Joanna Quinn, Has Delighted Audiences with Her Beautifully
3 Content News Interviews 2013 ASIFA Laureate Recipient An Interview with David OReilly & Joanna Quinn...... page 5 Robert Seidel: Part 1...... page 22
The Dreams and Desires of Make Milk, Not War: An Interview Joanna Quinn...... page 7 with Amer Shomali...... page 28
Remembering AWG News Michael Sporn...... page 12 ASIFA Work Group...... page 32 The Intrinsic Radical Nature of Handcrafted Animation.... page 15 AWG Colours Project at VAFI and Hiro- shima Festivals...... page 33
News from ASIFA National Group ...... page 35
Contact information...... page 48 ASIFA Magazine Credits Editor: Vice President of Communications: Design: Chris Robinson Mohamed Ghazala Monica Bruenjes Kara Miller
Contributors: Ray Kosarin, Nancy Phelps, Kelly Gallagher, Zsuzsanna Kiràly, Daniel Ebner, and Crysstal Chan
© 2014 ASIFA - prior written approval must be obtainedt to duplicate any and all content. The copyrights and trademarks of images featured herein are the property of their respective owners. ASIFA acknowledges the creators and copyright holders of the materials mentioned herein, and does not seek to infringe on those rights. 4 Letter from the ASIFA President
Gadzooks! It’s hard to believe that it has been two years since our last publication. Thanks to everyone for your patience and understanding while we transitioned from our semi-annual publication to our new format. The new magazine will be coming in four editions each year. We will have three online editions and one printed edition. This way you’ll never have to go more than three months without an ASIFA magazine to peruse.
We hope you’ll find this new format to be friendlier and easier to handle for all of the great animation news and information about our chapters. I want to thank all the volunteers that made this edition possible; Kara Miller and Monica Bruenjes worked tirelessly on the design and layout, Ray Kosarin took care of collecting and editing the ASIFA chapter information, and it was all led by our VP of Communications: Mohamed Ghazala. I would also like to thank one of ASI- FA’s past presidents, Nelson Shin, whose support towards ASIFA and especially the magazine made it possible in the first place. It is wonderful to see everyone working towards such a great cause in today’s world by bringing the animation world to you.
Each of our new magazines will now also include a focus. This edition is focused on the ASIFA Prize and I’m proud to present our laureate, Joanna Quinn. In this edition you can find an article by Chris Robinson (also our editor) about Joanna as well as an article by Nancy Phelps which talks about the award and the laureate.
We are now entering a new world with ASIFA – it is very exciting. You can check our contact page and see that we’ve divided up much of the responsibilities involved in running ASIFA to our Vice Pres- idents and their teams. We are continually working towards getting us into the next generation of the animation community. We now have a group reviewing and determining where we should go in the online world. This group will figure out what our social presence should be in the age of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Vines, and all. We have a group that is reviewing and re-planning our festival part- nerships. They want to be sure that we are aligned properly with all the festivals and to make sure that the artist’s rights are not affected by any of those partnerships. We are also revisiting our fees and statutes to ensure that our almost 55 year old organization is more nimble than ever.
And ASIFA is growing! Yes, we now have almost 40 chapters worldwide. Some of the newest chap- ters include two in China; Xiamen and Jilin, as well as one in Turkey and one in Cyprus. Welcome to all these ASIFA members. We have many more chapters requests currently being reviewed and processed for inclusion in our ASIFA family.
But mostly I would like to appreciate you, ASIFA’s Members. Without you there would be no organi- zation. ASIFA is the only international animation organization and you make it possible. As such, I want to remind you all that this is your organization - ASIFA is You! Please don’t hesitate to contact me or any one of your chapter representatives. You can let us know if you want to volunteer on an activity, let us know if you think there is an activity worth pursuing, or let us know if you have a sug- gestion or complaint. We are here for you.
Ed Desroches ASIFA President ([email protected]).. November 2014, Colorado 5 News 2013 ASIFA Laureate Recipient Joanna Quinn
Beryl series, Dreams and De- International Ltd in their home- Each year ASIFA honours a sires – Affairs of the Art in which town of Cardiff, Whales. Along person who has made a signifi- her heroine decides to take up with their personal films, Beryl cant contribution to animation painting with the usual disas- Productions has become known over an extended period of trous results. for commercial work. Joanna’s time. The 2013 recipient, Jo- distinctive style is immediately anna Quinn, has delighted audi- She and Les Mills, her partner recognizable in the Charmin ences with her beautifully drawn and husband, lecture and give Bear commercials which she animations ever since her first film, Girl’s Night Out (1986), won three awards at the 1987 Annecy Animation Festival. Her unique drawing talent combined with wit and wisdom have earned her numerous top awards including Emmy’s, Bafta’s, the 2006 European Cartoon D’Or and jury prizes at all of the major festivals. Two films Famous Fred (1996) and The Wife of Bath (1998) have earned Joanna Oscar nomina- tions and Britannia, a brilliantly biting view of British Imperial- “Joanna Quinn, has delighted audiences with her beautifully drawn animations ever since her first film” ism, won her the prestigious workshops at Universities and has been drawing since 1999. Leonardo Da Vinci award in festival around the world and In 2010 Ad Week, the industry 1996. Ironically the award was are known for the generous magazine, listed the Charmin presented by Prince Phillip. amount of time they give to Bear as one of the top ten ad- Joanna is a roll model and students in and out of the class- vertising icons of the decade. inspiration to young female room. Joanna is an Honorary animators worldwide. Girls Fellow at the Royal College of Night Out, Body Beautiful, and Art, London and the University Dreams and Desires – Family of Wales, Newport as well as Ties, about the wacky, loveable Honorary Doctor at the Univer- Beryl are films that women of sity of Wolverhampton. all ages can identify with. At With Les, who produces and the present time Joanna is at writes their films, Joanna work on her fourth film in the founded Beryl Productions 6
The ASIFA Laureate Award ASIFA would like to thank was presented to Joanna on Michaela for the generous stage at the Bradford Animation donation of her time to create Festival (BAF) by ASIFA Board the beautiful work of art. We Members Margot Grimwood also would like to thank Deb of ASIFA UK and Nancy Den- Singleton, festival director, for ney-Phelps, ASIFA San Fran- including the award presen- cisco on 21 November. Joanna tation and screening in the was surprised and delighted festival program, arranging for to receive a framed drawing the framing of the drawing, and created especially for her by inviting Margot and I to the fes- noted Czech animator Micha- tival to present it. BAF is held at ela Pavlatova. Joanna has the National Media Museum in previously said that Michaela is Bradford and is the UK’s her favourite animator and that longest running festival. her films have been an inspira- Joanna Quinn has now joined tion to Quinn in her own work. a list of other esteemed mem- CONGRATULATIONS JOANNA! Following the presentation of bers of the animation commu- Nancy Denney-Phelps the award there was a screen- nity who are ASIFA Laureates ing of Joanna’s work. She also and we are very honoured and gave an adult’s only life drawing proud to have her as a repre- workshop on another day. sentative of our organization. 7 The Dreams and Desires of Joanna Quinn
animation films. They are ag- her first art job at age 16 doing I’d venture to guess that gressive, edgy, provocative, illustrations for a Magic Shop’s anyone who owns a television saucy, and funny as hell. catalogue. “Davenports Magic has seen the work of English shop was a famous old shop animator Joanna Quinn. I’m not Quinn’s always loved to draw. opposite the British Museum. I talking about her extraordinary Her passion was so strong did diagrams of how to do the short films, Girls Night Out, that her bedroom walls were tricks.” Body Beautiful and Dreams covered with drawings. In fact, and Desires, but her memora- Quinn wanted to draw so much After high school, Quinn took a ble commercials for Charmin that she momentarily dreamed foundation art course at Gold- toilet paper featuring some big of going to prison because smith College in London fol- cuddly bears that like to main- she “liked the idea of being left lowed by a three-year graphics tain personal hygiene after alone to draw.” course at Middlesex University. taking a personal moment in the woods. Of course, most viewers Her first published illustration Animation entered Quinn’s have no idea they’re watching was in a gay magazine. “I was world for good during an anima- the work of one of the world’s about 12 it was of a vicar and a tion class in 1984. The stu- most successful and acclaimed choirboy.” Her grandmother had dents were given an animation animators. a copy of the drawing framed assignment. Rather than go to on her wall.” the library and read up a bit on Visually, the Charmin commer- animation, the stubborn Quinn cials bear the undeniable stamp A couple of years alter, Quinn decided to figure animation out of Joanna Quinn, but that’s tried to get a job at Beano for herself. The result was her where the similarities fade. comic but was told to finish first film, Superdog. “When I There’s nothing precious or school first and go to Art Col- filmed the walking legs on the feminine about Joanna Quinn’s lege first. She eventually did get video line tester and played it
“...when I developed my first photograph except even better. I suddenly felt a sense of great creative power” 8
back I was dumbstruck – it made her graduation film, Girl’s their environment are rather worked! It was the same excite- Night Out (1989) that she be- dour and average. The women ment I felt when I developed my gan to realize that maybe she have bad hair, flab, and too first photograph except even could make a living doing ani- much make-up. They’re nor- better. I suddenly felt a sense mation. mal, everyday women, not big of great creative power - imag- boobed curvy caricatures. Girls ine being able to make things In Girls Night Out, a group of Night out is an unharnessed move! I still get that feeling but female factory workers head celebration of female desire. less frequently and often with out to a stripclub to celebrate other people’s animation!” their colleague, Beryl’s birthday. Girls Night Out also marked Beryl is clearly excited about the debut of Quinn’s alter ego, Quinn now knew that she the evening. She has a dull job Beryl. “Because I was, in the wanted to be an animator, even and a duller husband. During main, brought up by a single if she wasn’t quite sure how one her night out, Beryl unleashes parent - my mother - in quite made a living making anima- her passion and desires. The difficult circumstances, it’s likely tion. I didn’t really think of it a women hoot and holler at the that I used her as a model possible profession as I didn’t male stripper (a nice inversion - someone struggling but un- really know any animators or from the usual gender types). complaining, battling against how you could earn money from Quinn’s drawings are rough, al- adversity to provide stability and it.” It wasn’t until after Quinn most punkish. The women and security. It was a combination of 9
“Quinn now knew that she wanted to be an animator, even if she wasn’t quite sure how one made a living making animation.” all these influences then which character design is again edgy, Les Mills, who has scripted all undoubtedly provoked the ‘gen- frantic and full of life. However, of their films. “We thought of esis of Beryl,’” the story feels a bit less organic making Beryl’s fight a metaphor than Girls Night Out. Perhaps for these struggles.” Using completion grants she re- this problem stems from trying ceived from Channel 4 and S4C to tackle too many issues at During the time of production, (Welsh Television), Quinn com- once. Wales had also become a pleted the film six months after popular target for Japanese in- she left college. Girls Night Out Aside from the theme of the vestment. “The biggest of these did extremely were Sony’s well at festi- TV factory vals and many at Bridgend people watched and the it when it aired Panasonic on Channel 4. complex in Suddenly, Quinn Cardiff,” says was offered Mills. “We money to make decided to a second film. reflect this by updating Beryl returned Beryl’s work as the star in situation from Quinn’s sec- a cake fac- ond film, Body tory to one of Beautiful (1990). these fac- A Japanese tories, spe- company has cifically the taken over the Sony one.” factory were Beryl works. Beryl female underdog and Beryl’s has bigger problems though, ongoing struggles as a mid- In 1991, Quinn was approached in particular, a brash, smug dle-aged woman, Body Beauti- by French producer Didier macho prick named Vince. ful also dives into larger political Brunner to participate in a Vince continually mocks Beryl’s commentary. “With the Amer- series called Cabaret, com- weight in front of the other ican experience in Vietnam prised of films based on works workers. Fed up, Beryl signs up the liberation movements in by Toulouse Lautrec and made for the company’s body building Angola and Mozambique, and by different animation direc- competition so she can show the Sandinistas experience tors. Quinn settled on Lautrec’s up Vince and feel better about in Nicaragua still fresh in our painting of two women lying on herself. Quinn’s animation and minds,” says Quinn’s partner a bed together. “I liked the idea 10 of challenging the artist’s por- directly for the direct political Quinn’s animation is typically trayal of these women as prosti- attack. Based on a book by remarkable, rich and detailed, tutes, as if we are voyeur peek- Madge Dresser, Brittania is a but the story feels too rushed, ing into their sordid world, a short, snippy summation of the too superficial. Quinn, fortu- world in which the artist seems history of Britain through the nately, doesn’t argue with this to have an intimate relationship figure of a bulldog. Directed by astute assessment. “This was with the women who allow him an unseen female voice, the a very challenging film to make to paint them relaxing on a bed bulldog embarks a legacy of im- because I had imagined I would together, hinting at their lesbian perialism, slavery, violence and have complete control over relationship. I wanted to de- cultural appropriation (e.g. tea). the film. However I very soon pict them as ordinary ‘working As the dog continues to stump realized that the script editor of women’ who were posing as on the world, she becomes in- the whole series had ultimate models for the artist in return for creasingly deranged and men- control. When I look at this film money. acing. Finally, the world out- now, I really enjoy the quality of grows the bulldog. The bulldog, the drawing and the animation This is precisely what Quinn now forgotten and impotent, but feel disappointed with the achieved in Elles. The sketch- transforms into a harmless little story telling and most of the book approach adds another poodle – nothing more than a voices.” layer of voyeurism to the film. lap dog. The viewer is watching the Given Quinn’s remarkable artist’s interpretation of the two In 1996, Quinn was invited to di- success as an independent and women and, in a sense, also rect one of Geoffrey Chaucer’s commissioned animator, it’s observing the artist via her Canterbury Tales, which was stunning to realize that there sketchbook. Under Quinn’s con- being commissioned by S4C for is a sixteen year gap between fident hands, the women also the BBC and HBO. Because of Body Beautiful and Dreams and quickly resemble women from the strong female characters in Desires - Family Ties (2006). Beryl’s world: plump, funny, the story, Quinn opted for The “Because of the long gap,” says raunchy, and freewheeling. Wife of Bath’s Tale. Mills, “both of us were literally gasping to produce another Elles also marked a turning point in terms of Quinn’s ap- proach to animation. With only three months to make the film, Quinn was forced to work much quicker than she was accustomed to. Locked away in her house in Spain, Quinn frantically worked on the film. Because she didn’t have a line tester with her in Spain, Quinn had to act out all of the film’s movements and actions before she started animating.
