2 Comments »   posted in CGI, Experimental, Shorts, After Effects, Cinema 4D, iModeller 3D, Japan, Takuya Hosogane

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The ninth selection in our Student Animation Festival, Sheared, was created by Nikolas Ilic, a recent graduate of Canada’s Sheridan College. Sheared may be the most traditional animated short in our program this year and we mean that in the best way possible. Hand-drawn, funny and cartoony, there is no denying the superior level of storytelling skill achieved in this mere 90 seconds of twisted, poetic justice. Ilic’s character designs and layouts, though inspired by past masters, look fresh and exciting. There isn’t a wasted frame; it’s a sharply timed and thoroughly delightful visual experience. (Elliot J. Marshall’s original score and sound effects work are equally deserving of praise).

Comment on the film or read production notes from the filmmaker on Cartoon Brew TV.

Cartoon Brew’s second annual Student Animation Festival is made possible through the generous support of Titmouse and JibJab.

Comments Off   posted in Shorts, Student, Nikolas Ilic, Sheridan College

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“The Existential Pleading of the Inner Heart” by The Brothers McLeod

September 7, 2011 5:02 am

The Brothers McLeod decided to enter a film into the DepicT! mini-shorts competition. They gave themselves the added challenge of producing their entry in under five hours, which is an admirable feat even when you take into account they had previously recorded the voice track. The finished film, The Existential Pleading of the Inner Heart, is an amusing bit of nonsense that charts the “thoughts and feelings of an Internet filmmaker called Colin T. Heart and might be a little bit autobiographical.” (Watch it full-screen for best effect.)

Perhaps most impressively, they also managed to document their four-and-a-half-hour production with a manic making-of video:

1 Comment »   posted in Shorts, Brothers McLeod, UK

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“Heliotropes” by Michael Langan

September 6, 2011 8:45 pm

Seattle-based Michael Langan emailed to let me know about his latest film, Heliotropes, which “documents the parallel goals of man and nature, through the most primitive and sophisticated means, to simply stay in the light.” The short, which debuted at SXSW last March, is based on a poem by Brian Christian. Langan tackles big ideas in three short minutes, exploring the recursive patterns and laws of nature that govern both natural life (sunflowers, migratory birds) and human behavior. The writer’s statement on his website offers additional perspective on the film’s meaning, but Langan’s crisply executed visual concepts stand on their own merit.

4 Comments »   posted in Experimental, Shorts, Michael Langan

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TONIGHT IN LA: Cartoon Brew Student Animation Festival

September 6, 2011 2:49 pm

Don’t miss: tonight at 8pm is “Back to School” night at the Cinefamily. That means not only a program of rare industrial films, including a super-rare 35mm presentation of the Eyvind Earle-designed Rhapsody of Steel (with contributions by Maurice Noble, Vic Haboush, and Frank Armitage too!), but also a screening of all ten of the official selections in this year’s Cartoon Brew Student Animation Festival. Get there early because a lot of Jerry’s screenings at the Cinefamily tend to be sell-outs.

Here’s a sampling of four of the rock solid student shorts that you’ll be able to enjoy on the bigscreen tonight:

1 Comment »   posted in Events, Shorts, Student

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“Little Boat” by Nelson Boles

September 5, 2011 6:54 pm

How minimalist can a lead character be in an animated short and still elicit an audience’s emotional reaction? CalArts student Nelson Boles explores the possibilities in his smartly designed The Little Boat. His sparing approach evokes the live-action short The Red Balloon which similarly imbued life into an obstinately mundane object. Boles doesn’t anthropomorphize the titular character; the dinghy’s behavior stems from its interactions with other characters in the film and its surrounding environment. And though its movement is controlled by an external force (wind), we still feel something for the boat. For instance, the shot at 2:10 that shows the boat resolutely pushing forward only to have its mast shattered in half—it’s as heartbreaking a moment as anything that could happen to a more conventional animated character with eyes, hands and legs.

28 Comments »   posted in Shorts, Student, CalArts, Nelson Boles

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“Plug, The New World” by Tsuneo Goda

September 3, 2011 4:29 pm

I’m not sure how effectively Plug, the New World promotes Nissan’s electric vehicles, which is the soft sell purpose of the commissioned film, but it’s an undeniably creative and well made effort. The director of the short is Tsuneo Goda, who is best known as the creator of Domo, the poop-inspired mascot of Japanese broadcaster NHK-TV. There are lots of behind-the-scenes photos and making-of details on the website of Goda’s production company Dwarf.

(Thanks, David OReilly)

8 Comments »   posted in Advertising, CGI, Shorts, Stop Motion, Domo, Dwarf, Japan, Nissan, Tsuneo Goda

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