Frames Per Second Magazine

Stuttgart Animation Festival

2009-05-07T13:11:00.006-04:00

The Stuttgart International Animation Festival (better known in its native country as Internationales Trickfilmfestival Stuttgart) is now in full swing.

The weekend will feature many screenings, including the European premiere of Afro Samurai Resurrection, and the German premieres of Coraline and The Missing Lynx. Shorts are also present at the festival, both in the competition and in several retrospective screenings celebrating 100 years of German animation.

Felix the Cat takes a break

2009-02-26T21:35:00.001-05:00

The first cartoon star will be at the Cinemathèque Québécoise in Montréal for Spring Break. Screenings of seven Felix the Cat shorts will take place every afternoon from March 2nd to the 6th. The movies will be accompanied by live music written and performed by Université de Montréal music students.

Parents who can't go with their kids can always catch a screening of Ratatouille on Thursday at 18:30.

For more information, check out the schedule on the Cinémathèque's website (in French)

An Afternoon of Remembrance

2009-02-06T09:12:00.002-05:00

Each year The Animation Guild, ASIFA Hollywood and Women In Animation present a non-denominational celebration of departed friends from our animation community. It will be on Saturday, February 7 at the Lasky-DeMille Barn in Hollywood across from the Hollywood Bowl. The 2008 honorees include

John Ahern, Gus Arriola, Phyllis Barnhart, Gordon Bellamy, Harriet Burns, Greg Burson, John W. Burton, Jr., Vivian Byrne, Joyce Carlson, Bob Carr, Rose Di Bucci, Charlie Downs, Ray Ellis, Joni Jones Fitts, Etsuko Fujioka, Steve Gerber, Fernando Gonzalez, Yoo Sik Ham, Larry Harmon, Margie Hermanson, Ollie Johnston, Ted Key, Eartha Kitt, Andy Knight, Harvey Korman, Lyn Kroeger, Brice Mack, Bill Melendez, David Mitton, Gary Mooney, Jim Mueller, June Nam, Ethan Ormsby, Bill Perez, Richard Pimm, Oliver Postgate, Denis Rich, Dodie Roberts, Irma Rosien, Gerard Salvio, Gina Sheppherd, Robert Smith, Jim Snider, Al Stetter, Dave Stevens, Morris Sullivan, Emru Townsend, Pat Raine Webb, Chiyoko Wergles, Bob Winquist and Justin Wright.

(Thank you, Karl Cohen)

Society of Animation Studies: Emru Townsend Award

2009-01-17T09:42:00.004-05:00

A travel grant of $200 in Emru's name is being given by the Society of Animation Studies for those who intend to present at their annual conference.

The deadline to apply for the grant is Jan. 23, 2009. Applicants must send their request by email, adhering to the guidelines (CV, abstract/proposal, short essay describing your request) as outlined in the link provided below. The award recipients will be announced in late February or March.

"The travel grant has been named in the memory of our dear colleague, Emru Townsend, who remains an inspiration to all of us, for his many efforts promoting the study and appreciation of animation."

(Props to Animation Journal)

Les Sommets du Cinema d'Animation de Montreal 2008

2008-12-04T23:07:00.005-05:00

Whoa! Christmas shows up early for Montreal animation lovers. This year's Sommets du cinema d'animation de Montreal (Montreal Animation Summit) literally explodes this year, with an expanded lineup, including exhibits and great guests.

As in recent years, Marco de Blois, animation curator at the Cinematheque quebecoise, has gathered some of the year's best animated shorts in two programs screening on Friday and Saturday. This year, the audience gets to vote on their favourite and award a public prize to the best director.

This is just the beginning. This weekend includes a program of the notable international student films from 2006, 2007, and 2008; the best recent Canadian animation; and a free screening of Acme Filmworks and Animation World Network's The Show of Shows, presented by Ron Diamond.

