Export - 3D

afk for 9 months

2011-11-29T19:47:00.001Z

Hi all.

After a long time since I last posted here I thought I might drop by and day hi to all while explain my absence.

In Greece (where I am right now) army is not optional. Every man has to go and spend 9 months there.

I was chosen for the Greek airborne which is supposed to be one of the toughest places to get trained.

I have already spent my first two months so there's only 6 to go! Wish me luck.

Thanks for dropping by.
Fred

The Saga Of Biorn // 3D Short

2011-02-23T04:38:00.000Z

Get Messiah Studio for £6!!

2011-02-08T09:28:00.000Z

Just click the link for more information!!

pmG Dare To Share $10 CG Software Challenge

Major Mouse starts his campaign // Ad

2011-02-06T15:29:00.000Z

One of my favourite ads this time

You May Now // Animated Short

2011-02-06T15:28:00.001Z

A short animated piece about the wonders of stereoscopic 3D in cinemas.

Created by Daniel Keeble and Dane Winn

“Hezarfen” Animated Short

2011-02-05T02:22:00.006Z

Four recent graduates (Tolga Ari, Romain Blanchet, Chung-Yu Huang, Rémy Hurlinfrom) of Supinfocom Arles share their final project with us, Hezarfen.

Hezarfen is a Turkish historical character. The story takes place in 1632 in Turkey where he attempts the first human flight. The legend goes as far as to say that he flew through the Bosphorus, to almost 3 miles away from the tower from which he started.

The movie is much more about how he jumps from this tower. We have created the script together to get another vision of the story. We wanted to make some fresh and bright pictures and let the audience discover the beauty of this legend in our own way.

"The Pig Farmer" by Nick Cross

2011-02-05T01:59:00.001Z

The Pig Farmer is a short animated cartoon by Nick Cross. A simple tale of a wayward soul, awash in an ocean of tragedy and regret.

Animated using Flash CS3 and a Cintiq 21UX tablet.
Backgrounds done in Photoshop CS4
Composited using After Effects CS5 and Final Cut Pro 5.

For more information, visit pyatyletka.blogspot.com

Eatliz - Lose This Child (HD Version)

2011-02-04T23:23:00.001Z

The new stop motion animation music video from art rock group Eatliz, directed by the Grammy nominated directors Yuval & Merav Nathan ("Her Morning Elegance").

The Best Ad Ever!!!

2011-01-29T21:30:00.000Z

RooDoudou

2011-01-28T23:41:00.001Z

Do Penguins Fly?

2011-01-28T23:40:00.000Z

Pen Pals - An Amazing Illustrative Animation by Art Curry

2011-01-26T11:43:00.001Z

ps. for some reason Art Curry's website is not working properly but here is his Twitter

Reasons by Kvamse

2011-01-23T16:24:00.005Z

This guy recently made this video which I really like. If you like it too, go check his other videos on his Vimeo Channel.

He says:

"Time is relative to the observer. So is reality.
One tiny reason could alter the whole perspective"

Reasons

The Beauty of Pixar

2011-01-17T00:14:00.000Z

The Good Little Bunny with the Big Bad Teeth

2011-01-16T23:17:00.002Z

An animated short by Jessica Borutski. The story of a good little bunny with some really big bad teeth.

don’t forget to visit Jessie’s new website: Foolish Kingdom!

“Tous des Monstres” is a Student Film

2011-01-16T21:12:00.001Z

Here is a freaking Weird animation I found.. I may not like it but I still want to share it because it's a very well stylised animation.

Official film website

Tous des Monstres (All of the Monsters) is a student film from Supinfocom directed by Nicolas Deprez, Laurent Jaffier, Pierre Lippens and Gabrielle Lissot. It’s NSFW, but more than that, the imagery is just plain disturbing. The tight little story they constructed around the visuals, with Pinocchio-esque undertones, is impressive for a student CG short, and shows the value of focusing on story and character as well as technique and animation.

article by CartoonBrew

Bouzouki by Night - Awful Greek Restaurant @Manchester

2011-01-14T16:12:00.000Z

First of all I have never seen a restaurant / CLUB (!) again in my life. Usually it's either restaurant OR club.

I went there with my girlfriend on the 31st of December (New Year's Eve) to enjoy the Greek Hospitality (I laugh now) and some good food (laughing louder). I have to say at this point that I am Greek too!

The only good thing that all Greeks know very well how to sell is their fake friendly attitude. I would so much like to spend a nice evening there and write the best review now but they just didn't try. They told us we could have as much food as we wanted for a price per person and that we would have greek live music. Instead of all that they served us 3 plates with awful tin food and a couple of meats that smelled weird and when we went for a smoke outside they took the plates with the reason "We thought you were done!" When we asked to order they said the kitchen was closed. So we would have to drink the bottle of whiskey we bought (which was already opened when we got it btw) with no food at all. When I told them they said "Aren't you full yet?" I didn't know to slap them or laugh at them.

The big surprise came a bit later. Right after the new year change, live music (which was a detuned guitar and a bouzouki playing along with iTunes) stopped and they turned down the lights and changed the music to really loud famous american pop songs (the point is that they were not greek) The question is why would anybody go to a greek restaurant to listen to Black Eyed Peas when Manchester is full of great clubs and pubs for that. When I asked them they said that "some customers are not Greek" !

They totally ruined New Year's Eve for us. I left the restaurant swearing that I'll write about that everywhere. Behaviour, food and hospitality were awful.

Now regarding their Unprofessional website, I would really love to share with you and comment on their "funny" website but I don't want to advertise them in ANY way. Also what's with the double card? These too images I share are from the same professional (lol) card.

Just avoid them and you'll be fine.. This is the first time I feel so disappointed and angry.

Definitely not going there again ever and I'll make sure to spread the word to every Greek and non that I know in UK.

κι επειδή το blog είναι δικό μου και γράφω όπως γουστάρω για την "να'χαμε να λέγαμε" κωλοταβέρνα σας και για να σας το πω και στη γλώσσα σας, πιο "ελληνικά", να το καταλάβετε παλιο ζώα Αντε και γαμηθείτε.

Left Blue

The Truth is - Animated Short

2010-12-18T00:24:00.002Z

This is a short I made for a module for my University called "Facial Modeling and Animation". If there is any comment you would like to share I would really appreciate it.

Shop Vac // Kinetic Typography

2010-12-14T12:19:00.001Z

Ok this starts to feel a little like the amazing week since I found so many absolutely Fantastic shorts and animations! This is the second kinematic typography I found since yesterday and I really don't have any words to describe it. Here is the description from the creator:

" A kinetic typography music video for Jonathan Coulton's Shop Vac. This was created using Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere and Toon Boom Animate.

I worked on this sporadically, so it's difficult to estimate how much time went into it. Somewhere between 500-1000 hours, but it was a labor of love."

Mad As Hell! Kinetic Typography

2010-12-14T02:04:00.000Z

The best Kinetic Typography I've seen so far..
Congratulations to Aaron Leming

450 words individually synced and animated to the famous monologue from the 1976 movie "Network".

Blind Spot

2010-12-12T14:43:00.003Z

Blind Spot by Cécile Dubois-Herry

blindspotthemovie.com/intro.html
Gobelins, l’Ecole de l’Image, Paris, 2007

Co-Directors: Johanna Bessière, Nicolas Chauvelot, Olivier Clert, Cécile Dubois-Herry, Yvon Jardel, Simon Rouby

Award-winning of "La Bourse Lagardere", E Magiciens 2007 Festival for Student Film.

