Hollywood is the center of the film industry in the West, Bollywood its center in the East. But where is the capital of Toontown? If Crew 972 has anything to say about it, Tel Aviv will be the world center for quality animation.
"Our expertise is in high-quality animation and with a focus on top-tier clients: service work, advertising, film, Internet, and DVD," says company co-founder Michelle Orrelle, noting the company's client list. Crew 972 has worked directly for Aardman Animations - of Wallace & Gromit fame; Bren Productions - the 3D animation arm of Spain's Filmax Studios; Electronic Arts and Super Villain Studios; with advertising agencies Leo Burnett, Ogilvy and Mathers, Young & Rubicam, and as subcontractor on projects for Cartoon Network and others under non-disclosure agreement. This week, a new Crew 972 project is being tested at Warner Brother's studios.
"We've identified that Israel is a boutique provider of talent, innovation and creativity," Michelle tells ISRAEL21c. "It's not a mass animation producer like China or India, the Far East, or Eastern Europe. Israel's cultural compatibility is one advantage that we have; the Israeli sense of humor is one the US audience understands."
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Showing posts with label Cartoon Animation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cartoon Animation. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Israel's Crew 972 is animated about cartoons
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Cartoon Animation
Even though many people wouldn't consider cartoon animation writing, in its own way it is definitely a form. For a cartoon to work you need many things: expression, a climax, a story line, and a beginning and ending. Each picture represents a sentence in a story. Every word is represented by a figure and its action.
The first time this idea was conceived was during the beginning of the 20th century in England by Emil Cohl. This concept of story writing was first exhibited in 1831. After its first time shown to the public it became very popular. It even started to catch on in America. The first man in America to attempt cartoon animation was Stuart Blackton. After awhile, Walt Disney caught on and became the most active producer of animated cartoons.
Not all animated cartoons have to be very in depth. It's all about simplicity and keeping the viewer's attention. Any one can put together his/her own successful cartoon. It's all about knowing how your audience thinks and feels. Entertainment is the key.
There are many tactics used to make an animated cartoon work; Walt Disney used them all. People like familiar faces or figures they can relate to. Animal figures seem to work the best in this situation. People also want excitement and conflict. They want battles and chase scenes mixed with conflict: dog against cat against mouse usually keeps the audience entertained. Violence where the characters don't get hurt always keeps the story going. And the use of high action, miraculous feats, bright colors, and human qualities are a must.
In cartoon animation the story line and the characters are only the beginning. Now you have to put it all together and in motion. A series of figures, each showing a slightly different stage in motion, needs to be drawn. Then they separately need to be photographed--frame by frame--and projected on a screen fast enough to create the illusion of continuous movement. And there you go, your story is expressed by your figure's actions. You finally have your animated cartoon.
Source : http://www.sarasota.k12.fl.us/
The first time this idea was conceived was during the beginning of the 20th century in England by Emil Cohl. This concept of story writing was first exhibited in 1831. After its first time shown to the public it became very popular. It even started to catch on in America. The first man in America to attempt cartoon animation was Stuart Blackton. After awhile, Walt Disney caught on and became the most active producer of animated cartoons.
Not all animated cartoons have to be very in depth. It's all about simplicity and keeping the viewer's attention. Any one can put together his/her own successful cartoon. It's all about knowing how your audience thinks and feels. Entertainment is the key.
There are many tactics used to make an animated cartoon work; Walt Disney used them all. People like familiar faces or figures they can relate to. Animal figures seem to work the best in this situation. People also want excitement and conflict. They want battles and chase scenes mixed with conflict: dog against cat against mouse usually keeps the audience entertained. Violence where the characters don't get hurt always keeps the story going. And the use of high action, miraculous feats, bright colors, and human qualities are a must.
In cartoon animation the story line and the characters are only the beginning. Now you have to put it all together and in motion. A series of figures, each showing a slightly different stage in motion, needs to be drawn. Then they separately need to be photographed--frame by frame--and projected on a screen fast enough to create the illusion of continuous movement. And there you go, your story is expressed by your figure's actions. You finally have your animated cartoon.
Source : http://www.sarasota.k12.fl.us/
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Importance of Cartoon and How Cartoons Work : The Cartoon Code
An understanding of the impact of cartoons rests in part on an appreciation of the cartoon code, how and why it works the way it does. Under scrutiny, the cartoon code is surprisingly complex, but it is not without logic. There are a handful of basic techniques which the cartoonist manipulates to create a symbolic world of make-believe.
Basically, cartoonists, as all good communicators, transmit information through three processes: leveling, sharpening and assimilation
In the process of leveling, communication is simplified. The cartoonist radically "levels" what we usually see in our perceptual field. The cartoon is 2-dimensional rather than 3-dimensional. It is often black and white rather than full color, retaining the outline of a figure with only a hint of the form's texture, shade and shape.
Even the outline is usually simplified with the cartoonist dropping needless objects and details. If possible the cartoonist does not use two lines where one line will do.
In sharpening, some items drop out so that the remaining items gather in importance. The figures stand out crisply from the background. As a cartoon body shrinks, the head expands. As wrinkles and minor features drop out, the expressive features of eyes, mouth and brows (features that move and are therefore the most informative in the human face) become more prominent.
Finally, the cartoonist assimilates through exaggeration and interpolation so that the fantasy, while still make-believe, "makes sense" for the reader.
Thus the square-jawed hero becomes even more firm of jaw. The dull person is made to look positively idiotic and the mean one becomes thoroughly villainous.
While the cartoon code is a convenient shorthand, it is also a starting point for criticism of the cartoon as a form of popular communication: simplifying can lead to oversimplification; sharpening can unfairly caricature; exaggeration can become stereotype which perpetuates the worst racial, ethnic or sexist elements of popular culture.