I'm not done yet: A major restrospective, Du praxinoscope au cellulo (From Praxinoscope to Cel), is divided into three programs, two of them specifically targeted to include younger viewers. This film series focuses on the evolution of French moving images, and touches on drawings, marionettes, and pin, cell, cut-out, mixed media, and computer animation. This is an extraordinary chance to see shorts by Emile Cohl, Ladislaw Starevich, and Paul Grimault, among others.

Now get a load of these prices.
Free 0–5 years accompanied by an adult
Free Show of Shows
$4 6–15 years
$6 students and seniors
$7 adults
$50 CinéSommets passport, all-access pass

For the full schedule, including parties and concurrent exhibits, download the PDF program.

Happy World Animation Day!

2008-10-28T00:27:00.006-04:00

They're showing Grave of the Fireflies in Guinea and The Adventures of Prince Achmed in Latvia. One world, inspired by the animated image. As usual, the Brazilians know how to party, with 100 cities taking part in ASIFA's seventh World Animation Day. France's list is pretty impressive, as they have a reputation to uphold for the holiday instigated in their country.

Here's a list of some of the events happening today. Feel free to fill in my gaps.

Allendale
Atlanta
Cape Town
Caraquet
Colorado
Halifax
Hiroshima
Kyoto
Montreal
Riga
Seoul
Vancouver

You can find more events on ASIFA's website.
Events through to November in Ghana, India and Canada.

Richard Williams West Coast Tour

2008-10-27T00:49:00.004-04:00

If you didn't get a chance to attend Richard Williams' masterclass at the 2008 Ottawa International Animation Festival, and live on the west coast, you may have another chance to catch him. Beginning today, the award-winning animator will be touring several west coast cities until November 7th.

Tonight, ACM SIGGRAPH's Vancouver chapter will host a free two-hour masterclass, signing and a screening of Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

On Wednesday the 29th, he will be in Redmond, WA, at as a run-up to Seattle's 2D Or Not 2D festival. While the event is free, it is open only to DigiPen BFA alumni and working professionals, so follow the link if you qualify to find out how to get your tickets.

On Thursday the 30th, it's Portland time with the Cascade ACM SIGGRAPH chapter. The event is free for chapter members and 5.00 dollars for everyone else, but attendees need to RSVP by the 28th.

The last public event on November 2nd happens in San Francisco. A benefit for ASIFA-SF, this event will feature the two-hour masterclass and the event will be moderated by author and chapter president Karl Cohen (shown above, left, with Richard Williams, and Cohen's wife Denise McEvoy at the OIAF Animators' Picnic). The admission is only 9.00 dollars and only 6.50 for a child or a senior. A mere pittance for the wealth of information and experience that will be available and to help a great organization.

Canada Gets Animated for 2008 World Animation Day

2008-10-22T23:56:00.006-04:00

The National Film Board is getting an early start on World Animation Day festivities and is turning the party out well after. From October 24 to November 12, Canadians in 13 cities will be able to enjoy free screenings of the Get Animated! series to celebrate World Animation Day (October 28).

Get Animated! features one program of ten new works (including Theodor Ushev's Drux Flux and George Schwizgebel's Retouches) and a second of ten children's animation shorts (including Claude Cloutier's Sleeping Betty, and shorts from Hothouse 4 participants Carla Coma and Jody Kramer). Many of the cities will include complementary screenings and workshops in addition to these programs.

Two short are available at the event site. Just click a graphic above to view Howie Shia's Flutter (top) or Tali's At Home With Mrs. Hen.

Thanks, Matt and Jody!

Montreal ACM SIGGRAPH Kickoff Screening

2008-09-04T22:13:00.003-04:00

The Montreal chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH is holding its season opener with an open-air screening in the park next to their usual haunt, the Society for Arts and Technology. Selections from the 2008 Computer Animation Festival will be shown, and while the event is free, you can pick up your annual membership to help support the chapter.

