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ASIFA San Fransisco Newsletter September 1997
COLOSSAL PICTURES DID THE GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE MUSIC VIDEO
The 3 minute video features the band "The Presidents of the United States" interacting with cartoon characters from the George of the Jungle TV show. The band performs the theme song for the feature. Disney provided the live action footage and Colossal's George Evelyn created the designs and layouts for the animation. He was assisted by Tom Rubalcava. John Stevenson did the storyboards (pictured above). Varga Studio in Budapest, Hungary did the animation. Mishi Sikur was their animation director. Colossal and Varga sent pencil tests, color models, backgrounds and other materials digitally to each other. Western did the video post production. The compositing was done using their Henry system.
COLOSSAL PICTURES WINS TWO BROADCAST DESIGN ASSOCIATION AWARDS
Their "Nick Movies Open" won the gold award in the category for Promotional Animation for a Cable Network. Their "Turner Classic Movies: Sunny Side of Life" won a silver award for Non-Promotional Animation for a Cable Network. Meanwhile George Evenly's rubber hose Coke commercial is getting rave reviews from people who see it on TV and then tell me about it.
HENRY SELICK ANNOUNCES THAT HE IS WORKING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF DARK TOWN
Last year he began a search for the right property for his next feature. He knew he was going to develop it for 20th Century Fox but it wasn't until April, 1997, that he optioned the film rights to the Canadian comic book Dark Town. In June he announced the project will be developed through Chris Columbus' company, 1492 Productions. Columbus directed Mrs. Doubtfire and the two Home Alone features.
Selick, who will direct and be co-executive producer on the film, is working with Sam Hamm (Batman) on the screenplay. Hamm will be Selick's co-executive producer. Local comic artist Don Asmusson is doing a comic strip that will appear within the film and Mike Cachuela is developing visual ideas for the project. The comic is by Kaja Blackley who sent Selick an unsolicited copy of the work. Kaja worked on the initial script outline. The first script treatment should to be ready in September.
Selick says the feature will combine live action and stop-motion animation. The story is about a man who goes into a coma and becomes trapped in a fantasy world called Dark Town.
ILM AND WESTERN DID FOUR SPECIAL EFFECTS ADS FOR SHELL OIL"Stealth" has an airplane refueling a car in mid-flight as the car drives through downtown San Francisco. "Toll Booth" has a woman and a dog in a flying car passing over backed-up traffic at a toll plaza (isn't that teaching people to cheat?). The two other 30 second ads are titled "Train" and "Mall."
The ads feature live action footage by ILM of miniatures shot with blue screen and split screen. Western's digital artists composited the footage with other elements using Flame and Henry. Steve Beck and Michael Owens of ILM directed the spots.
PDI DID 3D EFFECTS ANIMATION FOR A SIMPLE WISH AND BATMAN AND ROBINThey worked closely with veteran visual effects supervisor John Dykstra on Batman and Robin, providing over 35 shots for the skyboard and motorcycle chases, as well as the dazzling observatory sequence. These scenes feature digital figures of Batman and Robin performing realistic stunts. PDI also did lighting effects and composited 3D characters and models with live action footage and digital matte paintings.
For A Simple Wish they turned Martin Short into a rubbery form that distorts, oozes, bounces around, flattens, and slithers down a staircase before resuming his human form. This remarkable sequence was shown on TV to promote the film.
MSH NEARS THE END OF PRODUCTION OF VAN-PIRES
A 13 show syndicated TV series about cars with vampire-like qualities, except they search for gas instead of blood. A news story from Florida says the first show airs on Sept. 14 in the Miami area. Animation Factory of Hollywood, Florida was hired to animate four 12-minute segments of the show. It was taking them about 5 weeks to make each segment on their computers. The 13 half-hour shows are being done on a $5.2 million budget. MSH (Make Something Happen) is a local company that works with 3D Studio Max.
"ATTACK OF THE KILLER ANIMATORS"
is a 3 evening series of talks and screenings presented by Film Arts Foundation.
On Tuesday, October 7 Jeremy Cantor, head of the character animation department at TIPPETT STUDIO will show clips and talk about his past work and the studio including their recent work on Starship Troopers. 7 - 10 PM.
On Tuesday, October 14 the focus will be on ILM. They will screen clips of their work for recent features. 7:30-9 PM.
