The latest Acrobat edition of Animation World Magazine is now online. Kicking off this month's theme of Education & Training, Pamela Kleibrink Thompson looks into education trends that are preparing animation students for the new career reality. Jan Nagel chronicles the expanding digital media curriculum at community colleges across the U.S. Thompson also surveys various animation education initiatives taking place at museums around the globe.
Additionally, Joe Strike talks with Larry Schwarz about the success of his New York-based animation studio Animation Collective, which produces the international hit KAPPA MIKEY and the upcoming SPEED RACER: THE NEXT GENERATION. Janet Hetherington talks to the creators behind the original animated movie SUPERMAN DOOMSDAY, rated PG-13, in which the Man of Steel faces his greatest challenge -- death. Karen Raugust looks at the production of Cartoon Network's first live-action show, OUT OF JIMMY'S HEAD, based on last year's made-for-TV film RE-ANIMATED.
In columns, Martin "Dr. Toon" Goodman ties up some summer loose ends in regards to TRANSFORMERS, RATATOUILLE, Nahoul the bee and the live-action JONNY QUEST. Mark Simon, in this month's "Mind Your Business," becomes Grand Wizard of the Order of Pitching, Markus Simonus, to tell us more about pitchland. In this month's "Animated Scene," Joseph Gilland talks about how to pace yourself and still make the deadlines. For the "Career Coach," Thompson follows up last's month's topic of dealing with a bad boss with a discussion on avoiding a bad boss.
In reviews, Jon Hofferman, editor of Chris Robinson's THE ANIMATION PIMP book, reports back about his experience attending his first Ottawa International Animation Festival. For this month's trio of anime reviews, Chris Feldman checks out THE FLAME OF RECCA, KURAU: PHANTOM MEMORY and ZIPANG. For "Press Start," Peter "The Rizk" Rizkalla challenges BIOSHOCK, kicks it with MARIO STRIKERS CHARGED, rocks out with GUITAR HERO ENCORE, takes a ride in CRAZY TAXI: FARE WARS and has a close encounter with ALIEN SYNDROME. Karl Cohen cracks open Vivien Halas and Paul Wells' HALAS & BATCHELOR CARTOONS: AN ANIMATED HISTORY to tell us if it is the definitive tome on the famed studio or should be blacklisted from your bookshelf. And as always, Taylor Jessen returns with five short film reviews in "Fresh from the Festivals."
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