With Britannia (1993), Quinn leaves Beryl behind and goes 11 personal and original film. Clare dreams and desires.” and sees no reason to change Kitson was still the commis- at the moment. Oddly enough, sioning editor for Channel 4 Inspired by the gift of a video Quinn’s biggest successes have UK. At this time there was a 10 camera from her sister, Beryl come on the commercial side. minute slot after the Channel 4 begins absorbing film history When Famous Fred (1998) evening news which had been and then films the wedding of a the TV special she directed showing short animated films friend. The result is a madcap received an Oscar nomination, at this time 5 days of the week. journey through the absurdities Quinn received offers to do Clare hinted that a series of of a wedding that finds Beryl in- commercial work. Her commer- interrelated Beryl shorts could terrupting the wedding by using cials for Charmin and Whiskas fit into those slots perfectly.” an old man and his wheelchair have in turn funded personal Taking the hint, Mills and Quinn to take a tracking shot; get- films like Dreams and Desires. began working on a script that ting sloshed and strapping the would use a video diary as a camera atop a dog (Digger, a Joanna Quinn’s reign as an in- structural device to link the five reference to the Russian avant- ternational respected animator segments.” garde filmmaker, Dziga Vertov). stems not just from her talent After her disastrous (depending but also from her openness, op- The basic idea was that we on the perspective) cinematic timism and perseverance. “I’m would see an ageing, tired Beryl debut, Beryl sits alone on her always being stretched, pushed attempting to revive the pas- bed conveying her frustrations and challenged, and made to sions of her youth. “The video to her sister. Her solemn mood do things that perhaps I some- diary idea,” adds Mills, “seemed soon gives way to new dreams times find a little uncomfortable. to be the perfect vehicle to and desires. Beryl keeps mov- But then once I’m drawing and structure Beryl’s new life, to ing, keeps hoping. getting results, it’s really excit- communicate her feelings, to ing – in fact it’s when I’m happi- foster her new found ambitions, Quinn is comfortable making est.” and ultimately, to fulfill her short films and commercials “Joanna Quinn’s reign as an international respected animator...”
This article is an edited version of Joanna Quinn: Beryl, Bri- tannia and Bum-Wiping Bears that originally appeared in the book, Animators Unearthed (Continuum Publishing)
Chris Robinson is edi- tor-in-chief of ASIFA Magazine and Artistic Director of the Ottawa International Animation Festival. 12 Remembering Michael Sporn By Ray Kosarin and far between. In 1972, after ASIFA and the New York an- studies at New York Institute of imation community mourn the Technology and a US Navy stint passing of a most extraordinary in Alaska, Sporn broke into the artist and friend—renowned industry when John and Faith animation producer and director Hubley hired him for a three- Michael Sporn, who died Janu- day job as an assistant anima- ary 19, at age 67, from pancre- tor on a television spot. That atic cancer. three-day job, as Sporn liked to say years later, lasted for five Michael Sporn’s professional years. accomplishments are important and many. During over thirty At the Hubleys’, Sporn honed years running his New York his animation skills on commer- studio, Michael Sporn Ani- cials, industrials, television films mation Inc., he produced and and independent shorts includ- directed circa thirty half-hour ing Cockaboody (1973) and television specials for HBO, Everybody Rides the Carousel PBS, ShowTime and CBS, and (1975). There he also forged many shorts, including many a close, career-long working short film adaptations of classic relationship with master anima- Michael Sporn (studio publicity photo) childrens’ books for Weston tor Tissa David (1921-2012), Woods/Scholastic and scores ceased the decade before; first a mentor and, years later, of long-running Sesame Street a key collaborator on his own segments. His films have won almost the only feature films in production were the few and films. He followed Tissa David critical acclaim and countless to the Richard Williams-di- awards, including five Emmys flagging efforts from a dwin- dling Disney studio; and limited rected feature Raggedy Ann for his HBO films and an Oscar and Andy: A Musical Adventure nomination for his celebrated Saturday-morning television production, already migrating (1977) where he supervised the short Doctor de Soto (1984). In film’s assistant animators and 2007, Museum of Modern Art overseas, ground away at the remaining energy of industry inbetweeners. A return to the devoted a film retrospective and Hubleys’, followed by a stint at exhibition to Sporn’s work. veterans nearing the ends of their careers. Opportunities RO Blechman’s studio supervis- ing commercials and the PBS Sporn’s career began in the for unseasoned artists were scarce, the Union spurned new special Simple Gifts (1977), early 1970s at a most inaus- brought Sporn to a defining mo- picious time for animation: talent, and animation schools and training programs were few ment of his career: his decision, theatrical shorts had effectively in 1980, to open his own shop. “Sporn threw himself into his work with rare integrity and passion.” 13
Sporn chose projects he felt life and painted it with similar ance he was telling them the worth doing. Short films led to urgency. Few filmmakers, and truth, he could take them any- longer ones; educational films precious few for kids, ventured where. and Sesame Street spots led where Sporn ventured. He to Sporn’s first children’s book tackled stories about hard and The same frankness Sporn film adaptations for Weston important subjects: racism, brought to his films he brought Woods and another milestone: poverty, drug addiction, terminal to most everything else. He an Academy Award nomina- illness, the mystery and fragility eschewed pretension: he read tion for his 1984 William Steig of existence. critically and voraciously yet re- adaptation Doctor de Soto. fused to call himself an intellec- Soon after, HBO entrusted His insistence on portraying tual; dressed simply, even when Sporn’s lean studio with its first life’s tragedies and terrors pitching a client or being fêted; half-hour TV special: a musical hand-in-hand with its triumphs never bullied the visitor to his adaptation of a children’s book is a central reason his films studio with designer furniture by Bernard Waber (and the film speak so poignantly to viewers or racks of his Emmy awards. on which I was first privileged of any age. In an era in which Those lucky to know him knew to join his studio), Lyle, Lyle kids’ entertainment has pan- only the real Michael: I’m pretty Crocodile (1987). This project dered ever more desperately sure there was no other. His also unexpectedly and forever to its viewers with syrupy half- unflagging candor and conver- changed Sporn’s life: if brought truths, Sporn insisted on offer- sational intimacy charged him him together with his partner, ing them something greater. He with an ineffable charisma, and Broadway singer and actress understood that, when he won an evening with Michael talking Heidi Stallings (Evita, Zorba, his audience with the reassur- about art or life felt a precious Cats). The couple, who married in 2010, collaborated on close to every other film from that day forward.
And there were many. And they were good.
Sporn threw himself into his work with rare integrity and passion. His swashbuckling determination to make the films he wanted—even when this meant schedules and budgets that would frighten other pro- ducers away—meant the films got made. His most powerful films—films like The Marzi- pan Pig (1990), The Man Who Walked Between the Towers (2005) and perhaps his signa- ture work, The Hunting of the Snark (1989)—likewise seized With Heidi Stallings (photo by Michael Barrier) 14
tally, about animation history and art and quickly won over a vast, new, international reader- ship of animation’s top artists and scholars. Hordes of ad- mirers who had never met him nonetheless enjoyed something of what it was like to hear him speak from the heart about his favorite subject. His thousands of posts remain a treasure trove of information and insight and testament to Michael Sporn’s robust knowledge and vigor.
