Saul Bass on Art and Commerce

(found via Alan Cook's page) --

Saul Bass:

"I want to make beautiful things, even if nobody cares"

This excerpt from a documentary about the legendary designer Saul Bass is worth watching several times. I haven't seen the whole documentary, but it now goes to the top of my list of DVD's to track down.



If you don't know who Saul Bass is you should find out.

You may have seen his title sequences on classic films and not been aware of his name:



(for a high-quality version of the Vertigo title sequence go to The Art of the Title Sequence web site: Art of the Title : Saul Bass titles for Vertigo

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Lip Sync - Gesture and Body Language speaks louder than words

Good clip via the Speaking of Animation site :

http://www.speakingofanimation.com/2010/01/gesture-vs-lip-sync/

"Here’s evidence that proper acting and gestures are more important than lip-sync.
(It’s a clip Pete Docter showed in a lecture a couple years ago.) It works really well and makes me laugh every time.
So make sure your character’s body sells the line before you go crazy trying to get the lip-sync right."

Cordell Barker - Master Class in Animation

Via the excellent National Film Board of Canada web site.

A master class in animation led by Cordell Barker in which he talks about the making of The Cat Came Back and the making of Runaway. Filmed during the 2009 edition of Get Animated!

Highly recommended.

(the embedded videos may not play in the Safari browser. View with Firefox.)





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"Run Hamster Run!" - New Hand Drawn Animated iPhone Game

(story via CartoonBrew)

Character Concept art © Erin Humston.

Animation students pay attention:

Here's an inspiring example of an independent animator, Erin Humston, developing and selling his own work directly through the iTunes Store . I hope this is the sort of thing that many of our present day students will be thinking of doing (i.e. developing their OWN original properties) rather than just thinking their only option is "I'll graduate from school and then just go to work for Big X_______ corporate studio". Nothing wrong with that and it's a good way to learn the ropes in the business, but while you're paying your dues toiling away at Big Studio X always be working on developing your own ideas and characters , and thinking of ways to market your work so that it benefits you directly. (something that will support you , not just put more money into the coffers of Big Studio X.)

© Erin Humston.

No one knows for sure where hand drawn animation is headed - but one outlet seems to be thriving: mobile video games.

Here’s another for the list of intriguing new 2d-cartoon iPhone games: Run Hamster Run.

Erin Humiston did all the artwork and animation, and produced the game with a handful of people in Orlando, Florida. The animation is all hand-drawn.

It’s now available at the iTunes store. Here’s a sample:

Disney's The Princess and the Frog - Dec. 11 - Go see it !

(lead animator Bruce Smith, animating on

The Princess & the Frog)

It's been 6 years since Disney has released a hand-drawn animated film. Going into wide-release this Friday, Dec. 11 - The Princess and the Frog.

The time to go see this film is opening weekend , Friday Dec. 11 or Sat. Dec. 12 would count the most, through Sunday Dec. 13 is fine too .

The opening weekend box-office numbers will count for a lot as to whether Disney's return to hand-drawn animation is perceived as a hit . (and hand-drawn animation could use a genuine, revival-inducing, Little Mermaid-like hit right about now).

So far the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. Let's hope the general movie-going public agrees.

Time Magazine rates the Top 10 Movies of 2009. Look what film they rate at #1. ---

The Princess and the Frog

“Musker and Clements have bucked the odds and made a cartoon feature that is true to vintage Disney traditions (like wishing upon a star) yet moves with a contemporary verve and bounce. In an amazing year for animation, The Princess and the Frog is up at the top. “

-Richard Corliss, for Time Magazine

November 11 Second Club - B.J. Crawford

Another great entry from B.J. Crawford into the 11 Second Club competition (November 2009) --

AAU School of Animation Fall Animation Festival - December 4, 2009

AAU animation students, attend the annual AAU School of Animation Fall Animation Festival , held this year on December 4, 2009.

The special guest speaker will be Disney supervising animator Nik Ranieri.

Nik Ranieri is equally at home in CG Animation ("Chicken Little" "Meet the Robinsons" , "Bolt") as well as Traditional Hand Drawn Animation. He has been the Supervising Lead Animator on many Disney feature films. His latest role has been as the Supervising Animator on the character "Charlotte" in Disney's newest hand-drawn animated film "The Princess & the Frog" .

(see Nik Ranieri IMDB )

Event: School of Animation Fall 2009 Animation Festival

Date: 12/4/2009

Time: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Location: Morgan Auditorium, 491 Post St., San Francisco, CA, 94108

Google Maps link showing this location

Phone for info. : 415- 618-3625

(*This event will be video recorded and posted online at a later date .)

(from the National Cartoonists Society web page)

The Secret of Kells - Special Screening

For Your Consideration: 2009 Academy Award Nominee for Best Animated Feature -- "THE SECRET OF KELLS".

If you live near Burbank, CA "The Secret of Kells" will be playing it's qualifying theatrical run for the Oscar nomination at the AMC Burbank 8 from Dec. 4 - Dec. 10, 2009.

