Andy Lyth created this trailer using the track from the Spielberg trailer with visuals from 90s cartoon series.
(Thanks, Betsie Beadling, via Cartoon Brew’s Facebook page)
Spielberg’s “Tintin” in 2D
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Monthly Archives: January 2012
“Hollow” by Oliver Franklin Anderson
Hollow, by Cal Arts Experimental Animation grad Oliver Franklin Anderson, uses photographs, artwork and live actors to create a haunting mood piece. The film has been accepted as an Official Selection at Slamdance 2012.
WEB PREMIERE: “Wild Life” by Amanda Forbis & Wendy Tilby
One of the true highlights of the festival circuit this past year was Wild Life by Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby, who were nominated for an Academy Award in 1999 for their short When the Day Breaks. We are pleased to present–courtesy of our sponsor The National Film Board of Canada–the exclusive on-line debut of this Annie-nominated short.
Told in a robust, rustic style that captures the spirit of the new frontier, Wild Life won the 2011 Canadian Film Institute (CFI) Award for Best Canadian Animation at the recent Ottawa International Animation Festival. Set in 1909, the film is from the POV of a dapper young man sent from England to Alberta to attempt ranching. It soon becomes clear that nothing in his refined upbringing prepared him for the harsh conditions of the New World. Wild Life is also part of the new NFB dvd compilation Animation Express 2.
Credits after the jump.
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“Burrow” by Frederico Gutierrez (NSFW)
If drawings of cartoon people in the nude is NSFW – then Burrow by Frederico Gutierrez is “Not Safe For Work”. This is Gutierrez’ graduation film from the Vancouver Film School Classical Animation program. I have no idea what its about – but I enjoyed its surreal sensibility.
“Electroshock”
Electroshock feels like feature film condensed into 8-and-a-half-minutes. Directed by five students (Hugo Jackson, Pascal Chandelier, Valentin Michel, Bastien Morteleque and Elliot Maren) at France’s ESMA School of the Arts (Ecole Supérieure des Métiers Artistiques), it’s a nicely paced spoof of superhero/geek culture.
WEB PREMIERE: “Sunday” by Patrick Doyon
We are pleased to present–courtesy of our sponsor The National Film Board of Canada–the exclusive on-line debut of Patrick Doyon‘s Annie-nominated film, Sunday. It’s clever, quirky and stylishly hand drawn, with a limited color palette that defines its nostalgic point of view. Sunday captures a child’s imagination as only a keenly observant cartoonist can. Sunday is also part of the new NFB dvd compilation Animation Express 2.
Credits after the jump.
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“Pingu’s The Thing” by Lee Hardcastle
What if Swiss claymation star Pingu met John Carpenter’s The Thing? Animator Lee Hardcastle provides the answer:
My Friend, Ronald Searle by Matt Jones
In memory of Ronald Searle’s passing, we present this tribute by Matt Jones. Besides working as a story artist at Pixar, Matt is the curator of the Ronald Searle Tribute blog, a fantastic repository of Searle’s artwork and a required first-stop for anyone interested in his work. In the piece, Matt speaks about the friendship he formed with Ronald Searle in the final years of his life.
My Friend, Ronald Searle
by Matt Jones
Disney’s Nine Old Men, Ken Anderson, Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Joe Grant, Art Babbitt . . . all the American icons of animation had already left us. I moved to the United States too late to meet any of them, but at Pixar I work with many people who had the privilege of knowing and learning from these legendary artists, and I listen to their tales with glee. When I lived in Europe, however, there was still one legendary artist left who had outlived them all, one who had influenced them all, and one who I was fortunate to meet and get to know–the incomparable Ronald Searle.
I first became aware of Searle’s work trawling the second hand bookshops on London’s Charing Cross Road. His work struck me as the forebearer of a British cartooning tradition dominated by Ralph Steadman and Gerald Scarfe at the time. I had discovered them in art school and came to realize that Searle was the original master of the scratchy, spattered ink line, influencing all who followed. I was dissatisfied with the materials that were available online about Searle, and sought to establish a resource of choice scans from my growing collection of his books. I undertook the blog merely as a fan. Little did I know that I would later come to know the artist and even have him contribute material to the site.
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“Homeless” by Yevgeni Krachak
Combining CG with live footage, Yevgeni Krachak made this crusty little short as his third year project for Jerusalem’s Bezalel Academy of Art and Design.
Ronald Searle (1920-2011)
Ronald Searle with Walt Disney. Click for bigger version
World-renowned cartoonist and illustrator Ronald Searle passed away peacefully in his sleep on Friday, December 30th, 2011. He was 91. Here is the BBC News obit.
