Animation

"Are adults finally getting the cartoon capers they deserve?"

Animation /

As I was reading through that excellent resource for animated news that is Line Boil, I came across a link to an article originally published by The Guardian newspaper in the UK, where it asks whether adult animation has finally begun to be accepted as a serious film genre.

It is worth a read, if only to see what the neighbours are up to. For you see, that is the main, I don’t want to say “problem” with the piece. it is quite well written and researched considering the nonsense that some magazines tend to publish. However it is clearly written for the average person who has never really had an interest in animation.

For those of you reading this blog, I would hope that you are aware that adult animation has been around as long as animation itself has. In fact, that’s who the first films were intended for and contrary to what the article says, Walt Disney did not make Snow White specifically for kids, despite the fact that a significant amount of its gross from later runs came from children’s receipts at the box office.

It is fair to say that the mainstream popularity of adult animation has increased in recent years and when I say this I refer to the more western styles; we all know anime has had a large adult following for decades on both sides of the Pacific.

It is encouraging to see this increase which has been sorely needed for a long time. On too often an occasion, adult animation has entered the mainstream consciousness for the wrong reasons, i.e. Fritz the Cat, Beavis & Butthead, South Park, etc.

I suppose the main problem is this stubborn image that persists in places like Hollywood that animation, “real” animation is for kids and kids only. Thankfully, the likes of Pixar have challenged that perception and are still working on it. If one were to read the TAG Guild blog, you will find Steve Hullett constantly admonishing the benefits of animation over live-action as a revenue-generator.

While this image is unlikely to disappear in the foreseeable future, it is encouraging to see signs that people are starting to move beyond it.

"Are adults finally getting the cartoon capers they deserve?" Read More »

The New Yogi Bear Movie

Animation, Film /

The Washington Post (my favourite US newspaper) has a pretty good list of why we already hate the thing despite it being months from release:

TEN THINGS WE ALREADY HATE ABOUT DECEMBER’S “YOGI BEAR” THE MOVIE:

10. The new, winking double-entendre tagline (above) from veteran “That ’70s Show” writers who have made millions out of crafting winking double-entendre “one-liners.”

9. The continued crass and shameless plunder of the favorite cartoon shows from our childhood so a studio can turn a quick holiday-season buck.

8. The shameless plunder of a favorite cartoon show IN POINTLESS 3-D, so a studio can make 20-percent more quick holiday-season bucks.

7. The slick, soulless CGI “art” that goes with the double-entendre tagline.

6. The once-great Dan Aykroyd stooping to immediately challenge the still-great Bill Murray (“Garfield”) for the title of Cheesiest CGI Cartoon-Film Character to Be Voiced by an Esteemed “SNL” Alumnus.

5. The fact that the always-funny “SNL” host Justin Timberlake will make us enjoy the CGI Boo-Boo character at least a little bit, thereby eroding our self-righteous fit of pique.

4. The worrisome prospect that this could be the best available animated film to take visiting young relatives to during the holiday season.

3. The prospect that the swarming hordes of plastic tie-in toys will feel far less artificial than this film, judging by the trailer (below).

2. The realization that we will ultimately tithe 80 bucks for the film/3D glasses/toys that will line the pockets of the geniuses who wrote that winking double-entendre poster tagline.

1. The inevitable sequel: “Step Up Yogi 3-D: Electric Boo-Boo-ga-loo.”

It can’t be good for a film to generate this much antagonism thise far from its release. Can it really be that bad? Well, it’s hard to tell. All we’ve seen so far have been snippets that don’t really tell the full story. However, they do tell us enough in much the same way that the Tone-Loc tune in the Smurf’s teaser trailer does: it doesn’t raise our hopes much.

 

The New Yogi Bear Movie Read More »

A Crazy Idea: Cartoon Shorts on Mobile Phones

1 Comment / Animation /

What if there was a service (app, website, etc.) that allowed you to watch some classic animated shorts on your mobile phone?

I think it would be a great idea! Being in and around the 6 minute mark, such shorts would be perfect for watching on a mobile device. Imagine being able to blow off steam from work with some Tom & Jerry on the train home? I’d do it.

OK, granted, you can already do that thanks to the power of YouTube and the like, but you have to search and organize the content yourself. Why not be able to, say, search for all Chuck Jone’s Looney Tunes, or say only ones with Porky Pig?

If there’s one thing these short have shown is that they stand up to repeated viewing, by young and old alike. Why not make them more accessible to everyone so they can enjoy them? It might even help increase their popularity among certain demographics who’ve long forgotten them.

Anyways, just a thought.

