Thinking Animation Blog

Archetype

2012-01-24T10:43:00.000-08:00

RL7 is an eight-foot tall combat robot that goes on the run after malfunctioning with vivid memories of once being human. As its creators and the military close in, RL7 battles its way to uncovering the shocking truth behind its mysterious visions and past.Directed by Aaron Simsstarring Robert Joy (Land of the Dead, CSI:NY) and David Anders (Heros, 24).

CrossRoad- Le Film

2012-01-19T14:36:00.000-08:00

CrossRoad- Le Film from Cross Road on Vimeo.

Not he best animation I ever saw, but the cinematic storytelling and character design are really kewl!

Pelicans and Flying Rays

2012-01-02T20:43:00.001-08:00

amazing reference...

Maurice Sendak

2012-01-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

Straight Talk with Maurice Sendak.

“People said, ‘why didn’t you do Wild Things 2? Wild Things 1 was such a success’. Go to hell. Go to hell. I’m not a whore. I don’t do those things.”

Happy New Years from Norm McLaren

2012-01-02T20:09:00.000-08:00

To usher in 2012 here's a wonderful New Year greeting from the early-1980s, written on an exposure sheet by the late-Norman McLaren — pioneering animator who in 1941 established an animation studio at the National Film Board of Canada in Montreal; a studio in which he produced numerous award-winning films and taught countless aspiring animators until his retirement in 1983 — and circulated amongst his fellow animators. via Letters of Note

Happy New Year!

Transcript follows. Image from the collection of Kaj Pindal; huge thanks to Amir Avni.

Image: Kaj Pindal / Larger Version

Transcript

To all animators
New Year Greetings
from Norman McLaren

My best wishes for seven hundred and fifty six million, eight hundred and sixty four thousand frames of hale and hearty good health in 1983.

For the two to three hundred million frames of them when you will be unconscious, may your R.E.M. sleep be dappled with delightful, delicious or delirious dreams.

Of the approximate one hundred and fifty two million when you are at work, may they be crammed with contented cat-purring craftsmanship enlivened by many million-frame bursts of consummate creativity.

As for the 352 million frames of leisure time, may you find tranquility, peace, joy, happiness or jubilation, or whatever you are searching for.

There will be nearly nine million frames spent eating; be it gluttonous or graceful, be it gallimaufrous or gourmet, may you always have goluptious gustification.

Of the "I-don't-know-how-many" million frames you will spend in amorous activity may you have sinless, sweet, soulful and sensational sex!

God bless you.

--------------------------------

A HANDY REFERENCE GUIDE FOR ANIMATORS

1 SEC. 24 = 24
1 MIN. 24x60 = 1,440
1 HR. 24x60x60 = 86,400
1 DAY 24x60x60x24 = 2,073,600
1 YEAR 24x60x60x24x365 = 756,864,000
10 YRS. 24x60x60x24x365x10 = 7,568,640,000
100 YRS. 24x60x60x24x365x10x100 = 75,686,400,000

(I hope I'm correct.)

--------------------------------

As you know, our CONSCIOUS impression of time is very elastic. The greater the cerebral or emotional activity the shorter seems a second; the lesser the cerebral & emotional activity (COMPLETE BOREDOM) the longer seems a second.

THE BEST POEM I KNOW ABOUT THIS ASPECT OF TIME IS -

THE DAY

The day was a year at first
When children played in the garden;

The day shrank down to a month
When the boys played ball;

The day was a week thereafter
When young men walked in the garden;

The day will last forever
When it is nothing at all.

Theodore Spencer
20th century American poet.

PROTEIGON

2011-12-30T13:06:00.000-08:00

PROTEIGON from BURAYAN on Vimeo.

Animator Steven Briand made this stop motion animation over a period of two months.

iAnimate Classes

2011-12-29T08:58:00.000-08:00

Hello All! My schedule for iAnimate has shuffled around a bit and I wanted to let everyone know that I am back teaching Facial Animation and Body Mechanics, again. In the next block of iAnimate I will be teaching:

WS3 Advanced Body Mechanics

WS4 Facial Acting

WS6 Sequence Work

Contact iAnimate here if you are interested in signing up!

Morphology

2011-12-29T07:24:00.000-08:00

Morphology from Peter Sluszka on Vimeo.

Claymation test by animator Peter Sluszka.

10,000 FPS

2011-12-22T17:34:00.000-08:00

whoah...

My Bloody Lad

2011-12-19T13:55:00.001-08:00

My Bloody Lad - Dead Walter - WIZZprod° from WIZZprod° on Vimeo.

Pincel de Zorro

2011-12-19T13:35:00.000-08:00

Pincel de Zorro (English) from Hug Codinach on Vimeo.

via vimeo (http://vimeo.com/31069740) Hug Codinach

Personal project to promote the book Pincel de Zorro, now in its second edition, published by Ediciones Ondina. An illustrated tale from the Spanish author Sergio A. Sierra, Pincel de Zorro is a whimsical story set in Japan, full of tenderness, magic and sadness. The story is complemented by unique illustrations, all of which are hand drawn by Meritxell Ribas using a complex technique called grattage, in which paint is scraped off the canvas with a pointed tool.

