IndianTelevision.com has posted a fascinating piece on the Indian animation studio Padmalaya Telefilms which recently signed a number of lucrative co-production deals with European and American TV animation companies. The only problem is that Padmalaya is a little short on the production personnel needed to actually produce these shows. By a little short, I mean about 400 people. Among the crew needed are 60 2D animators, 70 3D animators, 120 inbetweeners and clean-up artists, and 12 layout and background artists. Padmalaya Telefilms executive director V Narsimha Rao says, “A major concern for us is the lack of animators in the country. We have bagged all these contracts, but the implementation is a big apprehension for us. The dearth of animators in the industry is going to prove fatal if we don’t pull up our socks.” One could argue that this is simply the case of a studio that needs to staff up, but finding 400 qualified animation professionals in a country as inexperienced in cartoon production as India is simply asking for trouble. You can read the complete article HERE and then ponder to yourself just how much further mindless execs can drive this art form into the ground in the name of saving a few bucks.

Here’s a feel-good story about artists helping a colleague in need. First, the bad news: after recent medical problems and no health insurance, artist Rick Cortes is having to deal with huge medical bills. Now the good news: members of the HELLBOY comic message boards have stepped up to the plate and are holding an original art auction to help Rick pay off his medical bills. A stunning piece by HELLBOY creator Mike Mignola has already brought in over $5000. Hats off to Mike Mignola, Drew Struzan, Ronnie del Carmen, David Petersen, Cameron Stewart and everybody else who has generously donated their artwork to this cause and also to Ron Boyd who came up with the idea for the auction. And here’s wishing a speedy recovery to Rick. He’s a fine artist as well as a longtime supporter of the BLAST, and it’s heartwarming to see the online community helping him out. You can bid on the artwork benefitting Rick HERE and also read an article about the auction at Comic Book Resources.

It’s not often that a musician will animate his own music video, but Bob Schneider created this cut-out piece for his new song “Come With Me Tonight.” A little crude technically, but quite enjoyable. If you dig around his site, you’ll run across more music videos he’s done. (Link via Fous d’Anim)

> James-Swinnerton.com. What the ‘Net was made for: classy websites devoted to obscure comic strip artists like Jimmy Swinnerton. His comic creation THE CANYON KIDDIES was the basis for the WB animated short THE MIGHTY HUNTERS directed by Chuck Jones, and his earlier strip LITTLE JIMMY was adapted into silent animated shorts produced by Hearst. This website offers examples of both strips and info about his career. Now if only folks would create websites like this devoted to the works of Golden Age animators.

> Following up on Mark Mayerson’s review of the short film RYAN, here’s a fine piece by Chris Robinson from a few years back that examines the life and career of NFB animator Ryan Larkin.

> Harvey Deneroff has a REPORT from the Italian animation festival Cartoons on the Bay, the only festival devoted to TV animation.

The late Pinto Colvig (1892-1967) has never been honored for being the first person to portray “Bozo the Clown.” As of May 28, 2004, that will no longer be true, as Colvig will be inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Colvig is, of course, best known as the original voice of Disney’s Goofy, as well as Grumpy, Sleepy, Warner’s Conrad Cat and Fleischer’s Gabby. Pinto Colvig’s induction ceremony will take place on Friday night, May 28 at Tripoli Shrine Temple, 3000 West Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee.

Fleischer POPEYENo, not yet.
King Features has released a dvd boxed set of 1960s Popeye cartoons - some of the worst cartoons ever made. It’s parent company, Hearst, refuses to allow the release of the classic 1930s Fleischer cartoons and color 1940s & 50s Famous cartoons.The Boston Globe printed this article today about the dvd debate. If you want to see the remastered, restored Fleischer Popeye on dvd please write to King Features public relations, Ms. Claudia Smith, and ask her why her company is deliberately ruining their greatest asset.

I saw a screening of Chris Landreth’s latest computer animated film, Ryan, last week. The film is an animated documentary, somewhat in the vein of Paul Fierlinger’s And Then I’ll Stop, where unscripted conversations by real people form the soundtrack of the film. In this case, the subject is Ryan Larkin, an animator who worked for the National Film Board of Canada in the late ’60’s and early ’70’s. Probably his two best known works are Walking (1969) and Street Musique (1971). After the latter film, Larkin had something of a personal meltdown, due at least in part to substance abuse.

Landreth met Larkin when they were both on the selection committee of the Ottawa Animation Festival and Landreth became so interested in Larkin that Larkin became the subject of this film.

Visually, Landreth described the film as “psycho-realism.” Aspects of the visuals are photo-real. Skin textures, in particular, are photographic and reveal pores and blemishes. However Landreth’s goal isn’t realism. He freely distorts characters, props and sets to express the inner states of the characters or to comment on them. In this way, the film is a descendent of German Expressionist films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919) or The Last Laugh (1924). Because Landreth is creating everything on screen with software, he has the advantage of a visual continuity and flexibility that directors Wiene and Murnau couldn’t take advantage of.

The film will be screening at the Worldwide Short Film Festival in Toronto later this month and also at Cannes and Siggraph. No doubt it will turn up at other festivals. Personally, I prefer it to Landreth’s earlier films The End and Bingo. It’s definitely worth seeing.

You can read more about the film and view a clip here.

Hi folks. This is my first entry as a guest “brewer” here. I mention it so that if you suddenly find yourself wondering why some entries seem different or out of place, it’s probably my doing. Don’t assume that Jerry or Amid have lost their bearings; check the byline so you know who to blame. We’ll see if I’ll be the first of a long line of guests or if Jerry and Amid will rue the day they ever decided to let others into their playground.
Amid has thoughtfully placed a short bio of me on the right for those of you who are curious. More entries will follow.

It’s that time of the year again!
Another fantastic issue of HOGAN’S ALLEY has hit the stands - and it’s another treat for those of us who love animated cartoons.HOGAN’S ALLEY is billed as “the magazine of the cartoon arts” and though its primary focus is comic strips, there is always a healthy dose of animation information within it’s 152 pages. Here’s just a few reasons why you should buy the latest issue (#12): Jim Korkis writes two separate in-depth articles on STEAMBOAT WILLIE and DUCK DODGERS, Mark Arnold recounts the career of JOHN SUTHERLAND, an interview with DAVID SILVERMAN (”The Simpsons”), a look at PAUL MURRY’S non-Disney cartooning and a piece on MYRON WALDMAN and his short lived comic strip “Happy The Humbug”.This issue marks the ten year anniversary of HOGAN’S ALLEY. It’s a wonderful magazine that has added much to our collective knowledge of cartoon art. Buy it!