Tickets and other information here: http://www.gkids.tv/kells/

(click image to view it larger)

A Day For Hand Drawn Animation - 2009

"A Day For Hand-Drawn Animation -2009"

(click on image to view it larger)

 

I posted about this last year , here:

http://hand-drawn-animation.blogspot.com/2008/11/day-for-hand-drawn-animation.html

 

with a follow-up post , here:

http://hand-drawn-animation.blogspot.com/2008/11/forum-for-classical-hand-drawn.html

 

This annual "Day for Hand Drawn Animation" is sponsored by Tahsin and Lâle Özgür at Maltepe University in Istanbul .

 

All devotees of hand drawn animation are invited to mark the day , regardless of their geographical location. (the internet creates such a small world).

 

This year Tash and Lâle write:

November 18th, a Day for Hand-Drawn Animation A universe of dreams and fantasy that opened up with Steamboat Willie on November 18th, 1928, or even earlier, with Little Nemo in 1911. A universe wonderful for the spectator, and even more so for the artists and craftsmen. The tradition is alive and well in 2009. May we all celebrate, those of us who insist on keeping it alive, and those of us who never tire of watching! -Tash & Lâle Özgür

I thought the point that Tash made last year about the distinction of "hand drawn animation" is important to repeat:

"We call it, in our quaint Oriental tongue, Çizgi Film Bayrami, which clumsily translates as "Line-Film Holiday" or something ... "Line-Film" being what we call this kind of film. English lacks a direct equivalent, and the more generic term "animation" might have even facilitated the CG takeover ("it's all animation, isn't it?")

Think of our concept of "line film" as closer to the French "dessin animé" ("animated drawing") - it's French, language of culture, so it probably has more weight in the argument. Which argument? Why, that hand drawn animation is a distinct art form, and not simply a step on the way towards something else. "

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Recently the veteran animator/designer/director Gene Deitch made a similar point in a speech prepared for the Xiamen International Animation Festival (Oct. 30th-Nov. 3rd) in China. Gene's speech is titled "Quo Vadis Animation?" The entire text of his speech is on Cartoon Brew:

 

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/ideas-commentary/gene-deitch-quo-vadis-animation.html

 

Here is the summary:

“The core of my speech is a pitch for the survival and eventual return to primary favor of “drawn animation.” (Don’t provoke me by mentioning the term “2D” in my presence!)"

Here is a video Gene made since his travel visa was not approved by the Com munist Chinese government , so he was not able to present the speech at the Xiamen International Animation Festival :

On the survival of Drawn Animation

My friend , animator Tahsin Özgür has often made the point that the term "2D animation" is inadequate to use when referring to what we know as classical or traditional hand drawn animation. Writing of the annual "Day for Hand Drawn Animation" celebration that he and his wife Lale sponsor at Maltepe University in Istanbul , Tash says:

"We call it, in our quaint Oriental tongue, Çizgi Film Bayrami, which clumsily translates as "Line-Film Holiday" or something ... "Line-Film" being what we call this kind of film. English lacks a direct equivalent, and the more generic term "animation" might have even facilitated the CG takeover ("it's all animation, isn't it?")

Think of our concept of "line film" as closer to the French "dessin animé" ("animated drawing") - it's French, the language of culture, so it probably has more weight in the argument. Which argument? Why, that hand drawn animation is a distinct art form, and not simply a step on the way towards something else. "

Recently the veteran animator/designer/director Gene Deitch made a similar point in a speech prepared for the Xiamen International Animation Festival (Oct. 30th-Nov. 3rd) in China. Gene's speech is titled "Quo Vadis Animation?" The entire text of his speech is on Cartoon Brew:

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/ideas-commentary/gene-deitch-quo-vadis-animation-18033.html

Here is the summary:

“The core of my speech is a pitch for the survival and eventual return to primary favor of “drawn animation.” (Don’t provoke me by mentioning the term “2D” in my presence!)"

Here is a video Gene made since his travel visa was not approved by the Chinese government , so he was not able to present the speech at the Xiamen International Animation Festival :

Pups of Liberty - a new animated film by Bert & Jennifer Klein

Directed by Bert and Jennifer Klein, copyright Picnic Productions 2009.

This new animated film looks absolutely charming. "Pups of Liberty" is a 15 min. animated film directed by Bert and Jennifer Klein. The story of the 'Boston Teabone Party' told with cats and dogs. Beautiful 2D hand drawn animation.


(and check out the full crew list : http://www.pupsofliberty.com/FullCrewCredits.html . Quite the impressive pedigree this film has !)

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*UPDATE: There is now an interview about the making-of "Pups of Liberty" with the directors Jennifer & Bert Klein on Michael Sporn's blog. Check it out :

http://www.michaelspornanimation.com/splog/?p=2018

Many nice stills from the film are posted and Michael mentioned that in his next blog post tomorrow he will be posting some pre-production artwork from the film that the Klein's sent to him for the interview.

