Fisthead

Insane bloodiness and meatiness from my student, Sean Glaze.

Uarts Junior Animation and Film Show

Tonight, in a program of animation and film students, animation won.
The culmination of a semesters work was screened at the Uarts Junior Animation and FIlm Show.
The first time any of them had tackled sustained storytelling (they had to be 1:30 to 2:00).
I had a class of fourteen, several of them from my previous semester at Uarts.
I'm sure their classmates won't mind me singling out Sean Glaze's "Fisthead" and Aaron Cowdery's "Da Hood Ass Adventures of Captain Ig'nant".
Both of these films were huge crowd pleasers and the crowd was most definately pleased.
Mr Glaze has animation (and music and a bunch of other talents) dribbling out of his skin and Mr Cowdery is the kind of class act any teacher would be pleased to see toiling away on his film.
Julia Altabef made an ambitious and accomplished multi media monster film "Wrath of Socks" and Mr Samuel Troyer showcased his terrific backgrounds with his Amish zombie film.
One of my favorite students of all time, Anamaria Solis, and my favorite cartoonist in the class, Candice Graham had films that could be described as dogs breakfasts but the crowd responded very well indeed to both of them so what the hell do I know?
Aleson Ho, a terrific illustrator and cartoonist threw together a surreal beastie of a film that I would to have to explain to you all one day.
Adam Murray made a really funny thing about a kid battling an arcade game that would have been even better if he was allowed to have Sean animate it for him (but really, well done matey : ).
Kev Kypers limped over the finish line with the soon to be spectacular "It Is Not A Duck" a smart and funny look at individuals in society.
Rosie Scandell whipped up a sand on glass extravaganza that looked as though she'd worked on it for months.
Bravo, Rosie!
With some encouragement (by which I mean harassment) Mr Dotson made a touching film about his autistic twin that I am sure will find some life online when he's tidied up his credits so they don't run longer than the film itself.
Thank you all for you hard work.
With all your other classes it's astonishing that you got anything done at all.
I hope to see most of your films online soon - feel free to tinker with them before you do.

Merchandise

Freeloader

We got a Flip camera...

The Lergie

Hugo, Hugo, Hugo Freddie Cowan

Tooshy

Boxhead and Roundhead Competition 2011

This years competition is finally open!

Win artwork from some of my favorite artists: Eric and Susan Goldberg, Nancy Beiman, Tomm Moore, Pedro Delgado, Kelly Tindall, Michael Smukavic and some other slob called Elliot.

Details here: http://boxroundcompblog.blogspot.com/

Man On Seal

Mouse Harpoon

Run, Run, Run

A Follow Up

After my grumpy grizzly whining about Pixar I thought I'd follow it up with some positive comments.
I LOVE Kung Fu Panda.
It's my favorite big animated feature ever.
I can watch it over and over again.
I am excited that there are 5 more films in the series.
Kung Fu Panda rocks!

I Was Asked

I was asked by a good fellow on the Facebook why I didn't like a lot of the Pixar films.
This is my response:
A long time ago Pixar made their ...first Toy Story film and it was a good one.
There's a scene in it - the one where Buzz realises he's a toy and plummets down the stairwell.
It's a good scene and a touching one, played smartly for a mainstream animated film.
A Bugs Life didn't really have any of these moments.
Then they made Monsters Inc, and there's that little moment at the end (where Sully finds Boo again) that's again touching and genuine and a nice moment.
Then they made Toy Story 2 and pushed their touching moment even further with the Jessie's Song sequence.
Here they realised they were onto something.
I feel that their consequent films are all about trying to top this meaningful moment rather than making a great, entertaining film.
I don't think anyone walked out of Up saying "Wow - that was so funny and entertaining and witty (or whatever)".
Instead they go on about that cliched and lazy montage at the beginning of the film.
Nobody walked out out of TS3 saying "Wow, l love these characters" they say "Oh, when they nearly died at the end it was really sad".
I understand that these are hugely popular films, so clearly I'm missing something and I'm kind of happy about that.
Quick rundown.
TS1 - Charming, lovely film.
Bugs Life - Great family entertainment with lots of lovely moments.
TS2 - Mostly weird and dull. TS films work best when the Toys are confined to the household, I think.
Monsters Inc - The last Pixar film I really, really enjoy. Last really original thing they did.
Finding Nemo - Sweet film. By now I'm tired of Pixars ensemble cast formula. From here, Pixars films become longer and longer...
The Incredibles - very entertaining, overly long.
Cars - Honest, healthy family entertainment. Not sure why so many people hate this film. At the very least it's better than 100 other shitty films.
Ratatouille - Unbearably long and complicated. The whole Lunguini being puppeted by the rat is such a long and pointless sequence. Stupid tacked on romance. Mostly boring.
Wall-E - Starts of well. Becomes boring satire too quickly. Awful, cheeseball utterly fake ending.
Up - Mostly boring with lots of bad storytelling.
TS3 - Mostly weird and dour. There was a sequel to the film Babe a few years back that was given the same critisism. At least that film is weird and dour and subversive. TS3 is weird and dour and boring.

In short.
My opinion means fuck all.
Enjoy the films.
You'll be much happier that way.

Noble Beast

Bird Shit

Message from Michael

Chanelephant

Fishin'

Sneak Peek

Here's a sneak peek from our upcoming Boxhead and Roundhead feature film.
Artwork by the incredible Neil Ross (with teeny character touch ups by me).