Nevertheless if a cartoon "works" the reader forgives any manipulation involved because of the insight gained.
Basically, cartoonists, as all good communicators, transmit information through three processes: leveling, sharpening and assimilation
In the process of leveling, communication is simplified. The cartoonist radically "levels" what we usually see in our perceptual field. The cartoon is 2-dimensional rather than 3-dimensional. It is often black and white rather than full color, retaining the outline of a figure with only a hint of the form's texture, shade and shape.
Even the outline is usually simplified with the cartoonist dropping needless objects and details. If possible the cartoonist does not use two lines where one line will do.
In sharpening, some items drop out so that the remaining items gather in importance. The figures stand out crisply from the background. As a cartoon body shrinks, the head expands. As wrinkles and minor features drop out, the expressive features of eyes, mouth and brows (features that move and are therefore the most informative in the human face) become more prominent.
Finally, the cartoonist assimilates through exaggeration and interpolation so that the fantasy, while still make-believe, "makes sense" for the reader.
Thus the square-jawed hero becomes even more firm of jaw. The dull person is made to look positively idiotic and the mean one becomes thoroughly villainous.
While the cartoon code is a convenient shorthand, it is also a starting point for criticism of the cartoon as a form of popular communication: simplifying can lead to oversimplification; sharpening can unfairly caricature; exaggeration can become stereotype which perpetuates the worst racial, ethnic or sexist elements of popular culture.
Nevertheless if a cartoon "works" the reader forgives any manipulation involved because of the insight gained.
These basic cartoon strategies can be most easily seen with simple demonstrations.
In this figure the human face has been "leveled" to a circular shape, two eye dots, and a mouth line. The enormous complexities of the human physiognomy have been reduced to their bare essentials, but they are not distorted.
In the next step, the cartoonist "sharpens" and "assimilates" through the placement of facial features. Exaggerating these elements creates the look of youth, or sadness or bewilderment.
The cartoonist can begin to create these impressions even before adding the more obvious smiles or frowns, ears or noses, hair-do or costume. And these simplified exaggerated faces tend to be "funny". They are recognizable, yet they are unusual.
Telegraphing Emotion
Research identifies half a dozen universally recognized facial expressions of emotion: happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust. Some of these expressions are perceptually complex. But the cartoonist uses artistic shorthand, which levels, sharpens and exaggerates the difficult cues.
An obvious example is happy-ness which is communicated with the up-turned mouth. The crescent-shaped eyes emerge as the cheeks ball up in mirth. For surprise, the eyebrows go up, the eyes open wide, and the mouth drops open. And so on.
The Cartoon Figure
The normal human figure is about seven or eight heads tall. The cartoon figure, however, usually deviates from those normal proportions.
In fashion illustration or sports cartooning, the emphasis is on the body; the figure may be drawn ten heads tall. The traditionally sexy "pin-up" is likely to have abnormally long legs.
In the humorous cartoon, the head is usually very large in many the proportion to the body. In cartoon characters (Snoopy, Ziggy), the head is as big as body. The larger-than-normal head produces at least two effects. One, it makes the cartoon figure seem cute and childlike. Two the exaggerated head size gives play to the facial features and expressions which best communicate personality and feelings.
3-D and Action
To create a three-dimensional, make-believe world, the cartoonist provides us with a number of perceptual cues that we use daily in navigating through the real world:
Thought and Language
The stars of cartoon symbolism, of course, are the thought balloon and the speech balloon. Objects and animals which look like humans are anthropomorphic. If they act like humans, the anthrpomorphism increases. And if they think and speak like humans, the anthropomorphism is complete; they really seem to come alive.
The importance of intertwining speech and action has been emphasized by those who see the comics as a distinct art form. Cartoonists themselves comment on the unique sense of creation they get from combining word and action.
Summary
These they are the tricks of the technical trade," the coding the cartoonist a make- believe world, to create figures, to give them depth, to give them action, thought and language. The techniques themselves are not difficult, but to create a make-believe world which an audience will want to visit again and again - that is a challenge.
Author:
Randall Harrison, PhD is a cartoonist turned communication scholar and, often, vice versa. His major research on the cartoon as communication (from which this article is excerpted with permission) is The Cartoon (c) 1981 Sage Publications. It is a fascinating introduction to the cartoon form and an excellent resource not only for writers and editors but for teachers, pastors and anyone who needs to communicate a message simply but effectively.
Source : http://www.medialit.org/
To create a three-dimensional, make-believe world, the cartoonist provides us with a number of perceptual cues that we use daily in navigating through the real world:
- size - distant items are smaller
- overlap - near objects overlap more distant ones
- clarity - closer objects appear sharper (usually drawn with a heavier line)
- detail - nearby characters have texture and facial features while distant ones are barely outlined
- color - brightly colored items (red, for example) will advance while cool, blue objects will recede.
- The cartoonist adds "action lines" to indicate the direction and speed of movement. Straight lines are fast, wavy lines are slower. When something travels fast, it may "disappear in a cloud of dust." The cartoonist picks up this metaphor literally.
Thought and Language The stars of cartoon symbolism, of course, are the thought balloon and the speech balloon. Objects and animals which look like humans are anthropomorphic. If they act like humans, the anthrpomorphism increases. And if they think and speak like humans, the anthropomorphism is complete; they really seem to come alive.
The importance of intertwining speech and action has been emphasized by those who see the comics as a distinct art form. Cartoonists themselves comment on the unique sense of creation they get from combining word and action.
Summary
These they are the tricks of the technical trade," the coding the cartoonist a make- believe world, to create figures, to give them depth, to give them action, thought and language. The techniques themselves are not difficult, but to create a make-believe world which an audience will want to visit again and again - that is a challenge.
