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ASIFA San Fransisco Newsletter September 1997
PUBLICATIONS
ANIMATION PLANET #1
is a fine premiere issue full of news items, reviews (books, features, tapes, TV shows), feature articles on the making of Hercules, Little Lulu's career on film, the career of animator Corky Quakenbush ("Mad TV"), the TV show "Spawn," the voice artist Casey Kasem, and the character actor and voice artist Billy Bletcher. There is also a long interview with John Cawley on "The End of Saturday Morning?"
Subscriptions are $15 ($18 with the special stop-motion animation yearbook) and $28 or $31 for foreign ($21/24 Canada) from Inkwell Productions, 17 Spruce Street, Springfield, MA 01105 (413) 731-7928 for credit card subs. Michael Dobbs, formerly with Animato!, is the publisher and editor. He turned Animato! into a fine magazine. If you are a serious fan of animation you will probably enjoy watching this magazine get even better with each issue. A major article on Bill Plympton will be in an up-coming issue (cover story).
ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE
is an excellent free publication from AWN that is much more than a trade magazine. The August issue ranges from visualization of space missions by JPL and SIGGRAPH coverage to William Moritz writing about John Whitney and Karl Cohen writing about Israel's Third International Festival of Creative Filmmaking. Check it out at www.awn.com
ANIMATION FLASH
is a highly informative free news service from AWN. It is downloaded to your computer via E mail once a week and it contains 10 to 20 news items that may be of interest. They cover people in the industry, business news, information about new films, home videos, commercials, interactive products, events, awards, etc.
To subscribe (free) register on the AWN web site or send mail to: majordomo@majordomo.awn.com In the body of the message write "subscribe flash."
ANIMATION MAGAZINE, JULY, AUG. & SEPT.
Each issue of this fine publication reminds me of how far animation has progressed as a business since issue #1 came out ten years ago. The latest issue covers the upcoming fall TV shows and many are high-tech looking works done with CGI. The hardware review and SIGGRAPH heighlights sections cover the more impressive new technology available. The cover story is on the third season of the CGI show "ReBoot."
The Aug. issue has a cool (but all too short) article on favorite Anime directors. A lot more space is dedicated to the Warner Bros. Batman TV show. Jenney Peters has ignored the nay-sayers and writes "Animated Feature Films Future Looks Bright." She give Bill Plympton a good plug and the illustrations include both a still from I Married a Strange Person and his photo. Other highlights include a guide to some of the top commercial animation houses (PDI, Curious Pictures, ILM, Wild Brain, etc.) and lots of news about the computer animation industry.
The July issue has a special section on Hercules. The article on "Breaking Into Toon Writing" by Jeffrey Scott should be a must read for anybody who thinks they want to sell a script to the industry. There is also a sharp article on employment agreements.
To subscribe send $45 for 12 issues or $84 for 24 to Animation Magazine, 30101 Agour Court, Suite 110, Agoura Hills, CA 91301-4301 or call (800) 996-TOON.
ASIFA NEWS #2, 1997
is our international magazine. The new issue has short interviews with 3 women animators: Monique Renault, Michaela Pavlatova and Joanna Priestley and asks each artist the same 9 questions (do you see any difference between animation by men and women, what is the main subject of your films, etc.). There is an excellent interview with Jan Svankmajer (with lots of illustrations), articles on freelance writing agreements for TV, information about Absolute Animation (on the vodka company's web site), almost 30 self-portraits by animators, and the names of the new ASIFA board of directors (David Ehrlich and Deanna Morse are now the board members from the US as Martin McNamara retired from the board so he could concentrate on his full-time teaching position at DeAnza).
If you joined the International before the middle of March, 1997 and didn't get a copy contact Karl Cohen ASAP. The 8 people who joined the International after the middle of March will get copies starting with issue #3. We are presently trying to streamline the process so the International gets the names and addresses of new members sooner.
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER'S SPECIAL ISSUE ON CAREERS IN ANIMATION
is dated July 18-20, 1997 ($1.75 in California, $2.25 elsewhere) The special section begins with an overview of the marketplace for jobs noting that Colossal filed for Chapter 11, Warner Digital closed down eliminating 150 jobs and the merger of Warner and Turner meant an end to Turner Feature Animation. Harvey Deneroff, the writer, then provides a directory of the major employers in the different animation markets (Disney Features, DreamWorks, Fox, Disney Television, DIC, ILM, Wild Brain, etc. the categories include features, television, multimedia, and computer animation & spfx) The section is well researched and includes hiring hints, lists of current projects, etc.
