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BILLYíS BALLON by Don Hertzfeldt will be screened by both The San Francisco International Film Festival and by Spike and Mike
LOCAL THEATRES IN APRIL AND MAY WILL OFFER LOTS OF NEW ANIMATED FEATURES AND SHORTS TO BAY AREA AUDIENCES This has become an exciting time of year to see new animated films. The San Francisco International Film Festival will premiere two animated features from Asia, a program of shorts for mature audiences, a kid's show with several animated films in it and other programs with some animation in them. Spike And Mike open in the Bay Area with a new show of quality shorts from around the world. ASIFA San Francisco will show the ASIFA East Annual Competition in May. In commercial theaters across the nation expect long lines of fans anxious to see the new Star Wars feature. The King and I, the animated version, and Dougís 1st Movie open with hopes that they will draw Easter vacation crowds to theaters. Locally, The Red Vic on Haight Street will show a new Best of Spike and Mike program May 16 - 23 and A Bugs Life May 30 - 31. There will probably be other shows that havenít been mentioned. "See you at the movies." See local screening listings in this newsletter for more information.
SF STATEíS EVENING HONORING THEIR ANIMATION ALUMNI WAS A FINE CELEBRATION They showed work by about 30 people, gave old friends enough time to catch up with what they had been doing since leaving school, and kept people happy with a wide selection of pastry, sushi and other good things to eat and drink. There was a standing room only crowd for this wonderful festive evening. Attending the event were the schoolís president and his wife Robert and Mrs. Joyce Mobley Corrigan. People who showed work before the desert break were Marcy Page, Dan McHale, Tony Claar and Shirley Smith. They had studied animation there before the 90s. Each showed a student and recent work celebrating animation as an art form. After the break came video reels of students from the 1990s who are now working at ILM, Wild Brain, Mondo Media, Disney, Pixar and other companies. Much of the work was made for theatrical release or for TV. They also showed two recent productions in 35mm, Jim Angís Singa Pura and John McCambridgeís Dam Beavers. The reels shown were by Victoria Livingstone (ILM), Heather Knight (ILM), Dave Thomas (Wild Brain), Aaron Sorenson (Wild Brain), David Tart (Pixar), Nica Lorber (Mondo Media), George Dondero (Mondo), Ken Novarro (Mondo), Jon Guerzon (Mondo), Gustavo Ramirez (Mondo), Joey Elardy (Zenimation), Misha Klein (Freak Show Films), Ethan Merrick (Freak Show Films), Alan Lau (Curious Pictures), Jeff Nevins (Six Foot Two), David Spivak, David Gottlieb (Disney), Takeshi Hasagawa (Time Warner), Dylan Brown (Pixar) and Warren Fullar. This information comes from program notes that were gathered by Vicki Anderson - much thanks.
NIK PHELPS RECEIVES A MEET THE COMPOSER GRANT to write the musical score for a work-in-progress by Nina Paley. The film will premiere at an Ideas in Animation event. The grant is from the Meet the Composer Fund.
NICK FOSTER OF PDI WINS AN ACADEMY SCIENCE AND TECHNICAL AWARD for software development in the field of water simulation systems. He began his research while a PhD candidate at the University of Pennsylvania. His software was used in Antz.
WILD BRAIN ANIMATES THE TRAILER FOR THIS YEARíS SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Gordon Clark directed. Zimmerman Crowe was the design firm. Pixar provided additional technical support. The promotion for the event was designed in the style of a Saul Bass work from the 1950s.
ARNAULD LAMORLETTE JOINS PDI AS SENIOR VISUAL EFFECTS DEVELOPER ON ìSHREK ì JANE HARTWELL PROMOTED TO ASSOCIATE PRODUCER ON THE FILM Lamorlette comes from Buf Compagnie, a special effects house in Paris. He was a vice-president of the firm and his credits include City of Lost Children, Batman and Robin, and lots of commercials. Hartwell had been a production manager on PDIís Antz. She will be in charge of the filmís production schedule and oversee various departments including story, character, lighting, effects and technical direction. Her screen credits include Antz and James and the Giant Peach.