Pincel de Zorro tells the tale of Shiori, a little girl whose life changes the same night her father brings home a dead fox from a hunting trip. Mysteriously when her parents decide to sell the precious skin of the animal, they receive a visit from a magical woman.

This project has been an amazing collaboration between my friends, Sergio and Meritxell, authors of the book, Albert Alay, the music composer, and me, taking the role of creative director. This has been a passion project of ours, done with no budget, and we hope that someday we can bring these wonderful characters to life in a feature film.

For more information visit pinceldezorro.es

Direction, Design and Animation: Hug Codinach
Illustrations: Meritxell Ribas
Text: Sergio Sierra
Music: Albert Alay

All illustrations were camera projected in C4D and composited in After Effects. The ink was generated with Turbulence 2D from Jawset. I used a Canon 5D MrkII to shoot the brush footage.

The Arctic Circle

2011-12-19T13:21:00.001-08:00

The Arctic Circle from Kevin Parry on Vimeo.

12 Drawings a Day - 12 Dessins par Jour

2011-12-12T12:42:00.000-08:00

12 Drawings a Day - 12 Dessins par Jour from Denis Chapon on Vimeo.

12 Drawings a Day, an animated diary:

The 23rd of June 2008, Denis went to the copy room. He found a hole lot of paper printed one side and blank on the other side, he thought he would do something with it. The same day he drew 12 drawings of animation. Since that day he has made 12 drawings every day. This project has no script, no storyboard, they are all drawn with none erasable pen, and I have not changed the rhythm of the animation afterwards.

Koi - Lzf Lamps

2011-12-11T11:23:00.001-08:00

Koi - Lzf Lamps from Diestro on Vimeo.

stunning...

Diestro

iAnimate Classes

2011-12-09T19:35:00.001-08:00

iAnimate.net 2011 show reel from iAnimate on Vimeo.

There is a sneak peak on a couple of my students from my facial class in the show reel above...
Erica Pinto - starts at 6:28 and again at 6:47
Micheal Paech at 9:57

We just wrapped another block at iAnimate! I had a great time with both my Body Mechanics and Facial animation students. As usual, there will be a most improved student posting here soon, with the winner from each class. if you are unaware, I let the students vote on the most improved of their classmates and post their website and reel here, so stayed tuned for that!

In the meantime, I have a little announcement. I will be instructing the Sequence Workshop (WS6) this coming block - starting January 9th, instead of Facial animation. We had a lot of students sign up for that workshop, so we are shuffling instructors around. Speaking of instructors, there has been some new blood added there too at iAnimate so check it out!

Below, are details for the Sequence Workshop:

Sequence work

Part 1: In this 7 week workshop, we will be working with continuity across cuts. We will be fine tuning your planning and blocking process for a substantial length of dialog. This will greatly help our productions run more smoothly. (cost $999)

Part 2: In this 7 week workshop, we will now work on refining your animation from part 1 so that it is production ready. Many directors want to see a plan or blue print from us so that they can feel comfortable with the time spent on polishing shots. (cost $999)

Slim Picings Fat Chances

2011-12-03T21:01:00.001-08:00

Slim Pickings Fat Chances from David de Rooij on Vimeo.

Pure awesome disgustiness...

John Lasseter talks about Toy Story 4

2011-12-03T20:34:00.001-08:00

John Lasseter was asked about Toy Story 4 and doesn't deny its existence.

The Goon

2011-12-03T20:25:00.001-08:00

This image above is from an early animation film test for The Goon, based on the comics by Eric Powell.

David Fincher/Blur Studios/Dark Horse

Watch The Goon

10 Animated Shorts Move Ahead in 2011 Oscar® Race

2011-12-03T14:56:00.001-08:00

Beverly Hills, CA (December 1, 2011) – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 10 animated short films will advance in the voting process for the 84th Academy Awards®. Forty-four pictures had originally qualified in the category.
The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production company:

Dimanche / Sunday (trailer) from doiion on Vimeo.

"Dimanche/Sunday," Patrick Doyon, director (National Film Board of Canada)

Every Sunday, it's the same old routine! The train clatters through the village and almost shakes the pictures off the wall. In the church, Dad dreams about his toolbox. And of course later Grandma will get a visit and the animals will meet their fate. facebook.com/dimanchelefilm

"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore,"

William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg, directors (Moonbot Studios LA, LLC)

http://www.tridimagine.com - Diseño 3d y Animación

"I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat," Matthew O'Callaghan,

director and Sam Register, executive producer (Warner Bros. Animation Inc.)

Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and directed by Matthew O' Callaghan, who also helmed last year's Oscar shortlisted "Coyote Falls", this 3D cartoon short seamlessly blends state-of-the-art CG animation with Blanc's newly remixed, remastered and re-orchestrated soundtrack song.

Warner Bros. Animation presents 'I Tawt I Taw A Putty Tat', featuring the voices of Mel Blanc and June Foray. Directed by Matthew O' Callaghan and executive produced by WBA's Sam Register, the animated theatrical short is produces by Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone (The Looney Tunes Show, Duck Dodgers).