Author:
Randall Harrison, PhD is a cartoonist turned communication scholar and, often, vice versa. His major research on the cartoon as communication (from which this article is excerpted with permission) is The Cartoon (c) 1981 Sage Publications. It is a fascinating introduction to the cartoon form and an excellent resource not only for writers and editors but for teachers, pastors and anyone who needs to communicate a message simply but effectively.
Source : http://www.medialit.org/
Monday, May 26, 2008
Korea's Animation Industry Maturing
With a growing number of Korean animated characters gaining international fame, Korea is becoming one of the leading countries in animation. More companies are getting the chance to enter lucrative foreign markets.
"Pororo the Little Penguin" is what children are all hyped up about, both in Korea and abroad. Its creators have already exported content currently being aired in ten countries outside Korea. As for the reasons behind the country's fast growing animation market, the company says it is due to a major shift in production.
On Wednesday one of Asia's biggest animation festivals lifted its curtains in Seoul. The event was originally established to promote the Korean animation and cartoon industry, as well as to provide a platform for local talent. But now it has grown into a world-renowned festival featuring the latest trends in animated films and works of artists from around the globe.
Korea's animation industry is gaining support from the government as it realizes just how large profits from successful animated characters and their subsequent licensing can be. The Seoul Metropolitan government says it plans to expand an animation support fund to W100 billion (US$1=W1,044) by 2010.
Source : http://english.chosun.com/
"Pororo the Little Penguin" is what children are all hyped up about, both in Korea and abroad. Its creators have already exported content currently being aired in ten countries outside Korea. As for the reasons behind the country's fast growing animation market, the company says it is due to a major shift in production.
On Wednesday one of Asia's biggest animation festivals lifted its curtains in Seoul. The event was originally established to promote the Korean animation and cartoon industry, as well as to provide a platform for local talent. But now it has grown into a world-renowned festival featuring the latest trends in animated films and works of artists from around the globe.
Korea's animation industry is gaining support from the government as it realizes just how large profits from successful animated characters and their subsequent licensing can be. The Seoul Metropolitan government says it plans to expand an animation support fund to W100 billion (US$1=W1,044) by 2010.
Source : http://english.chosun.com/
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Animated Repatriation: Disney Art Returns
A Japanese university plans to return about 250 pieces of original animation art to the Walt Disney Company that were mislaid in storage after traveling to Japan nearly five decades ago.
Disney said that the art — cels, backgrounds, preliminary paintings and storyboard sketches — was part of a collection that was handpicked by Walt Disney himself. It was sent to Japan in 1960 for a touring exhibition timed to the opening of the film “Sleeping Beauty.” The exhibition opened at Mitsukoshi Department Store in Tokyo in May of that year and traveled to 16 other stores throughout Japan.
Read More Article...
Disney said that the art — cels, backgrounds, preliminary paintings and storyboard sketches — was part of a collection that was handpicked by Walt Disney himself. It was sent to Japan in 1960 for a touring exhibition timed to the opening of the film “Sleeping Beauty.” The exhibition opened at Mitsukoshi Department Store in Tokyo in May of that year and traveled to 16 other stores throughout Japan.
Read More Article...
Animated Repatriation: Disney Art Returns
A Japanese university plans to return about 250 pieces of original animation art to the Walt Disney Company that were mislaid in storage after traveling to Japan nearly five decades ago.
Disney said that the art — cels, backgrounds, preliminary paintings and storyboard sketches — was part of a collection that was handpicked by Walt Disney himself. It was sent to Japan in 1960 for a touring exhibition timed to the opening of the film “Sleeping Beauty.” The exhibition opened at Mitsukoshi Department Store in Tokyo in May of that year and traveled to 16 other stores throughout Japan.
Read More Article...
Disney said that the art — cels, backgrounds, preliminary paintings and storyboard sketches — was part of a collection that was handpicked by Walt Disney himself. It was sent to Japan in 1960 for a touring exhibition timed to the opening of the film “Sleeping Beauty.” The exhibition opened at Mitsukoshi Department Store in Tokyo in May of that year and traveled to 16 other stores throughout Japan.
Read More Article...
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
China Animation: TV Quotas and Cultural Prosperity
"After years of development, animation and cartoon technology has improved greatly. But we still have a lot to do to promote the animation industry, especially in the areas of research and development and innovation," Zhang Xinjian, deputy director of the Ministry of Culture's marketing bureau, commented at an arts festival in September 2007.
But according to China authorities, before the cartoons and comics industries can flourish in their domestic market, they must first and foremost have enough room to breath. Room apart from the suffocating onslaught of foreign television animation imports as well as room apart from crowded, (though somewhat intentionally limiting) television markets. And although the business and market for Chinese animation has not necessary skyrocketed over the past year as wildly predicted by industry officials a year and a half ago, the 23-25% growth in minutes produced are still worthy of drawing interest.
Opening the doors for writers, directors and animators has been sort of a mixed bag for China in recent years. With various aspects of the media and entertainment sectors so closely guarded and watched over by the government, the capacity for some to freely develop and produce materials for regional broadcast is not the largest of their problems, but rather, concerns are now directed towards the understanding that channels of distribution are remarkably inadequate.
China's efforts to encourage its animation industry, likewise, have been limited. Good-natured but ultimately insufficient in their scope, initiatives imposed on television stations to curb their broadcast of foreign programming, often of animation specifically, in the past eight years has resulted in much of a double-edged sword for the Chinese animation loving community. To backtrack: the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) of China imposed regulations and quotas on local television stations, in 2000, by which approval was needed for the broadcast of certain cartoons on-air. This was, and still remains, a measurement in part for domestic productions, but is mostly in place for international co-productions subject to the censor.