Also Selected in:
• "Official Selection Cinefondation" Cannes Festival 2008
• "Best Student Piece Award" SIGGRAPH 2008
• "School" FICCI Baf 2008
• "Student Competition" ANIMAFEST Zagreb 2008
• "Student Competition" Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film 2008
• Best Student Film Anima Mundi 2008
• Official Selection Imagina 2008
• Official Selection Ottawa 2008
• Official Selection Art Futura 2007

Making Of

Personal Making of the Student Short Film 'Blind Spot', Gobelins, l’Ecole de l’Image, Paris, 2007

On the whole short:
- Storyboard, design and color code researches
- Supervision of an entire character, the cashier lady: modeling, setup & rigging, texturing, some animations, and some dynamics tests.
- The whole rendering (planning, scene preparation, render follow up, problem solving)
- Compositing of 3 shots I animated

Oceansize

2010-12-12T14:34:00.000Z

Oceansize is a short 3D movie made by 4 students of Supinfocom Arles in 2008, Romain Jouandeau, Adrien Chartie, Gilles Mazières and Fabien Thareau.

You can check the official site for more stuffs and informations: oceansize-lefilm.com

Contacts:

Romain Jouandeau:
saikon@free.fr
ro-mainart.blogspot.com/

Adrien Chartie:
adrien_chartie@hotmail.fr

Gilles Mazières:
gilmazieres@hotmail.fr

Fabien Thareau:
russianwarrior@caramail.com

Son: Mario Sogno
myspace.com/nummer123

Webmaster: Jeremy Gallemard
jgallemard@gmail.com

Christmas Time

2010-12-11T15:56:00.000Z

Simon's Cat in 'Santa Claws'

2010-12-11T15:38:00.000Z

SalesMan Pete and Meet Buck by TeamCerf

2010-12-10T14:12:00.003Z

This post is about two shorts I recently found by TeamCerf at their website: salesmanbuck.com

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Now if I may be excused I'll quote cgSociety's post that I found about one of them:

"Buck is an ordinary guy. Well...if you except the "deer head" thing. And today, Buck is gonna spend this cool Sunday afternoon with his girlfriend who's so happy to see him (she's pretty much always happy). But when Buck find out that her father is not the sympathic and tolerant guy he excpected, the Sunday afternoon turns really bad. Baaaaaad. Bad."

Directed By :

Denis Bouyer
rigamix@gmail.com

Yann De Preval
yann_de_preval@hotmail.com

Vincent E Sousa
vinz.esousa@gmail.com
(Rigging reel : vimeo.com/13957690)

Laurent Monneron
laurent.monneron@gmail.com

Sound Design: Julien Begault
julien.begault@gmail.com

Music : Yannis Dumoutiers and Mickaël Védrine
www.yannisdumoutiers.com

Softwares : Photoshop, 3Ds Max, Fusion, Premiere Pro.

Gobelins (( Animated Shorts ))

2010-11-22T00:34:00.002Z

The only thing that I know about gobelins is that they make some GREAT animation and they are located somewhere in France.. here are some shorts that I found on Youtube: (at the end I have the link to their channel on utube for more)

M. Eustache

Chaman

Jean-Luc

Le Royaume

Smoke my Christmas

Monstera Deliciosa

Le lac gelé

Fenrir

Pandore

Le ruban - 红发带

Jelly Sunday

Un tour de manège

and MANY more!!! go check their channel on YouTube

Jean-Luc ( Animated Short )

2010-11-22T00:29:00.000Z

Le Royaume (( Animated Short ))

2010-11-22T00:26:00.001Z

Toy Story 3 storyboard development

2010-11-06T13:50:00.000Z

The Pixar Blog: Toy Story 3 storyboard development: "With Toy Story 3 coming out on Blu-ray and DVD tomorrow, Disney/Pixar released this set of storyboard development images from the 'Thrown Aw..."

Maya tips - Hypershade //Tutorial by JDT

2010-11-05T21:08:00.000Z

Here is a tutorial about Hypershade in Maya by James Thompson

“Todor and Petru”

2010-11-05T21:04:00.000Z

One more post from CartoonBrew is about the short "Todor & Petru". Find the original post from Cartoon Brew at the end of the post.

Todor & Petru is an unofficial music video for The Thunderclaps’ “Judgment Day” made by Gobelins students Remi Bastie, Nicolas Dehghani, Jonathan Djob Nkondo, Nicolas Pegon and Jérémy Pires during an internship at Paris-based WIZZ.

I’ll admit that I dismissed the piece as nothing special the first time I watched it, but I was quite impressed the second time around when I paid closer attention and realized what they were actually doing. The combination of drawn animation (Flash?) and pixilated live-action is mixed together very smartly. It’s done in such a way so that the piece has the cinematic bravado of a computer animated film while retaining the organic and expressive design qualities of drawn animation. It’s a worthwhile experiment that merits further exploration, and pushes Todor & Petru beyond the typical combo of 2D animation over live elements.
Their Vimeo account also features this earlier piece that appears to be a test or development for Todor & Petru:

(Thanks, DVO and Rohit Iyer)

Thanks, CartoonBrew!

Here is the link to the original post from CartoonBrew

“The Kandinsky Effect” by Manu Meyre

2010-11-05T20:54:00.000Z

Something for the fine art buffs: a music promo for The Kandinsky Effect using a piece of art by their namesake.

CREDITS
Director and motion designer : Manu Meyre
Painter : Vassily Kandinsky, Composition VIII (1923)
Music: The Kandinsky Effect, “Girl/Boy Song” (edit)
(via Fashion Buddha’s Twitter)

Walt Disney's Tick Tock Tale

2010-11-05T20:52:00.000Z

A preview of the latest short from Walt Disney Animation Studios—Tick Tock Tale directed by Dean Wellins.

10.000 views!

2010-11-05T20:46:00.000Z

My visitor counter shows that I had 10000 views and it's rewarding me by zeroing out the counting.. :S Thank you all for your time and my next move is to change the counter.. : )

“In the Beginning” by Katie Wendt

2010-11-05T20:38:00.003Z

Kirsten Lepore Talks to CartoonBrew about “Bottle”

2010-11-05T20:35:00.003Z

First I have to apologize to guys from Cartoon Brew for copying this but I thing it's so totally great that needs to be reposted at as many blogs as possible. Find the original link at CartoonBrew's post at the end of the post.

" I wrote about Kirsten Lepore’s short Bottle last month, and enjoyed it so much, that I asked her to answer a few questions about her work. The interview, conducted via email is below. For more about her work, visit KirstenLepore.com.

CARTOON BREW: The idea of a relationship between two natural elements seems so obvious in retrospect, but I’ve never seen it before. Where did the spark for the idea come from?

KIRSTEN LEPORE: I had the initial spark about two winters ago while I was home in New Jersey. I think I was just looking at all the snow in the backyard and thinking how cool it would be to animate a snowman. I’d never seen it done, and it was definitely something I knew I had to try at some point — it was just a matter of having the time and coming up with the right story.

CARTOON BREW: Did you really animate all that snow? Last year, my hands froze just trying to build a still snowman. I can’t imagine doing animation with snow, and it not looking something like THIS.

KIRSTEN LEPORE: Yep! It was all real snow, moved frame by frame. Every time I got out there to shoot, I had to rebuild the character (which was about 3 feet tall). It was also pretty physically grueling pushing around massive snowballs (that probably weighed more than me), running back and forth between the camera and the character every frame, and dealing with wet gloves, boots, and pants. There were too many obstacles to even name! My brain hurts just thinking about it.

CARTOON BREW: Were you building and moving these characters by yourself or did you have help? Did you build rigs underneath? Were you able to review your animation as you were shooting? In other words, how’d you do it?

