Inside: 2 Richfield Scholar Seeks Answers That Lie Beneath 3 FYI 4 Top Litigator, Famed Artist to Speak 4 Calendar Vol. XII · No. 6 October 29, 2007 Cal State Northridge—The Intellectual, Economic and Cultural Heart of the San Fernando Valley and Beyond Animation Studio Named for Industry Legend Walter Lantz Making Their Mark in Red Hot Industry, Students and Grads Follow Path of Animation Trailblazer al State Northridge’s newly named are working in some of the top Walter Lantz Animation Studio animation studios in the industry, C houses not only the stuff that whether they are working on a movie dreams are made of—whimsy, fantasy or television show or in the game and red-eyed pirate penguins—but industry,” she said. the creative students who imagine Animation alumni include Robert those dreams. Castaneda, director of animation for Named in honor of famed animator Technicolor Interactive, whose work Walter Lantz, described as the man includes the games “Gears of War” and “responsible for the creation of the “God of War II” as well as computer first Technicolor cartoon,” the studio animation for the film “The Matrix in September was dedicated in a Reloaded;” Artak Avakyan, cinematic ceremony recognizing the Walter Lantz animator for Sony Computer Enter- Foundation for its support. As head tainment America, the games “God of his own animation studio, Lantz of War II” and “True Crime;” Chance introduced Woody Woodpecker, Raspberry, character layout artist for Chilly Willy and other iconic cartoon Film Roman Studio, “The Simpson characters. Movie;” and Tyree Dillihay, a director o President Jolene Koester and o and flash animator and development h C Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and e artist currently working on a project e L Communication Dean Robert Bucker y for Black Entertainment Television. b o t joined Lantz Foundation trustee Ed o “The list could go on and on,” h Landry and executive director Peggy P Trujillo said, adding art alumni Vicki From left, animation program coordinator Mary Ann Trujillo and animation professor Mark Jackson in celebrating with other Farquhar check the latest projects of students Diana Velasquez and Jon Baldwin in the Jenson, director of 3D CG features dignitaries the naming of the studio. Walter Lantz Animation Studio. for DreamWorks and also director of Following in Lantz’s footsteps, “Shark Tale,” and Brian Miller, president Northridge animation students and Mary Ann Trujillo, coordinator of students have the talent; we’re just of Cartoon Network Studios. graduates are making their mark in Northridge’s animation program in giving them proper skills so that they Animation professors, many of a red hot industry with worldwide CSUN’s Department of Art, is proud can succeed in the industry,” said whom hold full-time positions in the revenues now measured in the of what goes on in the Walter Lantz Trujillo. animation industry, burn a lot of billions of dollars. Animation Studio. “Most of these And they do succeed. “Our grads Animation Studio continued on page 2. Viscom Center’s Approach to Design: Young, Fresh and Green Center for Visual Communication Students Enter Competition to Design Ford Focus Commercials arely two months old, Cal State first-of-its-kind student competition— public universities with an intriguing regional television stations. Northridge’s Center for Visual conceived and directed by Dailey idea: each would create 30-second The project appealed to Viscom B Communication (Viscom) is and Associates Advertising of West commercials for the Southern California managing director Dave Moon and moving directly into the fast lane of Hollywood—to create commercials launch of the Ford Motor Company’s creative director Joe Bautista—even art design in the San Fernando Valley. for the launch of the redesigned youth-oriented Focus vehicle. Com- without the added plum of the In fall 2007, Viscom had just opened Ford Focus automobile. mercials are due in April 2008, and $25,000 bright red 2008 Ford Focus its doors to clients seeking innovative The ad firm had approached the winning concept will be aired CSUN will receive regardless of the design concepts when it entered a CSUN and other regional private and during spring 2008 on local and Viscom Center continued on page 2. Nonprofit Org. U.S.Postage PAID California State University 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, California 91330-8242 Northridge a n i r a c s a M d i v a D y b o t o h P In the new Viscom Communications Center, junior Jenny San reviews storyboard concepts with seniors Chris ONeill (far left) and Tim Stewart. Looking for Answers in Ocean’s Depths, Earth’s Crust Richfield Scholar Seeks Link Between Old Faults and State’s Active Geology lena Miranda, the Jerome Richfield Currently in her second year at Memorial Scholar for 2007 –08, “The world needs CSUN, she is teaching courses this E specializes in structural geology, more geologists, semester on microtectonics