week links

Week Links 09-2013

A lot of week links today. Some you may have already read, others probably not. Enjoy!

The Life and Death of Looney Tunes Producers: Schlesinger and Selzer

Via: Cartoon Research
Via: Cartoon Research

The reincarnation of Jerry Beck’s Cartoon Research site is throwing up plenty of golden nuggets. One of the latest is this excellent post about Leon Schlesinger and Edward Selzer and two non-animating men were responsible for some of the greatest cartoons ever committed to celluloid. As I say in my comment, it’s a real shame their style of management has fallen by the wayside.

DreamWorks Animation: Where Innovation and Imagination Collide

The Motley Fool has this mostly-fluff piece about DreamWorks and how technology is used throughout the company. The gist of the article is that the company is worthy of investor interest and has potential. Its still worth a minute of your time though.

Animation Learns a New Language

Michael Sporn over on his Splog has a complete article from the July, 1946 issue of The Hollywood Quarterly of the above title. Written by John Hubley and Zachary Schwartz, it discusses how animation was adapted during World War II to much more than entertainment. A comprehensive article that will be of interest to anyone with an interest in animation history.

How Disney Bought Lucasfilm—and Its Plans for ‘Star Wars’

You might have already seen this on other sites, but if not, definitely head over to Businessweek and have a read. Essentially, it was a very lucrative business deal for both parties.

Shopping as the New Prince

Peggy Orenstein details a new video game from Disney entitled ‘City Girl’. Here’s the description:

With suitcase in hand, it’s time to leave your small-town life behind and head to the big city to make your dreams come true! Do you have what it takes to skyrocket to stardom? In the spirit of Sorority Life, Disney City Girl gives players the chance to engage in a stylish and aspirational virtual world!

As a recent New York transplant, the player will explore the city with the help of her fabulous friends, from BFF Jenna to adventurous Auntie Kate. She’ll discover the best places to shop and hang out, choose from a variety of glamorous career paths, and visit exotic locations. As she progresses through her career, your City Girl will accrue style points, continually decorating and upgrading apartments, expanding her wardrobe, and facing off with her friends in “Daily Look” fashion competitions! From a grungy studio to a Park Avenue penthouse, from overworked intern to successful CEO, from country bumpkin to glamour girl, City Girl will keep you coming back again and again.

Peggy does a good job of outlining why such a game is totally unrealistic and not just because it encourages false dreams. It’s a bit of a shame that a large corporation like Disney feels the need to pander to perceived tastes rather than taking a stand.

But… the Little Mermaid gave up her voice!

On the subject of Disney, Rebecca Hains saw the trailer for (now-shelved) The Little Mermaid 3-D release and noticed that the trailer proclaims that the film “gave voice to a whole generation”.

Eh? I’m scratching my head with that one. Head over to Rebecca’s blog for her thoughts and comments.

Animation Studies Blog

The Society for Animation Studies has launched a blog on their website. It looks at animation in a much more ‘academic’ sense and covers topics that you are unlikely to find anywhere else on the web.

Korra by Courtney Godbey

Via: Courtney Godbey
Via: Courtney Godbey

 Tweets of the Week

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/jslipchi/status/308739093183987712″]

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/MediaReDEF/status/309223862338461696″]

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/cathal_gaffney/status/309299111016927232″]

Remember Tugg? Apparently it’s doing pretty well:

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/MediaReDEF/status/309577982471708672″]

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/crashtesterX/status/309756910209478659″]

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/BoxnRoundhead/status/309802614122508288″]

Week Links 09-2013 Read More »

Week Links 08-2013

Week links! The stuff I read this week that you should too!

I Hear Voices

The always excellent Yowp blog has a great collection of photos (both publicity and otherwise) of all the great voice actors of the Golden Age. Well worth a few minutes of your time, if only to see Arnold Stang in drag.

