Outsource Animation & Multimedia Services

PEN to release 2D animated feature Lava Kusa

2010-10-06T01:03:00.000-07:00

Seems it is an animated Ramayana season this Dussehra.

Close to the heels of release announcement of Maya's 3D animated flick Ramayana, Hyderabad based RVML animation is all set to release 2D animated feature Lava Kusa: The Warrior Twins on October 8th across 200 screens pan India.

The feature is presented by PEN, produced by RVML animation and released by Suniel Wadhwa from '52 weeks entertainment Inc' in India.

Lava Kusa: The Warrior Twins, is the tale of two endearing twins Lava and Kusa (Sons of lord Rama and Sita), growing up in the forest with their mother and sage Valmiki. As young men they pit their strength against Rama, the absentee father who has aggrieved their mother. This story from the Ramayan depicts the determination of the twins and the adventures they have as they journey towards their aim, getting their father to redress the wrongs he's done to their mother.

On being asked about choosing a generic topic (mythology) as the story has been told several times on different platforms, Rayudu V. Sashank, Creative Director and Producer of Lava Kusa. Says, "The story of Ramayana has surely been told several times in popular media, but not so in the case with the mythological characters of Lava and Kusa. This is the reason why children today do not know much about the warrior twins. Telling the story of Lava and Kusa through an animation film would best connect with children who are our target audience,"

Music of the flick plays a key role and is being released in three versions, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The music is composed by acclaimed Music Director late L. Vaidyanathan of Malgudi Days and Pushpaka Vimanam fame. Renowned singers like K. J Yesudas, Vijay Yesudas, Shankar Mahadevan, Chitra and Sadhana Sargam have rendered songs in the movie.

On a concluding note, PEN's Dhaval Gada added, "The Warrior Twins will add an extra zing to the festive season this year, the first offering from Pen's stable of animation films. Children and families are sure to enjoy the film"

Source: http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/2010/10/05/14727/

New multi-media hub in Melbourne

2010-09-03T04:52:00.000-07:00

A new multi-media hub at the Victorian Arts Centre will offer students the chance to learn skills useful for jobs in game development, animation, film, music, web development and the performing arts.

Victorian Minister for the Arts Peter Batchelor says the facilities at the new Arts Centre Digital Learning Hub would ensure the centre moved with the times. “The Hub will enable students and young people to learn about sound recording, engineering and new digital frontiers that are impacting on the arts scene."

Mr Batchelor says the Arts Centre’s education team will use the new Hub "to guide participants through an amazing array of options including courses in animation, film techniques and the latest music and web technology".

“Most young people are tech-savvy. They own tools of modern technology, know the buttons to push and create their own content in ways other generations could never have imagined. What the Digital Learning Hub does is harness the enthusiasm and willingness of young minds to go further, to challenge technology and to create new and exciting projects.”

The new facilities include:

* Video production and editing equipment with green screen capability so that students can create digital video content for their projects
* A separate state-of-the-art recording studio with a world class vocal booth and a fully digital mixing system
* Video conferencing facilities which can link directly to over 1550 Victorian State schools.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/

IBM Builds Animation Cloud for Multimedia Development Corporation

2010-07-03T00:40:00.000-07:00

IBM and the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) have just completed installation of the ‘MAC3 Rendering Farm”, a cloud rendering service that is part of the MSC Malaysia Animation and Crective Content Center. Hoping to turn Malaysia into a hub of visual effects artists and animators by providing centralized remotely-available rendering services, the cloud offers an impressive 8x performance boost over local workstations.

“It is a well-known fact that rendering is expensive and the MAC3 high performance rendering facility will help local creative content companies, especially the start-ups, to overcome the cost barrier,” said Deputy Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. “With this facility in place, Malaysia’s creative content companies will have the technological edge in their rendering and production processes. At the same time, it will also help them lower their costs,” he said.

Source: http://www.vizworld.com

Architectural CAD Solutions, Effective Architectural Services in UK

2010-05-12T03:01:00.001-07:00

Get quality solutions for your Architectural CAD projects. We provide Architectural Services for 2D Drafting, 3D Modeling, 3D Rendering, 3D Animation, 3D Fly Through and 3D Walk Through.

Do you need quality Architectural CAD Solutions at most competitive rates? We are professional architectural firm providing quality solutions for all architectural phases since last 6+ years. We have expertise, methodology and resources in conversion of architectural drawings in to digitize formats. You can save up to 60% on all over cost by outsourcing architectural projects to us.

Our Architectural CAD Services includes the following:

Architectural 2D Drafting
3D Architectural Modeling
Architectural 3D Rendering
3D Animation
3D Fly Through and 3D Walk Through
Paper to CAD Conversion
2D-3D House Plans
Interior and Exterior Renderings

We provide architectural services for various types of building like residential homes, commercial apartments, auditoriums, restaurants, hotels and special buildings like palace and sky scrapers.

Our experts are willing to work any time and they are responsible to provide you each and every detail of your architectural projects.

We provide services to various offshore architectural firms, interior designers, building contractors and CADD solutions provider. Our clientele spans UK, Australia, USA and other European countries. We have always provides flexible pricing system with maximum transparency for clients. We also offer discounts for our local clients.

Explore our strengths and gain more in your business by outsourcing architectural CAD projects to us.

Source: http://www.prfire.co.uk

Grants for animation works

2010-05-03T22:21:00.000-07:00

THE Media Development Authority (MDA) is inviting funding applications for new animation projects under the International Animation Fund launched in partnership with FremantleMedia Enterprises.

MDA will co-invest up to $5 million for each qualifying animation project in any format, including television series, telemovies and theatrical features. Fremantle will be the worldwide distributor for the chosen projects.

Shortlisted projects, which must have a Singapore partner, will be required to do a face-to-face pitch to an evaluation panel comprising senior executives from MDA and FremantleMedia.

'We look forward very much to co-creating new intellectual property in and by Singapore's animation community in partnership with like-minded members of the animation cluster from around the world,' MDA's chief executive Christopher Chia said of the initiative on Monday.

David Ellender, FremantleMedia's global chief executive said that the partnership with MDA shows their 'belief in the animation resources Singapore has to deploy to the world market.'

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com

How To Select Best Animation Services Firm

2010-04-20T03:08:00.000-07:00

With ever increasing avenues to advertise and promote your business, there are few methods as eye-catching as 3D Animation. The graphic design companies should be able to provide stunning 3D representations of your logo, characters, a concept you're pitching, or a catchy animation that illustrates a point. They should also provide prototyping of products you're trying to develop which really helps one visualize an idea. No matter the need or situation and the 3D team can provide powerful solutions that can bolster any business.

3D Character Animation

Nowadays, static and dull websites seem to be to out of the trend. Make your websites and presentations more entertaining and interactive. One way to liven your website is through 3D character animations. You should ask your creator to present you the most charismatic characters from the 3D world. Get character animation, flash character animation, character modeling, cartoon animation and all other kinds of 3D cartoon animation.

These 3D animation characters can not only have audio components, but move and express all the emotions you want to display. Using these 3D characters, you can make a lot of difference in the marketing and promotion of your services and offerings. The flash character animation should be created using the most advanced versions of flash and other animation tools. Hence, these characters will have real time body and lip movements. They can display all the emotions you ask for. 3d cartoon animations should be portrays of your imaginations.

These characters should be created as per marketing purpose and customer psyches. Only then these characters will make an indelible impression on the minds of the audiences.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

Prices for Facial Animation Announced

2010-03-02T21:38:00.000-08:00

Cubic Motion has announced that its pricing range for facial animation in video games will start at $7 per second for low-complexity characters, rising to a maximum of $32 per second for the most complex characters currently possible in games. For low-volume projects there is usually a small per-character setup charge. Mike Jones, Cubic Motion's Director of Production explained: "We feel it's important for potential users of performance-based animation to know that the process can be extremely affordable."

The UK-based animation consultancy creates custom software for clients but also builds in-house pipelines for clients who wish to outsource their facial animation directly to Cubic Motion. Dr. Steve Caulkin, Cubic's Chief Scientific Officer explains: "The key to offering such low cost, high-quality animation for games is that we don't rely on a single pipeline or any particular technology - instead we have a scientific team who rapidly identify the appropriate technologies based on the particular project. Facial animation is far more diverse than many people appreciate, and what is right for one client may not work for another.

A lot depends on the choices the client makes about rigs and their chosen game engine. The client also has to think about whether a marker-based approach is best for them and whether audio-based animation may be an appropriate addition to the overall approach. As for specific technologies, a few years ago, choices were very limited, but now things have changed. For example, you only need to scan recent SIGGRAPH proceedings, to see just how many excellent techniques are available in the public domain. This fact, alongside the growing maturity of powerful open-source machine vision libraries such as OpenCV, is great news for all in the industry, but with this choice, navigating the space and identifying the 'best' solution has actually become more difficult. We're not tied to any single technology - instead we're trying to provide an expert-led gateway into custom solutions. The result is pipelines that are tightly crafted to a particular project, resulting in much lower overall costs."

Cubic Motion was founded in 2009 by Mike Jones, Doug Tate and Dr. Steven Dorning. The scientific team includes Dr. Gareth Edwards, co-inventor of the Active Appearance Model, and Dr. Steve Caulkin. The company's advisers include Professor Chris Taylor FrEng OBE, Associate Vice President of Research at Manchester University, and Andy Wood, a games industry veteran and director of Peter Gabriel's Real World. The company's future plans include a range of standalone products, particularly in the field of real-time animation.

Source: http://www.woodtv.com

Animation Business Quite Different From A Typical BPO

2010-02-09T20:42:00.000-08:00

Indian icons in the information technology industry such as Infosys have often been tracked as true blue stories which serve as a beacon for any industry aiming to target the offshore space in services. Little wonder then that there are many companies that started out in search of the ‘holy grail’ of animation services — to be the Infosys of the animation world!

Public memory is very short, however, and almost no one knew about Infosys for over a decade before it became a corporate giant. At the time, it was a software company that honed its technical and management skills and evolved into a well-organised IT company before it saw a window of opportunity and could drive home that advantage.

The animation business is presently not comparable as there are hardly any companies (in the long form broadcast/theatrical sector) with that vintage and readiness to play such a game.

So, is this comparison with IT valid, and is animation all about technology play? Well, the entertainment and media business has been demonstrating substantial capabilities in the past decade. Although it is primarily content driven, its methods of delivery — including in the future the intervention of mobile and Net-based technologies — will make it a tandem technology plus content play.

Like the IT community did overseas, the electronic media has succeeded in delivering to both local and international markets locally created entertainment software in TV and movies. These media players have already demonstrated their global expertise in producing “live action” software! They now use repurposing or servicing methods to exploit their TV programming, to leverage already created libraries in world markets. But this did not happen as BPO (business process outsourcing)!

It happened because the local market was deep enough to allow original content to be produced. Finding additional revenues prompted the search for overseas pockets of consumers for a product/market extension. Animation has potential parallels in content production, provided the local markets find the financial ability to fuel such original content.

However, in my mind there is no controversy. While animation has several leverages through technology tools, it is primarily a media content business.Then, we come to the issue of scope for animation as a BPO business. For instance, how is the animation BPO business different from BPOs in other IT-enabled services sectors in India? In recent years, the BPO syndrome has caused a flurry among entrepreneurs and has caught the imagination of investors...

Source: http://www.financialexpress.com/

Valuable Architectural Animation Services by AMI

2010-01-19T01:18:00.000-08:00

Architectural modeling India is an Indian based firm providing valuable services for architectural animation and rendering services. It is like an animation studio whose pillars are based on creativity and innovation. Our firm is working on 3D animation projects from last five years. Our experts are handling complex and large volume animation projects for offshore clients. We allow you to visualize your thoughts in different ways and working according to requirements.

Our 3D architectural animation service includes:

• 3D Walkthrough Services: it is a tool that widely used by architects and engineers. We are using it to generate the interior and exterior 3D views with every minute detail. This service allows you to get realistic view of a building. It becomes an essential tool for complex projects.
• 3D Flythrough Services: we are making accurate visually enhanced presentations for engineering concepts by using 3D Flythrough services. We have a team of architects who ensure 3D Flythrough outputs as per clients’ requirements with perfection.

We offer 3D views, walkthrough and flythrough in making of Residential Buildings, Commercial Buildings, Corporate houses, hospitals, hotels, schools, universities, bridges, plants and factories. Our firm has various production houses at different locations in India.

We bring ultimate resources, software and expertise for our animation projects. We are making valuable relationship with our clients and providing maximum integrity and transparency. Due to maintaining strong relationship we have successfully completed international animation and rendering projects.

For architectural animation services we are using latest software like AutoCAD, Revit 7 and 3D Max. We are making virtual environment by using these software. Requirements can be easily changed as we are using latest technologies for animation and rendering.

You can reduce your animation project cost by outsourcing with Architectural modeling India. We offer low cost architectural animation services and that does not mean that you have to compromise with quality.

Source: http://www.your-story.org

Roy E. Disney Dies at 79; Rejuvenated Animation

2010-01-08T00:44:00.000-08:00

Roy E. Disney, who helped revitalize the famed animation division of the company founded by his uncle, Walt Disney, and who at times publicly feuded with top Disney executives, died on Wednesday in Newport Beach, Calif. He was 79.

