Space Jam 2

Back in the 1990's, I was still new to animation. My days working at Warner Brothers Classic Animation were some of my happiest and proudest times of my life. (Although some folks there thought I was a naive fool for believing that. That's their problem.)

                     (Foghorn Leghorn copyright Time-Warner)

Here's one of my cleanups of Foghorn Leghorn in a Space Jam uniform. It's actually from a McDonald's TV ad we did at Warner Classics, although I did freelance on the film.

But the news of a Space Jam sequel leaves me with mixed feelings. Will it be hand drawn? Will the work be done in the U.S.? Will it be a dud like Looney Tunes-back in Action? (Although I appreciate the work in LT-BIA. I even sort of like it, especially the scenes on the Warner backlots, and the plot device of Daffy Duck getting "fired" to go on an adventure with Brendon Frasier.)

At the time, I was glad to be working on another animated feature. Then a friend pointed out that a star like Bugs Bunny (yeah, he's a fictitious character) should NEVER play second banana to any live action actor or sports celebrity. After taking her to see a private screening at the Warner lot, she nearly clawed my eyes out. It seems I helped write a big corporate love letter to Micheal Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Oi vey.

I admit, the excitement and hoopla at the time completely carried me away. I wanted to show my devotion to animation, and the success of the project. Live and learn I guess.

Just recently, there was a rumor that LeBron James might be in the sequel. But now the news is he is out already. Being a Cleveland area native, it's even harder these days to root for my home teams, especially after LeBron abandoned the Cavaliers. Hey, it's just business right?

http://www.deadline.com/2014/02/lebron-james-space-jam-sequel-dick-ebersol/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/254411461352100/

http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/22/space-jam-2-is-happening?utm_campaign=fbposts&utm_source=facebook

“Life After Pi” Rhythm & Hues

Christina Lee Storm and Scott Leberecht's film about the final days at Rhythm & Hues.

From the trailer, it reminds of "Dream on Silly Dreamer".

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-on-location-20140218,0,7566544.story#axzz2tpIqwyK0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX81NlqWSxU

More here on Facebook -

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hollywood-Ending-Movie/588975024522824

Ric Heitzman at Curve Line Space gallery

Made it to the opening reception back on Saturday, February. 15th to see Ric Heitzman's illustrations at the Curve Line Space gallery in Eagle Rock. Ric is an Emmy award winning designer, and has worked over seven years on painstaking ink drawings of the various palms growing around southern California. His use of fine line work along with brush and washes make each plant a complex design, and into illustrated characters as well.

Ric's work will be on display till March 8th. There was a good turnout at the Curve Line Space gallery, just the right amount of space for this exhibit. (I especially liked the Felix the Cat faces on one palm tree.)

http://www.curvelinespace.com/

Tue-Fri 10-6pm . Sat 12-4pm
323.478.9874 . tim@curvelinespace.com
1577 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90041

Gustavo Duarte graphic novel and comics!

Someone brought in a copy of Gustavo Duarte's graphic novel "Monsters! and Other Stories" to the lab today. All I can say is-watch out Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes), Ben Balistreri (Seaweed) and Jeff Smith (Bone)! Bold, yet subtle inking on ironic characters and brilliant visual storytelling without any dialog. Very clever sense of humor.

Little bit of Michel Gagne or even some Vaughn Bode' in there too. Hurry up and get a copy soon!

                           (Artwork copyright Gustavo Duarte)

http://mangabastudios.blog.uol.com.br/

http://comicsalliance.com/dark-horse-gustavo-duarte-monsters-and-other-stories-january-preview/

UPDATE: There is some disturbing (but still cool) imagery in "Monsters! and Other Stories. Just in case the little ones are curious. (Now all the Bart Simpsons will want to see it.)

3d Printer World Expo in Burbank

Got to see some interesting machines; got to get the stereo lithography plugin to work in Maya!

http://www.3dprinterworldexpo.com/

Creating Glass Shatter Effect using Maya nCloth

Very handy tutorial on breaking stuff in Maya! This may save the day for the project Woodbury is animating for the Bob Hope airport in Burbank.

http://www.dreamsin3d.com/glass_tutorial.html

Copyright Azhagu Raj Pandian

Hey, it can't all be doodles and sketches, right? Besides, the Super Bowl isn't holding my attention. Not that I'm a Denver fan, but the game is no fun when when one side gets steamrollered.

Year of the Horse 2014

Happy New Year folks, late again. Spoiler Alert! Obsidian, the Pegasus, meets Herman Bear. I don't know if I'll ever finish this comic, but I'm proud of this splash page.

I didn't want just another horse-guy with a super hero body, so I gave Obsidian a deeper backstory. However, I haven't settled on how he lost his legs, and how he gained his wings. Visually, I think he stands out more, and he's not just another "petting zoo person".

Christmas coffee at Coffee Fix

Well, these sketches didn't turn out the way I had hoped. But I wanted to show my female superhero characters relaxing at the Coffee Fix over on Moorpark and Whitsett.

Coffee Fix is very pleasant, quiet and feels very homey. This is probably because of the old store front it's in.

Cubcake, Boffette and Lady Cobra take a break from Christmas shopping.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/coffee-fix-studio-city?nb=1

O Apóstolo stop motion puppet

Here I am with Executive Producer Isabel Rey Sastre and one of the puppets from O Apóstolo.
This grim little bruiser had a complete mouth with teeth. I think he had a tongue too. Eyebrows, eyelids were pose-able, I wish action figures were this good.

Photo courtesy of Kris Heller. Next time I'm bringing a camera no matter what.
Thanks Kris!
And thanks again to the Academy's Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study for having the screening.

O Apóstolo

Got to see a private screening of the independent stop motion film O Apóstolo in the Linwood Dunn Theater at the Academy's Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study. Pretty swanky, and I saw a couple of familiar faces at this last minute screening. Good, solid stop motion, and well made, handmade moving graphics for the flashback sequence. Just the thing for a Friday the 13th!

http://www.oscars.org/academy/buildings/pickford.html

"A convict who escapes from jail takes off to a remote village to recover an old loot that was hidden years earlier. But what he finds there instead involves him in a fate much worse than his prison sentence. Sinister old people, odd disappearances, spirits, a strange parish priest, and even the archpriest of Santiago de Compostela meet in a tale full of mystery, humor, and fantasy."

I was impressed by the work, and taken in by the story. Good to see something fresh, and see a film that's not winking at the camera. Suspenseful, and O Apóstolo has some pretty creepy designs. In an effective way I mean. Executive Producer Isabel Rey Sastre was there to present the film, and even let me hold one of the figures.

http://oapostolo.com/

The puppet had an amazing armature made by the Belgium company Pedri Animation. I think it was cast in silicon, and the face and jaw were very malleable for some good, creepy expressions.

Filmed in Spain, and I understand that most of the funding was from crowd sourcing. They were also filming it in stereo-optic for 3D, but the budget would not allow it.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-o-apostolo-review-20131213,0,6372943.story#axzz2ngeFRmHB

http://www.laweekly.com/movies/o-ap-stolo-2297041/

O Apóstolo is up for Oscar consideration. I hope they make it.

Links courtesy of the Animation Guild

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOV7COy5WoA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CksLSnZwAGQ&feature=results_video

Pixar Layoffs

Well, it had to happen. "The Good Dinosaur" is having story trouble, so production people have to be laid off. The corporate model is a another dinosaur indeed. Still, it's not like the old days when we were kept on with a paycheck and could just fiddle with pencil tests. Or read comic books. I never read comics on the job... well, hardly ever.

With the Holidays in progress, I'm being a Scrooge here, I guess.
(Artwork copyright Disney/Pixar.)

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-pixar-layoffs-good-dinosaur-delay-20131122,0,6910438.story#axzz2lVYB8tgd

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/pixar/pixar-lays-off-dozens-of-employees-due-to-good-dinosaur-problems-91376.html

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-12-13/as-frozen-leads-box-office-turmoil-in-animation-land

President Obama visit at Dreamworks

Well, the momentum from Big Money seems unstoppable. The GOP and "tea-party" members will probably howl about "Hollywood liberals", but they all seem to be in Wall Street's hip pocket.

http://animationguildblog.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-visit-demonstration.html

http://www.thewrap.com/obama-visit-dreamworks-animation-protest-visual-effects

http://ktla.com/2013/11/24/obama-visit-will-shut-down-streets-from-beverly-hills-to-glendale/#axzz2lgw9LJQI

Okay, I know I'm being a lunkhead, but my "visual commentary" has to be part of our freedom of speech. I say that President Obama, or any presidential candidate has to put on the "Golden Handcuffs" before he or she can put a hand on that Bible. And then nothing seems to change. The Military, Banks, Wall Street and the Media has an incredible amount of momentum, and it takes time and a horrendous amount of energy to force it to change course. (That's Donkey's silhouette by the way; all art copyright Dreamworks SKG and the U.S. "Gummint")

