Flooby Nooby

"Bravest Warriors" by Pen Ward

2012-01-29T13:27:00.000-04:00

See more info here: bravestwarriors.cartoonhangover.com.

Here's the pilot episode:

The Walking Dead Sitcom-Intro

2012-01-28T18:41:00.000-04:00

Trailer for "Oh Willy..."

2012-01-28T17:29:00.000-04:00

Wilco's "Dawned on me" with Popeye

2012-01-28T14:09:00.003-04:00

Well, Blow Me Down! King Features and dBpm Records are combining creative forces for a series of firsts with the release of a new cartoon and animated music video for Wilco’s “Dawned On Me” featuring Popeye the Sailor Man and the Chicago band.

Wilco’s sweet, whimsical love song comes from their latest album, the 2012 Grammy-nominated The Whole Love. The video is directed by Darren Romanelli, the fashion and pop culture innovator who conceived the collaboration between Wilco and King’s flagship character.

This collaboration between American icons is one of the first music videos Wilco has released since 1999 and it presents the band to the masses in a fresh, new way: as animated images, side-by-side with Popeye and his friends Olive Oyl, Swee’ Pea, Wimpy and Bluto.

Via crackajack

Heaven Can Wait

2012-01-28T13:55:00.001-04:00

Charlotte Gainsbourg's single, in duo with Beck.Directed by Keith Schofield.

The Art of Amanda Nelson

2012-01-28T13:49:00.000-04:00

From Artful Desperado.

Am I a Man or Muppet?

2012-01-28T11:52:00.000-04:00

"The Real McCoy" by Eliza Ivanova

2012-01-26T05:45:00.002-04:00

BBC Headroom Shorts

2012-01-26T03:48:00.000-04:00

From onanimation

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

2012-01-26T02:19:00.000-04:00

Inspired, in equal measures, by Hurricane Katrina, Buster Keaton, The Wizard of Oz, and a love for books, “Morris Lessmore” is a story of people who devote their lives to books and books who return the favor. Morris Lessmore is a poignant, humorous allegory about the curative powers of story. Using a variety of techniques (miniatures, computer animation, 2D animation) award winning author/ illustrator William Joyce and Co-director Brandon Oldenburg present a new narrative experience that harkens back to silent films and M-G-M Technicolor musicals. “Morris Lessmore” is old fashioned and cutting edge at the same time.

“The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” is one of five animated short films that will be considered for outstanding film achievements of 2011 in the 84th Academy Awards ®.

Film Awards Won by “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore”
To date, “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” film has drummed up fans all over the world taking home the following awards:
· Cinequest Film Fest: Best Animated Short
· Palm Springs International ShortFest: Audience Favorite Award
· SIGGRAPH: Best in Show

To enjoy “Morris Lessmore” and other Moonbot Apps please visit the following links:
tinyurl.com/lessmoreipad
tinyurl.com/numberlys
tinyurl.com/bullseyeapp

Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light

2012-01-25T21:28:00.001-04:00

I loved this series when I was a kid, similar vein as other science fiction meets swords & sorcery animated fantasy concept like Brave Starr and He-Man. It was originally a range of action figures from Hasbro, released in 1987. This action figure range was promoted by two different media, telling the stories of the characters. The better known of the two was a half hour animated television series made by Sunbow Productions in the same year, but there was also a comic book series issued by Star Comics.

Set on the planet of Prysmos, where its three blazing suns have recently gone into convergence - signalling the rebirth of the Age of Magic. As all their previous technology has now gone dead, its people quickly revert into a feudalistic medieval lifestyle. Shortly thereafter the wizard Merklynn announces a challenge; all those who can reach his shrine will be granted powers of transformation and other magical powers. The show follows the fourteen successful characters; the good Spectral Knights and the evil Darkling Lords.

The toyline was not a big success, and this led to both the series and the comic being discontinued after a very short run. The comic lasted only 6 issues, and was cancelled halfway through a four-part storyline. The animated series lasted one season of 13 episodes, and was not picked up for a second, possibly because all Sunbow cartoons came to an end after The Transformers Season 4 three-parter; The Rebirth, and G.I. Joe: The Movie, when Sunbow lost its contract and could not get it renewed. It is the only Hasbro property to be produced by Sunbow on their own, without the aid of Marvel Productions. Sunbow also used TMS Entertainment, in Japan for the overseas animation work for this show, who also animated hits like Bionic Six, The Real Ghostbusters, Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs.

See some episodes here:

Here's a nice history of TMS Animation Studios by Cereal Geek:

"Lucha!" by Yann Ben Alluch

2012-01-25T06:50:00.000-04:00

The Films of Steven Spielberg

2012-01-25T06:15:00.000-04:00

Fantastic footage of the last days of shooting "The Muppet Show"

2012-01-25T00:41:00.000-04:00

A behind the scenes glimpse of the Muppet Show on it's last day of recording at the Elstree Television Studios in 1980.

Journey - Game Trailers

2012-01-24T07:08:00.002-04:00

The first game I've ever seen that makes excellent use of composition during gameplay, looks awesome.

Spectrum - Awesome Animated Commercial

2012-01-24T04:28:00.000-04:00

Fox Retro Promo

2012-01-23T21:55:00.001-04:00

"Man Up" by Ed Barrett

2012-01-23T19:58:00.001-04:00

Space Jam Website is Still Online

2012-01-22T11:13:00.002-04:00

You remember Space Jam right? It was an animated/live action scifi romp with the Warner Brothers gang of characters like Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny teaming up with basketball legends Michael Jordan and Wayne Knight in an epic basketball showdown…. in SPACE!

Visiting the easily memorized URL at http://www2.warnerbros.com/spacejam/movie/jam.htm will bring you to the official website in all its HTML framed glory, with animated gifs, repeated tiled backgrounds and all suitable for viewing on your 640×480 resolution CRT VGA monitor.

This looks like something my 3 year old can design now, but at the time this was pretty awesome. I mean, they didn’t have much to work with in 1996 and it had to be optimized to download on your 9600baud dialup modem. I wonder if Warner Bros. has forgotten all about it.