"Doors open" on Saturday, September 6, at 9:30 at Parc de la Paix. There's more info on the SAT website.

2008 SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival trailer

SIGGRAPH 08, Stereoscopic3D and Computer Animation Festival can be overwhelming!

2008-08-14T01:08:00.025-04:00

Film festival venues can be overwhelming and conference venues can be overwhelming, but when you combine them... well, the experience hovers somewhat above the horizon. That said, here are some tidbits:

1. Much discussion, several panels, and two full days of screenings of stereoscopic (3D) films, commercials, sports events, games and scientific visualizations on the first day of the conference. 3D is the agenda for 21st-century digital releases. I took in the two-hour screening of 3D clips and then heard fine artist and installation/performance artist Catherine Owens speak about collaborating with Bono on the 3D film of U2's concert in Buenos Aires. She spoke convincingly about "experimental" exploration and commitment to "idea" in relationship to her personal art, as well as in relationship to her directorial debut of the film U2 3D.

2. The Computer Animation Festival is programmed into seven two-hour screenings that most often repeat the commercials, trailers, and synopses of film titles submitted. For example, Rhythm and Hues showcased effects scenes of the polar bears in "The Golden Compass" and that is screened alongside the commercial from Bridgestone Tires many have seen of the squirrel running onto the highway to retrieve a nut as a car swerves to miss killing him. The festival is screening two impressive studio shorts worth mentioning here: Pixar Studios' Presto and Disney Studios' Glago's Guest. If you've seen WALL-E you've seen Presto before the feature screens.

3) A wonderful Tribute To Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas happened today with Tom Sito moderating a panel that included Frank Thomas' son, Theodore Thomas, documentary filmmaker, as well as a group of celebrity animators who had worked with the two of them in a mentor relationship. All of them delightfully shared their experiences with Frank and Ollie and were very well received. More on this later.

A closing note in case you don't want to wait: you may go online to read about all the sessions at SIGGRAPH 08 and can listen to them on DVD. All panels and discussions have been recorded are available for purchase.

I have constantly forgotten the number one rule for attending film festivals and conferences: find a place to sit, eat well and if you do this, thinking might follow! That said, I will return to report more soon, in spite of the L.A. smog my allergies are swimming in...

Great Great Grandshow in LA

2008-08-13T23:05:00.005-04:00

Gallery Nucleus in Los Angeles will be hosting The Great Great Grand Show, beginning August 16th and continuing until September 1st.

Saturday's opening reception runs from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., and you're encouraged to show up in historical garb if you have it (ninjas and pirates welcome).

Two of the artists exhibiting are Scott Campbell and Graham Annable, both Hickee comics anthology contributors. Scott C has also contributed work to I Am 8-Bit and Totoro Forest Project, and Graham's known for his comic foray, Grickle, whose misadventures continue in animated form. He is also a story artist on Coraline, Laika's much anticipated feature. Here's The Last Duet On Earth, a little future history until you get to see Graham's latest, From Whence Before Times, which debuts at the show.

The show is rounded out by Flight regular Israel Sanchez, and Jon Klaasen, who animated the super-sweet Eye for Annai. Several of us fps-side are huge fans of this short.

So if you're in LA on Saturday, you know where you need to be.

Norman Makes its Montreal Premiere

2007-12-04T00:19:00.000-05:00

Norman's Montreal run begins this week. It's been getting excellent reviews in Canada, and the Montreal run will be at one of the city's best live venues, Place des Arts.

Click the graphic to enlarge for location and ticket information.

Les Sommets du Cinema d'Animation 2007

2007-11-21T00:19:00.000-05:00

(click image for complete schedule.)

UPDATE: There is a misprint on page 2 of the program. Saturday screenings are as follows: Program 2 at 5:oo p.m., Program 1 at 7:00 p.m.

