The Mighty Animator: Frédéric Back
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
July 1996 MAGAZINE Vol. 1, No. 4 ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE July 1996 Editor's Notebook by Harvey Deneroff 4 The Mighty Animator: Frédéric Back by William Moritz 6 The director of such films as Crac!, The Man Who Planted Trees and The Mighty River talks with William Moritz about filmmaking, the environment and his teacher, Mathurin Méheut. TVC, 1957-1997 by Jill McGreal 10 TVC, one of Britain’s most innovative studios is getting ready to shut down. Jill McGreal talks to John Coates, who succeeded founder George Dunning, and celebrates 40 years of creativity. Quirino Cristiani,The Untold Story of Argentina's Pioneer Animator by Giannalberto Bendazzi 14 In celebration of Quirino Cristiani's centennial, we are republishing Giannalberto’s classic profile of the Italian immigrant who made the world’s first two animated features. Sue Loughlin:An Animator's Profile by Rita Street 20 A look at the films of Britain's Sue Loughlin, and how she explores themes relating to sports, as well as social reform and women's rights. Robert Breer:Animator by Jackie Leger 24 Once of America's most prominent independent animators, Robert Breer continues to explore historical perspectives and experiment with new techniques. Jackie Leger looks at his career, past and present. The Olympiad of Animation:An Interview with Fini LittleJohn by Harvey Deneroff 27 In 1984, ASIFA-Hollywood and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences put on a unique mini-animation festival as part of Los July 1996 Angeles' Olympic Arts Festival. Harvey Deneroff profiles the woman behind the Olympiad of Animation, along with listings of films, including the landmark poll of the 50 greatest animated films of all time. Animation at the Olympics by Mark Segall 32 Art Culture and Technology (ACT) is attempting to bring animation to this year's Atlanta Olympics as part of an innovative multimedia installation. Mark Segall reports. 2 ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE July 1996 Champions of Animation “Quirino Cristiani, The article, “Robert Breer: Animator.” he 1984 Olympiad of Untold Story of Argentina’s For our formal tribute to the Animation, which is com- Pioneer Animator,” by Giannal- Olympics, I would like to point T memorated in my inter- berto Bendazzi, tells the fasci- to my article, “The Olympiad of view with Fini Littlejohn, fea- nating and long forgotten story Animation: An Interview with tured a selection of what were of the trailblazing director who Fini Littlejohn.” Fini, whose billed as the greatest animated made the first two animated friendship I have long valued, films of all time, appropriately features, and the first one with was the moving force behind termed the “Champions of sound. Interestingly enough, the now fabled pocket anima- Animation.” We like to think that Cristiani had the quaint notion tion festival that was one of the Animation World Magazine is that feature animation is a medi- gems of the 1984 Olympic Arts an ongoing celebration of ani- um for political satire, rather Festival. mation champions—whe- than fairy tales. Then, again, For what’s going on, ani- ther it be filmmakers, films pioneers sometimes mation-wise, in the current or even studios. don’t know any better! Olympic games, check out Mark Prominent among Rita Street’s “Sue Segall’s “Animation at the this month’s champions Loughlin: An Ani- Olympics,” which details the is Frédéric Back, whose mator’s Profile” exam- efforts of Art Culture and superbly hand crafted ines the career and Technology (ACT) to bring ani- films such as Crac! work of an animator mation to the Olympic masses. have mesmerized a whose interest in Then, Frankie Kowalski, in her whole generation. social issues is “The Great Adventures of Izzy— William Moritz reflected in An Olympic Hero for Kids,” looks took advantage her recent at Hollywood’s most recent ani- of his recent public mated exploration of what the visit to the Los service Olympics are all about. Angeles area to chat with him. announcement for Amnesty In “So, What Was It Like?” The results are found in “The International (and even her The Other Side Of Animation’s Mighty Animator: Frédéric Levi’s commercial), seems an Golden Age,” union leader and Back.” appropriate choice for this issue animator Tom Sito takes a hard TVC, founded by the late which plays homage to the look at some of the myths and George Dunning, has always Olympic Spirit of international shibboleths of America’s anima- been one of the mainstays of cooperation. tion industry vis-à-vis the people the British animation industry, Once upon a time, Robert and studios responsible for the producing such landmarks as Breer (A Man with his Dog Out classic era of Hollywood car- Yellow Submarine, Snowman for Air, etc.) was one of a hand- toons. and When the Wind