July - August, 2001 Newsletter
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THREE CHANCES FOR YOU TO DISCOVER "THE HAND BEHIND THE MOUSE: THE UB IWERKS STORY." THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE GENIUS (WINNER OF 2 OSCARS) WHO FIRST DESIGNED MICKEY MOUSE, FLIP THE FROG, WILLIE WHOPPER AND OTHER STARS. LESLIE IWERKS IN-PERSON Leslie has created both a feature length documentary and a fully illustrated book about her grandfather. For the first time she sets the record straight about his importance to animation history and to the Disney studio. The film is loaded with great film clips and interviews and is a "must see" for the general public and all of those who take animation seriously. Iwerks (1901-1971) worked with Walt in the early 1920's in Kansas City, Missouri, where they became partners and learned the ins-and-outs of the new animation field. By the mid-1920's Ub and Walt had relocated to Hollywood where Wal opened Disney Brothers Studio with his brother Roy. He handed all the drawing tasks to his top artist and friend, Ub Iwerks. Iwerks was the only artist to remain loyal to Disney in 1927 when others defected to the Charles Mintz Studio. Disney was producing Oswald the Lucky Rabbit for Mintz when the distributor decided to cut Disney out of the picture and produce the series himself. What happened next is well known, but one important fact is rarely mentioned. It was Ub Iwerks (not Walt) who designed all the characters and animated them in Steamboat Willie (1928), Plane Crazy (1929) and other early Mickey Mouse cartoons. Iwerks soon became known throughout the industry for his amazing drawing abilities, for both quality and quantity (a record 700 drawings a day). The overnight success of Mickey Mouse resulted in creative differences between Walt and Ub. They were both 29 when they realized the very success they had worked so hard for was beginning to wedge the two friends apart. When Iwerks left Disney in 1930 to form his own studio, the relationship between the partners was less than ideal. Leslie covers their differences and reveals the behind-the-scenes tensions that occurred. The film (and book) cover the brilliance of Iwerks Studios and the technical skills they mastered to meet their distributor's demand for quality. Her section on Flip the Frog cartoons made for MGM includes many clips illustrating the studio's fondness for naughty "pre-code" images that were banned in 1934 by the Production Code (formal censorship). The documentary progresses to Willie Whopper and Comicolor cartoons, illustrating the pioneering horizontal multi-plane shots created by Iwerks years before Walt introduced his own vertical multi-plane system. The film discusses other accomplishments and the difficulties Ub endured before rejoining Walt Disney in 1940. The film includes excellent coverage of Iwerk's later work as a special effects wizard on Disney features (1940's-60's). His major technical advances include working with optical printers, traveling matte systems, the wet gate printer and the 360 degree motion picture screen and other systems. He laid groundwork that our film industry is utilizing and exploring. For his many contributions to the industry, Ub was honored with two Academy Awards and a nomination for his special effects on Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. This is the story of a self-taught director, engineer, photographer and inventor. Ub has over 200 film credits to his name. He was a mentor to some of the industry's finest animators, including Friz Freleng and Chuck Jones. Due in part to a myth created by Walt Disney in the 1930?s about the origin of Mickey's birth, and Ub's own desire to remain behind-the-scenes rather than be in the spotlight, his true contributions to animation and the film industry have remained virtually unknown to the public. The film includes never-before-seen archival footage, previously censored cartoon clips from the 1920's and 30's, recreations, photographs, and interviews dating back to Ub's impoverished youth in Kansas City during the early 1900's. With interviews from John Lasseter, Roy E. Disney, Tippi Hedren, Mark Kausler, Richard Edlund, and others, the film is not only an emotional and riveting illustrated history, but also a wonderful introduction to animation and its importance. Animation experts including Leonard Maltin and Russell Merritt tell how, in Iwerks' animation, "structure was thrown out to make way for the free-flowing push to the next emotion." Funded by and produced in association with Walt Disney Pictures, Roy E. Disney summed up Ub's importance to the studio and to the world: "Without Ub, there wouldn't have been a Mickey." Leslie Iwerks will be showing her film in 35mm on Saturday, July 14 at 7 pm at the Rafael Film Center in San Rafael. She will screen her work in 35mm on Sunday, July 15 at 5:30 pm at the Pacific Film Archive. The work will be shown on video on Monday, July 16, at 7:30 pm at the Exploratorium. The documentary credits include narrated by Kelsey Grammer, photographed by Shana Hagen, music by John Debney and Louis Febre and written, directed and produced by Leslie Iwerks. It is 91 minutes, color, and available in 35mm from Beuna Vista Pictures. Special thanks to Howard Green at Disney. Leslie's book The Hand Behind the Mouse: An Intimate Biography of Ub Iwerks, has just been published. It will be on sale at each screening ($24.95, hardcover, from Disney Editions, 2001, John Kenworthy is the co-author) and she will be signing copies. Leslie runs Leslie Iwerks Productions, a multi-media production company, in Santa Monica, CA, where she is directing and producing live action and animated projects for film, television, and the large format venues. Her father is Don Iwerks, Oscar winner and chairman/co-founder of Iwerks Entertainment (15/70 and 8/70mm cameras and projection systems and specialty attractions including TurboRide.) K.C. BILL PLYMPTON'S EAT SELECTED BY OUR AUDIENCE AS THEIR FAVORITE FILM at out June ASIFA event, a screening of the winners of the ASIFA-East annual competition. Eat got twice as many points as the film that came in second! The second prize goes to Drink by Patrick Smith and the third prize goes to That Special Monkey by Sean McBride. Honorable mentions go to Thought Bubble by Billy Greene and Ramblin' Man by Aaron Augenblick. Other films getting a fair number of votes were Low Down Underground by Ellena Allen, Protest by Holly Kline and Steadman by Wachtenheim/Marianetti LLC. Checks for $100, $60 and $40 will be sent to our top prize winners. At the competition's screening in NYC in May Eat won "Best in Show." Thought Bubble won 3rd place in the independent films category, Drink won 2nd and Duncan by Holly Kline came in 1st in that category. (Kline may be a favorite in NYC, but