KIRSTEN LEPORE: It probably would have been much easier with a crew, but I’m stubborn so I did the whole thing by myself. I also would have felt really guilty making someone else stand out in the snow for 8 hours a day. In terms of the technique, there were no rigs needed for the snow as most things stuck together pretty well (or would freeze together if it was cold enough). I wanted so badly for the beach character to be pure sand, but after countless tests, I couldn’t get him tall enough without crumbling, so I had to build a trompe l’oeil foam puppet covered with a mixture of sand and vegetable shortening.
The puppet also wasn’t constructed very well so I ended up needing a ton of small rigs to hold up the arms and some of the objects. I wouldn’t dare bring my beloved compy on the beach, so I had no frame grabbing software either. I could only see an approximate review of what I shot by using the turning wheel on the back of the 7D to “flip” through the frames. I even tried to skip this when I could (simply to avoid touching the camera) because my hands were usually either soaking wet or totally greasy with sand and Crisco. Yum. I just posted a micro making-of that shows other parts of the process as well:

CARTOON BREW: After this, do you prefer to animate outside where all of nature is your set or the controlled environment of a studio?

KIRSTEN LEPORE: I definitely prefer a controlled studio, but it was nice not having to build any sets for the piece. It’ll probably be a few years before I can consider shooting outdoors again; I’d need time to forget how nightmarish the process was.

CARTOON BREW: You graduated from Maryland Institute College of Art a few years ago, and then decided to pursue a graduate degree in Experimental Animation at CalArts, which is where you made Bottle. Why did you decide to continue school instead of jumping straight into the industry?
After I graduated from MICA I wasn’t sure if I wanted to pursue a graduate degree, so I actually did freelance in animation for two years before coming to CalArts. I needed some time after undergrad to prove to myself that I could make a living doing animation. That “real life” experience was invaluable upon enrolling at CalArts as I already felt much more prepared and confident than if I had enrolled while I was fresh out of MICA. My decision to go to grad school was mainly fueled by the desire to make my own films again, the prospect of connecting with other animators, and to have the option of eventually teaching at a collegiate level. Also, I knew it would force me to move out to California, which is where I felt I needed to be.

CARTOON BREW: What are you working on right now and where do you hope you end up after graduating again?

KIRSTEN LEPORE: Right now I’m doing a few freelance projects and developing my thesis, which I’ll be working on for the next two years. After graduation it’d be great to continue freelancing and directing.

CARTOON BREW: What are some of the things that are currently inspiring you, both within and outside of animation?

KIRSTEN LEPORE: There’s so much! I just got back from the Vimeo Awards where I had the opportunity to meet so many creators that I respect and admire, which was totally amazing and inspiring. So many of the films and speakers got me pumped and eager to get back into the studio to produce new work. Outside of animation, I’ve taken up drumming again which I’m pretty excited about. I’m also usually in the kitchen cooking up some weird concoction. I’m proud to report I recently got over my fear of preparing eggplant, and (unrelated to the eggplant) may have mastered the art of the Vietnamese summer roll. "

Here is the original post from CartoonBrew

How to Train an Animator, by Walt Disney

2010-11-05T20:28:00.000Z

" It's difficult to overstate the importance of the following eight-page memo. Written by Walt Disney in December of 1935 to Don Graham - a highly respected art teacher from Chounaird Art Institute tasked with helming art classes for Disney animators - this missive signalled the birth of a structured training program that would subsequently enable Walt's studio to produce hit-after-hit during the Golden Age of Animation. For aspiring animators, this is absolutely essential reading; for everyone else, assuming you have even the slightest interest in the development of one of the world's most influential entertainment companies, this is simply an engrossing, inspiring read. " says the letters of note

Here is the letter and at the end of the post you can find the link to letters of note to check the original document scanned!!!

Transcript

WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS
INTER-OFFICE COMMUNICATION

DATE DECEMBER 23, 1935
TO DON GRAHAM
FROM WALT

Right after the holidays, I want to get together with you and work out a very systematic training course for young animators, and also outline a plan of approach for our older animators.

Some of our established animators at the present time are lacking in many things, and I think we should arrange a series of courses to enable these men to learn and acquire the things they lack.

Naturally the first most important thing for any animator to know is how to draw. Therefore it will be necessary that we have a good life drawing class. But you must remember Don, that while there are many men who make a good showing in the drawing class, and who, from your angle, seem good prospects - these very men lack in some other phase of the business that is very essential to their success as animators.

I have found that men respond much more readily to classes dealing with practical problems than to more theoretic treatment. Therefore I think it would be a very good idea to appeal to these men by conducting these classes with the practical approach in mind. In other words, try to show in these classes that the men can make immediate practical application of what they are being taught.

The talks given by Fergy, Fred Moore, Ham Luske, and Fred Spencer, have been enthusiastically received by all those in attendance. Immediately following these talks, I have noticed a great change in animation. Some men have made close to 100% improvement in the handling and timing of their work. This strikes me as pointing a way toward the proper method of teaching in the future.

The following occurs to me as a method of procedure:

Take the most recent pictures - minutely analyze all the business, action, and results, using the better pieces of animation as examples going thru the picture with these questions in mind:

1. What was the idea to be presented?
2. How was the idea presented?
3. What result was achieved?
4. After seeing this result - what could have been done to the picture from this point on, to improve it?

Encourage discussion on the part of the men present; if possible, have some of the animators over to talk to them about the problems they were confronted with in the picture, and what the animator himself would do if he had the chance to do the animation over.

I believe these classes could be combined for presentation to all the animators, young and old as well.

It wouldn’t be bad if you made up a list of the qualifications of an animator in order of importance. Then all these men could see what it takes to be an animator, and could check on themselves to see how nearly they approach the desired perfection.

The list should start with the animators ability to draw; then, ability to visualize action, breaking it down into drawings and analyze the movement the mechanics of the action. From this point, we would come to his ability to caricature action - to take a natural human action and see the exaggerated funny side of it - to anticipate the effect or illusion created in the mind of the person viewing that action. It is important also for the animator to be able to study sensation and to feel the force behind sensation, in order to project that sensation. Along with this, the animator should know what creates laughter - why do things appeal to people as being funny.

In other words, a good animator combines all these qualities:

Good draftsmanship
Knowledge of caricature, of action as well as features.
Knowledge and appreciation of acting
Ability to think up gags and put over gags
Knowledge of story construction and audience values
Knowledge and understanding of all the mechanical and detailed routine involved in his work, in order that he may be able to apply his other abilities without becoming tied up in a knot by lack of technique along these lines.

This is all very rough - just a jumble of thoughts - but what I plan is that we get together after the holidays, as suggested above, and really get these plans worked out in detail. Then we should strive to see that all the men whom we are drilling for animators, are given the chance to develop along the lines outlined.

I am convinced that there is a scientific approach to this business, and I think we shouldn’t give up until we have found out all we can about how to teach these young fellows the business.

The first duty of the cartoon is not to picture or duplicate real action or things as they actually happen - but to give a caricature of life and action - to picture on the screen things that have run thru the imagination of the audience to bring to life dream fantasies and imaginative fancies that we have all thought of during our lives or have had pictured to us in various forms during our lives. Also to caricature things of life as it is today - or make fantasies of things we think of today.

The point must be made clear to the men that our study of the actual is not so that we may be able to accomplish the actual, but so that we may have a basis upon which to go into the fantastic, the unreal, the imaginative - and yet to let it have a foundation of fact, in order that it may more richly possess sincerity and contact with the public.

A good many of the men misinterpret the idea of studying the actual motion. They think it is our purpose merely to duplicate these things. This misconception should be cleared up for all. I definitely feel that we cannot do the fantastic things, based on the real, unless we first know the real. This point should be brought out very clearly to all new men, and even the older men.

