Tag Archives: Animation

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Matt Novak

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Matt Novak. Children’s Book Author and Illustrator. (Occasional animator)

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Can’t really say I’ve had any “crazy” jobs. In high school and college I was a puppeteer and an actor. Our puppet troupe was called “Pegasus Players” and we performed at amusement parks, birthday parties, flea markets, farmers markets and anywhere else that would pay us a few bucks to make kids laugh. Also, acted on stage and in a nationally syndicated radio show called “Willow Crossing.” I played the part of a freckle faced kid named Billy, which was very convenient since I was a freckle faced kid at the time.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I think my favorite animation project to have been a part of would hands down have to be “Beauty and the Beast.” To be part of the team that created the first animated film to ever be nominated for “Best Picture” That’s pretty cool. Of course, I’m proud of ALL the books I’ve created as well.

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I grew up in the small coal mining town of Sheppton, Pennsylvania. (Population at the time, about 700) I was always interested in animation. Even before kindergarten. It was the closest thing to magic that existed in my world. As I grew up I watched a lot of cartoons and devoured any books about Walt Disney and the animation process. Tried making some Continue reading

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Microsoft aims to actually make the “Animate Button”

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There are always companies trying to edge out the animator.  Not sure why exactly but it’s clearly something they strive for. Maybe it’s the Lamborghini’s we all drive and the overflowing money stuffed wallets we have ;living large as animators. Oh wait, that’s the CEOs of the companies not us.

From the Polar Express to Tin Tin to the ever increasing use of Mocap, studios see a brighter future free from the chains of us animators. Of course any animator will tell you Mocap only goes so far but that’s another story. Until recently traditional 2d animation has been pretty much impossible to auto complete simply because computers weren’t smart enough to predict what needs to be inbetweened. Anyone who has ever tried Flash’s Shape Tween tool has a clear idea of how well that goes. Well now Wired.com is reporting that Microsoft Research, along with the University of Hong Kong and the University of Tokyo, just unveiled a proof-of-concept technology that could bring back the charm of older, hand-drawn cartoons, with the speed and fluidity of today’s animation software.

From the site:

“Autocomplete hand-drawn animations” debuted at the Siggraph Asia conference, and it’s an interactive system that watches what the artist draws and then predicts what frame or line might come next. It can also smartly connect the dots between two different drawings, and propagate the motion that should occur between the two sketches. This works for color too: fill in the first frame with certain hues, and the system will replicate them.

You can read the entire article here.

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Adobe’s New App Turns 2-D Selfies Into 3-D Magic

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FastCodesign.com has an article up about a fascinating new tech from Adobe that turns 2d pictures into 3d. It’s cool, but clearly has it’s limits. I can’t imagine the practicality of it above and beyond, “Hey check out how cool this is.

From the site:

To be presented tonight at Adobe MAX Sneaks, the Photoshop maker’s annual peek inside their development labs, 3-D Portraits smartly recognizes faces, eyes, mouths, and hair, and then efficiently turns them into a usable 3-D model. This is actually already possible in Photoshop, but it requires a number of tedious manual steps, and the results can range in quality. Thanks to research by Menglei Chai, a PhD student from Zhejiang University, and a team of Adobe Research scientists, though, they’ve now figured out how to largely automate the process.

You can read the whole article here.

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Never-Before-Seen Robin Williams ‘Aladdin’ Outtakes Revealed in New Blu-ray Edition

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“He was the genie. He was bigger than life.”

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that there will be some never before seen outtakes in the new Blueray edition of Aladdin.

In 1992, Disney’s animated classic Aladdin became a hit with adults and children alike, with much credit due to the performance of Robin Williams as the unforgettable genie.

Now, almost 25 years later, Disney is releasing the Aladdin Diamond Edition Blu-ray Combo Pack with never-before seen outtakes of Williams in the recording studio — all of his unstoppable talent on full display. To celebrate the launch of the new edition, the directors, composer and voices behind the film appeared on Good Morning America to pay tribute to the late actor and all that he contributed to the film.

“It was amazing working with Robin, absolutely incredible,” said composer Alan Menken.

“We wrote the part with Robin in mind,” added co-director John Musker mused. “We didn’t know if he would do it. We were totally walking down the plank; if he didn’t want to do it, we were in big trouble because the whole concept was built around Robin — fortunately, he agreed to do it.”

“Nobody else could be the genie,” co-director Ron Clemens mused. “We recorded him in four-hour sessions and he would be going for four-hours straight. By the end, he was just drenched in sweat. He had so much energy and so much passion.”

“He was the genie,” added Musker. “He was bigger than life,”

Watch the full clip below.

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Jason Carpenter

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What is your name?
Jason Carpenter; Animator for the new film He Named Me Malala based on the life of life of Malala Yousafzai, directed by Davis Guggenheim.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
In High School, I worked at a gasoline pump factory with a good friend of mine. I stood in a line and hung different parts on moving hooks before they went into a spray booth. It was repetitive and pretty grueling. I was only there for a few summers, but I learned a lot. Mostly about doing a hard days work and what that’s worth. Honestly, it was a valuable experience and one I remember fondly. Each day we had to find a way to make the work fun because it was so repetitive. Hey, animation can be pretty repetitive. Maybe it helped!