only 2 people in SF voted for her work. Why?) That Special Monkey was the 1st place winner in the student category, Protest won the Charles Samu Award, Stedman won for excellence in writing and Low Down Underground came in 3rd in sponsored films. WILD BRAIN.COM HAS PROMOTIONAL TRAILERS ON THEIR SITE FORS SEVERAL NEW SHOWS A very promising looking show is Unnatural Acts by Bridget Erdmann. I think it is somewhat like the old Gong Show, but in this modern version you get to decide if the act is a hit or if you want to pelt the act with fruit and vegetables. Among the other new shows hinted at are Guilty as Sin by Julia Tortolani, Hansel and Gretel, Private Eye by Robin Steele and Michael Baker and Graveyard by Michaela Pavlatova. We showed excerpts of Graveyard at our open screening in February and it was wonderful black humor.. All the shows have been produced (!3 episodes of each series), but the company hopes to lease them to other sites rather than run them first on their own web site. Since most Internet portals are not expanding rapidly now, only time will tell when we will get to see these shows. WILD BRAIN DID 6 ADS FOR WRIGLEY'S WINTER-FRESH® GUM USING 6 DIFFERENT DIRECTORS The gum, which is the nation's biggest seller among teens, showcases several distinct animation styles. Wild Brain says Wrigley encouraged their directors to develop designs and techniques that would appeal to teens on a "personal aesthetic level." The six 30-second spots are wildly diverse in their look, but each ends with the tag line "Whatever comes out...it's cool." WILD BRAIN'S "HUBERT'S BRAIN" PREMIERES AT ANNECY and at a festival in Belgium where it won a major prize. The 16 minute long 35mm short is an impressive 3D computer animated dark comedy that should win them lots of attention, awards and a contract for a series and/or feature. It shines on every level (from script development to animation) showing Wild Brain is an exceptional studio. We hope to have a 35mm screening of the film for ASIFA-SF members in the fall. WILD BRAIN INC. PROMOTES B.Z. PETROFF TO HEAD OF PRODUCTION B. Z. Petroff has been promoted to head of production from producer. In her new position, Petroff will be responsible for developing strategies to strengthen all aspects of the studio's various production-related departments. Her tasks will include working closely with department heads to improve techniques for scheduling creative staff, cost-effectively manage resources, and to make the production process more efficient. Petroff, who has over 15 years of production management experience, has worked locally in the past for Pixar, Colossal Pictures and Tippett Studios. "BOOBIE GIRL" (WITH MUSIC BY NIK PHELPS) WINS A STUDENT OSCAR Brooke Keesling's Boobie Girl was made at CAL Arts. All the nominated students were treated to a week of special events in LA that included seminars and tours at local studios. The winners will be shown at Cannes next year. Nik and Nancy Phelps were invited to the awards ceremony and said it was a splendid Hollywood event. That Special Monkey, shown at our June event, was also nominated in the animation category. DREAMWORKS ANNOUNCES "SHREK" SEQUEL. The feature opened well and continues to rack-up impressive weekly grosses. A month after it had opened it had grossed about $197.5 million and was expected to pass the $200 million mark in a few hours. It didn't take long for DreamWorks to decide it would be newsworthy to announce that they are planning to produce a theatrical sequel. Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, the writing team behind the first Shrek screenplay, are set to write the sequel. Their credits also include Disney's Aladdin (top-grossing film of 1992), The Road to El Dorado, and the live-action adventure The Mask Of Zorro.. They were story consultants on Antz. CARTOONLAND COMPLETES PROJECTS FOR WELLLS FARGO, NORFIELD ENTERPRISES AND STILA COSMETICS For Wells Fargo they created a three-minute cartoon featuring a caricature of their new CEO in humorous situations. It is for the bank's monthly in-house video news magazine. For Norfield Enterprises in Chico they produced a one-minute 3-D opening featuring four little guys constructing the company's logo. For Stila Cosmetics they created a 20 second spokeswoman named Nancy. The lovely lady will appear at trade shows across the country. KARL COHEN TO APPEAR ON 2 EPISODES OF "CARTOONLAND PRESENTS" This is a silly program of old cartoons and lively patter. The host is Kenin Coffey and he shows lots of 1930's cartoons by Ub Iwerks, Van Beuren and the Fleischer studios. Tune in at 10:30 pm on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, Cable Channel 29, San Francisco. Cohen, wearing a sailor's hat, is supposed to be on the July 3 and July 17 shows live from Cartoonland's tugboat. MONDO MEDIA TO AIR SHOWS ON YAHOO! Mondo Media has announced Yahoo! will exhibit three of their popular "Mondo Mini Shows," Thugs On Film, Like, News and Piki & Poko Adventures in Starland SIX FOOT TWO PRODUCTIONS FORMS CONSORTIUM OF DIRECTORS THAT WILL DO ADS AND INTERNET PROJECTS The company has signed three new director, Kelly Day, Dan Povenmire and Tom McKeon. www.sixfoottwo.com SEVERAL BOOKS, TAPES, CD RECORDS AND OTHER ITEMS SHOWN AT OUR BOOK FAIR ARE NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH THE MAIL The event was a wonderful evening, but the heat wave kept a lot of people away. Will Ryan and Diane Michelle read outrageous excerpts from Shakespeare with a variety of strange voices and accents (ever hear a mug from the Bronx quote the Bard?) Ryan also delighted us with his ukulele (two very short songs) and he told weird stories about Elmo Aardvark and life in L.A. Nik Phelps talked about different approaches he has used to working with animators. He showed videos of Nina Paley's Fetch and Brook Keesling's Boobie Girl to illustrate two completely different approaches he has taken to creating music for animated work. Phelps has produced Fetch!, a CD record of his original music for animated shorts. The music was performed live by the Sprocket Ensemble to animation by Nina Paley, Dave Thomas, Jason Shiga, Jane Aaron, Sara Petty and other artists. To purchase Fetch! write 2066 30th Ave, S.F. Ca. 94116 Enclose check for $15 made out to Nik Phelps (includes shipping). The CD is also sold at the group's performances. Ed Hooks turned out to be a delightful actor/teacher who kept us entertained as he informed us about the contents of his book Acting For Animators. No wonder he has traveled the world over to present classes. His book Acting for Animators from Heinmann Press sells for $18.95 at Amazon.com. If anyone wants an autographed copy, he will send you one for $21, which includes shipping. His home address (until Sept.) is 212 Cowper Street, Palo Alto, CA. 94301. Arnaldo Laboy's Episode 1 of The Adventures of Poyi and Ubo is a half-hour, fully animated video for kids of all ages. It has an ecology message. VHS copies from Laboy Entertainment, are $15.00 including shipping from Laboy Entertainment, PO Box 320038 SF CA 94132-0038. (415) 337-6313, web site: www.poyi.com laboy@sprintmail.com Autographed copies of Karl Cohen's Forbidden Animation: Censored Cartoons and Blacklisted Animators are available from the author for $24, including shipping. (Retails from Amazon.com and others for $35 plus postage.) The book covers several important issues including formal censorship in the animation industry (1934-'68), censorship today in theatrical animation and on TV, the elimination of racist images in animation and the banning of people from working in the industry due to their personal political beliefs. From 478 Frederick, SF CA 94117 karlcohen@earthlink.com or (415) 386-1004 ID8 MEDIA PRESENTS CGI CLASSES IN SAN FRANCISCO AND SAN RAFAEL They include Photoshop, 3D Studio Max, etc. For details call (415) 459-1050 THE NEW INTERNATIONAL ASIFA NEWSLETTER is out (it has a full color cover). If you paid $40 (now $44) dues for an international membership and did not get the issue, let me know ASAP and I'll let them know. If you joined after April, your dues haven't been sent to Europe yet. We will send recent renewals and new international dues to Europe in July or August. (415) 386-1004 or karlcohen@earthlink.com ERROR IN A FACT ABOUT "SHREK" - IT WASN'T THE FIRST ANIMATED FEATURE TO BE SHOWN AT CANNES Bill Plympton called when he got back from Annecy to tell us what a great party and festival it was this year (he won the grand prize for features). He also called to say he had spotted this error. A note to Jerry Beck confirms Plympton's memory is correct. Beck wrote back, "Peter Pan and Fantastic Planet were both shown in competition at Cannes. Planet won something I think, but not the top prize. DreamWorks claimed, I believe, that Shrek was the first animated film in competition since Peter Pan. Shrek is the first American animated film since Peter Pan in competition and certainly the first CGI film in competition." By the time I saw that item in the press the story has been distorted to say it was the first animated feature to ever be shown in competition at Cannes.
LOCAL SCREENINGSFri. July 6 at 8 pm and Sat. July 7 at 2 pm, BUGS BUNNY ON BROADWAY, live music by the San Francisco Symphony accompanying Bugs Bunny cartoons. Davies Symphony Hall (415) 864-6000 Sunday, July 8 at 2 pm, the Sprockets Ensemble performs new scores by Nik Phelps to Melies' classic A TRIP TO THE MOON (1902), to Rock Ross' Stupor Mundi (1991) and other films. At the Exploratorium, Lyon at Mason., SF DISCOVER THE GENIUS OF UB IWERKS Leslie Iwerks will be showing her film The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story in 35mm on Saturday, July 14 at 7 pm at the Rafael Film Center in San Rafael. She will screen her work in 35mm on Sunday, July 15 at 5:30 pm at the Pacific Film Archive. The work will be shown on video on Monday, July 16, at 7:30 pm at the Exploratorium (free ASIFA-SF event on the 16th) Monday, July 23 at Minna Street Gallery, Nik Phelps and the Sprocket Ensemble perform live music to animated shorts. 111 Minna St., 7:30 and 9:30 pm. (415) 681-3189 Saturday, July 28, 8 pm, Nik Phelps and the Sprocket Ensemble perform live music to animated shorts. At the Arena Theatre, Main Street, Point Arena, CA (707) 882-3456 JIN-ROH, THE WOLF BRIGADE opens July 27 at the Lumiere in San Francisco, the Shattuck Cinemas in Berkeley and the Camera Cinemas in San Jose. This is an animated thriller from Japan by the team that did Ghost in the Shell. It is a "dark fantasy of a disheartened cop in search of his soul" set in a Tokyo destroyed by Nazi soldiers. The cop confronts gorillas that are fighting for what is left of the city. NATIONAL NEWSSTEVE OEDEKERK'S ANIMATED "SANTA VS. THE SNOWMAN" IS COMING TO IMAX IN 3D. The film will be reformatted into 70mm and will be part of an IMAX holiday film program set to premiere in November, 2002. Oedekerk's O Entertainment produced the film (animated by DNA productions). The film features the voices of Jonathan Winters (his voice work helped ruin Richard William's feature), Ben Stein and Victoria Jackson. While the plot may sound stupid (a lonely snowman wages war on Santa's Village with weapons that include hot chocolate squirt guns, giant igloo robot walkers and a 50-foot tall toy soldier) Oedekerk has written and directed films that have grossed over $1 billion in worldwide box office. Titles include Patch Adams, the Ace Ventura series and the Nutty Professor. His company presently produces Nickelodeon's computer-animated Jimmy Neutron. An updated version of IMAX's Paint Misbehavin' will also be in the holiday show. The short was created on their still experimental SANDDE 3D computer animation system that allows the animator to draw in space while viewing their work through 3D goggles. J. J. SEDELMAIER GOES ALL DIGITAL After 10 years of producing great stuff by hand (Fun with Real Audio, Cluckin' Chicken, The Ambiguously Gay Duo, animation for Beavis and Butthead, etc.), the company has announced it is time to go all digital in their mastering of commercials and short comedy segments for TV. "It's not like we haven't been using digital techniques for years now," said Sedelmaier. "We've used Virtual Magic (formerly US Animation) for some time, but now we won't be using film in-house, not even for pencil tests. We've now installed a system that allows us to do everything digitally, from animatics and pencil tests to modeling and color tests to final ink and paint." Sedelmaier uses Crater Software's CTP, a PC-based system for 2D cel animation, in addition to a number of Apple Macintosh computers. "After considerable examination, CTP worked out best," said Sedelmaier. "We still use a video camera for some small things, but now we scan 90 percent of our drawings into CTP, which also allows us to e-mail Quick Time movies, and that kind of thing...There's simply no way to justify film costs any longer." "SOUTH PARK" BROKE A TV CARTOON TABOO On June 20, 2001, Cartman said a word officially banned from broadcast TV by the Supreme Court. The court had ruled against Pacifica Foundation in 1978 for airing George Carlin's "Filthy Word" monologue in 1973. On June 20 Cartman said "shit" over 100 times (they had a counter on the screen to count how many times he said it). Will the network get busted or has a sacred taboo fallen? AWN FOUNDERS REACQUIRE COMPANY FROM CREATIVE PLANET Co-founders Ron Diamond and Dan Sarto have reacquired AWN from Creative Planet. The move signals AWN's return to independent online publishing (they have been online since April 1, 1996). This is good news as Creative Planet was having financial problems and had cut AWN's staff to the point where the cuts may have been obvious to some readers. A rumor about another party wanting to purchase AWN might have resulted in a publishing disaster for the animation community had it come true. So best to editor Heather Kenyon and the new publisher. AWN IS PUBLISHING OSCAR-WINNER GENE DEITCH'S NEW BOOK "HOW TO SUCCEED IN ANIMATION (DON'T LET A LITTLE THING LIKE FAILURE STOP YOU!)" ON THE INTERNET - FREE! Read a new chapter each week. Deitch had a successful career in the USA at UPA, Terrytoons, MGM and other studios. Then he fell in love with a woman who ran a studio in Prague, gave up his life in America and became an internationally known animator. He presented a talk about his wonderful career to our chapter several years ago and the book is just as informative. FOUR PEOPLE INDICTED BY A FEDERAL COURT IN THE STAN LEE MEDIA STOCK CASE The include Peter Paul, co-founder of the company, executive vice president Stephen Gordon, stock analyst Jeffrey Pittsburg and stock promoter Charles Kusche. They are accused of securities fraud in a $25 million stock manipulation scheme. They face maximum sentences of 15 years in prison if convicted. Stan Lee has not been charged and has been portrayed as an unwilling victim. Gordon, Kusche and Pittsburg have been arrested. Paul is believed to be living in Brazil (the U.S. government will seek his extradition). COMING IN OUR SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER - An Annecy report by Tsvika Oren (e-mailed from Tel Aviv) and an unusual review of animated film experiences at Great America (caution - two of them may be too physically violent for you). FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO ASIFA-SF.ORG
AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHEL OCELOTBY ADRIENNE CREW Michel Ocelot, the noted French animator and director, made a rare Bay Area appearance during the matinee screening of his latest film Princes and Princesses, which was screened as part of the 44th Annual San Francisco International Film Festival. Mr. Ocelot released his first feature, Kirikou and the Sorceress, in 1998. The audience attending the April 29, 2001 matinee at the Park Theater in Menlo Park received a double treat. First, they had the opportunity to see Ocelot's 2nd feature length film, Princes and Princesses, a charming tale about two children who invent and perform six stories revolving around the interaction between a prince and princess from different periods of history. The children perform these stories while visiting a futuristic movie theater owned by a kindly and magical theater technician. The 2D animated film features intricate and delicate black cut-out puppets silhouetted against a light board as well as other animation techniques. After the screening came the second treat: Mr. Ocelot stayed to answer everyone's questions. He brought several of the cut-out puppets for the audience to hold and admire. Mr. Ocelot explained to his fans that the entire film was made over the course of two springs and summers with a team of about seven animators and assistants in a village called Saint Laurent le Minier, located in a mountain region called Cevennes, an hour north of Monpellier. The animators made eight stories in all; each designed to look like a specific time period. Mr. Ocelot became attracted to the silhouette style while teaching an animation class for children. After having the children make segments using different techniques, he noticed how well the silhouetted technique had turned out and began using it for his own films. He first made the "Princess of Diamonds" segment in his studio in 1989 and made the subsequent segments at the production company owned by his long-time producer Jean-Francios Laguionie. A Canadian company called Remstar distributes videos and DVDs of the French-version of the film only in Francophone countries. www.remstarcorp.com Remstar does not have any information on when the English-subtitled version will be available. At this point, the film does not have an American distributor. Mr. Ocelot's answers were so thoughtful and interesting that I followed up with him by email. He graciously answered my additional questions and permitted me to publish them here. "PRINCES AND PRINCESSES" PRODUCTION HISTORY I understand that Princes and Princesses is a collection of tales you first animated in 1989 and then compiled for this feature film. When did you decide to make the initial films and what sparked your interest? I always want to make films, and I am interested by a million things. I don't see a spark, rather a continuous fire... I have a great number of such stories, whether in my mind or already on paper, whether totally original or partly inspired (I am not interested in making a real adaptation of an existing work). When there is a mean to do some of them, I make them. Did you make the silhouettes before you departed for La Fabrique? How many puppets did you make? I did the first tale, "Princess of Diamonds," all by myself in Paris, as a pilot. Then I went to that village to do the rest with animators, who in their turn did all on one tale each, from crafting the puppets to animating and shooting. Each character needed at least two puppets, one complete for long shots (tall as a hand), one with the upper part of the body, for close-ups (four times the first size). Each puppet had a set of different heads and hands. Most of the time there were four, to have profile and face. In some cases we added a 3/4. I'd like to confirm that you used a variety of techniques to animate these stories: silhouettes shot on a glass plate illuminated from behind with a 16 mm camera mounted overhead; stop motion to animate your hand drawing the shapes, cel animation...In order to make diamonds appear in "The Princess of Diamonds" segment, you poked pinpricks in the black silhouettes. What other techniques are used in the film? I confirm. We used plasticine for the slug, 3D model for the "megaradar," salt for foam. I loved your backgrounds. What type of paper did you use to make it so luminous? Did you solely use water colors or did you also use marbling or rubber stamps? The paper was regular drawing paper, the colors were watercolor ready in little pots, "Colorex". There was some felt pen when needed. I used marbled paper I made myself with oil paints so it stays on the surface of the water. Rubber stamps no, but sand, dirt, pine needles, rubbing paper on the floor, the walls, etc. What were the 2 short segments not included in the feature and why did you cut them? One was "Icarus", from the Greek legend, in a severe style of Bronze Age Crete. The other one was "One Can Not Think of Everything," a light French XVIIIth century comedy-ballet. The distributor thought