Was there anything that surprised you about seeing the films from TAIS?

Kevin: "I was pleasantly surprised. Because when I read the TAIS newsletter all I get is the animation industry side of TAIS and the reel brought out the independent animators in the group. Also it was nice to have a sense of the historical context because I know Ellen Besen was a past President of TAIS (her film "Slow Dance World" was shown). A lot of artists-run centres are not good at preserving their history and the new book "Cartoon Capers" is so American-centric that it doesn't mention the Canadian Independent animators."

Carol: "Yeah, we'd been reading about you guys (TAIS) and knowing the names but wondering what kind of animators are you?"

Kevin: "Arnie Lipsey's Almonds and Wine was great, definitely worth the time he spent on it. Reminds me of Frederic Back's work (Crac, The Mighty River, The Man Who Planted Trees). The colouring style, the design and the transitions were great. A well-done film. A real development from his previous film "The Crow and the Canary", obviously working on paper really freed him up."

"The Hello video (by TAIS member John Fraser) was fun. I liked how the text was incorporated in the flow of the film."

"It's really great to see Jonathan Amitay is still doing things. I really liked Jonathan Amitay's Flash animated films for the web. They were fun and very biting, good use of the web because usually the web is full of poo jokes and stuff."

Carol: "Yeah there wasn't anything stilted about it. Some Flash animated films are so stilted. His work is a really good use of the medium."

Kevin: "Yeah the political content was really good and they were funny. Jonathan's older film Oh Dad! is great as well."

Leaving the Poisons Behind (animation and music by TAIS member Iris Paabo) was also great and the soundtrack is also great. It's a really strong film. It's a perfect film, I couldn't tell how it was done and I was into that world that she created. It was my favorite. I like how it talks about political things (like the environment) but isn't very preachy. It gives you something to think about."

"I loved One Door Opens When Another Door Closes' (a succinct meditation on one of the myths of corporate downsizing by TAIS member Mike Constable) subtle political sensibility."

Do you have any advice for the independent animators in TAIS?

Kevin: "Part of getting some acknowledgment of what you're doing is Press. The TAIS newsletter goes out to a lot of places and the independent animators should take advantage of it to become better known."

Carol: "An independent animator can also learn more about their work by trying to write about it. It's a good exercise to try to describe your work to the larger community."

Do you have any advice for developing our group?

Kevin: "Tap into the animation industry in Toronto to get corporations to donate money to a foundation so that independent animators can make their films. That's what is needed."

Carol: "Yeah, especially because there's so few places that you can go to get money to make short animated films. A foundation would be a great idea. Animation companies like Nelvana and Cuppa Coffee and even the NFB should be contributing to the independent animation scene."

Kevin: "Equipment co-ops are a lot of work and usually someone has to take responsibility for it and a lot of time that person has to give up making their own films to make it work. Do it only if there's someone who's willing to spend a few years of their life doing it. There are very few leaders and lots of followers. Do it if you want it but be aware that it takes a lot of work to make a co-op."

Thanks for having me out to see Quickdraw. It's incredible what you created here in Calgary.

Here's a list of the independent animated films made by TAIS members that were shown at Quickdraw Animation Society in June 2000:

Venus In Violets - Patrick Jenkins, 1 min., 1998, Cut Out Animation
Hamlet - Jonathan Freeman, 35 sec., 1999, Computer
Almonds and Wine - Arnie Lipsey, 5 min., 1999, Classical Animation
Living With A Poet - Gerry Lagendyk, 1 min., 1999, Computer
Oh Dad - Jonathan Amitay, 5 min., 1990, Stop Motion
The Ultraviolets - Janice Schulman, 5 min, 1995, Classical Animation
Cuts - Margus Jukkum and Peeter Sepp, 2 min., 1996, Stop Motion
Leaving the Poisons Behind - Iris Paabo 6.5 min., 1991, Cel Animation
3 Shorts - Mike Constable, 1 min., 2000, Hand Drawn and Computer
Hello - John Fraser, 3 min., 1999, Hand Drawn and Computer
Selections from my F****** Website - Jonathan Amitay, 4 min., 1999, Flash
First Dispatch From Atlantis - Chris Gehman, 4.5 min., 1993, Cut Out
Samsara - Ragnar Lagerblad, 3 min., 1998, Hand Drawn and Computer
Real Men - Gerry Lagendyk, 2.5 min., 1998, Computer
Villanelle - Elizabeth Lewis (Intro. by Earle Birney) 5 min., 1988, Drawn
Slow Dance World - Ellen Besen and Lonny Baumholz, 5 min., 1986, Collage
The Crow and the Canary - Arnie Lipsey, 7 min., Classical Animation
The Goatee Club - Patrick Jenkins, 1 min., 1999, Computer

Kevin D.A. Kurytnik and Carol Beecher are currently working on an animated film called Mr. Reaper's Really Bad Morning. Kevin's recent film Abandon Bob Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here was accepted for the Official Competition at this year's Ottawa International Animation Festival (Please see the Newsframes Section for more info.). Kevin and Carol will be at this year's Festival.

Patrick Jenkins

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