Category Archives: Artists Interviews

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Elena and Olivia Ceballos

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Our names are Elena and Olivia Ceballos. We are 17 year old twin sisters and are currently in high school. We plan to attend an art college that would help us in our artistic endeavors, and to study animation along the way.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
So far, we have helped with some backdrops for our school plays, and are currently working on commissions for various people. We hope to take part in something bigger! Although those things may seem like small, insignificant projects, we know that it will help us with a basic understanding and foundation for much bigger business opportunities.

How did you become interested in animation?
Well, we have always loved to draw and had a passion for art and movies since our early childhood, but we were never interested in working for animation, until Continue reading

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Cliff Parrott

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http://vimeo.com/5028526

What is your name and your current occupation?
Cliff Parrott and I am the founder of Magpie 6 Media located in Dublin, Ireland.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I could write an entire blog on the insane jobs I had before animation. It’s hard to believe that I was an attorney practising criminal defence, bankruptcy and other aspects of law. Technically I am still an attorney, I’m just not practising any more. I didn’t enjoy being one, it was high stress. Unlike seeing a film or finished piece of artwork in an animation project, there was nothing tangible to look back on after you’ve finished with a client’s case, just paperwork. Being an attorney did give me experience with preparing for the unexpected and negotiations.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
There are a lot of great projects but the ones that I had the most enjoyment from were the projects where the crew was a blast to work with. I was fortunate enough (or misfortunate, depending on one’s point of view), to be one of the animators on Hollywood’s first Flash feature “Lil’ Pimp.” It was produced at Revolution Studios with the idea of capitalising on the success of the relatively new animated feature hit at that time “South Park.” In fact, a lot of the South Park crew migrated to Lil’ Pimp productions. There were so many talented and very funny people. It’s unfortunate that the script was rehashed so many times. The final outcome of the movie was a watered down version that didn’t pack the punch of South Park’s movie. It came out to less than unenthusiastic reviews and went straight to DVD. I am still in touch with a lot of the people I met there.

How did you become interested in animation?
It started at a very young age, maybe 4 or 5 years old. My first love was anything from Tex Avery or Bob Clampett. The energy and timing on their films wasn’t Continue reading

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Promote Yourself: 24 BRAND-NEW ASIAN PROJECTS TO BE UNVEILED AT 2013 ASIAN ANIMATION SUMMIT NEXT MONTH

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Asian Animtion Summit 2013 Logo

24 BRAND-NEW ASIAN PROJECTS TO BE UNVEILED AT THE 2013 ASIAN ANIMATION SUMMIT NEXT MONTH

 

Best-in-class animated concepts from Australia, Malaysia, Korea and Thailand will be pitched live to Asian and international buyers

TORONTO, CANADA –November 5, 2013: Kidscreen is thrilled to announce the 24 animation concepts that have been selected for the 2013 Asian Animation Summit showcase. Representing the very best kids TV and film development work across Australia, Malaysia, Korea and Thailand, these projects will be presented live at the event to an audience of broadcasters, co-producers, distributors and investors from Asia and the international marketplace.

At the inaugural Asian Animation Summit last year, 80%* of companies that presented projects at the event secured additional financing or partners as a direct result, and these deals have involved high-profile media companies including Disney Channel US, CBC Canada, The Jim Henson Company, Cake Entertainment and Bejuba! Entertainment.

The following 24 projects, carefully selected based on global-market potential and quality, will be looking to achieve the same kind of results this year:

Alien Monkeys

CrazyBird Studio (Korea)

Blink Blink

Big Brain Pictures (Thailand)

Blue Yonder

Anya Animation (Thailand)

Call For ChiChi

Neon Pumpkin (Korea)

Chameleon

Giggle Garage (Malaysia)

Change Zoororing

JM Animation (Korea)

DENO

BYTE In A Cup (Thailand)

Didi and Friends

Digital Durian (Malaysia)

Doodolls

Synergy Media (Korea)

Elwood Pie

Kapow Pictures (Australia)

Fanshaw & Crudnut

Blue Rocket Productions (Australia)

Gunk Aliens

Moody Street Kids (Australia)

Harajuku HJ5

Vision Animation (Malaysia)
Moody Street Kids (Australia)

Hip-Hop Cowboy

Creative Bean Studios (Thailand)

Hogie the Globehopper

Lil Critterworkshop (Malaysia)

Lulu

Flying Bark Productions (Australia)

Magic Adventures: The Crystal of Dark

Hong Dong Moo (Korea)

Nobodies

The R&D Studio (Malaysia)

Soule

Red Soul Studio (Malaysia)

The Adventures of Bani

Studio Gale (Korea)

The Kazoops

Cheeky Little Media (Australia)

The Mole Farmer Rabby

Daejin Animation (Korea)

The Strange Chores

Ludo Studio (Australia)

Warriors in Black

Sean Pictures (Korea)

An initiative of Australia’s ABC TV and Screen Australia, Korea’s KOCCA and Malaysia’s MDeC, the Asian Animation Summit is produced and owned by Kidscreen, with a mandate to facilitate international financing and co-production connections for projects from the Asian region.