In addition to his print work, Searle worked on numerous animation projects throughout his career including Energetically Yours and Dick Deadeye, and has indirectly been responsible for the look of countless other works of animation, most notably Disney’s 101 Dalmatians.
Here’s a Channel 4 interview with Searle on the occasion of his 90th birthday in 2010:
Below is the 1957 industrial film Energetically Yours that Ronald Searle designed. There are lots of behind-the-scenes photos and artwork related to the film on the Ronald Searle Tribute blog:
This is an animation test of his St. Trinian’s characters animated by Uli Meyer:
A photo of Ronald Searle visiting with Disney director and animator Ward Kimball in 1957. Click on the image for a larger version:
Note: Gallery Nucleus will present a Ronald Searle Exhibition January 7th through 29th, 2012. The opening reception is this Saturday at 7 pm — 10 pm.
Searle, an influential figure in the cartooning world since the beginning of the post-war era, his drawings identifiable by their scratchy textures, controlled gestural line quality, and often exaggerated human forms. This exhibit features a collection of Searle’s published and preliminary works including caricatures, illustrated typography, completed cartoons, and signed lithographs.
For more information on this Los Angeles area event, click here.
Music Video Roundup #2
Here’s a batch of recent music videos from around the globe to start off the new year. Remember to keep submitting your videos. We intend to make the music video roundup a regular feature on the Brew.
“My Heart Belongs to You” by Colin Huggins
Video directed by Lev Polyakov (US)
“Cronache di una marionetta” by Radiochimica
Video directed by Milan Kopasz (Hungary) and Pezze&Bottoni (Italy)
“Pelican” by The Maccabees
Video directed by by David Wilson (UK)
“Good Love” by the Whitaker Brothers
Video directed by Malika Whitaker (France)
How to Run a Successful Kickstarter Campaign
A few months ago, Colorado-based filmmaker Corrie Francis Parks raised nearly $12,000 through Kickstarter to create her first professional animated short. Afterward she wrote a detailed blog post explaining how she did it. There’s lots of valuable advice in her post, including the importance of setting a realistic fundraising goal and managing the campaign after it’s launched:
Like many artists, I’m not much of a self-promoter, so I had to find ways to keep sharing the project over and over without losing my authenticity. I also wanted to share something meaningful with my potential backers. This meant creating new content by writing project updates, offering special rewards at landmark moments, making some new rewards when the funding flat-lined. One of the sand paintings I created for a special reward. I had 450 people on my email list, and after every email, I saw a jump in the pledges. I asked people to share the project with 2 of their friends in a personal email or phone call. 35% of my backers are people i don’t know, but I’m pretty sure many are a result of those emails and phone calls.
Fundraising is in many ways a full-time job. One of my next-door neighbors recently raised over $40,000 for her film project, but she had to commit a couple months to full-time campaigning. Deciding whether you want to commit the time and effort to raising money is an important decision to make before embarking on any fundraising campaign.
(link to Corrie’s blog via ASIFA-SF newsletter)
PREVIEW: 2012 Animated Features
Let’s ring in the new year with a look ahead at the animated features of 2012. The animated feature glass was half-full last year. Whereas in 2010, five of the top ten highest-grossing features in the US were animated, last year only one animated film ranked in the US top 10–Cars 2. Around the world, however, animation fared better in 2011, earning 3 of the top 10 spots at the global box office (and if you count The Smurfs, four of the top ten).
Our 2011 list focuses primarily on films set for release in the United States, but we’ve also rounded it out with a few foreign films. Of course, we’ll be covering dozens of other foreign and indie feature productions throughout the year, but even with the films below, 2012 is already looking like a decent year. If you know of other must-see animated films this year, please let us know in the comments.
LIST OF 2012 FEATURES BY SCHEDULED RELEASE DATE
The Secret World of Arriety
The Clock family are four-inch-tall people who live anonymously in another family’s residence, borrowing simple items to make their home. Life changes for the Clocks when their daughter, Arrietty, is discovered.
Release Date: 2/17
Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Production Company: Studio Ghibli
Distributor: Walt Disney
Technique: hand-drawn
Voice Cast: Bridgit Mendler, Amy Poehler and Will Arnett
Film Website
Plenty more films after the jump
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“Baboon” by Einar Baldvin
The latest experimental hand-drawn madness from USC student Einar Baldvin – we’ve previously posted his Cal Arts films Catatonic and Vestmannaeyjar in 2011 – the perfect way to start a new year on Cartoon Brew:
