Most creators have visions of merchandising and licensing in their heads.  Dollar signs dance around in their dreams, in hopes that Nick will take their property and make it a number one hit. But what do Nick, Disney and Cartoon Network want? They want the whole thing, all of it, all rights, all merchandise and all licensing.  Remember, the US government granted them the privilege in 1994 with the Fin Syn Act (See “Money, Money Where Are You?”).  Since they are in the driver’s seats they can ask for it all. 

The Oscar Showcase tour came to an end on Friday with a visit to DreamWorks. The filmmakers were clearly tired from their long week and a half, but their excitement hasn't wavered. Ron invited Academy board member Rick Farmiloe to join us for the day to experience the tour with the filmmakers. The day was a bit of a homecoming for Farmiloe, who served as a story artist on the original "Shrek." At Disney, he animated classic characters like Lefou in "Beauty and the Beast" and Abu in "Aladdin."

Talking with an old friend who has a passion for hand drawn animation made me wonder what the future holds for this old mainstay that brought us such wonderful moments over the years.  Is anyone learning to become a 2-D animator anymore?  It seems that every working in 2-D only wants to learn the basis that they can apply when they move under the big CGI tent..... Doesn't anyone still love this lovely artform for what ii is, not where it can take them?

The piazza in San Donato, Italy is about 800 feet long and exists on a saddle a mere 75 feet wide. A road passes through it and it marks the divide between the old part of the village, located higher up the hill and the new part, which lies below the plaza. Along one side of this plaza is the small market, a butcher shop, a newsstand, a few coffee shops and a cigarette machine that is open to the elements so that smokers can access cigarettes 24 hours a day. Throughout the day the locals come and go. The older citizens move from one end to the other in steady conversations that can have only been held thousands of times before.

I go to the piazza every day to get an espresso or use one of the only two Internet connections in town. There is a dog that wanders the piazza and being a dog person I make an attempt to get to know him. I call him and he looks at me but makes no effort to approach me. I step closer. The dog doesn’t move an inch but keeps an eye on me. I approach closer still and he holds his ground while considering me only indifferently.

Special Guests:  Samantha Olschan and Isaac Short  

 

This week on the Frenzer Forman Animation Forum, Alan grills Joel about cheese, shoots the shot about pickles, and reveals his own unique down-home bathing technique.  Joel blurts out starts to thoughts, pauses dramatically to think of what to say next, and concludes non-sequitarily.  Then special guest, fan, animation motion maker, and high-seas adventurer, Sam Olschan, enlightens the discussion as she loquaciously elucidates on animation teaching philosophy, production practice, dance-fighting, the implausibility of Scrooge McDuck, Narwal Quick-Fire Challenges, and flirting with the FFAF Computer.  Six-year-old animation entrepreneur, Isaac Short, then visits the studio to seek advice about his next, very very very traditional, stop-motion masterpiece.

You may have heard the phrase,"Greed is Good" as uttered by the money-broker tycoon in the 1987 hit movie “Wall Street”.   It was a phrase often used to chastise those who cherished materialism over core values. Hey, it was the ’80’s, there was a recession and the world was at war and wait, does this sound vaguely familiar?  Well, it very well may be like the ’80’s when you think of our current economy, but one thing is for certain when it comes to looking for a job and pulling out all the stops, let me just say one thing, "Greed is Good."

Read my LIMITLESS review.

Neil Burger's smart drug thriller comes to Blu-ray is a sharp AVC encoded 1080p transfer. As the main character goes from loser to genius, the color palette changes and the disc never misses the mark. Whether it's the desaturated world of the character off the drug or the bright vibrant world of him on the drug, the colors are always spot on, even black level stay consistent over the style change. Details pop throughout the film, especially in the "on the drug" moments, which is perfectly suited for the subject matter where the drug enhances the user's perception. Some minor aliasing is the only problem I witnessed, but like I said it was minor and pops up in the usual kinds of places.

The presentation gets really amped up in the sound department. The lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack is a bombastic experience. The LFE track is used dynamically during the action sequences. Directionality and atmospherics are quite impressive, giving the viewer a portal into the locations. Dialogue is always clear and balances with the other elements perfectly. The sonic bombs that hit us in the title sequence are just the start of an audio experience that grabs attention.

THE HUNGER GAMES (2012) (***)

Based on Suzanne Collins' bestselling YA series, Gary Ross' screen adaptation has already become a mega hit. The film was supposed to be the next TWILIGHT and it has surpassed it at the box office already. But is it any good? In the categories of story and especially acting, it is certainly better than any of the TWILIGHT films. With its dystopian society and futuristic technology, it tells a compelling sci-fi yarn. But I still have a sneaky feeling that I've seen it before and done better.

Oscar-nominee Jennifer Lawrence plays the heroine Katniss Everdeen, a scrappy teen who lives in a future America where the country is split up into 12 districts. Each year a boy and a girl from each district are selected to participate in the Hunger Games, a televised battle to the death. The solo winner is awarded food and wealth from the State for their home district. On selection day, Katniss's younger sister Primrose (Willow Shields) is chosen to represent District 12. Katniss instead volunteers to take her place.

The network loves your show.  The executives see the total package potential.    It is moving forward into development, but what happens next. What do you get?  What do you do?

 

 

One of the most common questions I’m asked by aspiring screenwriters is  How do I break into the business?  What I’m going to suggest you do is actually fairly easy.  But it does takes a degree of talent and a lot of persistence