Comedy, to be appreciated, must have contact with the audience. This we all know, but sometimes forget. By contact, I mean that there must be a familiar, sub-conscious association. Somewhere, or at some time, the audience has felt, or met with, or seen, or dreamt, the situation pictured. A study of the best gags and audience reaction we have had, will prove that the action or situation is something based on an imaginative experience or a direct life connection. This is what I mean by contact with the audience. When the action or the business loses its contact, it becomes silly and meaningless to the audience.

Therefore, the true interpretation of caricature is the exaggeration of an illusion of the actual; or the sensation of the actual put into action. In our animation we must not only show the actions or reactions of a character, we must picture also with the action the feelings of those characters. My experience has shown me that the most hilarious of comedies is always based on things actual, possible, or probable. That idea, behind the things I just mentioned above, can be incorporated in every stage of instruction - from the life drawing clear on thru to the planning and staging of the work.

I have often wondered why, in your life drawing class, you don’t have your men look at the model and draw a caricature of the model, rather than an actual sketch. But instruct them to draw the caricature in good form, basing it on the actual model. I noticed a little caricature of one of the models in the life class made by Ward Kimball, and it struck me that there was an approach to the work that we should give consideration. I don’t see why using this method, you can’t give the class all the fundamentals of drawing the need and still combine the work with the development of a sense of caricature.

Would it be a good idea to take a man like Joe Grant and see what could be worked out with him along the lines of giving a talk some night on an approach to caricature, a Harpo caricature - what he sees and what he thinks about when he is trying to make a caricature. It might be advisable to have a talk with Joe on this.

I started out early last fall to work out some sort of system with you for teaching elementary phases of animation in a systematic way. My thought at that time was not to go too straight. That’s why I wanted to get somebody to demonstrate various walks in a comic way.

I still think this is a very good idea, and constitutes a far better approach for the younger men than giving them too many straight natural things that direct their minds to the unimaginative end of the business. It is possible that with the comedy, you can still teach them the fundamentals of all these actions.

Take for example, the walk. Why can’t you teach the fundamentals of a straight walk yet combine it with some person that is giving an exaggeration or a comic interpretation of a straight walk. Perhaps for very elementary instruction, it might be best to present straight action; but not to keep giving them straight action as they progress and gain a little experience... Start them going into the comedy angle or caricature angle of the action. For example - a fat person, with a big pot belly: What comedy illusion does he give you?

You could at the same time instruct the classes regarding the reason why he has to move a certain way (because of his weight, etc.) Present the walk soliciting discussion on:

What illusion does that person, fat with pot-belly, give you as you see him?
What do you think of as you see him walking along?
Does he look like a bowl of jelly?
Does he look like an inflated balloon with arms and legs dangling?
Does he look like a roly-poly?

In other words, analyze the fat person's walk and the reasons for his walking that way.... BUT DON’T STOP UNTIL YOU’VE HAD THE GROUP BRING OUT ALL THE COMEDY THAT CAN BE EXPRESSED WITH THAT FAT PERSON’S WALK; also all the character - but drive for the comedy side of the character.

Take a skinny person - somebody that’s loose jointed, angular, shoulder blades showing - what does he suggest? Does he look hung together with wires like a walking skeleton? Does he look like a marionette flopping around? Does he look like a scarecrow blowing in the wind? What illusion is created by the walk, by the movement, of that skinny loose-jointed person?

In discussing a short person, with short legs - he would naturally have quick movements - seems to move very fast - would have to take twice as many steps as a taller person, thus making him look as if he were going at a greater speed. What illusion do you get from a person like that? Does he strike you as a little toy wound up and running around on wheels? Does he look like a little Pekinese pup? A dwarf? or midget?

There are a number of things that could be brought up in these discussions to stir the imagination of the men, so that when they get into actual animation, they’re not just technicians, but they’re actually creative people.

In the study of other problems, is it possible to bring out more the exaggeration of form and action - as in the study of the balance of the body? Can we bring that out even to an exaggerated point? It will probably make it stronger to them - make them realize more the necessity of that balance of the body - and yet point out how they can utilize that to strengthen their business when they get into animation, as in bending. In someone bending over - can we show the exaggeration in that action by showing how the pants pull up in back to an exaggerated degree that becomes comical? Can we show how the coat stretches across the back, and the
sleeves pull up and the arms seem to shoot out as from a turtle-neck as they shoot out of the sleeves? What can we do to bring these points out stronger to the men?

In lifting, for example - or other actions - we should drive at the fundamentals of the animation, and at the same time, incorporate the caricature. When someone is lifting a heavy weight, what do you feel? Do you feel that something is liable to crack any minute and drop down? Do you feel that because of the pressure he’s got, he’s going to blow up, that his face is going to turn purple, that his eyes are going to bulge out of their sockets, that the tension in the arm is so terrific that he’s going to snap? What sensations do you get from someone rising - different ways of rising? Sitting? When somebody is sitting - when he sits down and relaxes, does it look as if all the wind goes out of him? Does he look like a loose bag of nothing? Also, in pushing... in the extremeness of a push, the line shoots right down from the fingertips clear down to the heel. In pulling - show the stretch, and all that. Bring out the caricature of those various actions, at the same time driving at the fundamentals of them - the actual.

The various expressions in the body are important. The animators go thru animation and don’t make the positions of the body - hold positions and relaxed positions - express anything. They try to do all the expression with the parts that are moving, whereas the body should enter into it. Without the body entering into the animation, the other things are lost immediately. Examples - an arm hung on to a body it doesn’t belong to, or an arm working and thinking all by itself. I think something could be worked out to develop this point, even if you got a person up behind a screen, a model perhaps, and threw a light on them. Have the class do nothing but watch the silhouette as the model goes thru different poses, noting how the body enters into the expression of an action. Or we could photograph the action to show to the men. The study of this would be a big help toward making the men realize the value of getting the story and the business over in the rough drawings that is the action itself, rather than depending on little trimmings, on the clothes, facial expressions, and things like that to put over the business.

If the animators get the groundwork right, that is, the action underneath all these trimmings right - then what they add is going to be twice as effective. It’s a very important point that we must impress on the new men and the older men.

After we have given the men all the suggestions we can that have to do with expressing ideas through the body, then we can come down to the value of the facial expression - the use of the eyes, eyebrows, the mouth - their relation to one another - how the eyes and the mouth have to work together sometimes for expression - how they may work independently for expression at other times. In other words, then we would go into the combined use of expressive features and expressive actions of the body. Then it would be good to take one away from the other, and see which is the most important.

We should have courses in staging and planning. These courses can be given by some of our more successful animators.

Also we should try to show how to analyze a scene or piece of business before starting to work on it. We should try to show the men ways of visualizing action in their minds, breaking the action so that the men are prepared in advance to begin animation of the action and know thoroughly what they are going to animate. So many of the men start in now and have no idea what they’re going to do when they start the scene. They know what they’re supposed to do, but they can’t break it down in a systematic way that will enable them to go knowingly ahead.

Many men do not realize what really makes things move - why they move - what the force behind the movement is. I think a course along that line, accompanied by practical examples of analysis and planning, would be very good. In other words, in most instances, the driving force behind the action is the mood, the personality, the attitude of the character - or all three. Therefore, the mind is the pilot. We think of things before the body does them. We also do things on the spur of the moment by reaction to stimuli that are telegraphed to the mind by the nerves, etc. There are also things carried out by the subconscious mind - reflexes, actions that have become habit through repetition, instincts. In other words, the subconscious mind is an assistant often times in carrying out things that may or may not have been taught, Examples of that are sleeping, lighting a cigarette and throwing a match away without any thought, whistling, walking, running, sitting, etc. It’s not necessary to think of those actions.