Self portrait (2008) The failure, then, of that same vigor in the final weeks of his gift. He inspired a fierce loyalty busy on a production, Michael life feels especially pointed. in, it seems, nearly everyone moved swiftly and spoke lit- Even as we celebrate Michael who got to know him. tle, which sharpened you to Sporn’s work, we ache with the the small but critical signals realization that we will not get to Michael’s studio was something whether you were giving him see his next films: those already like a repertory company of art- what he wanted. When OK’ing in his head, like the feature film ists he trusted and from whom a line test of a scene you’d just adaptations of the novels of he coaxed the work he wanted. animated, he might enigmati- John Gardiner and Elizabeth Working with him was exciting: cally say, “It moves,” then get Taylor and the graphic novels of he invested you in what mat- on with something else. But his friend Tom Hachtman, and tered to him. In this way, Mi- when you gave him something his first feature film already in chael’s direction was both firm he really liked, he’d usually just production, about the life and and, thrillingly, open-minded. say, “Great.” At least you were work of Edgar Allen Poe. He’d hand out full sequences, pretty sure that’s what he said. casting his animators according But he said it quickly, while Michael Sporn is survived by to style and sensibility and, if already striding away toward his his wife Heidi Stallings, sisters you wanted to do a particular desk: there was other work to Patricia Sherf and Christine sequence, he almost always do. When the studio was hum- O’Neill, and brothers Jerry and made sure you got it, trusting ming, it felt like a large family, John Rosco. there was probably a good rea- all cooking dinner. son it spoke to you. He seldom The same sense of loyalty Ray Kosarin is a director and/ gave too-specific directions, Michael inspired in person he or producer of many animated preferring to watch where your inspired the world over through TV series, including Daria, instincts carried the scene. his “Splog”—the name he gave The World of Tosh, and Three This made for a studio atmo- his remarkable animation blog. Friends and Jerry. sphere of personal responsibil- Following its 2005 launch, ity and shared purpose. Your nearly every day for the next work had better be good, yet eight years, he wrote compel- not conspicuous about it. When lingly, passionately, often bru- 15 The Intrinsic Radical Nature of
By Kelly Gallagher Handcrafted Animation
T hrough the techniques and devices employed by its cre- ators, handcrafted animation, (an ever-growing field among women filmmakers), affords viewers critical distance to cogitate on their material condi- tions. This essay explores this process while also unearthing why handcrafted animation is an inherently radical aesthetic and practice, due to its following two characteristics: (A) mak- ing visible and transparent the human relations of its labor and production, and (B) providing agency to audiences by inviting spectators to become produc- (Fig. 1. Still from Jo Dery’s handcrafted animation, Peeks, 2009, which ers themselves while simultane- incorporates colorful paper cutouts, hand-drawn backgrounds, pho- ously giving them the distance to-montage, and objects from nature.) required for political reflection. skills and storytelling, discuss- what he tells from experience… 1. The Handworker ing how historical resident and makes it the experience master craftsmen would work of those hearing the tale. True Handcrafted animators use their together with traveling journey- experience is conceived as hands to employ techniques men to draw in town audiences close and practiced knowledge such as: paper cutout anima- for craft workshops and share of what is at hand… The hand tion, scratching and painting stories and experiences with touches, has practical experi- film, configuring clay models for their audie. ence of life. Recurrent in Benja- stop-motion, cutting and pasting min’s delineations of experience materials to film celluloid, etc. For Benjamin, to reflect on the are the words tactile, tactics, (See fig. 1) In Walter Benja- operations of storytelling, or the tactical, entering German, min’s 1936 essay, “The craft communication and expe- as it enters English via the Storyteller,” he explores craft- rience, is to ponder the ara- Latin tangere, touch. To touch work and its relationship to besque of labor, experience and the world is to know the world. storytelling. Benjamin highlights selfhood. The storyteller takes (Traces 6) a historical affinity between craft “grasping the truth, seizing the future; the hand is a political organ” (Traces 6) 16
An important connection be- ploys the instrument of labour, of Art in the Age of Mechanical tween historical, artisanal craft but the instrument of labour that Reproduction,” he celebrates labor and the sharing of experi- employs the workman” (Traces the democratization and mass ences is made. To share a story 7). Instead of working a craft, dissemination of art that techni- through handcrafted work is to the worker has become worked cal reproducibility makes pos- share a true, more authentic ex- himself by capitalism. The hand sible with the invention of film perience with others. He notes, no longer takes practice in (Work of Art). Though capitalism “grasping the truth, seizing the the process of storytelling and and the industrial age created a future; the hand is a political or- experience-sharing, but rather working class that was incred- gan” (Traces 6). Benjamin later is forced to become a tool used ibly alienated, technical repro- delves into an exploration of redundantly by the capitalist duction introduced “new po- contemporary society’s indus- and depleted of its agency by tential for a familiarity between trialized labor and its alienating mechanized factory work. How- receivers and producers, once effects on the worker and hand. ever, all hope is not lost for the more in the form of collective Quoting Marx, he cites that now, storytelling of handwork. In Ben- experience: through mediated “it is not the workman that em- jamin’s seminal text, “The Work mass-produced things”
(Fig. 2. Still from Martha Colburn’s Film “Myth Labs” 2008) 17
“A truly radical aesthetic, like handcrafted animation, makes visible the human relations of production that capitalism tries to keep hidden.” (Traces 9). Notions of (Radical Symposium). But why the audience’s agency is dimin- wide-reaching collective expe- would such a realistic form of ished. Any hope for a cinematic rience sharing became recre- animation be dismissed as experience inviting spectators ated anew with the introduction completely antithetical to the to become cultural producers of film. What does an art form idea of a radical aesthetic? Les- themselves is destroyed. For look like that embraces mass lie cites James Cameron who Sergei Eisenstein, the film me- reproduction and wide-reaching proclaimed of his film Avatar: dium relies on the spectator’s distribution, while also relishing “Ideally at the end of the day, active participation and cogni- in a return to handwork? What the audience has no idea what tive thinking-through. In, “Au- are the political possibilities of a they’re looking at... No idea dience as Creator,” Eisenstein cinema that employs the histor- what’s real and what’s not.” It is argues that the audience plays ical combination of handwork precisely this quest by the film- a role in authorship by providing and storytelling, while also em- maker to trick the viewer, while a consciousness to a film work bracing technological (/digital) explicitly making invisible the (Tikka, 28). Understanding that dissemination for the masses? labor and human relations of the strength of the audience’s Handcrafted animation is si- production, that is so problem- agency relies on their ability to multaneously both a returning atic and in direct opposition to understand the assembly of the back to the political organ of a radical aesthetic. “When the image, Eisenstein argues: the hand, (a testament of expe- labor of the artwork becomes so rience), and a forging forward invisible because it is so parallel The strength of montage re- into the political practice of a to our world,” the audience is sides in this, that it includes in democratized, artistic medium left in the dark (Radical Sympo- the creative process the emo- for all (film/video). sium). The concealment of the tions and mind of the spectator. human relations of production The spectator is compelled to 2. Human Relations of Pro- is precisely what capitalism proceed along that self duction Made Visible wants. The labor of the visual same creative road that the effects workers is hidden to the author travelled in creating the In a talk given by Professor audience, because viewers are image. The spectator not only Esther Leslie, at the Radical so in awe by the “realness” the sees the represented elements Aesthetics- Radical Art Sympo- CGI has achieved. Spectators of the finished work, but also sium at Loughborough Univer- remain seamlessly within the experiences the dynamic pro- sity in 2010, Leslie embarked narrative’s story-world, uninter- cess of the emergence and on a quest to explore what may rupted by any thought of human assembly of the image just as it or may not constitute a radical production and labor. By shut- was experienced by the author. aesthetic. With a specific inquiry ting the audience out of critically (Roberts 23) into CGI animation, she argued participating in the cognitive that such fluid, coy animation process of understanding the Similarly to montage, the as- is directly in opposition to any assembly of the image and the sembly of the image is also notion of radical aesthetics filmmaker’s production process, definitively visible to viewers in 18
(Fig. 3. Still from Kelly Sears’ “The Body Besieged”) handcrafted animation. In Mar- can quite literally, as Eisenstein Producer,” he states: What we tha Colburn’s politically charged noted, travel down the creative should demand from photogra- and chromatic handcrafted journey of the filmmaker, expe- phy is the capacity of giving a films, an assemblage of painted riencing the piecing together print a caption which would tear magazine paper cutouts, pup- of the image and the work it it away from fashionable clichés pets, puzzle pieces, pipe-clean- took to get there. A truly radical and give it a revolutionary use- ers, and numerous other craft aesthetic, like handcrafted ani- value. But we will pose this forms, dance frenetically across mation, makes visible the hu- demand with the greatest insis- the screen (see fig. 2). There man relations of production that tence if we - writers - take up is no intent of keeping an audi- capitalism tries to keep hidden. photography. Here too technical ence “in the dark,” about how progress is the basis of political these images are constructed. 3. The Radical Power of Invit- progress for the author as pro- The elements are recognizable, ing Spectators to Become ducer. In other words: the only familiar; the frenetic movement Producers way to make this production makes apparent the stop-mo- politically useful is to master the tion film technique. An audience In Walter Benjamin’s “Author as competencies in the process “Today, women working in handcrafted animation are reclaiming craftwork and vigorously participating in breaking down barriers...” 19 of intellectual production… and than in live-action, therefore Bertolt Brecht’s Epic Theatre more exactly, the barriers which less crucial in the sense that a had similar goals. Brecht didn’t were erected to separate the good animation film doesn’t want his spectators bogged skills of both productive forces necessarily demand expert down with wrought emotion, must be simultaneously broken drawing skills- for example, caught up in the whirlwind of down. (Author 5) [one can simply use] collage, drama and suspended in emo- cutouts, and object animation. tional experience. He wanted Benjamin demands that spec- (Pilling 5) his audience to reflect and tators become producers, and think critically. When we watch that the barriers prohibiting Handcrafted animation, specif- animator Martha Colburn’s different kinds of workers from ically with its fantastical motion exploration of violent settler learning different kinds of cul- and unearthly imagery, has colonialism through layers of tural production be broken the power of distancing itself cutouts in Myth Labs, or Jo down. With handcrafted anima- from an audience in ways that Dery’s animated collages illus- tion, barriers of production can live-action film cannot. This trating the destruction of nature be far more easily broken down imperative distancing, immers- in Peeks, we see how political in comparison to other contem- ing a spectator in a world unlike handcrafted films aim less at porary cinema practices. In a our own, focuses a spectator’s putting spectators in an emo- feminist exploration of the ways response to one of reflection tional state, and more at allow- handcrafted animation is inher- rather than emotion. Creating ing viewers the space to reflect ently accessible, with few pro- the distance and time to reflect on their material conditions. duction barriers, Jayne Pilling on one’s living conditions, holds Additionally, Brecht implored: writes: longer lasting political potential “Let [the spectator] be aware, than simply being temporarily that you are not magicians, but Animation as a form offers such brought to an emotional state. workers” (Jones). He wanted potential to ex- plore women’s issues in a way that simply isn’t possible in live-action film- making. At the most basic level is the production process itself… it’s pos- sible to make an animation film by oneself, even at home, and with virtually any material… The technical skills required are far more varied and less specific 20 audiences to consistently be Sears brings together female critically- which is to say, more reminded of the labor behind bodies in exercise clothing that politically” (Wees 55). his theatre productions, just as engage in frenetic, choppy, and handcrafted filmmakers remind persistent movement that be- Today, women working in hand- audiences, every single frame, comes, over time, eerily robotic crafted animation are reclaiming of the craftsmanship behind and obsessive. In Sears’ film, craftwork and vigorously partici- their production. the jerky motion of digital cut- pating in breaking down barriers outs (still “cut” by hand, clearly that prohibit spectator participa- Brecht also used interruption as gesturing to the aesthetic his- tion in cultural production. By a means of forcing spectators tory of handwork), interrupts making their labor adamantly to be jolted into thinking criti- what would otherwise be a nor- visible, their production prac- cally about his plays (Jones). mal flow of movement if it were tices become exposed to spec- Handcrafted animation employs live-action imagery. These inter- tators. Their practices inherently interruption and jerky imag- ruptions allow for viewers to see emphasize the demystification ery; cutouts ripped from their this seemingly normal activity, of their filmmaking processes. original sources and brought in a new, disrupted and critical Amy Lockhart’s film The Col- together, juxtaposed to create light. Senses of choppy discon- lagist, (2009), (see fig. 4), and new meanings. In her film, The tinuity “encourage the viewer to Helen Hill’s Madame Winger Body Besieged, animator Kelly think about [the images] more Makes a Film (2001),
(Fig. 4. Still from “The Collagist” 21
(see fig. 5), both explain in the diegesis of the film how to pro- duce their types of handmade cinema. In Madame Winger Makes a Film, Hill describes step-by-step, how one can participate in cultural production through filmmaking, without financial burden. Hill’s eager- ness to share feasible prac- tices of film production with her audience illustrates the call for spectators to become produc- ers that Benjamin so encour- ages. Filmmakers like Lockhart and Hill, forge important paths for others to join in. (Fig. 5. Still from “Madame Winger Makes a film”) In conclusion, after exploring the ways in which handcrafted handcrafted filmmaking prac- animation makes labor visible tices today, demystifying film- Kelly Gallagher is an MFA Can- and invites spectators to be- making for others, and sharing didate in Cinematic Arts, Uni- come producers themselves, their political explorations with versity of Iowa the inherently radical nature the public through the mass and aesthetic of this raw film circulation that the film medium form becomes viscerally appar- provides. This imperative polit- ent. With vibrant tenacity, more ical work allows for all to move and more women are taking up from spectator to producer.
