Elemental Alchemy - Animation Insights and Musings

Tangled, Tattooed, Tattered and Torn, and Walt Disney too....

jgilland — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 18:55:56 -0800

The dreaded Disney curse strikes again, deep into the heart of a jaded old animation fart who tries not to care about animation any more! Stick a fork in him and turn him over, he's done!

Digital Distractions...searching for peace in the digital workplace

jgilland — Sat, 22 May 2010 07:26:27 -0700

Multi-tasking on the computer these days is enough to spread anyone's brain cells out pretty thin. Throw in our so-called 'smart' phones, iPods, etc, and what are our chances of getting any work done?

The Clashing of the Titans

jgilland — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 13:58:35 -0700

What is the point of remaking the timeless 1981 Harryhuasen classic 'Clash of the Titans'? Do we really need a slick new CGI version? Does Hollywood have a single original idea left in its big fat thick head? Are $150 million remakes of oldies all we we can come up with?

The story behind How to Train Your Dragon

jgilland — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 08:51:26 -0700

How do you take a film that is not working, and rebuild it in record time, creating in the process a modern day classic? It’s simple! Hire super directors Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, and let them work their magic!

Alice falls through the rabbit hole and into the 21st Century

jgilland — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:54:48 -0800

Alice in Wonderland -Tim Burton puts a brand new and yet thoroughly classical twist on this timeless favourite!

Bringing Elemental Magic to Harbin, China

jgilland — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:29:36 -0800

Adventures in the Frozen North -Bringing Elemental Magic to China, taking my special effects workshop to students in Harbin, Northern China, January 2010

My personal and highly opinionated take on the Princess and the Frog

jgilland — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:42:21 -0800

A harsh, opinionated and entirely unfair review of Disney's 'The Princess and the Frog'. Reader beware, it's a ridiculous, long-winded affair full of inexcusably questionable critique and pseudo insider dribble. Honest too...

Elemental Magic at PennDesign

jgilland — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:23:20 -0800

My ‘Elemental Magic –An Organic Approach to Visual Effects Animation’ workshop is not just a cute little tip of the hat to traditional animation principles. This is vital stuff, that cannot be left behind, in the rush to embrace ‘cutting edge’ digital technology.