On Tuesday Oct. 21 RICHARD C. ZIMMERMAN will talk about his career as a commercial and independent stop-motion artist. 7-8:30 PM.
Series tickets are $35 ($25 for FAF members) and tickets to individual programs are $15/$10. (415) 552-8760
N. BAY MULTIMEDIA ASSOCIATION RAN A MULTIMEDIA FUN HOUSEin July at the Marin County Fair. This is their 3rd year promoting their love of multi-medium at the Fair.
LORIE LOEB ANIMATED KIDS' ART FOR DOCUMENTARY ON KQED, SUNDAY SEPT. 7The show is Making Tutti, a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of a musical. It was written and performed by Don Novello (Father Guido Sarducci) and 600 children. The animation of comic art by kids was done by Loeb assisted by four of her students at City College (Fort Mason Center). The student assistants are Toshiko Kamiyama, Audrey Larsen, Terry Harned and Victoria Zurkan. The project was made with funds provided by Independent Television Services (ITVS). Loeb says "have your kids watch it."
MIKE JOHNSON'S DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA IN CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FILM FESTIVALJohnson's stop-motion short was made while he was working for Henry Selick. It was a highlight of the Spike and Mike Festival of Animation this year. The Children's Festival in Chicago, run by Facets Multimedia (they also run the Whole Toon Catalog) will feature over 150 films from 35 countries in their juried competition. The event is Oct. 9-19.
Almost half of the films scheduled to be shown are animated. John Dilworth's Noodles and Nedd is in the competition along with animated shorts from Iran, Sweden, Canada, UK, Finland, Hungary, Croatia, Norway, Switzerland, Hungary, Denmark and other countries.
Information about festival tickets and pro passes, discounts on American Airlines and discount rates at the festival's official hotel is available now from Facets Multimedia, Inc., 1517 West Fullerton Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60614 (773) 281-9075
KATHY ENGELHARD'S WATERSKIER WINSOne of 4 awards presented at the 3rd annual Brainwash Movies Festival. Bishop Joey of the First Church of the Last Laugh presented her with an Empire State thermometer. Kathy thought he was a security guard - he is actually Ed Holms, an actor with the SF Mime Troup and the founder of the annual Saint Stupid's Day Parade (April Fools Day of course).
The grand prize went to M. Colburn who does collage animation. Her award was a used bowling ball. Whatever happened to cash prizes?
This is one of the world's strangest film/video festivals. It was moved inside the South of Market Cultural Center after the clown festival that had rented the space failed to generate an audience. Brainwash had planned to show the films on the roof-top parking lot of Toys R Us next door. In a two day period they showed almost all of the 30 works submitted to the event to an audience of several hundred people.
NEED A DIRECTORY OF THE BAY AREA FILM AND VIDEO INDUSTRY?The new 19th edition of The Reel Directory is out and it includes listings of associations (including ASIFA-SF), animators, and just about anything else that relates to film and/or video production. In the past copies have been sold by Adolph Gasser's motion picture department, Monaco Labs and a few other film/video related businesses. You can also order a copy by mail for $35 including tax and postage from The Reel Directory, PO Box 866, Cotati, CA 94931. Call Bonnie Carol about being listed next year (707) 584-8083.
NIK PHELPS' "IDEAS IN ANIMATION PROGRAMS" ARE QUITE POPULARHe has been performing his music to visuals provided by local animators for several months and each show has sold out. The monthly event has been moved from a 50 seat theatre to the Minna Street Gallery that seats about 150 people. The San Francisco Bay Guardian put Phelp's July 28 event on their calendar page along with an illustration by Jason Shiga. The paper praised the original music performed at each event by Phelps and the Sprocket Ensemble, his use of special guest stars each month "to add live innovation to the mix," and his use of some talented animators including Shiga whom they called the "hit of the series." Shiga is both an animator/comic book artist and an advanced math major at U.C. Berkeley. He is presently studying math in Singapore through a semester abroad program. The next event will be Sept. 29 and the films will be curated by Liz Keim who runs the Exploratorium's McBean Theater. The event on Oct. 27 will feature Ed Holmes of the SF Mime Troup. He will perform as Bishop Joey of the First Church of the Last Laugh. The November event will be on the 24th. The guest will be announced later. Shows are at 7:30 and 9:30 PM. The Minna Street Gallery is at 111 Minna. Call (415) 681-3189 for reservations.
