Animation artist Chris McDonnell discovers a bizarre ’80s Russian animated film, THE MYSTERY OF THE THIRD PLANET, on the Meathaus blog. I haven’t seen the film but Chris’s description in the comments section of the post makes it sound pretty cool:

It’s also interesting to note that this film has more or less “full” animation despite the fact that it’s from the ’80s. Sometimes there is even too much animation, such as a scene in which the girl talks to another person and behind them the two other men are moving and gesturing and secretly whispering to each other- it divides the attention in its attempt to depict a realistic scene of one thing happening while another does simultaneously. Then again, that is what is so refreshing about this movie, that it doesn’t follow all the tried and true standards of American animation staging and action.

Tomorrow night in Glendale California, ASIFA-Hollywood will present ASIFA-East President David Levy (animation director Blues Clues) leading a panel discussion on the state of the industry and how to navigate a career in animation. Panelists include:Craig Bartlett (Creator: Hey Arnold!)
Alex Kirwan (Art Director: My Life As A Teenage Robot)
Sue Perrotto (Animation director: Beavis and Butthead, Billy and Mandy, Megas XLR, etc.)
David J. Steinberg (Disney Feature Animation Producer)
Eric Coleman (VP, Animation Development and Production, Nickelodeon)Dave Levy will be signing copies of his new book as well.Tuesday, Oct. 24th, 2006, 7pm
Glendale Public Library
222 East Harvard Street
Glendale CA
General Public pays $10; admission is FREE for ASIFA-Hollywood members.

Tonight at UCLA, Tom Sito will be discussing and signing his new book DRAWING THE LINE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE ANIMATION UNIONS FROM BOSKO TO BART SIMPSON, as well as screening animated fims that have influenced him. The event starts at 7pm at the Bridges Theater (Melnitz Hall) on the UCLA campus. Admission is FREE. If you can’t make the chat, there’s also an entertaining one-hour podcast interview with Sito at the O-Meon website.

Animation historian Ray Pointer has a new video compilation in the works.

I am beginning final Edit Assembly of my new program, THE LEGENDARY LAUGH-O-GRAMS FAIRY TALES. This is a look at the first works done by Walt Disney in his Kansas City period. This is most significant since this December 15th marks the 40th anniversary of Disney’s death. Little attention has been given to this early period in Disney’s career, and it has been due to the efforts of outside non-profit groups such as the Thank you, Walt Disney Foundation of Kansas City, as well as independent researchers and producers such as myself that this important period of the Disney story is being saved.THE LEGENDARY LAUGH-O-GRAMS FAIRY TALES is targeted for a Christmas release to honor the memory and contributions of Walt Disney in this, the Centennial of American Animation, as well as the 40th decade since his death from Lung Cancer.

Ray says the video includes Little Red Riding Hood (1922), The Four Musicians Of Bremen (1922), Puss In Boots (1922), and Cinderella (1922), plus Disney’s first educational film, Tommy Tucker’s Tooth (1922). And a rare interview with Rudy Ising reflecting on his experiences with Walt Disney at the start of his career. More info at Inkwell Images.

I’ve added a lot of reader comments to my commentary earlier this week about the pitching system in TV animation. Almost everybody recognizes that there’s something seriously wrong with the system, but what’s even more inspiring is to hear how many people are bucking the system and doing their own thing. That should give everybody a lot of hope for the future health of this industry. If you’re interested in how this conversation about pitching began, check out this nice summary on Michael Sporn’s blog.

Last month the British press made a stink about cigarette smoking in old Tom & Jerry cartoons. Nicole Hollander even made note of it in her syndicated comic strip Sylvia last Tuesday (excerpt below, see the entire strip here). Now Turner Entertainment is planning to cut those smoking scenes out of all their Tom & Jerry TV prints. Never mind that these cartoons weren’t aimed at kids in the first place, and produced in a time when a cigarette, cigar or pipe in your mouth was as common as a cup of Starbucks in your hand today. I’ve never smoked myself and I am very much against against big tobacco – but I believe it is my right to watch cartoon characters smoke if I want to.On Saturday October 28th, at the AFI in Hollywood, Asifa Hollywood is hosting a special showing of SMOKIN’ TOONS. A special blend of cartoons from the 1940s and 50s, hosted by yours truly Jerry Beck, will screen at 3pm. No smoking permited on the AFI campus, but I guarantee your lungs will ache with laughter! Join us!

(Thanks, Alex Rannie)

Roy Disney will be one of the guest speakers at the 2D OR NOT 2D animation event in Everett, Washington, next month. This new animation festival hopes to revive interest in hand drawn animation with a series of screenings and lectures over a three day period. Roy Disney will present a screening of Disney short films from the past 75 years. Animator, author and festival organizer Tony White will screen ENDANGERED SPECIES, his new short film. Animator Nancy Beiman will discuss her new book, Prepare to Board, and show excerpts from films she’s worked on. Cartoonist Tom Wilson will show ZIGGY’S GIFT, and there are screenings of the restored 1955 feature film ANIMAL FARM, DREAM ON SILLY DREAMER and several other surprises. 2D OR NOT 2D Animated Film Festival will be held at the Historic Everett Theatre in Everett, Washington from November 17th thru 19th 2006. Check the website for more details.

Talk about personal vision. Freelance animator/illustrator Mike Owens has been working for over a year on an unusual personal film, a multi-screen, multi-media animated project entitled Parade Of Monkeys.

My goal for this film is to project the animation on multiple screens in a theatrical setting, mixed with live performance, lighting fx and live music.

Sounds cool to me. Check his production blog for art, updates and pencil tests.