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The Oscar nominations from yesterday are stirring a lot of controversy in the animation world: the animated shorts for how uniformly mediocre the selections were (a topic for another time) and the features for whether the films are even animated. That’s because two of the three feature nominees – MONSTER HOUSE and HAPPY FEET – use performance- and motion-capture techniques, which means that the acting performances aren’t created frame-by-frame by animators, but are based on live-action performances which are subsequently enhanced by digital artists.

CG animator Keith Lango writes on his blog:

Only one of those three films used actual animation as the foundation for the character performances. The other two films captured live motion for the primary core act of imbuing the illusion of life to the puppets. When it comes to performance they have more in common with The Muppets Take Manhattan than they do with The Lion King. But it’s too much bother to worry about that. Nobody’s keeping score anyhow, so let’s just call it all “animation” and be done with it. And so we are witnessing the end game of the slow redefinition of terms.

Animation directors Mark Mayerson and Michael Sporn offer similar thoughts on their blogs about whether these films deserve the animation label. While I tend to have a pretty broad definition of animation and personally won’t label these films as not animated, when two of the three films in the animation category are contested like this, it’s probably time to have a debate about exactly what does and doesn’t qualify as animation. As it stands, it’s fairly silly (not to mention, demeaning to the art form) to have an animated film like CARS competing against two films whose character peformances were created by live-action actors.

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More Oswald

January 24, 2007 9:00 am

More OSWALD THE LUCKY RABBIT merchandise we can’t have (or can’t afford). Jeremy Povolny points out that Japanese clothing brand Comme Des Garçons has started a line of Oswald T-Shirts (one of their nifty styles pictured above).If this new wave stuff isn’t your bag, click here, scroll down past Oscar the Grouch for a few vintage Oswald rubber dolls.

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Uli Meyer Draws…Again

January 24, 2007 8:50 am

Animator/director Uli Meyer has posted his second drawing video on YouTube (we mentioned the first one earlier in January). This time, he draw sans cigarette and with mood-appropriate soundtrack.

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Oswald At Your Service

January 23, 2007 10:00 am

(Click on pictures for a larger version of each)

Aren’t these cool? Too bad we may never get a chance to buy ‘em.Disney character merchandise designers Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily (recently let go after two decades at the studio) produced these last summer – the first Disney Oswald merchandise in approximately 80 years. Despite being unveiled to the public at a recent Disney collectibles show, it now appears that these items may be scrapped altogether. As Kevin notes:

At the moment, it seems that Oswald (as a merchandise character) is “on hold” while Disney Consumer Products creates a style guide to streamline him. Disney eliminated the creative department that we worked for, so these may have fallen by the wayside after our departure from the company, but I thought you’d be interested in seeing the first Oswald figurine (in resin, at right) and the first Oswald ‘plush’ doll (actually he’s made of soft-sculptured suede!)

There is a small chance these babies will be offered as limited editions at the Disney theme parks or through Disney’s website. But don’t hold your breath. Personally, I hope they are mass produced. I know a few of our readers would be interested in them.

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JP Miller Article by John Canemaker

January 23, 2007 8:54 am

Head’s up on a magazine article that Brew readers will definitely want to check out. The new issue of CARTOONS: THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANIMATION features a John Canemaker-penned cover story – “In Search of John Parr Miller – about the life and work of JP Miller. The thirteen-page piece, which contains new research and biographical material, is the first article in a two-part series. The cover, above, is a 1941 painting by Miller created in Rio de Janeiro. (This magazine is put out by ASIFA International, and unfortunately available only to ASIFA members.)

Miller (1913-2004) was one of the members of Disney’s Character Model Department where he helped develop the look of the studio’s early classics (PINOCCHIO, DUMBO, FANTASIA, etc). After leaving Disney, he embarked on a legendary career as a children’s book illustrator. His work – both at Disney and as an illustrator – always had a tremendous amount of appeal. It’s great to finally have the opportunity to learn more about him.

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Make Your Own Pixar Cars

January 23, 2007 8:10 am

Here’s a long message board thread of people turning their own cars into characters from Pixar’s CARS. There’s a how-to tutorial on the first page but those photos currently have a “bandwith-exceeded” message.

(via Kottke)

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