Works Cited Benjamin, Walter. Author as Producer. Walter Benjamin: Author as Producer (1934). New Left Review, Aug. 1970. Web. 4 Jan. 2014.
Daniel Ebner: Robert, is your work process in any way comparable?
Robert Seidel: It’s hard to com- pare, because I am not ani- mating characters but creating abstract worlds. The tools for animating characters are very specific. I sometimes work with programmers, sound designers, scientists or editors. But my budgets are never high enough to afford somebody working on a specific thing over a longer period of time. As such I am David OReilly responsible for most of the work Robert Seidel 23
DOR: It’s 50% long distance, setup. When people see films, I am bad at mixing. Generally and 50% people around in they never see this complex- I have an idea of sound aes- the same office. It’s getting ity behind the process, if you thetics but no musicality. So it’s complicated if something is are working with a dozen peo- amazing when you can explain not working and you are long ple or just three. It’s always a and when someone actually distance. For example, there nightmare in terms of having makes something that is bet- were situations when I would enough power in making your ter than all of those things. It’s explain three times that a pose idea survive. If you do work by the same with animation. It’s a isn’t working and every single yourself you are responsible for gamble. time there is almost no change, everything, but as soon as proj- so I have to change it myself, ects become more complex it is RS: As your projects become more complex in production “I know this is crazy, this is sometimes a costs and work, do you see yourself steadily growing? Or badge of honor for artists...” do you sometimes want to stop the process at a certain point because I know the software, really hard to keep everything because you think you’re on the and then that person gets really together. And if you have to edge of losing creative control? upset. And then doesn’t like imagine what if the project fails me. (Laughs) You also have or the money is not enough… DOR: Not really, because I am feelings to manage. But at the more interested in doing things same time, work happens much DOR: Yes, it can be the worst than being obsessed with the faster. „Please say something” thing ever. But also every now control aspect of it. I think it and a couple of other ones and again there will be people happened earlier sometimes, were done completely alone, who would do something better today not anymore. But I feel and that is a sort of process I than you want. And I’ve had that there is a danger of getting too don’t want to do again. It’s too happen often with music, be- obsessed with it, for me at least. hard to keep my own interest cause I am so not musical and in it, and I have no social life, I couldn’t have any relationship etc. I know this is crazy, this is sometimes a badge of honor for artists, but you know years go by very quickly when you are doing that kind of work. That can be kind of scary. For me it is not sustainable. It’s good for a few projects, but I always wanted to delegate.
RS: I only have people around to help with the setup of the video installations. These com- Robert Seidel installation still: chiral plicated experiences that you describe I only have in my real life part when working with the 24
Over all the process is better for me, mentally, when I have peo- ple helping. It’s less scary and I can share the blame if anything goes wrong. (laughs) Robert, have you ever thought about using an off set render farm?
RS: Yes, but my experimental 3D-scenes break so easily…
DOR: … really, too complex?
RS: Sometimes frames turn David OReilly animation still: Please Say Something black or defect, and there are lots of possibilities to trace the frame, or maybe a 25th of a which specific software I use. defaults that I can do myself, sec per frame, and he is talking I think you can do almost ev- so I rather keep the stuff on my about hundreds of times that. erything with every software. own computers. And it’s also And that is the standard for 3D You can take the cheap or better to have decent frame now. I think it just gets unrea- most expensive, as long as you render times, otherwise you sonable at some point. And also spend a lot of time in under- completely loose the overview. it gets a lot less fun. standing and finding your ways Today’s standard render times through. I have been writing for publications about 3D software “I think you can do almost everything for 10 years. And I gave up for different reasons, but the main with every software” reason was that there are just a few companies now making in Hollywood are crazy, hours Zsuzsanna Kiràly: How much most of the products and they of hours, and render farms of do you have to keep up with are not innovating anymore, thousands of computers. All new standards of technology they are just selling a few new part of this craze for realism… and software updates? features.
DOR: It’s gone to another world. RS: I think there is just opti- David, I am interested in your The first time I have delegated mization of existing technology early influences... I was brought modeling is on a project I am right now. up in former East Germany. doing now. This guy is taking And I really liked the Eastern care of the rendering and it’s DOR: Right, there is no new European movies, especially most bizarre, he has a com- technology. Things just get the animations and fairy tales pletely different idea of what faster, optimized, that’s it. But with all these surreal ideas and rendering is than I do. He would for me, I could have done this characters. Films you wouldn’t say, „I optimized the scene, it’s exact same work 10 years ago. necessarily show to your chil- really great, it’s only 1min per dren anymore, with all these frame!” And I am literally used RS: A question I get a lot and ideas from Hollywood being so to a hundredth of a second per probably you as well, David, is dominant. 25
Daniel Ebner: How did you get into storytelling then?
DOR: It was kind of by accident. I just liked drawing images that I felt were powerful. In my film „WOFL2106” I put the images together for the first time. I just did it as Photoshop drawings in David OReilly animation still: HER – “Alien Child” sequences the beginning, and then I started putting them into order. It was DOR: I honestly wasn’t inter- either, just motion movement. basically a primitive storyboard, ested in any kind of film until I And then I was watching all just that I didn’t really know yet was about 15. And then I got from Andrei Tarkovsky and how to make a storyboard or very quickly into animation. Stanley Kubrick, Roy Anderson anything. It’s just a natural thing One of the first artists I liked and David Lynch. I often feel to happen: if you have things was Norman McLaren, it seems like some of my favorite live that you want happen in a film, kind of obvious, but whatever. action directors would probably you can’t help but to decide I hadn’t seen anything like his be really good animators be- where to start, where to put the work before. That was great. cause they have a very good middle, etc. And once you start There were also interviews with sense for motion and rhythm, rearranging that, it is basically him on the same tape, and this a very animatoresque musical storytelling. It is super primitive, guy was a total artist. I was type of rhythm. The motion is but that is ultimately narrative, blown away by these drawings, not an accidental element, on because you are leading some- just the persistence of vision, the contrary a very conscious one, you are leading this into a that magic trick, that effect that composition. certain direction. And then happens. The magic trick still works, even after you know how it is done. Norman McLaren’s films looked playful, unpreten- tious. It has craft, and it had everything I liked. Then I got obsessed with him and Oskar Fischinger. I was just interested in abstract stuff. And at the same time I was trying to learn to draw animation. I watched all the Disney stuff very quickly, just for the movement. I could tell you where the character would pick something up in a story. I wasn’t watching it for the story, I just watched the movements. I wasn’t interested Robert Seidel installation still: folds in storytelling for a long time 26
Robert Seidel animation still: _grau
I watched loads of films – re- you can always discover a new alizing that an image alone is Daniel Ebner: Do you work aspect. powerful but when you have a with a storyboard or a script, sequence of them they have Robert? DOR I think it’s almost like power above and beyond, putting a sound on repeat. greater than the sum of their RS: I have a vast collection Because a song has a structure parts. The more I have been of sketches and material, but that grows, builds. The sound writing with my co-writer Ver- never in any specific order. In however has a certain taste or non Chatman for the last cou- contrast to film, the installations sensation. It is a constant. ple of years, the more I have are created as loops and have learned the classical way things neither a beginning nor end- RS: That is why I reduced my work. But there are really no ing. There is no priority, which animation work in the installa- rules. The one trick with draw- makes it easier for me to put tions. And made it more abstract ing and writing is being able material in a free order. The and more about this moment to throw stuff away and start viewer starts to watch at some which concentrates all sensa- over. And the other thing that I point, and can come back to tion that I want to show. Since have learned is that if you have the same part later and maybe the film is tied to the installation an idea you need to milk it as it adds up to a new meaning, it becomes very functional. much as possible. Try and get as much out of it before moving “- it’s like putting one song in repeat - forward. Because it is easy to move forward, instead of fully you can always discover a new aspect...” exploring each idea. It’s just like a mental process in which I for the viewer as well as for me. have to constantly ask myself: You are watching the film as Daniel Ebner: So you want to „Did I really think this through, part of the installation over and eliminate any form of narra- can it be funnier or more beau- over again, if you want – it’s like tion? tiful?” putting one song in repeat – 27
RS: No, it doesn’t eliminate the RS: But it should make sense. It The German version was pub- narration in itself, but it frees is not random. lished in „Revolver, Zeitschrift the narration. The viewers für Film“, no. 29/2013. can build their own “stories” DOR: Of course, you have a in a way. They can sit or walk fractal effect, not in the image Daniel Ebner is co-founder and around in the installation and but in the idea. It is anti-clas- artistic director of the interna- come closer. The loop is not too sical and cutting edge. I don’t tional short film festival VIS short, around 3 to 5 minutes. know if you disagree with that. I Vienna Independent Shorts and Maybe they see a detail of the feel it breaks a lot of rules, with film journalist at APA Austrian sculpture while the projection is color, composition, layout, time, Press Agency. moving and it reminds them of from a traditional sense what something specific, and another image making is. Zsuzsanna Kiràly has worked in part of the projection might cultural public relations, on film evoke another feeling. What To be continued.... festivals, and in film production is interesting about it is that it at X Filme and currently since shifts all the time – without me. 2009 at Komplizen Film. Zsuzsanna Kiràly and Daniel DOR: To me this is anti-narra- Ebner conducted the interview David OReilly is an Irish anima- tive and I also think your work at the Vienna Independent tor based in Los Angeles. is very anti-composition. When Shorts Kurzfilmfestivals (VIS) you learn about rules of com- May 31st 2013; Translation, Robert Seidel is a Berlin based position and then you see your editing: Zsuzsanna Kiràly, Dan- artist, working in the field of work, it’s “boom” – you don’t iel Ebner and Nicolas Wacker- experimental film, facade pro- know where to focus at all. I like barth. jection and video installation. that a lot.