According to China Daily, in 2004, "the SARFT issued another regulation, requesting at least 60% of cartoon programs aired in a quarter to be domestic," which was followed by the 2006 imposition whereby "SARFT decided to ban all foreign cartoons from 5:00pm to 8:00pm." Each of these regulations are meant to serve as a sort of netting mechanism for regional animations, hauling out unnecessary and unrelated programming while leaving behind only titles produced (or approved) by domestic hands. After the 2006 decree, domestic animation programming increased 38%. The ratio of foreign cartoons to domestic cartoons aired has resultantly shifted, per mandate; from 6:4 to 7:3, meaning that roughly 70% of all cartoons on-air must be domestically produced Chinese animation.
These moves on the part of the provincial authorities are most certainly having an effect; however, not so much the effect that was expected. Animations produced by Chinese studios are highly criticized as underachieving, lacking in inventiveness and most of all, patronizing to their chiefly young demography. Although the opportunity now exists for Chinese animators to grab a foothold onto their industry, the industry itself is stuck in a sort of limbo that lacks true vision. Earlier this year, China extended it's proverbial "ban" on foreign animation, in the primetime television market, one extra hour on through to 9:00pm; a move that has elicited interesting responses from just about every corner of the world market.
Feature News: China Animation
But according to China authorities, before the cartoons and comics industries can flourish in their domestic market, they must first and foremost have enough room to breath. Room apart from the suffocating onslaught of foreign television animation imports as well as room apart from crowded, (though somewhat intentionally limiting) television markets. And although the business and market for Chinese animation has not necessary skyrocketed over the past year as wildly predicted by industry officials a year and a half ago, the 23-25% growth in minutes produced are still worthy of drawing interest.
Opening the doors for writers, directors and animators has been sort of a mixed bag for China in recent years. With various aspects of the media and entertainment sectors so closely guarded and watched over by the government, the capacity for some to freely develop and produce materials for regional broadcast is not the largest of their problems, but rather, concerns are now directed towards the understanding that channels of distribution are remarkably inadequate.
China's efforts to encourage its animation industry, likewise, have been limited. Good-natured but ultimately insufficient in their scope, initiatives imposed on television stations to curb their broadcast of foreign programming, often of animation specifically, in the past eight years has resulted in much of a double-edged sword for the Chinese animation loving community. To backtrack: the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) of China imposed regulations and quotas on local television stations, in 2000, by which approval was needed for the broadcast of certain cartoons on-air. This was, and still remains, a measurement in part for domestic productions, but is mostly in place for international co-productions subject to the censor.
According to China Daily, in 2004, "the SARFT issued another regulation, requesting at least 60% of cartoon programs aired in a quarter to be domestic," which was followed by the 2006 imposition whereby "SARFT decided to ban all foreign cartoons from 5:00pm to 8:00pm." Each of these regulations are meant to serve as a sort of netting mechanism for regional animations, hauling out unnecessary and unrelated programming while leaving behind only titles produced (or approved) by domestic hands. After the 2006 decree, domestic animation programming increased 38%. The ratio of foreign cartoons to domestic cartoons aired has resultantly shifted, per mandate; from 6:4 to 7:3, meaning that roughly 70% of all cartoons on-air must be domestically produced Chinese animation.
These moves on the part of the provincial authorities are most certainly having an effect; however, not so much the effect that was expected. Animations produced by Chinese studios are highly criticized as underachieving, lacking in inventiveness and most of all, patronizing to their chiefly young demography. Although the opportunity now exists for Chinese animators to grab a foothold onto their industry, the industry itself is stuck in a sort of limbo that lacks true vision. Earlier this year, China extended it's proverbial "ban" on foreign animation, in the primetime television market, one extra hour on through to 9:00pm; a move that has elicited interesting responses from just about every corner of the world market.
Feature News: China Animation
Monday, February 18, 2008
'CSM' Putting More Emphasis on Animation in Its Cartoonist Search
NEW YORK Animation is becoming a bigger part of editorial cartooning. It's also becoming a bigger part of the editorial cartoonist search being conducted by The Christian Science Monitor.
The paper is now actively seeking an editorial cartoonist to do animations -- "perhaps even interactive ones" -- for CSMonitor.com, said Clayton Jones, the Monitor chief editorial writer and editor of the commentary pages, when contacted today by E&P.
"Animations keep the attention of younger people, who are more visually oriented," added Jones.
The Monitor is seeking a successor to Clay Bennett, who left the paper last fall and started with the Chattanooga (Tenn.) Times Free Press last month.
The person picked could do animations solo or with the help of a Web person already working for the Monitor, and the person could also do print cartoons for the paper.
Read More Article...
The paper is now actively seeking an editorial cartoonist to do animations -- "perhaps even interactive ones" -- for CSMonitor.com, said Clayton Jones, the Monitor chief editorial writer and editor of the commentary pages, when contacted today by E&P.
"Animations keep the attention of younger people, who are more visually oriented," added Jones.
The Monitor is seeking a successor to Clay Bennett, who left the paper last fall and started with the Chattanooga (Tenn.) Times Free Press last month.
The person picked could do animations solo or with the help of a Web person already working for the Monitor, and the person could also do print cartoons for the paper.
Read More Article...
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
1980s Animation 'The Smurfs' Coming to DVD
Over the next several months, fans of 1980s cartoons will never have a better chance to discover their inner smurf. Coming to DVD for the very first time at the very end of the month of February 2008 and readily in development or production for a slew of consumer products and film projects for its celebration, The Smurfs, like many other television programs from its era, now returns to prominence with fans of retro animation. A series that emphasized camaraderie and community relations above all else, The Smurfs offered its young audience how to live the long hard fight, learning to care for one another right from the start… even if there's a crazy guy trying to capture your village so that he (or his cat) can eat you.