CALL FOR WORK- animators from any part of the country are welcomed to submit completed works and work-in-progress. Honeraria is paid for all work shown and a commercial tour is planned in 1998. For details call Nick Phelps at (415) 681-3189 or send materials (with self-addressed stamped envelop for their return) to 2066 30th Ave., SF CA 94116-1148.
ROB STORY JOINS STORY ANIMATIONand will assist Robert Story, his father, as a designer and eventually as a producer. Rob comes to the company from New York were he designed computer-generated textiles for J. Crew, designed educational toys for Child Growth and Development and did windows for Barney's New York. He graduated from Parsons School of Design in 1993 with a degree in industrial design.
Rob was a child-actor in a series of Ford commercials and education films produced by Kingsroad Pictures in the 1960's and 70's. The Hollywood company was run by his father.
The Sears ad "Spicy Little Number" that Story Animation produced was on the air through August. It features live-action, paper cut-out animation, hand-manipulation under the camera and compositing in Henry with highlights and shadows added. Catherine Margerine, the creative director on the project, said, "the assignment was to dress a paper doll in live-action fashions and make her dance. Our challenge was to express elegance in a compelling way. I think we succeeded on both accounts." For information about Story (415) 642-0230
ANIMATED WORK WANTED BY OAKLAND CITY OWNED CABLE CHANNELJack Walsh and Laura Takeshita who produced the Living Room Festival at KQED are now running KTOP, channel 11, Oakland. They support independent film and video and are trying to do more than is possible with their almost non-existent budget. If you want people who watch KTOP in Oakland to see your work call Takeshita at (510) 238-3566 or write her at 1 City Hall Plaza, Oakland, CA 94612. fax-238-6699
MONDO PLYMPTON OPENED AT THE ROXIE IN AUGUST WITH EXCELLENT REVIEWSBill Plympton, who found out about the booking a week before it happened, spent two days here meeting his audiences. He said the feature cost him $3,000 to produce as it contains old prints spliced together with 12 minutes of new autobiographical footage that ties the show together. Much of the new animated footage shows him sitting at his drawing desk talking directly to the audience. He tells how he became an artist and other details about his life. The program includes his greatest hits plus lots of rare material including brief clips from his 2 live action features and animated commercials that got pulled from TV when viewers complained about their violence.Edward Guthman in the Chronicle called his work "Warped and wonderful." Arago in The Guardian said, "he's an immensely talented artist graced with a corrosive, abrasive sense of humor... It's a must-see." Lisa Gray in the S.F. Weekly called his work, "sickeningly funny... classic cartoon slapstick in the Warner Bros. tradition." His all new feature, I Married a Strange Person, will have its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. This is quite an honor as the festival is as important as Sundance. By the way, he says the distributor of The Tune, his first feature, not only hasn't paid him anything, they don't even return his calls or send him quarterly reports. They continue to distribute the film. He thinks it has grossed over a million dollars. That is why he is now in self-distribution.
CARTOON ART MUSEUM MAY HAVE BEEN IN DANGER OF CLOSINGThis is an excellent museum that has organized and presented outstanding shows of original art from Snow White and other Disney features, has held major exhibits of art by Edward Gorey, Charles Schulz and other cartoonists, and has offered the public classes in cartooning. Founded in 1984 by a group of comic art collectors, they have produced over 50 exhibits and 30 publications. The museum moved to a larger and more expensive location at 814 Mission (second floor) in 1995. Although over 42,000 people have seen their exhibits since they reopened, the cost of running the museum has exceeded their income. On July 17 they sent out a press release saying that if new funds were not found at once the doors will close "within the next month." A letter to the editor was published in the Chronicle a few days later. Ryan Tranquilla, former Assistant Director of Operations for the museum asked the public to help save this fine asset. He discussed the financial crisis and indicated the problems could be corrected. The boards' temporary solution to fixing the problem was to lay off the professional staff. The museum is now being run by volunteers. They also sent out a letter saying the first statement to the press was "an unauthorized press release from former Museum staff members." The new release said they need $30,000 to get them through the "current crunch" and that they will stay open. An exhibit of Bill Griffith's art (Zippy) is set to open in October. Several book signing parties for members are planned along with an auction of original works of art on Sept. 27. The Sept. 13 Charles M. Schulz Award Dinner has been postponed. All donations to the Cartoon Art Museum are fully tax-deductible. For further details call (415) CAR-TOON
FILM & VIDEO REPORTS ON SAN FRANCISCO'S EFFECTS COMMUNITY, WELL SORT OFThe magazine article in the July issue focused on Western, Realtime, Colossal, Click 3 West, Varitel, Flipside Films and Radium. It discussed some of the digital effects equipment in the area, the availability of new space at former military bases and the successes and struggles of some of the companies. The article by James Fadden concluded that the area "has the talent, energy and unique vision to be a dominant effects producer but it has to ensure that all the right pieces are in place before the agencies will come in droves. Until that happens, local companies are going to have to go toe-to-toe with the City of Angels." The article was in the TV commercial section of the magazine and they focused on medium sized companies. They overlooked ILM and PDI which have very successful commercial divisions (both companies also did effects for several major theatrical summer releases this year). ILM was given a 5 word mention and PDI wasn't mentioned at all. Pixar, who ended their commercial division this year, was simply mentioned as having "redefined big screen film language" (what does that mean?). Had the author of the article covered ILM & PDI's work on TV commercials (or even some of the amazing ads from Wild Brain and/or Curious Pictures), his article would have presented a much stronger picture of the area's effects industry.