The Montreal stop of the annual Sommets du Cinema d'Animation will be at the Cinematheque Quebecoise on Friday, November 23 and Saturday, November 24. Over two days, Montrealers can see some of the best animation shorts in recent memory, from the haunting Madame Tutli-Putli, the harrowing Milk Teeth, to the laugh-out-loud funny Cold Calling. And that's just ~~Friday~~ Program 1 (both programs are showing on both days). Almost every short in both lineups is a Quebec premiere.

It all begins on Friday at 5:00 p.m. with the launch of the Isabelle au Bois Dormant/Sleeping Betty exhibit featuring the latest work of Claude Cloutier.

SIGGRAPH Montreal Electronic Theater Screening

2007-11-12T23:22:00.000-05:00

This Wednesday, November 14, at 6:00 p.m., the Montreal chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH is screening the 2007 Electronic Theatre at the SAT. Admission is free and so is the popcorn!

WFAC 2007: Special Screening of Wings of Honneamise and Jin Roh

2007-11-08T00:58:00.000-05:00

This Saturday and Sunday afternoon, November 10 and 11: leading up to the Waterloo Festival for Animated Cinema, WFAC in partnership with Bandai Visual and the Waterloo Children's Museum will be holding a 20th anniversary screening of Wings of Honneamise, one the best anime features of the 80s, and the first feature ever produced by Gainax.

~~If you go on Saturday,~~ On both days, you can catch Jin Roh, also in high-definition, based on the comic by Mamoru Oshii, and the English premiere of Detective Conan.

If you are anywhere near Waterloo, Ontario, this is not to be missed. All screenings are free.
Showtimes

Michael Sporn at MoMA

2007-11-04T23:02:00.000-05:00

Got plans this coming weekend? If you're in New York, make sure to swing by the Museum of Modern Art, which is going to be showcasing the work of Michael Sporn from Friday to Monday. Friday and Saturday will feature fourteen of his shorts from 1984 to the present (they'll all have second screenings on Saturday and Sunday); Monday night features a discussion between Sporn, fellow New York independent animator John Canemaker, and MoMA assistant curator Joshua Siegel, plus a screening of Sporn's commercial work and a preview of his current feature. Each program is about 90 minutes.

Friday, November 9, 6:30; Repeated Saturday, November 10, 1:30
Program 1: New York Stories

Mona Mon Amour (2001)
Champagne (1996)
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers (2005)
Lyle, Lyle Crocodile (1987)
The Little Match Girl (1991)

Saturday, November 10, 3:30; Repeated Sunday, November 11, 2:45
Program 2: Fables

Doctor DeSoto (1984)
Abel's Island (1988)
The Red Shoes (1990)
The Hunting of the Snark (1989)

Saturday, November 10, 5:30; Repeated Sunday, November 11, 4:45
Program 3: A Peaceable Kingdom

Goodnight Moon (1999)
The Marzipan Pig (1990)
The Amazing Bone (1985)
Ira Sleeps Over (1992)
The Story of the Dancing Frog (1989)

Monday, November 12, 7:00
An Evening with Michael Sporn

Previously reviewed on fps: The Films of Michael Sporn, Vols. 1 & 2

World Animation Day 2007

2007-10-27T23:42:00.000-04:00

Sunday is World Animation Day. Here are some events that are happening in different cities. Check with web sites, media outlets and your friends to learn more. Let us know what's up in your neighbourhood.

JAPAN

Hiroshima: Award-winning works of the Hiroshima International Animation Festival

INDIA

Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram:
Simultaneous ASIFA-India celebration

CANADA

Montreal:
1 p.m. Catherine Arcand discusses her film Nightmare at School
3 p.m. Master class with Madame Tutli-Putli directors Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski
7 p.m. Toon Boom Internet Animation Contest Screening and Classic Films of the DEFA Screening

Toronto:
1 p.m. Talespinners 2 workshop for children and families

Vancouver:
2 p.m. Animate It! workshop for youth

Winnipeg:
2 p.m. Talespinners 2 screening (recommended for children ages 5-9)

UNITED STATES

Boston:
3 p.m. Institute of Contemporary Art presents New England Animation

CQ's German Animation Spotlight

2007-10-24T00:23:00.001-04:00

The Cinematheque Quebecoise focuses on German animation this week. Filmfest Dresden Presents New German Animation screens on Thursday, October 25 at 6:30 p.m., and repeats on Friday at 4:00 p.m.