Blows. The ful of American animators that Howard Beckerman pro- announcement that studio would constantly show up at vides a meditation on the cred- head John Coates will be clos- screenings of experimental films. ibility factor in character design ing the company next year, has The recent explosion of the ani- and development in his “When led Jill McGreal to examine the mation scene has seemed to left The Bunny Speaks, I Listen.” company’s and Coates’ legacy Breer behind, but not really, as Meanwhile, Pam Schechter, in in “TVC, 1957-1997.” Jackie Leger points out in her “No Matter What, Garfield 4 ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE July 1996 Speaks Your Language,” the effort that goes into some- explores the growing market for thing like Animation World licensing and merchandising Magazine very much worth- opportunities for cartoon char- while. acters, and how studios and Thus, I would like to invite vendors try to exploit the situa- you to take some time to email tion. (or even write us) about your ANIMATION WORLD NETWORK In our first festival round up, thoughts about what appears 6525 Sunset Blvd., Garden Suite 10 Bob Swain took advantage of in these “pages” (or think should Hollywood, CA 90028 the latest (noncompetitive) appear), which we will start Phone : 213.468.2554 Cardiff Festival to bring us up- gathering and publish in a reg- Fax : 213.464.5914 to-date on some of the latest ular “Letters to the Editor” sec- Email : [email protected] developments in animation tion starting next month. (Or, if technology, as well as what’s you feel more comfortable, feel going on in some of the top free to make your thoughts European studios. On the other known on the Discussion ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE hand, Maureen Furniss takes a Forum on the Animation World [email protected] leisurely look at the pleasures of Network.) PUBLISHER Zagreb 96, highlighting the —Harvey Deneroff Ron Diamond, President prize winners and the festival’s [email protected] Dan Sarto, Chief Operating Officer innovative use of the Internet. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Finally, William Moritz gives Harvey Deneroff his considered (and at times ASSOCIATE EDITOR/PUBLICITY argumentative) opinions on Frankie Kowalski Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise’s latest feature effort, The CONTRIBUTORS : Hunchback of Notre Dame, Howard Beckerman Giannalberto Bendazzi while Frankie Kowalski’s Desert Harvey Deneroff Island series provides a peek at Maureen Furniss some top ten picks from four Frankie Kowalski filmmakers whose works graced Jackie Leger Jill McGreal the 1984 Olympiad of Anima- William Moritz tion. Pam Schechter Mark Segall Letters to the Editor Tom Sito eing an editor of an Rita Street Internet magazine can Bob Swain B sometimes be a lonely Le WEBMASTER thing. Somehow, hit reports Guillaume Calop don’t quite have the same sex DESIGN/LAYOUT : appeal as seeing people actual- IMP Graphic e-mail : [email protected] ly looking at your journal at the Christa Theoharous local newsstand (and even ADVERTISING SALES plunking down a few dollars to North America : Wendy Jackson buy it). But like print journals, Europe : Vincent Ferri one of the ultimate compliments Asia : Bruce Teitelbaum is getting those letters to the edi- UK: Roger Watkins tor, which can often make all 5 ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE July 1996 The Mighty Animator: Frederic Back by William Moritz Moritz: Do all your animation films, from Abracadabra in 1970 until The Mighty River in 1993 belong to the Société Radio Canada [the French language division of the CBC]? Back: Yes, that’s right. I was an employee of Radio Canada—sometimes a free- lance, because depending on how interesting I found the work, sometimes I’d quit, and then return at a later date. Moritz: Now they’ve closed down the animation section of Radio Canada ... Back: Yes. And it’s too bad. Frédéric Back © SRC Hubert Tison at Radio eventy-two-year-old Frédéric opening of an exhibition of his Canada really gave me the Back, two time Academy animation drawings at the opportunity to work in good SAward winner for Crac! and Academy of Motion Picture Arts conditions. Before that, I wasn’t so The Man Who Planted Trees, was and Sciences. The exhibition, with interested in animation. The recently in Los Angeles for the art work from nine of his films, will National Film Board was doing lots run until August 25, although the of fine animation, but no other panels of The Man Who Planted place had good equipment and Artistic creation is always Trees and The Mighty River will be professional cameramen that taking a risk; you can’t sent to the Hiroshima Film Festival could do that kind of work. Then after August 11. I got a chance to Tison built up a professional guarantee how it will come animation studio at Radio Canada. out, there’s no safety in art.