I was interested to see Waking Life because I had seen Bob Sabiston's previous work, and his new program was similar to one I wrote myself... This film was experimental on a number of fronts: - the artists in most cases didn't know anything about animating and didn't really need to. - each scene was handled by different artists (although I wish more of them had strayed from the original visual material more) - the film was extremely talky and philisophical, which I think did not go well with the idea of animating it. I hope Linklater's actual dreams are not this talky. So I see this film as a good experiment, and a harbinger of much better films to come. Films that perhaps don't have much in the way of dialogue, but express themselves in dynamic imagery. Animated work that neither looks like "reality" nor like the same hardlined characters we've seen for decades. Films that may not even have "characters" or any licensable material in them.

First off, I just want to say that, like most of the psychotic people posting comment thingies here, I am a huuuuge fan of JCV. Currently, I am a sophomore, a young artist, and working with an extremely talented writer friend of mine on the first issue of an amateur comic book series. As I read the interview, I realized that Jhonen and I have very similar attitudes, likes, dislikes, hobbies, etc. My biggest dream since I was about 6, has been to go into animation and eventually make my own film, . . . of some sort. I would very much appreciate it (that is, if Jhonen actually reads this) for him to e-mail me (GriffinAK@excite.com) and perhaps give me some tips or pointers about comics, writing, animation/films, . . . . and, you know, stuff like that. Thank you so so soooo much. Jhonen Vasquez rocks my socks!!

thank you

i feel sick is amazing are there only going to be two issues?

Having seen Butt Ugly Martians on T.V. and been thoroughly astounded at how terribly poor it is in both story-line and animation, I cannot understand how it managed to get onto T.V. in the first place when there are so many good companies who are not getting the commissions. CGI is a tremendous and effective tool if used well and is sensitive to the context in which it is employed. Looking to the Film world, Toy Story and Antz, etc. prove this case wonderfully. So also do many commercials on U.K. T.V. Without intending any personal offence towards Josh Prikryl, I unfortunately have to fall in line completely with what Vic Debaie had to say on the matter in his letter on December 11/01, where he stated "The show is terrible, the animation is weak, the stories are lame and the characters look as stiff and dead as their movement". I would also add to his this that the lip-sync and sound effects are completely dead in the water and unconvincing. I myself am an animator and am well aware of the restrictions of time, budget and commissioning- bodies. However, if there are to be CGI T.V. shows, then please could they be good, with well developed story lines and not loosing any quality in animation. In terms of source material, one can take a good long look at British animation of the seventies with it's treasure-trove of magical gems.

The Pimp has EXCELLED !!! Encore Encore

Would you, Jhonen, ever think of animating someone, or their character into the cartoon? If so..DON'T HESITATE TO ASK ME!

When I read the following... "We were well into The Hobbit screenplay when The Lord of The Rings came out in paperback editions. Having assumed there was only The Hobbit to contend with, and following Snyder's wish, we had taken some liberties with the story that a few years later would be grounds for burning at the stake. For example, I had introduced a series of songs, changed some of the characters' names, played loosely with the plot, and even created a girl character, a Princess no less, to go along on the quest, and to eventually overcome Bilbo Baggins' bachelorhood! I could Hollywoodize as well as the next man..." ...I could read no further. Your failure served you right. R.

Show more pictures

ZIMMMMMMMM rules. Give me more!!! I want the action figures and a DVD of all the epsiodes. Please grant these wishes genie GRRRR... Fear me ZIM!!!

MORE UPA. I have looked all over the net but I can't find any web pages containing work from the UPA or any in depth information on it. Tell us more of the UPA please!

Mr. Deitch-

Hi, it's me, Pietro again. I just wanted to tell you that I saw my name in a review of your new book. Very cool. But, I have something to say, I have a new website address for my
tribute page about you:

http://felix_cartoons.tripod.com/deitch/deitch.htm

Just thought you'd like to know.

- Pietro

I haven’t seen BUM but there is good stylized and bad stylized. I’m sure the 2d world was horrified to see Pokemon or Neon Genesis for the first time. I think these are really good examples of where we should be pushing TV 3d animation.

Great Info: I would like to know more specifics i.e. from experience where are good places to cut corners...(rendering with no shadows, lower paid animators, modelers?)....and where are good places to spend money (i.e. storyboards, higher paid animators, modelers?)...and so on. Very good article

Brilliant! What eloquence, marvelous choice of words! Astounding! :) Bravo!

