Miniature babies in celluloid peanuts, whoopee cushions and vibrating eyes. Cartoonist Mark Newgarden will be speaking about these amusing diversions and countless others, as well as signing his new book CHEAP LAFFS: THE ART OF THE NOVELTY ITEM (mentioned HERE) on Tuesday, October 26 at the Barnes & Noble Park Slope (267 7th Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11215).

Saturday, July 31, 2004
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Even though I’ve been here eighteen days (Christ, is that all? It seems like a lifetime), this Saturday was the first morning I felt like I was able to get out and watch the city wake up (they party until the morning, and stumble out of bed quite late). I took a walk and met a friendly drunk who staggered down the street as I was snapping a shot of a sign saying “Happiness is the way.” I met a loony street person who gave me a copy of her crazed manifesto, both in English and in Runic, which I plan to have translated.

I met a pair of loquacious drunks who told me to ignore the street person and listen to them.

I got a cup of coffee from another cute waitress, ate a strange sort of sandwich, and had a political conversation with a sharp Icelander who spoke in flawless English.

The studio is shut down for a “Dark Week” during which almost everybody will be on vacation, out of town, and recharging their batteries. We writers, on the other hand, will be in town working our butts off without the distracting interruptions of the production shattering our fragile concentration. It’s going to be a fantastic opportunity to get a ton done while enjoying the scene in the city. I feel as if incredible adventures are about to happen. Or at least a lot of drinking.

Ken Pontac
Looking forward to it,
Iceland

It’s not often that a trailer for an abstract/non-narrative animated short interests me enough to want to write about it, but the trailer for Oerd van Cuijlenborg’s upcoming short 8.1, set to Franz Schubert’s 8th symphony, looks pretty tantalizing. It’s a slick combination of FX animation (flames, snowflakes, birds, etc.) combined with pure abstract imagery. Van Cuijlenborg is a France-based animation artist who recently directed a short for Folimage called ZODIAC and also worked on their new feature LA PROPHETIE DES GRENOUILLES (RAINING CATS AND FROGS). His earlier abstract films have a similarly elegant sense of style and rhythm. You can see clips of his work and find out more about him HERE.

Here’s a few journal comments from various Pixarians who attended THE INCREDIBLES wrap party a couple weeks ago:

RotoMonkey.org: “The thing that struck me the most about the evening, aside from Sunday morning’s hangover, was how much joy and pride the entire company took in the film. There was genuine excitement from people who didn’t work on it for the people who did.

EnricoCasarosa.com: All of you out there, you don’t know what’s about to hit you. You can’t possibly imagine … X) I have to bite my lips … can’t say more.

James-Baker.com: I have been eagerly looking forward to seeing this movie ever since I saw the designs around 4 years ago (while at Pixar working on FINDING NEMO). I am happy to say that even though my expectations have steadily being rising over the past few years, THE INCREDIBLES didn’t disappoint on any level. The production design, character design, animation, and story are all fantastic. I haven’t enjoyed a movie so much in ages. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it breaks records at the box office.

And just for the hell of it, here’s a wrap party pic of director Bird with animators Victor Navone and Dave Mullins.

Thursday, July 29, 2004
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The alert reader will once again notice that six days have passed since my last entry. Time restraints now allow me to list only the highlights of my adventures. For instance:

I recently went to a sushi bar where I had a chance to eat whale, but I couldn’t bring myself to order it. I felt like I’d paid my indigenous food dues the day before by consuming half a sheep’s head brought to me by a smirking native eager to see if the new guy had the stones to sample the local cuisine. Boy, did he pick the wrong person to dare.

Frikki, the guy who brought me the sheep’s head, had picked it up at a drive-through where they sell the delicacy to busy Icelandic commuters hungry for a taste of face. By the time it reached me the noggin was cold and giving off an unpleasant muttony musk. The side dishes of potato and mashed yellow root thingie were room temperature as well. No matter. I had to geek the face or be pegged as a pussy for the rest of my stay. I channeled my inner caveman and grabbed a mouthful of cheek between my teeth, tearing it off to the appreciative murmurs of my barbaric audience. It tasted just like a cold lamb sandwich without the bread and mustard, except for the rubbery skin, which was similar to neoprene, but gamier. I ate some of the yellow root, but declined the eyeballs, offering them to Frikki instead. I was pleased when he passed on the peepers.

There’s a joint around the corner where they put you in a pen full of baby seals, thrust a club in your hand, and let you have at it (they gut the adorable corpses and cook ‘em for you). I might try that next, but fuck the club; I want to go after their furry asses barehanded.

Ken “Are You Going To Eat That?” Pontac
Top of the food chain and loving it,
Iceland

A model sheet from the “All the Cats Join In” sequence of Disney’s MAKE MINE MUSIC (1946). Drawings are likely by Freddie Moore. (click on image for larger version)

Here’s a nice appreciation of caricaturist Al Hirschfeld written by fellow cartoonist Bob Staake. (via Shane Glines)

Attention - animation scholars, researchers, writers, students, and fans:Check out the revised Finder’s Guide for the John Canemaker Animation Collection, a valuable resource of historical material on animators and animation. The John Canemaker Animation Collection was founded in 1988 by animator and animation historian John Canemaker. It is housed in the Fales Library and Special Collections at the Elmer Holmes Bobst Library on the campus of New York University (70 Washington Square South in New York City).The large and unique collection includes audio tapes, audiovisual materials, rare books, drawings, flip books, monographs, periodicals, posters, press releases, and transcripts of Canemaker’s personal interviews with a multitude of animators (everyone from J.R. Bray to John Lasseter).

“Every time I complete a book or an article for the New York Times, I donate the research materials to my collection at Fales so other scholars and historians can use it for their projects,” Canemaker said. “For example, the new updated guide reflects materials I have donated over the last three years, including research data and interviews for my books on Mary Blair and Disney’s Nine Old Men and extensive files on the life and careers of Vladimir Tytla, Richard Williams, the Hubley’s and Chuck Jones, among others.”

The John Canemaker Animation Collection is available to scholars and students alike. To make an appointment:
Phone: (212) 998-2596
Fax: (212) 995-3835
Email: fales.library@nyu.edu