Tom pencil test (Tom & Jerry)

I haven't posted a classic pencil test in a while.  Here for your inspiration is a scene from Hanna Barbera's  MGM Tom & Jerry cartoons. Not sure which of the regular T & J animators did this scene :  Irv Spence, Ed Barge, Ken Muse, Ray Patterson. (or another ?)   Enjoy.

Behind the Scenes at Disney's Talent Development Program

“You learn something from every production that you’re on, even if it’s, you know, a commercial that lasts three weeks. You learn something from it.”

All of our AAU Online animation students should be interested to hear this podcast interview with young animation artists who have recently gone through the Disney Animation Talent Development Program and are now working on production at Disney:

Listen to an exclusive interview as Clay Kaytis, Disney animator and creator of the Animation Podcast, talks to five young artists from Walt Disney Animation Studios. 


These animators share their educational experience, what it's like to be mentored, and their journey toward becoming members of the crew with a voice in the process of creating animated films.


To hear the podcast, go to:


Disney Talent Development Program alumni on the Animation Podcast

Check out the other great animation podcasts on the site with great animators such as Dale Baer, Eric Goldberg, Nik Ranieri,  Glen Keane, etc.

"The Apple and The Worm" , new hand-drawn feature film

The Apple & the Worm is a new hand-drawn feature film from director Anders Morgenthaler.

The film was hand-drawn, but was animated paperlessly on Wacom Cintiq tablets using TVP Animation software.

I don't understand a word of the Danish dialogue in the trailer , but it looks funny.

THE APPLE AND THE WORM TRAILER 01 VO
by Mister3ZE

Another article about "The Apple & the Worm" --Click Here --

Pencil Test Depot - great resource

Add this one to your bookmarks and check it frequently:


The Pencil Test Depot

This collection (which is ever-growing) of pencil tests was put together by animator Jamaal Bradley who writes:

"The Pencil Test Depot blog is for the people who love pencil tests. It can also be used as a resource for animators who are looking to study another animators work."

Thoughts from Brad Bird

I came across this quote from Brad Bird on CartoonBrew recently:

"It’s also worth noting that (Wall Street) analysts are always bullish about any studios whose production slates are loaded with sequels, remakes, and “re-boots”.

This particular poverty of imagination is absolutely mainstream thinking when it comes to businessmen, who are all about recognizing patterns of success that they assume are repeatable… no matter how often that very approach fails.

They always try to copy the original THING rather than the CONDITIONS that allowed the original thing to come into being."

– Brad Bird

He totally nails it. They try to copy the original thing rather than the conditions that allowed the original thing to come into being. Exactly.

"Hey, make me something like Bugs Bunny... yeah, that's it , give me the New Bugs Bunny" , they say , instead of considering "What were the conditions operating at the time of the Leon Schlesinger Studio that caused the artists working there to create characters like Bugs Bunny?" Why not try to replicate those creative conditions that gave rise to those classic cartoons and then see what happens ?

Also for more thoughts along those lines from Brad Bird, read this article from the McKinsey Quarterly on Fostering Innovation , which has been around for a couple of years, but is worth reading again if you've seen it before, or if you missed it the first time around take a look:

Pixar’s Brad Bird on Fostering Innovation

This link is to an excerpt from the full article. To read the full article you'll need to subscribe to The McKinsey Quarterly.

Among the gems from this interview with Brad Bird are :

Lesson Five: High Morale Makes Creativity Cheap

The Quarterly: It sounds like you spend a fair amount of time thinking about the morale of your teams.

Brad Bird: In my experience, the thing that has the most significant impact on a movie’s budget—but never shows up in a budget—is morale.

If you have low morale, for every $1 you spend, you get about 25 cents of value. If you have high morale, for every $1 you spend, you get about $3 of value. Companies should pay much more attention to morale.

Again, he's talking about creating the conditions under which creativity can flourish.

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In a similar vein these thoughts from Frank Zappa about the demise of the music industry which can be applied directly to most of the animation industry today (in the first 2:10 of this interview) :

Frank Zappa Explains Why Cartoons Today Suck

(from CartoonBrew.com)

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Sylvain Chomet's "The Illusionist"

"The Illusionist" from a script by Jacques Tati , directed by Sylvain Chomet ("The Triplettes of Belleville")

The film is near completion (post-production) . Pathe is releasing in Europe, but no word on a U.S. release yet.

Latest images of the film released by Pathe (via Victor Ens' blog)

(click on images to see them larger)





The film is about “a dying breed of stage entertainer whose thunder is being stolen by emerging rock stars. Forced to accept increasingly obscure assignments in fringe theaters, garden parties and bars, he meets a young fan who changes his life forever.”

Milt Kahl pencil test - King Louis and Mowgli

Some Milt Kahl pencil test goodness :



(a drawing or two are missing, so a couple of bumps not there in the original , but this is pretty much complete)