His death, at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, was caused by stomach cancer, a spokeswoman for the Walt Disney Company said. Mr. Disney, who had homes in Newport Beach and the Toluca Lake district of Los Angeles, was the last member of the Disney family to work at the entertainment conglomerate built by his uncle and his father, Roy O. Disney.

As a boy the younger Roy would play in the halls of his uncle’s studio, where animators often used him as a test audience as they toiled on movies like “Pinocchio.” As an adult he helped bring the animation studio back from the brink, overseeing a creative renaissance that led to “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King.”

But the soft-spoken Mr. Disney was primarily known for a willingness to question the company’s top managers, aggressively and publicly, when he felt they were mishandling the family empire. Some people in the company referred to him as its real-life Jiminy Cricket: a living conscience who was at times intensely disliked by management for speaking out.

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I&B Ministry seeks 10-year tax holiday for animation sector

2010-01-01T00:36:00.000-08:00

The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has urged the Finance Ministry to rationalise the duty structure for digital head-end equipment and set-top boxes, and sought a 10-year tax holiday for the animation, gaming and visual effects (VFX) industry.

The proposals, a part of Budget wish list of I&B Ministry were submitted to the Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday. The I&B Ministry has also sought the inclusion of entertainment tax on broadcasting and cable sector in the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime.

Speaking to reporters after submitting the proposals, Ms Ambika Soni, Union Minister for I&B, said a ten-year tax holiday would help India emerge as an international hub for the animation and gaming and that there was a need to incentivise them.

The I&B ministry has suggested that the basic customs duty for the head-end equipment should be brought down to zero to give an impetus to the digitisation in the country.

Currently, the basic customs duty on digital head-end equipment varies from 7.5 per cent to 10 per cent.

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Animation sector pushes 'creative' outsourcing

2009-12-28T01:25:00.000-08:00

Local animators, many of whom have already proven themselves in the international arena, aim to give the Philippines an even bigger spot on the world animation map by advocating “creative process outsourcing.”

The Animation Council of the Philippines Inc. said the country could also be a leader in CPO, after proving to be a formidable force in the business process outsourcing space.

“I (am) personally advocating to various agencies like (the Business Processing Association of the Philippines, Department of Trade and Industry, and Department of Foreign Affairs) that the Philippines should claim CPO, given the Filipinos’ inherent talent in designing anything from print animation to product modeling,” Acpi president Rowena Bagadion said in a statement.

She said creative industries should be consolidated under one umbrella organization, as this would make it easier for the country to market such services and create a brand for itself in the international arena.

CPO should cover the animation and game development industries, music and sound engineering, advertising, film, industrial design, architecture, comics, photography, publishing, and also those that fell under corporate communication such as writing and conceptualization.

“We want our own brand of animation. If one is familiar with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the Filipino industry has matured to a point where we are now seeking for self-actualization,” Bagadion said.

The local animation industry has been making its mark in the world due to lower costs, consistent quality of work, quickness in delivering output, English proficiency, and understanding of concepts and story lines.

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Animation studio benefits from sales outsourcing

2009-12-26T00:59:00.000-08:00

The Indian animation industry is set to boom in the next few years, causing one website to recommend firms to consider sales outsourcing there.

Proactive Investors UK wrote that the growing sophistication of televisions and film will open up the niche entertainment sector to double turnover by 2013, which will be helped by sales outsourcing.

It cited DQ Entertainment, which has used the Indian workforce in Hyderabad to help get its work noted by top global institutions such as the BBC, Discovery Kids and France 2.

"As a result of the transformation of the business model, DQ (currently capitalised at £39.6m) has been able to double its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation margin from 21 per cent to 43 per cent," the website said.

India recently topped a Global Services and Tholons poll to find the best destination for sales outsourcing firms looking to boost their productivity by using a foreign workforce.

Artic;le Source: http://www.pareto.co.uk

Indian animation charts new course on route to recovery

2009-12-10T01:30:00.000-08:00

Arena launches Animation Studios in Chennai

2009-11-27T21:15:00.000-08:00

CHENNAI: Arena Animation, the Global leader in Animation and Multimedia training launched Animation Studios at Arena’s Vadapalani and Anna Nagar centres, which offer Arena’s hi end Animation Engineering (DAE)program.

Addressing a Press Conference at Chennai, Mr R Krishnan, Executive Director, Aptech Ltd said, “The hi-tech Animation Studios are being launched with an aim to enable the students of Animation Engineering (DAE) to undergo intensive training in Animation related subjects. The state-of-the-art studios are equipped to train students on the latest Animation & Special Effects and offer them hands-on training in highly advanced animation technology, equipping them for the ever-evolving & challenging world of multimedia & animation.”

The studios will facilitate live projects and intensive industry interaction for the DAE students.

Each studio has hi-end apparatus & facilities such as DV Cams, Green Matt room for compositing & visual effects, Animation light boxes, Hi-end scanners, Hi-end Editing software etc, and the students will be allowed to handle them personally, enabling them to understand the techniques involved in the various stages of SFX such as pre-production, production and post-production.

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Indian animation charts new course on route to recovery

2009-11-20T00:56:00.000-08:00

NEW DELHI: Economic slowdown has meant different things to different industries and though the economy has recovered, corporations have taken their lessons. The global phenomenon has left none untouched and industries have had to reshape the way they go about their business. The Rs 17.4 billion Indian animation industry has also found an alternate revenue stream in what was hitherto dubbed as ‘allied’ applications of animation.

From auto designing, and surgical models to fashion designing, engineering, animation has, over the years, found myriad uses and has been growing rather quietly while its use in media and entertainment has hogged all the limelight. But even as the media industry is faces a slowdown, studios working in specialized animation are growing fast, albeit on a small base. Industry estimates put media and entertainment as still providing over 70% of the industry’s revenue. But it is specialized animation that is growing faster, at about 40% (compared to media and entertainment’s 25% annual growth rate), and is powering the industry.

Twenty-one year-old Himanshu Gupta is a happy man. In his two years as a specialized animator, he has been able to steer ahead of his batch-mates at the animation school who, he says, are earning less than him. Himanshu is part of a 15-member team at Scientific Animation, a specialized animation and graphics company based out of Gurgaon.

Although small in size, the company counts multinationals like Johnson & Johnson and Genentech Pharmaceuticals as clients, providing them animated visual representations for training, and marketing purposes. The company makes animated videos teaching how to perform surgeries, using latest medical implements et al. Theses come in handy for doctors and surgeons. It claims to be growing at 30% per annum.

Similar is the case of Mint Infotech- a company that deals in architectural animation- making 3-D architectural walkthroughs. The company provides life-like virtual representations of prospective buildings. These help builders/architects market their version of buildings to their customers. Started in 2004, Mint Infotech is also growing at over 30% and has worked for organizations like the United Nations Organisation (UNO), Hospital Service Consultancy Corporation (HSCC) (a government of India enterprise) and National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC), India’s largest public sector construction company.

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Animation and Gaming industry to expand in India

2009-11-15T21:34:00.000-08:00

Hyderabad: The latest report released by Ernst & Young titled 'The Animation and Gaming Industry in India' reports that the global animation market is estimated at $68 billion in 2008 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10 percent to reach $100 billion by 2012. The quality of animation has improved with the incorporation of 3D effects to enhance the visual appeal. Another key trend witnessed in global animation industry is the outsourcing of animation content to Asia.

Most of the outsourcing contracts in Asia are finding their way to India. The Indian animation industry can be divided into Animation entertainment, animation education, customer content development and multimedia/web design and VFX. The entire animation industry in India was estimated at $314 million in 2006, $494 million in 2008 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 22 percent to reach $1 billion by 2012. Custom content development and multimedia/web design is the largest segment today, followed by animation entertainment, animation education and VFX, respectively.

The global gaming market was estimated at $36 billion in 2008 and is expected to grow at CAGR of 10.5 percent to reach $53.6 billion by 2012. The mobile and online gaming are relatively new segment in the global gaming arena, but have grown rapidly to account for 29 percent (mobile) and 24 percent (online) of global gaming revenues. Game consoles are evolving into multi-functional entertainment systems, offering multiplayer gameplay on the internet, internet browsing capability and options to play high definition movies.

The gaming industry can be divided into online games (massively multi-player online role playing games and casual games), mobile games, PC games and Console games. The Indian gaming industry was estimated at $50 million in 2006, $167 million in 2008 and is forecasted to grow at CAGR of 49 percent to reach $830 million by 2012. The overall size of the Indian gaming industry represents revenues from the consumer market, services market and revenues from non-development activities such as services rendered as technical support to international gaming companies.

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India has potential to grab the global animation market

2009-11-05T21:36:00.000-08:00

MUMBAI: The global animation industry is poised for exponential growth and India has the potential to grab a big slice of the market, according to Samir Hoon, special effects wizard and brain behind several Hollywood blockbusters.

"India has become an important outsourcing destination due to a large English-speaking population, adequate animation capacity in 12 studios confirming to global standards, state-of-the-art computer hardware and software platform and above all, the low-cost factor," Hoon, who has provided special effects for blockbusters like Star Wars, Jurassic Park and 101 Dalmatians, told reporters on Wednesday.

"The cheaper rate of producing animation in India has made it one of the upcoming markets in the world in the field of animation," he said.

According to sources in the industry, currently pegged at $550 million, the Indian animation industry is expected to mop up an additional $2 billion worth of animation business over the next three years or roughly four per cent of the projected $50 billion global market in 2005.

India is expected to be seen as an important destination for outsourcing as far as television and morning serials are concerned, Hoon said.

The demand for trained hands is one of the greatest challenging factors to ensure that India nurtures institutions and training programmes for churning out skilled hands, Hoon added.

Article Source:

Animate your career

2009-10-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

This is the computer age, wherein technological advances have opened up a much larger canvas for artists to indulge in, and now it is the mouse, rather than the brush that is used to give vent to the artist's imagination. This has created innumerable careers that didn't exist earlier

Remember the movie, Twister, where a crow flew across the screen? Or Independence Day, where alien spaceships threatened the existence of planet Earth? The mind-blowing special effects in cartoon films, movies like Matrix or the more recent, Spiderman and even Indian movies such as Hey Ram and Hindustani and the special effects in Daler Mehndi’s famous music albums.

Behind all these breathtaking effects is — guess who — a multimedia artist at work who specialises in animation. Artists today do not just work with easels, palettes and brushes. This is the computer age, wherein technological advances have opened up a much larger canvas for artists to indulge in. This includes a plethora of activities, from creating a presentation style for a given topic, to visualising the graphic elements in an application and creating cartoon characters.

Multimedia technology is something that integrates video, audio, text and graphic components in an interactive format from movies to educational tutors. Its applications are wide-ranging, and career opportunities for multimedia specialists include high growth careers in music, publishing, graphic arts, films, television, advertising and corporate communications.

Basically, there are two main work areas for a multimedia professional. One is creation of graphics, animation and usage of audio-video. The other area is: application of multimedia for a range of usages including books, CD-Roms, corporate and marketing presentations, TV and films. Areas of work Radio, television, advertising and the film industry: Editors, together with the film directors, create their films with graphic designers who generate all the graphics and special effects on the computer. Often, this is handled in conjunction with sound recordists who add their inputs using multimedia to create results that truly blow your mind. Interactive multimedia: Multimedia specialists function as web designers and developers for interactive portals. With convergence and interactive technologies being developed every day, specialists in this area will be required for online education, and video conferencing.

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B2B Portal for Freelance Animators & Multimedia Experts

2009-10-23T20:38:00.000-07:00

September 30, 2009 - A new B2B transparent portal for animation projects and freelance work has been introduced. http://www.animationprojects.net has been introduced for outsourcing service buyers and providers with revolutionary approach. It takes a very transparent approach to help outsourcing service buyers and providers.

A freelance animator carry outs animation services for whoever has hired him or her for a particular project. After the project has been completed, the animator will go on to another animation project, working for someone else. Freelance animation is a great option for someone who likes animation but cannot make a decision what area of the field they want to specialize in. There are always a lot of possibilities, and a successful freelancer can pick and choose his assignments.

Are you a talented animation expert looking for animation projects? You have come to the right place.

Service Providers - How it Works?

• Register/Sign up on website http://www.animationprojects.net absolutely FREE.
• Search projects from the categories you prefer.
• Purchase contact details of the outsourcing services buyers associated with projects.
• Get connected to unlimited outsourcing services buyers.

Service Providers - Benefits

• Absolutely FREE registration.
• Free listing of company / freelancer profile.
• Providing verified leads.
• Save time and resources in finding buyers.
• Cut down marketing overheads.
• Build international clientele. Get projects locally, nationally and globally.

Service Buyers - How It Works?

• E-mail your project description/requirements on projects@animationprojects.net or post it on site FREE.
• An editorial team will put your project on AnimationProjects.
• Project alert email will be sent to all registered providers.
• Services providers searching for the projects will examine your project’s details.
• If any provider is interested in undertaking your project, then he will contact you directly.