COLOSSAL PICTURES DOES A PSA WITH CHARACTERS FROM THE BOOK ìHANGINí WITH HOMBEEZî The 30 second PSA is for Partnership for a Drug-Free America. Tom Rubalcava directed using six students from De Anza College as assistant animators. George Evelyn was the creative director. The animators were Rubaalcava, Charlie Canfield, and Alan Lau. The animated spot will begin airing in May
COMPLETE PANDEMONIUM AND WESTERN IMAGES DO ìBATTLE TANXî, a spot for the Nintendo game with the same name. In the commercial a teddy bear is terrorized, chased, blasted, burned and crushed by a tank. Chris Milk directed for Complete Pandemonium and Bob Roesler was Westernís digital effects artist. Western now has a web site www.planetpoint.com
LOCAL ANIMATORS HELP RAISE MONEY FOR THE ERICA ESSNER PERFORMANCE CO-OP The advance notice for the March event said Bay Area animators presenting work were from Western Images, Wild Brain and Giant Killer Robots plus artists Susan Smith and David Brandt. Dave Thomasí A Dog Cartoon was expected to be one of the highlights of the evening.
GARY SCHWATZ RETURNS IN JUNE TO TEACH ANOTHER BASIC INTRODUCTION TO ANIMATION TECHNIQUES AT FILM ARTS FOUNDATION He will present an intensive week of 2D work and then a week of 3D stop motion animation. He uses the Video Lunchbox to record student work. It gives instant playback and students can take a tape home of their work.
HELP FILM ARTS FOUNDATION DECIDE WHAT ANIMATION EQUIPMENT TO BUY They are considering acquiring some new animation equipment in the coming year and would like your feedback. They would like to know if they had a Video Lunch Box, would you use it? If you might use it, how many hours a year would you be using it? What animation software would you use if it were acquired by FAF? Finally, what other animation equipment would you like to see at FAF? To respond call the seminars department at (415) 552-8760 EX 311 or email dannyp@filmarts.org
LINDA CAROTHERS IN A ìREFUSEDî ART EXHIBIT She will be showing watercolors and life drawings at Java-Lisa Coffee House, April 6 - May 2, 4590 18th St. Reception April 24 at 7 pm.
JONATHAN LUSKIN IS DIRECTING ìSIGHT UNSEEN,î a play by Donald Margulies that runs April 9 through May 2, 449 Powell St. 3rd floor, SF. It is a portrait of the artist as a young capitalist. Luskin, one of the first computer artists hired by ILM, worked there for several years. He has also taught computer animation and other subjects at local colleges. For information and ticket reservations call (415) 433 -- 1172.
SPIKE AND MIKEíS CLASSIC FESTIVAL OF ANIMATION OPENS APRIL 9 AT THE CASTRO THEATRE AND THE PALACE OF FINE ARTS IN SF - AT UC IN BERKELY APRIL 23 - MAY 1 It plays at additional theaters in the area in May. The show features the 1999 Oscar winning Bunny by Chris Wedge of Blue Sky Productions in New York state and the 1989 Oscar winning Balance by the Lauenstein Brothers from Germany. The program premieres a wide range of shorts including Tightrope by Daniel Riobichild of Digital Domain, Billy's Balloon by Don Hertfeld, Bingo by Chris Landreth from Canada and The Blue Shoe by Peter Reynolds. Two films that won prizes at the 1998 Annecy Animation Festival are included -- Sientje by Christa Moesker of the Netherlands and The Man With Pendulous Arms by Laurent Gorgiard from France. Also in the show are Hum Drum, a new prize winner from Aardman Animation in England, plus other exceptional films from France, England, Germany, the USA and Canada. Spike also is including the 1969 cult favorite Bambi Meets Godzilla by Marv Newland. This is the programs first U.S. engagement. It premiered in Vancouver, British Columbia in March.