that 70 minutes was a good length for a young audience. Did you know that Spike and Mike continue to show the last segment in their festivals? They showed it at the Castro this month. Oh yes I do! I missed the big screening of my feature Princes and Princesses at the Castro theater, and I'll never recover from it. I had been in that fantastic place a few years ago, for the screening of a Soviet silent film, with live music and a great audience, I had enjoyed that evening immensely, and to think I could have had my own film there and a discussion with that audience... Anyway I could not be in San Francisco at that date. But when I was there a little after I discovered there was the Spike and Mike show all week, I asked if they were showing the short of mine they had just bought again. They were! So finally I had the opportunity to show one of my films in that magic place and talk with the people there! Somebody got hold of Spike, explained I was here, ready to go any time to meet the audience at the "Festival of Animation". Spike said I could come on the two Saturday screenings. I later had him on the phone, to confirm my comin! g at seven, telling him how happy I was to meet his public at the Castro, and indicating that my appearing in the same screenings as John Lasseter was all right, we were friends and would enjoy this experience together. I could not wait for that evening. So I found myself again in this unique palace, enjoyed the organ music, with the audience already participating. It was magic. During the presentation, it was said several times I was in the House. At the intermission, John Lasseter was called on stage. A great Q & A followed. John is good on stage too. Spike told me something about meeting the audience on the mezzanine during the intermission. I went there to say hello to John Lasseter (who was giving autographs to a million fans), it was too soon for me to meet the people, they did not know my face and my film yet. It was shown in the best position, the last in the show. At last it came. In spite of the bad copy, the audience reactions were great from start to end, the applause flattering, I was ready to jump up and enjoy a happy chat with everybody. The lights came on, people stood up and went out, talking about my film. Any announcement? No. After a while I followed the crowd and went away. The evening was finished, it was a surprise ending, and a strange sense of hospitality and show business. I was told later the organizers were not interested in introducing the filmmakers to the audience. Who do you think is the Cinema director who operates the machine? He is an old technician who dedicated his life to cinema. People think he is too old to be employed. The little movie theater he bought at the end of his career had to close down, but he is an old magician transmitting his humanity, culture and know-how to children. Through them, he, and his old cinema, will not die. II. TECHNIQUE What is your background and training? Art schools, but no training in cinema or animation. I always worked on my own projects and I don't know how a film is made. How important is the story to you? Do you create a typewritten narrative or solely a storyboard? The story is the most important thing. I write it before storyboarding. I find writing easy, but I feel it is not quite right to write a film. It is not the right medium. Where did you learn the silhouette technique? Did you obtain any of Lotte Reineger's techniques or create your own? I definitely got the idea of doing silhouettes because Lotte Reineger did it. But I had no connection with her experience and, as usual, I guessed or invented. Do you have a favorite Reineger film? Well, to tell the truth, I never was attracted much by her films, which, in spite of some lovely moments, I found archaic and a little weak on the scenario. But I felt something for silhouettes in prints from the XVIII and XIXth centuries. I used this technique for financial reasons, it is cheap... But now I love it and will go on using it from time to time. Does silhouette require a different timing scheme than cel animation? Do you diagram your in betweens? Same timing. Some complicated scenes can be diagrammed, but as a rule it is best to be courageous, jump into it without a net and animate as a puppeteer, physically. Your mouth movements are so realistic that I really believed that the Egyptian princess was biting and chewing that fig! How did you time that? I assume you used a large cut out for the head. It is easy to do speech animation. I don't say lip synch, because head and body synch is more important. You have to have the final dialogue recorded before animation. You just follow the cue sheet and listen to the recording. Well, the actress did actually eat figs, picked in my Aunt Ren?e's garden. Do you work with the same team of animators? How were they trained? Some animators I forget, some I keep and we are happy together... Most come from animation schools, but not all. The main ingredient is passion for our craft and the story we are telling. III. YOUR CREATIVE PHILOSOPHY Which is more important to your mode of creativity: the word or the image? I want both. I can write something without illustrations, or draw a silent film, but I prefer using everything I have at my disposal. Do you make your films especially for children? I did not particularly want to make films for children. I wanted to make animation. Animation? So I was labeled "for kids". I did not mind that too much. I did one or two films which are NOT for children, and I never did films just for kids. If something does not interest me today, I don't do it. All my "children" films are made for adults as well. It is a good recipe to interest children. Nobody likes being treated as a baby, whether when fifty or when five. Children are used to not understand everything around them, and films should be as this life, but with a justification. Do you teach on a regular basis? I don't. In the past I did some teaching, on a wide spectrum: La Sorbonne and workshops for little kids. For the time being I feel I must make films. Does teaching inform your animation? I probably did too little teaching to get much feed-back. No, there was a specific technique I got from children, silhouettes! Once, looking for things to do, I told children in a workshop to use that technique. What they did in a week amazed me and I realized how strong, seductive and easy this technique was. What is the best quality for an animation student? Stubbornness. Never give up. Start again. I really liked your statement that you like to inject humor in your films because irreverence is a form of freedom. If a work lacks humor there is a dictatorial attitude about what the artist or speaker is trying to communicate. Is that the correct interpretation of