Saturday, February 17, 2007

More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Animation

These videos are three excerpts from the Access Alberta documentary of the same name, produced about 1999. All of the segments are about classic cartoon (cel) animation. Watch all three and you will have a better idea of the cel animation process as it evolved along with digital technology. You'll also see the full range of animation projects - from the one person, completely independent production to the multimillion dollar theatrical feature.

Excerpt 1 - Dreamworks Animation "Road to El Dorado"


Dreamworks Animation should need no introduction. This documentary goes a little deeper into the production process than many other documentaries do; and you get a real feeling for the complexity of feature animation.

Excerpt 2 - Bruce Wilson's "Friday Night Idiot Box"


"You're out of your mind for making movies anyway." - Marv Newland, International Rocketship. Bruce Wilson made a series of three 30 second cel animated cartoons, completely in the classic manner - making and testing his drawings, inking and painting the cels, and shooting on 35mm film. Marv Newland of International Rocketship helped him with it. This documentary goes beyond most animation documentaries and shows some of what happens on an animation stand. Marv has strong opinions about film's superiority over digital movies; I disagree. But hear him out and make up your own mind.

Excerpt 3 - "Mr. Reaper's Really Bad Morning"


Kevin Kurytnik and Carol Beecher of Fifteen Pound Pink Productions started Mr. Reaper's Really Bad Morning as a more or less conventional cartoon. During production they decided to switch to digital ink and paint and worked with Quickdraw Animation Society to set up the system. They finally output the digital files to 35mm film. This documentary shows the grant supported side of independent animation, though Kevin and Carol work like Richard Williams, doing animation for clients to help them make their independent movie.

Create many kinds of classic animation with software from StopMotion-Software.com