IDEAS IN ANIMATION WITH THE SPROCKET ENSEMBLE will perform live music to works by Nina Paley, Rock Ross, Michael Rudnick, Jason Shiga, Sara Petty and others, Friday, April 9, at The Jewelry Store, 2519 Mission, SF. Doors open at 8 pm. There will be several other attractions at this gala event. Call (415) 681 ñ 3189 for details.
SAN FRANCISCO EXPERIMENTAL FILM SERIES AT MOMA CONTINUES The final program with animation in it is called Psychedelia and Sexuality. It includes two or three films with images designed to "blow your mind." The works are Off On by Scott Bartlett, Eyetoon by Jerry Abrams and Fall by Tom DeWitt. The program will be shown Friday, April 9 and Sunday, April 11 at 3 p.m. in the museum's auditorium, 151 Third Street near Mission.
SAN FRANCISCO FILM FESTIVAL (April 22 - May 6) is offering several fine programs of animation. There is a program of shorts for adults and a program with 3 animated films that are suitable for children. There are two animated features from Japan, and other programs with limited amounts of animation. The Animated Zoo is a program of animation from around the world for adults. It features the 1999 Oscar winner Bunny (Chris Wedge, Blue Sky Productions), The Bats by Jim Trainor which won a silver prize in the festivalís Golden Gate competition, plus Organ Cranker by Jon Foulk and Billyís Balloon by Don Hertzfelt which both won certificates of merit in the competition. Also included are Hum Drum by Peter Peake from Aardman in England, The Gray Bearded Lion by Andrei Khrjanovski, Russia; Panther by Vuk Jevremonic, Germany and One Day a Man Bought a House by Pjotr Sapagain, Norway. The program will be seen two times, Tuesday, May 4 at 9:50 p.m. and on Thursday, May 6 at 7:30. A far different animation experience is Silence by Orly Yadin and Sylvie Bringas of England. Its concern is childhood horrors and adult fears of the holocaust. It won a certificate of merit from the festival. The film is 15 minutes long and in a program called ìWomenís Voices.î It is a program of strong statements on film. It plays once on Wednesday, May 5 at 7:10 pm at the Kabuki. For children between 8 and 80 there is the program "A Bat, A Rat... and a Wabbit?." Three delightful animated shorts highlight the show. Frank the Wabbit is a very silly story by John Weldon (Oscar for Special Delivery) from the National Film Board of Canada. Snow Cat by Sheldon Cohen of the Canada Film Board, is a lovely folk tale of a woman and her special feline friend. Batpig in the Underworld by Sabine Huber of Germany is the adventure of Batpig saving crops from a thief. The program plays three times. On Friday, April 30 at 11 a.m.; on Saturday, May 1 at a 1 p.m. and in Berkeley at the Pacific Film Archive on Sunday, May 2 at 3 p.m. Another collection of shorts contains work for and by teens. "Youth or Consequences" features two clay animation shorts by Ryan McColloch from Vacaville. The festival calls this young animator "an exciting new talent to watch." His films Without You and Put to Sleep will be shown in San Francisco on Sunday. April 25 at 11 a.m. They will be seen on Saturday April 24 at 3:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. There will also be a screening in San Rafael on Saturday, May 1 at 11:30 a.m. The two animated features from Asia are My Fathers Dragon from Japan and Grandma and Her Ghosts from Korea/Taiwan. They play Thursday, April, 29 at 11 a.m. and Sunday, May 2 at 1 p.m. The festival also is showing Run Lola Run, a German feature that uses animation techniques as a special effect. For more information about the festival stop by theaters (Kabuki, PFA, etc.) for a program guide. It will also be included in an issue of the Bay Guardian this month.