County Ghost: Episode 5 - by Mike Geiger

2012-01-22T11:07:00.000-04:00

Star Wars Uncut is Finally Online

2012-01-21T20:57:00.005-04:00

In 2009, Casey Pugh asked thousands of Internet users to remake "Star Wars: A New Hope" into a fan film, 15 seconds at a time. Contributors were allowed to recreate scenes from Star Wars however they wanted. Within just a few months SWU grew into a wild success. The creativity that poured into the project was unimaginable.

SWU has been featured in documentaries, news features and conferences around the world for its unique appeal. In 2010 we won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Creative Achievement In Interactive Media.

Finally, the crowd-sourced project has been stitched together and put online for your streaming pleasure. The "Director's Cut" is a feature-length film that contains hand-picked scenes from the entire StarWarsUncut.com collection.

I know of two animators who contributed to the film: Matt Shepherd and Mike Geiger.

Well, a couple days ago the final product has been published online. If you have 2 hours or so to kill, have a look see, it's a lot of fun.

Avatar Effects Guide

2012-01-21T20:53:00.000-04:00

In celebration of the upcoming series Avatar: The Legend of Korra which is expected to air on Nickelodeon sometime in 2012; here are some FX design from the original animated series "Avatar: The Last Air Bender".

Gobelins Students' FX Animation

2012-01-19T05:04:00.001-04:00

FX exercises made in 3 weeks by groups of 5 students in 2nd year at the french Gobelins school.

Oni - by Cyrille Chauvin, Augustin Clermont, Guillaume Dousse, Adrien Gromelle, and Thibaud Petitpas.

Brütal Vacances - by Clément De Ruyter, Eve Guastella, Juliaon Roels, Pierre Rutz, and Gaspard Sumeire.

Mad Scientist - by Chloé Nicolay, Yoann Bomal, Christine Shin, Laura Pannetier, and Emmanuel Asquier-Brassart.

The Red Light - by Karina Gazizova, Estelle Chaloupy, Sarah Colmet-Daâge, Maël Jaouen, and Hélène Leroux.

Soap - by Wyckens Manddy, Marthe Delaporte, Lea Justum, Guillaume Arantes, and Jeanne-Sylvette Giraud.

"The Joy of Books" by Sean Ohlenkamp

2012-01-18T19:43:00.002-04:00

A Good Wife

2012-01-18T12:43:00.003-04:00

Directed by:
W. Scott Forbes // wscottforbes.com // twitter.com/wscottforbes

Music by:
Cyrille Marchesseau // cyrillemarchesseau.com

Sound by:
Julien Begault // julienbegault.com

"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" - The Shirelles
tinyurl.com/7xq6db5 (US) // tinyurl.com/87erufv (Canadian)

Via onanimation

MTV Switzerland ads: Sex is no accident - Always use a condom

2012-01-17T22:22:00.000-04:00

See the Animated versions here.

The Films of Christopher Nolan

2012-01-17T19:14:00.003-04:00

Jerk Chicken

2012-01-17T10:49:00.001-04:00

Here's the very first animated cartoon I ever worked on.Early 2000, all Flash, Nickelodeon Test Pilot.
It never got developed into a full series,
but you always learn a lot on your first project, this was no exception.

Rome - "Two Against One" by Chris Milk and Anthony Francisco Schepperd

2012-01-17T08:50:00.000-04:00

It's exciting to see Anthony Schepperd's latest amazing work.

The Cinematography of Leon: The Professional

2012-01-17T01:28:00.000-04:00

Leon is a loner. Making friends isn’t exactly part of the life of a seasoned hit man, though he prefers the gentler term “cleaner”. He spends his non killing time in a modest tenement apartment caring for a houseplant, drinking lots of milk and taking in Gene Kelly matinees.

All of that changes when his neighbor Matilda lands on his doorstep after her family is brutally murdered. Matilda is completely fascinated by Leon in the most Freudian way: she sees him as both father figure and potential lover. Though she’s only twelve and still figuring out exactly what a lover is. Things stay platonic, and Leon agrees to teach her the ropes of cleaning in exchange for teaching him how to read.

They take on small jobs together with Matilda as the bait and Leon doing the heavy lifting. When he’s on bigger assignments she sits at home plotting revenge on the men that killed her family, a pack of goons led by an unhinged pill popping Gary Oldman. Oldman always plays the best villains. The relationship between the precocious Matilda (Natalie Portman) and a stoic Leon (Jean Reno, marry me.) is charming.

Costume designer Magali Guidasci adds additional dimension to their characters, especially in Matilda’s mix of masculine army bomber, delicate lace, Vidal Sasoon-esque razor bob and the quintessential nineties accessory: the choker. Her bold look is the perfect balance to Leon’s modest suspenders, wool beanie and circular shades. Luc Besson’s film was a slick and refreshing update to the buddy movie, that’s both action packed and heartfelt. Read a full review here.

"Jetcoaster Romance" by Masashi Kawamura and Tymote

2012-01-15T09:39:00.002-04:00

"The Story of Cholera" by Yoni Goodman

2012-01-15T08:30:00.001-04:00

Stuck In The Sound - "Brother"

2012-01-15T07:10:00.006-04:00

Made at se7en

Kai K.

2012-01-15T06:50:00.000-04:00

Japanese independent animator Kai K is back on Youtube with his projects Alpha World and A.O.A. Battlefire.

Et une autre vidéo d'Alpha World :

New clip by Crazy/Trash from IMOV Studio - Directed by Marco

2012-01-15T06:43:00.000-04:00

The Cinematography of "Moonrise Kingdom"

2012-01-14T18:28:00.006-04:00

Cinematographer: Robert D. Yeoman

Wes Anderson's distinct visual style is more apparent than ever with his latest film, set to be released sometime later this year. He's always had a bit of a magical touch in his approach to filmmaking. He makes very careful use of color and size relationships of different characters and objects within many shots. Anderson likes to use shallow compositions where most of the scenes are flattened into a middleground and the main subject is often dead center in the frame. Not to mention is skillful use of making red/pink and green hues work so well together.

