Oscar winner Torill Kove at the Canadian consulate general's luncheon. © AWN Inc.

I just had to write a congrats post to Torill and all the nominees.

 

Even Pigeons Go To Heaven was a project that director Sam Tourneux started then abandoned. Well, I’m sure he’s glad that he picked it back up again. Here is what the filmmaker had to say about his film and the Oscar experience thus far.

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ILM artist Mark Siegel talks with I Met the Walrus director Josh Raskin about John Lennon.

Madame Tutli-Putli directors Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski get interviewed for Canadian television. © 2008 AWN Inc.

For half of the Oscar Showcase tour crew, Friday morning was a chance for some free time to roam around Los Angeles. For the Canadian contingent, it was a time for celebration with their fellow Canadians at the Canadian consulate. The annual event celebrates the accomplishments of Oscar nominated Canadians and Canadian productions. Madame Tutli-Putli directors Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, I Met the Walrus director Josh Raskin, producer Jerry Levitan and illustrator James Braithwaite were all treated like royalty with many Canadian media outlets clamoring to get interviews with the filmmakers. The event also gave the nominees a chance to mingle with some stars. Julie Christie, Oscar nominee for the Canadian production Away from Her, was gracious enough to pose for pictures with whoever asked. Chris introduced himself to Oscar-winning director Norman Jewison, who warmly congratulated him on his nomination. Other celebs on hand included Juno director Jason Reitman, producer Ivan Reitman and director Arthur Hiller.

I Met the Walrus illustrator James Braithwaite greets Even Pigeons Go to Heaven director Samuel Tourneux at ILM. © 2008 AWN Inc.

The tour has begun. And what a way to begin – a screening at ILM. As Ron Diamond, host of the tour and publisher of AWN, and I pulled up to Sofitel hotel, I Met the Walrus director Josh Raskin, Walrus illustrator James Braithwaite and Madame Tutli-Putli director Maciek Szczerbowski were standing outside. Having toured with the Animation Show of Shows, all three enthusiastically greeted Ron, like a reunion of old friends. As we made our way into the hotel to check-in, we were greeted by Oscar tour veteran Marcy Page, who traveled around with us last year for the Oscar-winning film The Danish Poet. This time I was able to engage in an “old friend” reunion myself. Last year’s event was such a wonderful bonding experience that I feel so excited to share with the others about the things we have in store.

 

By Kira Formina

Today, February 14th, is Valentine’s Day, and there’s plenty of love in the air aimed at the directors of the nominated animated shorts.  Two more have joined us today - Paperman director John Kahrs and Adam and Dog director Minkyu Lee.  We are all greeted by host Victor Fuste in the PDI/DreamWorks lobby. The group decides to have lunch during the screening and come up for the Q&A session afterwards.

The main subject of discussion is Mr. Peabody and Sherman, scheduled for release on March 7, 2014. The story of the sophisticated dog genius and his adopted boy companion spans back to the 50’s, originally part of the Rocky and Bullwinkle animated series.

 

By Kira Formina

We said goodbye to Pixar, then hopped back into the van, stopping at Tippett Studio in Berkeley. Tippett - the people famous for special effects, particularly monsters and creatures, pretty much all the major films from Star Wars to Twilight - is oddly located in a simple residential street, several streets in fact. Two of the buildings are across from each other, and the third is a few blocks away.

We are greeted by Tom “Gibby” Gibbon and a few others. Suddenly the talk turns shop, as Tom and Tim discuss puppet making and stop motion animation (fun fact: Head over Heels puppets were 3D printed with most of the face left soft and malleable for expressions. The head of Madge, the wife, kept falling off as the scenes were filmed upside down, with Tim having to constantly readjust it. He says if you pay attention, you can see it change levels throughout the film.)

Coming Soon…