'I Tawt I Taw A Putty Tat' debuted in theathres on November 18, 2011 in conjuntion with Warner Bros. Pictures' release of Happy Feet Two.

More information, you can found in http://thatsallfolks.com/

Clip from Pixar's short film La Luna by animatieblog

"La Luna," Enrico Casarosa, director (Pixar Animation Studios)

Enrico Casarosa Blog http://enricocasarosa.com/wordpress.1/

Pixar's Longest Short

"Luminaris," Juan Pablo Zaramella, director (JPZtudio)

In a world controlled and timed by the light, a common man has a plan that could change the destiny.

"Magic Piano," Martin Clapp, director and Hugh Welchman, producer (BreakThru Films)

**I can fnd nothing about this short anywhere online. Please comment on thsi post if you have any information.

"A Morning Stroll," Grant Orchard, director and Sue Goffe, producer (Studio AKA)

'When a New Yorker walks past a chicken on his morning stroll, we're left to wonder which one is the real city slicker...'

STUDIO AKA is pleased to announce completion of a new short from Director GRANT ORCHARD. Based loosely on a real life event recounted in Paul Auster's brilliant book 'True Tales of American Life', 'A MORNING STROLL' tells the story of one New Yorker's early morning encounter with a chicken, an event that plays out over 100 years.

A MORNING STROLL is nowplaying at festivals worldwide.

WATCH TRAILER: http://www.studioaka.co.uk/#/work-amorningstroll

"Paths of Hate," Damian Nenow, director (Platige Image)

Nowy film Damiana Nenowa.
New animated short by Damian Nenow.

"Specky Four-Eyes," Jean-Claude Rozec, director and Mathieu Courtois, producer (Vivement Lundi!)

**I cannot find any trailers for this short either. Please comment if you have info.

Some bad news has just arrived: Arnaud has to wear glasses. And not any ordinary glasses: they're so thick that his eyes seem no more than two little black spots. Arnaud would much rather live in the imaginary world of his nearsightedness, a world populated with monsters, unicorns and the other fancies which appear according to his fertile imagination.

In 1909, a dapper young remittance man is sent from England to Alberta to attempt ranching. However, his affection for badminton, bird watching and liquor leaves him little time for wrangling cattle. It soon becomes clear that nothing in his refined upbringing has prepared him for the harsh conditions of the New World. This animated short is about the beauty of the prairie, the pang of being homesick and the folly of living dangerously out of context.

The Short Films and Feature Animation Branch Reviewing Committee viewed all the eligible entries for the preliminary round of voting in screenings held in New York and Los Angeles.

Short Films and Feature Animation Branch members will now select three to five nominees from among the 10 titles on the shortlist. Branch screenings will be held in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in January 2012.

The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

The Loner

2011-12-03T14:53:00.001-08:00

The Loner from fla on Vimeo.

awwww

Parallel Parking

2011-12-03T14:51:00.001-08:00

Parallel Parking from Yum Yum London on Vimeo.

Setting the Scene : The Art and Evolution of Animation Layout

2011-12-03T14:42:00.001-08:00

"Setting the Scene : The Art and Evolution of Animation Layout"

by Fraser MacLean

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Streamschool

2011-11-21T13:29:00.001-08:00

Streamschool (Patakiskola) from Péter Vácz on Vimeo.

Lovely...

Back from the Dead

2011-10-31T16:33:00.000-07:00

Back from the Dead from Mark Estrada on Vimeo.

a lot of work and really cute!

Happy Halloweeeeen!

Happy Halloweenies!

2011-10-29T14:52:00.001-07:00

Pure awesomeness!

Alice In Wonderland test footage - Unbirthday Mad Tea Party - Disney

2011-10-09T12:19:00.001-07:00

Did you know that the live-action test footage for the “Mad Tea Party” scene from Disney’s Alice in Wonderland contains the audio that was eventually used in the film?

Simon's Cat in 'Double Trouble'

2011-10-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

a new simon the cat short...this one is pretty funny!

Nightmare's Fear Factory

2011-10-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

Nightmares Fear Factory might be “the longest running and scariest haunted house in North America, possibly the world,” but it’s nowhere near as scary as the prospect of ending up on its Flickr feed looking like a frightened fool for the world to see.

I showed my animation class some of these images today because they are animating sneaky walks. This is pure genius. i wish we had a haunted house this scary in Los Angeles. Great Facial reference and the tension in their bodies as they clutch each other for dear life.

Pure awesomeness.

What Light

2011-10-06T09:22:00.000-07:00

cute!

Blik

2011-10-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

Blik from Polder Animation on Vimeo.

I really like the design and look of this short.

Also, it's a super sweet little story.

From the folks at Polder Animation

"Being Elmo" Trailer

2011-09-29T00:48:00.001-07:00

awesome...

30 Ways

2011-09-28T23:57:00.000-07:00

ready steady bang - 30 ways from Ed Barrett on Vimeo.

How to Kill a Cowboy...

Kids Today and Muppets

2011-09-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

Sesame Street's skit "True Mud," a parody of the television show "True Blood."

Sesame Street spoofs Mad Men, and it’s everything you always hoped it would be.