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Arena launches animation academy

2009-10-16T00:59:00.000-07:00

kolkata: arena multimedia launched the second in its series of animation academies here on saturday to tap the burgeoning domestic and export market of animation content production for television and film. "from films to short television format and the new requirements of the web, two- and three-dimensional animation production for digital entertainment is emerging as a huge market in china, korea and india," said head of arena multimedia, sudhir mathur. quoting a recent study by andersom consulting which projected that the $550-million indian animation industry would grow at 30 per cent per annum in the next three years, he said the business was expected to reach $15 billion by 2002. "while the global digital animation industry is poised to grow from the current $25 billion to a whopping $70 billion by 2005, india would receive more than $2 billion in animation businesses," he observed. with western giants ilm and disney planning to set shop in india to produce animation films and movies, the field would be one of the fastest-growing it segments, he said, adding arena's mission was to create a pool of multimedia professionals. the animation academy, second after mumbai in a series of 20, would offer three- to seven-month courses costing between rs 30,000 and rs 60,000 on 3d and animation, audio-video editing and special effects.

Article Source:

Japanese Animation Film Events in London

2009-10-09T21:13:00.000-07:00

Anime in London

Anime fans in London, England are in for a treat later this month, as The Barbican Centre, occasional home to animation series/film screenings over the months, prepares local showings of long-awaited anime features. Meanwhile, Sci-Fi London's Oktoberfest Anime All-Nighter is gearing up for quite a selection later this month as well. For UK-based otaku, little could be sweeter than the chance to see films from directors such as Mamoru Oshii, Hayao Miyazaki, and Masahiro Andou all in about one month's time.

A component of anime scholar and author Helen McCarthy's continuing profile of Japanese animation, both creatively and critically, Barbican's showing of Andou's The Sword of the Stranger (2007), a vibrant, violent, samurai tale, is highly anticipated. Part historical-fantasy and partly vicious-drama as well, The Sword of the Stranger is sprinkled with traditionally fluid, ultra-violent fight sequences finding a nameless samurai with a troubled past. Guilty past and all, the nameless one takes on the task of protecting a mysterious young boy who is pursued by the royal army.

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Architecture Faculty at SCET to Start Animation Course

2009-10-08T21:42:00.000-07:00

SURAT: Faculty of Architecture at the Sarvajanik College of Education and Technology (SCET) is to start postgraduation course in 3D animation post production and special effects from second semester after Diwali vacation. Formal inauguration of the course was done by acclaimed film maker Ketan Mehta on Sunday.

The six-month course will be offered to students of architecture, engineering and other streams. According to the institute, the fees are not yet fixed but it will be lesser than the fees charged by private animation institutes.

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Animation, Gaming Jobs Set to Double by 2012: Nasscom

2009-10-02T21:46:00.000-07:00

KOLKATA: The animation industry is likely to have the going good in respect of jobs. Nasscom’s projections suggest that employment in this sector will double from 14,700 now to 29,500 by 2012. Similarly, the gaming industry too will create a huge number of jobs in the next three years, with the projections being 10,700 jobs by 2012 from a meagre 2,300 people now.

Responding to a ET questionnaire over phone from Delhi, Sangeeta Gupta, vice-president of Nasscom said: “The animation and gaming industry in India has immense scope to grow. Given the financial meltdown, many western countries are actively looking at destinations like India to develop animation content within moderate budgets. The increased interest of Bollywood and the regional cinema industry for animation, has boosted growth also. The Indian animation industry has moved from a pure offshore model to co-production model. While the domestic sector contributed with manpower and infrastructure, international producers helped with marketing and distribution.”

Ms Gupta said that according to Nasscom therefore, animation and gaming companies will witness a significant growth by 2012. “At present, there are some 250 animation companies in the country. By 2012, we expect the number of such companies to swell to around 400. The number of gaming companies will also double from around 50 now to 100 by 2012.”

The Nasscom vice-president estimated that the turnover in the animation sector could cross $1 billion by 2012 from $492 million in 2008. Similarly, turnover in the gaming industry stood at $167 million in 2008, but is likely to go up to $830 million by 2012.

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Academy to Examine Editing for Animation

2009-09-25T22:08:00.000-07:00

he Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Perspectives on Editing seminar series turns its focus to animation for a one-night event set for Sept. 29.

Hosting the event will be Donn Cambern and Mark Goldblatt, both governors for the academy’s film editors branch. Other editors speaking will be Kent Beyda, whose credits include Alien Nation and Scooby-Doo; John Carnochan of Ice Age and The Simpsons Movie; Nancy Frazen, editor of Runaway Brain and Surf’s Up; Lois Freeman Fox, who worked on Fantasia 2000 and Osmosis Jones, and Kevin Nolting, who edited this summer’s Pixar-Disney film Up.

The session will include the screening of film clips and discussions between the guests and the audience.

The event will be held from 7-10 p.m. at the Linwood Dunn Theater, 1313 Vine St., in Hollywood.

Tickets cost $10 for the general public and $7.50 for academy members and students with a valid ID. More information on buying tickets can be found online at www.oscars.org.

Source: http://www.animationmagazine.net/

Stop Motion Bailed out Computer Animation?

2009-09-24T22:18:00.000-07:00

Major Difference between Stop Motion & Computer Animation:-

Computer animation (or CGI animation) is the art of creating moving images with the use of computers. It is a subfield of computer graphics and animation.
Stop motion (also known as stop-action or frame-by-frame) is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence.
Using Computer animation the rendering can take a lot of time on an ordinary home computer.
Stop Motion will move frame step by step so it smooth process.
Traditional Computer Animation is very hands-on process; 2D animation is accomplished by hand-drawing hundreds upon thousands of individual frames only to transfer them to clear plastic cells, hand-paint them, and then film them in sequence over a painted background image. This requires a team of artists, cleanup artists, painters, directors, background artists, and film/camera crews, along with the storyboard artists.
Stop Motion Animations, the cost and effort involved in the processes, and the quality of the final output is very good comparing to traditional computer animation.

Nasscom Lowers Forecast for Animation Industry

2009-09-18T21:22:00.000-07:00

Mumbai, Aug. 26 The apex body of IT software and services, Nasscom, has lowered its 2012 forecast for the animation industry by 27.7 per cent and gaming industry by 16.3 per cent.

It now expects revenues from the animation industry to touch $830 million, against the earlier estimate of $1060 million, and revenues from the gaming industry to touch $1000 million against $1163 million.

This downward revision is largely on account of slackened demand due to the global economic downturn. “…the domestic box office for animation movies has not picked up as estimated, end-to-end skill sets not being developed in the animation services industry and proof of concept/IP creation not up to expectations,” Nasscom said in a press statement.

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Animation Has Potential in Vidarbha: Kulkarni

2009-09-17T21:28:00.000-07:00

NAGPUR: Ashish Kulkarni is not new to the orange city. He was born and brought up here, and even held many posts in city-based and multi-national companies. However, on Sunday, he was here as the chief executive officer of Big Animation, and was conducting a seminar on animation as part of International Film Festival in Nagpur (IFFN).

Speaking on animation and development of the industry in Nagpur and Vidarbha, Kulkarni told TOI, "There is already a strong network of 500 to 700 dedicated multimedia and animation artists in the region with a huge participation from Amravati. The industry has just made itself known in Nagpur for three to four years now, and we need a critical mass of at least 3,000 such artists to set the ball rolling here."

He said that the industry would not take much time to take off in the city. "Nagpur is going through the 'grooming' process. I make sure that I visit here regularly. The moment we feel that the time is ripe to harvest Vidarbha for its talent, we will move in at the earliest. That was why when we decided to sponsor the short film contest of IFFN. I also suggested that we hold a seminar so that the people in Nagpur get to see the work we do behind the scenes, and learn to appreciate it," he said.

And what exactly is it that he expects people to learn about animation? "There are three aspects to making an animation film or becoming an animator. For one, the person has to have an artistic foundation wherein he or she must be able to have an innate sense of art. The second is the story-telling foundation where the person must have the ability to tell a story so as to engage the audience. The third is the film-making ability, which is to translate the story on film," Kulkarni added.

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Pixar directors win big in Venice

2009-09-11T22:52:00.000-07:00

Directors of Pixar Animation Studios in the US have been awarded the Venice Film Festival's lifetime achievement award, making them the first team to bag the honour.

Pixar has made 10 films, four of which have won best animation Oscars [ Images ], with chief creative officer John Lasseter, 52, and other directors helming hits like Finding Nemo and Toy Story.

Star Wars [ Images ] creator George Lucas presented the Venice Golden Lion lifetime achievement award to Lasseter and his team.

Pixar began life as the computer graphics division of his company Lucasfilm, and it later became Pixar after Lucas sold it to Apple founder Steve Jobs for 10million dollars in 1986.

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Indian Animation Turns Spotlight on Local Stories

2009-09-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

MUMBAI (Reuters Life!) - When the Cartoon Network channel launched in India more than a decade ago, it simply dubbed its shows in regional languages.

But it soon realized there was a market for local content and tapped Indian animation firms for shows such as "Krishna Balarama" on a Hindu god and "Tenali Raman," a popular folk hero who was a 16th century court jester.

Last year, parent Turner International, in a maiden effort, set up a multi-million dollar unit in India to develop and produce animated films and original live action TV series.

"The opportunity in developing local animation content is significant," said Samir Patil, chief executive of ACK Media, which was recently commissioned by Turner to produce two animated films and a TV series based on popular Indian folk tales and mythology from the Amar Chitra Katha comic books.

The animation industry in India, including entertainment, visual effects and gaming, is estimated at about $500 million and forecast to double by 2012, according to financial services firm Ernst & Young. The entertainment segment is likely to grow at 18 percent annually.

Animation in India, driven by lower costs and software expertise, was largely limited to low-end work such as title credits, special effects and brushing up of scenes created in Hollywood studios. Original work was rare or of poor quality.

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Australia’s SAE brings on animation courses through Access Atlantech

2009-09-04T20:52:00.000-07:00

Chennai based Access Atlantech Technolgies India pvt. ltd. (AAT) in association with SAE college , is all set to roll out with Qantmâ s c ourses focused on Animation and Gaming.

Qantm College is Australia’s leading new media college which has its focus on animation, games design, games programming and multimedia, amongst others.

AAT provides training in media courses including digital film-making and animation, will introduce the courses with SAE college which is amongst worlds largest media schools with its presence in 21 countries having established a chain of 53 training centres.

The courses to be introduced are 18 months diploma and three years degree courses in (i) Animation and Sound for Games and (ii) Games design, programming and developing. The company has kickstarted the courses from 15th January 2008 at its four centres based out of Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai for which its has invested a lump sum of close to Rs. 5 crore.

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India's Animation Ind Seen At $1 bln By 2012-Report

2009-09-03T21:16:00.000-07:00

MUMBAI, Aug 26 (Reuters) - India's animation industry is expected to hit $1 billion by 2012 and the gaming industry would touch $830 million then, aided by increased outsourcing and a growing domestic market, a report released on Wednesday said.

The Indian animation market, estimated at $494 million in 2008, is seen growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 22 percent till 2012, a report by National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) and Ernst & Young said.

"The industry will witness a dip in growth rates for two years before becoming a billion dollar industry by 2012," Farokh Balsara, Partner & National Leader-Media & Entertainment Practice with Ernst & Young, said at a media briefing, referring to the animation industry.

The gaming industry was estimated at $167 million in 2008 and is seen growing at a compounded rate of 49 percent yearly to hit $830 million by 2012, the report added.

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Amritsar gets Animation Training Institute

2009-08-28T21:03:00.000-07:00

AMRITSAR: Arena Animation, a global leader in animation and multimedia training, has announced the launch a new state-of-the-art Centre in Amritsar.

The Amritsar centre is Arena’s fifth Centre in Punjab is well equipped with digital labs, drawing studios and seminar room. The centre was inaugurated by Gurtaj Singh Mangat – Zonal Head, North & East, Arena Animation.

Inaugurating the new centre, Gurtaj Singh Mangat said, “It is a myth that good talent for the animation industry is only found in major cities like Mumbai and Delhi, we strongly believe that students trained in smaller towns and cities like Amritsar are more creatively inclined and have the passion to achieve their ambitions.”

In his message, Global Head, Arena Animation Anuj Kacker, , “We are delighted to announce the inauguration of the first Arena Animation centre in Amritsar. The animation and multimedia industry is growing at a scorching pace. It is one of the most sought after career options these days.

To meet the requirements of skilled talent in the industry, the new centre in Amritsar will offer courses such as B.Sc. Degree in Multimedia and Animation from MS University, Tirunelveli in association with Arena, the 2.5-year Arena Animation Academy.

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RPT- India's Animation Ind Seen At $1 Bln by 2012-Report

2009-08-27T20:16:00.000-07:00

Animation BPO Growing In Strength

2009-08-21T20:50:00.000-07:00

Animation and gaming are seen as the next wave in Indias successful outsourcing story. However, there is a major change, this is a sector which has moved up from outsourcing to co production, a move up the value chain from low end, less creative work to higher creativity and advanced technologies, says Krayon Pictures director Namrata Sharma. She said that for India to catch the animation bus, it needed to quickly provide the required manpower since Nasscom had projected that both animation and gaming were multi billion dollar opportunities for India. The usual block, however, is the lack of trained manpower.

And those who do go to training schools offering such courses are not studio ready, industry veterans claim Industry is now trying to bridge the gap through an industry training institute co operation. MCCIAs Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture, animation and gaming committee, comprising a three member group of industry professionals, has devised a curriculum for a six month foundation course, which will provide the industry with studio ready professionals.

