By Kira Formina

It’s Friday and that means Pixar! Located in the quiet part of Emeryville, this impressive brick complex has an air of both importance and whimsy before we even enter.

But upon entering....the main “lobby” can be compared to a small airport in size and to a grand old Protestant cathedral in look - the high beams stretching to the two story high ceiling, the half-windowed roof, the woodwork; everything makes you want to stand and look around without talking for a few minutes.

But to half the nominees on the tour, this was nothing new, and there was quite a bit of talk to be had, in fact. Minkyu (Adam and Dog), interned here for three months; and both John Kahrs and David Silverman said it “brings back memories.” All three kept bumping into old friends and colleagues literally every step of the way; “you can’t walk ten feet!” was John’s remark.

John was given particular attention due to a recent “hottest directors” list circling the web. Every single person greeted him with “ginger hottie!” as per the description given him not too long ago in the article.

Well, we have safely arrived in San Fran. Ron and I happened to be on the same flight with Little Matchgirl director Roger Allers, who waited for us to get off the plane. Sadly, he’s battling a bad cold and was more worried about infecting others than his own discomfort. So Roger and producer Don Hahn (who had to stay at a different hotel then the rest of us,

because ours was not an approved Walt Disney lodging) decided to stay in this evening to rest up for our busy day tomorrow. I was surprised to receive a phone call from Don in my hotel room giving his regrets for not coming to dinner with the rest of us. It’s not too often I get a call on my cell from the producer of legendary films and former president of Disney Feature Animation saying he’s sorry that he won’t be making it to dinner because he’s just getting over bronchitis. I didn’t even know he had my number. I must say, both Roger and Don are so kind and welcoming

, not a shred of Hollywood self-importance at all.

 

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.)

By Dan Sarto

Our day concluded with a special Motion Picture Academy reception and screening of both the animated and live action Oscar-nominated shorts, hosted by actor Jason Schwartzman. For the first time during the tour, all the animated short nominees were together in the same room, though of course, I could never manage to wrangle them all into one picture.  I got close with four, but not all five.  The Academy receptions are always nice, always classy and this was no exception.  After a light meal gulped down way too fast and a glass filled with ice and 1 ounce of Diet Coke, I spotted PES for the first time, who unfortunately has been largely absent due to the birth of his second child the previous week.  With sleep and sanity at a premium, he nevertheless joined us for the screening.  It was great to catch up a bit.  The last time I’d really spent any time with him was at an event in Germany several years ago.

 

By Dan Sarto

Our day concluded with a tour of the Fox lot and a screening for Fox Feature Animation and the crew of The Simpsons.  Like the Sony and Paramount lots, the Fox lot is steeped in movie legendry.  Used almost exclusively these days for TV production on shows broadcast seemingly on every network, the lot includes stages used for shows like Bones. Glee and How I Met Your Mother.  Home to the worldwide headquarters of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, the lot also houses facilities used for Fox’s NFL broadcasts.

We did a fast walk past a number of enormous sound stages, as well as snaking in and out of a number of buildings within the famous New York City building facades used in practically every show and commercial known to man.  We also managed to get a fast glimpse at The Simpsons production offices, complete with a cool Bart Simpson topiary and statue of a hand holding a donut that decorate the front yard.

Soon it was time to join the screening for Q&A.  The theatre was packed and included many of David Silverman’s co-workers on The Simpsons as well as his nominated short. After Ron introduced the filmmakers once again, Al Jean, one of the producers of Maggie Simpson and “The Longest Daycare” was dragged down to the front of the stage to answer questions as well.

Well, today is a travel day. I’m heading up to San Fran where Ron Diamond and I will meet up with the nominees for dinner at Trapeze.

By Dan Sarto

The Southern California leg of Acme Filmworks’ and AWN’s annual Oscar Showcase Tour kicked off with a screening Monday night at Woodbury University, sponsored and organized by ASIFA-Hollywood.  Frank Gladstone brought boxes of cookies, containers of coffee and his unflappable and eternally upbeat demeanor.  The cold wind and threat of rain did nothing to damper the crowd, which filled the Fletcher Jones Theatre almost to capacity.  After he introduced me, sharing the fictional story of my childhood spent roaming the streets of India, I then regaled the audience with the story of the first time I met Frank, literally bumping into him within a huge room at the castle overlooking Annecy’s old town, stuffed wall-to-wall with people celebrating the release of DreamWorks’ Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.  I told the crowd, as I tell you now, the next time you meet Frank, ask him to tell you the “Seamus” joke.  And be prepared.

After the screening, John Kahrs (Paperman), David Silverman (Maggie Simpson and “The Longest Daycare”), Tim Reckart and Fondhla Cronin O’Reilly (Head Over Heels) took the stage for a 45 minute Q&A.  Some of the highlights:

 

By Kira Formina

It’s the first day of the Northern-California leg of the annual AWN Oscar® Showcase Tour, a crisp, foggy morning in San Francisco. At about 9:20 am, already running a few minutes late, the four of us pile into the van on the way to Electronic Arts. Ron Diamond, the inexhaustible host and promoter of this unique event, takes the wheel as Tim Reckart navigates, while Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly and I are in the back.

This year, Ron is bringing five Oscar nominated shorts to the studio screens: Minkyu Lee’s Adam and Dog; Reckart’s and O’Reilly’s Head Over Heels; PES’s Fresh Guacamole; David Silverman’s Maggie Simpson in the Longest Daycare; and John Kahrs’ Paperman.

 

By Dan Sarto

Our day began at Sony Pictures in Culver City.  We watched a short film detailing the history of the studio dating back to brothers Harry and Jack Cohn’s 1918 partnership with Joe Brandt to form CBC Film Sales, or as it was then known as Corn Beef and Cabbage.  CBC became Columbia Pictures Corporation in 1924, with original offices located on Gower Street in Hollywood. The studio’s fortunes changed dramatically with the hiring of Frank Capra in 1927, who over the next decades helped chart a course of excellence starting with their first Best Picture Oscar in 1934 for It Happened One Night.  The list of legendary films produced at the studio is immense, including From Here to Eternity, Dr. Strangelove, Lawrence of Arabia, Taxi Driver, Gandhi, Ghostbusters and The Last Emperor to name but a few.  Sony purchased the studio from Coca Cola in 1989, changed its name to Sony Picture Entertainment and relocated to the former MGM lot in Culver City.  I’ve skipped numerous pieces of the studio’s story, including the growth of its vast TV operations, and of course, the creations of Sony Pictures Imageworks and Sony Pictures Animation, our ultimate destination for the morning tour and screening.

By Dan Sarto.

Our tour continued with a screening and lunch at Sony Pictures Animation.  It’s always a treat to go to SPA – we’re always greeted warmly and the audience is always enthusiastic.  Today was no exception. 

We wasted no time getting over to the Ray Harryhausen Theatre for the screening and Q&A.  As expected, the audience questions were familiar, though it was nice to get Minkyu Lee, director of Adam and Dog, into the mix a bit more, his ongoing work duties at Disney having kept him from joining us for much of the week.