'Robota': Building an Empire
Scott Jenkins speaks with artist Doug Chiang and Sparx*s Alan Portillo about the epic 3D universe, building momentum under the name Robota.
Tagged With: Work
Clear Takes Home Best Special Effects at MTV Awards
Soho-based Clear has won the Best Special Effects Award at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards for their work on the Queens of the Stone Ages GO WITH THE FLOW. Directed by Shynola through the Director's Bureau LA, video is set in a desert with trucks playing chicken while a party of sex, drugs and rock n roll rages. This is the second time in three years that Clear has won this award, previously winning for Robbie William's ROCK DJ. The awards ceremony took place in New York City on August 25, 2003.
In the Eye of CGI Commercial Production
Sarah Baisley rounds up facts, thoughts and examples of issues and trends driving producers of CGI commercials today.
Creative Directors Doing it the Animated Way
Rick DeMott interviews three agency creative directors to find out how they go about deciding when to use animation as well as what talent for a commercial spot.
Flashbang v5 Night
Begins: August 15, 2003
On August 15 at 7:00 pm, Flashbang v5 will showcase the best local and international interactive work. This year it is featuring even more visionary work including: interactive applications, digital animation, Websites, installations, games and more. The work this year will be presented on two large screens as well as on various computers at the event itself. All attendees will receive a limited-run event book with images from the submitted work, commentary on the work and articles about digital creativity and communication.
Tom Kenny: Voice of SpongeBob Revealed
Rick DeMott talks with Tom Kenny to discover there’s a truly animated soul behind the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants.
A52 Helps Young Director on Nike Spec Spot
In an effort to help cultivate new talent, A52 provided its services to recent Art Center College of Design graduate and rising director Ania Hoffman for work on her Nike spec commercial. As a result of the 30-second spot entitled FULL MOON, the Russian-born Hoffman received representation in Japan by production company Size. The relationship was kicked off when Hoffman was introduced to A52 producer Leighton Greer.
A Traditional Animator’s First Foray into Computer Animation
Academy Award-winning claypainting animator Joan Gratz ventured into strange territory when she took a Combustion course at Oregon3D. Find out how she handled the change from clay to computers.
VES Festival: A Convergence of Technology and Creativity
VFXWorld editor Bill Desowitz and Animation World Network editor Sarah Baisley venture to this year's VES Festival and report back about the convergence of technology and creativity.
Introduction to Classical Animation Workshop
Begins: July 7, 2003
Are you an aspiring animator? Then this workshop is for you.
WHEN: 4 weeks, beginning July 7th
TIME: Monday to Thursday, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
COST: $428.00 (includes GST plus materials: 100 animation sheets, 1 pencil, 1-5 minutevideo tape of your work.
Animator, character designer and director FredWilmot will introduce workshop participants toclassical animation techniques such as basic motion,acting and timing. Students will explore storytelling
From Matisse to McGuire: An Interview with Debra Solomon
Chris Robinson interviews indie animator Debra Solomon, the creator of the animated Lizzie McGuire persona, about finding a way to do what you want and make money doing it.
Notes from the Underground Part Six — From Mary Ellen Bute to Pierre Hébert, Animation in a Different Key!
In this final installment of articles exploring animation as commercial entertainment and as an art form, Jean Detheux heralds a group of animators who listened to their own music and delivered it up on the animated screen.
Career Coach: Graduate to a Good Life
This month the Career Coach passes on some fatherly advice.
McGregor, Berry and Brooks Team to Voice Robots
ROBOTS, 20th Century Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studio's eagerly awaited follow-up to ICE AGE, will be powered by the celebrity voice- over work of Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry and Mel Brooks. The computer-animated movie, under the helm of director Chris Wedge, has been in production for two months, and is set for release March 11, 2005.
Annecy Exclusive, 3D Jam: 48 hours for Blueboy
Eighteen 3D animators, teamed up in pairs, have 48 hours to bring to life Blueboy, the character that was chosen for them. Their work will be shown live at 3:00 pm, June 6, 2003.
WIA Chicago Chapter launch party
Begins: June 5, 2003
Chicago Chapter of Women In Animation Launch Party
Location: 941 W. Lawrence Ave. Suite 500, Chicago, Illionois
Featuring: screenings, guest speakers, door prizes, libations and more.
Admission fee is $5 for WIA members, students and seniors and $10 for non-members.
Submit work for the screening. Animators are encouraged to contribute copies of their work on vhs format along with their contact information for archiving.
The Mill: Europe's First Fully Digital VFX House
From cutting-edge TV commercials to blockbuster movies and back again, The Mill has become one of the top five VFX studios in the world.
Can I Get Some Representation Please?
What's the difference between an agent, a manager and a lawyer? What can they do for a creative and what do they need from you? Darlene Chan talks to a host of reps to find out what you need to do to get in good hands.
