ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE - ISSUE 3.11 - February 1999

February 1999 Vol. 3, No. 11

Stop Motion | Focus On... | Motion Capture | Other | The Student Corner | Television | Books | Hidden Treasures | News | In Passing | AWM Comics

Editor's Notebook
Here's to recent developments!

Letters: editor@awn.com

STOP MOTION

Our Garden: Creating Paradise Isn't Easy
Tyron Montgomery leads us through the production process of Our Garden, a stop motion theatrical piece he recently completed utilizing digital technology. Includes a Quicktime movie clip.

A PJs Chat with Mark Gustafson
Amid Amidi spoke with Mark Gustafson of Will Vinton Studios to glean the behind-the-scenes production process of The PJs, FOX's new groundbreaking stop motion television series.

Making More Out of Stop Motion on the Giant Screen
Director Mark Osborne discusses the making of More, the world's first 70mm/15 perf stop motion film. Includes a Quicktime movie clip.

Here's A How de do Diary: November
The grand finale! Here's the last installment of Barry Purves' production diary as he chronicles the making of Gilbert and Sullivan -- The Very Models, a top contender for this year's Oscar. An Animation World Magazine exclusive.

A Roster of Stop-Motion Companies
AWN has compiled a roster of noteworthy stop-motion companies from around the world.

FOCUS ON...

Stop Motion City: Visible and Invisible Production in Bristol
From niche-based model makers like John Wright Modelmaking to the full-fledged production houses like Aardman Animations, Bristol is the stop motion city. Andrew Osmond investigates the hubbub.

MOTION CAPTURE

ILM's Seth Rosenthal on Motion Capture
Seth Rosenthal, the motion capture department supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic, took time out of his "menacing" schedule to discuss a gamut of topics relating to motion capture with Heather Kenyon.

Puppetology: Science or Cult?
Brad DeGraf and Emre Yilmaz demystify performance animation and explain why the "Devil's rotoscope" might not be so bad after all.... Includes Quicktime movie clips.

Motion Capture: Three Innovative, Current Projects
Deborah Reber profiles three applications of motion capture technology that are currently in production.
Nick Strives To Define Motion Capture
Sinbad Takes Feature Animation to New Worlds
Voltron Returns...This Time In 3D

A Roster of Motion-Capture Companies
AWN has compiled a roster of noteworthy motion-capture companies from around the world.

OTHER

Pre-Cinema Toys Inspire Multimedia Artist Toshio Iwai
At the intersection of pre-cinematic devices and modern technology is the work of Japan's Toshio Iwai. Deanna Morse describes the work of this innovative multimedia artist.

In a Man's World: Turkish Women Animators
Dr. John Lent and Asli Tunç investigate the inroads women have made into the animation industry in Turkey, long thought of as a male stronghold.

THE STUDENT CORNER

Vilppu Drawing Online: Drawing Ellipses
Life drawing master Glenn Vilppu continues his on-line drawing course, adding to his previous four lessons. Includes a Quicktime movie.

The New York University's Tisch School of the Arts Animation Program
John Canemaker shows us around the refurbished animation facilities at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts Animation Program and gives us insight into the school's curriculum.

TELEVISION

The PJs: Black and Beautiful

While The PJs is stirring up controversy, Amid Amidi gives Fox's newest addition to primetime a rave review.

Batman Beyond: Another One?
Batman Beyond might be just another gimmick, but Terrence Briggs has high hopes for this new action-adventure series.

Dilbert: A Specter of Doom
Terrence Briggs reviews UPN's big hope: a newspaper comic strip favorite comes to life in primetime.

The Powerpuff Girls: Sugar and Spice and a Bit of Ka-Pow!
Here's a refreshing representation of the female gender in `toons...kindergarten girl crime fighters. Terrence Briggs shares his point of view on The Powerpuff Girls.

Ed, Edd n Eddy: Caught in a Circle
Running to and fro, Ed, Edd n Eddy failed to impress Terrence Briggs.

BOOKS

Art in Motion: Animation Aesthetics

Giannalberto Bendazzi reviews Maureen Furniss' book, Art in Motion: Animation Aesthetics, where he discovers a knowledgeable, bright, new voice in writing on animation. Available in English and Italian.

Creating 3-D Animation: The Aardman Book of Filmmaking
Jerry Beck reviews Creating 3-D Animation, a complete stop motion how-to guide from the hugely successful Aardman Studios. A must have for filmmakers, enthusiasts and Wallace & Gromit lovers.

The Anime Companion: What's Japanese in Japanese Animation?
The Anime Companion isn't a list of films and directors, rather it clarifies those background facets of Japanese history and culture that puzzle Western audiences. Fred Patten investigates.

The Prince of Egypt: A New Vision in Animation
While the text is a little light, Eric Lurio finds the real power of this book is the beautiful images.

Batman Animated
Batman, Bruce Timm, and animation fans finally have the glossy coffee table book they've always wanted of the caped crusader. Aaron Severson takes a look.

Inside SoftImage 3D
Mark Christiansen reviews Inside SoftImage 3D, a long overdue text of tips, tricks and tutorials on the popular 3D animation package.

Character Animation In Depth
Mark Christiansen reviews Character Animation In Depth which relates how-to advice for 3D animation setup across most major platforms and software packages.

The Making of `The Rugrats Movie:' Behind the Scenes at Klasky Csupo
Eric Lurio takes a spin through this graphically stylish, chatty and witty Klasky Csupo coming of age story.

HIDDEN TREASURES

Japan's Most Popular Cartoon Museum: The Anpanman Museum
Kosei Ono takes us on a tour of the Anpanman Museum in Japan, where Japan's favorite edible superhero comes to life for the entire family.

NEWS

Animation World News

Schumacher Heads Disney Feature, Barbarella Creator Dies At 68, Disney Recalls Sexy Rescuers Cartoon, Mrs. Munger Sues Disney, Jonni Nitro Arrives, Hang Moses On Your Wall and much, much more...

IN PASSING. . . .

A Tribute to Jean-Luc Xiberras
The architect of the highly regarded Annecy Festival of Animation, Jean-Luc Xiberras recently passed away. An international selection of friends, colleagues and animators give their final thoughts on a man whose presence in animation will long linger. Available in French and English.

On A Desert Island With. . . . Stop Motion Directors
Curious Pictures director Steve Oakes and More director Mark Osborne take the Desert Island challenge.

AWN COMICS

Plymp-Gags
by Bill Plympton

Next Issue's Highlights

This Month's Contributors

Cover:
So much stop motion and motion capture! This month our cover features: The Pjs. © FOX Broadcasting Company; Sinbad: Beyond the Veil of Mists. © Improvision; Elvis the King. © The Puppet Factory and Dilbert. © United Feature Syndicate.

© Animation World Network 1999. All rights reserved. No part of the periodical may be reproduced without the consent of Animation World Network.


Note: Readers may contact any Animation World Magazine contributor by sending an e-mail to editor@awn.com.