David OReilly animation still: ????? 28 Make Milk, Not War: An Interview with Amer Shomali By Crystal Chan of Zan Studios in Ramallah. the cows. All the time comics He pitched the film in 2008 as are talking about Lucky Luke, an animated short to eventual Asterix, imaginary worlds, and Amer Shomali says we should producer Ina Fichman (who’s now there’s somebody telling make milk, not war. The Pales- Jewish) of Montreal-based stories about my people, my tinian filmmaker’s feature doc- Intuitive Pictures. Paul Cowan, family, my town. When you’re umentary, The Wanted 18, tells a veteran NFB documentary a kid you think you can really a stranger-than-fiction story of filmmaker, was brought on as meet a Smurf. That was it for “lactivism” through a blend of co-director and writer a year me: mixing reality and the com- animation and live action. later. The film’s animated se- ics world in that issue. When we quences are During the First Palestinian mostly done in Intifada, civil disobedience was Claymation. After mainly about economic, rather an aborted idea than armed, resistance against to bring Canadian the Israelis. Palestinians, in animators to Pal- Beit Sahour most prominently, estine to work on stopped paying taxes and boy- the project and cotted Israeli products. train locals, the stop motion was In 1988, residents of Beit filmed in Mon- Sahour, a suburb of Bethle- treal. hem, bought eighteen cows from an Israeli Kibbutz. Their Crystal Chan spoke with came back to Palestine with all mission? To run a co-operative Shomali after the film’s pre- the fantasy I had built around dairy farm. The cows ran off, miere at the 2014 Toronto Inter- Palestine, how beautiful it was no one knew how to milk them, national Film Festival: and how heroic the people they had no delivery system. were, like TinTin—I was faced But these were the least of the When did you first hear about with a different reality. co-op’s problems. Little did they the Intifada cows? know that these cows would be- After that I started thinking of my come the targets of a four-year The first time I heard the story I own version of the comic with Israeli military man—or rather, was 10 years old. I read it in a the ending as part of the story. A cow—hunt involving hundreds comic magazine distributed all few years later I met Ina. I could of soldiers. over the Arab world. My fam- tell she hardly believed that this ily didn’t like the idea that I’m is true story. When I told them Shomali was born in Kuwait but playing in the streets of the ref- that I wanted to do it in anima- returned with his family to their ugee camp so most of the time tion they said ‘No, people will hometown of Beit Sahour as a I spent reading each comic on not believe that this is real story. teenager. He studied animation earth. One day, I came across We need to see real characters at Bournemouth University and these pages talking about Beit in it. And it’s not short film, it’s a VanArts and is the co-founder Sahour, civil disobedience, and feature-length documentary.’ 29
to have a visual connection with Waltz with Bashir but with more human touch. When we started trying out the documentary film that style didn’t work at all be- cause we had interviews, draw- ings, archives, and drama: dif- ferent layers of reality. And the stop motion, even thought it’s still animation, it’s real. There’s a puppet there, you can touch it. So it’s easier to blend the two worlds of real characters and interviews. At the beginning I didn’t like the we have in Palestine! We go idea because I love animation. I through Google and you have What is the art and animation felt having real characters there to give them a presentation community in Palestine like? would kill it. Eventually I liked about how Palestine is like. I the feeling of absurdity. Every think it was a nice journey for I think most of the art projects now and then you’re reminded them to look at those pictures, coming out of Palestine are po- that this is true story, and that trying to recreate it. Because liticized. And animation, graphic makes it more interesting—and when you look at pictures like, design, comic books are really more insane. this is Palestine, you say fine, hot items for activists to use.
Paul is a hardcore documentary “...stop motion, even though it’s still filmmaker. I do arts and anima- tion, where things for me don’t animation, it’s real” have to make sense as long as emotionally it’s working, visually nice. But you won’t remember I think social media is forcing it’s working. It was always back it. But when I ask you to rebuild the Palestinian discourse to be and forth between reality and it as a stop motion set you have more modern. More feeling, fantasy: how to make it a con- to look on each detail. faster, colourful and attractive, crete story but at the same time funnier. So we are having a shift have this flow of emotions and It seems to some extent the towards using art in campaign- visuals. film needs animation. And ing and politics. the live-action recreation, How was the claymation de- because there just isn’t a Most artists are self-taught or veloped? lot of footage of the actual they went abroad. There are places at the time and of the three or four animators in Pales- It was like Santa’s workshop. events themselves. How did tine: Basel Nasr, he studied in The first day I arrived [at the you choose to do it in stop UCLA; Ahmad Habash, he stud- studios in Montreal] they had motion? ied in Bournemouth England; just started building the sets. Dia al Azzeh, La Cambre, Bel- There were trees, and none of Cutout Flash animation, that gium; and Mohamad Saadeh, the trees were the trees that was my proposition. I wanted VanArts. Two of them didn’t come back. 30
The animation industry is still tors and ten teachers from other meaning. Outside of Palestine, new. I think we have plenty of backgrounds: from philosophy whatever I’m doing is going to stories to be told, but it’s still a to art history). Then the second be temporary. In Ramallah I long way to go. Me and Basel war on Gaza started and ev- have the right to speak, to be did this sarcastic political ani- erything was put on hold. Every the voice of my people. If I emi- mated sitcom for TV, [Animated now and then there’s another grated I’d lose that. Concerns, 2006-2007]. We did war so we keep delaying the the first season and it did well program. Teachers emigrated. There was no animation train- on national TV and YouTube. It’s a mess. ing in Palestine—and so you But then for the TV it was, ‘why did your Bachelor’s in archi- should we pay you that much Why did you stay? tecture—but you went on to of money for animation? At the study animation abroad? end we can buy animation from I like Ramallah. It’s a beautiful Japan and dub it.’ And we said, place to live. I like the energy of Yes. And the main line I got out ‘But this is Palestinian anima- it. I like the people. I can do bet- of my diploma in Fine Arts and tion. This is talking about Pal- ter outside of Ramallah, finan- Animation is not making things estinians’ issues. You can’t dub cially and peer-wise. But I feel move, it’s giving it life. Forget that.’ They said no. that things won’t have the same the technical things. In England
In 2008, I established an ani- “...this is Palestinian animation. This mation diploma in Birzeit with Basel and Ahmed. We had a is talking about Palestinians’ issues. great library of books, good internet connection, and good You can’t dub that.” support from the three anima- 31
I spent the whole year research- estinian films is that it’s either think that was the main reason ing how to write for animation, pro-Palestinian or pro-Israeli this story works. And the audi- how to use stereotypes and and you get an audience that ence will interact with it emo- preassumptions. Other than is already polarized who hardly tionally. that everything I learned was on watches the film up to the end. YouTube and by reading books, We want the cows to take them What do you want people to technical 2D animation on Flash into the story. It’s an absurd and take away from the film? or 3D animation or stop motion. enlightening story. I wanted to make a political story appealing That there is hope. and accessible to a wider audi- What were trying to achieve ence through animation. People by anthropomorphizing the will come to look at animation. claymation cows? When they see the cow they http://www.wanted18.com start laughing, the people are As I said, my Master’s thesis relaxed. Normal audiences will Crystal Chan is a writer and was how to use stereotypes go there and enjoy their time editor based in Montreal. to play with you rather than while they are hearing a very against you. We based the heavy subject. http://www.crystal-chan.com cows on real characters in the Israeli community. I wanted the So the animated sequences audience to feel that those are are part of the reason they not even cows but people that connect with the story? you might know. One of the problems with Israeli and Pal- I think that’s the main reason. I 32 AWG News ASIFA Workshop Group
who teach animation and hold ASIFA “animation experience n existence for almost half a I workshops. The conference center” for the women and chil- century, AWG is guided by the gave us a chance to share dren of the city and would love desire to make the art of anima- ideas, discuss teaching meth- to work with the AWG to achieve tion available to others as well ods and, of course, meet new the best possible results. to help create a peaceful world friends. through our love of animation. We announced the premiere of Acceptance was enthusias- our recently-completed project, ASIFA Workshop of China tic and already the workshop Colours, in Hiroshima [please ASIFA Workshop of China, see following article for more Last August, during the Cy- Beijing, has applied and was about Colours—ed.] and we ber Sousa animation festival accepted by the AWG board as presented the theme for the in China (August 15-18) at an AWG member. next one, Optical Toys. the invitation of ASIFA China we made a presentation of Also interested in joining AWG Some optical toys (thauma- the goals and objectives of is the workshop of Xiamen. tropes, phenakistiscopes, the ASIFA Workshops Group Contacts were made with offi- zoetropes and flipbooks) are (AWG). cials of QingDao city wishing to used as “starters” when doing organize there many animation animation workshops. It is an It was an honor to be invited to events. In the near future, they easy way to introduce kids to the festival and specifically to a are planning to establish an the animation concepts, but conference dedicated to those most of the times these anima- tions are not taken “seriously” and have no further develop- ment.
Today, we can see many artists coming back to the origins of animation and revisiting many of the pre cinema techniques in their creative approaches. So this project could be a challenge for us to find ways to include an optical toy in the animation process and create films out of a chosen optical toy.
Looking forward to an imagi- native participation in our next AWG Project 2015!
Anastasia Dimitra, president and Christel Degros vice-president of AWG Anastasia Dimitra AWG president 33 AWG Colours project at VAFI and Hiroshima Festivals
The latest project from AWG is named Colours. The intent was to use mainly one colour in the film so that each participating country could be recognized as a color. Twelve films from nine different countries and a lot of enthusiastic kids made this 26-minute project come true. It was presented this year to audi- ences at VAFI (Varaždin, Croa- tia) and Hiroshima festivals. VAFI—International Children and Youth Animation Film Festival—was founded with the desire to make Varaždin and Croatia a place where children and youth, profession- als, guests and all animation Coulour, making of Waf! Belgium lovers will be able to exchange show the work of AWG: films organized. Owen Chan and their experience and make new made by children, viewed by his students from Hong Kong friendships beyond their own children. A way to watch and displayed the work from a 3-D states; a place where young absorb, learn and get excited animation school. Koyaa, Zvviks people will enjoy films, learn about animation. from Ljubljina showed the mak- and socialize. ing of a stop-motion series for Guests from different coun- children and Nicolas Bougère, VAFI Junior (April 22-27), which tries, included several AWG France, presented the history of represents animated films made members, attended the festival. the workshop group AAA (Ate- by children and youth, as part One could visit the kids’ work- lier de cinéma d’Animation d’An- of its fifth anniversary celebra- shop “Da”, from Russia, watch necy). The animators gathered tion, held the world première of children animating, and see for a roundtable on the theme Colours on April 24. The young the result shown at the closing “animation as a pedagogical audience enjoyed the screen- awards ceremony. Interesting tool”. ing. lectures and presentations were
Sandra Malenica and Hrvoke “VAFI is a kid-friendly place where adult Selec, founders and the “en- gine” of VAFI, are both active animators also have the opportunity to members of AWG. A festival like VAFI is an ideal opportunity to meet the young audience” 34
VAFI is a kid-friendly place where adult animators also have the opportunity to meet the young audience, socialize, learn and enjoy the screenings. It is becoming a biennial tradi- tion, and a great one; during the 15th Hiroshima International Animation Festival Hiroshima (August 21-25, 2014), AWG was invited on August 25 to have the Asian premiere of Colours.
AWG has always been very welcome in Hiroshima. Sayoko Kinoshita, honorary President and Festival Director of Hiro- Vafi 2014 presentaion Koyaa by ZVVIKS Ljubljana shima Festival, was involved Japan and abroad, several Contest Awards and two ear- with AWG as president, before AWG members were present lier AWG films, The Sound of she passed the torch to Anas- at the special program: Nicole Animation and The Daughter tasia Dimitra. The Hiroshima In Salomon, co-founder of AWG of Manju Cake Shop Was Kid- Festival has a great reputation from France; Deanna Morse, napped. organizing workshops for chil- US; Petra Dolleman, the Neth- dren during the event. erlands; Iza Cracco and Christel After the screening, the mem- Both AWG and Hiroshima Fes- Degros, Belgium. bers present had a meeting, to tival share the same positive discuss the upcoming project feelings towards animation. The screening of Colours Optical Toys. Bringing optical Among the many visitors from was followed by the Flipbook toys in a workshop allows the young participants to meet the origin of animation and help to understand the principles of moving images.
Workshop organizers interested in our work and willing to join the next project—please visit http://awg.asifa.net/ and con- tact us!