Sesame Street spoofing FOX’s Glee to promote the upcoming premiere of its 42nd season.

Inside the Labyrinth

2011-09-20T12:36:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite movies from childhood...

this is when Henson rocked.

You should watch the whole series, this is just part 1.
Part 3 is pretty amazing when they show how Hoggle
was built and handled by the puppeteers.

Little Boat

2011-09-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

Little Boat from nelson boles on Vimeo.

soooo lovely and well executed, i wish I had thought of it...

it's Currently in the ONECLOUDFEST

Fall Competition, so go like it!
onecloudfest.com/festival/competition/?p=3&pa=a&id=103

Krazy Kat

2011-09-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

An oldie, but a goodie!

Back to the Start

2011-09-10T00:08:00.000-07:00

Coldplay's haunting classic 'The Scientist' is performed by country music legend Willie Nelson for the soundtrack of the short film entitled, "Back to the Start." Download the song now available on iTunes. Label and proceeds benefit The Chipotle Cultivate Foundation. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-scientist-single/id458479961

The film, by film-maker Johnny Kelly, depicts the life of a farmer as he slowly turns his family farm into an industrial animal factory before seeing the errors of his ways and opting for a more sustainable future. Both the film and the soundtrack were commissioned by Chipotle to emphasize the importance of developing a sustainable food system.

Back to the Start - Making of from Johnny Kelly on Vimeo.

2011-09-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

Simon's Cat in 'Cat & Mouse'

2011-09-03T19:39:00.001-07:00

Danger Planet

2011-08-31T10:52:00.000-07:00

Danger Planet from Justin Burks on Vimeo.

adorbz

nice student film...

During a routine scan on a distant planet, a young space scout finds romance with a female pilot. But when peril strikes the two star-crossed explorers, he must face what lurks in the darkness of the planet to rescue the girl.

dangerplanet.blogspot.com for more!

Danger Planet is an animated short created by students at Southern Adventist University in Tennessee. This 4 minute student animation was finished primarily in a summer after over a year of preproduction.

Credits
Justin Burks, Danny Cooper, Andrew Lopez, Chris Wombold, Brandon Bailie, Stephanie Miranda, Aaron Adams, Yannick Amegan, Cassidy Stone, Gareath Murray, Christine Turner, Beau Sherman, Matt Kidd

The making of...

Making Of Danger Planet from Justin Burks on Vimeo.

I Cannot believe It's Not Digital

2011-08-30T13:07:00.000-07:00

Compressed 02 from Kim Pimmel on Vimeo.

Experimental Filmmaker Kim Pimmel has finished a short film that he calls “analog generative experiments”. In this video he combines dish soap bubbles with ferrofluid liquid and filmed it with a macro lens to create some amazing looking designs and fx. Wow.

New Pixar Films in Development

2011-08-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

A big announcement at Disney’s D23 convention: Pixar is currently developing two new animated films, set for release in 2013 and 2014. The first, an unnamed feature about a boy and his pet dino living in a world where dinosaurs never went extinct, will be directed by Up co-director (and voice of Dug) Bob Peterson, and is presently scheduled to hit theaters November 27, 2013. (Early concept illustrations can be seen in the right-hand side of the screencap above.) The second untitled project, directed by Peterson’s Up co-pilot Peter Docter, is a “wildly ambitious” look inside the human brain. Scant details are available, but the studio is reportedly aiming for a Summer 2014 release.

via Ain't It Cool News

Ok Go and the Muppets

2011-08-28T13:36:00.000-07:00

this made me so happy...

watch it all the way to the end!

Darwin Documentary

2011-08-23T15:54:00.000-07:00

Darwin - Trailer from Darwin Documentary on Vimeo.

Anyone who reads this blog, knows I am a big fan of independent film making. My friend Nick has come out with a new film called Darwin. The screening this week are Tuesday 8.23 (today!) @ 9:50pm, Wednesday 8.24 @ noon and 5:25pm, Thursday 8.25 @ 1:50pm and 7:40pm. I encourage you all to go check this film out!

Location: Laemmle Sunset 5.

Darwin is a documentary film about an isolated community at the end of a weathered road in Death Valley, California. Propelled from society by tragic turns, the people of Darwin (population 35) must now find ways to coexist in a place without a government, a church, jobs, or children. The near-ghost town's survival depends on a fragile, gravity-fed waterline that descends from the mountains where top secret weapons are being tested. One "accidental" drop of a bomb, they half-joke, could wipe out their entire town.

Details here www.darwindoc.com

Star Wars Begins

2011-08-23T11:01:00.000-07:00

Okay star Wars geeks... this apparently has been up for awhile, but if you haven't seen it... Star Wars Begins, a new 24-part fan-made documentary is available free on YouTube.

The 1977 movie is reconstructed in full, using lost footage, alternate takes of scenes, and narration taken from audio recordings of interviews with actors and behind-the-scenes crew. Skipping around the ten-minute clips, you'll find gems like an alternate Cantina sequence, featuring a gorier bar brawl (not only does that drunk alien lose his arm to a lightsaber, but his head goes, too). All that, and Han gets some action from a female patron.