I'm not against a business or studio succeeding, especially with the distribution issues Dreamworks has had to face. But I still cite Henry Ford when he realized he had to make a product his employees could afford. Movie tickets cost too damn much, and bad writing leaves a lot of animation and visual effects on the digital cutting room floor. With the media monopolies, we are still clubbed over the head by virtual "Pinkerton Men", whether we are out on the sidewalks protesting or not.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3JLKw0q4kY

UPDATE: This in from Cartoon Brew and Variety

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/business/will-obama-be-greeted-by-a-sea-of-green-at-dreamworks-91463.html

http://variety.com/2013/biz/news/vfx-soldier-daniel-lay-vfx-protest-1200887757/

Hollywood Reporter

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/vfx-workers-stage-protest-dreamworks-660287

UPDATE: I have to admit, it's the first time any President of the United States ever visited an animation studio. Cartoon Brew gave me that little tap on the shoulder. But I don't think it will have any effect on the job situation out here.

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/business/will-obama-be-greeted-by-a-sea-of-green-at-dreamworks-91463.html

Woodbury Stop Motion demo at CTN Expo

Finally made it to the 2013 CTN Expo. I was still feeling sick, but I still managed to do some basic stop motion animation.

Pow! Boff! Zap! Working out some aggression I guess.

The Woodbury students were great troopers. But I was still out of it, and didn't get their names.

Ric Heitzman set up the stop mo demo, inviting expo goers to try some stop mo. Most people still seem surprised at how much time it takes to produce a few seconds of footage...

R2D2 Death Star Mashup

More mischief - surprised no one has done this yet. No one will hassle this little R2 unit!

(artwork now copyright Disney/Lucas. Apologies to George Lucas, Kenny Baker, and all Star Wars fans everywhere.)

CTN Expo this weekend.

And I've been sick as a dog. Hope I can make it.

http://www.ctnanimationexpo.com/

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/events/ctn-animation-expo-returns-to-burbank-this-weekend-90955.html

http://animationguildblog.blogspot.com/

Stay tuned...

Beany and Cecil - Rocky and Bullwinkle Saturday Morning Mashup

Okay, I haven't posted in awhile, and I needed to cause some mischief between Halloween and Thanksgiving: What if the classic Saturday morning teams of Rocky and Bullwinkle had to swap partners with Beany and Cecil? No, not that kind of swap! I was feeling nostalgic again, and wondered how much fun a team-up with Rocky and Cecil, and Beany and Bullwinkle would be in a 60's Saturday Morning Mashup. I've Googled this, and no one else seems to have done it before, so I went for broke.

(Artwork originally copyright of Bill Ward and Jay Scott, plus Bob Clampett!)


We basically still have young, plucky little guys with big, dumb but lovable buddies. Technically, I think it would work. Dishonest John would still get the better of Bullwinkle (until the end). And I'll bet Cecil would love to thrash Boris Badenov.

I did something like this with Johnny Socko and the Iron Giant last year. I think this would be fun:)

UPDATE: Bullwinkle DID team up with Beany Boy briefly on an ad for Thermos lunchboxes. Looks like the mid 1960's to me.

(courtesy of crypt of wrestling)

http://cryptofwrestling.tumblr.com/post/22406007205/in-store-thermos-lunch-box-poster-with-bullwinkle

Lou Scheimer at ASIFA Hollywood

Here I am, late again, but I'd like to offer my tribute to Lou Scheimer:

                    (Popeye copyright King Features Syndicate)

Back in 1998, I had the chance to meet Lou Scheimer at ASIFA Hollywood. This evening was hosted by Tom Sito back at ASIFA's old digs on Victory Blvd. I brought along my copy of Saturday Morning TV by Gary H. Grossman. I think Lou was amused by the book, and he autographed my picture of Sabrina and Archie on page 373.

(Artwork copyright Filmation/Archie Comics, Pink Panther copyright Depatie-Freleng)

In spite of it's shortcomings, I'll always have a warm spot for Filmation shows. I remember clear back to their New Adventures of Superman in the early 60's. After working on King of the Hill for two seasons, I now appreciate the pressure they must have been under to make the deadlines for TV production. Plus, staying on model with the DC comic book characters called for some precise draftsmanship. Although later on, it became "jump cut city" on shows like Star Trek. I think it gave me some bad habits as far as storytelling goes. And I forgave the stiff, limited animation since the visuals were so great, and the stories could sweep me away as a six year old.