A Crazy Idea: Cartoon Shorts on Mobile Phones Read More »

Quick Note: Two Guys Named Joe by John Canemaker

Animation, Book /

Yes, we have indeed arrived at the launch of yet another of John Canemaker’s excellent tomes. This one centres on two extremes of the Disney animation universe, Joe Grant and Joe Ranft. Two fellows who are surprisingly similar despite their differences (mainly their age).

Both Michael Sporn and Mark Mayerson have posted details of the book, as have Cartoon Brew who posted a brief interview with Mr. Canemaker. Suffice to say, I did not need them to tell me to be excited about this book.

It centers on two animators who worked at Disney over different periods and gives an account of their experiences, noth good and bad. While I have not yet read the book, those who have espouse that it is yet another book that is required reading for anyone with a remote interest in animation.

John Canemaker is one of those people who are unique for a very good reason: they are emphatic about their chosen subject and put supreme effort into everything they do. he has written numerous books on animation history before and there is no reason to doubt that this will be any different.

The book launches today (August 3rd) and can be had over on Amazon.com for a tidy discount. I’ll publish a full review in due course.

 

Quick Note: Two Guys Named Joe by John Canemaker Read More »

Anomaly Appraisal: Toy Story 3, The Bittersweet Finale

Animation, Film, Pixar /

 

You know, I’d planned to write an epic, three-part review of the entire trilogy, but the more I reflect on it, it becomes clear that it would not be practical. Comparing a movie made 15 years ago with one from today is kinda cruel in more ways than one, not least on the quality of the animation.

No, this is a straight-up, honest account of how I hated about 95% of Toy Story 3 and how it all worked out in the end, sort of. If you want an animator’s perspective, I highly recommend reading Michael Sporn’s thoughts on the film. I agree with most of his points, which is why I’m linking to it.

Starting with the animation, it is superb. The fact that just the textures on the characters can be seen is proof how far CGI has come in 15 years. The levels of detail that can be created nowadays makes the original film more akin to a student thesis! It is the little things like these details that has set Pixar apart from other studios, they really do take the time to focus on things that affect the movie in ways that may not easily be perceived at first glance.

As for the directing, I would say that Wall-E is easily superior in that it was more in tune with the character. In TS3, the opening sequence is over-dramatic despite its content. Plenty of shots in the films seemed to be set up as if trying to prove something. None detract from the viewing experience, but they are grossly over-wrought in the context of what Toy Story is. That being said, there are no real pointless shots in the film, save for maybe Mrs. Potato Head’s eye.

This films is perhaps one of the most realistic that Pixar has released. Compared even to UP, the level of detail is stunning, from the largest detail (entire rooms) to the smallest (Ken’s wardrobe). One can’t help but feel that the charm of the original and sequel has been lost in the meantime. Compared to The Incredibles, which seemed realistic despite trying not to be, TS3 seems unrealistic because it tries to be too much like the real world and in the process overreaches its goal. Again, it ain’t the end of the world, but it may be connected to my thoughts further down.

The story itself was OK. It was certainly of a much higher standard than what Hollywood is known to put out. It is clearly the completion of the toy’s time with Andy. He’s grown up and heading to college, the toys are neglected in their chest, although they do acknowledge that Andy could have binned them many years ago and did not. The writing as usual was absolutely superb with jokes-a-plenty for adults and kids. The theatrics of Buzz Lightyear manages to steal the show were certainly enjoyed by the audience.

Do I agree with all aspects of the plot? Well, not quite. The villain lacks motivation. Sure he has some, the flashback sequence certainly indicates that but what ran through my mind while watching it was that Jessie went through much worse and was not nearly as resentful. Lots-O-Huggin Bear is also the first villain in the series to get his cumuppance. Why is that? Sure, Al got his in TS2, but he clearly was not a toy, even Stinky Pete got sent off to live with a little girl, not, well, I won’t spoil the surprise.

The characters in the film are the same we know and love. They are all here, but as we’ve seen before, they change subtly between films. In other words, Woody from Toy Story is still the same Woody in Toy Story 3, but he is ever so different. Perhaps in this movie, it is the situations that he is in differentiate him from the first two films. I couldn’t help but feel that the presence of an evil segment of toys soured things for everyone. One could argue that the first two films were too devoid of such characters, but here, I felt they went a wee bit over the top (secret, late-night gambling session anyone?).

Sigh, I guess my issue is that Toy Story is not near as innocent as Toy Story, or even Toy Story 2. Whereas the latter contained only a few grandstanding scenes, this latest film is pretty much one big sign begging for the audiences sympathy. It plays on our fondness for the characters, who don’t feel they need to prove anything any more. There is no soft treading, characters are shown as-is, no justification given. The simplicity of the first two films is also missing. In the first, Woody and Buzz get lost and need to find Andy, in the second, Woody gets stolen and his friends try to get him back. In this film, the whole gang gets tossed about all over the place and we’ve no idea what it supposed to happen to them by the end of the film, their ultimate goal does not become obvious until the very end.

