America's first International Animation Festival and it's right here in my town, whoo!
There are only a few panels I wanted to go to (and I couldn't afford the $50-a-day passes), the first two were yesterday.
Renegade Animators, with Bill Plympton, Danny Antonucci and David Wachtenheim.
They had some interesting comments, although I really didn't see the 'renegade' part. Danny and David work for major networks and Bill outright said he's sick of being called 'renegade' and would happily whore himself to the next big studio who asked. Not that I'd blame him in the least, I know I'D like to have a huge money-marketing-distribution machine behind me if I wanted to make a feature film or tv show.
Then came a simply corking 90 minutes of 50's toons, Design Daze, delivered by the lovely Amid Amidi. It was fantastic, although the aircon in there was a LITTLE chilly ;)
Those 50's designers and directors STILL leave modern stuff in the dust in terms of sheer whimsical/insane design. More than Meets the Eye had figures that were almost Miro-ish and fantastically inventive depictions of sound, especially radio waves and a disembodied suitcase making its way to a business pitch for CBS radio.
My other favourite was Energetically Yours, an ESSO film praising fossil fuels and EXPERTLY aping Ronald Searle's style.
Ah, 50's propanda, how I love you.
What would have made it perfect would be allowing the audience to catcall it, MST3K-style :)
Mocking with LOVE, of course!
This afternoon is Amid's panel on Tom Oreb, where I intend to go and be a great big fangirl.
2 comments:
HA-- saw your reply to my CARS statement on Cartoon Brew! My wife and I saw RATATOUILLE last night, and it is one Pixar's best. Amazing animated acting, lots of laughs, and the usual Brad Bird focus on a real "human" emotional core. You'll love it.
Even if you did like CARS.
Ronald Searle directed quite some ESSO films and spots so it could have been originally by him!
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