Despite the geekier material, it's a fascinating look behind the scenes of a very risky Hollywood production — especially when studio execs demand that scenes of Luke and his friends are cut for being "too much like American Graffiti in space." Watch it now, before Darth Lucas unleashes his legion of lawyer.

via the rundown

Most Improved Student

2011-08-19T10:46:00.000-07:00

I promised my WS3 class for ianimate.net I would post the most improved student during the term's final work here on the blog. The class voted on the winner... and Chris McCormick won the vote! Here is a link to his website in case you are looking for a very talented animator. http://www.mccormickanimation.com And, below are his final exercises from the facial animation class.

iAnimate.net Workshop 3 Assignment 1 from Chris McCormick on Vimeo.

iAnimate.net Workshop 3 Assignment 2 from Chris McCormick on Vimeo.

I cannot say enough about his work and dedication. The students worked from video reference of themselves, but Chris also infused his character's with a his own mannerism and nuance which gave his work a lot of depth.

The next block starts on the 29th, so sign up! ianimate has

some of the best teachers you can find out there!

Panda Bear

2011-08-17T14:53:00.000-07:00

Israeli animator Ori Tori’s fantastic, but unofficial, video for “Alsatian Darn” by Panda Bear, off of their album Tomboy.

MÖBIUS

2011-08-13T11:54:00.000-07:00

MÖBIUS from ENESS on Vimeo.

“MÖBIUS” by award-winning Melbourne-based art and design practice ENES...

MÖBIUS is a sculpture that can be configured into many cyclical patterns and behave as though it is eating itself, whilst sinking into the ground. The result is an optical illusion and a time-lapse of people
interacting with the sculpture and moving through Melbourne’s landmark location throughout the day.

Filmed in and around Melbourne’s Federation Square.

Mac 'n' Cheese

2011-08-12T12:58:00.000-07:00

Mac 'n' Cheese from Mac 'N' Cheese on Vimeo.

Mac 'n' Cheese is an animated short directed and created by four students at the Utrecht School of Arts in the Netherlands. This roughly two minute animation took about five months to make, and about a bajillion peanut butter sandwiches.

Synopsis: When you find yourself running scared and running out of energy, there's only a few options left to outrun your opponent through the southern desert. Stopping at nothing, watch these two guys wear each other out and rip through boundaries hitherto unbroken. Enjoy the ride!

Gulp. The world's largest stop-mo

2011-08-12T12:42:00.000-07:00

Gulp. The world's largest stop-motion animation shot on a Nokia N8. from Nokia HD on Vimeo.

'Gulp' is a short film created by Sumo Science at Aardman, depicting a fisherman going about his daily catch. Shot on location at Pendine Beach in South Wales, every frame of this stop-motion animation was shot using a Nokia N8, with its 12 megapixel camera and Carl Zeiss optics. The film has broken a world record for the 'largest stop-motion animation set', with the largest scene stretching over 11,000 square feet.

Gulp. The making of. from Nokia HD on Vimeo.

Big Scary - Tuesday Is Rent Day

2011-08-12T12:40:00.000-07:00

Big Scary - Tuesday Is Rent Day from Alice Dupre on Vimeo.

Terry Gilliam's Do It Yourself Animation Show

2011-08-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

Monty Python - Terry Gilliam gives a lesson in cut out animation.

Frame by Frame

2011-08-11T12:19:00.000-07:00

All anims should have this one bookmarked...

Frame by Frame

Space Travel According to John

2011-08-11T12:12:00.000-07:00

Space travel According to John from Jamie Stone on Vimeo.

this is fun :)

How to Train your Dragon - Sneak Peek

2011-08-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

First look at the upcoming How to Train Your Dragon arena show set to open in Melbourne and Sydney next March. The production will recreate the successful DreamWorks adaptation of book series, complete with 24 animatronic dragons constructed by Creature Technology Company of Walking with Dinosaurs — The Arena Spectacular fame.

The REAL Wall-E Robot

2011-08-08T13:32:00.001-07:00

The Smurfs - Building and Lighting a CG Smurf

2011-08-05T15:30:00.000-07:00

My niece and nephew have lost their minds over this movie. Last Christmas, I got the call to work on Smurfs for the tail-end of production and my 4 year niece said "Wats a smoof?" I was only on the show for about 16 weeks, but this little clip explains a little how sony made them look so pretty. Even their eyelashes are pretty.

AWNtv :: The Smurfs - Building and Lighting a CG Smurf | AWNtv

The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore

2011-07-26T13:26:00.000-07:00

New interactive iPad books...

Article in the NY Times here

The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore

The iPad version of "The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore" has the content pulled from the animated short film of the same name by MoonBot Studios, which tells the story of a young man’s experience with a magical library. The app’s pages have cinematics that pause to reveal interactive elements: books suddenly fly at the reader’s touch, for instance, and readers can play a piano or scribble in a blank book of their own.

The Fantastic Flying Books Of Morris Lessmore iPad App Teaser from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.

About Moonbot Studios:

MOONBOT studios Office Tour from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.

björk: crystalline

2011-07-26T13:09:00.000-07:00

It's probably because I am back in art school getting my MFA, but I am not inspired by any commercial animation these days. Send me anything you think is top notch because I am not finding it. Love this Bjork video though.