The story is set on an island off the coast of New England in the 1960s, as a young boy and girl fall in love they are moved to run away together. Various factions of the town mobilize to search for them and the town is turned upside down -- which might not be such a bad thing.

Watch the trailer:

Pear Cider and Cigarettes - Robert Valley

2012-01-14T17:37:00.001-04:00

I'm very happy that Robert Valley is (at last) making a new independent animated short-film. You can follow the production on his blog, during the next 120 days he'll be updating the public on the project. The film will be released as extra DVD in his upcoming 4th "Massive Swerve" book (which will be dedicated to this film).

"Pin-ups" by Ornélie Prioul

2012-01-14T09:24:00.001-04:00

"Cosmo New Year" by Anton Korolyuk and Artem Bizyaev

2012-01-14T08:27:00.001-04:00

Laetitia Butyn's "Joe"

2012-01-14T07:41:00.000-04:00

from Laetitia Butyn

Works of Jean Bouthors

2012-01-14T06:03:00.001-04:00

Voice Actor - John Stocker

2012-01-14T01:17:00.000-04:00

Born August 13, 1947, in Canada. His career began in the 1970s, when he started voice acting. He started in television and is best known for playing the voice of Beastly, the villain in Nelvana's The Care Bears series.

He and Zoo Factory alumni Dan Hennessey appeared as Thomson and Thompson on The Adventures of Tintin.In the film industry, he voiced the Cheshire Cat, as well as The Wizard's assistant Dim, in 1987's The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland, and he played a character named Sol in 1993's Look Who's Talking Now.He was also the voice director on Beyblade, Medabots, Committed, Pandalian, Sailor Moon, Caillou, The Amazing Spiez!, Animated Tales of the World, Rob the Robot, Totally Spies!, Totally Spies! The Movie, Plop!, Mona the Vampire, Martin Mystery, What It's Like Being Alone, The Goal, Zeroman, Strawberry Cafe, Monster Buster Club, The Busy World of Richard Scarry, Ky Staxx, The Mulligans and Di-Gata Defenders.

Stocker is one of the few voice actors to appear in all three of the Super Mario Bros. animated series with one of the characters that he had voiced being Toad. He has also done voices for many video games including Jagged Alliance 2, Naruto, Hype: The Time Quest, Spawn: In the Demon's Hand, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, Jagged Alliance 2: Unfinished Business and Silent Storm as well as voice directing Beyblade: Super Tournament Battle, Medabots Infinity, Sentinel: Descendants in Time and Magna Carta: Tears of Blood.Currently, Stocker lives near Toronto in Bowmanville, Ontario on 21 acres (8.5 ha) of rural land with his wife, Tara, and his daughter Bailey. He is also at present a member of Toronto's VoiceWorks.

Credits List

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, The(1993, Animated Series)	(additional voices)
Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin, The(1987, Animated Series)	Manfred
	Newton Gimmick
	Understander
ALF Tales(1987, Animated Series)	(additional voices)
Avengers: United They Stand, The(1999, Animated Series)	Ultron
Babar(1989, Animated Series)	Basil
Babar: The Movie(1989, Animated Film)	Zephir
Bakugan Battle Brawlers(2007, Anime Series)	Naga
	Nobilion	"Next Stop, Nagaville"
Bakugan Battle Brawlers: New Vestroia(2009, Anime Series)	King Zenoheld
Beetlejuice(1989, Animated Series)	Bartholomew Batt	"Sappiest Place on Earth"
	Mr. Monitor
Beyblade(2002, Anime Series)	Max's Dad
Beyblade G-Revolution(2004, Anime Series)	Max's Dad
Beyblade V-Force(2003, Anime Series)	Max's Dad
Busy World of Richard Scarry, The(1993, Animated Series)	Father Cat
	Humperdink
	Wolfgang Wolf
C.O.P.S.(1988, Animated Series)	Longarm / P.J. O'Malley
Care Bears Nutcracker Suite(1988, Animated Film (Direct-to-Video))	Rat King
Care Bears, The(1985, Animated Series)	Mr. Beastly
Dinosaucers(1987, Animated Series)	Ankylo
	Terrible Dactyl
	Ugh
Dog City(1992, Live Action/Puppet/Animated Series)	Bugsy Vile
Donkey Kong Country(1996, Computer Animated Series)	Kutlass
Ewoks(1985, Animated Series)	Widdle Warrick	(Season 1)
Garbage Pail Kids(1987, Animated Series)	(additional voices)
George Shrinks(2000, Animated Series)	(additional voices)
Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors(1985, Animated Series)	Gun Grinner
JoJo's Circus(2003, Animated Series)	Federico Froggina
Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends(2004, Animated Series)	Rocky	"Night and Day: Cob Fog"
Mona the Vampire(1999, Animated Series)	Mayor Rosenbaum
Mythic Warriors: Guardians of the Legend(1998, Animated Series)	Guards	"Androcles and the Lion"
	Polemius	"Hercules and the Golden Apples"
	Zetes	"Jason and the Argonauts," "Jason and Medea," "Castor and Pollux"
Neverending Story, The(1995, Animated Series)	Gluckuk
New Adventures of Lucky Luke, The(2001, Animated Series)	Tom Dalton
Redwall(1999, Animated Series)	Brother Alf
	Cheesethief
Rupert(1991, Animated Series)	(additional voices)
Sailor Moon R(1993, Anime Series)	Malachite	"Follow the Leader"
Sailor Moon Super S(1995, Anime Series)	BiriBiri	"Tomorrow's Big Dreams"
Stroker and Hoop(2005, Animated Series)	Asle	"Just Voodoo It"
Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, The(1989, Live Action/Animated Series)	Beezo
	Flurry
	Koopa Troopa
	Mouser #1
	Toad
Tales from the Cryptkeeper(1993, Animated Series)	Melvin	"The Sleeping Beauty," "Chuck and Melvin and the Beanstalker"
	Various Monster Hunters	"The Works....In Wax"
	Woman	"Cave Man"
Time Warp Trio(2005, Animated Series)	Brawny Accomplice	"Birdman or Birdbrain?"
	Kai's Uncle	"Birdman or Birdbrain?"
Today's Special(1981, Live Action/Puppet Series)	Clump	"Buttons"
Totally Spies(2001, Animated Series)	Bedhead	"Evil Promotion", "Creepy Crawly Much?"
Tripping the Rift(2004, Computer Animated Series)	(additional voices)
X-Men(1992, Animated Series)	Graydon Creed
	Leech	"Captive Hearts"

"Paper" by Mathieu Aubry

2012-01-13T08:28:00.001-04:00

Nick Cross' Opening Title Sequence for "Hotel Monstre"

2012-01-13T07:34:00.000-04:00

The Short Films of Davy Durand

2012-01-13T07:30:00.000-04:00

Very cool short films and mini web series by french animator Davy Durand, make sure to check these out.