AWG members in Hiroshima (L-R)with Deanne Morse, Sayoko Kinoshita, iza Cracco, Nicole Salomon,Petra Dolleman, Christel Degros 35 News from ASIFA National Groups
much acclaimed documentary, ASIFA-Australia Persistence of Vision by Kevin Schreck and the now digitally Animation Alliance Australia preserved iconic Australian Inc. (ASIFA Australia) debuted animated feature, Grendel, the first Queensland season Grendel, Grendel by pioneer of the Australian International animator Alex Stitt. Both direc- Animation Festival (AIAF) which tors were in attendance to take is now in its 11th year. Held in questions from the audience Brisbane at the State Library of after the screenings. Grendel and the Dragon in a musi- Queensland 1,2 & 3 August and cal number from Grendel, Grendel, Grendel. then Cairns at the Arthouse 8, In lead up to the festival, a 9 August, the festival featured successful flipbook animation sional screen practitioners,” 90 best new animated shorts workshop was held with the said Screen Queensland CEO from around the world selected theme: “Re-Imagining Grendel”, Tracey Vieria. “We identified the from some 3,000 entries from in reference to the title charac- importance of supporting the this year’s 14th Melbourne ter of Alex Stitt’s film. AIAF in presenting for the first International Animation Festival The Queensland Government’s time this year’s ‘mini-festival’ (MIAF). AIAF Co-Director and screen agency, Screen Queens- in Queensland as it provides MIAF Executive Director, Mal- land, endorsed the event opportunities for Queensland’s colm Turner curated 6 sessions through their Screen Culture animators and facilitates a vital including the “Australian Show- Funding Program. networking resource for the case”, a screening of 20 new industry.” Australian animations. “Queensland boasts a burgeon- ing animation industry and is Animation Alliance Australia Inc. Adding to the plethora of ani- fast becoming an animation hub (ASIFA Australia) is currently mation was two features – the for both emerging and profes- working with MIAF’s Malcolm Turner for next year’s AIAF which will commemorate the 100th anniversary screening of the first Australian animated film.
Trent Ellis (president of Animation Alliance Australia Inc. | ASIFA Australia)
Festival guests Kevin Schreck and Alex Stitt 36
ASIFA-Bulgaria ASIFA-Iran In 1992, the closed school of animation and ASIFA-Iran This year ASIFA-Bulgaria, in 2014 is the 38th anniversary of were both re-activated when collaboration with the National ASIFA-Iran. their leadership returned home Film Archives, is organizing from Hollywood, where he was an extensive presentation of In September 1977, parallel directing a feature animation, Bulgarian Animation Cinema. with the opening of the post- Sindbad. Every weekend in the Cinema graduate school of animation Odeon, in the center of Sofia, in the Art University of Farabi, Now, animation was changing is a program of films by a re- ASIFA-Iran was founded, with and had entered its new life, the spected and/or famous author sixteen members consisting of “digital world”. Many animation who, together with the other professors and students of the pupils and self-educated anima- members of the glorious studio animation school. tors were making their careers Sofia, devoted his life and work using the capacities of this to the development of the art of All went smoothly until the amazing technology. moving drawings in Bulgaria. storm of revolution began to blow (1979) and one of its earli- In 1994, Iranian TV channels, all So far, audiences have had est consequences was the clos- run by the government, orga- the rare possibility to see films ing of the universities, among nized a production center for of such significant masters which Farabi was no exception. low-budget animated TV series, as Donyo Donev, Hristo Topu- which produced mass religious/ zanov, Todor Dinov, Zdenka When ASIFA members lost their educational/children’s anima- Doicheva, Radka Bachvarova— connections in the university, tion. This center is still active all part of the great generation they decided to continue their and is the only sponsor of such of the sixties, whose work meetings and film screenings films. inspired international film critics at their homes, which remained The first Iranian feature-length to speak about the Bulgarian exciting and educative. But, animation, directed by B. Azimi, School of Animation. About 300 as the time passed, the social was produced in 2012. titles are planned to be shown situation turned more and more through the end of the year, shaky. They therefore decided There was also a monthly mag- some of them for the first time temporarily to stop their activity azine for animation under the in more than 30 years. sessions and wait until the Iraq- title Pilban Animation, founded Iran war was over, which took by A. Alamdari, which lasted for Pencho Kunchev much longer than they expect- more than a decade during the President of ASIFA-Bulgaria ed—i.e. eight years. 1990s and 2000s. During these years, ASIFA was well known among the authori- ties, professionals, and public. We had an office in the House of Artists. Our members in- creased year by year to some hundreds of artists. (Now our national members are over 700, and international ones Artists at the House of Artists just under 50 animators.) 37
General assemblies and voting for the board of directors were held regularly every two years (every three years, from 2011 on) and many new generation animators carried the responsi- bilities of ASIFA-Iran. Several province ASIFA chap- ters were built up since 2000, such as ASIFA-Hamedan, ASIFA-Isfahan, ASIFA-Kerman, ASIFA-Mazandran (Noor). Other main cities like Mashad, ASIFA members at the House of Cinema are in the process of joining Dozens of national and interna- ous activities in cinema industry. ASIFA-Iran. tional prizes were awarded to We had an office in its building Since 2006, International Ani- Iranian animated films from the for our syndication related activ- mation Day (IAD) is held annu- two last decades. ities, which takes care of pro- ally in the Museum of Modern ASIFA-Iran’s present board of fessional rights, such as health Arts of Tehran or other art directors includes Mr. R. Sade- insurance for members. centers. ghi, vice president; A. Arabani, In 2009, Noureddin Zarrin-Kelk, editor in chief of the ASIFA-Iran founder of ASIFA-Iran and an- Besides IAD, we also cele- Magazine (now published on- imation schools, was honored brated the National Animation line); E. Sharee, treasurer and and celebrated by the general Festival within the National Film A. Oskuee. assembly as “father of Iranian Festival organized by the House Animation” and honorary life- of Cinema every September ASIFA-Iran was, in the early time president of ASIFA-Iran. (the 2014 festival included years after the revolution, one forty-five animated independent of the first members to join the In mid-2014, he moved to Cal- or sponsored movies produced House of Iranian Cinema, a pro- ifornia, though he continues to within the year). fessional organization for vari- serve ASIFA-Iran as its liaison to ASIFA-Intentional, global news, connections, festivals, reports, etc.
Since the spring of 2014, the Council Board of Tehran Munic- ipality, as recently announced by Mr. Mokhtabad, who is in charge of its artistic activities, is considering the creation of a “Museum for Animation”.
Noureddin Zarrin-Kelk 38 ASIFA-Israel
The annual general assembly in December 2013 has elected, as joint chairpersons, animation director and head of Minshar For Art animation department Sarah Hatooka, and veteran director, lecturer and journalist Tsvika Oren. Director, animator, lecturer, Lea Yosha and direc- tor, animator, PIL studio-owner, Sharon Gazit were elected to the board. Best Independent Film: Horo, Yoav Brill In April, our chairpersons pre- sented several programs of winners. We’ve also celebrated observations of nuances of Is- Israeli animation at the Stuttgart (January) the art of the late Ern- raeli society. Nir & Gali also won Festival of Animated Film 2014, est “Nag” Ansorge and Frederic the Best Commissioned Film which had a focus on contem- Back. award and an Audience award porary animation in Israel. for Petting Corner (Pinat Lituf), The Club’s audience is mainly TV episodes of 3:00-3:30 each. Towards the end of 2013, we pros (animation, sound, arts) (An article about Nir Gerber and established The Animation who share their insights when Gali Edelbaum may be found at: Club, in cooperation with Min- talking about the films we see http://www.haaretz.com/news/ shar For Art, Tel Aviv. The Club together. features/1.569585.) meets from October to June, every month or two, hosting In August, we had our main Best Independent film: animation artists who share the event, ASIF, the annual sum-up Horo, directed by Yoav Brill—a creative processes of films they screenings of Israeli animation. charming 8:27 cutout docu-an- work on or have just completed. ASIF 2014, organized in coop- imation about the gesture of ASIFA members who had eration with the comics and an- holding hands in gay culture been to international festivals imation festival Animix, Tel Aviv, (https://www.youtube.com/ share their experiences, pre- had four screenings of 85 films watch?v=WlDManwA8Gg&lis- senting outstanding films (with (out of the 157 films submitted t=FL-ZELlcYzoL30N6p7D- the filmmakers’ permission). for competition). qPK3Q&index=17 ). Among those we’ve seen and discussed were Dutch House of ASIF 2014 Awards Special mention: Secrets studio’s Cruise Control; Cycle. Mor Israeli, Amir Porat. Stuttgart Festival’s Grand Prix Nir Gerber and Gali Edelbaum 1:00 (made during the five days winner Through the Hawthorn won the 2014 Yoram Gross of the Maratoon 2013 contest by Anna Benner, Pia Borg, Award for excellence in anima- https://vimeo.com/82875293). Gemma Burditt, UK; Best of tion. Most of their independent Special mention: Stuttgart 2014 and O!PLA Pol- and commissioned films are In Space. Tom Apfel, Alex Blau, ish animation festival’s award very cleverly written, satirical Koby Hadour. Sct. Asaf Eden. 39
tion Home. 3:24 (https://vimeo. com/87624289).
Till Life Do Us Part, for The Fad- ing, by Tim Razumovsky, 4:00 (https://vimeo.com/98659748).
Commissioned Films
Best Commercial: Coke-Zero. Snowball VFX stu- dios, Tel Aviv. 0:45 (http://www. snowballvfx.com/coke-zero/ ).