An Interview with animation producer Don Hahn

The FLIP blog continues its hot streak of great posts with this interview. Don Hahn should be a recognisable name from all the films he’s produced over the years, as well as the books he’s authored. The interview also features a great checklist for breaking into the industry but this is the most salient and I feel obliged to post it here:

Don’t let the obstacles scare you away. Each studio has firewalls built up in order to keep the hobbyists and fan boys out. As a serious artist, it’s part of the rights of passage to get beyond those firewalls with your talent and persistence. If they don’t return your call, don’t like your reel, can’t talk to you unless you have an agent, or don’t have anything for you, see these for what they are…obstacles to keep the amateurs out. If you want to be professional, you’ll find a way to break past these with time and persistence.

Tweets of the Week

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/colmtobin/status/305859727877873666″]

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/BoxnRoundhead/status/306743918362509313″]

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/PaulYoung99/status/307504684267102209″]

And Finally

Here’s Fionna and Cake dancing by Shmorky:

Via:Shmorky on Tumblr
Via:Shmorky on Tumblr

 

 

Week Links 08-2013 Read More »

Week Links 07-2013

A good few week links for you today. Enjoy!

Linda Cardellini on Freaks And GeeksER, and homewrecking

The A.V. Club has a fairly detailed interview with the actress with some discussion on her current role as Wendy in Gravity Falls.

We Love Fine Gravity Falls T-Shirt Contest

ViaWe Love Fine. (Not a competition design though because I couldn't get a large enough image)
ViaWe Love Fine. (Not a competition design though because I couldn’t get a large enough image)

While we’re on the subject of Gravity Falls, the good folks over at We Love Fine are running a contest where fans can vote for their favourite designs to appear on clothing. Such campaigns have been used by Adventure Time to great advantage and with Gravity Falls enjoying similar levels of cult popularity, hopefully the contest does well for them too.

Tiny Cartoon Kids Put Into Real-Life Scenes

ViaThe Laughing Squid
ViaThe Laughing Squid

Via The Laughing Squid comes this cute collection of photographs from French artist Lowra and her Paperchild Revolution collection; the entirety of which is well worth a peek 🙂

Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld  Model Sheet

Via:Potato farm Girl
Via:Potato farm Girl

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of these tragically short shorts, but much props go to Brianne Drouhard for going over and above the call of duty in posting lots of fantastic art from the show just like the one above. Check out her blog for much much more!

Invader: Pink Panther

Via:Animated Review
Via:Animated Review

Via Animated Review comes this photo of a piece by street artist Invader that should be instantly recogniseable despite its pixelated composition.

Art of the Title: ParaNorman

Via:Art of the Title
Via:Art of the Title

Last but certainly not least is this overview of the ParaNorman title sequence and an interview with Aaron Sorenson over on the Art of the Title site. A definite must read.

Scrooge McDuck by Dirk Shulz

Via:Themrock.tumblr.com
Via:Themrock.tumblr.com

Finally this week is this awesome bit of art by German artist Dirk Shulz of the eminently famous Scrooge McDuck.

Tweets of the Week

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/starbolting/status/302806682231271425″]

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/Giancarlo_Volpe/status/302908394606571520″]

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/EddieWhiteJr/status/304169901906612224″]

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/SheaFontana/status/304391206689992705″]

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/miketrap/status/304996811645530113″]

Week Links 07-2013 Read More »

Week Links 06-2013

A shortened week links list this week thanks to two unscheduled days of rest that were spent in bed.

DuckTales invented a new animated wonderland—that quickly disappeared

ducktales.jpg

The A.V. Club takes a look at how DuckTales was the massive success that it was, and how it has been all but neglected by Disney since it left the airwaves. A great article but misses the part where Disney bought ABC and exploited the fact that putting shows on your own network was considerably less hassle than syndication.

‘Adventure Time’ actor Tom Kenny on Ice King’s loneliness, tragic past

Voice actor Tom Kenny (no relation) sits down with the LA Times’ Hero Complex blog to talk all about Adventure Time’s misunderstood antagonist. It’s a hefty interview that touches on more than Adventure Time and is full of humour to boot.