This year’s event is set to take place in Phuket, Thailand from December 9 to 11—optimal timing for those who are also attending Asia Television Forum (December 3 to 6) in Singapore.

Over the course of the three-day event, each project will be presented in a moderated live pitch and Q&A format, with plenty of time for follow-up meetings and casual networking built into the schedule.

 

For further details, please contact:
Janet Balmforth/Aimee Norman at DDA Blueprint PR

Tel: +44 (0) 208 868 0511 Email: janet@ddablueprint.com

*based on responses to a survey involving all AAS 2012 presenting companies that was conducted in October 2013

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Exclusive Audio Interview with Chris DiGiovanni; Assistant Director on Freebirds

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FREE BIRDS

In our third installment of audio interviews with the team who made Reel FX’s newly released film Free Birds a reality, we have ex-Pixar animator Chris DiGiovanni who was the assistant director Listen to Chris talk about the process, his career, and the software used in the film.

Enjoy!

 

 

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More about the film:

Directed by Jimmy Hayward (Horton Hears a Who!), this new animated buddy comedy features a hilarious all-star cast lead by Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson and Amy Poehler. Wilson and Harrelson play two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks who must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history— and get turkey off the Thanksgiving menu for good. Freebirds is currently playing in theaters nationwide. More about the movie can be found via the Free Birds site.

More about Tony Copolillo: Tony is a Los Angeles-based artist / photographer / illustrator working in digital and traditional formats with over 20 years experience in motion picture advertising as a photo illustrator and compositor. You can head on over to siopio.com to check out some of his 3D training tutorials and other fun projects, and you can also hear him do a semi-weekly podcast atthenowwhatshow.com

 

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Exclusive Audio Interview with Rich McKain; Supervising Animator for Free Birds!

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FREE BIRDS

 

Up today is the second in our series of three interviews with animators and artists from Reel Fx/ Relativity Media’s animated feature Free Birds! This time around we’re speaking with Rich McKain who was the supervising animator on the film. Enjoy!

 

 

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More about the film:

Directed by Jimmy Hayward (Horton Hears a Who!), this new animated buddy comedy features a hilarious all-star cast lead by Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson and Amy Poehler. Wilson and Harrelson play two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks who must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history— and get turkey off the Thanksgiving menu for good. Freebirds is currently playing in theaters nationwide. More about the movie can be found via the Free Birds site.

More about Tony Copolillo: Tony is a Los Angeles-based artist / photographer / illustrator working in digital and traditional formats with over 20 years experience in motion picture advertising as a photo illustrator and compositor. You can head on over to siopio.com to check out some of his 3D training tutorials and other fun projects, and you can also hear him do a semi-weekly podcast atthenowwhatshow.com

 

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Exclusive Audio Interview with Jeff Biancalana; Head of Story for Free Birds!

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FREE BIRDS After many requests, Animation Insider is proud to begin a new feature on our site in the form of audio interviews for artists! In collaboration with Reel FX, we are very pleased to roll out the first of three exclusive interviews with animators from the new Relativity Media/Reel FX film Free Birds which opens nationwide in theatres today! First up, our own Tony Copolillo interviews Jeff Biancalana; Head of Story on the film. Enjoy!

 

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More about Relativity Media/ Reel FX’s  Free Birds:

[video src="http://www.animationinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/FB_MeetTheFlock_OwenWoody_101-Broadband-High.mp4" /] Relativity Media and Reel FX Animation Studios, are pleased to announce that FREE BIRDS is now playing in theaters nationwide! Directed by Jimmy Hayward (Horton Hears a Who!), this new animated buddy comedy features a hilarious all-star cast lead by Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson and Amy Poehler. Wilson and Harrelson play two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks who must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history— and get turkey off the Thanksgiving menu for good.

More about Tony Copolillo: Tony is a Los Angeles-based artist / photographer / illustrator working in digital and traditional formats with over 20 years experience in motion picture advertising as a photo illustrator and compositor. You can head on over to siopio.com to check out some of his 3D training tutorials and other fun projects, and you can also hear him do a semi-weekly podcast at thenowwhatshow.com