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Paul Griffin

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Hi, I’m Paul Griffin and I’m currently an animation director. When I was seven, I was planning on being a firefighting astronaut who flew jets on the weekends, but animation director is pretty close. There is an element of firefighting some days, I get to fly spaceships and puppeteer aliens to pilot them, but weekends I mostly just kick back around the house.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I used to work for this couple, one summer in Toronto, who ran a ceramics business out of their basement. They had a tortoise who would eat the leaves of the large marijuana plant growing in the back yard, then he would crash into the fence over and over as he stumbled around. That was entertaining. I guess the turtle was happy for the most part.  I also painted structural I-beams for a summer and had one job where we were working next to the Welland Canal and could look down the smoke stacks of ships as they were passing several hundred feet below us on the water. That’s how I developed my Kung Fu Grip©. Man, the crazy, dangerous stuff you’ll do for $9/hour…
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
That’s a tough one. My favorite project is usually the one I’m currently working on, but have to say some of the memorable ones have been, The Fly, Magnolia, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, King Kong, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, four Superbowl commercials and the cinematics for Star Wars: Bounty Hunter (VG). Working with the gang at Dr D Studios in Sydney on Happy Feet Two last year was really a lot of fun.

How did you become interested in animation?
Growing up in Ontario Canada, before the advent of cable TV, the town we lived in had one single broadcast TV channel from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Every Saturday at 5 p.m. my family would gather around the TV and we’d watch the Bugs Bunny Road Runner Hour and it was Continue reading

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Disney XD Launches First Batch of Maker Creators’ Videos on Its Digital Apps

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Variety is reporting that Disney XD, the Mouse House’s boy-targeted cable network, is releasing 18 videos from Maker Studios’ YouTube creator partners on its digital channels — one of the few concrete examples of synergy between Disney’s traditional media businesses and Maker.

The videos, produced under the Disney XD by Maker talent incubator program, will be distributed across the cabler’s digital platforms, including apps for desktop, mobile and connected-TV devices and on Disney XD’s YouTube channel. The Maker content will be free and carry ads.

You can read the entire article here.

Below is a clever little piece written by Tom Gran and Martin Woolley with animation services provided by Exit 73 Studios.

Natalia’s and Mayden’s Vida Loca,” ExpCaseros: Inventors Natalia, Mayden and their cat Archimede accidentally cause their entire town to turn into a hybrid cat-human-zombie horde, and experience a series of mishaps while searching for a cure to the madness.

The second is The Adventures of Luzu & Manolo which seems to be done in the same style as The Amazing World of Gumball.

Hello! I am Luzu!. I’m no expert, but I have a great time and try to make funny videos that are fun for people. I also try to upload games that we all love like Minecraft, GTA V Online, Star Wars Battlefront, Rocket League, Pokemon or Garrys Mod, but also many games a bit different as mobile applications, online games, indie games, multiplayer or basically any app that is funny. Steam games usually look at Youtube, the PlayStation Store or the Apple Store but if you have any recommendation not hesitate to share with me in the comments and remember to subscribe!

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“Bear And Bird” by Hornet

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A really nicely animated piece by Brookyln based Hornet

Bear & Bird is about two best friends, a laid back brown bear who just wants to take it easy and an overly excited cardinal who’s one cup of coffee away from a nervous breakdown. When a long-awaited video game finally arrives in the mail, the duo settles in for a marathon gaming session. They trade wins and losses until Bird is quickly overcome by a foul odor emanating from his pal. When Bird can’t take it anymore he demands that Bear take a much-needed bath. Never one for baths, Bear makes a run for it with Bird in hot pursuit. When the situation gets out of control, Bear is forced to decide between saving his friend or saving himself.

Hornet Directors: Dan & Jason

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Charles X – Can You Do it

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Music video directed for the charismatic LA-born musician Charles X for his eagerly anticipated new single entitled Can You Do It in mixed 3D/2D animation produced by Eddy and animated at Brunch Studio.

From the animator:

This collaboration is intended to act as a social commentary which aims to cast light on perceived societal expectations and social norms by integrating elements and people from different walks of life.

I sought to merge the typically highbrow sport of horse racing with the commonly misrepresented “mean streets” of Pacoima, the proud birthplace of Charles X, to challenge any stereotypes or preconceptions of race and social class which may exist in modern day society.

I wanted to communicate Charles’ intended message via the lens of an artificial world in my own style of animation.

