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They’ve also sent along some concept art for their upcoming film Monsters vs. Aliens.
Poor Golden Gate Bridge. Somebody’s always breaking it. No wonder traffic is so snarled…
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Chris Mais’ animated short “Smile” tells the story of a lonely but caring happy face toy who competes against a jealous pirate for the friendship of a balloon. This film utilizes the latest innovations of the visual effects industry such as motion capture, 3D laser scanning and digital cinematography.
The film’s been doing well in its festival run, and it’s our latest Film Profile at AnimWatch. Check it out!
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The voice of Wallace (of Wallace & Gromit fame) 86-year-old actor, Peter Sallis, has some interesting thoughts on working with Aardman and Dreamworks.
“I’d prefer to be recording a half-hour Wallace + Gromit for the BBC. I hope Nick Park is going back to that.
“I’m happy as long as Nick’s happy but I just think The Were-Rabbit wasn’t quite as good as, say The Wrong Trousers.
“The trouble is, when Hollywood gets involved, the writing gets all complicated. The Were-Rabbit took five years to produce and I think that could have been reduced by about two years to produce without that involvement.”
I must say, I’m inclined to agree with Mr. Sallis. Read the full article at Yahoo UK.
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In this first episode, host Steve Ogden tells you how AnimWatch.com started. Also, THE NEWS, including updates on Rustboy and Vacant Planet, and answers to reader questions. Finally, Steve hops up on his Soapbox to chat about the break-up of the marriage between Aardman and Dreamworks. Featuring music by Tim Larkin.
Subscribe through iTUNES HERE.
Subscribe through XML/RSS HERE.
Download direct HERE.
More information at the AnimWatch Podcast page.
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You know, I think the concept of Excellence is getting lost. I think people used to understand what it meant. It meant to be of the highest quality. It was usually marked by the best workmanship or design or idea or execution. It was to be admired. It was something to strive for.
In the modern era, I believe the desire for Fame has taken the place of the quest for excellence. I’m not even sure most of us recognize the difference between excellence and popularity anymore.
The good news is that I believe we know excellence when we see it. It’s just that we don’t see it often. And I believe we all know what garbage is. The problem is the middle ground… ubiquitous mediocrity. When the sub-par becomes commonplace, it becomes easier to accept, and more difficult to differentiate.
A friend of mine once told me that TV is where good ideas go to die and where mediocrity goes to self-congratulate. Amen, sister. I’ve got to think that TV in general and the popular culture overall are feeding into a loss of excellence. Because although mediocre films are still being made, they are also being granted the highest artistic achievement awards we give out. Look at your favorite Award Show Whipping Boy. Seriously? Is this the best we can do with all our incredible talent and high-tech toys? And does something deserve to win Best of Show simply because it was the best Mediocrity of all the other Mediocrities? As they said in The Incredibles, when everyone’s special, no one will be.
Play this little game: watch the news on any given night. Note how many news stories focus on celebrities. Now, for each celebrity, think: why exactly is this person famous? What did he/she do? Did they create something, achieve some Artistic high water mark, set the quality bar for their profession? Or did they win a game show? Or get born into a famous and/or rich family? Or did they die unexpectedly?
But this is also where you come in. As an aspiring artist, can you hold your work to the highest quality bar, push the envelope, and try to do just a little bit more than mediocre? As an animation fan, can you demand more entertainment in your entertainment? Can we all expect - and seek out - excellence?
If AnimWatch can stand for one thing, I hope it can stand for the overall excellence of the films we profile. I believe I have let a couple of clunkers slip through - films that looked good before they were finished. And I’m trying to fix that problem as I go. But overall, I’d like to think my instincts were solid, and hopefully will get better as I include more films.
And I hope you will help me as we go along. Call me on it when I slip.