PLEASE GIVE CREDIT TO THOSE WHO ASSIST YOU
One of the rotten reoccurring problems in animation (and I assume in a lot of other areas) is people with good intentions forgetting to give credit to those that help them. I know several stories about people working with famous independent animators and finding their boss or partner has forgotten them when they spoke to the public and press. The most extreme case resulted in a death threat and police protection for the person with the big ego! Recently there have been several gripes about people in the local industry forgetting to give proper credit. Companies hurt their financial future when they make false claims and word gets back to the people they rip-off! (At least two local companies have shot themselves in the foot this way this year.) In other cases the lack of credit is bad for morale. The Bay Area is too close-knit a community to rip somebody off and to expect the world not to know it. One thing you can do is share the news about your projects and staffs with the ASIFA-SF Newsletter. Also send your press releases to Film/Tape World, San Jose Film Clips and other regional publications and to Millimeter, AWN, Animation Magazine, etc.
LOCAL SCREENINGS
JAN SVANKMAJER'S CONSPIRATORS OF PLEASURE
opens at the Red Vic on Haight Street, on Wednesday Sept. 10. The run is open-ended at the moment (it should be there for at least 2 weeks).
Svankmajer's new feature had its US premier at the SF Film Festival in May where it shocked and delighted the audience. It is a black sex comedy about people who spend a great deal of time painstakingly preparing for the execution of their sexual obsessions. He told Wendy Jackson, AWN's ace reporter, that his live action feature with animated segments is his most surreal work. Her excellent interview with him appears in the June issue of Animation World Magazine on the Internet. ASIFA NEWS, our international newsletter, has a fine article on him in the latest issue.
The U.C. Theatre in Berkeley (on University Ave. near Shattuck) will show the feature Friday Oct. 3 - Monday Oct. 6.
SVANKMAJER'S ALICE AND SURREAL SHORTS
will be shown at the U.C. Theatre in Berkeley on Wednesday, Oct. 1
BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD DO AMERICA
will be at the U.C. Theatre in Berkeley on Friday Sept. 12 at midnight.
SPIKE AND MIKE'S FESTIVAL OF ANIMATION
will be at the Roxie Sept. 19-25. This is the show that played at the Palace of Fine Arts in April. It includes Nick Park's Oscar winning A Close Shave and over an hour of works that was new to SF audiences. They include Karen Kelly's Stressed, Tim Hittle's Canhead, Mike Johnson's Devil Went Down to Georgia, Greg Holfeld's Barflies, John Wardlaw's Chessmaster Theatre, Thor Freudenthal's The Tenor and several other works. (program subject to change)
FANS OF SICK & TWISTED ANIMATIONwill be happy to know that a new program is scheduled to play the Castro in December. Ellen Holty, managing director for the Spike and Mike programs, says the new show is "really awful and hilarious." She reports the final film in the program, Sloaches Fun House by Steve Margolis, is the most vile piece of clay work ever molded. At a recent showing of the film 2 official Spike and Mike Barf Bags were actually used! The film was shown out of competition at the World Animation Celebration in their outrageous animation show.
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© 1997 Animation World Network