Electroshock

2012-01-13T01:35:00.000-04:00

Directed by Hugo JACKSON, Pascal CHANDELIER, Valentin MICHEL, Bastien MORTELECQUE and Elliot MAREN.

Adam and Dog

2012-01-12T21:35:00.001-04:00

Beautiful trailer for Disney animator Minkyu Lee's "Adam and dog" short film.

The Warriors (1979)

2012-01-12T19:13:00.000-04:00

Pink Floyd The Wall (1982)

2012-01-12T05:12:00.002-04:00

After Hours (1985)

2012-01-11T04:52:00.001-04:00

FRED et marie

2012-01-11T01:33:00.000-04:00

Peter & the Space Between

2012-01-10T22:16:00.000-04:00

This animated short film was made by Sitji Chou, a recent graduate of Emily Carr University of Art & Design in Vancouver, British Columbia. His film addresses a difficult topic with artfulness and poignancy. The elongated and sharply angular design of Peter suggests visual distress in a German Expressionist mold, and the experimental effects animation and abstract graphics communicate Peter’s inner thoughts better than any literal/traditional character animation could possible do so. The score and sound design was by Raphael Choi.

”about a man who tries to understand the futility of creating human connections when they have been impeded by the microcosmic void between material particles”

Rocky (1976)

2012-01-10T04:53:00.001-04:00

Marwencol

2012-01-09T21:57:00.001-04:00

Marwencol is the story of a captivating man named Mark Hogancamp. At 38, Mark lost most of his memory after suffering brain damage from a brutal bar attack. He finds fragments of himself and his past through photographs, sketchbooks and disturbing “drunk journals” written during his years battling alcoholism. After his Medicaid-covered therapy runs out Mark finds solace and inspiration in a second world, one sixth the scale of ours. He christens it “Marwencol”, a World War II-era town in Belgium that he creates in his own backyard.

Mark creates an alter ego in a doll: a handsome soldier with bravado and chiseled plastic features, a tough-guy leather jacket, a harem of twenty seven Barbies, and a thirst for the dark stuff; coffee that is, even though he owns the best bar in town. Other dolls represent friends, co-workers and family from Mark’s own life and help to complete his lavish story-lines. Hogancamp’s attention to detail is a testament to the creativity that stills lies within him.

Director Jeff Malmberg treats his subject with care and you never get the feeling that Mark’s disability or situation is being exploited. It feels intimate, maybe sometimes uncomfortably so, like you’re just hanging out with Mark and his dolls on a Tuesday or something. You feel for him when his work is discovered by an art magazine, and later a gallery in New York. The unsolicited attention causes Mark to face the real world that he has left behind.

It's a fascinating film, worth watching.

Composition Sketches from "Bolt" by Kevin Nelson

2012-01-09T21:56:00.000-04:00

Great thumbnails layouts and location designs.

See more of his art.

House (1977)

2012-01-09T17:27:00.000-04:00

SYNOPSIS: How to describe Nobuhiko Obayashi’s indescribable 1977 movie House (Hausu)? As a psychedelic ghost tale? A stream-of-consciousness bedtime story? An episode of Scooby-Doo as directed by Mario Bava? Any of the above will do for this hallucinatory head trip about a schoolgirl who travels with six classmates to her ailing aunt’s creaky country home and comes face-to-face with evil spirits, a demonic house cat, a bloodthirsty piano, and other ghoulish visions, all realized by Obayashi via mattes, animation, and collage effects. Equally absurd and nightmarish, House might have been beamed to Earth from some other planet. Never before available on home video in the United States, it’s one of the most exciting cult discoveries in years. If you haven’t seen this movie yet you are missing out big time! No seriously, it’s a gem.

Louis CK honors George Carlin

2012-01-09T12:33:00.000-04:00

Brian Regan and Louis CK have been my favorite comedians for years now, but George Carlin was one of the first ones I had discovered in the early 90s that had me laughing for days.

So I was glad to find this clip of Louis CK speaking about George Carlin and the momentous inspiration the late comedic icon had on his career. Taken from a tribute to George Carlin at the New York Public Library hosted by Whoopi Goldberg in March 2010, Louis CK becomes emotional describing the specific events and methods of building new material that gave his comedy new direction and fueled his recent success.

More can be found here http://www.nypl.org/audiovideo/tribute-george-carlin-hosted-whoopi-goldberg

Fassbinder

2012-01-09T12:28:00.002-04:00

Rainer Werner Fassbinder on directing film: "It isn’t easy to accept that suffering can also be beautiful… it’s difficult. It’s something you can only understand if you dig deeply into yourself."

“Burrow” by Frederico Gutierrez

2012-01-09T01:52:00.001-04:00

Twisted Princess - New Jeff Thomas Illustrations

2012-01-08T11:15:00.000-04:00

See the others here.
See his DeviantArt here.