Additionally, the committee has proposed the formation of a loose alliance of all training institutes so that some facilities might be shared. This association will ensure that basic standards are maintained in the quality of training imparted at these institutes.

MCCIA committee co ordinator Cmde Anand Khandekar said the sector was more than just software. Being a multi disciplinary area, its manpower must be skilled at acting and the other performing arts. Lalit Kala Kendra of the University of Pune has, therefore, devised a course for applied theatre, where theatre can be used as a therapy by the industry.

Source: http://www.offshoringtimes.com/

Miyazaki's Challenging Animated World

2009-08-21T01:48:00.000-07:00

When we think of animation in the U.S., we think Disney, talking animals and Scooby Doo.

But if you haven't immersed yourself in the surreal, ethereal, earth-embracing work of Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, you're missing one of cinema's true originals. His hand-drawn, anime-influenced work is difficult to describe in lil' blurbs such as this, but each entry in his diverse universe creates its own rich, sometimes daunting world in which magic and humanism and cruelty and an enduring love of nature all battle for a hardscrabble brand of survival.

His new entry, "Ponyo," is sort of "The Little Mermaid" stripped of the songs and the saccharine. The tale of ocean goldfish and her quest to become human is a bit sweeter than most of his complex recent work, but it's still soooo much more rich and complex than the "insert celebrity voice here/insert flatulence joke there" approach that's gobbled up much of American animation. Sorry, Shrek.

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Upgrade Animation Courses Often: Expert

2009-08-07T21:11:00.000-07:00

PUNE: As the contribution of the city's animation artists to world cinema increases, training institutes in the city are upgrading their academic programmes to keep students abreast of the latest developments in the field.

"The nature of the animation industry is such that it needs to be upgraded often," said Gaurav Singh, head of a city-based training centre.

According to chairman of the gaming and animation committee of the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), Anand Khandekar, it is not just the film industry, but also popularity of mobile gaming which has triggered the concern for better training in the area.

"To keep up with the demands for better-trained individuals, many institutes have introduced new softwares that have been used by a number of Oscar-winning films. One such software is called Houdini, which helps in making animated characters emotionally believable. Audiences like to see animated characters acting', than just watching robotic features," said Khandekar.

Meanwhile, training centres in the city have included the software as part of their curriculum. "A lot of projects that the studios in the city receive are outsourced from the US and UK. These countries have faith in the high-quality content that Indian studios are able to deliver. But to live up to their expectations, we have to train our students in the latest on the technology front," said Singh.

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Pune has a stake in Indian animation industry's success

2009-08-06T20:25:00.000-07:00

PUNE: The next time you watch a Hollywood special-effect movie and marvel at the talent the West has, think again. The man behind the on-screen
spectacle could well be someone sitting in a studio in Pune.

The Indian animation and visual effects (VFX) industry now has clients beyond Hollywood as projects come pouring in from countries like China as well. Pune has a major stake in VFX's success considering the increasing number of animation and visual effects studios in the city.

The latest in line is John Woo's Red Cliff', a Chinese epic that Jesh Krishna Murthy and his team of 45 animators and compositors worked on for about eight months. "Our work in the film is a quantum leap, we have done something different, something that people would not usually connect to India. One of the scenes we worked on was the final battle scene that involved thousands of arrows being shot. Rather than working on each arrow individually we created a tool that enabled us to show a number of arrows together," says Murthy citing an example of the VFX in the film.

Having worked abroad in a number of countries like the US, UK and Germany, Krishnamurthy started his firm Anibrain' in Mumbai about three years ago. Over a year ago, he moved base to Pune with a view to expand operations. "Pune is great because it offers a lot from good weather, accessibility to everything and also some decent talent," says Murthy who has worked on a number of Hollywood projects like Batman Begins' and Lara Croft: Cradle of Life'. His firm, Anibrain, on the other hand has worked on projects like Resident Evil: Extinction' and Death Race' among others, about 25 in total with another eight projects in the pipeline.

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DreamWorks Animation gets a kick from 'Kung Fu Panda'

2009-07-31T21:17:00.000-07:00

DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. blew past analyst estimates in the second quarter on continued strength from its animated feature "Kung Fu Panda."

In the quarter, the company earned $25.6 million, or 30 cents per share, which includes a gain of 10 cents a share after an agreement with Activision Blizzard that allows the company to recognize revenues from video games earlier.

Excluding the estimate, the earnings per share still beat analyst estimates of 13 cents a share.

In the second quarter a year ago, the company earned $27.5 million, or 30 cents a share.

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Animated Endorsers Turn Stars on Brand Screen

2009-07-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

NEW DELHI: Animation and advertising, separated at birth, seem to be pairing up to create an all-consuming on-screen culture. The animated model is fast replacing celebrities on the endorsement circuit. These blown-up “characters” are now selling everything, from cell phones and fizzy drinks to cough lozenges and air-fresheners.

Companies like Vodafone, Virgin Mobile, Reliance Communication, Coca-Cola and Reckitt Benckiser are using animation-based advertising to come through the clutter of celebrity overkill, make cost-effective ads and, in some cases, rejuvenate brands.

Coca-Cola is set to kick off a campaign for its lemon drink Limca starring animated characters, despite having popular model Sushma Reddy as the brand’s face. Vodafone’s series of ads using the eggshell ZooZoos pushed the who’s who of Bollywood A-listers, including Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan, promoting rival Bharti Airtel out of the spotlight.

ZooZoo became an overnight sensation during the Indian Premier League this summer. All 27 ZooZoo commercials were aired back-to-back on 15 channels recently. “The aim was to push the boundaries and create benchmarks of disruptive communication,” said Ajit Varghese, MD of Maxus, Vodafone’s media buying agency.

Virgin Mobile chose animation characters Pebbleheads to popularise its brand late last year. Reckitt Benckiser is using Mrs Raccoon for Air Wick air-fresheners and Mr T for Strepsils throat lozenges. Pebbleheads commercials made their debut with a 50-paisa offer late last year. “The Pebble World breaks the shackles which normal creatives could get confined to. It also helps us spin youth-relevant stories,” says Virgin Mobile chief marketing officer Prasad Narasimhan.

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Animated G-Force in 3-D

2009-07-24T20:31:00.000-07:00

Action filmmaker Jerry Bruckheimer’s first 3-D movie combines animation with live action in a story about animals and people looking for peace on earth. They may have different objectives individually, but they know how to bring their story to life in a Disney-like way to please everyone.

The movie is “G-Force,” and it has a cast of notable performers voicing the key roles of the animals that band together. Their objective is to help mankind as well as themselves, while a group of self-serving human beings have different ideas. Bill Nighy, Will Arnett, Kelli Garner and Loudon Wainwright III shoulder the responsibility of those adult human beings with their “live” action roles, while the animals play the film’s most substantial characters.

The variety of pet shop animals is a constant reminder of the film’s family audience objective. It is also the first Disney Digital 3-D film to use Jerry Bruckheimer’s name in the credits. He produced the film, while Marianne Wibberley wrote it and newcomer Hoyt Yeatman directed it.

All the animated characters are compatible fugitives from a pet shop, and they speak perfect English. The four guinea pigs include Darwin (voiced by Sam Rockwell); Juarez (voiced by Penelope Cruz); Blaster (voiced by Tracy Morgan) and Hurley (voiced by Jon Favreau). Mooch the fly is voiced by Edwin Louis; Bucky the hamster by Steve Buscemi and Speckles the Mole by Nicolas Cage.

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Seminar on 3D animation on July 26 at Hotel Tampha

2009-07-23T20:56:00.000-07:00

India's leading animation and visual effects training institute, Frameboxx is organizing a 'Seminar on Careers in 3D Animation and Visual effects' at Hotel Tampha, North AOC, Imphal on 26th July 2009 from 9:30 am to 12:30 am.

MLA Dr NG Bijoy Singh, Former Vice Chancellor Manipur University will be the chief guest and Naba Chandra, Pricipal Imphal Arts College, Soumerjit, Asst Professor Manipur University, Navneet Singh, Director Frameboxx Animation Visual Effects and Okram Gogo Singh, AGM Frameboxx Animation Visual Effects will be the guests of honour.

This is the first time that such a seminar is being organized in Manipur for the students who wish to benefit from the thriving employment opportunities in the 3D Animation and Visual Effects industry.

The Seminar would be followed by a series of Free Master Classes and Workshops on Production Pipeline for Animation Film and Digital Painting using Photoshop.

Frameboxx would also be conducting a Scholarship Creativity Test for the interested candidates.

Source: http://www.e-pao.net/

Too Much 3d for Me

2009-07-17T20:54:00.000-07:00

The third installment of the computer-animated Ice Age films, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, has been released to excited fans. The film is being presented in three-dimensional formats across the country like so many of its animated contemporaries (Monsters vs. Aliens, Up). Audiences seem to gravitate toward these films. It is not necessarily the format, the animation and kid-friendly material all coagulate to form a gel of a film perfect for soaking up consumer funds. Still, the computer-animated three-dimensional film trend is exhausting.

Computer animation has entered a stage that is enough of a film deterrent in and of itself. If a viewer wants to watch a fully-dimensional film then they should watch an actual film with human actors. Animation was created and meant for a two-dimensional format. Classics like Cinderella, Pinocchio, and the animated films like them are works of art. It is both refreshing and humbling to think each second of those films consisted of multiple drawings, which were made by artists. Computer-animation is made by engineers, while it is not about attacking the person who creates the respective computer-based film, it does seem much of the craftsmanship is dead. It is too bad that artistic integrity has been replaced by monetary interests.

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Animation: It’s Time to Toon In

2009-07-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

Cartoon creators and companies are getting animated about the future of the industry. Raziqueh Hussain discovers what colourful capers lie around the corner Cartoons are fast becoming a serious business in the region. New animation companies and talented creatives are gaining international attention for their inspirational characters and shows that focus on life and culture in the Middle East.

Shaabiyat Al Cartoon is a perfect example of this success. Aired on Sama Dubai, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon is a social comedy dealing with the problems of the Gulf community through the lives of people from different cultures living in Dubai. Anyone who has been through the trials and tribulations of daily life in the Emirates will laugh along with the characters Hanafy, Osman, Bu Sulaiman, Daheem, Koty and Umm Sayed.

Companies in the Middle East now see animation as big business, even though the region is a relative newcomer when it comes to producing its own content, lagging behind markets of India and South Korea.

Animated series Freej, meaning neighbourhood, is widely seen as the first indigenous computer animated cartoon about four elderly grandmothers and their dealing with life in the fast-paced, ever-changing, modern-day Dubai.

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Japan’s Master Animator to Be Honored in U.S. Visit

2009-07-10T20:28:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES — When the schedule of events for the 40th Comic-Con International fan convention is announced on Thursday, it is expected to include something quite rare, even for a gathering that has pretty much seen it all: an appearance by Hayao Miyazaki.

Mr. Miyazaki, regarded by many as the world’s greatest maker of animated films, does not seem to crave publicity. He was a no-show at the Oscars in 2003, when his “Spirited Away” won for best animated feature.

And he has not been quick to visit this country. “I think he has an image of the United States as a culture that isn’t that helpful to the world,” offered Duncan Williams, chairman of the Center for Japanese Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.

Yet the very private Mr. Miyazaki, in an extraordinary step, has agreed to address a room full of 6,500 admirers at the San Diego comics, fantasy and film convention on July 24. That is a prelude to his planned appearance the next day in Berkeley, where Mr. Williams’s center will present Mr. Miyazaki with its Japan Prize, awarded annually to a person who has brought the world closer to Japan.

July 28, should find Mr. Miyazaki in Beverly Hills, Calif., to be honored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The night before, he will be in Hollywood for the United States premiere of his “Ponyo,” about a 5-year-old boy and a goldfish princess in a world gone awry.

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Animation should be included in formal education: Expert

2009-07-09T20:30:00.000-07:00

PUNE: Animation should be included in formal education system considering its widespread applications, Ram Mohan, an animation expert opined here recently.

Animation industry has the scope of transcending itself beyond the entertainment sector, he said, adding that animation has vast applications in the fields of education, health and construction and students could derive great benefits if included in formal mainstream education. He was talking to Sakal Times after attending the third anniversary celebration of MAAC Animation Institute.

Talking about the present status of field of animation in India, Mohan said, “Animation industry, which has numerous job opportunities on the lines of IT industry, is yet to receive recognition in India. Economy of this industry depends mainly on outsourcing work of foreign countries only. However, if cultivated properly it can cater to the domestic needs and thereby could gain proper ground within India.”

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Animation Festival to Be Held News

2009-07-03T20:52:00.000-07:00

The fifth edition of Anifest India, an annual international animation festival organized and promoted by The Animation Society of India (TASI), is slated to be held from August 13-16, 2009 at the IIT Powai campus in Mumbai.

Anifest India brings together some of the world's best animation directors, technicians and several international animation stalwarts under one roof. Some of the speakers at this year's event include MTV India's Piyush Raghani; Manish Sherawat and Sheetal Sudhir of Channel [v]; VCL's Bill Miller; Krishnakant Mishra of Sony ImageWorks; and Nate Wragg of Pixar.

Some of the topics for discussion at Anifest India 2009 include Art direction and pre-production, Principles of animation in 2D & 3D, VFX: Behind the Scenes, Career options, Comic Art, Graphic Novels, Character Animation and Story-Telling, Creation and Marketing of IP, Art of Voicing for Animation, Animation for tele channels, and Animation Production Management, to name a few.

