One of the perennial struggles that I seem to have when it comes to feature films is that they often lose my interest well before the climax, or even the third act. The only difference that truly defines films are their length; everything else is relative, and animated films are no exception. However, there’s a simple trick to making a really great film, and all it involves, is listening to a song. …
Why Any Great Film Will Imitate This Song Read More »
The year that was 2014 was a great one in many ways for animation in all forms, and yet for all the successes, there were still a few concerns. Here’s some personal thoughts on the year that was, and a few more on the year ahead.
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The 2014 Animation Year in Review Read More »
Live-action has a virtual monopoly on lots of the entertainment industry. Animation is slowly making inroads, but one area that has been staunchly resistant to change has been television dramas. Comedy series are a dime a dozen and prove that animation can be popular with adults as well as kids on the small screen, but drama is whole different kettle of fish. Thankfully, some proof has recently come to light that suggests that dramatic animation isn’t as much of a pipe dream as we believe.
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Here’s Proof That Dramatic Animation Is Viable on TVRead More »
Here’s Proof That Dramatic Animation Is Viable on TV Read More »
The theatrical market for animated feature films has remained much the same for many decades. A few things have changed of course, but on the whole, things operate in much the same way that they always have. That is to say, films are released to cinemas first, then home media, then PPV cable, then regular cable, before finally spluttering onto regular TV many years after the initial release. Such a model has served the industry well for decades, but for cinemas, the jig may finally be up, and animated features are going to have to change if they are going to survive and thrive.
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How Animated Films and Cinemas Can Avoid Sliding Into OblivionRead More »
How Animated Films and Cinemas Can Avoid Sliding Into Oblivion Read More »
Writing for Forbes.com at the end of June (and escaping my attention until know), Merrill Barr postulates that Nickelodeon were wrong to alter their marketing plan for Book 3 of Legend of Korra after the Mexican arm of the network inadvertently let a few episodes from the season get loose on the internet, and are beholden to internet ‘pirates’ as a result. I say that’s poppycock.
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No, Nickelodeon Were Right To Release The Legend of Korra So Soon After the LeaksRead More »
No, Nickelodeon Were Right To Release The Legend of Korra So Soon After the Leaks Read More »
The Simpsons continues to have a massive presence in almost all areas of pop culture despite being 25 years old and having to work a little harder than in the past. One of the latest efforts involves London soccer club Chelsea and is a real head-scratcher.
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Chelsea Football Club & The Simpsons: Cross-Marketing Gone MadRead More »
Chelsea Football Club & The Simpsons: Cross-Marketing Gone Mad Read More »
Around this time last year, I wrote a post about the possibilities that Bitcoin offered as far as animation goes. It’s an introductory post more than anything else, but now that it’s a year later and Bitcoin is very much in the news, it’s a good opportunity to bring it up again.
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Repost: Bitcoin and Animation Read More »
Disney’s Frozen has generated a lot of debate but specifically on the topic of whether it is a feminist film or not, the answer is a bit more elusive. On the one side, are people who claim that it is thanks to dual female protagonists, a positive message, and a muted romantic theme compared to other Disney films. On the other side, there are claims that the film is merely masquerading as a feminist film and in reality continues to undermine the feminist ideal through subtle and not-so-subtle marketing. Which side is correct? You can make up your own mind with these sixteen articles published in recent months that discuss the film.
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Make Up Your Own Mind: 10 Articles About Frozen & FeminismRead More »
Make Up Your Own Mind: 10 Articles About Frozen & Feminism Read More »
It took some time to process this news; as far out as it is. Last month, CNN announced that they were rebranding their other cable news network Headline News as HLN and giving it a complete makeover too. Borrowing more than the idea of a three lettered name from MTV, HLN is now gunning for the teen demos, and is banking on animation to help them grab it. The only question that is really raised is: why?
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CNN Thinks It Can Win Teens Over to TV News With AnimationRead More »
CNN Thinks It Can Win Teens Over to TV News With Animation Read More »
Gender is a topic in animation circles that is gaining more traction lately mainly thanks to a growing realisation that for all the talk of an industry that has less sever gender segregation and under representation than live-action, it’s still a heavily male-dominated industry. That translates into the programming and associated merchandise so easily that it’s long been simply taken for granted. In recent years, the problem has attracted more attention as viewers, consumer groups and activists look to balance the equation for women and females in animation. For an example of a possible fix, we turn to the east, and the hit anime show Attack on Titan.
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Taking Gender Out of the Animation Equation By Simply Ignoring ItRead More »
Taking Gender Out of the Animation Equation By Simply Ignoring It Read More »
Voice acting isn’t Hank Azaria’s only talent. He’s also an actor and comedian who just happens to excel at creating great characters. One of those creations got him into a bit of difficulty when it emerged that someone else had created something very similar first. Cue a lawsuit to sort it all out that also reveals (at least in the legal sense) what defines a character.
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Hank Azaria’s Lawsuit Details What Defines A CharacterRead More »
Hank Azaria’s Lawsuit Details What Defines A Character Read More »