American Psycho (2000)

2012-01-07T23:32:00.002-04:00

Plainsview

2012-01-07T19:29:00.000-04:00

The Colors of Dick Tracy (1990)

2012-01-07T15:28:00.001-04:00

Animated Feature Films of 2012

2012-01-07T01:51:00.001-04:00

LIST OF 2012 FEATURES BY SCHEDULED RELEASE DATE
Source: Cartoonbrew

The Secret World of Arriety
The Clock family are four-inch-tall people who live anonymously in another family’s residence, borrowing simple items to make their home. Life changes for the Clocks when their daughter, Arrietty, is discovered.
Release Date: 2/17
Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Production Company: Studio Ghibli
Distributor: Walt Disney
Technique: hand-drawn
Voice Cast: Bridgit Mendler, Amy Poehler and Will Arnett
Film Website

Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
A 12-year-old boy searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.
Release Date: 3/2
Directors: Chris Renaud, Kyle Balda
Production Company: Illumination
Distributor: Universal
Technique: CG
Voice Cast: Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Danny DeVito
Film Website

The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Pirate Captain sets out on a mission to defeat his rivals Black Bellamy and Cutlass Liz for the Pirate of the year Award. The quest takes Captain and his crew from the shores of Blood Island to the foggy streets of Victorian London.
Release Date: 3/30
Directors: Peter Lord, Jeff Newitt
Production Company: Aardman Animation
Label: Sony Animation
Distributor: Columbia
Technique: clay stop-mo
Voice Cast: Hugh Grant, Salma Hayek, Jeremy Piven
Film Website

Le Magasin des Suicides (The Suicide Shop)
Based on a bestselling book by Jean Teulé, it’s a black comedy about a family that runs a suicide supply shop in a dreary town. The family’s business is threatened when a new baby arrives who makes everyone around him happy.
Release Date: 5/16 (France/Belgium), 6/14 (Netherlands)
Directors: Patrice LeConte
Production Company: Diabolo Films (France), La Petite Reine, Entre Chien et Loup (Belgique) and Caramel Films (Canada)
Distributor: ARP Sélection
Technique: hand-drawn, cut-out

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted
Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo join a traveling circus in an effort to get back home to New York.
Release Date: 6/8
Director: Eric Darnell
Production Company: Dreamworks
Distributor: Paramount
Technique: CG
Voice Cast: Ben Stiller, David Schwimmer, Chris Rock, Sascha Baron Cohen
Film Website

Brave
Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.
Release Date: 6/22
Directors: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman
Production Company: Pixar
Studio: Pixar
Distributor: Disney
Technique: CG
Voice Cast: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson
Film Website

Ice Age: Continental Drift
Manny, Diego, and Sid embark upon another adventure after their continent is set adrift. Using an iceberg as a ship, they encounter sea creatures and battle pirates as they explore a new world.
Release Date: 7/13
Directors: Steve Martino, Mike Thurmeier
Production Company:
Studio: Blue Sky
Distributor: 20th Century-Fox
Technique: CG
Voice Cast: Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo
Film Website

Okami kodomo no ame to yuki (The Wolf Children Ame and Yuki)
From the director of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Summer Wars, the story of a college student named Hana who marries a “wolf man” and gives birth to two wolf children. When the wolf man dies, Hana and the children move from the city to a quiet rural town.
Release Date: July (Japan)
Directors: Mamoru Hosoda
Production Company: Studio Chizu, Madhouse
Distributor: TOHO
Technique: Hand-drawn
Film Website

ParaNorman
A misunderstood boy who can speak with the dead, takes on ghosts, zombies and grown-ups to save his town from a centuries-old curse.
Release Date: 8/17
Directors: Chris Butler, Sam Fell
Production Company: Laika
Distributor: Focus Features
Technique: Stop-Motion
Voice Cast: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Film Website

Hotel Transylvania
Dracula, who operates a high-end resort away from the human world, goes into overprotective mode when a boy discovers the resort and falls for the count’s teen-aged daughter.
Release Date: 9/21
Director: Genndy Tartakovsky
Production Company: Sony Animation
Distributor: Columbia
Technique: CG
Voice Cast: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Andy Samberg
Film Website

Frankenweenie
Young Victor conducts a science experiment to bring his beloved dog Sparky back to life, only to face unintended, sometimes monstrous, consequences.
Release Date: 10/5
Director: Tim Burton
Production Company: Walt Disney
Distributor: Disney
Technique: stop-motion
Voice Cast: Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short
Film Website

Wreck-It Ralph
The bad-guy character in a classic game who longs to be a hero brings trouble to his entire arcade after sneaking into a new first-person shooter game and unleashing a deadly enemy.
Release Date: 11/2
Director: Rich Moore
Production Company: Walt Disney Feature Animation
Distributor: Disney
Technique: CG
Voice Cast: John C. Reilly, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch

Rise of the Guardians
Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, Jack Frost and the Sandman band together to form a united front against the Bogeyman.
Release Date: 11/21
Director: Peter Ramsey, William Joyce
Production Company: Dreamworks
Distributor: Paramount
Technique: CG
Voice Cast: Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin, Isla Fisher
Film Website

These six films have no release date set yet, but will be ready for release in 2012

Dorothy of Oz
Back in Kansas, Dorothy Gale decides to return to Oz in order to help her friends.
Director: Will Finn, Dan St. Pierre
Production Company: Summertime Entertainment
Technique: CG
Voice Cast: Lea Michele, Patrick Stewart, Hugh Dancy
Film Website

Escape from Planet Earth
Astronaut Scorch Supernova finds himself caught in a trap when he responds to an SOS from a notoriously dangerous alien planet.
Director: Callan Brunker
Production Company: Rainmaker Entertainment
Distributor: Weinstein Company
Technique: CG
Voice Cast: Jessica Alba, Sarah Jessica Parker, Brendan Fraser
Film Website

Norm of the North
Displaced from their Arctic home, a polar bear named Norm and his three lemming friends wind up in New York City, where Norm becomes the mascot of a corporation he soon learns is tied to the fate of his homeland.
Director: Anthony Bell
Production Company: RichCrest Animation
Distributor: Lionsgate
Technique: CG
Voice Cast: Ken Jeong, Rob Schneider, Zachary Gordon
Film Press Release

Cheech & Chong’s Animated Movie
Cheech & Chong’s Animated Movie is a film based on Cheech and Chong’s classic Grammy award winning albums.
Director: Branden Chambers, Eric D. Chambers
Technique: Flash
Voice Cast: Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong
Official Facebook Page

Ribbit
“The tale of a frog with an identity crisis..”
Director: Chuck Powers
Technique: CGI
Voice Cast: Sean Astin, Tim Curry
Production company: KRU Studios (Malaysia)
Official Facebook page

A Liar’s Autobiography
Based on the memoirs of deceased Monty Python member Graham Chapman. Fifteen different UK animation companies will be contributing animated segments to the film. The film will receive a theatrical release in the UK in Spring 2012, and shown on the EPIX HD channel in the US.
Director: Bill Jones, Ben Timlett, Jeff Simpson
Production Company: Bill and Ben Productions
Voice Cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam
Film Website

Patrick Doyon’s "Sunday"

2012-01-06T10:46:00.001-04:00

The National Film Board of Canada presents this exclusive on-line debut of
Patrick Doyon’s Annie-nominated film, Sunday.