Anifest India 2009 has targeted students to creative heads of organizations to enthusiasts looking to get a comprehensive in-depth understanding about the various stages involved in creating an animation film from concept to completion.

Source: http://www.domain-b.com/

Take Your Fill of Animated Movies

2009-07-02T20:37:00.000-07:00

According to a Nasscom-Ernst & Young report, the Indian animation industry is slated to grow to $1.2 billion in 2012.

While the the numbers are small compared to the $80 billion global industry, the growth is encouraging for India.
It’s also well known that many countries are outsourcing their animation work to India mainly because of cheaper labour. Top companies such as UTV Software Communications, Toonz Animation, Pentamedia Graphics, Crest Communications, DQ Entertainment and JadooWorks have all inked in deals with global giants like Walt Disney, NBC Universal and Mattel to share copyrights and profits.

Hanuman, India’s biggest animated hit earned Rs 20 crore through theatrical and satellite releases, besides mopping up big bucks from home videos and merchandise. Inspired by its success, a slew of animation films were lined up and made ready for Indian audiences. Percept tied up with animation studio DQ Entertainment to make three films for the global market costing Rs 100 crore slated to be released in 2009-10. Reliance Entertainments has invested Rs 100 crore in animation. BR Films plans to invest Rs 50 crore in animation films over three years.

At a time like this, a few commercial duds seemed to have played spoilsport with Bollywood’s animated dreams. Trade sources confirm that Bollywood has had a bad run with Hanuman Returns, Krishna, Roadside Romeo, Dashavatar, Ghatothkach and My Friend Ganesha (1 and 2) with an estimated loss of up to Rs 70 crore. In fact, insiders say several animation films are ready, but have no takers. At least 25 animation films were announced by top corporations, and an estimated Rs 4,000 crore ($831 million) was to be kept aside for the animation studios that were being planned across India. Everything is on hold now. “Indian animation films have improved a lot when it comes to creativity and technology. If the script of an animated film is good, there will be an audience for it,” feels Prasad, owner of the Oscar winning animation company, Rhythm and Hues based in Hyderabad. Suryadevara Vinod who produced Ghatothkach doesn’t seem to be too worried either. “Ghatothkach was made in several languages. It was didn’t do well only in Indian theatres. But we topped the DVD list for a very long time.”

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Animation BPO Gaining Momentum

2009-06-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

DreamWorks: 3D movies to double data storage requirements

2009-06-19T20:39:00.000-07:00

With a growing number of feature-length animated movies and the changeover from a 2D to a 3D format, DreamWorks Animation deployed a disk-based data archive system that reduced the time it takes artists to retrieve reference video from days to seconds.

DreamWorks Animation SKG is releasing all of its films in stereoscopic 3D, more than doubling the amount of data storage capacity required to store its movies.

The move to 3D animation also requires the company's IT shop to migrate away from tape-based storage systems to disk systems in order to keep archived films online for animators to use as references for future sequels, which is the company's mainstay.

DreamWorks recently released its first 3D animated moviem Monsters vs. Aliens, which packed its newly installed disk array from Hewlett-Packard Co. with 93TB worth of images. The company plans to release five feature films every two years. In the past, each animated film averaged less than 25TB, according to Derek Chan, head of digital operations for DreamWorks Animation.

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Rs 120-cr 3D animation film on The Jungle Book

2009-06-18T21:14:00.000-07:00

The mischievous ‘Mowgli’ and his jungle friends, including his bear companion ‘Baloo’, will once again be reincarnated on the big screen.

But this time, in a high-definition stereoscopic 3D (with wearable glasses for viewing pleasure) animated feature-film format.

Hyderabad-based animation, gaming and entertainment company DQ Entertainment International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the over Rs 200-crore AIM-listed DQ Entertainment Plc, is producing the film which is an adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's novel The Jungle Book, with a budget of ¤18 million (approximately Rs 120 crore).

“Currently, two noted writers are working on the initial script treatment in London for the feature film. And we are in the process of roping in three distributors — one each in the US, Europe and Asia — to cover all the territories worldwide. The film will begin production in September 2010 and will be ready for a global theatrical release by the end of 2011,” Tapaas Chakravarti, chairman and chief executive officer of the DQE Group, told Business Standard.

About 150 of DQE’s animation experts, including 10 from its Paris office, will work non-stop for nearly 18 months for the 90-minute film, while the entire post-production work will be done at DQE's Ireland facility, he added.

The movie will unfold interesting tales of Mowgli, the man cub, raised by a pack of wolves in the tropical jungle of Seeonee.

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Magnolia TV Forum looks at China's animation industry

2009-06-12T20:50:00.000-07:00

China produces hundreds of cartoons each year. But only a handful of them ever make a profit. Industry professionals gathered at the Magnolia TV Forum on Wednesday to discuss ways to boost the country's animation industry.

The popular animation "Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf" was the big winner in the Chinese animation market last year.

Yang Wenyan, director of Haha TV, said, "One successful approach is the government's ban of imported cartoons during evening prime time."

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Will the best animated movie of the year be ... 9?

2009-06-11T20:22:00.000-07:00

Most animated films seem to be cut from the same cloth. This decade has seen an abundance of movies starring anthropomorphic animals and robots making cutesy pop culture references and singing songs. Pixar is the lone animation studio that strives to inject something original and fresh into their films, but even they end up making movies about talking cars and cute characters. And animated features like Waltz With Bashir are so unique that they are singular, only being made and released once every few years, and by dedicated people with a real passion for their work. Otherwise it's all a bunch of Hoodwinkeds, Delgos and Bee Movies (for the record, I like Bee Movie. But it's nothing special).

So when something like 9 comes around (not to be confused with the upcoming non-animated Daniel Day-Lewis starring musical film Nine), it might be worthwhile for you to check it out. That is, if you want studios to continue making interesting and unique movies.

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Anil Ambani Opens Animation School

2009-06-05T21:22:00.000-07:00

The Anil Ambani group has forayed into animation education by launching the Big Animation Infotainment and Media School or Big Aims, a training institute in Pune.

"Big Aims is unique and a first-of-its kind," said Ashish Kulkarni, chief executive of Big Animation, the group company that launched the project and made the animated TV series "Little Krishna".

"It will be a big leap for freshers, amateurs and aspirants to migrate to a much higher level of training practised by major Hollywood studios like Dreamworks," Kulkarni told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

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With Pixar, Animation Grows Up'

2009-06-04T20:40:00.000-07:00

"Up" is a wonderful movie. Among the best I've seen this year.

I gave it 3 1/2 stars. After writing my review I saw it a second time and came away convinced I should have given it 4 stars.

Apparently lots of you agree. Pixar's latest effort did smashing business on its opening weekend (nearly $70 million). Even more telling are the comments I've been getting.

On the same day, two guys - both middle-aged men - told me they'd found themselves crying twice during the film.

This is not a reaction we're used to with animated entertainment, much less from middle-aged men. But "Up" makes cartoon characters as real, as substantial, as emotionally rich as any Oscar-winning drama.

Yeah, it's a fanciful adventure about an old man and little kid who float away for a South American expedition in a house borne aloft by hundreds of colorful helium balloons.

But it's also about growing old, about loneliness at any stage of life, about bereavement and the human need for growth and adventure that stubbornly refuses to fade with time.

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DreamWorks Animation To Increase Film-Release Rate

2009-05-29T20:54:00.000-07:00

DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (DWA) said it will release one additional feature film every two years as it unveiled its slate of eight animated-feature films through 2012, which includes sequels to its hit franchises Shrek, Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda.

Shares rose 2% to $27.70 in early trading.

The studio, which is now planning five films every two years, is coming off a strong first quarter in which it bucked Hollywood's trend of falling DVD sales. DreamWorks has been able to ride a hot streak at the box office, largely thanks to the performance of "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" in theaters and on DVD.

The company's strong first-quarter showing, particularly at the box office, is an encouraging sign for the rest of Hollywood, just ahead of the summer season, when the studios release their biggest films.

Planned animated films include "How To Train Your Dragon," based on the book by Cressida Cowell, set for release March 26. It is centered around a teenager from a mythical island where fighting dragons is a way of life, who whose world is turned upside down when he befriends an injured dragon.

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Why the world wants Australia's animators

2009-05-28T21:08:00.000-07:00

When the Adelaide animator Ben Walker got serious about a career in film, he didn't bother getting on a plane to Los Angeles. He just flew to Sydney.

The 25-year-old completed a one-year graduate diploma in digital media at the Australian Film Television and Radio School then leapt straight into work as a digital artist with the Oscar-winning animation studio Animal Logic.

In his first year on the job Walker worked on Baz Luhrmann's Australia and Alex Proyas's sci-fi movie Knowing , starring Nicolas Cage and Rose Byrne. He is now working as a matte painter on Guardians Of Ga'hoole , an animated feature about the owl world directed by Zack Snyder and featuring the voices of Jim Sturgess, Geoffrey Rush, Rachael Taylor and David Wenham.

"This industry is so much about getting your foot in the door," Walker says.

What started as a cottage industry in Sydney has become a hub for animation around the world. The city has six major animation and visual effects studios, including Animal Logic ( Babe , The Matrix and Happy Feet ), Omnilab (Spike Jonze's upcoming Where The Wild Things Are ) and Rising Sun Pictures ( Wolverine ).

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Animation firm grows one frame at a time

2009-05-22T21:21:00.000-07:00

Allan Magled has a simple formula for business success. Love what you do. Learn as you grow. And never take on more than you can handle.

He is president and one of three partners of Toronto-based Soho VFX, a special effects studio that has been expanding with each project that comes its way. Now in its seventh year of operations, Soho VFX's portfolio of projects includes such blockbusters as Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

The team of 70 full-time employees (numbers can reach 120 when projects are in full swing) animate characters, lighting, scenery and textures for the film industry from a 7,500-square-foot studio.

That is a far cry from the early days, when four people worked in a room the size of a freight elevator on television and short feature projects. "It was a great way to start," Mr. Magled says. "If the projects had been any larger, it would have been hard on us because we had to everything ourselves. Our computers were the cheapest you could get and we didn't have a render farm."

The team built up its repertoire by honing its software capabilities, he says. "Our software just kept getting better. We got very good at doing fur characters and creatures."

Over time, the studio built the infrastructure to take on bigger and better projects. "It's hard when you're new because the first question studios ask is if you have the infrastructure," Mr. Magled says. "You have to prove yourself each time."

Its big technology leap came in 2004. By then Soho VFX had landed jobs big enough to justify the investment. "Fantastic Four was the best thing that happened since it took us to where we are today."

"It takes a lot of processors to do this kind of work," says Kevin Smith, enterprise solutions brand manager for Dell Canada in Toronto. "The performance needs are similar to what university researchers use for advanced computational analysis."

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'Kung Fu Panda' live show in the works

2009-05-21T21:13:00.000-07:00

Hollywood's DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (NYSE:DWA) has announced a live arena show based on its hit film "Kung Fu Panda" is being developed.

"Working with Franco Dragone is an incredibly exciting prospect for us. We expect that the combination of the Franco Dragone Entertainment
Group and DreamWorks Animation will result in a totally new and inventive live entertainment experience for family audiences," DreamWorks Animation Chief Operating Officer Ann Daly said in a statement Tuesday.

The show is targeted to be ready for touring in 2011, timed around the June theatrical release of the sequel to the Oscar-nominated blockbuster "Kung Fu Panda," which amassed more than $630 million in worldwide box office receipts, DreamWorks said in a release.

Source : http://www.upi.com/

Kung Fu Panda series in the works

2009-05-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

Kung Fu Panda tells of a chubby bear who learns martial arts

Animated feature Kung Fu Panda is to be turned into a cartoon TV series, cable network Nickelodeon has announced.

The 26-episode series will use the same computer-generated process as the film and feature plucky martial arts-loving panda Po in the lead role.

"The characters we created for Kung Fu Panda are well suited to be further developed in new and exciting ways," said Ann Daly of DreamWorks Animation.

Jack Black provided Po's voice in last year's DreamWorks production.

It is not known whether he will reprise his role in the TV series, scheduled to air in 2010.

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Pixar Animation To Build Studio In Vancouver

2009-05-14T21:23:00.000-07:00

Vancouver, British Columbia (AHN) - Pixar Animation is setting up a 20,000-square foot studio in Vancouver where it will produce popular short features. Pixar plans to hire about 100 people, most of them Canadians, who will make the studio's 3D, computer-animated short films which normally run for three to five minutes.

However, the theatrical features of the film will still be made at Pixar's main studio in Emeryville, California, where about 900 employees are located.

According to the Calgary Herald, Walt Disney Studios, which merged with Pixar in 2006, is looking for good locations in Vancouver, particularly downtown. Pixar's timetable is to have the studio in operation by fall.

Pixar's entry is considered timely since 600 jobs were shed at video game maker Black Box, following the cost cutting measures initiated by its parent firm Electronic Arts.

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20th Dusty Film and Animation Festival and Awards

2009-05-01T21:32:00.000-07:00

The 20th annual Dusty Film and Animation Festival and Awards will highlight over 100 films by students graduating from the BFA Film, Video and Animation Department at the School of Visual Arts (SVA).