“Can You Do It” is now available on Charles X’s new album, “Sounds of the Yesteryear”:

â™± Spotify play.spotify.com/album/44kOuu…
â™± Deezer deezer.com/album/12461860
â™± Youtube youtube.com/playlist?list…
â™± iTunes itunes.apple.com/fr/album/sou…
â™± Physical store Cd / Lp alterk.bigcartel.com

See more about Charles X on Facebook: facebook.com/charlesxfanpage/

Credits:
Label: Alter-K
Lyrics: Charles X
Music: Redrum

Director: Quentin Baillieux
Production : Eddy.tv
Co-producers : Les Androids Associés (previz)
Executive Producer : Corry Van Rhijn
Producer : Julie Bellemare
Animation studio : Brunch
Post Production : Nightshift

Storyboard : Noé Lecombre
Character design : Wandrille Maunoury
Typography : Pierre-Alban Kientz
Modeling : David Arnould, Clement Lauricella, Valentin Samuel, Théo Dusapin
Set up : Adrien Gentil, Maxime Cozick
Animation 2D : Michael Bataille, Tristan Poulain, Amélie Maurice
Motion Design : Almir NagoAnimation 3D : Axel Digois, Aline Hananel, Johann Le Pouder,Rendering : Candice Theuillon, Remi Julien, Mathieu Maurel, Jean-Charles Kerninon
Previs Artists : Les Androids Associ̩s РVolcy Gallois-Montbrun, Tristan Laville, Guillaume Robert, Henri Zaitoun
Editor : Benjamin Massoubre
Color grading : Gabriel PorierColor grading consultant : Luis Arteaga

Stagiaires développement : Arthur Chaumay, Leïla Courtillon

Thanks to: Nicolas de Rosanbo, Jean-François Bourrel, Mathieu Hue, Julien Desplanques, Nolwenn Hajo, Franck Duchene, Charles-Philippe Bowles, Celine Vanlint, Moses Yohannes, Raphaelle Tinland, Olivier Rigout, Laura Rouvellat, Nicolas Guibert.

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Gary Blatchford

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What is your name and your current occupation?

Gary Blatchford. Owner and director of “illusion Animated  Productions”. I have lots of hats, I direct, draw storyboards, animate, create layouts, I used to slug and write x-sheets in the good old 2-D TV animation days. Increasingly I have been putting together teams of freelance artists to provide pre-production services to other animation companies.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I never really worked before getting into animation, I worked for Richard Taylor Cartoons after leavingSt. Martin’s School of Art in London. Dick was one of my tutors and became a major influence and mentor to me. While I was a student I used to draw portraits in my local pub to earn beer money. The craziest thing I did was, I was the singer in the worse pub band in the world. We were quite capable of emptying a busy bar in 10 minutes.  I taught animation at Dun Laoghaire college of art and design (now called IADT) in the mid 1990’s, but that is not really crazy is it?

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I am proud to have been associated with just about all the projects I have been part of. Even the less successful were learning curves. I have also met some really talented people along the way. In 2004 I directed a seven minute short 2D animated film called “The Pope’s Visit”, with funding from the Irish Film Board, RTE and the Arts Council. The great Aidan Hickey wrote a terrific script and acted as producer for me. It is being shown at the Annecy Festival this June as part of the Irish Animation show. In recent years, I have been providing storyboards for the TV series made by Brown Bag Films, including: “Olivia”, “Noddy”, “Octonauts”, “Doc Mc Stuffins” etc. They have lovely projects and a fantastically talented team of creative people. For most of the 1990’s I was studio director at Murakami Wolf Dublin, which became Fred Wolf Films Dublin. Starting with “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. We also worked on “Speed Racer”, “Sinbad”, “Zorro”, “Dino Babies” and I directed all three seasons of “Budgie the Little Helicopter”. In  2005/ 2006 I directed the “Slim Pig” series for Cheeky Animation. I have animated on a lot of commercial spots and music videos, for which you seldom receive a credit, but they are often the projects where you get to stretch yourself creatively.

 

How did you become interested in animation?
As a child I loved cartoons on the TV, particularly Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry shorts. I loved the Jerry Anderson “Telemarionation” puppet series, like “Thunderbirds” and “Captain Scarlett”. They were not animation but they showed that you could make a film without a cast of actors in front of the camera. The idea that Continue reading
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Mike Nguyen

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What is your name and your current occupation?

My name is Mike Nguyen. My main focus (have been for quite some time now) is directing an indie hand-drawn feature entitle- ‘My Little WORLD’. I also recently became a faculty member at Kaywon School of Art and Design in Korea, sharing thoughts in animated filmmaking for 1 year.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Tough one… the crazier jobs had been dishwashing, restaurant part time jobs during high school days…, (not too exciting here).

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I’ve been through many films including Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’… but the only one I’m truly proud to be part of is- Brad Bird’s ‘The Iron Giant’ (where I was supervising animator).

How did you become interested in animation?
I’ve always been fascinated with the cinema and have desires to make things move ever since I was little. In 8th grade I was first introduced to Continue reading