Ohaio Kuni San, could you tell me why the faceless spirit was forgiven at the end of the film and why Sen wasn't afraid of him even though he ate everyone? I saw the film this summer in Kusatsu and I went in only with 1st semester Japanese! So I was a little lost but still happy to be there! Arigatou Goziamashitte! P.S. the nursery rhyme character is "Humpty Dumpty" not "Hampty Dampty".

Gene - You continue to refere to Charlote's Web as a failure, yet I cannot see how it was a failure on your part. You took a chance and did your very best to make sure it happened, and it's definantly not a failure on your part. You made sure you were financially covered. Plus you got to dream of that beautiful picture and work with E.B. White. Both of which are very good things that would not have happened had you not tried. All in all, I think you came out above where you started. You were a success. The failure was with the creepy dishonest business men (who will never really appreciate art any way).

First, note that I am French, and forgive my foreign english ! I read your article about Miyazaki's last movie with a great interest. I happened to see the first international projection of that movie in Paris on December, 22. Among with 500 french fans, we had the chance of seing the movie AND asking a few question to Mr Miyazaki himself, who was present (!) We saw the movie in Japanese version, with subtitles in French. At this present moment, a lot of discussions are running about that movie on french anime forums, and I would'nt say I have all the keys for fully understand the movie. Indeed, you article taught me very interesting details about 'kamikakushi' and traditional Japon. But I must say my surprise, reading that you missed something. It is not such a surprise, as you had quite a lot of informations before seing the movie, in order to make yourself an opinion 'a priori'. Maybe you are right, maybe the movie doesn't say what Miyazaki explained he wanted to tell. But maybe Miyazaki's words were not appropriate to translate what he wanted to do with this movie. You see, the more I investigate Miyazaki's movies, the more I feel that movies, and especially animation, cannot just be reduced in a few sentences, even if the sentences are from the movie-maker himself. Don't forget that Japan is the country of Zen, and Zen teaching is supposed to be beyond words. (I know that Miyazaki is not Zen, but Shintoist, but I think it is a part of his culture). I mean that Miyazaki explained his intentions, and intentions are not promises of commercial contracts. Have you ever read Miyazaki's intentions about Mononoke Hime ? It is obvious that the movie doesn't exactly fit the intention... In 'Sen to Chihiro', he said us (I was here) that if he had put all that he had planned in the movie, it would have been a 3 hours movie ! So he had to make choices and to build a story without developping all his ideas. About Chihiro... I don't think that Chihiro is the typical Miyazaki heroine. She is polite, and courageous enough to fight, but that's all. Of course, she changes during the story, but not enough to be as a strong character as Nausicaä ou Kiki. You point that some characters were not more than goblins like Hampty Dampty' to you. I am quite sure you could make the effort for understanding the symbols behind those mysterious creatures (excuse me, I am provocating you). You also point the lack of relationship between Chihiro and her parents. I think such relationship is quite representative of what famillies are in our modern countries. The conclusion... well, i feel Miyazaki has not a high idea of adults' capacity to change and evolve. I agree it is frustrating to see a new Chihiro coming back in the real world, with parents not even aware of what happened to them. The conclusion you were awaiting is cleary not the conclusion Miyazaki wanted to do. It is NOT a happy end, as Chihiro just understood that she have to struggle to get and to keep happiness in the real world. For her parents, happiness is just a matter of cunsumption. They got their human bodies back, but in their minds, they are still pigs. They are on a dead path, unable to change. Chihiro learnt that joy and happiness is not a matter of power or money, but of work, heart-opening and outside relationship. remember the knot in her hair, and what Yubaba's sister said about it... I intend to write much more about this movie, but forgive me, I feel better in my native language ! And thanks again for your article. Even if I do not agree with you, It is good to read articles about Miyazaki written by people that realy know his work.

I experimented with a black and white sequence in my Flash movie "Special Effects" http://mcusiman.tripod.com/animate.html With the ease of using bright colors available in Flash I don't see that many animators will use B&W except for an occasional effect. Economically there is no difference as their is in film. Mick Cusimano

B&W cartoons are not completely dead, even in the CG world. You might take a look at two award-winning shorts, Raf Anzovin's "Java Noir" at www.hypnotic.com or Mitch Butler's "The Smell of Horror" at www.mitchbutler.com. In both cases, B&W is employed as a parodic element, because the original genres--40s noir and early-60s psychokiller flicks--were usually filmed in B&W stock. "Java Noir" is actually about a colorless subject--black coffee.