This morning, I appeared with film critic Dave Dubos on Good Morning New Orleans to hype Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 6. We taped a fifteen minute interview yesterday at KTLA studios in Hollywood. The KTLA newsroom is in the exact building on Sunset and Van Ness which was home to Leon Schlesinger Productions in the 1930s and 40s (as as seen in the 1940 short You Ought To Be In Pictures). Dubos says the whole interview will appear later today on the WGNO website as a podcast - but you can check out my one minute broadcast appearance on the ABC26 website now.

UPDATE: I just got the link. Click Here to watch the full 15 minute interview.

The footage in this promo reel looks like a lot of fun to me.

All I know about this Russian Flash animated feature is what’s published on Wikipedia:

Alice’s Birthday, is an upcoming 2009 Russian flash-animated feature film directed by Sergey Seryogin and being made by the studio “MASTER-FILM”. It is based on one of a series of stories by well-known writer Kir Bulychyov about Alisa (Alice) Seleznyova, a young girl living in the second half of the 21st century.

I just hope it garners a U.S. release.

(Thanks, Tim Tweidelman)

If you’re in Norway this week, I hope to see you at the Fredrikstad Animation Festival, which takes place this Wednesday through Sunday. Among the events at the festival is a day-long seminar on Friday, October 24, entitled “American Masters of Animation: American Animation from Disney to PES.”

At the seminar, Andreas Deja will be talking about Disney’s Nine Old Men and PES will offer a masterclass on his approach to directing stop-motion animation. They’ve also wrangled me into being part of the program, and while I don’t exactly qualify as a master in anything (unless you ask my mom, in which case I’m a master in everything), I’ll be doing a lecture about the works of Fifties design masters like Bobe Cannon, Ward Kimball, Tom Oreb, Ed Benedict and John Hubley. Even more exciting, I’ll be interviewing Gene Deitch, an honest-to-goodness animation legend, live on-stage.

I’m going to pick Gene’s brain about everything he’s done, from creating the classic TV series Tom Terrific…

…to making mind-bendingly trippy political allegories like The Giants…

…and who knows, maybe we’ll even talk about these:

In other words, this Friday will be damn awesome if you’re in Norway! There are also plenty of other fine screenings and presentations planned throughout the week. See you in Fredrikstad!

(PS - If Brew readers have any suggestions for things to see in Oslo and Fredrikstad, please drop a line in the comments.)

Welcome to another edition of “Brew Vaults.” Every three weeks on Cartoon Brew TV we present a long-lost piece of animation history along with brand-new audio commentary by animation historian Jerry Beck and other special guests. This week we’re offering several rare animated spots featuring Charles Schulz’s beloved Peanuts characters. We dedicate this episode to Peanuts animation director Bill Melendez who passed away last month. Watch the Peanuts episode of Brew Vaults right here!

Take your pick: yours truly, Jerry Beck, will appear on stage, on screen and in print tomorrow, Tuesday October 21st.

In Print: Tuesday is the official publication date for my latest book - a tie-in to Dreamworks latest box office blockbuster, The Art of MADAGASCAR: Back 2 Africa. As usual with these books, the behind the scenes art - pre-viz material in pencil, ink, and conceptual paintings - is incredibly gorgeous. Craig Kellman was the chief character designer and the book is loaded with his sketches and paintings. Whatever your opinion of the Madagascar films, this art is worthy of collecting and keeping in book form - and I’m proud to have been a part of it.

On Screen: I appear both on screen and in voice-over on the indispensable Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 6. Over 60 restored, digitally remastered Warner Bros. cartoons from the golden age of animation. A Mel Blanc documentary, Christmas Party blooper reels, and uncut World War Two era cartoons including Russian Rhapsody, The Ducktators and Herr Meets Mare. Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Foghorn Leghorn, The Three Bears, The Goofy Gophers, Tweety, Sylvester, The Road Runner and Coyote. Here are 28 reasons to buy it today!

On Stage: Live and in person Tuesday night at 8pm I’ll be screening a selection of strange and creepy Halloween related animated cartoons at the Silent Movie Theatre on Fairfax Avenue in Hollywood. The vintage prints will be in 16mm and 35mm and special guest animators will show their films and discuss their ghastly influences. To buy tickets for this Animated Spook-tacular - click here.

Gary is a French student CG film created by Clement Soulmagnon, Yann Benedi, Sebastien Eballard and Quentin Chaillet at Supinfocom. The stylized illustrative look, while not exactly new, is refreshing to see in a student short. Film clips and pre-production artwork can be viewed at Gary-LeFilm.com.

(Thanks, Matt Jones)

Outfits to wear with your Tweety bling…

(Thanks, Alex Rannie)

I saw this advertised in a Sunday newspaper magazine supplement last week. My nomination for Worst Commercial Tweety Bird Product - Ever!
From The Danbury Mint.