My buddy Earl Kress has just started a blog, and I’m sure he will add a lot to this so-called blogosphere. Earl’s the man behind the incredible Hanna-Barbera soundtrack and sound effects discs put out a few years ago by Rhino Records. He’s the guy behind the bonus materials on most of the current Hanna-Barbera DVDs (as well as the infamous John K. FLINTSTONES laser disc set ten years ago). He’s written Looney Tunes and Simpsons comics, numerous TV cartoons including THE X’s, PINKY & THE BRAIN, TINY TOONS, as well as my cartoon for Frederator, HORNSWIGGLE. In one of his first posts he talks about his role on the upcoming FLINTSTONES 6th Season DVD. I’m looking forward to reading his subsequent posts - I know he has a lot to share.

I was fascinated to find the following video posted on YouTube. Or rather, the video has been removed due to “terms of use violation,” but its description still remains (see image below). According to the description, it’s a video of a Channel Frederator representative handing out T-shirts in Acapulco, Mexico during spring break. While it’s understandable that Channel Frederator wants to attract a hip group of viewers to its animation podcast, I question whether a gathering of wasted-out-of-their-mind teenagers is the wisest place to promote independent animation? Clubs, concerts and art show openings all seem like better venues for reaching the young podcast-savvy crowd. Then again, maybe Channel Frederator knows something about animation promotion that the rest of the industry doesn’t. Next thing you know, Warner Bros. will be down in Mexico trying to get everybody to wear HAPPY FEET t-shirts. And that’s a video I’d pay to see.

click on image for larger version

Here’s the teaser trailer for THE SIMPSONS MOVIE, opening July 27, 2007. The trailer premiered last weekend in front of ICE AGE 2.

Studio aka has just completed a 1-minute spot for the UK’s National Lottery - titled “The Big Win” - and it’s one of the most charming pieces of CG animation I’ve seen in a while. It was directed by Marc Craste, of JOJO IN THE STARS fame. The brief from the commissioning ad agency, AMV, was simple: “A man is given a bag of smiles and he hands them out to everyone he meets.” Craste and crew delivered big on that idea with a commercial that is filled with lovely art direction, character animation with personality, and elegant visual storytelling. Man, what I’d give to see the makers of full-length CG films create animation with as much vitality and invention as this commercial. View “The Big Win” HERE.

I get excited about websites designed with Flash as often as I get excited about CGI wooly mammoths voiced by Queen Latifah, which is to say, not very often. That’s why I feel it’s worth pointing out the work of Also, a young design studio comprised of three RISD graduates: graphic designer Jenny Volvovski, animator Matt Lamothe and illustrator Julia Rothman. Their studio website is not only easy-to-navigate and functional, but the Flash animation and design is witty and fun. Equally impressive is the Flash site they created for the band Less, which features a daring blend of stop motion origami and illustration. I’m looking forward to seeing more of their site designs in the future.

It’s only Monday and we’ve already got a quote of the week. It’s from Janet Healy, president of animation at IDT Entertainment, describing the current state of animated features: “This is a very exciting time. I feel like we’re at a moment where we’re reinventing the medium again.” She’s personally reinventing the medium with a film that looks like this. Well, at least she has a good sense of humor.

Yesterday I stumbled on this Polish movie poster site, and there’s amazing design inspiration throughout the site, including these trippy posters for American animated films:

HEY THERE, IT’S YOGI BEAR

RACE FOR YOUR LIFE, CHARLIE BROWN

DUMBO

Animation director Steve Moore, who previously posted Duane Crowther’s long-lost student film BLUM BLUM, has posted another amazing rarity on his website. It is an animatic from a 1993 attempt to produce a Betty Boop animated feature. The project was spearheaded by Max Fleischer’s son, Richard Fleischer (who passed away last month), and was to have been directed by Moore.

The animatic is for a musical sequence with Betty and her estranged father Benny. It was boarded by Steve Wahl and features a piano performance by the legendary Jimmy Rowles. The concept piece above was drawn by Fred Cline. Moore recalls that the difficult-to-please Richard Fleischer teared up after watching the reel.