Coming to DVD starting this month with the help of Warner Home Video is The Smurfs: Season One, Volume One; the first home video installment of the long-running television cartoon. Featuring a cuddly, miniature town of little blue persons that live in mushroom houses and pride themselves in a strong community, the Smurfs are a curious little bunch of folks that many kids of the 1980s grew close to.
Read More Article...
Coming to DVD starting this month with the help of Warner Home Video is The Smurfs: Season One, Volume One; the first home video installment of the long-running television cartoon. Featuring a cuddly, miniature town of little blue persons that live in mushroom houses and pride themselves in a strong community, the Smurfs are a curious little bunch of folks that many kids of the 1980s grew close to.
Read More Article...
Friday, January 4, 2008
BREAKING NEWS ANIMATION: IOWA STUNNER
Election nights are tough for print journalists, especially for political cartoonists. In the past, depending on deadlines and what time of night the election was called, I might have been forced to settle for running a generic cartoon about a given election, sans any reference to the eventual outcome.
But later press deadlines mean that my paper can run much more specific cartoons, often pegged to the final outcome of a given election. And the Internet means that my paper's web folks can post my cartoons online without regard to print deadlines.
Of course, all this takes a lot of extra effort. For Thursday's night's caucuses in Iowa, I prepared three print versions of my cartoon for Thursday's paper, and animated each of the three. The first version was the "safe bet" for use in the first print edition. Anyone who followed the polls coming out of Iowa knew that neither Fred Thompson, nor Rudy Giuliani would emerge victorious.
Read More Article...
But later press deadlines mean that my paper can run much more specific cartoons, often pegged to the final outcome of a given election. And the Internet means that my paper's web folks can post my cartoons online without regard to print deadlines.
Of course, all this takes a lot of extra effort. For Thursday's night's caucuses in Iowa, I prepared three print versions of my cartoon for Thursday's paper, and animated each of the three. The first version was the "safe bet" for use in the first print edition. Anyone who followed the polls coming out of Iowa knew that neither Fred Thompson, nor Rudy Giuliani would emerge victorious.
Read More Article...
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Innovation: Key for animation industry
In the animation industry, the key ingredient is innovation. Cartoons and graphics can be two-dimensional, as long as the ideas behind them aren't, that's the message at China's first international annimation trade fair in Anhui province.
Over 300 animation companies from home and abroad have turned out for the fair. Animation giants Disney, Paramount, and China's top producers, China Central Television and Shanghai Media Group are just a few of the big names. From animation makers and producers to distributors and traders, the fair is an opportunity for all key players in the industry to exchange ideas and make new deals.
The animation industry is booming with a product value of over 200 billion US dollars a year. And the price of its relative products is above 500 billion. China represents one of the big markets for the animation industry. Chinese animators say they are confident about reviving the animation scene here in China and are on a mission to become one of the main creators of animation. ZS CCTV
Source : http://www.cctv.com/
Over 300 animation companies from home and abroad have turned out for the fair. Animation giants Disney, Paramount, and China's top producers, China Central Television and Shanghai Media Group are just a few of the big names. From animation makers and producers to distributors and traders, the fair is an opportunity for all key players in the industry to exchange ideas and make new deals.
The animation industry is booming with a product value of over 200 billion US dollars a year. And the price of its relative products is above 500 billion. China represents one of the big markets for the animation industry. Chinese animators say they are confident about reviving the animation scene here in China and are on a mission to become one of the main creators of animation. ZS CCTV
Source : http://www.cctv.com/
Friday, November 23, 2007
Animation pioneer may get hometown honor
Nestled between the Spring Lake District Library and Spring Lake Township Hall off Exchange Street is a small area marked by a solitary picnic table and sections of the former Union School foundation still jutting above the green grass.
It was here in the late 19th century that famed illustrator-cartoonist-animator Winsor McCay went to school and began drawing.
McCay eventually moved to New York to pen highly acclaimed cartoons for such papers as the New York Herald and The American.
His comics included Little Sammy Sneeze, Dream of the Rarebit Fiend and Little Nemo in Slumberland. All were intricately drawn with startling detail and daring use of black ink.
Read More Article...
It was here in the late 19th century that famed illustrator-cartoonist-animator Winsor McCay went to school and began drawing.
McCay eventually moved to New York to pen highly acclaimed cartoons for such papers as the New York Herald and The American.
His comics included Little Sammy Sneeze, Dream of the Rarebit Fiend and Little Nemo in Slumberland. All were intricately drawn with startling detail and daring use of black ink.
Read More Article...
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Interview with Animation Expert Jerry Beck
Jerry Beck (bio) has been researching cartoons for more than 30 years, authoring such books as Looney Toons and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons and The 50 Greatest Cartoons. He's also produced successful cartoon compilations for MGM/UA, worked as VP of Animation at Nickelodeon Movies, and been an animation consultant to Walt Disney Home Video, Warner Home Video, Rhino Records, and many others.
Jerry was gracious enough to take time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions for Animation School Review.
Read More Article...
Jerry was gracious enough to take time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions for Animation School Review.
Read More Article...
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Disney opens the vaults
Disney opens the vaults to go behind-the-scenes of the brand new Jungle Book DVD.
To Celebrate the 40th Anniversary Special Edition of The Jungle Book on DVD, Disney offered a rare opportunity to tour its hollowed vaults in Glendale, California.
Walt Disney gave birth to the modern animated feature as we know it with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. Naysayers said no one would want to watch a feature-length cartoon, but then again, there had never before seen a cartoon quite like Snow White. Walt would go on to supervise an almost endless string of classics over the next 30 years that would include Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi, Alice in Wonderland and a host of others that would live on as timeless classics of the genre. Walt Disney’s final animated feature work as producer came with 1967’s The Jungle Book, a fitting swan song for one of the greatest figures in the history of animation.
