Experts, Columns and Featured Blogs

Pussy Chase

Posted In | Blog Categories: Chew On This | Site Categories: Short Films
Remember that time when demon pussies chased you down the highway at night?
Me neither.
Trunk Animation does.
They do it well.
I do remember driving from Detroit to Ottawa. It was 3-4am. I was near Kingston. Alien Lanes blasting through the shit speakers to keep me awake. THUMP! then again...and again... Turn music down. THUMP! Ignore. Home. Open trunk. Empty. 
I figured the trunk person got out. That was causing the thumping.

KNIT ME A FILM DAMNIT!

My mom and animator Phil Hunt like wool. You will too. I think I do.

Making Havoc: A Stop-Motion Sci-Fi Epic

Posted In | Site Categories: 2D, Films, Short Films, Stop-Motion
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I feel the time is right to push the medium further and explore an arena previously untouched by stop-motion animation – the action/adventure genre. Havoc will potentially be the first film of its kind, a stop-motion action film. Havoc is a lone warrior, forced into battle against a legion of vicious mutants. At stake: his survival AND the fate of humankind! Part human, part genetic mutation.

To realize this dream I’ve recently launched a Kickstarter campaign. Investment in this project will go towards the production of a three minute film which will introduce Havoc, the character, as well as the tone and visual style of the world he lives in.

10 MAXIMS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR SCREENPLAY

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If you’re a writer who wants to IMPROVE the QUALITY of your STORY, or a producer  who wants your FILM to have the best chance at the BOX OFFICE, here are 10 writing maxims that will MAXIMIZE your chances of SUCCESS --

A Lean, Smart and Agile FMX 2013 Announces Conference Highlights

Posted In | Blog Categories: Special Announcements, FMX 2013 | Site Categories: CG, Education and Training, Events, Games, Technology, Visual Effects
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The FMX 2013 program is taking shape. Europe's most renowned conference on digital entertainment, which takes place two weeks earlier than last year, adopts the slogan "lean, smart and agile" and focuses on the ongoing paradigm shift in the animation, effects, games and transmedia industries. It zeroes in on how smart technologies, adaptive approaches and flexible strategies are shaping the business, allowing for integrated storytelling, affordable workflows, accessible budgets, independent initiatives, new players and global success. Highly esteemed industry professionals explore this change in various presentations, workshops, masterclasses, on the Marketplace, the Recruiting Hub and the School Campus. What's more, FMX focuses on VFX highlights such as Life of Pi and Cloud Atlas and animation adventures such as The Croods. In continuing its successful cooperation with the popular International Festival of Animated Film Stuttgart and the business platform Animation Production Day, FMX transforms Stuttgart into a meeting point for professionals, digital artists and decision-makers from all over the world.

Comamation = HURRAY!

Posted In | Blog Categories: Chew On This | Site Categories: Films
not sure if animator, Nils Knoblich (maker of comic books and some very pleasant animation films, First Date, Burning Haus and From Dad to Son) has been in a coma but he made a video for a band named Coma.

Take The “Four C” Challenge

Posted In | Blog Categories: Career Advice | Site Categories: Business, Jobs & Recruiting

When it comes to figuring out what makes sense for you in how you handle your career, there are a few basic principles that might help.  It does not matter whether you are starting out or have been at this job thing for a while now.  What matters is how you arrive at your destination and what are the values you bring along with you to work everyday.

It’s important to find out what makes you tick, but realizing that there are some fundamental outliers at play helps you to manage your expectations and come to the table ready to be present and make the most of what you have to offer.  If you are tired of being pushed and pulled and feel like a leaf in the wind blowing from one vacant lot to another, try applying the “Four C” principles to your career and see if you it provides you with a foundation on which to build your career castle.

The Promised Land: Part 3

Posted In | Blog Categories: Social, Global Perspective, Culture, Artistic | Site Categories: Art, Places
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To join all of the walls of the past, a yet another, vast and enormously tall wall, has recently been constructed by Israel to protect itself against terrorist attacks and suicidal bombers. It separates the West Bank from Israel. Israelis say that it has achieved its objectives by dramatically decreasing the intensive of terrorist attacks. At the same time though, the wall's path has also divided certain neighborhoods, people and families who had lived together till its erection. While there are military check points through which people can cross from one side to another, officially the Israeli citizens, especially the Jewish ones, are not permitted to the West Bank, this is supposedly to protect them, for their own personal safety.

While it separates the people and sides, in the most odd of ways it also acts as a form of a dialogue, a conduit of emotions and wishes expressed by those leaving on one side of the wall, but unfortunately not see by those on the other side. When you think about it, at least to me, this Wall has become an unintended symbol of human lunacy and desires.

An Electrifying Frankenweenie DVD Release

Posted In | Blog Categories: Short Films, Feature Films | Site Categories: CG, Films, Home Entertainment, Short Films, Stop-Motion
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The just released DVD set of Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie should be afforded a spot in the collection of any animation fan as well as any serious student of the medium.  Packaged in several different editions, including a 4-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack  (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy), the film and accompanying supporting materials are absolutely radiant – tremendous picture quality and high supplemental material production values make for a great viewer experience. 

Sunbeams, Signe, and Happy Depression

Posted In | Blog Categories: Chew On This | Site Categories: Films
My friend, Bob Archer says that depression makes him laugh so hard he gets an erection. Reminds of Steve Martin's sneeze-gasms in Lonely Guy.