Beck’s Last Brew – An Interview with Jerry Beck

Having to rest up on the couch all day Tuesday meant that I missed the bombshell of Jerry Beck getting bought out of Cartoon Brew. Surprised I certainly was but nonetheless wish Amid the best for the future.

That said, the always insightful FLIP blog clearly had the inside line on the story as the very next day, they posted this interview with Jerry where he reveals a few titbits on his time with the Brew and what his plans are for the future.

The Three Kinds of Kids Movie Posters

Canadian website The Sleepy Skunk put out a guide this week the exemplifies yet again how movie posters really do seem to all look alike. Personally, this blogger was surprised by there only being two DreamWorks films in the raised eyebrow category.

By  The Sleepy Skunk via Broadsheet.ie
By The Sleepy Skunk via Broadsheet.ie

Week Links 06-2013 Read More »

Week Links 05-2013

Due to school, other commitments and a general lack of time, this week was light on regular posts, but that did not preclude some interesting articles being published elsewhere.

I’m a Black Female Cosplayer And Some People Hate It

Chaka Cumberbatch is an anime fan and cosplayer who happens to be black. Unfortunately, she discovered that racism pervades even the nicest fandoms. In this post over on XOJane, she outlines some of the crap she’s had to put up with while outlining why those who argue that only those of the same race as the character are ‘allowed’ to cosplay as them are, quite rightly, idiots.

The Many Motivations Of Movie Piracy (Notably Absent: ‘I Want Everything For Free’)

Via: Techdirt
Via: Techdirt

Techdirt has a great article that includes the chart above. Notice something that’s missing? Yes, people demanding stuff for free. Such data is proof that even though we are moving towards new business models. there is little reason to assume that people will stop paying creators for content.

The Epilogue By Don Rosa

Don Rosa is the very popular and respected comic artist of many Uncle Scrooge comics. In recent times, a substantial collection of his work has been released for collectors. The final volume of which was meant to contain a letter explaining Rosa’s many reasons for stepping down from the job.

The letter is actually a fascinating read and is extremely honest in tone, but one can’t help but feel incredibly saddened when they read stuff like this:

I couldn’t help but realize that I had provided these people with 20 years’ worth of work that they would reprint and rerereprint for the next century without ever offering me a cent in royalties. It was an insidious worm that worked its way into my soul. It killed my enthusiasm. And my enthusiasm for the fans who loved these Barks characters as much as I did was all that had kept me going.

Jonathan Coulton Vs. FOX

You may or may not be aware of a recent situation where artist Jonathon Coulton got upset that inexplicably popular FOX show Glee used a version of Sir Mix-A-Lot’s ‘Baby Got Back’ that was seemingly a copy of one that he had created. There was a lot of back and forth about it, but Simpsons music editor Chris Ledesma cuts through the nonsense with his simple and neutral explanation of things.

Music and the rights that go along with it often play an important role in animation. They’re the reason the Daria boxset was delayed as long as it was, and even then the original music was substituted. All very good to keep in mind.

I’m a Brony, and… I’m Sorry

In this essay, brony ‘Headless Horse’ professes an uncomfortableness with how My Little Pony as a show has been overridden by the fandom surrounding it and how the resultant media attention has diminished the focus on the show an its characters. A worthy, if long, read on the topic of genderisation and fandom.

Tweets of the Week

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/tommmoore/status/298905189694459904″]

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/davidoreilly/status/299318341351383040″]

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/cathal_gaffney/status/299542363594956801″]

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/faitherinhicks/status/299672984426270720″]

Week Links 05-2013 Read More »

Week Links 04-2013

Here’s my week links of stuff I read and so should you!

Animation Insider Interviews Rob Renzetti

Yes, it’s an interview with the creator of my favourite animated TV show! Some great tidbits in there too.