Read More Article...
To Celebrate the 40th Anniversary Special Edition of The Jungle Book on DVD, Disney offered a rare opportunity to tour its hollowed vaults in Glendale, California.
Walt Disney gave birth to the modern animated feature as we know it with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. Naysayers said no one would want to watch a feature-length cartoon, but then again, there had never before seen a cartoon quite like Snow White. Walt would go on to supervise an almost endless string of classics over the next 30 years that would include Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi, Alice in Wonderland and a host of others that would live on as timeless classics of the genre. Walt Disney’s final animated feature work as producer came with 1967’s The Jungle Book, a fitting swan song for one of the greatest figures in the history of animation.
Read More Article...
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Walt Disney rescues hand-drawn animation
Hand-drawn animation, out of fashion in the computer age, experienced a rescue worthy of a fairy tale on Thursday, when Walt Disney animators announced they would bring back the art form to the big screen.
"We will be bringing back hand-drawn (two-dimensional) films," said Disney's Ed Catmull, the President of Pixar and Disney Feature Animation.
Animators refer to hand-drawn animation as "two dimensional," as opposed to computer-generated animation, referred to as 3D.
Pixar created "Toy Story" and other computer animation hits, but was acquired by Walt Disney Co. last year.
Speculation has swirled since then over whether Catmull and Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter, who took control of the ailing Disney animation facility, would reestablish the art form that made Disney the world's preeminenent animator.
All of Disney's feature animation films in production at the time of the Pixar deal were computer animated.
"Now that's we're a year into it, people want to know how it's going," Catmull told analysts at a Disney conference monitored by Web cast. He said Disney would do both computer animation and hand-drawn animation.
Lasseter spent several years as a Disney animator, but left over creative differences to form Pixar, where he was considered the main creative force. He revered Walt Disney, who with a group of legendary animators known as the "Nine Old Men," made such hand-drawn classics as "Cinderella" and "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."
When Disney bought Pixar to try to revive its flagging animation program, Catmull and Lasseter took charge of both studios, which are run separately.
At least 300 Disney animation staff were laid off or reassigned in the months following the leadership change.
Catmull and Lasseter gave the first descriptions on Thursday on how they reshaped story lines of Disney films already in production, canceled others and restructured how the Disney artists work.
"Pixar is still Pixar -- nobody left," Catmull said. "At Disney, you have these remarkable artists there ... they were not kneaded together in the right way. At the heart of it there has to be a director and the director has to have a vision."
Catmull said there were no plans to merge the studios or to limit them to a certain type of animation.
"We always believed that quality is the best business plan," he said.
He and Lasseter showed clips from upcoming films, including "Ratatouille," "Meet the Robinsons", "Wall-E", "American Dog" and "Toy Story 3."
Source: http://www.obviousnews.com/
Friday, August 17, 2007
Cartoons now available via podcast
Frederator Studios founder Fred Seibert has launched Channel Frederator, the world's first cartoon video podcast created expressly for distribution of content on portable video devices such as the Apple iPod and the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP). Released weekly, the episodes will contain several short form original and vintage cartoons submitted by producers from around the world, packaged into 10 to 15 minute episodes by the Channel Frederator programming team.
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Friday, August 10, 2007
The importance of graphic designers
All of us love to doodle and occasionally draw a cartoon on a napkin or on page of a textbook. But for those who go beyond the occasional doodling and cartooning, a career as a graphic designer may be on the cards.
Graphic designers have been around for a really long time. Essentially, since the time the logo became an essential part of business. They are crucial to the success of a business.
Graphic Designers work designing print, environmental or electronic information for advertisements, publications and websites. Graphic designers do this by understanding the basics of drawing as well as the basics of computer software such as Flash and Dream Weaver.
There are many schools for graphic designers across the United States and Europe. The range and scope of these programs depends on what the graphic designers want as the outcome to the program. There are programs in multimedia, graphic design, visual communication, advertising, animation and web development.
Graphic designers who go in for short term certificate programs usually learn the basics of the design business. These courses are typically 1 to 2 years. Longer term programs like a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree are often 3-4 years, and offer a more in-depth base to work from. Graphic designers graduating from these programs have a better chance of landing higher end jobs.
Most graphic designers try and gain experience through internships during their programs. Many times graphic designers are part of a creative team of people. They work in diverse fields including marketing and Public Relations, advertising and sales, architecture and interior designer companies and motion Picture Producers.
A good graphic designer is essential to the success of a company and a product. Graphic designers can help create logos that are unique and attractive. In addition, the news letters and websites created by graphic designers help hold a potential customers attention.
Graphic Designers work designing print, environmental or electronic information for advertisements, publications and websites. Most graphic designers have a deep understanding of animation tools, Photoshop products and design software such as Flash and Dream Weaver.
For more resoureces about business partners or even about business investment and especially about brochure design please review one of these links.
Graphic designers have been around for a really long time. Essentially, since the time the logo became an essential part of business. They are crucial to the success of a business.
Graphic Designers work designing print, environmental or electronic information for advertisements, publications and websites. Graphic designers do this by understanding the basics of drawing as well as the basics of computer software such as Flash and Dream Weaver.
There are many schools for graphic designers across the United States and Europe. The range and scope of these programs depends on what the graphic designers want as the outcome to the program. There are programs in multimedia, graphic design, visual communication, advertising, animation and web development.
Graphic designers who go in for short term certificate programs usually learn the basics of the design business. These courses are typically 1 to 2 years. Longer term programs like a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree are often 3-4 years, and offer a more in-depth base to work from. Graphic designers graduating from these programs have a better chance of landing higher end jobs.