Which leads me to another sticking point. The toys themselves. Did you notice that in the first film, they were extremely careful not to let anything they do make things appear out of place? That meant they tiptoed around and were careful to be just as they were left. In Toy Story 2, the rules were loosened a bit and the toys began to interact with their surroundings, especially Woody, who moved around frequently. This does not include the scene where the toys cross the road, that is simply the what happens when they do move about.

However, in this film, all of that is lost as the toys haphazardly move around as they please, moving things about and turning things upside down. can they really be considered toys any more if they are altering their environment in a way that would clearly be noticeable by a human? Methinks not. It is as if the humans in this film are oblivious to what’s going on right under their nose. That seems a bit of a stretch and somewhat spoiled the film for me. The first film made me believe that my toys were doing stuff when my back was turned. Toy Story 3 makes me wonder if they were doing anything at all.

Perhaps I am too harsh on Toy Story 3, it is after all (hopefully) the conclusion to the story that the writers intended. In that respect, it does commendably. How it gets there is a different matter entirely, but that should not putting you off seeing one of the year’s best films thus far.

Anomaly Appraisal: Toy Story 3, The Bittersweet Finale Read More »

Quick Note: The Music in Ren and Stimpy

Animation /

In the case of Futurama, the only thing that differes between the original episodes and the ones after the resurrection is the music. It is widely known that the full orchestra used in the latter has been replaced by synthesized instruments. This is not a serious flaw in any way, it just smacks of a blatantly lower budget for the series.

Anyway, the wee point I would like to make today is that John K. used a fairly large library of old music that he used in Ren & Stimpy. There are two reasons for this, firstly, John’s love of old music/culture (note the stylized designs and fictitious commericals for powdered toast) and secondly it was a huge cost-saver.

The use of such music does not in any way detract from an otherwise superb show, but it is clear that the two go hand in hand. Listening to the music on its own pulls you back in time to an age of big bands, Hollywood in its prime, the wonder that is outer space and of course, the hustle and bustle of city life.

I’m not exactly sure what proportion of a shows budget goes towards music (if anybody knows, please enlighten me in the comments) and I’m pretty sure it varies from show to show and network to network. However, Ren & Stimpy continue to stand alone in their use of old music. I think it any show (or film for that matter) set back in the day should use old music. But perhaps a more elaborate analysis is needed, which will have to be another day.

Quick Note: The Music in Ren and Stimpy Read More »

The Live-Action Version of the Failry OddParents

Animation, Nickelodeon /

The Fairly OddParents is a show we all know and love. Not only has it lasted a heck of a long time on Nickelodeon, it also proved to be pretty popular with grown-ups to boot. I myself used to try and get home from college a wee bit earlier on Thursday afternoons to catch it on CBBC.

The show has gone through the usual twists and turns that long-running series’ go through, namely TV movies, crossovers and most notably, the addition of a new character. Which leads us to today’s announcement that the show will receive the live-action treatment in the form of a straight-to-TV movie.

Long story short (or for fun, read the full details over on AWN), the film will feature a 23 year-old Timmy Turner rather than the little scamp we have become familiar with. This stands in contrast to that other well known cartoon that was turned into a live-action movie, Ben 10, where the ages were kept pretty much the same.

I won’t spoil the plot (suffice to say it is surprisingly mature for a kids TV station) but I can’t help but feel that the inherent feeling of the cartoon will be lost, not just because of its transition to live-action, but because the characters will be radically different.

Personally, I am not a fan of taking cartoons (or anything in animated form really) and turning it into live-action. The point was made long ago that King of the Hill could so easily have been done in live-action that money was needlessly wasted on animation. However that would be missing the point, which is that that show could not have worked as live-action. The style of humour as well as the pacing would have rendered it far too boring, but in animated form, we tend to tolerate it.

Besides the nature of turning animated characters into actors, the whole basis of the cartoon was that Timmy could do anything he wanted. The very nature of animation facilitated his wishes, with humongous changes made in the blink of an eye. Such antics are again tolerated in animation because the audience accepts that what its seeing is not real. In live-action, everything must look and move as if it were real, otherwise the audience is reminded that it is not, which would defeat the purpose of making it live-action in the first place.

I do not mean to belittle the production seeing as nothing of it exists just yet. It will undoubtedly be of no worse quality than any other TV movie/kidcom. I just wish that producers/executives would look for more creative ways to expand their properties. Turning something into live-action seems bone-achingly lazy in the face of how many creative people there are out there who are just dying to get something on the air.