what you said during the screening? It is good to be ironical about oneself, and others, including authorities. It is keeping one's mind alert. The irreverence is not necessarily for filmmaking. It is about society at large. When no irreverence exists, we have the Taliban's Afghanistan. You seem to be attracted to African culture. Why? Any other cultures that pique your imagination? What inspired you to make Kirikou et da Sorciere? All cultures interest me. I enjoy living today, because I have access to all cultures and all times. Two things mainly drove me to make Kirikou and the Sorceress, which takes place in Africa: I had come across a folk tale the beginning of which struck me, I thought it was a solid and wonderful base to build on; and I wanted to celebrate the country of my happy childhood, Black Africa. [Ocelot grew up in Guinea] I have already depicted other worlds, and have more in store. I'd like to see your film again to absorb all the sounds and music. Is this element important to you? It is. And it is a great joy to play with voices, music, sounds of all kinds, and have Sound marry Image forever after. What considerations do you take in adding sound to your films? My pleasure, my instinct. I know that animation can be weak, and sound can do a lot for it. Music comes when it is needed, and must eventually leave. I like silence too (I used it more in Kirikou). As for animation, a good animator knows how to stop moving. I loved the pause in the middle of the "Princes and Princesses." It felt odd but also liberating. You said that you did not want to bombard your viewers solely with your viewpoint. Yet that is the nature of cinema, no? It was not exactly my viewpoint I was telling about, but six complete films, which we did each intensely, as if it was the only one. They had to be separated, they had to be respected, if I may say so. The break in the middle was a breach of Law (irreverence...), you don't speak in the middle of a film, but it so nice to speak to one's neighbor, whether a child or an adult... How do you view film and its relationship to the audience? On one hand I must be sincere, honest and do what I am driven to do. On the other hand, if I speak, I must make myself understood. I must give pleasure as I have pleasure. That's making love! IV BUSINESS What are your working methods? Are you precise and time everything or do you work according to an internal rhythm? I let things come naturally, but at some point I become precise, as I have people work with me. I make a storyboard and an animatic, and everything is then defined and fixed. Do you have a separate studio where you animate? For the time being no. Each film was a different adventure with different production and place. Do you have a distributor? I do, for Kirikou et da Sorciere and Princes and Princesses. Have you thought about distributing your films over the Internet? The way is not clear yet for me... And as I am not the producer of my films, I am not in a position to take care of the exploitation of them. I don't have access to the negatives for example. That was a catastrophe for my shorts, but it is working well with my features. Kirikou has its own website www.kirikou.net Has it been successful in selling the film? How many video units have been sold since you made the film? This website was made by the American distributor of Kirkou. As far as I know, Kirikou was fairly successful in New York, and that's all. But the site is not updated, as a friend asked me --I just discovered it!-- when it was coming to Orlando. It did go to Orlando, but that city does not appear on the list. I have no idea how many videos were sold, I am not given information and I have always more urgent things to do than to ask and ask again... Do ask them, through their site. In France both titles are best sellers. What is your next project? Will it also be in silhouette? I intend to make a quick nice little tale in silhouette, while preparing a more ambitious feature, with a more traditional image, inspired by Persian miniatures. The subject will be a little controversial, about good or bad immigrants and about religions. But it will be a fairy tale. How prevalent is pop cultural and animation merchandising in Europe. It is fairly the same in all rich countries. American commerce is everywhere, Japanese products too, and the natives are aping. What are your views about licensing the reuse of your images for commercial items? If I could I'd live without it. But I can't, and I accept it, and favor it. It is my duty not to let me be crushed by big commerce and to find the ways to go on doing what big commerce will not do. So I have to make money. But I control all the merchandising and refuse what is not appropriate. For the time being all the things which have been based on Kirikou and Princes and Princesses are beautiful and positive... Would you want to see a Kirikou doll? Yes, and I did this very day! It is not actually a doll, it is a collector statuette of Kirikou facing Karaba, and it is splendid. The sculptor, Marie Leblond, came to my place to show me the first state of the statues to ask if it was right. It is quite so! The problem is it is done in such a refined way that it is quite expensive. I would like to have at the same time a cheaper product kids could buy --it will come. Do you consider yourself an independent animator and why? I am an independent individual and an author of films. I have done all my life only what I wanted and have now the means to do it better. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Adrienne Crew is an independent animator and writer living in Oakland, CA. She can be reached at acrew1@mindspring.com
A TALK WITH AN UNSUNG HERO OF ANIMATION, PDI'S RAMAN HUIBy Karl Cohen In April I was invited to talk with Raman Hui, Supervising Animator on Shrek, about his part in the production. He was working on Antz when the primary development of the film took place, but he still found time to help design many of Shrek's secondary characters including the gingerbread man, Pinocchio, a wolf, three pigs, Snow White, seven dwarfs, and a few bears. vRaman says PDI spent three or four months trying to decide on the visual style of the movie when they got the project. "Should movement be theatrical as in an opera, cartoony, or more realistic? It took us quite awhile to decide this is the style we want to use to animate this character." Because each main character is quite different from the others, they eventually decided on a blend of styles. Hui says the Princess is the most human-like character in the movie and therefore she was the most difficult to animate. "That was really challenging. It's easier to see any mistakes on a human-like character because that's what we see every day. We really had to pay a lot of attention to her