Most graphic designers try and gain experience through internships during their programs. Many times graphic designers are part of a creative team of people. They work in diverse fields including marketing and Public Relations, advertising and sales, architecture and interior designer companies and motion Picture Producers.
A good graphic designer is essential to the success of a company and a product. Graphic designers can help create logos that are unique and attractive. In addition, the news letters and websites created by graphic designers help hold a potential customers attention.
Graphic Designers work designing print, environmental or electronic information for advertisements, publications and websites. Most graphic designers have a deep understanding of animation tools, Photoshop products and design software such as Flash and Dream Weaver.
For more resoureces about business partners or even about business investment and especially about brochure design please review one of these links.
Source : http://www.articlewise.com/
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
How to Create Our Music Compositions with Animation Cartoons in SVCD?
If we have composed and recorded our music, we can put in the CD then let families and friends enjoy it! Now, how if we also create our music with animation cartoons and put in the SVCD? It would be great, Right?
The following tips will help to create our music with animation cartoons in the SVCD.
The following tips will help to create our music with animation cartoons in the SVCD.
- Find free and uncopyright animation cartoons, buy the CD that content of animation cartoons and/or get permission first if using animation cartoons copyrighted.
- When listen our music, think about what the music telling then create theme of story that will be divided into some pieces.
- For each piece of story, select suitable background images and animations cartoons.
- Rehearse timings for each piece of story.
- Our video clip has been finished.
- At least for one SVCD, we need to create 10 video clips.
- To compile the list of video clip, we should pay attention to the character, tempo and style of music. For example, don’t put many slow music in order but try to balance fast, moderate and slow music.
- Design cover of SVCD. We can use a piece of story as cover. For title of SVCD, we can use our favorite composition and make it easy to remember.
Now, we have our own SVCD. Let's share with families and friends. Hope this helps.
About The Author
Yen Yen (Sujanti Djuanda) has created her piano compositions with animation cartoons in SVCD. http://yen03.bizhat.com/.
Source : http://www.articlecity.com
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Funny Animation
Animation is a very special media form. It allows the complete re-presentation of reality. Funny animation attracts attention of viewers to get into the purpose. Website, presentations, product demos, advertisements, public show must have some funny animation stuff to attract the reader or viewers. This is a very easy now with the help of computer, software and tools. Generating animation graphics and making it animated is also funny work. Animation may not be so powerful but widely used and appreciated. Funny animations are popular in computer games, Cartoon channels, blockbuster movies etc. Funny Animation is used to fill in the gaps when reality simply doesn't look real enough.
Funny Animation is the process of linking a series of slightly different funny cartoon drawings together to simulate a movement. There are normally 24 or less frames per second in moving film and it happens similar in animated GIFs you see on websites.
Techniques used for Funny Animations:
There are three different techniques types of cartoon animation: 1. Cel Animation cartoons are made on transparent sheets (celluloid) laid on top of each other to combine characters and backgrounds. 2. Stop Motion Animation is model or cartoons or puppet (or shadow) is shot a frame at a time, with tiny changes in positions. 3. Computer animation where computer is used for creating the shapes and colors of animated action, working from a series of mathematical codes, or can be drawn frame by frame cartoons.
Popular Usage of Funny Animation:
In User Interface design in software, web applications and websites, many funny animations are popularly used. The buttons, pop up stuff, comment box, help (like MS word help and search dog) are designed with animations that give a pleasure look at the animation. There are numerous funny animations are used in electronic advertisement on Internet and television media. Advertisers can make funny animation advertisement film without a human model. They can redirect the animation character to any extent. There are many cartoon animation films have been made in Hollywood film industry.
Making of Animations
Storyboards preparation is the first document work that conveys the list of task to be done sequentially. Making shapes body, faces, hands, legs, dress up and putting color are sequential steps. You can use some common shape, alphabets for making of face, flower, tree, house etc. Based on the distant of objects you have to draw the sizes of the objects or character. In computer you can repeat a partial drawing using mirror images effects. There are many effects, layer works can be designed for animating objects. Flip Book is a sample that can be used while making animation graphics in computer. You can draw frame by frame graphics and change in each frame like flip book sequential images. You will find a good animation of your drawing object.
Think of some funny sounds that match to your animation object movements or character movements. Funny sounds like laughs, claps, chains clanking, footsteps, doors creaking, whistle, wind, rain, thunder and lightening, barking dog etc. can be collected from libraries and incorporate in specific frames. To be a good funny animator, you need to think about how shapes can change and move with humorous way.
AniBoom has a founding team having rich experience from different fields of Television, media managing, animation especially funny animation and able to bring all of their experience, as in synergy, into the Internet.
Article Source: http://www.1articleworld.com
Shakir A is an independent writer on Interactive Marketing, Animation Movies, Cartoons and other related topics for Internet marketing, PPC, SEO, SEM, Online Marketing. Currently writing more and more for AniBoom.Com www.aniboom.com/
Funny Animation is the process of linking a series of slightly different funny cartoon drawings together to simulate a movement. There are normally 24 or less frames per second in moving film and it happens similar in animated GIFs you see on websites.
Techniques used for Funny Animations:
There are three different techniques types of cartoon animation: 1. Cel Animation cartoons are made on transparent sheets (celluloid) laid on top of each other to combine characters and backgrounds. 2. Stop Motion Animation is model or cartoons or puppet (or shadow) is shot a frame at a time, with tiny changes in positions. 3. Computer animation where computer is used for creating the shapes and colors of animated action, working from a series of mathematical codes, or can be drawn frame by frame cartoons.