The program includes screenings of short films, videos and animations; and an awards ceremony and gala with notable presenters from the film industry.

This year's Screenwriters Night is a collaboration with the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in which SVA graduating screenwriters will have selected scenes performed live by alumni from The Neighborhood Playhouse.

"We are very pleased to have reached the 20th year of the Dustys as we recognize the outstanding achievement of emerging filmmakers, and members of the industry get the chance to see the work of the next generation of some remarkable film and animation talent," said Reeves Lehmann, chair of the BFA Film, Video and Animation Department at SVA.

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DreamWorks Animation shares soar on earnings

2009-04-30T21:29:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Shares of DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc soared more than 25% Wednesday, a day after the Hollywood studio reported better-than-expected first-quarter earnings and a contract extension for CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg.

Several analysts also upgraded their ratings on the stock, saying concerns about future DVD sales and other challenges have been priced more than enough.

DWA shares closed up 25.2% at $23.87 on the Nasdaq, easily outpacing a broadly higher market.

Goldman Sachs analyst Ingrid Chung upgraded DWA shares to "buy" Wednesday, arguing that recent negative catalysts and earnings estimate cuts are now behind the company. She raised her price target to $27 from $23. Lazard also upgraded the stock to "buy."

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3D animation really rocks

2009-04-10T20:13:00.000-07:00

YOUNGSTERS were given the chance to create a 3D animation using cutting-edge computer technology.

The 14 budding film-makers from Swindon, aged between 13 and 18, came up with their three-minute film at a studio in the Wyvern Theatre.

Entitled Prehistoric Pet Shop it focuses on a caveman who thinks he has bought a parrot egg from his local pet shop. But after it hatches he realises he’s been given a tyrannosaurus rex egg. The dinosaur then chases him out of his house.

The funny animation was made possible thanks to a £4,000 grant from First Light Movies in conjunction with the British Film Council.

The youngsters were helped along the way, using the same computer software the Madagascar animation films were based on, by twin brothers James and Mark Carroll.

The Park South brothers set up evil.twin.artworks and have successfully run their own animation studio for the last decade. They use traditional animation for television, interactive online games, music videos, corporate videos, architectural visualisation and special FX.

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Japanese animation showcase heads for Hong Kong

2009-04-09T20:52:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong has been chosen as the first city outside Tokyo to host a popular Japanese animation exhibition to ride on the wave of previous successes in the host country.

The C3 in Hong Kong: Japanese Character and Hobby Exhibition will be held at the Kowloon Bay International Trade and Exhibition Centre from April 24 to 26 to showcase Japanese cartoons, comics and animation.

Organizers, noting a growing popularity of Japanese animation in Hong Kong, decided to bring the event overseas for the first time to cash in on the rising trend.

"Hong Kong people seem to have the deepest understanding of Japanese culture outside of Japan and so we thought it an appropriate city for our popular event," organizer Retsu Tamura explained yesterday.

"C3 has been the world's largest animation and toys exhibition, and focuses on the three Cs - character, culture and content - of Japanese animation," he said.

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NYC show explores Japanese comic books, animation

2009-04-03T21:24:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK — The gallery of the normally serene Japan Society has been overtaken by scenes of ruined cities, rocket travel, giant fighting robots, prostitution and teenagers in the throes of eating disorders.

The carnage and dysfunction are central to the elaborate fictional worlds of Japanese comics (manga), animated films (anime) and video games now on display in Manhattan.

On a recent weekend, two mothers and their kids huddled over a model of the 1980s video game Pac-Man, trying to get the yellow circle to devour all the dots in a maze without being killed by ghosts.

In another room, a couple of teenage girls crouched down to get inside a small tea house-like enclosure lined with hundreds of manga, some the size of telephone books.

Elsewhere, six anime were being simultaneously projected along a long wall in a room with cubicles where visitors could sit comfortably and watch the same excerpts on smaller screens. (The complete films are shown at scheduled times in the society's basement auditorium on Fridays through Sundays, free of charge with admission.)

The exhibition, "Krazy! The Delirious World of Anime + Manga + Video Games," has been drawing large and diverse crowds — young, old and in-between — since it opened March 13.

Last spring, the Vancouver Art Gallery launched a larger version of the show, aimed at exploring the connections between the pop world of comics, animation and gaming and more highbrow expressions of visual culture.

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Graphic novelist embraces dark side of animation

2009-04-02T21:08:00.000-07:00

The 2007 film Persepolis reminds us that animated features need not be comedies for kids or fairy tales with familiar messages.

Nor need they be in English, in color or elaborately drawn on computers.

The feature, named for the ancient capital of Iran, is the coming-of-age autobiography of its creator, Marjane Satrapi, who chronicled her Iranian childhood in a graphic novel. She and French animator Vincent Paronaud adapted it into a feature, retaining its simple style.

The film, an Oscar nominee for best animated feature, is the next entry in the Ohio Wesleyan University Community Film Series at the Strand Theatre in Delaware.

The narrative recalls the excitement of Satrapi's family when the shah was overthrown in 1979, then the confusion of a restless young girl when Islamic fundamentalists took control and dictated that women cover their heads. The rock 'n' roll that excited young Marjane was driven into the black market.

As she matures, Marjane lives in Vienna, Austria, where she encounters the joys and pains of budding love, and longs to be reunited with her family.

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Animation BPO set for growth

2009-03-27T20:09:00.000-07:00

3-D takes a giant leap into the future

2009-03-19T20:24:00.000-07:00

Hollywood is looking at the future through tinted plastic glasses.

My Bloody Valentine, Coraline and the Jonas Brothers concert film were just warm-up acts. The attack of the 3-D movie revival begins in earnest next Friday when Monsters vs. Aliens, the latest computer-animated funhouse from DreamWorks, is launched into theaters.

At least 12 other titles will follow this year, including such milestones as Up, Pixar's first foray in the format; Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, a rare chance to see that disaster-prone Scrat get flattened in 3-D; and Avatar, James Cameron's return to feature filmmaking after a 12-year hiatus that will attempt to do for live-action futuristic thrillers what his Titanic did for sinking ships.

If ever a digital-age update on what was once an Ike-era novelty were going to take hold — and persuade more theater operators to invest upward of $100,000 to convert to the technology — it is now, with such already anticipated titles ready to give it a real workout.

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Early 2009 Korea Animation and Comics News

2009-03-13T20:22:00.001-07:00

Celebrating this year what is considered the official centennial of the birth of Korean comics, artists and public officials of South Korea have already kicked into high gear a year full of specialized festival and event appearances geared toward increasing the funds available for developing additional, new intellectual property for Korean audiences. With the animation business in the region inching in the direction of a market threatening stagnation and the comics realm still too small to matter for some, the 2009-year should serve as an optimal time for policy-makers and active artists to pursue smartly-partnered, long-term projects.

As a result of this limited opportunity, a few interesting news items have come on the radar concerning Korean animation and comics projects. From the recently announced call for entries for the widely accessible Korean International Cartoons & Animation Festival, to a recent influx of funs from the Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism, to a potential expansion of Korean comic artists in east and central European territories, there are some key industry-specific notes worth checking on at the moment.

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Cartoon Movie 2009: A New Home

2009-03-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

Cartoon Movie's 11th edition moved from its home in Germany to Lyon, France, bringing a new focus on videogames and a record number of participants.

Cartoon Movie moved to a new venue and a new country this year, logging a record attendance and putting a new priority on links with the videogame industry. After 10 years in the historic home of German film at the Babelsberg Studios in Potsdam, the event switched this year to France's second city, Lyon.

While Babelsberg was best known for production of cinema classics such as Metropolis and The Blue Angel, Lyon also has a place in the history of cinema as the city where the Lumiere Brothers invented the cinematograph. In more recent years, however, its media of choice has centered on videogame production.

Cartoon Movie was set up to ease the production of European animation feature films by encouraging co-production between European countries and accelerating the financing and distribution process. Films are presented to an audience of investors, distributors and producers at various stages of development. This year a total of 51 projects were on show with a total budget of €370 million -- seven completed movies, 10 in production, 16 in development and 18 in concept.

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The Animated Scene: A New Journey

2009-03-06T18:37:00.000-08:00

In his last "The Animated Scene" column, Joseph Gilland ruminates on the last year, his new book and some big changes.

Well, here I sit at my computer keyboard, truly at a crossroads in my life. This new year started with both triumph and tragedy for me, and there is something in the air that smells like massive change. Not only for me, but also for the whole world, and especially the United States of America. My small world still revolves almost entirely around the art of animation, but I am as touched by world events as anyone, and before I leave my column here at Animation World Network, I would like to weave a tapestry of animation and worldly events, as well as the profound personal journey that we all embark upon, simply by being alive at this time, on this planet.

Late last summer, I began a new journey in my animation career, as I was working around the clock to finish my book about special effects animation. For the first time in almost 30 years, I found myself out of work, with no immediate prospects for a new job in plain sight. It was a perfect time to throw myself into the final difficult stages of finishing my book, an undertaking that proved to be far more complicated and challenging than I had ever imagined. I was completely strapped financially, and there was quite a bit of stress related to that, me being a single parent with a healthy and extremely active teenage boy to provide for. But I applied myself 100 percent to the task at hand. My book, Elemental Magic: The Art of Special Effects Animation, had been in the works for more than four years at that point. Lucky for me, I had a real deadline to meet this time, and that was just the incentive I needed. (My apologies to the editors at AWN for not quite making my column deadlines on multiple occasions) So the book got finished, right around the same time that I found a small independent animation studio in the Vancouver area, looking for a visual effects supervisor with the kind of experience I could bring to the table. Whew! It was a close call. I was still finishing the last touches of the book, working 'till the wee hours of the morning, when I first started designing and planning the special effects elements for the new Thomas the Tank Engine series being produced at Nitrogen Studios.

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DreamWorks Animation Fourth-Quarter Profit Drops 45%

2009-03-05T19:29:00.000-08:00

DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. said fourth-quarter profit fell 45 percent as the studio’s latest DVD release “Kung Fu Panda” failed to match revenue from “Shrek the Third” a year earlier.

Net income dropped to $51.6 million, or 58 cents a share, from $94.1 million, or 98 cents, in the year-ago period, Glendale, California-based DreamWorks Animation said today in a statement. Profit, including a 12-cent tax benefit, missed the 62-cent average of analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Studios including DreamWorks Animation have been hurt by shrinking DVD sales, even with films such as “Panda,” the sixth biggest box-office seller in U.S. and Canadian theaters last year. Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Katzenberg said in December the company will produce TV shows, branch into live events and release 3-D movies to combat the decline. “Monsters Vs. Aliens,” its first 3-D film, opens on March 27.

“ It’s all a shortfall in ‘Kung Fu Panda,’” Michael Pachter, an analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities, said today in an e-mail. He has a buy rating on the shares.

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Animation makes it into the mainstream

2009-02-27T19:27:00.000-08:00

Animation is more than a century old and yet it is only in the last decade or so that is has made it into the mainstream.

“Now it has become an industry in its own right,” says Craig Wessels, of Wicked Pixels, a Cape Town-based production company that specialises in producing high-impact commercials for leading advertising agencies around the world. The company also produces on-air imaging for leading broadcasters. Clients include HBO, MTV, DSTV, SABC and e.tv.

“Whatever work we do, it's almost always for broadcast,” says Wessels.

TV here in SA works on 25 frames per second, and he likened a single frame to a poster, but of equal importance to the frames before, and those after.

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DreamWorks Animation profit drops 45% in fourth quarter

2009-02-26T19:31:00.000-08:00

Revenue from the DVD release of 'Kung Fu Panda' fails to match that of 'Shrek the Third' a year earlier.

DreamWorks Animation Studios reported a 45% drop in net income during the fourth quarter of 2008 as DVD revenue from "Kung Fu Panda" failed to match that of "Shrek the Third" a year earlier.

Results were below analysts' estimates.

The Glendale studio reported that net income declined to $51.6 million, or 58 cents a share, from $94.1 million, or 98 cents, a year earlier. Revenue for the quarter ended Dec. 31 fell 31% to $199.8 million.

DVD sales from "Kung Fu Panda" generated $102 million in revenue during the quarter, compared with $179 million pulled in by "Shrek the Third" after its release in the fourth quarter of 2007.

"Kung Fu Panda," which grossed more than $630 million in worldwide ticket sales, was released on DVD in November, in time for holiday shopping season.

Home video sales in general, which Hollywood has relied upon for years to bolster the movie business, have slowed considerably as the recession has cut into consumer spending.

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Animated documentaries come into their own as an accepted genre

2009-02-20T19:38:00.000-08:00

TORONTO — Animated historical films like the Oscar-nominated "Waltz With Bashir," the narrative-driven "Persepolis" and innovative hybrid "Chicago 10" are redefining the concept of documentary films, with fans heralding the features as part of a powerful new genre that can be just as effective, if not more so, as docs that rely solely on traditional footage.

"Waltz With Bashir" in particular has launched a new breed of filmmaking into the spotlight by melding evocative, sometimes dreamlike illustrations of an Israeli army mission to Lebanon in the '80s with real interviews with former soldiers.

It may sound like a contradiction in terms, but there can be such a thing as an "animated documentary," says Sean Farnel of the Toronto-based Hot Docs, billed as North America's largest documentary film festival.