BILL PLYMPTON ILLUSTRATES WHAT WENT ON BEHIND CLOSED DOORS IN WASHINGTON Although we know Bill Plympton as a major independent animator, he may soon become better known to the public as the illustrator of "Monica's Untold Story, An Amorality Tale." The book was released in March with the help of a good promotion team. The first national publicity was by Fox TV News. Fox Files did a feature story on it complete with an interview with Plympton. A party in New York at Webster Hall announcing the book drew over 500 people. The event featured a Monica look-alike contest. Eight Monicas and one Linda completed for a $500 prize. The winner did a brief performance on her knees with a cigar. Another entry did a reading from Monica's book. The Linda impersonator was a guy in drag whom Plympton described as "very good." Several additional Monicas were in the audience, but did not enter the competition. The event lasted until after midnight. Plympton is presently doing signings and other promotional tasks. His travels in March included a visit to two colleges in Canada. If the book is a success, a lot of the credit should go to the publisher, Regan Press. They published Private Parts by Howard Stern and a recent book by Rush Limbaugh. Despite what you may imagine, the book is tastefully done. It covers Monicaís life from her childhood to recent events. The text by "Anonymous" is cute and entertaining rather than sordid smut. The illustrations are in full color and do a great job capturing the spirit of the text. Hardcore Plympton fans will be surprised at the lack of bare breasts and private parts. The only flesh in the book is an image of Monica's rear, similar to be image above from Plympton's web site (www.awn.com). The book is aimed at a general audience. The publisher seems to have decided that it should charm and delight rather than offend. This is not a really outrageous Plympton work, but that may be to its credit as it makes the book far more accessible to the public. The book sells for $12, is 76 pages and is published by Regan Books. ISBN: 0060393033 Other Plympton news includes word from Annecy that they will show his new short Surprises News in their annual competition in late May.
OSCAR FOR ANIMATED SHORT GOES TO ìBUNNYî BY CHRIS WEDGE OF BLUE LIGHT -- TV ACADEMY STUDENT AWARDS GO TO Paco by Daniel S. Murray of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia in the traditional category and The Cut Above from Pratt Institute in the non-traditional category. 2nd an 3rd prizes went to students from CAL Arts, USC and NYU.
RARE CARTOON CLASSICS MAY SOON BE AVAILABLE Jerry Beck told us that he has been involved with several video packages of classic Hollywood cartoons. The newest package contains toons that have not been seen by the public in many years. Totally Tuned In is a 65 part series for TV featuring cartoons from Colombia Pictures. The films include the UPA theatrical productions (Mr Magoo, Gerald Mc Boing Boing, etc.) and earlier Columbia releases (Fox and Crow, etc.) These are cartoons that haven't been seen on TV since the Ruff and Ready show went off the air. The series has already been sold to several countries. Sales to a network in this country are pending. Another big project is for a company that packages film classics on tape for direct mail sales. Details are not public yet, but if all goes well they will release up to 75 volumes containing 15 cartoons on each tape. Beck continues to work on a book about all the animated features that have been release in the U.S. Beck has been collecting material on the topic for years and the book will include the obscure as well as the well known. Beck runs a cartoon research company in Hollywood.
RICHARD WILLIAMSí MASTERCLASS WILL BE HELD IN LONDON MAY 21 - 23 England in the spring is wonderful, so you might want to consider spending a few days there studying animation with this exceptional teacher. His "Animator's Survival Kit" is a great refresher course in character animation. Take it in London and you can write off the expenses on your taxes. You might also end up with a great vacation. For information call + 44 (0) 1834 871 114 or e.mail mo@masterclass.demon.co.uk People who have studied with Williams will be happy to know that he and Mo Sutton, his wife, are excited about an old house they recently purchased in South West Wales. It is situated in a dip between green rolling hills, about 1/4 mile from the sea. There is a carp pond and a barn that will be turned into a studio. They are keeping the house in British Columbia so hopefully they will visit San Francisco again some day.