In Time

2011-07-22T01:00:00.000-07:00

I am not sure if this looks corney or a lot of fun...

First official trailer for Gattaca/Truman Show writer Andrew Niccol’s sci-fi thriller In Time.

The film, which stars Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Olivia Wilde, Matthew Bomer, and Alex Pettyfer, is due out October 28.

Animator's Letters Project

2011-07-08T17:17:00.000-07:00

This letter was found on the Animator Letters Project blog.

Great inspiration here.

I dedicate this post to my students.

p.s. click on the images to read them at a larger size.

Transcript

PIXAR

May 17, 2011

To Whom it May Inspire,

I, like many of you artists out there, constantly shift between two states. The first (and far more preferable of the two) is white-hot, "in the zone" seat-of-the-pants, firing on all cylinders creative mode. This is when you lay your pen down and the ideas pour out like wine from a royal chalice! This happens about 3% of the time.

The other 97% of the time I am in the frustrated, struggling, office-corner-full-of-crumpled-up-paper mode. The important thing is to slog diligently through this quagmire of discouragement and despair. Put on some audio commentary and listen to the stories of professionals who have been making films for decades going through the same slings and arrows of outrageous production problems.

In a word: PERSIST.

PERSIST on telling your story. PERSIST on reaching your audience. PERSIST on staying true to your vision. Remember what Peter Jackson said, "Pain is temporary. Film is forever." And he of all people should know.

So next time you hit writer's block, or your computer crashes and you lose an entire night's work because you didn't hit save (always hit save), just remember: you're never far from that next burst of divine creativity. Work through that 97% of murky abyssmal mediocrity to get to that 3% which everyone will remember you for!

I guarantee you, the art will be well worth the work!

Your friend and mine,

Austin Madison

"ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE!"

The Pixar Story

2011-07-08T15:28:00.000-07:00

"The Pixar Story"

These two clips totaling 20 minutes of a 90 minute film. You can rent the entire movie instantly on Netflix or Amazon.

iAnimate Animation Tutorials

2011-07-06T16:34:00.000-07:00

"...from Planning to Polish..." Promo Trailer from Jamaal Bradley on Vimeo.

As many of you know, I am teaching at iAnimate now and the collection of instructors there is top notch. I have taught at several institutions in Los Angeles, and ianimate has the best of the best instructors to learn from. We are about 3/4th through this block... so there is plenty of time to prepare and save up for it! I highly recommend the program.

Ken Fountain and Jamaal Bradley (iAnimate instructors)

released two new video tutorials in the STORE section of the jrawebinar site.

Paramount to launch big-budget animation unit

2011-07-06T12:17:00.000-07:00

July 6 (Bloomberg) -- Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures, maker of the "Transformers" action films, will create an animation unit that will release its first title in 2014.

Paramount Animation will focus on family oriented films, spending as much as $100 million per movie, Paramount Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brad Grey said today in a statement. Initially, the unit will make one movie a year.

Physical GIF

2011-07-06T12:13:00.000-07:00

Animated GIFs have taken the internet by storm, transforming content from the absurd and mundane to the picturesque and highbrow into moving pictures. Now, you can spend even more hours mesmerized by the Physical GIF, a real-life version of the animated GIF that uses lasercutting technology to create a zoetrope from the original still images. Plus, it fits perfectly on a turntable so you can set to spin and enjoy!

Brave Trailer

2011-07-03T07:50:00.000-07:00

War Horse Trailer

2011-07-03T01:35:00.000-07:00

The first trailer for Steven Spielberg’s upcoming War Horse was just released. Early buzz points to Oscar nominations. The very talented team at Framestore completed all the visual effects work on the film in late Spring 2011.

Japan's perfect Pop Star - Hatsune Miku 初音ミク

2011-07-01T12:18:00.000-07:00

I am working on the Toyota spots they talk about in this story with Hatsune Miku...

I know the Gorillaz did the same thing, but I find it fascinating that so many people would attend a concert with a CG hologram singing??? She sold out a concert this fourth of July in Los Angeles. Saki Fujita provides the voice sample.

The Ice Book

2011-06-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

The Ice Book (HD) from Davy and Kristin McGuire on Vimeo.

I part pop-up book, two parts Russian fairy tales and eerie German Expressionist films. Husband and wife team Davy and Kristin’s McGuire’s The Ice Book blends film, animation, theater, puppetry, and installation art. The Ice Book is described by its creators as a “… miniature theatre show made of paper and light… An exquisite experience of fragile paper cutouts and video projections that sweep you right into the heart of a fantasy world. It is an intimate and immersive experience of animation, book art and performance.”
Says Davy:

“We created the show during a four month artist residency at the Kuenstlerdorf Schoeppingen in Germany. All we had was a 5D Mark ii, an old Macbook with After Effects, some builders lights and a green cloth that we improvised as a makeshift green-screen. Before we started we had no idea how to make pop-up books let alone how we could combine them with projections. With a lot of care, love and arguing the idea eventually came to life.