and field the study of rock deformation through geology to future geoscientists. time. An assistant professor in the as science becomes “The world needs more geologists,” Geological Sciences Department, she said, “as science becomes more Miranda investigates how the Earth’s more global global in perspective and the public continental and oceanic crust deforms becomes more aware of the geologic in response to stresses. in perspective and processes that shape…lives. The Richfield recognition, awarded “Geology is, by nature, annually by the university in memor y the public becomes interdisciplinary,” said Miranda. “We of dean emeritus and philosophy study rocks because they record the professor Jerome Richfield, salutes more aware of geologic evolution of the Earth, but an outstanding faculty member con- we also try to understand how these ducting research in the arts, sciences the geologic processes processes are influenced by Earth’s or humanities. The scholar receives a atmosphere, oceans and biosphere. o o that shape…lives.” fellowship equivalent to three units h That sort of approach is important C e of release time, funded by a memorial e because the lessons we learn about L y —Elena Miranda, research endowment established in b Earth’s past are relevant for under- o t o assistant professor, 1992, in tribute to Richfield. h standing Earth’s future.” P Each year, the Richfield scholar Elena Miranda Geological Sciences Department It also is relevant for a world with presents a lecture as part of the a growing population, she said, noting Provost’s Colloquium Series. Miranda the surface of the Indian Ocean, off learn anything about by studying that population growth puts more will speak on “The Past as the Key to the coast of Madagascar, to her curren t these far-flung places?” demands on our resources and requires the Present: What Can Old Continental work in Arizona. Miranda, who also has conducted more people to negotiate living with and Oceanic Faults Tell Us About “I’m going to show how these field work in Switzerland, Italy and geologic hazards such as earthquakes, Active Faults in California?” at 4 p.m. fault systems that I study in the Iceland, earned both of her degrees volcanoes and landslides. Wednesday, Nov. 7, in the Oviatt continent and in the ocean might in geology; her doctorate at the “Geologists are the scientists Library Presentation Room. relate to active geology in California,” University of Wyoming and her who help find new resources and In her presentation, she will link she explained. “Are there any structures bachelor’s at Southern Methodist help assess geologic risk,” Miranda her research from 3,000 meters below here in our home state that we can University. added. ᭿ Viscom Center… continued from page 1. competition’s outcome. Ford also will contribute a $2,500 scholarship fund to the center, Moon said. Viscom’s young designers accepted the challenge with gusto, devoting long hours to brainstorming and storyboarding. “Ford is reaching out to us for a reason,” said senior Chris a g ONeill of Chatsworth, one of the r o l O center’s core student members. “It e o J realizes there’s something going on y b n o i in schools; a fresh, unrestrained t a r t s school of thought.” u l l I Meanwhile, nearly a dozen other From left, the gallery of Viscom Center faculty and core student group members: Tim Stewart, Joe Olorga, Chris ONeill, David Mascarina, projects from both on and off-campus managing director Dave Moon, creative director Joe Bautista, Tiffany Olay and Mark Marcelo. clients keep the creative sparks flying in the new studio. In approaching transfer students and high school ing those expectations. For a project Like most of the Viscom core each one, the entire Viscom team students, Moon said. commissioned on a Monday morning members, junior David Mascarina of applies a “green thought process.” Viscom also hopes to act as a by The Illusion Factory in Woodland Canyon Country is a major league For the design of a Los Angeles City vehicle to “inform, educate and collab - Hills, a gung-ho team came up with multi-tasker. An experienced Web and Fire Department brush clearance orate” with K –12 educators, eventually nearly 20 expertly formatted concepts graphic designer training at Viscom for program information brochure, offering workshops to explore teaching by noon the next day. The pleased a career as an art director/manager, he students are asking: Can it have a “the possibilities of art.” client’s check is on the way, Moon said. maintains the center’s Web site, leads life after mailing, perhaps as a paper To serve its San Fernando Valley “It’s not about the money,” said all of its Web-based projects, holds trash can? Can it be a self-mailer? client base, Moon and Bautista are senior Tiffany Olay of Canyon Country, down a campus job and still finds “We want to be known as the preparing globally competitive though students receive a small fee time to mentor other Viscom students.