CREDITS
Script: Patrick Doyon
Animation: Patrick Doyon
Direction: Patrick Doyon
Editing: Jelena Popovic
Music: Luigi Allemano
Sound design: Luigi Allemano
Voice: Chantal Baril, Natalie Hamel Roy, Jacques Lavallée, François Sasseville, Nicolas Scott
Recording: Geoffrey Mitchell, Luc Léger
Sound mixer: Jean Paul Vialard
Special Advisor: Jean-Philippe Fauteux

The Artists

2012-01-06T01:36:00.000-04:00

from Giant Creative

Run Lola Run

2012-01-05T15:36:00.001-04:00

It begins with a frantic phone call that acts as the starting pistol in a race against the clock. Lola is player one in the video game like premise of Run Lola Run. She’s got twenty minutes to help her boyfriend Manni, a small time crook replace 100,000 German marks of his boss’ money. Her love for Manni is pertinent as she runs determined through the streets of Berlin in a pair of Doc Martens (ouch), her woodpecker red hair catching the breeze as she flies by everyone. And though she fails the first time around like Sonic the Hedgehog or Mario she gets another life and the game resets. Not once, but three times. Lola is clever enough to take what she learns from each run into the next round. Director Tom Tykwer uses very specific stylistic choices: frenetic editing, the mixing of animation and live action, split screen, nods to Vertigo, Bonnie and Clyde and Breathless and a new approach to the three act film.

I've seen it twice now, and there's something about it that has me drawn to it, it's not a perfect film, but its just different enough to keep you well grounded in your seat - waiting to see what's going to happen. My short animated film The Chase was partially inspired by this film, I enjoy showing Run Lola Run to my animation students, especially since none of them have ever heard of it before.

Let it snow

2012-01-04T13:17:00.000-04:00

Neil Boyle goes completely non-digital

2012-01-04T08:24:00.000-04:00

Animator Neil Boyle (Roger Rabbit / Thief and the Cobbler) has just finished his short film. It was hand inked & painted on cel, and shot on a 35mm rostrum camera! Here’s the website!

via onanimation.com

Incognito

2012-01-03T13:13:00.001-04:00

“The three-pound organ in your skull — with its pink consistency of Jello — is an alien kind of computational material. It is composed of miniaturized, self-configuring parts, and it vastly outstrips anything we’ve dreamt of building. So if you ever feel lazy or dull, take heart: you’re the busiest, brightest thing on the planet.” – David Eagleman, Incognito
The 11 Best Psychology and Philosophy Books of 2011

R.I.P. Ronald Searle

2012-01-03T05:21:00.001-04:00

He passed away peacefully in his sleep on Friday, December 30th 2011. Since the death of his wife Monica last summer, his health had been steadily declining.

The media have some touching tributes:
Matt Jones on CartoonBrew
The Telegraph
The Telegraph 2
Telegraph obituary
Guardian Books
Guardian obituary
The Mirror
Daily Mail
Berliner Morgenpost
BBC obituary

He had been recently profiled in Making Great Illustration, a collection of interviews with todays' top illustrators featuring amongst others Ralph Steadman, Quentin Blake, Dave McKean and Pete Fowler.

See some of his works here, here, and here.

Here's one of my favorite illustrations from him:

Every Major Batman Costume in One Convenient Infographic

2012-01-02T13:28:00.000-04:00

Benjamin Moore [larger]

Léonard Cohen's "Plato"

2012-01-02T08:28:00.006-04:00

Via onanimation

Ken Simpson's "HEADCASE"

2012-01-01T18:53:00.001-04:00

This is a trailer for the twelve part miniseries detailing the making of the $50,000 feature film, Headcase.

The series premieres on IndieGoGo on Monday, January 30th 2012

To keep updated on all matters relating to the 12 part series and the feature film, Headcase - subscribe to the official Facebook page!

facebook.com/pages/Headcase-The-feature-film-2012/263752250353891

What is an Animation Producer?

2012-01-01T01:43:00.003-04:00

I've been asked this a few times during Q&A sessions at the last few Speaking Events and Seminars I've attended. So I decided to make a short essay on the subject.

An animation producer is someone who takes on the role of producer for an animated series or feature. As the producer, this person will usually act as the main line of communication and filtration of ideas between the executives who run a studio and the creative people who are actually making the animated product. In this capacity, the animation producer must be able to control the costs of an animated production to keep the executives above him or her happy, while also ensuring that the creative staff of animators and artists working under him or her are able to develop and complete the feature or series they are working toward. Ultimately, as the title suggests, it is the producer’s job to ensure that a final product is actually produced.

The animation producer can often be seen as “the bad guy” by the artists working on a production. This is because he or she is usually the highest ranking person on a feature or series who will be readily available and accessible to the rest of the crew. When anything goes wrong on a production, such as supplies not being restocked in a timely manner or disputes in payments or deadlines, the person who is often available to the artists for blame and complaint is the producer.

On the other side of the production, however, the animation producer is also the person who will be discussing any problems or budgetary issues with the executives who run the studio. This means that any issues coming down from those in charge will ultimately end up on the producer. If the feature or series is coming in late or over budget, it is the producer who will be directly blamed for that and whose job will be on the line if the issue is not corrected.

