In the animation community, we hold high expectations for the animated feature film to break out of its "kid's only" realm. However, what do editors from papers across the U.S. have to say? Joan Kim surveys these hometown gurus on the status of animation.
Tais, the Toronto Animated Image Society, presents its winter 2001 schedule. Mark these dates in your calendars:
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz...
On Wednesday, December 13, 2000, TAIS, the Toronto Animated Image Society, will present a Stop-Motion Puppet Animation workshop by Todd Peterson, who has worked for Cuppa Coffee and Will Vinton Studios...
Stockholm animation studio Filmtecknarna F. Animation has finished a 30-second animated spot as part of a series of ads for PDFA, the Partnership for a Drug Free America. The 3D/cel animated spot utilizes the graphic style found on rave posters and flyers. The commercial follows a cel animated boy through a computer-generated city where he is attacked by drug-peddling, robot bugs and is only saved by the music from his headphones.
Glendale Community College proudly presents an evening with Chris Bailey, Kellie-Bea Cooper and Doug Cooper, creators of the new animated short MAJOR DAMAGE, about a monster-fighting superhero and Melvin, the little boy who is his #1 fan. The three filmmakers will be discussing independent animation production in the year 2000. Animation Oscar nominee Chris Bailey has been working in both feature and TV animation for the last 10 years. He has worked on traditional animation as well as computer animated characters, such as MIGHTY JOE YOUNG.
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz...
On Saturday, November 11, 2000, ASIFA-Hollywood held their 28th annual Annie Award ceremony. This year's big winner was TOY STORY 2 with five awards, including the nod for outstanding theatrical feature. Emmy Award winners Rob Paulsen and Maurice LaMarche, the voices of the now infamous Warner Bros. duo Pinky and the Brain, hosted the ceremony. For television, MICKEY MOUSEWORKS and the special OLIVE, THE OTHER REINDEER both tied with two prizes each. In addition, last year's winner for outstanding primetime show, THE SIMPSONS, took home the award once again.
Since 1977, Cinanima has been promoting the international art of animation in Espinho, a city located on the Northern coast of Portugal. Every year, the Cinanima International Animated Film Festival presents an international animation competition program, as well as retrospectives and exhibitions.
J.J. Sedelmaier Productions animated its fifth 30-second spot for Old Navy. In the commercial "Tons of Ts," the animated Old Navy kids cut loose to the Jackson Five tune "ABC," as they model dozens of new T-shirts. The spot ends with an animated version of Old Navy's spokesdog Magic jumping into a T-shirt hanging on a clothesline.
From Batman: The Animated Series to Spawn and Spicy, Eric Radomski has always been testing the limits of animated TV, while being very vocal about what makes and breaks a show. Amid Amidi passes on the insight.
Director Richard Bazley is finishing up on a 7-minute theatrical short entitled THE JOURNAL OF EDWIN CARP, which was animated using Macromedia's Flash. Produced by Ray Bengston, the film is based on the book of the same name by Richard Haydn (voice of the caterpillar in Disney's original animated ALICE IN WONDERLAND). The short features the voice talents of British actor Hugh Laurie (STUART LITTLE, live-action 101 DALMATIONS). Richard Bazley was a lead animator at Disney and later at Warner Bros. on THE IRON GIANT.
These Halloween favorites aren't too scary but will have you howling with laughter...
On October 18, TAIS presents "Storyboarding For Animation" by Sam Agro...
Quiet Man searches for "Intelligent Life" in two new 15 and 30-second spots for K'nex toy company. In the commercial, two animated aliens are sent to Earth to search for "signs of intelligent life." When they arrive, they ignore human beings and concentrate instead on a robotic toy built with high-tech plastic blocks called K'nex. The robotic toy has a Cyber Key device used to program it to perform different types of behavior such as that of a guard dog or a battle robot.
The hit British comedy program, MR. BEAN, is about to be transformed into an animated series. The live-action series production company, Tiger Aspect, will be producing the US$15 million animated television series, which will air on ITB. Rowan Atkinson, who plays the live-action Bean, will voice the animated character. In addition, Robin Driscoll, who served as the original writer on the live-action series, will be scribing the new toon version. Currently, Tiger Aspect is looking for an animation company to perform the physical production.
One-time L.A. Laker cheerleader/singer/choreographer Paula Abdul and her Planet Paula Productions have signed a deal with Fox Kids Network to develop a new live-action/animated children series. The untitled show will follow a garage band's climb to success. Abdul is set to produce, choreograph and perform an animated character's voice or play a live-action character. The series idea was inspired by Abdul's work on her "Opposites Attract" music video, in which she interacted with an animated character named M.C. Scat Kat.
* Friday, October 13 - Sunday, October 15, 2000. Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
visions2000 celebrates everything that makes up animated theatre. Promoted by the University of Brighton, the festival features performances, film screenings, exhibitions and workshops for both adults and children. The festival tours to various locations around the U.K. including Birmingham, Bracknell, Ludlow, Oxford, Portsmouth, Walsall, Walton on Thames, Jersey and Kent. Brighton will also host a multi-media exhibition of U.K. animated pop promos and puppetry.
On Tuesday, September 26, 2000, the board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences established a new Oscar awards category for best animated feature. The first award could be presented as early as the 74th Annual Academy Awards in March 2002. The category will exist only in years that have eight or more films deemed eligible for the category. To be eligible, an animated feature must be at least 70 minutes in length, "primarily animated" and meet the other general requirements for feature film eligibility.
* Saturday, October 7 Sunday, October 29, 2000. Brighton, U.K.
Quiet Man created the chip bouncing effects in the new Doritos commercial featuring Miami Heat basketball point guard Tim Hardaway. Phalana Dias was the lead visual effects artist on the spot. Entering a corner store, Hardaway is observed by an awestruck young fan, who watches the star purchase a bag of Doritos 3Ds, a new pyramid shaped chip. Following Hardaway into the street, the pair engages in a trick-shot-type competition, using chips instead of basketballs. "For Dorito's 3Ds, the chips were shot on rigs in the studio," explained Dias.
Mexico-based Ollin Studio, an animation and visual effects, post-production, Internet and multimedia house, has finished production on their first in-house project an all-CGI animated short entitled, CAKE, which looks like it is animated using clay. Carlos Iturriaga, director of the 3D-animation division at Ollin, directed the film. CAKE is the story of a little girl whose hunger brings her to act upon her primitive impulses without considering the consequences. Power Modeler was used for modeling, Maya for animation and Renderman for rendering and partial illumination.
Martin "Dr. Toon" Goodman analyzes the summers animated releases and relays what we can all learn from their successes failures.
With the demise of Cardiff ancient history, the U.K.'s animation crowd is springing back to life with a number of lively new events. Andrew Osmond takes a closer look at this year's activity.
