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Dan Sarto's Recent Posts

What Can Dreams Tell Us? Return of the Kings ANIMATIONWorld

Em Cooper Talks John Lennon and Her ‘I’m Only Sleeping’ Music Video

By Dan Sarto | Wednesday, January 3, 2024 at 4:05pm

In the Grammy Award-nominated short film, the artist explores the space between ‘dreaming and wakefulness,’ creating and morphing 1,300 oil paintings by hand to honor the re-release of The Beatles’ seminal 1966 album, ‘Revolver.’ 

indie animation Headline News

Watch: Adult Swim SMALLS’ ‘Casino of Earthly Delights’

By Dan Sarto | Friday, December 29, 2023 at 8:58am

Mark Zamlinsky’s animated short, inspired by Stephen Vincent Benét’s poetry, about a North Georgian casino run by the devil, captures the ‘loneliness and ennui of being in a car, driving north on GA 400, escaping into fantasy.’

Answer the Call ANIMATIONWorld

Benjamin Renner ‘Draws’ on His 2D Background to Make the 3DCG ‘Migration’

By Dan Sarto | Friday, December 22, 2023 at 10:40am

For the Oscar-nominated director, the move from small, intimate films like ‘Ernest & Celestine’ to a major studio production meant learning to rely on a much bigger team and find new ways to communicate story ideas, designs, gags, and creative sensibilities; produced by Illumination CEO and founder Chris Meledandri, the film hits theaters today, December 22.   

You Had Me at ‘LANA!’ ANIMATIONWorld

‘Archer’: Chaos and Phrasing May Never Be This Fun Again

By Dan Sarto | Thursday, December 21, 2023 at 1:35pm

Art Director Justin Wagner walks through some of the production highlights – including an almost templated approach to storyboarding nude scenes – on the acclaimed, Emmy Award-winning series that just concluded its 14th and final season with a special episode, ‘Archer: Into the Cold,’ now streaming on Hulu.

On the Road to the Oscars Headline News

Academy Announces Shortlists in 10 Categories for 96th Oscars

By Dan Sarto | Thursday, December 21, 2023 at 11:44am

VFX category narrowed down to 10 films; voting for nominations runs next month, January 11-16, with nomination announcements set for January 23.

Honoring the Best in Kids and Family TV Animation Headline News

Disney and Netflix Win Big at 2nd Annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards

By Dan Sarto | Monday, December 18, 2023 at 5:14pm

Disney Channel’s ‘Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur,’ and Netflix’s ‘Lost Ollie’ and ‘Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight’ were three of the top shows among the winners at this weekend's two separate awards ceremonies.

Technology Leading Art Headline News

French Music Artist Jacques’ ‘Absolve’ Music Video - Where Art + AI Meet

By Dan Sarto | Monday, December 18, 2023 at 11:23am

Created by Paul Trillo, the short follows a cosmic teardrop throughout the Musée Du Louvre; behind-the-scenes short illustrates how traditional VFX and AI tools help realize creative visions.

All You Need is More Glitter! Headline News

Exclusive: Sizzling ‘Trolls Band Together’ VFX Sizzle Reel

By Dan Sarto | Monday, December 18, 2023 at 9:22am

See how the magic is made! Set to the hit Brozone tune, ‘Better Place,’ this all-new featurette from DreamWorks Animation's musical adventure comedy has it all: concept art - character designs - animation breakdowns - FX layers, and much, much more.

You Had Me at ‘LANA!’ ANIMATIONWorld

Tying Up Dysfunctional Ends: ‘Archer’ Bids Farewell in ‘Smilthy’ Good Form

By Dan Sarto | Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 12:02pm

Stars H. Jon Benjamin, Aisha Tyler, Chris Parnell, and Amber Nash share their thoughts on 14 seasons of bungling, naughty spycrafting as the hugely popular, Emmy Award-winning adult comedy concludes its series run with a special 1-hour finale, ‘Archer: Into the Cold,’ debuting December 17 on FX and FXX, streaming the next day on Hulu.

He Animated Tigger! Animated Short Films Headline News

Go Behind-the-Scenes of 'Disney Legend’ Andreas Deja’s ‘Mushka’

By Dan Sarto | Friday, December 15, 2023 at 8:22am

9 all-new ‘Making Of’ vignettes showcase the design and production of the animation master’s directorial debut, a beautifully hand-drawn short film about a young Ukrainian girl who discovers an orphaned baby Siberian tiger and realizes she must either raise him or leave him to the perils of the snowy wild.    