Bruce Knocks Off Reloaded for Big Memorial Box Office
BRUCE ALMIGHTY, the God-induced comedy starring Jim Carrey, scored highest over the Memorial Day weekend, upending the mighty MATRIX RELOADED. The Universal feature, boasting VFX by Illusion Arts (Collin Fowler was the VFX coordinator), took in $86.4M over the four-day period, while Warner Bros.' MATRIX RELOADED dropped 50% in its second week, with $45.7M, despite the biggest ever four-day gross. At $209.5M, the visual effects feast included work from Amalgamated Pixels, Animal Logic, BUF, Bullet Time, CIS, CFX, ESC Entertainment, Giant Killer Robots, PLF Sony Pictures Imageworks and Tippett Studio. However, it broke international box office records around the world taking in $113.2M from 62 countries, which is the first time in history a film has surpassed the $100 million level in one weekend. Sony/Revolution's DADDY DAY CARE dropped to third place, but lost less than 5%, with $18M for a $73M cume. Fox's X2: X-MEN UNITED came in fourth place with $13M for a total of $192M. Contributing VFX to the blockbuster were Cinesite, EYETECH Optics, Frantic Films, Kleiser-Walczak Construction Co. and Rhythm & Hues. Warner Bros,' THE IN-LAWS, meanwhile, debuted in the fifth spot with $9.1M. Cinesite handled VFX chores, with Randall Bahnsen serving as 3D motion tracking supervisor. Fox's DOWN WITH LOVE, featuring VFX by Asylum, hung in there in sixth place with another $5M for a total of $14.6M Disney's THE LIZZIE MCGUIRE MOVIE, dropped to seventh place, with $4M and a $37.3 cume. Rainmaker Digital Pictures did VFX for the film based on the hit TV series about a teen with an animated alter ego. Disney's HOLES held onto the eighth spot with $3M for an impressive total of $60M. Digital FilmWorks and Avtoma of L.A. contributed effects for VFX supervisor William Mesa, founder of Flash Film Works, whose studio did the majority of the work. Sony's IDENTITY plummeted to ninth place with $2.6M for a total of $49.2M. K.N.B. EFX Group Inc. did VFX work for the suspense flick. Sony/Revolutions' ANGER MANAGEMENT suffered a 32.5% drop as it rounded out the tenth spot with $2.4M for a cume of nearly $132M. Sony Pictures Imageworks and the Orphanage did VFX for ANGER.
Career Coach: Learn Proper Netiquette
This month the Career Coach, Pamela Kleibrink Thompson, preaches the do's and don'ts of netiquette.
Concept to Creation: Crewing Up
Mark Simon continues his series of twelve excerpts from his new book Producing Independent 2D Character Animation: Making and Selling a Short Film. Every independent needs helpthis month Mark runs down ways to obtain a crew that wont just help, but excel.
Non-Photorealistic Computer Graphics (Modeling, Rendering and Animation)
Jean Detheux reviews the new book Non-Photorealistic Computer Graphics, and finds a book that is very insightful on what is under the hood of the software we use everyday and more
Identity Displaces Anger At Box Office
Sony topped itself at the weekend box office in the U.S. with its IDENTITY debuting in first place, taking in $17M. K.N.B. EFX Group Inc. did VFX work for the suspense flick. Sony/Revolutions' ANGER MANAGEMENT dropped to second place in its third week, taking in another $16M to rack up a total of $104.5M. Sony Pictures Imageworks and The Orphanage did VFX for ANGER. Buena Vista's comedy family/adventure HOLES dipped to third place with $12.9M and a $36.8M cume. Digital FilmWorks and Avtoma of L.A. contributed visual effects for VFX supervisor William Mesa, founder of Flash Film Works, whose studio did the majority of the work for the film from Walt Disney Pictures. MALIBU'S MOST WANTED came in fourth with $7.7M and $24.2M for its second week of release. C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures did some of the VFX work for the Warner Bros. release. CONFIDENCE from Lions Gate debuted in fifth place with $4.7M. Pixel Magic and Pacific Title contributed VFX in the con-men drama. BULLETPROOF MONK dropped to sixth place with $4.6M and a $19.2M cume. Eyetronics did 3D scanning, while Burt Ward and his Boy Wonder VFX did visual effects along with Ian Locke at Millwright. The main title sequence was done by New Wave Entertainment for the MGM release. Warner Bros.' WHAT A GIRL WANTS, VFX work done by Cinesite, slipped to seventh place at $3.3M and a $33M take so far. Twentieth Century Fox's PHONE BOOTH, with VFX by Asylum, dropped to eighth place taking in $3.1M and a $40.3M cume. MGM'S IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY, starring Kirk and Michael Douglas, made the top 10 box office, debuting in ninth place with $3M. New Line's docu-movie THE REAL CANCUN was the last of four debuting films, coming in at tenth place with $2.3M. Box office information obtained from boxofficemojo.com.
Not Still Art Festival
Begins: April 26, 2003
The 8th. Annual Not Still Art Festival is a forum devoted to abstract & non-narrative electronic motion imaging with music / sound design...Founded in 1996, the Not Still Art Festival screens international electronic motion art with music and sound design. New and old technologies are welcome. There is no restriction as to the date or number of programs submitted.
Radio Television Hong Kong's Animation TV series and Festival
Begins: April 20, 2003
Radio Television Hong Kong is the only public broadcaster in Hong Kong. They are planning a TV series featuring independent animators from all over the world, which will lead into an International Animation Festival in mid July 2003.