details and weight." The look of the main characters is based to some extent on Steig's illustrations for his book. The screenplay was based on Steig's text. "We kept the same type of humor, but it is more sophisticated." Since Steig wrote a short children's book, they had to expand it to turn it into a feature. PDI had learned a great deal about " facial animation" making Antz. The technology that had been developed to move muscle structure and skin on the faces of ants had to be developed a lot further so it could animate entire human figures in a believable manner. In Shrek the computer articulates "all the muscles underneath the skin, even on the body parts. On top of that we have hair, the skirt and other clothing. All that takes a lot of time to animate." Fortunately computers are about 20 times faster now than when Hui began doing computer animation at PDI 12 years ago. "They may be 20 times faster, but they are still too slow." It still takes over an hour to render a complex frame of film. Resolution has also increased. PDI now renders images for features around 2000 lines per frame. When they were working primarily on TV commercials they only had to render about 500 lines per frame. (The computer generated posters for the film are outputted at 8K lines of information.) ANIMATING SHREK The animation department (about 25 to 27 people) is a relatively small part of the company. Altogether there are about 350 employees. The other departments that worked on the film included writers, storyboard artists, character designers, model builders, prop designers, the lighting and effects department (about 40 people), editorial, and other specialists. A typical day in the studio for animators begins with them going to a screening room at 9:30 to watch dailies. They critique their work with Hui and other supervisory staff and discuss ways to improve shots. Hui says they work as an ensemble so all staff members are welcomed to be part of the discussion. After the group meeting Hui and Visual Effects Supervisor Ken Bielenberg go to editorial and add the new approved footage to the film. They examine it to see how the shots hook up and how the continuity works. The animators go back to their desks and get to work. At 4 Hui goes to the animation department. He visits each artist at their desk and discuss individual problems concerning gestures, body movements, timing, etc. One of the more difficult tasks for him was to explain some of the Princess' subtle movements. "I'm not good at that." He noted that most of the animators are males so it was up to him to explain how the Princess would move. Fortunately actors often act out their parts as they deliver their lines, so video tapes of recording sessions are made to provide animators with reference footage. Animators can study the tapes for useful facial movements, gestures, etc. Mike Myers is an extremely animated actor at times and his gestures while waiting to speak his lines provided the animators with some great unexpected ideas. (Most of the recording sessions were not done locally. Sound crews worked wherever the talent was.) Hui was asked if he got to put any of his own humor into the film since he had distinguished himself at PDI by directing Sleepy Guy and Fat Cat on a Diet, two funny award winning shorts. He said, "My humor? I do put it in the animation. To be an animator, you can always put some of yourself in it. It doesn't matter that you know you are doing it. Other people who know you can see it. Most of the time I can not see it myself." He says that when they are screening their work-in-progress they generally can tell who's work they are looking at even though it isn't identified. TAKING PRIDE IN THEIR WORK "We want our characters to shine. They are our babies. We want them to be liked by the audience." Raman Hui A recurring theme in our conversation was the pride people have in the technical accomplishments of PDI. Since the completion of Antz they have learned to push their software further, especially the facial system. One really subtle detail Hui noted was "when the Princess opens her mouth her lips stick together before they open. It's more like a real person." There are lots of other subtle details. When Shrek steps on grass and on other soft surfaces he leaves footprints. When Shrek yells at the donkey you might see his breath moving the animal's fur. The wind seems to move each blade of grass and each leaf individually. In the past these details were often an overall textured surface. Special visual effects are another area where PDI has made advances. Artists have learned new ways to depict lava, fire, smoke, clouds, mud, milk, beer suds and other liquids. When Shrek takes a bath in mud, it really seems to cling and drip from his body. When it comes to fire breathing dragons, PDI's visual effects wizards will not disappoint the public. PDI'S CONNECTION WITH DREAMWORKS IN LA Both Hui and Julie Haddon, Head of Marketing and Business Development, spoke highly about PDI's relationship with the administrators in LA. Jeffery Katzenberg is described as a very "hands-on producer." He comes up to the Bay Area fairly often to work with the staff. Hui says Katzenberg has offered them great insights. Sometimes they may be struggling for days over a creative problem. All it may take to solve it is Katzenberg's fresh perspective. At the local press screening Ken Bielenberg, Visual Effects Supervisor, confirmed that Katzenberg is a great producer to work with as he is a source of excellent ideas and solutions to difficult problems. Having Katzenberg come here has other advantages. Hui only has to travel on business to L.A. once every 3 or 4 months. "Otherwise I couldn't do all of my work." He also noted that the film has 2 other producers, Aron Warner and John H. Williams and two directors, Andrew Adamson and Vicki Jenson. All worked and lived in the Bay Area while the film was in production. THE FUTURE OF COMPUTER GENERATED FEATURES AT PDI Hui says PDI will continue to refine their computers and software and he expects the process to become faster in the future. While they have accomplished much of what is needed in terms of technology, PDI will still have important challenges in the future developing strong stories and characters. People at PDI understand the importance of great scripts and characters. At present they are in production on Tusker, a feature about the adventures of a small team of elephants on a trek across Southeast Asia on a mission to save their herd from marauding poachers. Jodie Foster and Morgan Freeman will provide voice talent and Tim Johnson and Brad Lewis are directing. THIS IS YOUR JULY-AUGUST ISSUE OF OUR NEWSLETTER - WE NEVER PUBLISH AN AUG. ISSUE You next issue will arrive about Sept. 1. LETTERS TO THE EDITORDear Editor, I was irked by your comments about Bob Kerry and lessons he could learn from "Shrek" in the June Newsletter. Right or wrong, every army of every nation for centuries has trained its troops to dehumanize the enemy. It makes the enemy easier to kill. A soldier can do his duty without fretting he killed a fellow human being. It's an awful truth, but that's the way it is and has always been. It's especially bad in a guerrilla war because it's difficult to tell who the enemy is. In Vietnam women and children were often combatants. And as in all wars, they were often innocent victims. Unless you have been there, in a night ambush in enemy territory with gallons of adrenaline pumping through your body while you are making instant decisions that mean life or death for your men, you have no right to criticize. If you want to point an indignant finger, point it at the politicians that started the war, not the American soldiers that got stuck fighting it. Respectfully,