The idea for the Icebook was to create a miniature maquette for this dream – a demonstration model to show to producers and other funders in the hope that they would give us some money to make the full scale show. (And we still hope that this will come true one day!) The Icebook has since however, grown its own legs and turned into a miniature show all by itself. An intimate performance for small audiences.

We love the old pre-cinematic optical illusions, such as zoetropes and magic lanterns, and the magical way in which they can mesmerise audiences through basic mechanics. Rather than simply projecting images onto a screen, we wanted to create an object with a life of its own – a tangible and magical “thing” for an audience to experience.”

La Luna

2011-06-27T08:41:00.000-07:00

Simon's Cat in 'Hidden Treasure'

2011-06-25T17:31:00.000-07:00

Muppet Domination

2011-06-24T21:21:00.000-07:00

Woolite Commercial: "Torture" (Directed by Rob Zombie)

2011-06-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

Rob Zombie His first-ever TV commercial for — what else? — Woolite. “It’s a very bizarre TV commercial for a product like this,” Zombie is quoted as saying. “Honestly, I was shocked when they called me to do it.”

Pottermore

2011-06-24T12:34:00.000-07:00

Pottermore

Everything is a Remix

2011-06-24T11:49:00.000-07:00

Everything is a Remix Part 2 from Kirby Ferguson on Vimeo.

This series is fascinating...

If you haven't seen it, start with part 1

Bodies in Motion

2011-06-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

Impressive library of images here. He also teaches an on line anatomy course. I am realizing as I teach animation that every student should take something like this course to create better poses and understand how the body moves and creates shapes. When I first started out, I had a hard core lead who made me buy this book and learn it backwards and forwards. If I had a resource like this online class Scott Eaton offers, I would take it in a heartbeat. I wish his Portraiture and Facial Anatomy course was online. I need that kind of instruction for my porttrait painting.

Sets from Bodies in Motion I

Here are four sample sets from the first Bodies in Motion shoot. Each link below opens a gallery in a new page.

SAMPLE GALLERY:
Bodies in Motion, Gallery 1: martial arts, dance (male)
83 images

SAMPLE GALLERY:
Bodies in Motion, Gallery 2: classical ballet (female)
34 images

SAMPLE GALLERY:
Bodies in Motion, Gallery 3: parkour/free-running (male)
59 images

SAMPLE GALLERY:
Bodies in Motion, Gallery 4: contemporary ballet (female)
52 images

Animation Smears Tumblr

2011-06-21T16:10:00.000-07:00

Animation Smears Tumblr

Adam Beane

2011-06-15T01:04:00.000-07:00

ummm, whoah...

Since ADAM BEANE began sculpting in 2002, he has been asked to work with some of the best companies in the industry on many high-profile projects. He is known for his dynamic compositions, action poses, nuanced drapery work and his ability to capture likenesses with expressions. He now sculpts exclusively in CX5, a tremendously versatile material he developed which handles like clay when warm but is hard as plastic when cool.

ADAM BEANE

Verne On Vacation

2011-06-09T18:46:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not posting as much lately. I just haven;t see anything great... but!!!

This made me smile all over.

I want that pig!

Shift. Experiemental Short Film

2011-06-05T12:03:00.000-07:00

SHIFT v2 from mirari on Vimeo.

lovely...

Walt Disney's MultiPlane Camera

2011-06-04T19:28:00.000-07:00

Princess Merida

2011-05-26T21:37:00.000-07:00

First Look of the Day: Courtesy of Disney Pixar France comes the first non-concept-art look at Princess Merida, the female protagonist of Pixar’s 13th feature-length film Brave — the first Pixar film to feature a female lead (Kelly Macdonald), and the first to be co-directed by a woman (Brenda Chapman). Brave, which is set “in the mystical Scottish Highlands,” also features the vocal talents of Julie Walters, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Craig Ferguson, Kevin McKidd, and Robbie Coltrane.
A release date has been set for June 22, 2012.

via the daily what

John Lasseter talks about his Hawaiian shirt collection

2011-05-26T20:52:00.000-07:00

in case you were wondering what is in his closet...

The Physics of My LittlePony Animation

2011-05-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

wow, i think most animators animate with "dark matter"

AT-AT DAY AFTERNOON

2011-05-24T15:23:00.000-07:00

AT-AT DAY AFTERNOON

and the making of...

Loom

2011-05-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

Loom from Polynoid on Vimeo.

wowsie wowsie wowwwwwww

Types of Stop Motion Animation from Cruzine

2011-05-24T12:55:00.000-07:00

Good article about stopmo on cruzine...

Green With Envy Official Trailer - 'The Muppets' 2011

2011-05-23T16:44:00.000-07:00

yay!

KENT WILLIAMS: CONVERGENCE - Tonight 8 pm

2011-05-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

KENT WILLIAMS: CONVERGENCE

May 21-June 18, 2011 Opening Reception: Saturday, May 21, 8-11pm

Hosted by ALEX O’LOUGHLIN

New Spring, 2011, oil on canvas, 48 x 72 in., 122 x183 cm.

Merry Karnowsky Gallery
170 S. La Brea Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323.933.4408

My MFA painting mentor has a show tonight.