But certain actions we do think about - certain actions we deliberately plan. We plan them very quickly in our mind. The point to bring out here is that when a character knows what he’s going to do, he doesn’t have to stop before each individual action and think to do it. He has planned in advance in his mind. For example - say the mind thinks, "I’ll close the door - lock it - then I’m going to undress, and go to bed." Well, you walk over to the door - before the walk is finished, you’re reaching for the door ... before the door is closed, you reach for the key ... before the door is locked, you’re turning away - while you’re walking away, you’re undoing your tie - and before you reach the bureau, you have your tie off. In other words, before you know it, you’re undressed - and you’ve done it with one thought, "I’m going to go to bed."

A lot of valuable points could be brought out to the men in showing them that it is not necessary for them to take a character to one point, complete that action completely, and then turn to the following action as if he had never given it a thought until after completing the first action. Anticipation of action is important.

This enters into animation in many ways and we have many serious difficulties coming up because of the men’s inability to visualize things in the proper way.

I think a good study of music would be indispensable to the animator - a realization on their part of how primitive music is, how natural it is for people to want to go to music - a study of rhythm, the dance - the various rhythms that enter into our lives every day - how rhythmical the body really is - and how well balanced the body really is. That, in itself, is music. In other words, it could be music in the body. We dance - we can keep time to rhythm without ever being taught - a baby does it - cannibals do it. But fancy dancing or any trick stuff, we have to learn. There are things in life that we do to rhythm that come natural to us. Notice how rhythmic an action like pounding with a hammer is! There’s a reason for that. You must have that rhythm or you can’t carry out that action completely. Also, sawing a board. See how necessary it is to have a good rhythm for that. Also, walking ... if you walked without rhythm, where would you get? You’d have to be thinking all the time what to do next. You’d have to set your mind to walking rhythmically, instead of doing it naturally.

Naturally the body is very well balanced. When one hand dose something, the other serves as a balance to it. There are various things that combine balance in the body - subconscious balance ... and yet the animators do not know it. They will do something with one hand - they don’t know what to do with the other, so they will do something entirely contrary to what that hand should be doing, because they don’t understand the basic concept of balance. This idea of balance of the body ties in with the idea of expression of the body. If there is balance, it adds expression to the things that the body is doing. If you don’t have that balance of the body, then your expressions are wrong, insincere, unconvincing. Those concepts also tie in with overlapping action.

In other words, we could work out all these basic concepts in such a way as to show them all related, interdependent, and have to do with each other, and we could tie them together in various ways, showing different combinations of their application. We will thus stir up the men’s minds more, and they will begin to think of a lot of these things that would never occur to them otherwise if the way weren’t pointed out to them.

I’d like also to have a study of dialog. I want to prepare a course on dialog - phrasing and rhythm of dialog, moods and character of dialog, expressions, gestures, directness, use of the eyes, eyebrows, mouth, head, arms, body, tongue, inhalation and exhalation, and various other aspects that have to do with the successful picturization of dialog in the cartoon. Let’s see if we can’t organize something like this and get it going right after the first of the year.

ad
4 c.
12-23-35

find the original document and the post by letters of note here

Re-posting interesting articles and shorts

2010-11-05T20:23:00.000Z

So I was looking at all those pages I save from different blogs every once in a while (in order to take a look at them later) and I found some really interesting stuff and I thought it would be great if everyone could see that. So even though the some of them were posted to "big" blogs like Cartoon Brew with lots of followers I am re-posting them here (in the next few posts) thanking all guys from CartoonBrew and the rest of blogs for the good job.

Dragon Boy

2010-10-22T22:09:00.004+01:00

Dragon Boy took the first place in my favourites a couple of weeks ago and now it's time to post it so that everybody can watch it. Congratulations to the creators.. enjoy

Compositing Reel:

Shot Breakdown

Iron Baby // short Cg film- trailer

2010-10-22T21:56:00.002+01:00

Here comes a Live action short with Computer Graphic Effects from Patrick Boivin
enjoy!

Get Out (French Animated Short)

2010-10-21T15:46:00.006+01:00

Here is another short I found with great concept and fantastic animation. enjoy:

Get Out

here is the making of:

Also here is Julien Fourvel's Demo reel including some scenes from Get out:

Pinochio takes Jim Carrey's place and he can't tell the truth!

2010-10-15T03:41:00.003+01:00

Export3D has just been connected to my flickr account. That's so that I can help my uni work and get some feedback from here as well (if anybody say that my tutor asked me to do it he's lying!!) Speaking about lies let me give you a hint of what I am about to do for my "Facial Modeling and Animation" class this semeser.

I selected a scene from the movie "Liar liar" where Jim Carrey tests his ability of lying with a pen! Here is the full scene:

So I am replacing the blue pen with a red one and Jim Carrey with Pinochio. That will make Pinochio trying to tell a truth! Unfortunately he will end up with a huge nose!! here is my animatic for the moment:

More details and pics in a bit. Stay tuned!!!

Pixar's new Short: Day and Night

2010-07-02T15:51:00.003+01:00

Hey folks, I am back after a long brake and here I've got a teaser from Pixar's latest short Day and Night!

"Directed by Teddy Newton, it combines a throwback '50s vibe with modern technology to tell a story of two figures -- one representing day and one representing night -- who learn to appreciate each other's unique offerings. The mute figures are little more than silhouettes, created in traditional, hand-drawn animation, and prone to "Looney Tunes"-like outbursts of anger and wolf-whistles. Their emotions, however, are expressed in 3-D, computer-animated scenes framed by those silhouettes.

For the character of Day, those scenes always take place during daylight hours (a beach scene, fighter jets roaring through the sky, a rainbow). For Night, they're always night scenes (fireflies, fireworks, a lighthouse). The whole thing is set to a score by Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino ("Up").

Having trouble picturing it? You're not the only one. "Toy Story 3" director Lee Unkrich said that even after he heard Newton's pitch, he wasn't sure what was in store. "

Mike Scott, The Times-Picayune

Have a look and then right below it there's a making of!

Enjoy!

-----

Nickelodeon looking for Artists

2010-03-12T20:05:00.000Z

Hey all. I've been away those last weeks because of all my assignments for my university. After I’m done I am thinking about posting everything here hoping to get some feedback from anybody : )

Anyway, back to our topic now I just read somewhere that Nickelodeon Animation Studios is looking for several artists for its newest show, Robot and Monster: Best Friends Forever!

So for anybody interested here is the link at cartoonsnap where you can read some more information about it and why not apply too! ;)

cya

Madagascar Escape 2 Africa: Home made Teaser Trailer

2010-02-16T20:08:00.004Z

I just wanted to have a break from my character and from maya, so I thoughed It would be agood idea to make a trailer out of a scene (which made me laugh so hard) from the movie I watched last night. Here it is:

New Trailer for Toy Story 3

2010-02-11T18:24:00.006Z

Today Disney and Pixar released a new trailer for Toy Story 3.

Watch the trailer here

A.D. Teaser Trailer - Animation with Zombies!!

2010-02-04T00:39:00.008Z

Ben Hibon (director)
Haylar Garcia (writer/creator)
Bernie Goldmann (producer)

Tarik Heitmann (producer)

"Ben: We set out to create a visual universe that distinguished itself from the classic zombie formula. Translating Haylar’s script into animation was the first step to making this project unique. Animation very rarely ventures into mature and dark territories. It’s very important to define a strong and bold look for this movie, create our own visual benchmark. A.D. has definitely its very own identity that serves the purpose of the movie; it’s stylised and graphical, but very gritty and textured just like the reality and the world the story is set in.

