It’s not often that I feel compelled to run a news item related to myself, but I figure it’s best to get all of this personal and site-related info out of the way at once. First and foremost is ANIMATION BLAST #9. Due to an unforeseen project (see below), the issue has fallen behind yet again. The good news is that the issue is very nearly finished and I’m preparing to send it off to the printer. However the BLAST is being printed overseas for the first time and my Asian printer informs me that the issue will take three months to print and ship back to the States. At this point it’s looking like BLAST #9 will definitely be out around September. My sincere apologies for the delay as I know many folks (myself included) have been anxiously awaiting this issue for the past year. Rest assured that I’m working long hours to get the issue finished. If you have pre-ordered and have any additional questions, please feel free to email me at amid_at_animationblast_dot_com.

Next, a little about the unexpected project which led to the delay of ANIMATION BLAST #9. Jerry Beck alluded to this last week in his BookExpo comments. In early-’04, Chronicle Books approached me about writing the “art of” book for Fox/Blue Sky’s forthcoming feature ROBOTS. I accepted and have had a fine time working on the book for the past few months. ROBOTS is one of the more visually distinctive animated features of recent memory, with a perfect melding of Bill Joyce’s illustration style and Blue Sky’s CG prowess, and the resulting book (co-authored with Bill Joyce) will hopefully reflect the unique design qualities of the film. The BOOK will be out in January 2005, with ROBOTS itself opening in March of next year. This project came my way because I was already writing another book for Chronicle, and although that’s even further down the line, let me just say that if you enjoy the work of Tom Oreb, Ed Benedict, John Hubley and other geniuses of animation design, then you’ll probably dig this second book. It’ll be out in Spring 2006.

A couple other brief notes. AnimationBlast.com hasn’t been updated since the launch of this website, but it will be soon. Interviews from out-of-print editions of ANIMATION BLAST, as well as other long-form material, will be posted on the site. The first piece, which will be on-line within the next few days, is in honor of the recently departed Pete Alvarado. It is an extended version of the interview I conducted with him in BLAST #2. The interview originally appeared in the fall 1999 issue of ANIMATION JOURNAL.

Also, I’m heading out to the Annecy Animation Festival next week. It’ll be my first time in Annecy and I’m really looking forward to checking out some great animation, not to mention the city itself, which I’m told is quite beautiful. If my laptop cooperates, I plan on posting regular updates from Annecy. If you want to get together at the festival, you can email me at amid_at_animationblast_dot_com.

This month’s WIRED cover story about Pixar is now on-line HERE.

A German exhibit of art through the ages - as it might seem in Duckburg: Die DUCKOMENTA - is online.Recreating great moments in art history with animated ducks was an obsession with Ward Kimball and Chuck Jones. This gallery, with eight rooms of art and a catalog, is the most extensive collection yet.

A reminder that the Disney animated short LORENZO will be released on Friday with the Kate Hudson feature film, RAISING HELEN.Artist and animation art conservationist Ron Barbagallo has written a nice page about the film, with quotes from the filmmakers on the techniques used.
Also check out the rest of Ron’s Animation Art Conservation website, where Ron discusses his spectacular work in restoring original animation production art.

Gerald writes in from Paris to remind me that Peter de Sève has his own website at PeterdeSeve.com. If you’re unsure of buying his sketchbook which I mentioned yesterday, you can get acquainted with his work on this site. Then again, most BREW readers are likely already familiar with de Sève’s talents.

The LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL has published their annual list of the richest Angelenos and there are 28 billionaires living in the LA area, up from 23 a year ago. One of the five new members of the billionaire’s club is none other than Roy E. Disney. Looks like Roy has a few extra bucks to spend on his campaign to oust fellow 10-digits-club member Eisner. The BUSINESS JOURNAL doesn’t have the article on-line, but this bit about Roy was reported on LA Observed.

The WASHINGTON POST’s Lisa de Moraes files an amusing report (“On NBC’s Lineup, ‘Pride’ but No Shame”) from NBC’s 2004 upfront for advertisers and critics in which she sardonically notes that it’s the first time a network has used a partially paralyzed mauling victim to help promote a new TV series. Of course, that person was “Siegfried and Roy”’s Roy Horn, who made an appearance in New York last week to promote DreamWorks’ primetime animated series FATHER OF THE PRIDE. De Moraes writes in the POST:

In clips shown to advertisers, jokes took on a tacky inappropriateness, as when Animated Roy says to Animated Lion Family, “Goodbye my lions, or should I say ‘GRRRRRR!,’ ” as he crouches down and tries to look like a wild cat.

And then she notes Conan O’Brien’s routine about said show:

“He’s been horribly mauled — let’s make a show about it!” O’Brien said, pretending to be an NBC suit, to nervous tittering in the audience.

The article notes that right before FATHER OF THE PRIDE debuts, NBC will broadcast a special hosted by Maria Shriver about Horn, the tiger incident and his recovery.

Last week I wrote about Stephen Silver’s excellent new art book. I also saw another great hardcover sketchbook recently (thanks Bob) - this one from illustrator/character designer Peter de Seve. This came out a couple months ago in Europe and it’s overflowing with beautiful imaginative drawings with a spirited line recalling Heinrich Kley’s work. The book is a bit difficult to find being that it’s a European import, but folks in LA can pick it up at Stuart Ng Books while folks elsewhere can order it from Amazon Canada.

Another sketchbook that I get asked about quite frequently is the one by Jim Smith (REN & STIMPY, SAMURAI JACK) which debuted at last year’s San Diego Comic Con. Jim, like Peter de Seve, is one of those rare talents who is an incredible draftsman/illustrator/cartoonist all rolled into one. I hope we’ll be seeing a more comprehensive collection of Jim’s artwork down the line, but until then, this sketchbook called LONELY ARE THE NAKED is a must-have. Mr. Smith tells me that the only place in LA which currently has copies is House of Secrets (1918 W. Olive Ave., Burbank, CA 91506; 818/562.1900).