EXPANDED ENTERTAINMENT QUIETLY WENT OUT OF BUSINESS ON MARCH 31 Bill Buck, who once ran Expanded, is taking over as publisher of Animation Magazine. He is ending the news stand sale of it and is turning it into a trade publication. ASIFA-SF members will soon get a notice with their newsletter for a free 6 month subscription. Buck was asked about what Terry Thoren plans to do with all the tapes and films Expanded distributed. He says that hasnít been decided, but he says several video distributors have purchased quantities of tapes so people will still be able to get copies.
SAN DIEGO COMIC CON is the largest comics event of its kind. Animation programs are part of the event along with in-person appearances. This year June Foray, Paul Dini and other guests will be there. The event is Aug. 12-15. For information write P.O. Box 128458, San Diego, CA 92112 ñ 84584 or call ((619) 491-2475
LARGE FORMAT CINEMA ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAY 19 - 21 in LA Highlights include a gala and screening in 5 perf / 70 mm of Lawrence of Arabia, 1963, at the Egyptian theater on closing night. They will also have a tribute to Lester Novros, who founded Graphic Film Corp. in 1941. He is a pioneer of the large format industry. He also taught at University of Southern California and worked for Disney on Snow White and Fantasia. For information about the group call (209) 477 -- 2726 or check their Web site at http://lfca.org
VICTOR MOORE HAS LOTS OF FILM GEAR FOR SALE according to a flyer he sent us. It sounds like his store/shop/studio in Redwood City has a million dollar inventory of items for sale and he can service filmmakers who use every format from super 8 to 70 mm. He says he has available aerial animation systems, optical printers, animation controllers, and other equipment used to make special effects and animation. Moore not only runs a store, he says he is a voice actor, film artist and technician with directing and producing experience. He can be reached at (650) 365-2787
MARIN COUNTY FESTIVAL is part of their county fair. They offer cash prizes for animated work. $25 entry fee. April 16 deadline. Screening conditions are less than ideal as people are constantly going in and out of the exhibit hall - this is a fair, not a film festival. For information about this July the event call (415) 499 ñ 6400.
NEW YORK EXPOSITION OF SHORT FILM AND VIDEO has a June 1 deadline for a December event. $40 entry fee plus an extra $5 to get your tape back. The event is for experimental work, not traditional films. Lots of non-cash awards. 532 LaGuardia Place, Suite 330, New York, NY 10012 (212) 505 - 7742
BRAINWASH DEADLINE IS MAY 1 for this delightfully strange events held right here in San Francisco. Works are shown on vhs tape, often in a strange location with less than ideal seating and projection. Contact Shelby Toland (aka David Krizysik) for details at (415) 273 ñ 1545.
ASIFA-SF WOULD LIKE TO OFFER CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS and will if the response to our April event suggests there is enough interest for us to develop a series of educational programs. While there are several schools in the area that have animation classes, we think it would be more valuable for members who are not seasoned animation professionals to attend these programs. We will ask members who are articulate experts to share their knowledge. We believe they can give you a more practical understanding of the field, the process, and the requirements. Mark West's presentation this month is a sample of what the animation community can offer. There are numerous topics our classes and workshops can explore. They include animation history, the animation process, drawing classes, and other topics. There are experts in our community that work in story departments, and others who specialize in character development, layout and storyboarding. We want them to share their experiences with you. We will charge a reasonable fee for these series (ASIFA members will be charged less than non-members) and will pay our experts for their services. At our April event we hope to have more details and a questionnaire that you can fill out. Offering programs of this nature has been a dream of our board members since the chapter was founded over 30 years ago. We hope it becomes a reality. To make these programs possible we will need a suitable space.
ASIFA - SAN FRANCISCO
P. O. Box 14516
San Francisco, CA 94114
| This issue was written by Karl Cohen, proofread by Jim Gates and laid out by Shirley Smith. Membership is $18 a year from the above address. Highlights of back issues can be found on the internet at www.awn.com in the animation village. |
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