If you live in the Los Angeles area, you really should make a point to stop by.

He worked in graphic novels for years and his paintings must be seen in person.

You can see more here.

For Sock’s Sake

2011-05-19T08:52:00.000-07:00

For Sock's Sake from Carlo Vogele on Vimeo.

adorbz

Apache

2011-05-19T00:34:00.001-07:00

Apache from oneedo on Vimeo.

cute!

Connected

2011-05-19T00:28:00.000-07:00

Karma is a bitch - huh?

Lee Unkrich on Win, Lose or Draw

2011-05-18T16:17:00.000-07:00

To mark the milestone of reaching 100k followers on Twitter, longtime Pixar creative and Toy Story 3 director Lee Unkrich posted this “embarrassing” video of his 20-year-old self appearing as a contestant on the popular 80s game show Win, Lose or Draw. Unkrich steps up to the board at 7:00.

via the daily what

Pendulum Waves

2011-05-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

The period of oscillation (time to complete a swing) is proportional to the square root of the length of the pendulum. Multiply by 2(pi) and divide by 31.3 (if you measure in centimeters) and you've got the exact length of each string.

The Third & The Seventh

2011-05-15T23:58:00.000-07:00

The Third & The Seventh from Alex Roman on Vimeo.

Credits:

|Modelling - Texturing - Illumination - Rendering| Alex Roman

POST

|Postproduction & Editing| Alex Roman

MUSIC

Sequenced, Orchestrated & Mixed by Alex Roman (Sonar & EWQLSO Gold Pro XP)

Sound Design by Alex Roman

Based on original scores by:

.Michael Laurence Edward Nyman. (The Departure)

.Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns. (Le Carnaval des animaux) Directed by Alex Roman

Sumo Lake

2011-05-13T15:46:00.000-07:00

Sumo Lake from Panic Productions on Vimeo.
More About Sumo Lake A rapid re-telling of the story of "Swan Lake"

ACE - Art Crawl Experience - Live Painting - This Saturday!

2011-05-10T12:15:00.001-07:00

ACE - Art Crawl Experience

I will be painting live at this event!

I will be working on a new skateboard deck,

so stop by and say hello!

This Saturday!

May 14th from 5pm until 10pm

Art, Music and Food
Art:Galleries, Museum, Artist Studio, Outdoor Art Installations, Live painters, Indie Arts and Craft Fair

Music: Stage at Lemon Street, traveling acoustic musicians, DJs.

Lemon Street Stage:
6pm-6:50pm Blues Bettie www.bluesbettie.com
7:10pm-7:50pm Big Black Novel www.bigblacknovel.com
7:55pm-8:35pm Lovers Drugs http://loversdrugs.com/
8:50-9:30pm The Kill Frequency

Carnegie Plaza Stage: Hosted by DJ Cowboy Dan
6:00pm-6:45pm The Potential Lunatics
7:00pm-7:45pm The Good Cousins
8:00pm-8:45pm Tristessa

Food: Food Truck Alley
The Flip Truck http://www.thefliptruck.com/
Rolling Sushi Van www.rollingsushivan.com
Spudrunners http://spudrunners.com/
Kogi BBQ http://kogibbq.com/
Oh For Sweets Sake! http://ohforsweetssake.com/

Exhibitor List:
ByFrancisFrank
Mirandom
Neoclassics by Richard Bao
Mae Mae Jewelry by Rheena Silver
Turin Designs by Adelina Arutunian
Sey Studios by Ashleymarie Sey Lively
Taco Comics
Maria Harrison
Ckay Art
JNGL
Asylm One
Angie Jones (Stix and Jones)
Lefty Joe Torres
Paula Oliva
Christopher Willingham
Tarikh Mizan
Vincent Sandoval
Andre Ajibade
Bene Encarnacion
Erick Rodriguez
Veronica Marshall
Diana Kohne
Genie Melisande
Jamie Villegas
Navia Alejandro
Greg Hardin
John Culqui
Carly Wise
Melissa Kojima
Steven Lopez
Phil Santos
James J. Peterson
Jeffrey Vincent Parise
Kimberly Kite
Hilary Bond
Nathaniel Osollo
Mayca Fernanda
Max Nuetra
Pablo Damas
Katherine A Taylor
Candace Hill
Don Brashear
Dino Perez
Rachel Relik
Viveca Mays
Natalia Duarte
Kathleen Kaplan
and more...

Conan O' Brien as seen by artist John Kascht

2011-05-06T13:11:00.000-07:00

This is just plain awesome...

"Rain Town" by Hiroyasu Inshida

2011-05-06T12:52:00.000-07:00

"Rain Town" by Hiroyasu Inshida

lovely...

DANIELS – “PUPPETS”

2011-05-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

PUPPETS - Daniels from F5 on Vimeo.

ummm whoah...

“RE:PLAY is a wonderful chance to be creative with no boundaries. When given total freedom as a storyteller, we (daniel&daniel) found ourselves battling between a desire to make something meaningful and honest and a desire to make something perverted (which is also in our case honest). Entirely by accident, Puppets became a perfect analogy for our self aware creative process. But mostly it’s lots of butt jokes.”