THINGS TO DO - NATIONAL
RICHARD WILLIAMS' ANIMATION MASTER-CLASS COMES TO NEW YORK CITY IN JUNE Williams writes that, "what has cost me millions of dollars and at least 30 years to learn, I'm ramming
out in 3 days." Having taken his class I can tell you that is exactly what he does, and it is a fantastic learning experience.
Williams, who ran a major animation house in England for years doing commercials, etc., has won 3 British Academy Awards, 3 Oscars, an Emmy and numerous other awards. He directed the animation for Roger Rabbit, The Charge of the Light Brigade, several Pink Panther features (opening credits), A Christmas Carol, etc.
The class covers the underlying principles of animation which apply to any style or approach to the medium. The course is about how things move and specific work methods used to make drawings live and breathe, think and give a sustained commanding performance. It is also about techniques to increase footage output in order for you to be as good and fast as possible at the same time.
The class will meet at the Tribeca Film Center at 375 Greenwich St. in NYC. Two separate sessions are offered. You can attend either Fri. - Sun. June 5 - 7 or Fri. - Sun. June 12 - 14. Tuition is $945. For further information contact Mo Sutton before May 30 at 011 44 1 865 316 960 or write 18 Hawkswell Gardens, Oxford 0X2 7EX, England or mo@masterclass.demon.co.uk
SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON IS AUG. 13 - 16 Information on it may be at your local comic book store or write PO Box 128458, San Diego, CA 92112. The Comic Arts Conference, academics presenting papers, will be held as part of the event. The show is at the San Diego Convention Center. Tickets for the entire show and all events are $60 for adults and half that for seniors and kids. One day admission is $10 and $5.
OSKAR FISCHINGER OPTICAL POETRY EXHIBIT at the Jack Rutberg Fine Arts gallery, 357 North La Brea Ave. in LA, 90036. (213) 938-5222. The exhibit is up until May 30 and includes drawings, paintings and films. The gallery, working with Dr. William Moritz of CAL Arts, just released a video tape of selected works by Oskar Fischinger. Copies can be purchased from the gallery for $43 post paid ($3.30 sales tax if you live in California).
SOCIETY FOR ANIMATION STUDIES MEETS AUG. 6 - 16 AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY in Orange, CA. You can stop by this academic conference on your way to the San Diego Comic-Con or stay a few days and learn a great deal about animation studies. The meetings are on Thursday through Sat. with screenings throughout the entire event. On the 6th Karl Cohen's talk/screening of Forbidden Animation will be presented at the Orange County Museum of Art. On Wed. Jere Gulden of the UCLA Film Archive will present a screening of Puppetoons and a panel on the future of stop-motion animation (6 - 10 PM). A wide variety of talks will be presented on Thurs. - Sat. including Robin Allan on Disney's Make Mine Music, Susan Ohmer on "Competitive Strategies at the Blue Sky Studios and Curious Pictures," John Lent and Asli Tunc on "Women and Animation in Turkey," Jeanpaul Goergen on "Puppet Animation Film in Germany from 1915-1945", Mark Langer on "The Freak Show Cultural Tradition in American Animation," and Michael Frierson on "Clay Animation in Interactive Games." About 40 papers will be presented. Other presenters include ASIFA's David Ehrlich, Rose Bond and Ruth Hayes from ASIFA-NW (Portland), Sybil DelGaudio from NYC, David Williams from England, J.B. Kaufman (co-author of Walt in Wonderland), and Animation World's Wendy Jackson. Other topics/subjects include Tex Avery, other aspects of Disney, Czech animation, long forgotten studios, forgotten individuals, "Toy Story and Consumer Culture," and the Bros. Quay. For information about attending contact Dr. Maureen Furniss, Chapman University, 333 North Glassell, Orange, CA 92866 (714) 744-7018 or fax (714) 997-6700.
VARIETY'S SHOW BIZ EXPO JUNE 12-14 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The event will feature daily keynote addresses (the Editor-in-Chief of Variety talks on Fri. June 12, the CEO of WebTV talks on the 13th and on June 14 they will present the author of Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-Rock-and Roll Generation Saved Hollywood. There will be over 500 exhibitors, the SMPTE Film Conference, conference programs and more. For details call (800) 840-5688 or go to showbiz.reedexpo.com
STAY HOME AND CHECK OUT THESE WEB ADDRESSES IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THEM : Aardman Animations is at http://aardman.avonibp.co.uk/ The National Film Board of Canada is at http://www.nfb.ca/E/1/1 Animation Heaven and Hell with tributes to Brothers Quay, Jan Svankmajer and Starevitch is at http://itserve.com/~tfitz/ ASIFA International is http://samson.hivolda.no:8000/asi fa/ Part of our newsletter is reprinted at www.awn.com/asifa-sf/ and ASIFA Hollywood is also at awn in the animation village. ASIFA-East is at www.yrd.com/asifa/ and ASIFA-Central is at www.swcp.com/animate/