Our Man in Nirvana Jan Koester
Mr. Schwartz, Mr. Hazen & Mr. Horlocker Stefan Müller
Delivery Till Nowak (attending)
Close Your Eyes and Do Not Breathe Vuk Jevremovic
Lovesick Speka Cadez
Bildfenster/Fensterbilder Bert Gottschalk
The Tell-Tale Heart (Der Verrückte, das Herz und das Auge) Annette Jung
Diary of a Perfect Love (Tagebuch einer perfekten Liebe) Sebastien Peterson

As part of its World Animation Day events on Sunday, October 28th, Hints of Excellence: Classics of the DEFA screens for free.

Platform Animation Festival Screening at the REDCAT

2007-10-13T22:13:00.000-04:00

Animation fans in LA who didn't make it to the Platform International Animation Festival (or those who simply want to relive it) will get a chance to see selections from the festival during a screening on Monday, October 15, at 8:00 p.m. at the Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater.

There were many notable shorts during the festival although I haven't been able to find out the full lineup for this screening (Luis Cook's The Pearce Sisters and work by Don Hertzfeldt and Miwa Matreyek will be featured), I don't doubt for a moment that the variety and selection of shorts will be entirely worth your time.

Previously on fps
Platform International Animation Festival coverage

FNC 2007: Persepolis, Madame Tutli-Putli and More Animation

2007-10-10T00:15:00.000-04:00

Since Persepolis and Madame Tutli-Putli each screened at Cannes and won awards this year in May, they have appeared at animation and mainstream film festivals to acclaim. Montrealers can now finally see both films by attending the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, which begins today.

Animation seems to have taken on a more important role in the festival with more shorts than ever. However, a few might slip through the cracks if you aren't careful. The visceral Face lies in wait in Competition 1, on Thursday, October 11 and Wednesday, October 17th. Madame Tutli-Putli is showing during Competition 2 this Friday, October 12 and Tuesday, October 16. Selina Cobley's Crow Moon screens in Competition 3 next week on the 17th and 18th.

The National Film Board of Canada Stereo Lab is screening four stereoscopic shorts, which 2004 OIAF attendees might have seen, but this screening includes the premiere of a stereoscopic version of Theodor Ushev's phenomenal Tower Bawher.

Previously on fps
Festival du Nouveau Cinéma coverage
Persepolis coverage
Two Podcasts for Madame Tutli-Putli

Another Chance to See Fantasia Festival Shorts

2007-10-05T23:02:00.000-04:00

If you're in Montreal, before you go to the Poetry in Motion screening tomorrow, you may want to drop in at the National Film Board's Cinérobotheque, less than a 5 minute walk away. As part of a weekend of screenings of short programmes from this year's Fantasia festival, the Outer Limits of Animation Program will be screening at 3:00 p.m. The program repeats on Sunday at 5:00 p.m.

For nearly two hours, you will be able to see shorts selected by North America's premiere cult film festival for just $7 (less if you're a student).

Poetry in Motion at the Cinémathèque Québécoise

2007-10-02T22:40:00.001-04:00

Didn't go to Ottawa this year? Even if you went, you might not have been able to see the special screenings on poetry and animation, Poetry in Motion. If you live in Montreal, you can see both programs this week on Thursday and Saturday at the Cinémathèque Québécoise. The programmer is the National Film Board producer and author Marcel Jean, and he has selected shorts that span decades and geographical boundaries (although the first screening is half Canadian, including Québécois, in its content).