Haylar: Feature Film all the way baby! Ben Hibon is like a blessing from heaven, (maybe hell in this case). His overall vision is what sets this thing apart from anything ever seen. His input was vital in shaping the world, the feeling, and even the characters on our most current rewrite. His intrinsic talent for narrative in the visual sense is literally the electricity that powers the script’s execution…. Did I just say execution?

Bernie: Whenever you want to do anything that challenges the way people think about movies things move slowly. Movie executives want to make 100 versions of the same movie. Which from their perspective makes sense. You don’t get fired for making the Reese Witherspoon romantic comedy. I completely believe that AD will be a hit movie. The zombie genre could use some reinvention. This movie will be like no other. "

wanna read more?
thanks to zombieinfo.com

Oscar Nominations in detail – Best Animated Short Films

2010-02-03T19:28:00.009Z

Many of the smaller Oscar Film categories tend to get ignored so we’ve decided to profile all the short films that are nominated for Academy Awards in 2010. First of all we’re taking a look at the 5 films up for Best Animated Short Film, and have posted our review and the films below (or trailer if its not available) so you can watch them all.

French Roast
This 7 minute French short film has no need for subtitles as there’s only a few words of dialogue. It’s a simple and revealing portrait of everyday habits as we follow a French customer at a cafe and his interactions as he realises he has forgotten his wallet. Wiht some great moments of comedy it’s easy to see why this one is on the Oscar shortlist. It comes from filmmaker Fabrice O. Jouberts who has worked on feature animation titles like Flushed Away, Shark Tale and Wallace and Gromit Curse of the Were Rabbit and French Roast has already won the Best animation award at the ANIMA Animation Festival last year In Argentina.

Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty (my favourite) :p
This short by Irish filmmaker Nicky Phelan is a humorous look at how we treat the elderly, as a Grandma reads her own version of Sleeping Beauty to her granddaughter at bedtime. With a mixture of animation styles in granny’s version Sleeping Beauty was punished by her granny because Beauty’s family ignored granny as they thought she was old – it wquickly becomes clear Granny O’Grimm’s is bitter about how she is treated by her own family as an old person. This is quite funny and at only 6 minutes long its well deserved of its nomination.

The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)

We have posted the trailer for this short 8 minute film below but you can watch the whole thing at the films offical site at http://212.227.136.88/press/ . This Spanish short comes form first time filmmaker Javier Recio Gracia and tells the tale of another old lady but this one is patiently waiting for her death so she can join her husband in heaven. However when she finally does die she wakes up to find she has been saved from deaths door by a doctor.

Watch the Video

Logorama
This film won the Best Short Film at the Stockholm Film Festival last year and is a film by French collective H5 (filmmakers Francois Alaux, Herve de Crecy and Ludovic Houplain). It is a satirical and intersting look at corporate branding as its set in a world full of literally hundreds and thousands of logos, where the characters are all well known brand representations such as the Michelin man and theres even a gun-toting Ronald McDonald. Its full of violence and swearing so beware before you watch!

A Matter of Loaf and Death
The last short on the list will be known to most frontrow readers already as it is Nick Parks tale of the lovable duo Wallace and his dog, Gromit. In this tale Wallace and Gromit open a bakery but someone is out to get the bakers so they have to keep their wits about them. Its hilarious and by far my favourite on the animated short list but then I’ve loved Wallace and Gromit since early childhood. It’s probably the favourite for the Oscar as well having won a last years Bafta’s among others. We can’t post the whole film but here’s the trailer – this is also the only film that is currently available to buy.

A Matter of Loaf and Death from Hormoz Zamanpour Siahkal on Vimeo.

Thanks to: Front Row Reviews

CARTOONS OF 1939

2010-02-02T16:40:00.005Z

" Film historians have long declared the year 1939 the pinnacle of Hollywood movie making. But what about the cartoons?

Cartoon buff Ted Watts is reviewing all 158 Hollywood cartoon short subjects (and one feature) produced in that banner year, 70 years ago, one at a time in release order, on a new blog called Cartoons of 1939.

Ted provides plot information, credits and lots of frame grabs. It’s a fun idea. If you want to start at the beginning, click here. "

taken from www.cartoonbrew.com

Mike Burton's Web Page - One Inspired Graphic Designer

2010-01-29T18:16:00.003Z

Again this morning I found this web site and I was so amazed by that guys portfolio. He's one of those graphic designers that I always admired for their ability to create this very unique kind of work.

His name; Mike Burton. Please take a look at his work.
www.mikeyburton.com

Thumb on Fire

2010-01-26T20:15:00.003Z

Last Morning I thought I should start "playing" with After Effects a little bit more. So I thought it would be a good idea to start experimenting on my what I know about fire effects. I made the fire with no pre-made or default effects, using fractal noise. Anyone who wants to know more about how I made it leave a comment and I'll make a small video explaining exactly what I did.
ps. Lioufters is my name in some kind of slang :P

Videogioco-Loop Experiment

2010-01-26T18:58:00.004Z

Nothing to say for animations like this one. Really creative..

videogioco-loop experiment on Vimeo.

The Stormy Petrel (2004) by Alexei Turkus

2010-01-10T16:29:00.002Z

"Here’s a film I hadn’t seen before, and I want thank Brew reader Michael Lanigan for bringing it to my attention. It’s a great example of current Russian animation, much of which is still unseen by the Western world. The Stormy Petrel (2004) is by Alexei Turkus (full credits here), and was produced at Russia’s leading animation studio Argus International. It satirizes the poem Song of the Stormy Petrel by Maxim Gorky and serves as a commentary on the Russian educational system. It’s nine minutes and definitely worth watching - it gets crazier and crazier as it goes on."
Taken from Cartoon Brew

Surreal CG film about architecture

2010-01-08T22:51:00.001Z

The Third & The Seventh on Vimeo.

A FULL-CG animated piece that tries to illustrate architecture art across a photographic point of view where main subjects
are already-built spaces. Sometimes in an abstract way. Sometimes surreal.

thirdseventh.com/

From YouTube to Hollywood!!

2010-01-08T17:57:00.002Z

A film producer from Uruguay got an offer for a 30 million dollars contract from a big production company in Hollywood (Ghost House Pictures), after he uploaded an animation video on youtube.

The 5min short movie directed and animated by Fede Alvarez with the title "Ataque de Panico" (Panic Attack) shows Giant robots invading Montevideo!

You can find the music of the film in the soundrack of the movie 28 Days Later, made by Godspeed You Black Emperor

Pixar's Intro Parody

2009-12-22T03:23:00.008Z

I don't really know exactly who made this but I have to say it made me laugh so loud that I woke up my neighbors for sure. Take a look at it here

Alma - An awarded Animation Short

2009-12-21T23:11:00.009Z

About a month ago here in Bradford we had the annual Animation Festival, where I first saw "Alma".We fairly gave it the Grand Prix Award. I still consider it as one of my favorite animation shorts.

More Info: almashortfilm.com

Alma from Rodrigo Blaas on Vimeo.

Shrek: The Final Chapter 2010

2009-12-18T16:51:00.001Z

SHREK is back.

MIKE MYERS, CAMERON DIAZ, EDDIE MURPHY and ANTONIO BANDERAS have returned to lend their voices to the latest, and last, instalment of the hit animation franchise.

DC Universe - Mass Animation - Animation Contest

2009-12-09T22:27:00.001Z

This December DC Universe is making an Animation Contest giving us already rigged models, animatic, sound and most important the software!! (Maya) Have some free time? Choose the scene you like the most from their list and download the files to start animating.

Here is the link for the trailer:
www.massanimation.com

And here you can find everything you need for the contest:
DC Universe Animation Contest @ Facebook

Enjoy Animation Time!