The Devil Went Down to the Holy Land, a ZAZ Animation Studio Best Film: production. Tif Tif’s Swan Song. Episode 3 of Petting Corner (Pinat 3:20 (https://www.youtube.com/ Jerusalem. 8:30 (Trailer: Lituf) series by Nir & Gali. 3:30 watch?v=7CHuyFiAs3U). https://vimeo.com/99582603). (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=WGDz28uvm0E ). Best Student Film: Special Mention: So it Begins by Shahaf Ram, Eli, by Reut Elad & Sagi Alter. Special Mention: Bezalel Academy, Jerusalem. Bezalel Academy, Jerusalem. Leket Israel public service spot Described on Bezalel’s website 7:30 (Trailer: https://vimeo. by Yuval and Merav Nathan. as: “Classical animation based com/99912714). 0:34 (http://www.youtube.com/ on the editing of old video watch?v=9YZeCZ0vUQc ). tapes; as the film progresses Best Music Clip: the visual moves farther away The Music Clip category had Best Children’s Film : from the tapes, and the dis- nine exceptionally good films. Zack & Quack TV series. 2014 sonance between sound and The Best-of award was given to by Gili Dolev. QQD Ltd, Foun- image intensifies. two films: dation TV, High1 Entertain- ment (http://www.youtube.com/ “The film portrays a coming- The Devil Went Down To The watch?v=93Ew8l3_w9Y&fea- of-age process, focusing on Holy Land, for the band Bet- ture=youtu.be). the process of creating and zefer, directed by Yoni Bereskin maturing as an artist. From the and Ricardo Werdesheim. 3:43 Special Mention: innocent place of fun, naïve (https://vimeo.com/77489182). “Barbershop” episode of Maya creation with no frameworks and Yaya series for Baby TV by or external or self criticism, to Like Autumn Leaves, for Naftali Eduard and Nurit Mitgartz. 5:00 the more ‘grown-up’ world that Kon, directed by Assaf Ben- (https://vimeo.com/100690535). demands answers and expla- harroch, Studio Poink. 3:27 nations” (Trailer: https://vimeo. (https://vimeo.com/88568608). Tsvika Oren com/99912714 ). Special mention: Special mentions: Luma, by Carmel Ben Ami & Robin, for Efrat Ben Zur, by Yu- Sohini Tal. Bezalel Academy, val and Merav Nathan, Anima- 40
deepened friendships, regard- my sincere gratitude to all of ASIFA-Japan less of national boundaries, you who kindly offered us strong even in the midst of the Cold support by participating in the ASIFA-Japan, as a group of 76 War. We sincerely hope and be- festival with your films and/or active professional members lieve that animation art will en- in person. We felt very encour- (as of September, 2014) is one hance the mutual understand- aged when so many animation of the largest national branches ing between different cultures people attended from all over of ASIFA. Our members con- and countries and, also, that it the world to join our celebration. sist of talented animation film- will support the development of Also, we appreciated receiving makers and creators, editors, various fields including litera- so many warm messages of cameraman, producers, critics, ture, music, philosophy, history, congratulations, through letters scholars, curators, distributors, science, etc., all represented in and drawings, which greatly professors, etc., all working in our unique art form. inspired us in our work. As the front line of the animation a result, we were pleased to field. Since our foundation in This year, with your kind co- welcome approximately 35,000 1981, we have dedicated our operation, we were pleased to total participants during five time and efforts for the develop- hold the fifteenth edition, HIRO- festival days. ment of animation art as well as SHIMA 2014 (http://hiroanim. fostering the young generation, org) , from August 21 to 25. We were very happy to wel- through various ways. It was a very special festival come Bruno Bozzetto as our In- for us because we celebrated ternational Honorary President, One of those main activities the 30th anniversary since the who kindly joined us with his is organizing the International establishment of our organizing beautiful films, including Allegro Animation Festival in Japan— committee in 1984. On behalf of non Troppo and his inspiring HIROSHIMA—held biennially HIROSHIMA 2014 and ASIFA- short animations. The Selection since 1985, under the endorse- Japan, I would like to extend Committee consisted of five ment of ASIFA, and co-orga- nized by Hiroshima City and ASIFA-Japan. Since the first festival, Hiroshima City and ASIFA have always shared the same goal to achieve everlast- ing peace through the devel- opment of animation art. Our first festival, HIROSHIMA 1985, was held with the attendance of many important figures of the animation field—John Halas (UK) as the President of ASIFA at that time, Ms. Nicole Salo- mon (France) as the Secretary General, Bill Littlejohn (USA) as the Board and Fedor Khitruk (then USSR) as the Vice Pres- ident. I am very proud that this symbolically shows how ASIFA 30th Anniversary Exhibition, HIROSHIMA 2014 41 members—Kaisa Pentilla (Fin- land), Michaela Muller (Switzer- land), Greg Holfeld (Australia), Valentas Askinis (Lithuania) and Takashi Fukumoto (Japan). The International Jury consisted of six members— Inni Karine Mel- bye (Norway), Joanna Priestley (U.S.A.), Baerbel Neubauer (Austria), Josko Marusic (Croa- tia), Ferenc Mikulas (Hungary) and Koji Yamamura (Japan). ASIFA Rooftop Party, HIROSHIMA 2014 This time, we were pleased to receive 2,217 entries from 74 PIK PIK PIK by Dmitry Visotsky tional Film Market, press confer- countries/regions, from which Phantom Limb by Alex Grigg ences, etc., are located in this only 59 titles were selected Non-Euclidean Geometry by building. Thus, all participants, for competition. It was truly Skirmanta Jakaite and Solveiga including filmmakers, production a severe selection in that all Masteikaite people, students, press people, competition works were worthy distributors and the general of receiving prizes. As a result, Special Prizes: audience, can share the same the following sixteen titles were Fugue for Cello, Trumpet and atmosphere and exchange with awarded: Landscape by Jerzy Kucia each other closely, which makes 5 METERS 80 by Nicolas De- our festival very friendly, excit- Grand Prix: veaux ing, international and profes- Bigger Picture by Daisy Jacobs The Clockmakers by Renaud sional. Hallee Hiroshima Prize: The Wound by Anna Budanova We also host parties every Symphony No.42 by Reka Astigmatismo by Nicolai Tro- evening, and a picnic on the Bucsi shinsky third day, where professionals THE BEAST by Vladimir can enjoy meeting each other Debut Prize: Boles Navounia-Kouka as well as find chances for by Spela Cadez interviews, discussions, busi- HIROSHIMA 2014 was pleased ness, etc. One of those parties Renzo Kinoshita Prize: Choir to present four Competition Pro- is our ASIFA Party, always held Tour by Edmunds Jansons grams and 65 Special Screen- in the fourth evening, on the ing Programs at three different rooftop of a building near the Audience Prize: No Time for halls—Grand Hall (1,200 seats), festival venue. We welcome Toes by Kari Pieska Medium Hall (500 seats) and non-members as well, and Small Hall (200 seats). The hope that festival participants Special International Jury outstanding point of Hiroshima will exchange ideas freely in an Prizes: Festival is that these three halls open-air atmosphere. Another Lonely Bones by Rosto are placed in the same com- ASIFA activity during the festival Man on the Chair by Dahee plex, called Aster Plaza. Also, is to organize the ASIFA Booth, Jeong all spaces for exhibitions, sem- which we have continued since Baths by Tomek Ducki inars, workshops, the Educa- the first festival, to support both 42 filmmakers and ASIFA. We sell cal information to realize these DVDs, books, artworks, etc., ASIFA-Korea meaningful events one by one. related to ASIFA members. 70% of the sales go to the author, In 2014, ASIFA-Korea built up ASIFA-Korea currently manages 25% to ASIFA, and 5% to the our strength to meet the associ- our homepage (http://www.asi- booth staff. ation’s important goals in vari- fakorea.com) in order to rapidly ous ways. So we have focused provide more animation-related ASIFA-Japan has also been our work to ensure our internal information to animation lovers organizing International Anima- stability more than doing out- as well as ASIFA-Korea mem- tion Day (IAD) since 2005. Last side activity. bers, and we have tried to im- year, we organized IAD 2013 prove and promote the creativity in Kyoto (at Kyoto University We are a group that loves the of animation arts by frequently of Art and Design), Tokyo (at animation art more than any communicating with all the peo- Musashino Art University) and other, so we have paid an ple in the world. Hiroshima (at Hiroshima City attention to animation news Cinematographic and Audio-Vi- overseas in order to act as an Ji-Yeun Yi sual Library as well as eight international animation body. ASIFA-Korea board member community centers). This year, In addition to participating in we will hold IAD 2014 in Kyoto domestic animation festivals, (at Kyoto University of Art and ASIFA-Korea president, Nelson ASIFA-USA- Design), Hiroshima and Osaka SHIN, has worked as a juror (at Osaka Designers’ College). in Shanghai TV festival (June For details, please visit our offi- 9-14) and visited to Hiroshima CENTRAL cial web site: http://asifa.jp/en/ 2014 festival (August 20-23) ASIFA-Central is tweaking plans iad/index.html watching the trend of the ani- for our 22nd Annual Midwest mation industry in Asia, which Animator’s Retreat, scheduled On December 12, we will hold motivates ASIFA-Korea effi- for the first weekend of Novem- our annual General Assembly, ciently to plan its activity in the ber, in conjunction with the Mo- and this year, there will be an future. saic Film Experience in Grand election of the President, three Rapids, Michigan, USA. This Board Members and General Currently, ASIFA-Korea has annual retreat has a traditional Secretary of ASIFA-Japan for prepared a plan to show good cake and pie reception, and a the period of 2015-17. After the independent animations to Midwest Animator’s Showcase, General Assembly, we will enjoy more audiences. Firstly, we where our members present re- the year-end party together, to plan a screening tour in Korea, cent work in an informal screen- look forward to the coming year consisting of good selections ing/discussion format. We also 2015. of animations from around plan to screen an International the world. Secondly, we plan Animation Day program, cu- Sayoko Kinoshita to organize, in the name of rated by Brad Yarhouse. Mem- President of ASIFA-Japan ASIFA-Korea, an animation bers Chuck Wilson will present competition for students, whom his snappy, game-show-format we should let create animation Women in Animation program, works more often with their pas- and Gary Schwartz will work sion and fresh ideas. These are with area youth to create an ambitious goals for us, so for animation onsite. In addition, now we are seeking the practi- the Mosaic Film Experience has 43
Animation Collaboration by the Animation Workshop Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan. curated two programs of ani- At home, our AWG team the Starz Denver Film Festival mation from their competition Deanna Morse, Gretchen with a workshop and competi- screenings. It looks to be a Vinnedge, Maggie Annerino, tion. The theme of the Anima- great weekend for animators to Suzanne Zack and Lynn McKe- tion Station Competition this reconnect! own engaged in creative play to year was “Killer Flying Robots create a video animation frame- Painting the Town Red”. The ASIFA-Central members had work spotlighting the AWG and participants included teams with a successful experience with the Grand Rapids workshops. three or fewer animators and this year’s Animation Workshop This film installation, called the teams were given six hours Group (AWG) collaborative Animation Collaboration, is cur- to come up with a completed film, where children around the rently on display at the Urban animation. world created segments that Institute for Contemporary Arts. spotlighted a particular color. During the film festival, ASIFA- We selected the color “yellow” Deanna Morse Colorado also presented its and, working with the Commu- Best Animated Short Prize to nity Media Center and North Thomas Stellmach and Maja Park Montessori, created a ASIFA-USA- Oschmann of Germany for Vir- lively segment. Deanna Morse tuos Virtuell, a beautiful exper- was able to attend the Asian COLORADO imental animation, timed per- Premiere at the Hiroshima fectly to a musical composition. International Animation Festival. ASIFA-Colorado has had a After the festival, she visited busy year holding workshops We held a fun workshop during a children’s phenakistoscope and events. the Boulder International Film workshop conducted by Sayoko Festival, sponsored by Mighty Kinoshita, to see a master AWG Our traveling Animation Station Fudge Studio. For this Ani- teacher at work. has visited local festivals and mation Station, local students schools. Notably, we were at taught the audience about their 44 favorite animations and then we creating a pixilation short at our a special midnight screening, had the audience participate in studio, and then presented the in 35mm., of the hit animated their own animation! short that evening to a packed feature Beavis and Butt-head house at the Bug Theater. The Do America (1996). The film’s At the end of the school year, screening also featured our animation director Yvette Ka- we hosted a Graduate Ani- previous Exquisite Corpse—a plan, via Skype from Los Ange- mation Screening and Soiree collaborative animation project les, introduced the film and took (GASS), along with Animate48, from Colorado animators—as questions from the audience. a 48-hour film competition. well as selections by ASIFA- Awards were given to the best Colorado members Evert In October, National Film Board films and best student reel. Brown, Kendra Fleischman and of Canada brought us a pro- Heather Fleischman. It was a gram of recent NFB animated In July, ASIFA-Colorado orga- long and satisfying day for the shorts. Filmmakers Torill Kove nized an animation station at Colorado animation community (The Danish Poet, Me and My Erie Community Library with and a great opportunity to meet Moulton) and Nicola Lemay some awesome young Colo- local animation enthusiasts who (No Fish Where to Go) were on rado animators! We focused are outside of our membership. hand to share their production on all sorts of stop motion: cut and creative process in Pow- outs, claymation, Legos, pixila- Last, but not least, we are rein- erPoint presentations detailing tion… if we could move it, we vigorating our Exquisite Corpse their design influences and animated it. There was “Iron project with a new character— work-in-progress. Man”; “Blobby & Blobby Jr.”; a ASIFA-Man! Look for him in cheesy, 1980s police chase, 2015! The same month, LA-based and, and, and… you’ll just have studio and distributor Acme to watch the video on the ASI- Corrie Francis Parks Filmworks presented their 16th FA-Colorado webpage! (See Animation Show of Shows to http://www.asifa-colorado.org.) ASIFA-East members and ani- ASIFA-USA-EAST mation students from SVA plus There was also a crazy day in area colleges and universities. July that Animation Station was ASIFA-East, the ASIFA National This annual touring program, presented during the Youth One Group serving the Northeast consisting of animation shorts, Book One Denver, a citywide region of the USA, is off and handpicked by Acme head Ron book club for young readers. running on a remarkably busy Diamond from the festival cir- Twenty students animating for 2014-15 season! cuit and presented free, with twenty minutes rotating through the blessing of the filmmakers, about twenty groups during the This fall, ASIFA-East has part- draws a large and lively crowd. day… whew! nered with one of our longest collaborators, School of Visual Our busy October continued In September, we also part- Arts, for several events in the with several other events: nered with local film groups, in- beautiful SVA Theatre: cluding the Emerging Filmmak- ASIFA-East was thrilled, along ers Project and Ones and Zeros In September, we were pleased with the Kosciuszko Founda- Pixelshow, to present the 2nd to present, in conjunction with tion, to welcome special guests Annual Denver Animated Pixel- SVA’s “Afterschool Special” Wiola Sowa, president of show. We spent an entire day series (highlighting celebrated ASIFA-Poland, and Bogusław with a group of local animators film and animation alumni), Zmudziński, artistic director of 45
Dtudia&Anima Film Festival, facility The Productive and for a series of four screenings Graphic Artist Guild, continue highlighting 60 years of films throughout the fall. from the “Polish School” of ani- mation. Four programs ranging Ray Kosarin from celebrated classic works ASIFA-East Executive Board to contemporary ones were presented at the Kosziusko Foundation and at Videology ASIFA-USA- in neighboring Williamsburg, Katsuhiro Otomo accepting the Brooklyn. The programs were HOLLYWOOD Winsor McCay Lifetime provided with the kind support Achievement Award with translator of the Ministry of Culture and The Annie Awards and producer, Maki Terashima- National Heritage of the Re- The 41st Annual Annie Awards Furuta (Photo Courtesy of Jamie Kezlarian Bolio) public of Poland, and the Polish honored its own at UCLA’s Film Institute; the New York Royce Hall. Winsor McCay Animation Educators Forum screenings were made possible Awards were given to Katsuhiro (AEF) thanks to the kind support of Otomo, Steven Spielberg and the Etuida&Anima Festival, The Phil Tippett—and Alice Davis The AEF’s general membership Kosciuszko Foundation, ASI- was honored with the June meeting hosted a presenta- FA-East, ASIFA-Poland and an Foray Award. tion/Q&A with lecturer Steven anonymous donor. J. McDonald (General Counsel A full list of winners can be for RISD) on Copyright and Fair A “first annual” event intro- found at http://annieawards.org/ use for Animation Educators. duced this fall was our “Crazy nominees/. The AEF attended SIGGRAPH 8” Cartoon Festival, held at the Arts and Crafts Beer Parlor, and featuring animated films by ASIFA-East members.