From Words to Images
Thursday, October 4, 6:30 p.m.
Primiti Too Taa, Ed Akerman, Colin Morton
Essere morti o essere vivi è la stessa cosa, Gianluigi Toccafondo
Forgetfulness, Julian Grey
Rain, Michael Sewnarain
Espolio, Sidney Goldsmith
Aloud/Bagatelle, Don McWilliams
6 haïku, Éric Ledune
A Said Poem, Veronika Soul
Tengo la posizione, Simone Massi
The Old Fools, Ruth Lingford
Poetry is Child’s Play, Bouwine Pool
Sandburg’s Arithmetic, Lynn Smith
Tread Softly, Heebok Lee
At the Quinte Hotel, Bruce Alcock (click the image above for an excerpt.)

The Film as Poetry Itself
Saturday, October 6, 5:00 p.m.
Accordion, Michèle Cournoyer
Stones (Sten), Lejf Marcussen
Beginnings, Clorinda Warny, Suzanne Gervais, Lina Gagnon
As people, Ursula Ferrara
Kaiten Mokuba, Thomas Hicks
9 in a Chimney 10 in a Bed or Hates A Strong Word, Jean-Jacques Villard
Renaissance, Walerian Borowczyk
Night on Bald Mountain, Alexandre Alexeïeff, Claire Parker
Grace, Lorelei Pepi
Mr. Pascal, Alison de Vere
Repete, Michaela Pavlátová

ADAPT 2007: Halo 3 Cinematics

2007-09-25T23:22:00.000-04:00

The Halo phenomenon continued unabated with today's release of Bungie Studios' Halo 3. I think it is inarguable that the most viewed animation today was seen by the countless fans who lined up to buy the Xbox 360 game and who ran home early or even took the day off (you know who you are) to play. The 20 minutes of cinematics in the game were completed by animators at the Montreal animation and effects house DamnFx. It's refreshing that their team has not been shy about their enthusiasm for being able to work on the character animation, something people tend not to think of when considering CG or in-game animation. The creators who will also have a presence at this year's ADAPT conference, including a special presentation by Bungie Studios' lead producer and cinematics director on the animation contribution to Halo 3 on Thursday, September 27.

Norman McLaren, meet the Montreal Symphony

2007-09-24T02:54:00.000-04:00

Wrapping up Norman McLaren's retrospective world tour, the NFB pairs up with the Montreal Symphony to present a special hybrid performance of music and cinema.

Next week in Montreal, the symphony will play musical accompaniment to four of the animator's greatest works; Blinkity Blank, Love on the Wing, Neighbours/Voisins and Hell Unlimited.

The richness of full symphonic sound will no doubt offer a fitting complement to the large screen presentation of McLaren's animation genius. The evening performance comes first (October 2), followed by the matinee (October 3), which sounds like a great idea for a class field trip to me. For school group reservations, call the MSO at 514-842-3402.

What: The Air Canada Words and Music Concerts series
When: Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts, Montreal
Kent Nagano, conductor
Gabriel Thibaudeau, pianist

What: The Symphonic Matinees series
When: Wednesday, October 3, 2007 at 10:30 a.m.Where: Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts, Montreal
Kent Nagano, conductor
John Zirbel, OSM principal horn
Gabriel Thibaudeau, pianist

OIAF 2007: Animator's Picnic

2007-09-22T01:56:00.000-04:00

The Animator's Picnic in Strathcona Park was plenty of fun. Lots of people were glad to see familiar faces and make new connections. This was my chance to see Martine Chartrand and Pilar Newton again. Pilar was one of the winners in the annual pumpkin carving contest again this year.Her pumpkin toaster was a hit with the crowd, along with many others. Another prizewinner was a pumpkin inspired by Luis Cook's Aardman Animation short, The Pearce Sisters.

It was also a chance for the animation community to come together to help the family of the late Helen Hill. During the picnic, donations were contributed to an education fund for her son, the Francis Pop Education Fund.