"All documentaries are constructed in one way or another - filmmakers have to make decisions about what they shoot for instance, they have to make decisions about what they edit. It is storytelling. It's all in the service of getting to some kind of deeper truth about something," says Farnel, Hot Doc's director of programming.

"In a film like 'Waltz With Bashir,' even though the film is animated and the visuals are still highly constructed, the story itself has a very direct connection to real events and real emotions and I think that's what gives that film its power and that's what gives documentary its power, this direct connection to real events."

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Kung Fu Panda' vs. 'WALL-E" for animation Oscar

2009-02-19T19:25:00.000-08:00

Art versus commerce, critical taste versus popular opinion - not the issues usually associated with animated cartoons. But these are the undercurrents of this year's Oscar race for best animated feature, making the category a bit more exciting than usual.

In June, Disney/Pixar released "WALL-E," about a droopy-eyed, trash-compacting robot who saves the Earth from a polluting mega-corporation. It became a massive favorite among critics, who compared it to Charlie Chaplin's silent masterpieces (its first 40 minutes are nearly wordless) and crowned it the year's best film in the Village Voice's recent critics' poll. Until recently, "WALL-E" seemed the clear front-runner for the animation Oscar, to be announced Sunday.

But then came last month's Annie Awards for animation, a low-profile but important honor. And the top prize went to - "Kung Fu Panda"?

That DreamWorks Animation product, about a chubby panda (voiced by Jack Black) who becomes an unlikely martial-arts master, received decent reviews but became a major crowd-pleaser. Worldwide, "Kung Fu Panda" outgrossed "WALL-E" by about $100 million, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com.

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8-year-old computer wizard makes 1,000 animation films

2009-02-17T19:03:00.000-08:00

Aman Rehman is merely eight years old but teaches "students" who are thrice his age. Popularly known as the "computerwala bachcha" in Dehra Dun, where he lives, this little genius is a computer animation wizard and has made more than 1,000 animation films till date. Aman, the youngest of four siblings, began showing interest in computers at the age of three.

"We had bought a second-hand computer for our eldest son and Aman would sit watching his elder brother work at it. He would dabble at it whenever his elder brother was away. While his friends would be playing in the fields, he would be sitting at the computer. I would scold him because I thought that he would spoil the machine, but Aman would not listen," says his mother Shabnam.

Aman’s father, M. Rehman, is illiterate and works as a scooter mechanic in Dehra Dun. When some of his friends saw Aman work at the computer, they advised him to take the child to some computer experts.

Aman’s father approached the authorities at the Dehra Dun College of Interactive Arts and after considerable convincing, the authorities agreed to watch the boy work on computers.

So impressed were the college authorities with Aman’s skills that they immediately offered him admission. Within a month, Aman had written his own programme and completed the 15-month animation course in less than three months.

The College of Interactive Arts has now provided him with a scholarship for further studies and the state government has given him a laptop and Rs 1 lakh as incentive.

Aman, with 1,000 animated films to his credit, has now applied for an entry in the Young Achiever’s category of the Guinness World Records.

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36th Annual Annie Award Winners

2009-02-09T19:45:00.000-08:00

The Annie Awards for this past year have come and gone, and the many artistic and technical awards that the animation community hands out to its many, deserving recipients have made their way to their respective owners. Taking place at UCLA's Royce Hall, the 36th Annual Annie Awards resumed their critical acknowledgement of key individuals (and teams of individuals) responsible for the development or production of the past year's best animation for film and television.

Taking the ceremony by storm this year was the DreamWorks Animation movie Kung Fu Panda, which registered an astounding 15 combined awards. Most notably drawing applause for Best Animated Feature, Best Directing (in a Feature), and Production Design (in a Feature); Kung Fu Panda, or one of its individual contributors, won every single category for which it was originally nominated. Suddenly, the widespread professional acknowledgement of the artistic merits of feature animation feels within reach.

In front of an audience of a reported 1800 or more last week, the masters of the cartoon world honored their own, regardless of the media type--claymation, traditional animation, or computer animation. Nickelodeon's fantasy-adventure epic Avatar: the Last Airbender, which finished its TV run last fall, took home two high profile awards: Best Directing (for TV) and Best Animated TV Production (for Children)

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Support for CSS animations added to WebKit nightly build

2009-02-08T19:15:00.000-08:00

The WebKit team has been working on improving the CSS standard and recently added support for "explicit" keyframe-based animations to the nightly builds of WebKit, giving developers a powerful way to animate styles without having to use other animation tools.

There are always new features being added to WebKit, making it a bit hard at times to keep track of just what it can do. In the case of CSS, the WebKit folks have been working on enhancements to the standard for a while now, and the project recently gained support for a rather nifty enhancement. Called CSS Animations, the feature gives developers the ability to create style-related animations without having to use JavaScript, Flash, or other animation tools.

WebKit already contains some animation functionality in the form of support for CSS transitions, but the addition of "explicit animations" (no, not like that) gives Web developers an even more powerful tool. The new CSS animations use the concept of "keyframes," which, in this case, are styles that will be applied at a particular point in the animation. The CSS animation engine then figures out what should go in between the keyframes, thus creating the animation.

The WebKit developers also provide sample code for "pulse" animations, which are apparently "the new blink," although I wasn't aware we needed a new blink in the first place. So far, the feature is specific to WebKit (and not yet Safari), but if you'd like to try the animations out, support is now included in the WebKit nightly builds. The iPhone 2.0 version of WebKit also supports CSS animations and performance is supposedly quite good, so mobile users can get in on the fun too.

Source : http://arstechnica.com/

Postgraduate Courses in Computer Animation

2009-02-06T18:21:00.000-08:00

The UK is a world leader in computer animation courses and companies. Prof John Vince of the National Centre for Computer Animation at Bournemouth University tells you what you need to know.

The growth of computer graphics over the last three decades has been incredible. Today, the world of computer animation has become a sophisticated discipline supported by exotic software and real-time workstations. A world dominated by young, talented computer animators, who are completely at home building virtual worlds and animating impossible scenarios. No one would dare claim that computer animation has settled down as a stable industry; it is still exploding in all directions creating new opportunities for industry and opening up amazing career opportunities. A postgraduate course in computer animation can enhance your employment prospects and further your career opportunities.

It is therefore, no surprise, that more and more students are considering computer animation as a career. The very thought of being involved in Oscar-winning special effects films, 3D computer games and computer-generated films is very tempting. Add to this the prospect of earning a healthy salary and it is no wonder that computer animation courses are in great demand.

Fortunately, this enthusiasm to seek a career in digital media is more than matched by industry's need for educated and knowledgeable people. And the pressure is really on academic to respond to this growing demand.

Companies such as Industrial Light & Magic, Pixar, Dreamworks and Disney are amongst those companies leading the way by creating an incredible market for computer-generated images. However, the film industry is only part of the story: apart from film special effects, there are other important sectors such as computer games, entertainment simulators, advertising, TV, multimedia and the Internet. Collectively, they form a mass global industry that is worth billions of dollars.

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‘Monsters vs. Aliens’ Super Bowl commercial signals a 3-D invasion

2009-02-05T18:20:00.000-08:00

Reese Witherspoon voices a friendly giant mutant monster in the upcoming “Monsters vs. Aliens.” Its 3-D technology is “the most revolutionary thing that has happened to film since the evolution of color,” says studio chief Jeffrey Katzenberg.

DreamWorks Animation head honcho Jeffrey Katzenberg is having a hard time trying to exactly describe some of the 3-D features of his studio’s upcoming release “Monsters vs. Aliens.”

“There’s that wonderful expression: A picture is worth 1,000 words,” he finally begins. “Well, a 3-D picture is worth 3,000 words. It’s just a whole new unique way to enjoy a movie.”

“Monsters,” which hits theaters March 27, is part of an unprecedented flood of 3-D films being released over the next two months. For anyone who thinks the current resurgence will be a repeat of 1953 — when 3-D exploded onto the scene with “It Came From Outer Space” and “House of Wax,” then quickly faded away — Katzenberg says don’t count on it.

“Digital projection allows for a beautiful, pristine image and eliminates all of the imperfections that were such a presence in old 3-D and very annoying,” he says. “There are also new polarized glasses that are very comfortable to wear — they are cool glasses, not cardboard and cheesy.”

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3-dimensional strategy takes shape for marketers, TV shows

2009-02-04T18:22:00.000-08:00

Don your helmets, err … your 3-D glasses. You'll need them for a Super Bowl weekend ad and programming blitz in three dimensions.

Procter & Gamble kicks it off Friday with a 3-D website for Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal.

P&G joins PepsiCo and DreamWorks Animation in using the proliferating technology for a marketing stunt. During the big game, Pepsi and DreamWorks Animation will air back-to-back 3-D ads for SoBe Lifewater and DreamWorks' upcoming 3-D movie, Monsters vs. Aliens.

PepsiCo has distributed more than 130 million pairs of those goofy 3-D glasses via more than 25,000 grocery, drug and mass retail stores. Intel, a provider of 3-D technology for both the movie and the ads, paid for the production of them, which can cost up to a nickel each.

P&G's promotion is a stealth play. It's counting on site visitors to use the specs Pepsi doled out. The site shows close-ups of whitening-strip wearers kissing at KissMeIn3D.com. The point is to show that the strips can't be seen, and besides, says Heath Rudduck, executive creative director for Crest digital agency Digitas, "No one really enjoys kissing in 2-D."

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Animation films, the real money spinners of B'wood

2009-02-03T18:10:00.000-08:00

Mumbai: Yashraj Films' much awaited co-production with Walt Disney Roadside Romeo, a Rs 23-crore animation featuring the voices of Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor released to empty houses in 2008.

And though Akshay Kumar's much hyped animation debut Jumbo failed to make an impact, the franchise is already in sequel mode.

Joining the sequel bandwagon is Shemaroo's Bal Ganesh and a step ahead with a threequel is Baba Arts's My Friend Ganesha.

Figures suggest that animation features recover only 15 per cent of their budgets through ticket sales. So why do producers pump in money for a genre that’s a high risk zone as far as box-office success goes? Simply because they make for great television content and with the growing number of children’s channels, animated features with indigenous content are hot property.

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What can Walt Disney Animation Studios do to save itself? Ditch digital

2009-02-02T18:52:00.000-08:00

I’m going to apologize in advance for today's column because I'm sure that it's going to make a lot of people angry. I have a plan that some might call radical. But it’s a plan that I’m afraid we need. Tough times demand tough decisions, and here’s one to consider:

Get rid of digital animation at Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Yep. I said it. I think that WDAS should stop producing CG animated features and should instead concentrate on reviving hand-drawn animation.

Now, lest you think this is some kind of impassioned plea about the “purity” of hand-drawn animation -- think again. This is not some geeky, fan boy rant about which is the better cartoon medium. Far from it. This is pure business stuff. Corporate strategy, some might call it. Tough things that you gotta do when running a business during tough times.

Animation has been going through a fair amount of turmoil over the past few years. Some “business geniuses” had the bright idea that animation was going through a paradigm shift. This was all because a new tool had been invented. A tool that gave us the ability to move objects in a computer. According to these suits, this brilliant new tool was what would move animation moving to the next level. Hand-drawn animation had reached its limit, they said. Digital animation was the new paradigm. Hand-drawn was dead, and rightly so.

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Animated films are banging seriously at the academy’s glass ceiling

2009-02-01T18:22:00.000-08:00

The Oscar-nominated “Waltz With Bashir,” about war, guilt and memory as filtered through the experiences of former Israeli soldiers, is violent and deeply disturbing. Like last year’s “Persepolis” — a young woman’s memoir of growing up in revolutionary Iran — it employs animation to tell a dead serious story.

“Serious” cartoons. Feels like a trend.

“It’s a lot more than a trend,” said Joe Beck, author of The Animated Movie Guide and Outlaw Animation. “It’s absolutely here. And it’s growing.”

In 2008 four of the top 10 box office hits were animated. “WALL-E,” “Kung Fu Panda,” “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” and “Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!” earned a combined $778 million.

And even when they’re aimed at small fry and their parents, animators are seizing the opportunity to present dark themes and complex stories and to examine real-world issues.

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Roadside Romeo makes it to animation Oscars' shortlist

2009-01-30T18:40:00.000-08:00

Indian film industry has just bagged its first nomination at the prestigious Visual Effects Society (VES) awards, known as the Oscars of the animation and visual effects industry.

India’s first full length animation 3D film, Roadside Romeo, co-produced by Yash Raj Films and Disney, has been nominated in the ‘Outstanding Animation in an Animated Motion Picture’ category alongside big Hollywood animation films such as Dreamworks’ Kung-fu Panda and Disney’s Wall-E.

Tata Elxsi, the Bangalore-based VFX arm of the Tata Group, has done the entire animation for the film and a large contingent from the company is heading to Los Angeles for the awards, which are scheduled just a day before the Oscar night on February 21.

“This is the Oscars for us. When we heard the news of nomination, we felt so proud of our achievement. Just the fact that our name and our work was in the same category as the legendary Dreamworks and Pixar was unbelievable. Having said that, we always knew while making Roadside Romeo that we were doing something special. But I guess it’s just the Indian humility that we remain in awe of the work done by these big studios,” said Pankaj Khandpur, creative director of Visual Computing Labs (VCL).