For all these efforts, the animation producer is typically well-paid. He or she usually making an executive’s salary, not an artist’s pay. This higher pay, however, is meant to compensate the producer for the amount of stress and pressure that he or she will usually have to deal with. The title of this position is sometimes substituted for Production Manger, Co-Producer or Line Producer, depending on the company, the size of the project, and the specialties of the individual. The technical differences between all these titles can be very slight. For instance, many Line Producer are only in charge of the budget/finances and scheduling of the production. While sometimes Production Managers are only in charge of equipment/hardware and human resources.

An animation producer’s job is typically more about managing people, time, and money than performing any sort of artistic tasks. The producer might want some knowledge of animation since it may be important to understand certain aspects of the creative process to manage those working in an artistic field. This does not mean that the producer has to learn to be an animator, however, only know enough to properly orchestrate the talent and understand their needs.

In order to become an animation producer, it is recommended that a candidate gain experience in the field of animation for film and television. Becoming a producer right away is not realistic, especially given the entertainment industry's very competitive nature. Completing internships, establishing industry contacts, and staying persistent are necessary for breaking into the field. Formal education programs are difficult to find and do not necessarily give one candidate an advantage over the other.

One of the most important steps that an individual can take to become an animation producer is to secure experience. Many find that working for smaller animation studios in entry-level or internship positions is a necessity. These positions can provide a training ground for those who need to develop their technical and artistic skills. Working on commercials and short films provides more frequent experience and opportunities for instruction than full-length features.

Getting an internship or entry-level position in an animation studio can prove to be difficult. Establishing contact with animation studios and consistently following up on the availability of work can help candidates who wish to become an animation producer. It may be beneficial to find out the names and contact information of hiring managers and re-initiate contact every three to four months. Those wishing to break into the field might also want to consider putting together a portfolio of self-produced animated short films.

In my 12 years of experience in the animation industry I've seen a few animation producers get made by starting off as Production Assistant, granted this is in a non-creative sense. Producers and eventually Executive Producers / Creative Producers or Supervising Producers come from the creative side of the industry, starting off as an artist or writer, and moving up to Head Writer or Director. On the side of budgeting, scheduling, human resources, Production Assitants (threw many years of hard work) can move up to the position Line Producer or Associate Producer.

The Production Assistant's job is often to assist the Executive Producer, Production Manager or Animation Director in their tasks by taking care of shot lists, crew contacts, voice record booking sessions, tracking of retake notes, organizing art asset like model packs & storyboards, file management, FTP, the signing and organizing of staff contracts/non-disclosure agreement, and any other duties to aid producers, directors and studio managers in their daily jobs to keep production moving smoothly.

By being in this role, the PA gains experience in many different areas, s/he gains knowledge of the daily challenges and concerns brought on by the staff of artists and animators, while also gaining valuable experience in the realm of tax credits, cost reports, budgets, schedules and eventually how to draft or manage such documents. The more versatile you are in the role of a PA and the stronger your writing and communication skills are, the more likely you are to eventually advance to an Associate Producer position.

The term "associate producer" is used in two different ways. The first is to describe a person who works under the direct supervision of the producer, performing whatever duties the producer asks of him or her.The second is for if two production companies are involved in a project, the head of the smaller company may be given the title of associate producer, and the head of the larger company is called the producer or executive producer. In this case, the associate producer is not so much an assistant as a junior associate.

Either way, associate producer's job lies in the arranging for supplies, helping in hiring the critical staff and talent, and (most importantly) helping the producers in finding the funding your film or series will need. Once you've been a successful Associate Producer, you're just one step away from "Animation Producer".

Formal education can be one of the avenues in which potential animation producers establish a network of industry contacts. Some universities and colleges provide film production and animation courses where an individual can gain some experience, feedback, and network with others interested in the craft. Most often the teachers and instructors of these animation and film courses are well connected with the local film and television industry. Internship opportunities might also be advertised through the educational institutions and its instructors.

Once an internship or entry-level position is obtained (usually as a PA, as mentioned earlier), the next step to become an animation producer involves taking on positions with greater responsibility. It is important that individuals prove themselves through the quality of their work. While there isn't a clear path for those who wish to become an animation producer, taking the time to develop in lower level positions and refine talent seems to be one of the ways. As individuals gain experience and contacts, additional opportunities should become available.

Other ways to gain industry contacts are by attending film festivals, conferences and workshops dedicated to animation production. Taking on additional part-time opportunities in the industry might help individuals further their professional network and gain related experience. A candidate really needs to immerse himself in the industry and demonstrate dedication and talent, in addition to expertise. Learn all about the technology used, the pros and cons of different types of software and hardware used in the the 2D/3D animation field and learn all the lingo associated with it.

In conclusion, to become an Animation Producer, you must be persistent and be present. Consistency, tenacity, and strong organizational skills will get you recognized and get you a job as a Production Assistant, and then eventually an Associate Producer, and with hard work and determination, you're not far away from the full blown Animation Producer title.

They must possess an in-depth knowledge of scheduling and budgeting, and of all the physical and technical processes of animation production. They need excellent industry contacts, and must command the respect of the production crew. Exceptional communication skills are required, as well as the diplomacy to balance the creative expectations of the director, artists and creative personnel with the financial resources available.

I hope this helps out anyone that wondered how to become a producer in the animation industry and what the job entails. I found this nice little blurb by Dave Redl, that offers you a nice take about what makes a good animation producer.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

2011-12-31T20:02:00.007-04:00

Top 10 Top Ten List

2011-12-31T13:19:00.001-04:00

10. Time Magazine’s Top Ten of Everything
9. Top Ten Shaq Moments
8. Top Ten Kevin Costner VHS tapes
7. Top Ten Things You Didn’t Know About RuPaul
6. The Top Ten Bacon Recipes Of The Year
5. Letterman’s Top Ten Lists since 1985
4. Top Ten Worst as Seen on TV Products
3. Best NHL Fights of 2010-2011
2. Pitchfork’s Changing Top Ten Lists From Years Past
1. Top Ten Reasons You Woke Up with an Orange Penis Censored

The Strange Case of Dad's Missing Head

2011-12-31T01:13:00.000-04:00

The Miss Piggy Calendar, 1982 - Great Lovers of the Silver Screen

2011-12-30T16:16:00.001-04:00

Front Cover

January

Dancing Chic to Chic

February

Flash Frogers in
Rat Wars in Outer Space

March

Tadpoleon Mon Amour!

