EAT DOG CAT MOUSE is the first animated film by Kwok Fung Lam. It was commissioned by Channel 4 in the UK. It’s not a perfect film, but there’s a lot of fun ideas in it, including a sort of “Russian nesting doll” visual theme. (And as a sidenote, it’s a lot of fun saying the director’s name out loud: Kwok…Fung…Lam. Yeah, it’s definitely Friday around here.).

The fps magazine annual charity auction begins today and runs through December 9. All of the profits from the eBay auction will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Lots of nice cartoon stuff is available for bidding including:

Limited edition Gorillaz action figures donated by Kid Robot, including the sold-out Noodle Red Edition, limited to 2000 copiesFragile Machine posters signed by Aioneko’s Ben Steele, donated by the Waterloo Festival of Animated CinemaTim Burton’s Corpse Bride movie posters, including marquee posters signed by animation co-director Mike Johnson, donated by Warner Bros.

I’ve been wondering who did this Mastercard commercial I keep seeing on TV, which is a nicely done hand drawn piece, but perhaps a bit too derivative of the Mary Blair-designed Disney short THE LITTLE HOUSE (1952). A quick online search reveals that it was directed by Sarah Roper out of Sherbert in the UK. The Sherbert website has many nice examples of work by the studio’s various directors. Also should be noted that Blair’s LITTLE HOUSE is coming out on dvd next week, on the must-have Disney Treasures “Rarities” dvd.

Disney animator Clay Kaytis, creator of The Animation Podcast, has created a great new MAP that allows you to see exactly where different animation studios are located around the world. The map can be edited by other users, who can each contribute addresses that they know. Clay explains the idea on the Animation Podcast:

Wayfaring is a new site that allows anyone to make custom maps and stick pins in them for whatever purpose they want. Of course, my first idea instinct was to make an animation map. I started it by putting on all the studios whose locations I was sure about. I know there are many more, so if you know where you work, add it to the map. Anyone can add to it, but I think you need to register.

UPDATE: Stop motion animator Tennessee Reid Norton wrote to let me know that stop motion animators have been doing a similar map project for the past few weeks. Their map is HERE.

Animation writer Anne D. Bernstein (”Daria”) has started a website to sell Odd Books Online, “eclectic books for eccentric people”.Amongst the odd books and mod books in her initial offering, THE GREAT AMERICAN CHEWING GUM BOOK (1976), a first edition of THE ALICE B. TOKLAS COOKBOOK (1954) and a rare first issue of COMEDY MAGAZINE (1980).Anne has just started the site and plans frequent updates. Her descriptions of the books are fun to read too.