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I co-directed the animation for Spaceship Earth at EPCOT center a few years back with my brother. That was a fun project to be a part of. There’s nothing quite like being backstage in Disney World in the middle of the night when the animatronics are still on. It gets pretty surreal. There’s definitely a different ind of magic than during the day.

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I’m originally from North Carolina. Growing up, I didn’t know that animation was something you could do as a job. So, I guess I’m a bit of a late bloomer. It wasn’t until my senior year of college that I made a very short film and got a sense of what animation was about. After graduating, I moved to NY where I did some early Flash animation music videos. They were fun projects and I was left a lot of room to be creative, but we had to do them quickly. It was a great learning experience. After a few years in NY, I applied to CalArts, got accepted and moved out to LA.

What kind of technology do you work with on a daily basis, how has technology changed in the last few years in your field and how has that impacted you in your job?
I mostly work in 2D, so I’m in Adobe stuff most of the time. Lucky for me, drawing is still drawing and story is still story, so I find that technology helps most in speeding up the workflow, which is always a good thing. New tricks are always good. It’s funny, I remember working in Photoshop 3.0. It was pretty terrible compared to today, but conceptualizing a project is still the same. I think it’s all about the process, which I’m always trying to improve on.

Any side projects you’re working on that you’d like to share details of ?
I just finished working on the animated sequences for He Named Me Malala. It’s a feature documentary about the life of Malala Yousafzai, directed by Davis Guggenheim. The animation plays a big role in the film, which I’m very proud of. Animation is such a powerful art form. It’s easy to forget what it’s capable of and how expressive it can be. I hope that the animated sequences in the film connect with people and give them a better sense of Malala’s story and message. I’m so lucky to have worked with a great team of people and to have spent 18 months focusing on a project with such a great message. That’s a rare and special thing.

Any unusual talents or hobbies like tying a cherry stem with your tongue or metallurgy?
That’s something I need to work on. A crazy hobby could be rewarding.  I’ve given some though to lion taming. I had a cat growing up. I’m sure that would help me quite a bit.

Is there any advice you can give for an aspiring animation student or artist trying to break into the business?Making a film, TV spot, show, etc. is always a shared process, and that’s a good thing. Working with other people well is what makes everything work. Find the part of the process and the place that speaks to you, and focus on that. I’m big on collaboration. It’s impossible for one person to be good at everything, but a team can be. Sharing the creative process across a team and be eye opening. You’ll get creative solutions and ideas you never would have found on your own.

 

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Portfolio Entertainment’s Freaktown Takes Off Internationally

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Portfolio Entertainment_Freaktown Image

Portfolio Entertainment’s Freaktown Takes Off Internationally with Cartoon Network in Asia Pacific, Turner EMEA, Disney Southeast Asia and ABC Australia Deals

(October 4, 2015 – Toronto, Canada) – Portfolio Entertainment has signed its first set of international sales deals for the highly-anticipated series Freaktown (52 x 11’) with leading kids’ networks – Cartoon Network in Asia Pacific, Turner’s Kids Networks in EMEA, The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia and ABC Australia.

Freaktown is the first series to be wholly created and produced inside Portfolio’s new animation studio. The series was commissioned by TELETOON Canada and will debut in 2016.

The series will premiere on Cartoon Network in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand. Turner France has taken the series for Boing in France and in its French-speaking territories in Europe and Africa. It has also been sold to The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia and ABC Australia.

“While still in production, Freaktown has grabbed the attention of buyers globally and we are thrilled to land international deals with world-renowned broadcasters right out of the gate,” said Joy Rosen, CEO and Co-Founder of Portfolio Entertainment. “This series is crammed with laugh-out-loud moments and unpredictable twists that will perfectly complement the highly-entertainingprogramming available on these major kids’ networks.”

Freaktown, a kids 6-11 animated series, follows the adventures of skeleton Ben Bones and his freaky friends as they protect their town from takeover by Princess Boo Boo the Bouncy of Sweetlandia.

Full Synopsis 
Freaktown (52×11’ HD) 
Freaktown is the last place where it’s cool to be a ghoul.  Mutants and misfits of all sorts are welcome to hang out and just be who they are – freaks.  Best friends Ben Bones – a skeleton with soul – and Lenny – amutant mantis – are living “la vida freaky” as they guard against a massive makeover of the cute and cuddly kind, courtesy of Princess Boo Boo, the spoiled brat ruler of Sweetlandia. Try as she might, Boo Boo and her right-hand bear, Lord Cuddles the Fluffy, simply can’t keep the lid on all Freaktown’sfun.  You see – no one is going to sugar frost Freaktown on Ben Bones’watch! The series is a concept by Peter Ricq and Philippe Ivanusic who are also the creators of The League of Super Evil.

 

Visit Portfolio Entertainment at MIPCOM booth P-1.A0.