Rosebleed- A very promising Band

2009-12-08T19:25:00.005Z

Rosebleed is a 5 piece alternative experimental rock band from Athens, Greece with male vocals. The members of the band came together in 2004. Rosebleed believe that music has to evolve into something better and new as the years go by, so thats what they're trying to do by experimentation and by not imprisoning their creativity in one specific genre of music. The band has a wide range of influences from classic bands like the cure and nick cave and the bad seeds to modern rock bands like placebo and many more. Enjoy the music!!!

Rosebleed - Until Next Time on Vimeo.

Nando Costa - His great online portfolio

2009-12-08T18:41:00.002Z

This is Nando Costa, a graphic artist focused in illustration and animation living in Portland. Check out his site for his great illustrations and animations!!

www.nandocosta.com

Happiness Is Overrated (UK Video) - The Airborne Toxic Event

2009-12-08T15:10:00.002Z

French Roast

2009-12-08T03:14:00.003Z

A beautiful short animated film I've seen at Bradford's Animation Festival which also won the "Best Professional film" award. Go check it out at www.frenchroast.fr

Moby - Pale Horses

2009-12-07T16:59:00.001Z

City Harvest: Making Of

2009-12-07T16:29:00.003Z

I just found out that the hole video was filmed on iPhone (!) using attached led tracking system!!! Check out the following topic at Its art Forum.

"Lost Teddy Bear" Ford Everest Animated Commercial

2009-12-05T01:53:00.002Z

For the launch of the new Ford model Everest they created a TV commercial which tries to show that the new SUV is suitable for adventure and nature loving people. The commercial features a family who goes for a walk in the nature. The man looses his key from the Ford Everest they came with. The key pendant, a cute bear, struggles through the forest to return to the car. ( funny commercials world )

Credits:
Agency: JWT
Creative Director: Paul Strappini
Art Director: Neil Lindsay
Copywriter: Aadil Dhalech
Producer: Cathy Collins
Production: Luma
Animation Director: Paul Meyer
Team Leader and VFX: Erik Kruger
Lighting and animation: Tim Morer
Modelling and animation: Sue Sauer
VFX and tracking: George Bergh
Tracking: Ryan Crocker
Animation, Lighting: Martin Sen
Animation: Sam Cutler
Matte Painting: Brendan Noeth
Compositng/Flame: Jean du Plessis
Producer: Nikki Shackleford
Director: Greg Rom
Producer: Julia Schnurr

"A Happy Holiday" animated commercial for the UPS Store

2009-12-04T23:29:00.001Z

Making of "Meet Meline" : The Creation of a 3D Animated Short Film

2009-12-04T21:06:00.003Z

This is a 12-minutes featurette with behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, talks about the story, the characters and the environments, shot breakdowns and much more : the Art of making a short film!

The official trailer of "Meet Meline" : vimeo.com/3872070
More information on the official website : meetmeline.com

MEET MELINE : THE MAKING OF (Sebastien Laban and Virginie Goyons) from Sebastien LABAN on Vimeo.

"HEY" - Awarded Animated Music Video by Eatliz

2009-12-04T20:16:00.003Z

One of the Best Animated Music Videos I have seen lately which also recently won the "Best Music Animation Video" award at Bradford's Animation Festival..

Eatliz - Hey

'Hey' Music Video by Eatliz (HD) from Studio Aiko on Vimeo.

"Pigeon: Impossible"

2009-11-30T22:39:00.010Z

"Pigeon Impossible is the tale of Walter, a rookie secret agent faced with a problem seldom covered in basic training: what to do when a curious pigeon gets trapped inside your multi-million dollar, government-issued nuclear briefcase.

The film took nearly 5 years to complete and is the first attempt at animation by writer/director Lucas Martell: "When the project started, it was mostly an excuse to learn 3D animation, but by the end of the project I had spent so much time reworking and polishing the story that I just wanted people to laugh."

The end-result is a hilarious 6-minute romp through the streets of Washington D.C. as our hero fights to save himself, and the world from the chaos reigned down by a hungry pigeon. Breathtaking visuals and a sweeping soundtrack showcase the work of nearly one-hundred talented artists and musicians, and the film stands as a testament to what can be accomplished by a team of dedicated volunteers working for the love of their craft."

More Info!! ; )

ps to all Animators: You WANT to check their blog and their video podcasts!! It's really Amazing!!

An Animated Chat With 'Up' Director Pete Docter

2009-11-30T21:48:00.002Z

"The animated 3-D movie Up — directed and co-written by Pixar veteran Pete Docter — became the first animated film to open the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. An adventure story featuring a grouchy old man, a chubby, dauntless scout, a 13-foot flightless bird and a house borne aloft by balloons, it was a buoyant summer hit for Pixar, earning ecstatic reviews and taking in more than half a billion dollars at the global box office. It's out now on DVD and Blu-ray. "
Read More / Listen to the story!

Script Docter: Writer-director Pete Docter co-wrote Pixar's summer hit Up and earned a story credit on 2008's enormously successful Wall-E.

"Mariza" By Constantine Krystallis

2009-11-28T20:28:00.003Z

A very special Animation with great potential for Nickelodeon Animation Festival 2009 representing Hellas (Greece) is the one following, made by Constantine Krystallis.

Vote for it!!
*
Movie's Page
*
Director's page

"The Passenger" by Chris Jones

2009-11-27T21:04:00.003Z

Recentrly I found that 7 minute short Animated film which is really great! Later I read that it took 6 years so Chris (the creator) can finally complete the short!! He says:

"Six years in the making and completed in 2006, The Passenger was written, designed, modelled, textured, illuminated, animated, composed, recorded, mixed, edited, produced and directed by Chris Jones."

More info: www.chrisj.com.au

Heart by Laurent Clermont

2009-11-27T12:00:00.002Z

A sweet little piece from Laurent Clermont

The Muppets: Bohemian Rhapsody

2009-11-25T01:16:00.002Z

I suppose Henry would be proud to see that! Great Job!

Tim Burton: A retrospective

2009-11-23T22:59:00.002Z

A collection of movie stills, drawings and other artwork produced by the famed director is on display at the New York Museum of Modern Art.

A cinematic artist

Artist, illustrator, photographer, writer and director Tim Burton appears at New York's Museum of Modern Art on November 17 to help launch his career retrospective featuring drawings, paintings, puppets and films.

A jaw-dropping entrance

The show of Burton's works, which runs at MoMA until April 26, shows artwork generated during the conception and production of the director's films, pieces from unrealized projects, student art, his early non-professional films and work for non-film endeavors.

A close-knit group

Joining Burton at the museum was his girlfriend, actress Helena Bonham Carter, second from left, frequent collaborator Johnny Depp, left, and actor Danny DeVito, right.

A wide-eyed view

These figures, including Stain Boy, center background, and Robot Boy, right, are part of Tim Burton exhibit's at the Museum of Modern Art.

Up in arms

This sculpture, which looks like many of the dark, menacing characters in Burton's films, is one of the more than 700 works of art on display.

Like minds

Tim Burton on set with actor Johnny Depp, who frequently works with Burton, during the filiming of "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" in 2007. The movie is about a man unjustly sent to prison by a lecherous judge who vows revenge.

Take that!

Johnny Depp starred as the title character in Burton's "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street." The director often has taken classic tales and put his own dark spin on them.

Romance on the job

Bonham Carter and Burton discuss a scene on the set of "Sweeney Todd." The British actress has been in several Burton films, starting with "Planet of the Apes." They have been a couple since working on the 2001 film and now have two children together.

Inspiration for exhibit

It was while watching Burton's "Charlie and the

Chocolate Factory" (2005) that MoMA assistant curator

Ron Magliozzi dreamed up the exhibit.

