Untold Tales

‘Mouse in Transition’: Larry Clemmons (Chapter 2)

Disney's head animation writer in 1977 was cartoon veteran Larry Clemmons, who had first been hired at the studio in 1930. At the time of his hiring, he was a Yale graduate with a degree in architecture, but an Ivy League education was of little value in 1930 when the economy was collapsing...and few buildings were being erected.

Cartoon Brew Pick

‘House Wanders, Bird Water Full’ by Veronika Samartseva

Veronika Samartseva is an animation director from Germany, who specializes in analog animation techniques. Her award-winning films have been shown at international festivals worldwide. After her graduation from HFF Konrad Wolf Babelsberg, Veronika joined the Berlin-based animation collective Talking Animals. Recently she started teaching animation at the BTK University of Design.

Recaps

‘Ping Pong’ Recap: ‘Yes, My Coach’ (Ep. 7)

Kaio finally tries to poach Smile, Peco gets into the National Training Center with a little help from the old lady, and we learn about coach Koizumi's storied past. This episode was largely devoted to character development, and finally brought into focus just what a complicated web of character interrelations Yuasa has woven out of the original source material, much as he did in Mind Game. There was no single major driving plot element, but rather various themes and plotlines gradually converging. By this point it feels like what we are seeing is more Yuasa than Matsumoto.

Interviews

Joanna Davidovich Premieres ‘Monkey Rag’ Online

Joanna Davidovich is a freelance animator based in Atlanta, Georgia. A graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, she has been working as an animator, designer, and storyboard artist on commercials, on-air content, and TV shows since 2005. Her animated short film "Monkey Rag", which debuts online this afternoon, has been making the festival rounds since it was completed last July.

Animators

Watch John Lasseter’s Raucous CalArts Commencement Speech

John Lasseter, who became a doctor for the second time last week, delivered the commencement speech to this year's graduating CalArts class. Lasseter's speech is a cross between a revival meeting and a rock concert, complete with rowdy audience members chiming in, like in this exchange.

Cartoon Brew Pick

‘A Dangerous Journey’ by Ruth Beni

"A Dangerous Journey" (part funded by Comic Relief) warns young African women of the dangers of being coerced and tricked into prostitution by traffickers who use scare tactics perpetrated by native doctors and false promises.

Animators

John Lasseter Becomes A Doctor…Again

This evening John Lasseter received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater California Institute of the Arts. He also delivered the commencement address to the graduating class. Five years ago, Lasseter received his first honorary doctorate from Pepperdine University, the school that he dropped out of to attend CalArts. So, does this mean we have to call him Dr.² Lasseter now?

motion capture

‘Lord of the Rings’ Animation Supervisor Randall William Cook Speaks Out On Andy Serkis

Our post on Andy Serkis's inflammatory rhetoric about the limited role of animators on his motion capture performances generated a robust, often heated, discussion in the comments. By far, the most informative comment was provided by 3-time Oscar winner Randall William Cook, who was the animation supervisor and designer at WETA on the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy that was released between 2001 and 2003.

Animators

Watch This New Mini-Doc About Joy Batchelor on Her 100th Birthday

Today is the 100th birthday anniversary of one of the most important women who ever worked in animation: Joy Batchelor. With her husband, she ran the studio Halas & Batchelor, which was the largest English animation outfit for a good part of the 20th century and made that country's first feature-length animated film, "Animal Farm."

CGI

Takashi Murakami’s Feature Film Debut “Jellyfish Eyes” Arrives in the U.S.

"Jellyfish Eyes" marks the feature film directing debut of Japanese superstar artist Takashi Murakami. Described as a post-Fukushima sci-fi fantasy, the $7 million live-action/CGI hybrid film incorporates Murakami's goofily-styled creatures throughout, as well as an appearance by his fine art character Miss Ko2.

Interviews

Interview: Ralph Bakshi on the Animation Industry, Then & Now

Ralph Bakshi pulled himself away from his drawing desk in New Mexico to chat with Cartoon Brew about his legacy, his latest project "The Last Days of Coney Island," which he recently funded on Kickstarter, and what he really thinks about the computer’s role in animation these days.

Events

Marc Davis Exhibit Opens at Walt Disney Family Museum

The Walt Disney Family Museum has opened a new exhibit focused on one of the studio's legendary Nine Old Men: "Leading Ladies and Femmes Fatales: The Art of Marc Davis." The show will be up through November 3. Unlike the museum's current Mary Blair exhibition, the Davis show is much smaller, with around 70 pieces on display.

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