The Live-Action Version of the Failry OddParents Read More »

The San Diego Comic-Con

Animation, Comics /

Yeah I’m not going this year unfortunately due to school and work commitments. The Con itself is somewhat interesting as it features a pretty substantial animation presence, from individual animators all the way through to the corporate giants.

There is indeed much overlap between comics and animation, and I’m not talking about folks from one side being fans of the work of the folks on the other side. There are of course differences, no-one is suggesting that if you enjoy comics, you will automatically love animation or vice versa. That would be preposterous.

Indeed, it is perhaps the partial overlap that continues to stimulate creativity in both camps. Numerous have commented on the influence of various comics in their work. There is nothing wrong with that, in fact outside form of entertainment can greatly enhance the enjoyment factor of one form of entertainment. For example, imagine Scott Pilgrim without all the video game references? I can’t imagine what that would be like.

Anyway, the schedule is chock full of animation events including one from perennial attendees, Futurama, where the gang are likely to receive a rousing reception following the series triumphant return to TV screens this past month. Other panels of note include various animation-related ones ranging from advice to book signings. Cartoon Brew (as ever) has a complete list of animation-related events with times and locations.

The main reason that I would like to attend is to peruse both the small press section and the artists alley. I find both to contain numerous artists that I myself am a fan of and indeed their work. Of course, what better way to support your favourite artist by buying their stuff and meeting them in person to boot!

Of course, what would a comic-con be without all the folks who dress up as their favourite characters? In fairness, Comic-Con does have plenty of folks who go the whole hog and create some truly fantastic costumes. Personally, I ain’t much into that whole scene, but it is fun to see the pictures nonetheless 🙂

Of course, if you would rather enjoy a more animation-centric scene, you may be wiser to check out one of the many festivals that take place throughout the year, Ottowa is perhaps the best in North America. If a festival really isn’t your thing, you could attend the CTN Expo in Burbank, a convention put on by the Creative Talent Network. The first outing in 2009 received rave reviews so it is sure to become a regular feature on the animation calendar for years to come.

The San Diego Comic-Con runs until Sunday, July 25th. In the meantime, pay close attention to twitter for all the latest stories, gossip and tall tales from attendees and exhibitors alike.

The San Diego Comic-Con Read More »

Cartoon Brew 3.0 is Here!

Animation, Cartoon Brew, Website /

Folks in love with animation have numerous places to congregate on the web. However, none seems to rally the people like Cartoon Brew. It’s hard to believe that it’s been around for over six years now and my how it has changed.

The site started off as mostly a news/opinion blog co-authored by Jerry Beck and Amid Amidi. Why they decided on calling it a "Brew" I do not know, however it is fair to say that both gentlemen bring some really contrasting posts and commentary that is always welcome.

Over the years, the site has undergone periodical redesigns and updates that have helped keep things looking fresh. However, it is with this latest version that the Brewmasters as they are affectionately called, have upped the ante.

Their latest efforts have hit the right spot alright. The site has garnered a community of sorts over the years with a pool of regular commentors (yours truly included) but besides the daily posts and the odd competition, there wasn’t really anything about to serve the sites community bar a serious discussion in the comments.

All that has changed however! With the latest update, the site now boasts many more features designed to pull Cartoon Brew even close to the center of the animation universe on the web. There is now a series of rolling industry headlines, a series of top posts, and of course, the obligatory latest tweets. These are taken from the Brew’s animators directory that encompasses a wide range of folks from the community. We are promised that the list will change as appropriate. Is there a possibilty that I might get on there one day? Perhaps, a man can dream can’t he? Anyway, the list is a fantastic place to see the various happenings and goings on from folks in the industry.

In addition to these changes, the commenting system has been upgraded to allow threaded commenting and ratings too! The threaded commenting adds greatly to the idea of the site as a community. No longer will I seem to be replying blindly to other posts; I can now engage in discussion!

Two other items of note include the repositioned CBTV (currently in the midst of a so-far fascinating student film festival) and the surprise addition of CB Live! Of course, the Brewmasters have always been forthcoming in publicising events that they either organize or are attending, but this section is specifically for events organized and branded as Cartoon Brew-related. This is perhaps the biggest indication so far that the site does indeed have a real, living community of fans outside the web. I am very much looking forward to seeing what kind of events are in the pipeline, especially any on the East Coast.

Much lauded, Cartoon Brew continues to garner the type of following that only such hard work and dedication from its Brewmasters can bring. Version 3.0 will certainly continue the site’s growth as a center for news, commentary and informed discussion on all things animation that remains unparalleled on the net.

Cartoon Brew 3.0 is Here! Read More »