Dear Don, I appreciate your comments and hearing your point of view. I assume you fought in Viet Nam and know a lot more about what happened there than I do. You also know what it did to people who were there. I was one of the many students who opposed the war in the mid-60's before it was an enormous conflict. I was raised to oppose fighting (I went to a high school run by the Society of Friends at one point) and considering the weapons we have today I would hope politicians would abolish war forever. That isn't a realistic wish, but war has always been an absurd waste of human life and it is even more absurd today (look at the slaughter in what was Yugoslavia -Albania - and those crazies will go on killing each other for many centuries to come unless the world actually changes...) I see nothing positive in the way Kerry and thousands of other soldiers were/are educated to see their enemies. I understand it may be a necessary part of their training and it helps in life or death situations, but that doesn't make teaching hate or war right. After reading your note I assume we disagree on that point. I think that being able to accept our different points of view is one of the strengths of our nation. I certainly agree with you that the problem begins with the politicians. Sincerely yours,
FESTIVALS29TH ANNIE AWARDS write or call for their 22 pages of information, fees, etc. Aug. 3 submission deadline. Event honors the talent working comericially (directors, voice artists, etc.) .ASIFA-Hollywood, 721 S. Victory Blvd., Burbank, CA 91502 (818) 842-8330 www.asifa-hollywood.org 25TH CINANIMA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL IN PORTUGAL has Aug. 1 deadline for Nov. 5-11 event. They show 16mm, 35mm and various tape formats including DVD, but no ?" NTSC. Cash prizes, no entry fee. Cinanima 2001, Rua 62, 251, Apatrado 743, 4500-901 Esponho Codex Portugal www.cinanima.pt CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL DEADLINE IS JULY 27 Fees are $30 for students, $50 for shorts. 32 West Randolph Street Suite 600, Chicago, Ill. 60601-9803 (312) 425-9400 www.chicagofilmfestival.com SUNDANCE, SHORTS DEADLINE IS SEPT. 21 Sundance Instute, 8857 West Olympic Blvd. Suite 200, Beverly Hills, CA 90211 (310) 360-1981 www,sundance.org KQED PETER J. OWENS DIGITAL MEDIA AWARD seeks proposals. July 30 deadline for $10,000 cash prize. Contact station for details. 2601 Mariposa, SF CA 94110-1426 DISCOVER UB IWERKS "THE HAND BEHIND THE MOUSE" HE WAS THE ARTIST WHO ORIGINALLY DESIGNED AND ANIMATED MICKEY MOUSE, FLIP THE FROG, OSWALD THE LUCKY RABBIT AND OTHER FAMOUS CARTOON STARS LESLIE IWERKS IN-PERSON Three chances to see The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story and meet Ms. Iwerks She will talk about her grandfather and sign copies of her new book about him. Saturday, July 14 at 7 pm at the Rafael Film Center in San Rafael, 35mm Sunday, July 15 at 5:30 pm at the Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley 35mm Monday, July 16, at 7:30 pm at the Exploratorium, video presentation Seventy-three years after the birth of the world's most beloved cartoon character, Mickey Mouse, the Walt Disney Company is introducing the untold story of the artist who originally designed and animated him, Ub Iwerks. A feature documentary written, directed and produced by Iwerks' grandaughter and independent filmmaker, Leslie Iwerks, and narrated by Kelsey Grammer, The Hand Behind the Mouse is the story of the artist and inventor whose technical and artistic creations have been seen throughout the world, but whose name to the public has remained virtually unknown. Released on the 100th anniversary of Ub's birth, this feature documentary includes never-before-seen archival footage, previously censored cartoon clips from the 1920?s and 30?s, photographs, and interviews dating back to Ub?s impoverished youth in Kansas City during the early 1900?s. The film traces the exciting and often turbulent path he led in shaping the film and animation industry into what it is today both artistically and technically- from his formative days with Disney creating Mickey Mouse, through the run of his own Ub Iwerks Studios in the 1930's where he designed the Multiplane Camera, to his return to Disney in 1940 as head of the photographic effects department. This is the story of a self-taught director, photographer, engineer and inventor. From Mickey Mouse to the Multiplane, and over 200 film credits to his name, Ub was a mentor to some of the industry?s finest animators, including Friz Freleng and Chuck Jones. Several of his earliest drawings have been valued at a million dollars and his artistic and technical creations have touched all corners of the world. Due much in part to a myth created by Walt Disney in the 1930?s about the origin of Mickey?s birth, and Ub?s own desire to remain behind-the-scenes rather than be in the spotlight, his true contributions to animation and the film industry have remained virtually unknown. The film has been a passion project for Leslie Iwerks who has had the desire for many years to document her grandfather?s life on film and portray one of the most personal and powerful success stories of the Twentieth century. The final production and funding of the film was green-lit by Roy Disney, Vice Chairman of the Walt Disney Company, who strongly believed "it is a story that needed to be told." "WITHOUT UB, THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A MICKEY MOUSE" Roy Disney |
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This issue was written by Karl Cohen. Peter Davis was the proof reader, Laura Tulloss did paste-up and Shirley Smith was the production manager. Mailing crew included Ron Seawright, Tara Packard and Shirley Smith. Special thanks to Adrienne Crew for her article on Michel Ocelot. |
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