Popular Usage of Funny Animation:
In User Interface design in software, web applications and websites, many funny animations are popularly used. The buttons, pop up stuff, comment box, help (like MS word help and search dog) are designed with animations that give a pleasure look at the animation. There are numerous funny animations are used in electronic advertisement on Internet and television media. Advertisers can make funny animation advertisement film without a human model. They can redirect the animation character to any extent. There are many cartoon animation films have been made in Hollywood film industry.
Making of Animations
Storyboards preparation is the first document work that conveys the list of task to be done sequentially. Making shapes body, faces, hands, legs, dress up and putting color are sequential steps. You can use some common shape, alphabets for making of face, flower, tree, house etc. Based on the distant of objects you have to draw the sizes of the objects or character. In computer you can repeat a partial drawing using mirror images effects. There are many effects, layer works can be designed for animating objects. Flip Book is a sample that can be used while making animation graphics in computer. You can draw frame by frame graphics and change in each frame like flip book sequential images. You will find a good animation of your drawing object.
Think of some funny sounds that match to your animation object movements or character movements. Funny sounds like laughs, claps, chains clanking, footsteps, doors creaking, whistle, wind, rain, thunder and lightening, barking dog etc. can be collected from libraries and incorporate in specific frames. To be a good funny animator, you need to think about how shapes can change and move with humorous way.
AniBoom has a founding team having rich experience from different fields of Television, media managing, animation especially funny animation and able to bring all of their experience, as in synergy, into the Internet.
Article Source: http://www.1articleworld.com
Shakir A is an independent writer on Interactive Marketing, Animation Movies, Cartoons and other related topics for Internet marketing, PPC, SEO, SEM, Online Marketing. Currently writing more and more for AniBoom.Com www.aniboom.com/
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Free Animation
Internet has brought a dynamic and open source of using of graphics stuff. Cartoon and animations are the part of that. Digital animations are designed using software tool separately for 2-D and 3-D animations. There are many websites do business related to graphics, animation and websites. They have many free Animations in Animations Library. The animations are in different forms stored in website library or catalogue. There are digital greetings, postcards, mailers, buttons, emotional faces, and shapes are animated. While browsing the Animation Library, you can listen to attractive music by using the Jukebox also. So that can be used in your purpose. You can search for free animations using the search box provided in many websites. They offer thousands of free clip art images and the animation version of the same images. The catalogue is designed in alphabetic sequence, or thumb nail pattern with ascending order. So a user can easily find the desired animations. Free animations can be searched by typing the word connected to the name of the animations.
Types of Free Animations
Typical 2-D and 3-D animations are available freely from downloadable websites. There are several models of shapes are available in 3-D form. You can use the downloaded animation in your mobile, computer, laptops, palmtops, I-pods etc. There is some hub in Internet, where you can avail the animation files. To navigate the animation file you need to use the interface designed. All the animations, graphics and 3D animated file are gif, swf format that are free to download and use on your websites and computer desktops.
The animated Buttons, Bullets, Dividers and Arrows are web design stuffs.
How to download
Once you entered to the specific websites, there are options for free download files, music, animations and graphics etc. For downloading you be required to a user of the website. There will be a registration entry page will allow to enter your name, user name, password, email ID, Telephone number etc. Once you entered the detail, an email will go to your email inbox for a verification of valid email Id holder. That email provides a code to be entered for the first time of entry. Indirectly the website can trace you as a user, who uses the free stuff from Internet. Later on you will be interested for more valued animations fro their website. That record will help them for the business an all.
Most of these animations are free for personal use only. If any body use for a commercial basis may have to inform the free provider company as per the term and conditions. Some free animation links leads you to the owner’s page, or display a copyright notice with term and conditions. Generally, Animation files are bigger sized files. There are bunch of files are to be downloaded. That pack file may have such big memory size. So you need to check your hard disk space to accommodate the files.
AniBoom informs about the free animation available and the technique for using in computer, mobiles, MMS, or for any digital displaying gazettes.
Article Source: http://www.1articleworld.com
Shakir A is an independent writer on Interactive Marketing, Animation Movies, Cartoons and other related topics for Internet marketing, PPC, SEO, SEM, Online Marketing. Currently writing more and more for AniBoom.Com www.aniboom.com/
Types of Free Animations
Typical 2-D and 3-D animations are available freely from downloadable websites. There are several models of shapes are available in 3-D form. You can use the downloaded animation in your mobile, computer, laptops, palmtops, I-pods etc. There is some hub in Internet, where you can avail the animation files. To navigate the animation file you need to use the interface designed. All the animations, graphics and 3D animated file are gif, swf format that are free to download and use on your websites and computer desktops.
The animated Buttons, Bullets, Dividers and Arrows are web design stuffs.
How to download
Once you entered to the specific websites, there are options for free download files, music, animations and graphics etc. For downloading you be required to a user of the website. There will be a registration entry page will allow to enter your name, user name, password, email ID, Telephone number etc. Once you entered the detail, an email will go to your email inbox for a verification of valid email Id holder. That email provides a code to be entered for the first time of entry. Indirectly the website can trace you as a user, who uses the free stuff from Internet. Later on you will be interested for more valued animations fro their website. That record will help them for the business an all.
Most of these animations are free for personal use only. If any body use for a commercial basis may have to inform the free provider company as per the term and conditions. Some free animation links leads you to the owner’s page, or display a copyright notice with term and conditions. Generally, Animation files are bigger sized files. There are bunch of files are to be downloaded. That pack file may have such big memory size. So you need to check your hard disk space to accommodate the files.
AniBoom informs about the free animation available and the technique for using in computer, mobiles, MMS, or for any digital displaying gazettes.
Article Source: http://www.1articleworld.com
Shakir A is an independent writer on Interactive Marketing, Animation Movies, Cartoons and other related topics for Internet marketing, PPC, SEO, SEM, Online Marketing. Currently writing more and more for AniBoom.Com www.aniboom.com/
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