The magazine will publish an International Animation Issue Sept. 23. To get either issue call (213) 525-2000 for details or write 5055 Wilshire Blvd., LA CA 90036-4396
BOOKS
DEBATE OVER SERIOUS BUSINESS CONTINUES
The noted animator/director Gene Deitch wrote us from his home in Prague. He says: "I have found myself caught up in a polemic concerning Stefan Kanfer's book, Serious Business. The book hit me right off as the first I've read that has told many of the true histories about the under-side of the animation business. I sent off a flock of praiseful messages to colleagues. Then I became aware of a flood of vitriolic responses to, and nasty reviews of the book, including those reported in your newsletter. Mostly, there was the usual carping about factual errors. There hasn't been a single book or article about animation that I know of that hasn't had at least some gaffs, but in the case of Ganfer's book errors of detail do not mar for me the basic underlying truths. The short note about me in the book also contains an error of detail, but the point made is true."
"It happens that I was witness to many of the betrayals and screwings related in the book, and I can attest to their accuracy. After all, I was a member of the original UPA studio, and was also in peril during the McCarthy period. Even in cases where the stories involved others, they rang bells for me, as I have had many parallel experiences. The book's tale of how Edward Seltzer was happy to pick up the Oscar for a Chuck Jones short he wanted to kill, immediately reminded me of my own similar experiences with Bill Weiss at Terrytoons." (editor note: Deitch began his career in animation as Bill Hurtz's assistant at UPA, became head of their studio in NYC where he directed the first Bert and Harry Piel ads for Piel's Beer, then worked for Hubley, became head of Terrytoons in 1966, and has headed his own studio in Prague since 1960. He won an Oscar in 1960 for Munro.)
"I had produced Sidney's Family Tree, using an elephant character I had first created for the Tom Terrific series. Sidney was the first cartoon in Terrytoon's history to be nominated for an Oscar (1958). The morning after the announcement, I drove into the Terrytoons parking lot, and there was Bill Weiss, standing outside, waiting for me to arrive. I was barely out of my car when he strode up to me and said, "Gene, I want it to be perfectly clear that if Sidney wins the Oscar, I will be the one who will pick it up!" It didn't win, but I did learn quickly enough where the real power lay. Weiss wanted to be sure to catch me before I would get any congratulations inside from the staff."
"Kanfer mentions briefly the destruction of E.B. White's wonderful Charlotte's Web at the ham hands of Hannah-Barbera. Unfortunately, he didn't interview me. As E.B. White is gone, there are only two people who could tell the true story behind that creative catastrophe, a guy named Mike Campus and myself. I was the original adapter of Charlotte's Web. John Hubley was to be, but he sensed the trap and withdrew. I worked personally with E.B. "Andy" White, and I was developing a faithful script and a beautiful storyboard, with sensitive character and background designs by one of the greatest living Czech graphic artists, Mirko Hanak. Mike Campus was my direct supervisor and supporter, but the rights were in the hands of a company named Sagittarius, headed by a man named Edward White (no relation to E.B.). Everything was going beautifully. E.B. and Campus loved what I was doing. Then suddenly I was forbidden by Sagittarius of any further contact with Andy White, forbidden to show him any script development. I was given a near impossible deadline to finish the storyboard, but I did manage to air-freight it to them on time. The parcel was sent back to me unopened. I was paid double, and the project went to Hanna-Barbera."
"E.B. White was a great writer, and he should have known better, but all he insisted on in his contract was that he would have the right to approve the model of Charlotte the spider! Not the script, not the storyboard, not the songs, nor any of the other characters, only the model of Charlotte!"
"I can only guess at what was really going on... I was not allowed to show E.B. White anything, but Ed White was free to poison his mind. No one ever saw my Charlotte's Web storyboard. It languishes in my cellar." (Note: Deitch said he corresponded with White until his death and that two letters concerning the mess are in The Letters of E.B. White. Deitch says White "vowed never to allow another of his books to be animated.")
"I realize that this is just one of thousands of stories of the defeat of honest creative effort in the saga of our craft. It didn't happen to make Hanfer's book in filled out form - he obviously had no clue about the background maneuvers, but the thrust of what he did report is, in my judgment, a valuable lesson to creators as to the difference between dreams and reality in our wondrous medium."
ANOTHER OPINION
If you want to see a beautifully written review of the book that doesn't say a kind word about it, read "Serious Business: Serious Book?" by Mark Kausler in Animation World Magazine, July, 1997 at www.awn.com His long article points out dozens of errors including misspelled names, putting the wrong film title with the description given, errors in chronology of events, etc.
