PM

  Announcing Stop Mo Expo Ticket Prices:



Here are the prices on the Stop Mo Expo as set by the ASIFA Board. I know lots of people have been asking this question (which makes me happy). The other question on lots of lips has been if there will be advanced tickets. No, the tickets will be at the door only. Number of reasons for that. The main one is that I don't want to play box office, got too much on my plate already.

The lighting tests on the set for the stop motion animation jam went very well yesterday. Some small changes needed, bring down the color on the stage to kill reflections, bring out the curtains at the sides to frame the image for a full shot, play with the proscenium arch. Small things. It looks really good. Stephen Chiodo did a masterful job of lighting. Masterful, it really helps to have that number of years under your belt.

More details as they come in. Or after I go teach this class.

Larry Loc (ASIFA Blog Guy)  ¶ 8:03 AM

  Stop Mo Phone Day:

Yesterday was a big day for Stop Mo phone calls. Talked with Dave Brain who has set up a lunch meeting with Len Janson (Viscous Cycles) for next week. Hell, I love that film. It is seared into my mind form one childhood viewing on the Jack Paar Show.

Later I talked to Tennessee Reid Norton about the make up of his Fabrication panel for the Stop Mo Expo, (he is currently attached to the new stop motion feature, how cool is that. Looks like it is going to be a good year for Stop Motion) So far the Fabrication panel is Tennessee, Christiane Cegaske (Blood Tea and Red String) and myself and Tennessee has been talking up the high end people but has not gotten a solid commitment yet. Really cool people, more on that later.

Then I talked to Mark Kausler on the 16 mm program for the Stop Mo Expo. Looking good, The Mascot (Fetiche) by Starewicz, some 30`s George Pal theatre commercials for Philips Radio, some of Pal`s early Puppetoons and his very last Puppetoon. Some Eastern European stop motion and a few other surprises.

In other stop motion news just in from Robyn Yannoukos, her short subject African Partings will be part of The Very Short Movies Festival

March 8-11, 2007
Egyptian Theatre
6712 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, California 90028

Info: 1- 866.376.9047

For a complete schedule of films, series, festivities and complete list of sponsors, log onto www.veryshortmovies.com

This afternoon I am at the Chiodo Bros. to do lighting tests on the almost complete set for the Stop Mo Expo Animation Jam for (what else) the upcoming Stop Mo Expo (April 21st at Woodbury Univerisity - hint, hint you want to mark your calendar )

I am starting to look for stop motion animators to work on the jam. We have time slot for 7 teams of animator. Teams can be a max. of 4 animators or a min. of 1. Email me if you are interested and I will put together the teams.

The next planning session for the Stop Mo Expo is set for Friday March 16th at 7 PM room D104 in the Design Center on Woodbury University campus (7500 Glenoaks Blvd.- Burbank, CA 91510).


Larry Loc (ASIFA Blog Guy)  ¶ 8:51 AM

  Archive: Gene Byrnes' Complete Guide To Cartooning 1950 Today, we began digitizing an influential book on cartooning from 1950. It's said that Ralph Bakshi learned to cartoon from this book... Gene Byrnes' Complete Guide To Cartooning...



Cartooning: Gene Byrnes' Complete Guide To Cartooning Part One

Featured in this section of the book are Al Capp, Milton Caniff, Alex Raymond, Jefferson Machamer and Gene Byrnes. Check it out!

Thanks
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive  ¶ 1:31 AM

 

When I talk about my hidden agenda most people that know me laugh and remind me that my agenda is anything but hidden. Okay, agreed. I let people know right up front what I am after.

One of the things that I am after with the Stop Mo Expo is to get Stop Motion training in the animation schools. There is Stephen Chiodo teaching at Cal Arts and Ken Proebe at Van Arts (I`m currently reading his The Art of Stop-Motion Animation book and I like where he is coming from, I will report on it when I am finished).

For the rest of the schools, a little bit of training here and there on a student by student basis if they can`t talk them out of it, but no real programs. Which, to me, is one of the main reasons that CGI animation has no real world weight. Every CGI animator should start with Stop Motion then their models wouldn`t float off so much.

The biggest stumbling block to getting a program started is the false belief about stop motion needing lots of space. Every time I try to talk anybody into a stop motion program I hear the same old thing. We don`t have room for all the sets. You don't need room. You don`t even need sets!

When I talk blue screen and how little room is needed nobody seems to get it. Blue screen can be done on a camera stand, no room at all. I can`t get people to stop fixating on sets so okay. I have spent the last week building a set for the Stop Mo Expo animation jam. So I have taken this opportunity to prove something about just how much room a stop motion set really needs to take up.

I have created a desktop stop motion set complete with fully ajustable camera stand and it all fits into a (get this) 5 inches deep by 26 inches wide by 29 inches tall storage unit. That is right, when it is packed up it is a carrying case that takes up 5 inches by 26 inches by 29 inches. When it is set up and in use it covers only a desktop. You can`t find a desktop per student? How is that for hidden agenda?



Larry Loc (ASIFA Blog Guy)  ¶ 9:38 AM