Khandpur’s excitement also comes from the fact that this is the first time that a property created in India has been nominated for VES awards for excellence in visual effects and animation. Though Khandpur could barely contain his excitement, he assured us that he and his team double checked that they were the first to notch a nomination in any category at VES.

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Animation Software delivers real-time cinematic results.

2009-01-29T18:57:00.000-08:00

January 29, 2009 - Designed for users of MAXON CINEMA 4D, Craft Director Tools(TM) utilize artificial intelligence and autonomous control systems to condense traditional animation processes. Craft Camera Tools provide real-time camera control for immediate, professional-quality cinematic results, while Craft Vehicles allow artists to create realistic simulations for in-motion vehicles. Craft Accessories add finishing touches to productions by simulating and animating props.

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Princess-Themed 'Strawberry Shortcake' Animation on DVD

2009-01-28T19:50:00.000-08:00

Things have been a little turbulent over the past few months for little miss Shortcake, to say the least. The Strawberry Shortcake property, which has been tugged back and forth between competing brand management companies in international sales discussions, for its multi-billion dollar net value, holds a relatively unknown future. Although in the long-term the animated Shortcake and her sugary sweet friends may not have a definitive home, the 2009 short-term is still looking up; first with the February home video release of the princess-themed "Happily Ever After."

Strawberry Shortcake, currently a property of the American Greetings group (Holly Hobbie, Maryoku Yummy), has become what is arguably the most lucrative character re-branding ever of a classic children's property of decades past.

One of a few select animation titles touted in discussion between AG and Cookie Jar Entertainment last year in terms of a sale of the entire brand, Strawberry Shortcake, now with the deal having fallen through, remains with a somewhat uncertain future in animation despite a variety of intriguing re-branding projects already well laid out [past A.I. news: "AGP Readies New 'Strawberry Shortcake' Revival" (07/2008)].

Scheduled for release from 20th Century Fox home entertainment, the DVD release "Happily Ever After" is one of several seasonal or themed video releases under the Shortcake moniker.

For this particular animation release, Strawberry Shortcake and her fruit-flavored friends take in a more fanciful story, in "Sleeping Beauty," where a neglected fairy casts a sleeping spell over Princess Strawberry Rose. Of course, at the insistence of friendly fairies--the familiar personalities of Tangerinaberry, Orangeberry, Gingerberry, and others--it's up to Prince Huckleberry to teach everyone a lesson on friendship (and to save the princess).

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Animation Movie Industry Needs Support

2009-01-27T18:52:00.000-08:00

A GHANAIAN cartoonist, Pastor Joseph Gyebi, has expressed the need for players in the arts and entertainment industry and the corporate world to give particular attention to the county’s seemingly dormant animation movie industry.

According to him, even though cartoon movie is one excellent area to positively tell the true African stories to children especially and Ghanaians in general, much is not done to encourage cartoonists.

“The industry is not getting the necessary support it needs. There is no support for the industry. We have been doing animation for some time now but we don’t get support. People like Zingaro, one of Ghana’s top animation producers, only gets support from outsiders,” he said.

Pastor Gyebi said these in a brief interview with Beatwaves on Saturday at the British Council in Accra where his outfit, Parable Production, an animation company, premiered an intriguing animated feature movie based on the February 28 disturbances which led to the tragic death of Private Odartey Lamptey, Corporal Attipoe and Sergeant Adjetey 61 years ago and subsequently the national agitation for the country’s independence.

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Nasscom empowers women with animation skills

2009-01-26T19:02:00.000-08:00

Bangalore: With animation training mushrooming in every nook and corner of the country, Nasscom Foundation (NF), the social development arm of Nasscom has introduced an only-for-women animation skills training. The training has been introduced at NF's Hyderabad and Sangli center, whereby along with tools training the trainees will also be engaged in developing their soft skills.

At the Sangli center, the women are all Government Diploma holders in Fine Arts while the Hyderabad center have picked up girls who were engaged in Zardosi work or Mehendi designing, generally women with artistic inclination. The program, which comes with a job guarantee, has a significantly lesser course fee and the girls can pay it once they are employed. In Hyderabad, NF has tied up with an animation studio that will employ these trained girls and in Sangli they will get to work on a Maharashtra government project.

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SIGGRAPH Award Winner Nominated for Oscar

2009-01-23T18:27:00.001-08:00

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences just announced that the SIGGRAPH 2008 Computer Animation Festival Best of Show winner, Oktapodi, is among five animated short films nominated for a 2009 Oscar®. Since 1999, the SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival has been an official qualifying festival for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Animated Short Film award. No fewer than 16 films from the SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival have been nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Animated Short.

The film’s directors, Emud Mokhberi and Thierry Marchand were students when they made the film – a tale of two octopi in their comical escape from the grasp of a stubborn and determined restaurant cook. During the SIGGRAPH 2008 Computer Animation Festival, competition screening audiences were able to vote for their favorite selection to win the esteemed Audience Prize – an accolade also given to Oktapodi.

“SIGGRAPH continues to be the place to showcase the latest technical achievements and innovations in animations and computer graphics,” stated Carlye Archibeque, SIGGRAPH 2009 Computer Animation Festival Executive Producer from Sony Pictures Imageworks. “Having SIGGRAPH films continue to show up as nominees for the Academy Awards® is a testament to the incredible pieces that are prevalent throughout the SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival. We expect nothing different this year.”

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Disney animation exhibit to open in New Orleans

2009-01-22T18:37:00.000-08:00

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A big show of animation art from the Walt Disney studio will open in November at the New Orleans Museum of Art, a month before the release of an animated movie set in New Orleans that features Disney's first African-American princess.

Dreams Come True: Art of the Classic Fairy Tales from the Walt Disney Studio will run through mid-March 2010.

"It was Disney animators who really led the way in the 20th century toward establishing animation as a serious art form," museum director John Bullard said.

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Disney animation show to run in New Orleans

2009-01-21T18:29:00.000-08:00

NEW ORLEANS - A big show of animation art from the Walt Disney studio will open in November at the New Orleans Museum of Art, a month before the release of an animated movie set in New Orleans that features Disney's first African-American princess.

"Dreams Come True: Art of the Classic Fairy Tales from the Walt Disney Studio" will run through mid-March 2010.

"It was Disney animators who really led the way in the 20th century toward establishing animation as a serious art form," museum director John Bullard said.

The Walt Disney Corp. suggested the exhibition to the museum, and Bullard made several trips to Disney's animation research library to decide what will be shown, museum spokesman Jim Mulvihill said.

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India's animation sector moves up value chain

2009-01-20T19:32:00.000-08:00

INDIA--The animated films market is growing at a fast rate in India, where in the last one year alone, nearly 85 such shows were announced.

2008 saw the box office release of several animated movies in the country, such as Roadside Romeo, Ghatothkach, Dashavatar and My Friend Ganesha 2.

Sangeeta Gupta, vice president, Nasscom, told ZDNetAsia in a phone interview: "In the last two years, the domestic market for animation has grown significantly. And so has the quality of production."

The mainstream film industry too is increasingly using animation and special effects. In the last 18 months, Bollywood has released several Hindi movies with special effects and animation, such as Drona, Taare Zameen Par, Jodha Akbar and Love Story 2050.

According to Nasscom, a total of 85 domestic animation movies have been announced over the last year and 28 are in different stages of production.

Gupta said: "Animation companies have also started focusing on building original IP (intellectual property), which they can leverage in terms of merchandising and TV broadcast revenues."

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Animation film series

2009-01-19T18:43:00.000-08:00

The spring 2009 semester International Film Series will be showing animation films in February in order to appeal to a broader audience.

PUC's animation film series theme was chosen by Josh Travis, the film series student assistant.
"We choose to show people something that they would not normally see. Animation films should be taken as seriously as other films," said Travis.

Steve Lombardo, director of the international film series, said he wants people to get the full experience of the artwork in the films.

The film series begins Feb. 4 showing French film "Persepolis." Feb. 12 the series will present Czeck Republic film, "Little Otik." A Japanese film, "Millennium Actress" will be shown Feb. 18, and "Watership Down," a United Kingdom film will be shown Feb. 26.

"What I hope students will gain from the animation theme is a respect for the works of art that are full length themes; films of great artistic quality that would never be screened here in the states," Lombardo said.

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'Can't stand modern animation'

2009-01-18T19:16:00.000-08:00

HONG KONG - IN the age of digital animation and computer special effects, Hayao Miyazaki is a purist.

The 67-year-old Oscar-winning master animator known for his hand-drawn movies said in a newspaper interview on Sunday he hasn't seen any of the major digitally animated films in the last two decades.

'I can't stand modern movies. The images are too weird and eccentric for me,' Miyazaki told Hong Kong's Sunday Morning Post in an interview to promote his latest movie, 'Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.'

Miyazaki said his recruits are tested in a boot camp where mobile phones, iPods and other electronic devices are banned.

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Creating Eye Catching Banners

2009-01-16T20:16:00.000-08:00

Everyone with a web site should have at least one banner - for banner exchange programs, advertising on other sites, and targeted reciprocal banner exchanges. So, what do you do if you have no experience in creating an eye catching banner? Read on...

Banners are a mini advertisement with ONE purpose - To get the viewer to click on it! (Of course, you may use banners to brand your name, but ALL banner creators want the viewers to click it!)

Animated banners have proven to be clicked more often, but you have to be careful they don't drag a pages load time down too much, or surfers may be resentful. Some animation can be downright ugly, so be careful not to go overboard.

So, how to get people to click your banner, animated or not? Remember some of these key factors:

A quick load time is imperative. People won't wait to see what you banner says, so make sure they don't have too. You can do this by limiting the colors you use in your banner, and by the size of the banner. ("Average" banners are either 400x40 pixels or 468x60 pixels.)
As mentioned earlier, you want the viewer to CLICK the banner, not read your sales pitch, mission statement, etc. A short one liner with a great incentive for them to click may work best. Don't write:
"FREE MONEY - Click Here!"
if you're advertising your secretarial service, because such trickery usually only backfires. On the other hand, if you're promoting your expertise in finding lost money, that may not be a bad line.
Some people are turned off if your business name or product name is not in the banner, and will not click through. But I think the majority of people click on banner that pique their curiosity, so you may or may not want to include this infomation.
One thing you should include is your URL, especially one that is short and memorable, if you want to brand your web site address.
Contrasing colors will help your banner stand out. As a firm believer in having all of your marketing materials work together, try to choose colors, and a 'look', that match your web sites own colors and look.
Writing "Click Here" somewhere on the banner has helped countless banners by clicked a little more then others. By reminding readers that yes, this is a clickable graphic leading to something you're intested in, you'll get that many more hits to your site.
A newer trend is to use things that look like the things we click on our computers everyday - windows to type in, drop-down screens, etc.

Having a nicely designed banner is very important - just as having nicely designed business cards, brochures, flyers, and web sites are of utmost importance. Remember, the key is to get them to click, and look good doing it.

Source : http://www.promotionworld.com/

Studios using 3-D more to attract moviegoers

2009-01-15T19:23:00.000-08:00

There are a whole mess of 3-D movies coming out this year that won't just be for the kiddies. The first 3-D movie of '09, "My Bloody Valentine," opening today, puts viewers up close and personal with an unstoppable killer whose tool of choice is a pickax.

The competition between motion picture studios and home entertainment systems is driving the increase in 3-D movies, said Steven Smith of Movie Marketplace. "Studios along with theater exhibitors are looking for ways to enhance the experience and drive people to theaters."

Both DreamWorks Animation and Pixar Studios have announced that all future feature films will be released in 3-D, said Nikki Kealalio, director of marketing for Krikorian Theaters. "Nearly all our theaters have one 3-D viewing room, so we will show these movies in both 3-D and 2-D."

Several Krikorian Theaters broadcasted the 2009 FedEx BCS National Championship game live in digital 3-D last Thursday and will broadcast the NBA All Stars game in February as well.

"We're going to be doing a lot more live sporting events," Kealalio said. "We will eventually start adding more 3-D rooms to our theaters so there will be more viewing capabilities."

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Animation Tips & Tricks

2009-01-13T18:59:00.000-08:00

Animation is all the rage on the web and is becoming more popular every day. But before you begin to create animations for your site, you need to consider some basic questions, such as: What is the purpose of the animation? What kind of audience do you want to draw? What are you trying to say/promote? Will the animation add interest to your site or detract from it? If you've decided that having an animation will add value and interest to your site, we now move onto other considerations. These include file formats and file size, along with design and execution.

When looking at the available image and animation formats, here are a few things to keep in mind. JPEG, (Joint Photographic Experts Group) is a 24-bit file format and is the best choice for compressing photographs, realistic artwork, gray-scale images, etc. As a JPEG file is compressed, it discarding data and referred to as a "lossy" format. Repeated saving discards more data and can cause "artifacts," where portions of the image begin to clump together.

GIF, (Graphic Interchange Format) is the format of choice to compress lettering, simple cartoons, and line drawings. GIF images are often made up of Vector graphics, such as lines and curves, which are mathematically defined, so they produce a high quality result, regardless of how much they are scaled. GIF files are often composed of few colors and compress well. Other common animation formats are AVI (Audio-Video Interleaved - a desktop video movie format from Microsoft), MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) Quicktime and SWF (the Flash Player format).

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