EMMY NOMINATIONS
for Individual Achievement in Animation went to Phil Weinstein for CBS' Boo To You Too! Winnie the Pooh, Gary Hurst for HBO's Testament: The Bible in Animation - Moses
FESTIVALS
THE SECOND WORLD ANIMATION CELEBRATION IN PASADENA DEADLINE IS NOV. 15 FOR ENTRIES
The 5 day event will take place Feb. 17-21. Pre-selection will be on VHS (send with entry form and fees). People who entered this year will automatically be sent further information. Information and forms can be requested by fax from (818) 991-3773 or mail a request to 30101 Agoura Court, Suite 110, Agoura Hills, CA 91301 (818) 991-2884.
NATIONAL EDUCATION MEDIA NETWORK
has Nov. 1 deadline for CD-ROM entries (Oct. 1 for early bird discount) and Dec. 1 deadline for film and video entries (Nov. 1 for discount). This is an expensive event to enter (Student Competition is less expensive), but an award may be of value to your marketing plan if you have a commercial product intended for the educational market.
For details (510) 465-6885, 655 Thirteenth St. Oakland, CA 94612-1222
POETRY FILM FESTIVAL (AKA "CIN{E} -POETRY FEST!)
deadline is Oct. 3 and Feb. 22 for the National Poetry Video Festival. The group also has a Literary TV Catalog. $15 entry fee, they do video distribution & exhibitions.
Contact George Aguilar, Poetry Film Workshop, 934 Brannan St., 2nd Floor, SF CA 94103 (415) 552-9261
CINEQUEST
deadline is Oct. 10 for a Jan. 29-Feb. 4 event in San Jose. There is an Image Local Spotlight category for local artists. They show 16mm & 35mm, preview on VHF. $25 entry fee. Contact POB 720040, San Jose, CA 95172-0400 (408) 995-6305
EMPLOYMENT
INTERNATIONAL CARTOONS AND ANIMATION CENTER, INC. SEEKS SUPERVISING CEL ANIMATORS, CEL ANIMATORS, ASSISTANT CEL ANIMATORS, LAYOUT ARTISTS, CLEAN-UP ARTISTS AND CHARACTER DESIGNERS
Freelance, interns, entry level or part-time positions are also available. The company is in Orange County and specializes in children's animated cartoons. They produce work in five different languages and are in the process of expanding their production staff. They offer competitive salaries and benefits.
Send resume and sample of work or demo tape if available to Dr. Wissam W. Ahmed, International Cartoons, Inc. 1823 E. 17th Street, Suite 203, Santa Ana, CA 92705 Fax (714) 560-0744 or e-mail resume to ICACINC@AOL.COM The company's letterhead has an address in Anaheim on South Beach Boulevard. This may be the studio or another office (714) 953-5778.
ANIMATORS WITH LOTS OF EXPERIENCE AND EXCELLENT DEMO REELS
are wanted by several top animation firms in the Bay Area. A friend who was looking for work recently said Phil Tippett in the East Bay was looking for such people, as is Rachael Hannah at Pixar.
NEW VIDEO RELEASES
ORIGINAL EPISODES OF GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE ARE OUT ON TAPE
Virgin is selling a 3 tape set with 12 episodes for about $20. Apparently the tapes are just the George segments of this rarely seen TV show that also featured Super Chicken and Tom Slick cartoons.
For those who don't remember the George of the Jungle TV show, it was produced by Jay Ward and Bill Scott and premiered on ABC on Saturday morning starting Sept. 9, 1967. There were 17 episodes of the show. According to an interview with Bill Scott he wrote all the "George of the Jungle" episodes and Lloyd Turner and Chris Hayward wrote the "Super Chicken" stories. George's famous theme song was written by Stan Worth and Sheldon Allman. The music was written by Jay Ward. It was sung by the Brooks Group (Donnie Brooks and friends) and the ape call was done by Bill Scott. (The theme song has been covered by "Weird Al" Yankovic, Savion Glover and Scott Shaw.) Bill Scott did the voices of George, the Tooki Tooki Bird, Dr. Kilimandaro, and other characters. (Scott also did the voice of Super Chicken, which was Scott's imitation of Don Knotts doing the role - Knott tried out for the role, but wasn't trained as a voice actor.) Paul Frees was the Ape who had a cultured voice like Ronald Colman. Frees also did the District Commissioner of Mbwebwe Province and the foe Weevil, a poacher. Daws Butler played the poacher Tiger and the characters Plumtree and Dr. Chicago (a mad scientist). June Foray was the voice of Ursula. The directors for the series were Bill Hurtz, Pete Burness and Ted Parmelee.
