Our friends at Pepper Melon, a motion graphics company based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, sent us their latest project, created for client MTV Stockholm. I don’t completely understand what’s going on, and there is considerable live action, but it’s certainly visually arresting. Tomas Garcia directed and designed.

(Thanks, Fernando Sarmiento)

This is pretty neat: a caricature of the layout, story and assorted production crew on the staff of Tiny Toon Adventures drawn by Bruce Timm (circa 1990). Among the notable names and faces are future Spumco bigshots Jim Smith, Bob Camp, Chris Riccardi, Eddie Fitzgerald, Mike Fontenelli, Charlie Bean and Rich Pursel, veteran animators Norm McCabe, Art Leonardi, Gerard Baldwin, Tom Ray and Art Vitello, Pixar’s Jeff Pidgeon and future Simpsons, Pixar, Disney writer Jim Reardon as well as friends Paul Dini, Mike Kazaleh, Jenny Lerew, Rich Arons, Tom Minton, Ken Boyer, Kent Butterworth and on and on…

Click on thumbnail at left below to see the drawing at full size; at right below for a key to identifying this incredible group of artists. (And if anyone can I.D. #28, please let us know)

Here is the new improved trailer for Happy Feet 2. Visually beautiful, yes! Story? We’ll wait and see. In the meantime:

Warner Home Video has launched a Facebook page that is worth a look – and a “Like”. WB Classic Animation went live late yesterday and the first thing posted is a simple comparison video showing two steps in the restoration process for upcoming Tom & Jerry Golden Collection Blu-Ray DVD set. But coming in the next few days and weeks will be direct input from Senior VP George Feltenstein, including new product information direct from the source, with accurate on-sale dates and content information on new releases.

I’m always asked how one can communicate directly with Warner Home Video. At last, I have an answer. You can now voice your opinions, ask your questions and send your comments to the powers that be – and they will actually read it. George Feltenstein himself will be doing a once-a-month live Q&A; their will be clips, previews and contests. Note that this Facebook page is solely for information on their classic theatrical cartoon library – Looney Tunes and Tom & Jerry titles for now; hopefully Popeye, Tex Avery, Censored 11 in the future. Other classic properties owned by the studio (Hanna Barbera TV cartooons, animated features and TV specials, etc.) are not being covered on this page.

So go on over there and “like” ‘em. And keep checking in to see what’s up… doc.

Interesting hand-drawn (on Cintiq, using TVPaint) film by Erick Oh (Student Academy Award finalist, Heart). Oh is a Korean animation artist based in California, currently at Pixar. His independent films have been screened at Annecy, Hiroshima, Zagreb, SIGGRAPH and Anima Mundi.

(Thanks, David Nethery)

Ben Cady’s graduation film from University of Wales, Newport (UK) The Goat and The Well won both the NFB Public Prize and Best Undergraduate Animation at the Ottawa Animation Festival last month. Cady is currently a student at the Royal College of Art in London.

Beautiful little retro-style music video for Evelyn Evelyn by Los Angeles director Hoku Uchiyama and animator/character designer Adam Bolt – for Santa Monica-based producer Vanishing Angle.

CREDITS
Director: Hoku Uchiyama
Produced by: Erich Lochner, Matt Miller, and Adam Bolt
Lead Animator: Adam Bolt
Executive Producers: Jason Webley & Amanda Palmer
Director of Photography: Adam David Meltzer
Evelyn Evelyn played by: Lexi Ibrahim & Nikki Ibrahim
Composite Work: Travis Gorman & Michael Scott
Skeleton-Dance Animator: Julian Birchman
Additional Animation: David Johnston
Character Design: Adam Bolt
Additional Character Design: Odessa Sawyer

(Thanks to Sarah Miskoff for posting this on CB’s Facebook page)

Pixar co-founder Steve Jobs passed away this afternoon. He was 56.

I am typing this on an old Powerbook G4, and moderating comments on my iPhone. For all his visionary leadership, which you’ll be reading about everywhere else in the next few days, it’s important to remember it was Steve Jobs who had enough faith in the future of computer graphics to save Pixar by buying it from George Lucas in 1986. It was Jobs who fought for the first Pixar feature film and maintained the working relationship with Disney – despite difficult times with Michael Eisner – which led to the historic acquisition of Pixar by Disney in 2006. As Disney’s largest stockholder, Jobs was a member of its Board of Directors, and had installed Ed Catmull as President of Pixar and Disney Animation, and named John Lasseter to Chief Creative Officer.

Pixar, of course, is the leader in computer animated feature films. Apple is the number one computer maker in the United States. Jobs was an innovator, a visionary and yes, an artist. He allowed Pixar to flourish and develop the creative atmosphere that allowed the greatest animated features (so far) of the 21st Century to exist.

Thank you, Mr. Jobs. Rest In Peace.

(Photo above: Ed Catmull, Steve Jobs, Robert Iger, John Lasseter in 2006)

The latest trailer from Aardman/Sony’s feature Arthur Christmas, opening in the U.S. on November 11th.

A reminder that the public memorial service for Corny Cole, who passed away last month, is planned for this Sunday, October 9th.

The Animation Guild had already scheduled an open-to-the-public Fine Art of Corny Cole exhibit and reception for this Friday, October 7 at 6pm. However, the official memorial event has been added on Sunday, October 9, from noon to 6pm in the Guild’s meeting room on the second floor. Both these events will be held at The Animation Guild building, at 1105 N. Hollywood Way, in Burbank, CA.

For the Sunday memorial, which will open at 12 noon, attendees are encouraged to bring Corny Cole artwork to display or any video of his work, or of him, on DVD. At 1pm Tom Sito will introduce several friends and guest speakers. Anyone who has a Corny story to share is invited to do so. Contact Sito at tom (at) tomsito (dot) com so he can add you to the list and introduce you. Refreshments will be served.

(photo above via Jon Gomez)

Here’s an unique piece of Disneyana. The un-happiest letter on Earth. Collector Philippe Videcoq is currently selling (on eBay) a very rare and unusual item: the original, complete telegram sent by Roy Disney to notify worldwide Disney offices the day after Walt’s death.

This is the original copy forwarded by Disney’s London office to their Paris branch, and received at 4:46pm on December 16, 1966. It starts with: “Please convey the following statement by Roy Disney to all employees and associates – The death of Walt Disney is a loss to all the people of the world” and ends with: “Private family funeral services. No flowers.” It is a very moving homage to Walt and his career and honestly states: “There is no way to replace Walt Disney“.

The sale ends this coming Wednesday. You can read the entire 6-page telegram by clicking each thumbnail below:

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For the fourth year in a row, Brewmaster Jerry Beck will be programming a selection of strange and creepy Halloween related animated cartoons on the big screen at the Cinefamily/Silent Movie Theatre in Hollywood. Using rare 35mm and 16mm film prints that range from ghoulishly red Eastmancolor or gorgeously garish Technicolor! We will also be running a small selection of creepy, fantastic independent films, including Marv Newland’s Sing Beast Sing (1980) and Ian Emes’ The Beard (1978). Be prepared, foolish mortals! This years’ Cartoon Monster Mash will screen next Tuesday, October 4th at 8pm. Milton the Monster, Casper, and all the famous monsters of filmland will be here. For more information and to order advance tickets, click here.