Archie, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Fantastic Voyage, Star Trek, Space Sentinels, Flash Gordon and Fat Albert were all cornerstones of my Saturday Mornings. Except for HB's Space Ghost, and the Herculoids, Filmation seemed to be the only studio that tackled science fiction fairly well. I just found out on Variety that Lou won a daytime Emmy for the animated Star Trek.

Only later I learned that Filmation had kept many animation artists employed when so much work had already been outsourced from the mid 60's onward. Filmation had helped some artists to break the glass ceiling to get into feature animation, or at least move on to other studios.

But to sum up, Lou Scheimer and his partners Hal Sutherland and Norm Prescott got ahold of some amazing properties to dazzle my teeny brain on Saturday Mornings. Here's to 'em!

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/animators/r-i-p-filmation-co-founder-lou-scheimer-89971.html

http://variety.com/2013/tv/people-news/lou-scheimer-filmation-founder-dies-at-84-1200742545/

http://www.latimes.com/obituaries/la-me-lou-scheimer-20131020,0,1131347.story

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0770617/

http://www.startrek.com/article/remembering-filmation-co-founder-lou-scheimer-1928-2013

Rod Scribner

I didn't know about Rod Scribner until I read Tom Sito's post about him on Facebook.
The clue was the work he did on Daffy Duck in the "Great Piggy Bank Robbery".

After his work under Bob Clampett, Scribner left Looney Tunes to work at UPA.

Wikipedia Rod Scribner went on to work at Playhouse Pictures in Hollywood. I was able to get some freelance there years ago on a Tony the Tiger commercial. I misread the Wikipedia article, thinking that Scribner founded Playhouse, but it gave me some feeling of connection learning that I had worked briefly under the same roof where Mr. Scribner had been.

http://rodscribner.blogspot.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Scribner

Richard Williams at the Motion Picture Academy

Not to be glum, but that Friday evening October 4th will probably be the last time I see Richard Williams in person. As part of the Marc Davis Celebration of Animation, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gave the evening to Richard. It had been a long day, and my stomach was acting up. I felt a bit trampled watching the autograph hounds mob him after the presentation. It was his night, and I figured he would make it home okay.

http://www.oscars.org/events-exhibitions/events/2013/10/this-amazing-medium.html

Richard recounted the key animated films that had shaped his career, such as the "Silly Song" sequence from Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", the performance by Milt Kahl of the tiger Shere Khan from the "Jungle Book", the demon from the "Night on Bald Mountain" from "Fantasia", and John Hubley's "Rooty Toot Toot". I'd never seen "Rooty Toot Toot" before, I thought I knew most of John Hubley's work.

After outlining how these classics influenced him, Richard also took us through his work with his 1972 "A Christmas Carol", "The Return of the Pink Panther", "The Thief and the Cobbler", and of course, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". "The Rabbit", as Richard called it, earned him an Oscar for Special Achievement in Animation. Roger Rabbit was the film that finally got me to move to California, and get into animation.

We also got to see his personal project "Circus Drawings" that he finished in 2010. Richard converted sketches he did observing a small circus in Spain into a short animated film. Very dreamy, very smooth animation on "ones".

Here's the cover from the evening's program:

And here's the program from the Roger Rabbit 25th Reunion that I managed to glom onto.
(I think I got the last one!)

Still, it was good to set foot inside the Samuel Goldwyn Theater again. I still have some photos from my first Hollywood trip where our teacher, Phil Skerry, got us to let us pose with Oscars.

 

Paul McCartney's High in the Clouds animated project

It looks like Sir Paul McCartney will be involved with the production of a new feature based on his children's book "High in the Clouds". The articles state that these will be a stereo-optic 3D production, although oldies 1150 radio mentioned that the former Beatle prefers hand-drawn animation. There's also buzz that audiences are tired of the glasses, and the expense of going to 3D movies. Maybe they'll change before production starts.

http://www.oldies1150.com/News/Music.aspx?articleID=1151036

http://www.awn.com/news/films/animated-feature-planned-paul-mccartney-s-high-clouds

http://variety.com/2013/film/news/paul-mccartneys-high-in-the-clouds-heading-for-big-screen-1200682182/

Wish we could get more royalty to support animation...
Looks like it had a false start in 2009 -

http://www.michaelspornanimation.com/splog/?p=1891