Although the original George of the Jungle was set in Africa, none of the natives are black. Ward and Scott got into hot water when they were doing the a Rocky and Bullwinkle story that had moose and squirrel captured by cannibals. After that all natives in Ward/Scott productions were white.
It came as no surprise to me that none of the newspaper ads for the feature or articles/reviews that I saw mentioned that the film was based on something from the past. Borders sells at least four children's books based on the feature and only two carried a line in small print saying "based on material developed by Jay Ward" or something similar to that. Bill Scott, his co-producer and partner is not mentioned in any of the books or print ads.
WHOLE TOON CATALOG #13 IS OUT
If you buy animation on tape or disc (also books on the subject) and didn't get catalog #14 in the mail (Flitstones on the cover) their # is (800) 331-6197. The new issue is 110 pages with a giant section on animation from Japan, hundreds of hard to find tapes of US animation, a selection of international tapes, etc. It includes lots of new releases (including several BUMP IN THE NIGHT tapes) and a few hot tips from Jerry Beck.
SPIKE AND MIKE'S FESTIVAL OF ANIMATION #3
Contains 8 films including several recent audience favorites. The selection includes four Oscar nominated films: Barry Purves' Screenplay, Stephen Palmer's Blindscape, Michael De Wit's The Monk and the Fish and Joanna Quinn's Britannia. Another highlight is Serge Elissalde's Streetsweeper, a remarkable drawn work.
The tape opens with Purves' magnificent Screenplay in letterbox format. The film is so rich an experience that it is still exciting to see after repeated screenings. There are very few films that still seem fresh and exciting after seeing them again and again. In my opinion Britannia and Streetsweeper also fall into this category which is why I consider this an exceptional tape.
Two favorites from New York City are also included. They are John R. Dilworth's hilarious Dirdy Birdy and Mo Willems clever Iddy Biddy Beat Boy. The latter is an intelligent statement about censorship and the arts in the US.
The tape sells for $24.95 plus $5 for tax and shipping from Spike and Mike's mail order business at 1 (800) 457-7453. They also sell other volumes of the Festival plus Sick and Twisted tapes, T-Shirts and other stuff.
TURNER'S CATS DON'T DANCE IS OUT ON DISC AND TAPE
A couple of friends said they enjoyed seeing the production, but most complained it was gone before they had a chance to see it.
Hopefully the tape/disc will also contain PULLETT SURPRISE an animated short that stars Foghorn Leghorn (voiced by Frank Gorshin) and Pete Puma (voiced by Stan Freberg). The new Warner Bros. cartoon was released with the feature when it was shown theatrically. Darrell Van Citters directed and Chuck Jones and Linda Jones produced it.
FLIPBOOKS
NEW FLIPBOOKS FROM OPTICAL TOYS ARE IMPRESSIVE, ESPECIALLY GEORGE GRIFFIN'S BARRELHOUSE BOP
This little company in Vermont carries some outstanding works of art. Griffin's "Jazztoon" called Barelhouse Bop is a visual journey that begins with a rubber hose piano player. As he gets carried away with his music the visuals go through several metamorphosis. We ends up meeting a wild dude on drums who wears a checkered jacket. He is really out there. If you dig the man, get it. Sixty pages, $4.50 postpaid.
Another book that came in the mail is Temptation, a modern telling of the Adam and Eve story by an artist from Berlin.
Sabine Hecher's images are quite sophisticated and clever. 53 pages, $4 postpaid.
The third book from the company that arrived a few days ago is the Edison record of a sneeze from 1894. Much to my delight the images in the book are sharp and clear. 45 pages, $3.50 postpaid.
The company's new catalog features a series of new flipbooks made from Charles and Ray Eames movies. There is a large (4 x 6 inch) color book containing images from their film Powers of Ten. It takes you from the edge of the universe to an atom in the hand of a sleeping man at a picnic. 78 pages, $10.
There are 4 smaller books in color made from 4 of their classic films: Tocatta For Toy Trains, Eames Lounge Chair, Eames House Construction and Eames House Fliptour. Each book is 48 pages, $5 ea.
The company has a $10 minimum order. An illustrated catalog of these and other items is available. Write Optical Toys, RR5 #387, Brattleboro, VT 05301 (802) 254-6115 Visit them at: www.together.net/~avoda/optical.htm
OBITUARIES
SCOTTY, BELOVED DOG OF CRAIG "SPIKE" DECKER
and the thousands of people who saw him perform at Spike and Mike Animation Festivals has died. He is best remembered for destroying balloons and inflatable objects of all sorts on stage. He was about 10 and had contracted cancer. Letters of condolence can be sent to Spike at 7488 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla, CA 92037
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