Animated Feature Films of 2012

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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"

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

from Giant Creative

Run Lola Run

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

Neil Boyle goes completely non-digital

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

“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

.

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

Benjamin Moore [larger]

Léonard Cohen's "Plato"

Via onanimation

Ken Simpson's "HEADCASE"

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?

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