Cartoons on the Bay -- The Opera
In which Russell Bekins reports on the animated activities taking place in and around Salerno, both on- and off-screen.
Russell Bekins's Recent Posts
Bologna Children's Book Fair: A Gathering of the Clans
Russell Bekins reads between the lines of the annual kids' content extravaganza.
Giving a Whoot About 'Horton'
Russell Bekins talks to the creators of Horton Hears a Who! about adaptation, proprietary algorithms, and the latest Who-ville fashions (with commentary by the Grinch).
Future Film Festival: We Have Seen the Future, and We is Schizophrenic
Russell Bekins chronicles the eclectic mix of films from the East and the West at the Future Film Festival.
Between Director and Producer at Madhouse
Bill Desowitz previews some of the top movies that VFXWorld will be covering this year.
'Simpsons'' David Silverman Speaks
With The Simpsons Movie hitting DVD, Russell Bekins took an opportunity to chat with director David Silverman about his long history with the TV series, as well as its huge jump to the big screen.
Drawing and Thinking with Koji Yamamura
"Many people ask me whether I use 3D techniques." The filmmaker gave a half-grin. "The answer is no. The way I get the 3D effect is that I draw a shade drawing at the same time as the normal drawing." As one of the festival judges, filmmaker Koji Yamamura (Mt. Head, Franz Kafka's A Country Doctor) presented a lecture on his working methodologies. He also had an extensive graphic art show and a retrospective of his films.
Mainly drawing directly on paper with a myriad of colored pencils, Koji scans the artwork and arranges the layers -- sometimes 10-20 -- using Japanese animation software....
The Trouble with Jimmy
The first hint should have been the name of the Norwegian TV series the film was based on: Two Wasted Wankers.
The CG animation feature Free Jimmy has been touring the festivals of Europe since its premiere in 2006, racking up such prestigious awards as the Annecy Cristal. At the same time, it has struggled to find distribution because of its uncompromisingly dark themes, including drugs, sex, and some hilarious grotesque violence. The production itself seemed cursed by this dark vision: it took six years to make and featured a series of misadventures worthy of a film in themselves.
It...
Out of the Dark and Off to... London? -- Animateka Festival
Russell Bekins travelled to the Animateka Festival in Slovenia and was schooled in the rebirth of Eastern and Central European animation.
The Good Carpenter
Thomas J. McLean enters The Mist and discovers guerilla warfare from CafeFX.
Family Therapy at I Castelli Animati
Russell Bekins takes in the animation family reunion at I Castelli Animati, a festival where filmmakers come to connect with colleagues in a laid-back atmosphere.
The Animation Pioneer
With the feature animation industry booming in India, Lisa Goldman reports on the opportunities and challenges presented by an immense and diverse audience.
Co-Production Italian Style
How a new crop of international co-productions is changing the Italian animation industry. Russell Bekins lays down the rules for success.
Alexandre Petrov: My Love of Animation
Russell Bekins caught up with Alexandre Petrov and talked with the filmmaker about his new film, My Love, as well as his career and his love of animation.
'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time': Interview with Director Mamoru Hosoda
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time won the award of Special Distinction, one of the three awards for features at Annecy this year. Its merit lies in the execution of the time jumping story which, instead of dealing with vast movements of history, concentrates in the small movements in the emotional lives of its Japanese urban high school protagonists over several days. Trivial moments in a triangle of high school students are lived and re-lived in an attempt by the heroine, Makoto, to get it right in the simple choice of which she will have for a boyfriend or a friend.
The distances we place...
Annecy 2007: Facets of the Diamond or, 20 Irritating Questions
Russell Bekins searches for the diamonds in the ruff at the 2007 Annecy Animated Film Festival while answering 20 irritating questions.
Geronimo Stilton is Italian? (Don't tell anyone)
In tribute to the life and career of Joseph Barbera, AWN has collected the thoughts and memories of many in the animation community remembering the influence this legend had on their lives and careers.
The Bologna Children's Book Fairy Tale, Or, is It Really About Books?
Russsell Bekins attends the Bologna Children's Book and finds so many licensing opportunities that it's an event that's not just about books.
An Embarrassment of Riches for RAI
First a word about Rai in general, because one tends to confuse the waving and sinewy arms of this vast and multi-headed beast which smells of lavender and politics.
There are three RAI channels, RAI 1, RAI 2 and RAI 3. Rai Fiction is the producing arm, Rai Trade is the merchandising and distribution arm, which organizes the Cartoons on the Bay festival. There are two RAI satellite channels: Rai Sat Yoyo, for children up to six years old and Rai Sat Smash, which focuses on an audience, ages 6-10.
The heads of the various stations have traditionally been assigned by a political spoils...
Cartoons on the Bay: Is This the End of Cappuccino Fusion?
Russell Bekins checks in at Cartoons on the Bay to check out the latest and greatest in the world of television animation.