It’s Finally Over: 8 Years Of Mattel vs. Bratz And No One’s Getting Paid But The Lawyers

Techdirt has the details on this final chapter in a showdown over who created what. This is a case that is well worth reading up about because it deals with ideas and concepts and who is legally entitled to own them. All very important concepts in the animation industry.

An Animated Tribute to Moonrise Kingdom

Via The A.V. Club comes this animated tribute by Michael Piazza and Toniko Pantoja to Wes Anderson’s 2012 film, Moonrise Kingdom:

Inside DreamWorks: how animated movies are rendered

Techradar has this look at the technological side of DreamWorks Animation. It comes off as a bit of a pitch piece for Hewlett-Packard, but it’s still very informative.

Clever Merchandising Tie-Ins In Sailor Moon

The Sailor Failures tumblelog takes a look at how the series (specifically Sailor Moon R) featured crafty references to the merchandise in every episode. Hint: there was a reason the outer senshi were given specific shots of their lisptick being applied:

Via: Sailor Failures
Via: Sailor Failures

Tweets of the Week

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/aceandson/status/294900683218497538″]

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/alikigreeky/status/295967054966714368″]

News that Young Justice and Green Lantern: The Animated Series garner the following tweet from Brianne Drouhard:

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/potatofarmgirl/status/296401669862854658″]

A problem in animated content too:

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/TiredFairy/status/296717329784516609″]

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/davidoreilly/status/297060207874412545″]

Week Links 04-2013 Read More »

Week Links 03-2013

Here’s some of the articles I read this week that you should too!

Independent Producer Nathan Erasmus explains how to get your project off the ground

The always informative FLIP blog interviews Nathan Erasmus about independent films and the not only the struggles and effort behind one, but also the rewards.

Den of Geek on the Disney Renaissance

David Crow over at Den of Geek has a comprehensive review of the films of the Disney renaissance focusing on what made the early films successful and the later films, not so much. I covered a similar topic last week, but David takes a look at the series as a whole rather than just one film.

Permanent Record: Sherri & Terri

Via: The Dead Homer Society
Via: The Dead Homer Society

The Dead Homer Society always makes for thought-provoking analyses of the Simpsons and this post is no exception. Twins Sherri and Terri were the, dare I say, devious, twins that had no problem humiliating other characters from fellow kids like Bart to enterprising restauranteur Moe. This post looks at the characters and their many conniving actions during the show’s earlier series.

Tube Open Movie is Looking for Interns

It’s been featured here on the blog before, and now the Tube Open Movie is looking for interns to help out for the spring. You can find all the details here.

Disney Infinity: No Girls Allowed?

Lei Adeline over at Smart When Shouting has written an excellent post concerning the lack of female characters in Disney’s forthcoming ‘Disney Infinity’ video game/action figure play sets. The depressing reality that Lei breaks down is that the majority of characters available (at least at launch) are aimed primarily at boys:

While girls are certainly welcome to play, with elements from films like The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, and Alice in Wonderland available in token form, they are certainly not being encouraged to. The lack of properties aimed at them certainly serves as evidence of that, with the Princesses oddly absent, Tinkerbell and her gang nowhere in sight, and even Disney’s “cooler” or more “kick-ass” heroines like Rapunzel and Mulan seemed to have missed the cut.

I concur.

Megan Ferguson’s Cool Teen Girl

Via: Megan Ferguson on Tumblr
Via: Megan Ferguson on Tumblr

COOL TEEN GIRL

she has a purple streak in her hair – WONT CONFORM !

She listens to bands with the guitar in it thats not acoustic – SO METAL

All her friends are guys – SNEAKERS NOT HIGH HEELS U GUYZ

dont mind me just poking fun at this weird trend in animated shows where theres this girl with dark hair and a purple streak whos suppose to appeal to the ’ edgy ’ teens lol.

I’m a sucker for character analyses and I think Megan Ferguson nails it with this tongue-in-cheek look at one from her tumblelog.

Week Links 03-2013 Read More »