April

Posteriors

May

The Green Wonder

June

Moi, Jane!

Centerfold

Drive-in

July

A Midsummer Pig Dream
or Much Ado About Moi!

August

11:57 High

September

Saturday Night Greaser

October

The Bride of Froggen-Schwein!

November

To Have and Have More

December

Naughty Operetta

Back Cover

Chaplin

The Boston Globe Photos of the Year 2011

2011-12-30T13:20:00.000-04:00

Like most publications, The Boston Globe has selected photographs that represent the most outstanding events of 2011. Prepared by Lane Turner, who prepared the list of 36 photos.

SModimations 2-D - Season 2 Episodes

2011-12-29T06:32:00.001-04:00

"Proteigon" by Steven Briand

2011-12-29T05:29:00.000-04:00

from BURAYAN

A Brief History of Santa

2011-12-28T13:57:00.000-04:00

2011-12-28T13:48:00.001-04:00

2011-12-28T13:17:00.000-04:00

2011-12-28T13:09:00.000-04:00

2011-12-28T13:00:00.002-04:00

2011-12-28T12:59:00.002-04:00

Garfiled: His 9 Lives

2011-12-28T12:46:00.001-04:00

The book was published in 1984 - it was the illustrated short stories showing the "nine lives" of comic strip character Garfield the cat. It was adapted into an animated television special in 1988.

I was in the 5th grade when I got this book, and being at the height of my Collecting-All-Things-Garfield stage of my life, this book was mind-blowing. Various artists and writers contributing their works to create these nine short stories in this graphic novel format.

The book is divided into ten segments; the first one displays the creation of cats in general, where the latter nine reveal events in Garfield's nine lives. Each of the nine stories has a short preface of Garfield in his modern incarnation, explaining how these various lives shaped aspects of his personality, such as the origin of his fear of the veterinarian, his love of destructive behavior, his proclivity for a slothful lifestyle, and his playful side.

The one-hour long television adaptation was produced in 1988, and it featured four different "lives." Consequently leaving out four of the lives from the book: "The Vikings", "Babes and Bullets", the "Exterminators" and "Primal Self". "Babes and Bullets" was adapted into a television special of its own the following year: "Garfield's Babes and Bullets"(which won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program of 1989).

Directed & Produced by	Phil Roman
Written by	Jim Davis (writer, creator), David Kuhn (segment "In the Garden"), Jim Clements (segment "Space Cat"), and George Herriman (uncredited)
Starring	Lorenzo Music Thom Huge, Gregg Berger, and Desirée Goyette
Music by	Ed Bogas and Desirée Goyette
Studio	Film Roman
Animation Direction by	Kevin Petrilak, Bob Scott, Bill Littlejohn, Doug Frankel, John Sparey, Bob Nesser, Ruth Kissane, and George Singer

"Bailey and the Snowman" by Kristofer Boban

2011-12-28T11:08:00.000-04:00

from Animal

MTV Ads - Sex Is No Accident

2011-12-28T05:25:00.000-04:00

Drive - Review

2011-12-27T09:17:00.005-04:00

Truth be told, I’ve been growing pretty restless over new movies. It’s hard to get turned on by yet another prequel, sequel, reboot or remake (Straw Dogs, Total Recall, Pirates of the Caribbean 5, National Treasure 3, I-Robot 2 really? seriously?). It's all the endless supply of loud brassy unoriginal action made up of slicing and dicing old films and redoing them in 3-D.

Then came Drive, one of the coolest and most exciting movies that I’ve seen in a very long time. Drive’s strength lies in the fact that that it so different than any canned films made today. My friend described it perfectly as “new and true” because “They just don’t make movies like this right now!”...Lately, Hollywood seems void of new ideas, a recycling plant for known money-makers and empty celebrity driven features that will just break even.

Drive is a risk - a slow starter who’s second act comes like a swift punch in the gut, leaving you reeling and as confused as ever. The action and violence that’s alluded to in it’s trailer and posters that warn “There are no clean getaways” are only a preview of what’s to come. I should have known when the beat dropped for Kavinsky’s Nightcall that this was gonna be something different. But it’s better that I keep the details to a minimum and you’ll be thankful for my vagueness later.

Drive is a perfect movie, mainly for the fact that when the movie does kick into gear it feels as if you’re watching a different film, which may turn off lots of people. But for me, it somehow works, thanks to its protagonist simply called Driver, played by Ryan Gosling. By the way, check Jim White's hot pink movie poster tribute he made, so awesome.

This film is captivating on several levels, I couldn't keep my eyes off of it, it's unpredictable, it doesn't hold back, and it's just plain COOL. It's rounded out by beautiful cinematography, a fantastic score, bold costume choices and strong performances by Bryan Cranston, Ron Perlman, and Carey Mulligan.

Not to mention the pace of this film is a beautiful thing to behold. This is no antic-frantic affair; instead, it's a cerebral game of stop-and-go, hide-and-seek, as the director behind the camera handles things exactly like the guy behind the wheel - with a stylish mixture of cold calculation and cool aplomb. There's not a single hand-held camera shot in the whole movie. It's a film that has its finger on the pulse of what's current and in style, and one that has solidified its place as the coolest film of 2011.

The Cinematography of Tetrapak Commercial – Forest

2011-12-27T08:09:00.000-04:00

Cinematographer: Unknown

2011-12-24T01:22:00.001-04:00

2011-12-24T00:59:00.000-04:00

"Lakeside" - A Grickle Christmas

2011-12-23T16:59:00.002-04:00

2011-12-23T15:04:00.003-04:00

R.I.P. Kim Jong Il

2011-12-23T13:09:00.000-04:00

What if Tintin author Hergé wrote X-Men comics

2011-12-23T07:57:00.000-04:00

A Zombie Christmas

2011-12-23T07:33:00.000-04:00