Not least, we were delighted to mark International Animation Day with the program Short Films from Ireland, made pos- sible thanks to the kindness of Irish Film Board and US dis- tributor 62 George Street and presented in conjunction with Ireland House and New York University.
As of this writing, our annual Disney Legend and Imagineer, Alice Davis (accepting the June Foray “Open Screening” is scheduled Award for significant and benevolent contributions to the art and industry of animation) alongside Charles Solomon, ASIFA-Hollywood founding for November, and our weekly member (and award namesake) June Foray and ASIFA-Hollywood Figure Drawing sessions, of- Executive Director, Frank Gladstone. fered in tandem with animation (Photo Courtesy of Jamie Kezlarian Bolio) 46 in Vancouver, hosting their an- General Membership Meeting nual BOAF (Birds of a Feather) The annual ASIFA-Hollywood session, asking, Should We General Membership Meet- Teach to the First Job or the ing included the re-election of Last Job? board members, the announce- ment of newly appointed of- Advisory Board ficers and Executive Director ASIFA-Hollywood continues Frank Gladstone (who will to host biannual meetings of continue to oversee day-to-day the ASIFA-Hollywood Advisory operations), and reports on the Jamie Kezlarian Bolio moderates a presentation with Cartoon Sa- Board, to which all of the an- past year’s activities and this loon, co-founders and filmmakers, imation studios in Southern year’s initiatives. Tomm Moore and Paul Young of California send representatives SONG OF THE SEA. (Photo to discuss local and worldwide Courtesy of Lorna O Brien) issues germane to the industry. ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Bill Plympton’s Cheatin’ Members of ASIFA-Hollywood Archive were invited to DreamWorks The ASIFA-Hollywood Archive for a special screening of Bill at The Academy of Motion Pic- Plympton’s new feature, fol- ture Arts and Sciences consists lowed by a Q &A. of films, artwork and production ASIFA-Hollywood’s Booth at the ASIFA-Hollywood has also materials contributed over a 50- San Diego International year period. Comic-Con (Photo Courtesy of screened or scheduled mem- David Derks) bership presentations of: KLIK! Animation Preservation Animation Festival’s Dutch De- ASIFA-Hollywood, in associ- San Diego Comic-Con lights; Mr. Peabody & Sherman; ation with the UCLA Film and ASIFA-Hollywood attended the Rio 2; Disney 7D; How to Train Television Archive, has restored San Diego International Com- Your Dragon 2; Boxtrolls; The the 1923 Fleischer Studios car- ic-Con, producing four panels IFB’s Short Films from Ireland, toon, Bed Time. \ and featuring an ASIFA-Hol- 2014; The Hero of Color City, lywood booth registering new and The Tale of Princess members. Kaguya.
Other Events
Cartoon Saloon’s Sneak Peek: Song of the Sea Cartoon Saloon co-founders Tomm Moore and Paul Young Comic-Con panel: previewed clips and artwork ASIFA-Hollywood presents from their upcoming film, Song Animation in Video Games, of the Sea, which was live- Premiere of Boxtrolls moderated by Danny Young. streamed for all of the chapters (Photo Courtesy of Jamie (Photo Courtesy of David Derks) of ASIFA. Kezlarian Bolio) 47
Upcoming screenings include More exciting events to come. The Book of Life, The Lego Movie, Big Hero 6, The Pen- Feel free to visit and/or join guins of Madagascar, and Song us—you don’t have to live in of the Sea. LA!
ASIFA-Hollywood has also http://asifa-hollywood.org/ sponsored and/or publi- cized, The Afternoon of Re- membrance, Chuck Jones 102gether, The 17thAnimation Show Of Shows, The 6thCTN ExPO and other CTN events, The World Animation & VFX Summit, Women In Animation presentations, 24-Hour Student Animation Contest, Jay Ward Legacy Exhibit and the Stuttgart Ticket for the premiere of How To International Festival of Ani- Train Your Dragon 2 (Photo mated Film Tour. Courtesy of Jamie Kezlarian Bolio) 48 Contact information
Representatives of ASIFA National Groups ASIFA NATIONAL GROUPS Chapter President Members of the ASIFA Board of Directors
ARGENTINA Oscar M. Desplats Oscar M. Desplats AUSTRALIA Trent Ellis Trent Ellis AUSTRIA Thomas Renoldner Stefan Stratil BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA Berin Tuzlic Berin Tuzlic BULGARIA Pencho Kunchev Pencho Kunchev CARIBBEAN Camille Selvon Abrahams Camille Selvon Abrahams CHILE Vivienne Barry Vivienne Barry CHINA Li Zhong Qiu Li Zhong Qiu CHINA-JILIN Zheng Liguo Zheng Liguo CHINA-XIAMEN Wu Zhiqiang Wu Zhiqiang COLOMBIA Ricardo Arce Ricardo Arce CROATIA Vesna Dovnikovic Vesna Dovnikovic CYPRUS Yiorgos Tsangaris Yiorgos Tsangaris EGYPT Mohamed Ghazala Mohamed Ghazala FINLAND Heikki Jokinen Heikki Jokinen FRANCE Sabine Zipci Sabine Zipci GREECE Anastasia Dimitra Yiannis Vassiliadis HUNGARY Tamas Patrovits Tamas Patrovits INDIA Bill Dennis Anand Gurani INDONESIA Gotot Prakosa Gotot Prakosa IRAN Noureddin Zarrinkelk Noureddin Zarrinkelk ISRAEL Tsvika Oren Sarah Hatooka, Tsvika Oren ITALY Luca Raffaelli Alfio Bastiancich JAPAN Sayoko Kinoshita Sayoko Kinoshita KOREA Nelson Shin Nelson Shin MEXICO Jose Carlos Garcia de Letona Jose Carlos Garcia de Letona POLAND Mariusz Frukacz Mariusz Frukacz ROMANIA Genevieve Georgesco Genevieve Georgesco SERBIA Bozidar Zecevic Bozidar Zecevic SWITZERLAND Monica Stadler Jonas Raeber TURKEY Berat Ilk Berat Ilk UNITED KINGDOM Margot Grimwood Margot Grimwood USA ATLANTA Fatimah Abdullah Fatimah Abdullah USA CENTRAL Deanna Morse Jim Middleton USA COLORADO Corrie Francis Parks Ed Desroches USA EAST Ray Kosarin Dayna Gonzalez, Linda Beck USA HOLLYWOOD Jamie Kezlarian Bolio Jerry Beck USA PORTLAND Rebekah Villon Sven Bonnichsen USA SAN FRANCISCO Nancy Denney-Phelps Karl Cohen 49
ASIFA President Ed Desroches [email protected] General Secretary Vesna Dovnikovic [email protected] Treasurer Ray Kosarin [email protected]
Development: new chapters, festival liaison, ASIFA Workshop Groups (AWG)
Vice President Sayoko Kinoshita [email protected] Director of New Chapter Coordination Vesna Dovnikovic [email protected] Director of Festival Liaison Nancy Denney-Phelps [email protected] AWG President Anastasia Dimitra [email protected]
Communications: news, information, public relations, marketing
Vice President Mohamed Ghazala [email protected] Director of News and Information Position Open [email protected] Director of Marketing and Public Relations Jamie Kezlarian Bolio PR(at)asifa.net
Special Projects: International Animation Day (IAD), ASIFA Prize, New projects
Vice President Ricardo Arce [email protected] IAD Curator Vanessa Ventura [email protected] ASIFA Prize Curator Agnes Li [email protected] Director of New Projects Deanna Morse [email protected] 50
Operations: tech ops, administration, archives, ethics, auditing
Vice President Rebekah Villon [email protected] Director of Ethics/Audits Jeff Wike [email protected] Director of Technical Operations Corrie Francis Parks [email protected] Director of Administration and Archives Asha Jagannathan [email protected]
ASIFA.NET queries [email protected]
Contact Address Vesna Dovnikovic Secretary General Hrvatskog proljeca 36, 10040 Zagreb, Croatia Tel / Fax: +385-1-299 13 95 E-mail: [email protected]
Call For ASIFA Fees
You may join ASIFA either as a member of a National Group (which in some cases may offer addi- tional benefits such as local screenings, programs and events; contact your National Group for infor- mation) or as an individual member-at-large. International ASIFA members receive free entry at the animation festivals in Zagreb, Hiroshima and Espinho, and reduced prices at the Ottawa festival. Each ASIFA National Group sets its own annual membership fee, which includes $15 US (or 15 Eu- ros) for each international member, payable by the Group to ASIFA International. Individual members unaffiliated with a National Group may pay directly to ASIFA International an annual membership of $33 US (or 33 Euros). ASIFA members in the European region should pay in Euros, in America and Asia in US dollars.
ASIFA National Groups (and individual members-at-large) who pay dues in Euros are requested to make a bank transfer to: Name of the bank: PSK Name of the bank account: Association Internationale du Film d’Animation IBAN: AT156.000.00.00.92171318 BIC: OPSKATWW Address: A-1018 Wien, Georg-Cochplatz 2 (usually not needed)
Paypal.com payments are also accepted – please contact the ASIFA Treasurer for more information. 51
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