She Stands Alone ANIMATIONWorld

The Quiet, Uncomfortable, and Darkly Funny ‘Carol & The End of The World’

By Dan Sarto | Thursday, December 14, 2023 at 1:30pm

Debuting December 15 on Netflix, Dan Guterman’s new adult animated limited series, which he calls ‘a meditative, character-driven dramedy,’ follows a woman who can’t shake her meek, depressed existence, though surrounded by hedonistic excess, in the face of humanity’s impending extinction from a mysterious planet hurtling towards earth.

Indie Shorts ANIMATIONWorld

‘Teacups’ Begs the Question - Can a Simple Act of Kindness Save a Life?

By Dan Sarto | Thursday, December 14, 2023 at 9:04am

Alec Green and Finbar Watson’s Oscar-qualified 2D short poignantly captures the true story of Don Ritchie, who over the course of almost 50 years approached hundreds of people contemplating suicide on a cliff just 50 feet from his Sydney home. 

Technology ANIMATIONWorld

Crowd Sim and Motion Director Editor for iClone 8.4 Launch as Free Upgrades

By Dan Sarto | Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at 1:15pm

After two years of development, Reallusion has updated its 3D animation program with an integrated crowd simulation engine as well as the Motion Director Editor that lets users precisely steer characters in scenes and trigger motion sequences.

He Animated Tigger! Animated Short Films ANIMATIONWorld

Disney Legend Andreas Deja Talks ‘Mushka’

By Dan Sarto | Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at 11:28am

The famed animator, who brought to life iconic animated characters - villains and heroes - like Gaston, Jafar, Scar, Hercules, and Lilo, talks about his time at the studio as well as the challenge of directing his first film, a beautifully hand-drawn short that tells of a young girl who must save the tiger she has raised from a cub.

We Want More Po Headline News

It’s the Second Biggest Skadoosh Ever in First ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ Trailer

By Dan Sarto | Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at 8:46am

Jack Black returns as Po, called upon by destiny – and Master Shifu - to become the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace, only to find a wicked, powerful, shapeshifting sorceress, Chameleon, with greedy eyes on the powerful Staff of Wisdom, standing in his way and threatening to unleash every master villain ever vanquished to the spirit realm; from DreamWorks Animation, coming to theaters March 8, 2024.

A Message of Tolerance and Love ANIMATIONWorld

‘Pacemaker’: A Trans-Positive Story of Hope and Acceptance

By Dan Sarto | Monday, December 11, 2023 at 12:33pm

Christopher Lennertz’s 3DCG heartfelt short about a grandfather’s journey to understand his grandson’s message of love and pride stars 2023 Tony Award winner Alex Newell, the first-ever non-binary actor to win a Tony, and multi-Grammy Award winner Philip Lawrence, with ‘Nimona’s ND Stevenson serving as executive producer. 

animated short films ANIMATIONWorld

‘Misaligned’: The Minimalist Observations of an Uncommunicative Couple

By Dan Sarto | Thursday, December 7, 2023 at 8:16am

Marta Magnuska’s hand-drawn, charcoal on paper short carefully studies the relationship between two characters sharing the same living space and the everyday routines that define the tension in their repetitive lives.

A Terrarium Life for Me ANIMATIONWorld

David Wachtenheim and Robert Marianetti Talk ‘Leo’

By Dan Sarto | Monday, December 4, 2023 at 2:31pm

The long-time creative partners, who with co-director Robert Smigel brought us ‘SNL’s iconic ‘Saturday TV Funhouse,’ discuss working alongside Adam Sandler on his quest to create an animated musical comedy for kids about kids, and the ‘huge’ chance they got, in their 50s, to helm a major animated comedy for Netflix, their feature film directorial debut. 

May the Best Monster Win Headline News

Warner Drops ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ Official Trailer

By Dan Sarto | Monday, December 4, 2023 at 7:30am

As the extremely active seismograph warns, something epically colossal and massive and epic is happening underground, as ‘Godzilla Vs. Kong’ director Adam Wingard returns to helm the upcoming Monsterverse installment, stomping into theaters April 12, 2024.

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