A director and his 'Bride'

Tim Burton on the set of the movie "Corpse Bride," which he co-directed in 2005.

An unlikely match

"Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride," an animated movie is set in a

19th-century European village, tells the story of young Victor,

who is whisked away to the underworld and wed to a mysterious

Corpse Bride, while his real bride, Victoria, waits bereft in the land of the living.

Not a happy face

This shows an image from "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas" storyboard from 1993.

A 'Christmas' affair

This movie still from "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993) shows Sally and Jack. The movie is about Jack Skellington, aka the Pumpkin King, who is bored with his job and feels that life in Halloweenland lacks meaning. He stumbles upon Christmastown and promptly decides to make the Yuletide his own.

An unwelcome guest

Michael Keaton stars in "Beetlejuice," directed by Tim Burton in 1988. The movie is about a dead couple who attempt to scare a modern family out of their house with the help of a "bio-exorcist."

It all started on paper

This 1990 sketch of the character Edward Scissorhands is one of the many artworks on display.

Feeling blue

This sketch comes from Burton's 1997 children's poetry book "The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories." Some of the characters in this book would later appear in a Flash series called "The World of Stain Boy."

Going at it

Another sketch from 1982–1984 that would inspire stories for Burton's children's book, "The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories."

A strange land

This 1982 sketch would inspire "Frankenweenie," a live-action film Burton released in 1984.

The big staredown

"The World of Stainboy," written and directed by Burton, was released in 2000. He drew this image with pen and ink, watercolor wash and colored pencil.

Let's call this one "Six"

This piece, created with pen and ink, marker, and watercolor wash on paper, was produced in 1982.

Musical influence

The artist-director shows his musical taste in this drawing called "Untitled (Ramone)."

Shades of 'Beetlejuice'

Burton created this pen-and-ink collage, called Untitled (Trick or Treat), in 1980.

wanna see more?

Taken from msnbc.msn.com

Character Designing using a Tablet

2009-11-22T18:35:00.001Z

Children In Need music animated video

2009-11-22T17:20:00.001Z

Every year, the BBC airs a Children In Need charity fundraiser. This year they produced a stop motion music video which, especially for cartoon buffs in the UK, is a pretty big deal. It collects around 120 characters (approximately) from British children’s shows from the last 30 (or more) years. It features classics like Paddington Bear, the Wombles, Roobarb and Custard, Peppa Pig, Bagpuss and Muffin the Mule, along with newer characters like Fifi and the Flowertots, Pingu, Bob the Builder, Postman Pat and many more (including a few cameo appearances from US superstars Scooby-Doo and Spongebob Squarepants).

It took many different companies (many of them rivals) coming together to make this piece. Chapman Entertainment produced and Tim Harper directed.

Adrenaline Lemmings CGI

2009-11-18T15:25:00.002Z

Adrenaline Lemmings CGI test from Alex Orrelle on Vimeo.
Animation test for series of original shorts created by JP Vine with Alex Orrelle at Crew 972.

A look at Sesame Street’s first CGI Muppets

2009-11-15T04:45:00.002Z

"I love this and hate it at the same time.

As a 3D artist, I think it’s pretty sweet.

But as a kid who grew up with Sesame Street and the muppets, and as a storyteller-consumer in general, I kind of fucking hate it. It has none of the heft, floppiness, or lo-fi lovabality that has always been a huge part of the Jim Henson experience.

No matter how good cloth solvers, hair simulation, fur rendering and v-ray might get, it will never, ever, ever have that je ne ses quois that made everything Muppet so warm and transporting. I feel like kids today are missing out if this is where they’re getting their dose of Vitamin M. I hope to God everything has been archived.

High five to the technical directors for this one. A true feat.

Shame on everyone else."
ericalba

Bradfod Animation Festival 2009 *starts tomorrow

2009-11-09T16:54:00.003Z

I am really so excited about the BAF (Bradford's Animation Festival) that's starting tomorrow!! I also just got my full pass from my Uni (YAY!!)

So I was looking at the diary page to see the timetable and after all the cool events I found that as an opening film for Baf's festival they have Mary and Max!!!

The other thing that's really amazing (even though we all knew it would happen) is that the passes for BAF are all SOLD OUT!! Even so if you don't have a pass for the festival you can still get a ticket for some events. More information and for a schedule visit BAF's web page

One Of These Mornings (video clip for Moby's song)

2009-11-08T21:53:00.002Z

*found on utube

DreamWorks's New Animation: How to Train Your Dragon

2009-11-06T20:29:00.003Z

Wow.. I just saw the trailer from DreamWorks's new animation movie and I thing it is gonna make a difference from their previous works.. Take a look HeRe!!

New Trailer for Despicable Me

2009-11-06T13:52:00.006Z

Hey there.. I've been really busy these days with a model in maya which i will talk further and give pics in another post. Anyway I just saw The new Trailer for Despicable me from apple.
Here you can watch it. TrAiLer

A few words about: Mary and Max (2009 Movie)

2009-10-27T02:43:00.009Z

Sometimes after i watch an Animation movie for the first time i feel happy, some other times i feel excited. Tonight it was the first time i felt thrilled, depressed and satisfied at the same time.
It all began when i got a mail from a friend about a movie called "Mary and Max" that won awards at Annecy International Animated Film Festival and Berlin International Film Festival. After I've seen it tonight i strongly advise you to spare some free time for it.

Watch the Trailer!

Plot:
"A tale of friendship between two unlikely pen pals: Mary, a lonely, eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max, a forty-four-year old, severely obese man living in New York"

Plot translate in Greek:
"Η ιστορία μιας φιλίας δι`αλληλογραφίας μεταξύ δύο εντελώς διαφορετικών ανθρώπων, της 8χρονης μοναχικής Mary Dinkle που ζει στη Μελβούρνη και του 44χρονου Max Horovitz, ενός Εβραίου που πάσχει από το σύνδρομο Asperger (μιας ήπιας παραλλαγής αυτισμού) και ζει στη Νέα Υόρκη"

Extra Information

Disney Nature Proudly Presents

2009-10-22T15:10:00.005+01:00

Disneys Nature trailer about Oceans

(also check: DisneyNature for Earth Documentary)

Despicable Me

2009-10-21T02:39:00.008+01:00

I haven't heard of Illumination Entertainment before but this trailer looks so cool that I can't wait to see the movie..

Enjoy the Trailer!

Project: Bone in 3D

2009-10-19T07:32:00.005+01:00

Last night I started sketching a new cartoon caracter called "Bone" (originaly made by Jeff Smith) hoping to get it to Maya as good as possible and here i have my first results:

*at this point I have to admit that I am not that good at hand drawings

Toy Story 3 New Trailer Just Came Out!!

2009-10-12T22:41:00.011+01:00

YaY!!! Apple just releashed a new trailer for Toy story!!!
Watch the new Trailer!

Project: Coffe table

2009-10-11T17:36:00.017+01:00

Last night I started a project from tutsplus in Maya and now after I am done modeling I've got my first image results. From now on I am going to change a little bit the lighting, the texturing and rendering.

UPDATE

UPDATE

Changes:
i) Reposition my camera
ii) Setting off Global illumination (mostly for rendering speed)
iii) Change some of my attribute editor's settings for the lights and the carpet

Changes:
i) (Maybe) Sofa's color
ii) Camera settings
iii) Lighting settings
iv) Little bit of photoshop :P

Rous- Εξαιρέσεις (exceptions) Jumping Fish Octombers Song

2009-10-02T17:18:00.004+01:00

I had a lot of time to listen to a song and like it from the very first moment without Media's "help". No more introduction, I give you a greek song called "Εξαιρέσεις" (Exceptions) By Rous.

Download it!!

Extra Information!