September 1997 Vol. 2 No.6 HereHere ComesComes TelevisionTelevision FallFall TVTV PrPrevieweview France’France’ss ExpandingExpanding ChannelsChannels SIGGRAPHSIGGRAPH ReviewReview KorKorea’ea’ss BoomBoom

DinnerDinner withwith MTV’MTV’ss AbbyAbby TTerkuhleerkuhle andand CTW’CTW’ss ArleneArlene SherShermanman Table of Contents September 1997 Vol. 2, . No. 6 4 Editor’s Notebook Aah, television, our old friend. What madness the power of a child with a remote control instills in us...

6 Letters: [email protected] TELEVISION 8 A Conversation With:Arlene Sherman and Abby Terkuhle Mo Willems hosts a conversation over dinner with CTW’s Arlene Sherman and MTV’s Abby Terkuhle. What does this unlikely duo have in common? More than you would think!

15 CTW and MTV: Shorts of Influence The impact that CTW and MTV has had on one another, the industry and beyond is the subject of Chris Robinson’s in-depth investigation.

21 Tooning in the Fall Season A new splash of fresh programming is soon to hit the airwaves. In this pivotal year of FCC rulings and vertical integration, let’s see what has been produced.

26 Saturday Morning Bonanza:The New Crop for the Kiddies The incurable, couch potato Martha Day decides what she’s going to watch on Saturday mornings in the U.S.

29 Mushrooms After the Rain: France’s Children’s Channels As a crop of new children’s channels springs up in France, Marie-Agnès Bruneau depicts the new play- ers, in both the satellite and cable arenas, during these tumultuous times. A fierce competition is about to begin...

33 The Korean Animation Explosion Milt Vallas reports on Korea’s growth from humble beginnings to big business. This Asian dynamo is striv- ing to be taken seriously by the international animation community.

39 The Cost of Eyeballs:Advertising Dollars & TV Buzz Potamkin takes a long look at the relationship between on-air advertising and television animation. As ratings become diluted across the channels, where does the future lie?

42 Joanna Priestley:A Continuing Dialogue Rose Bond interviews Joanna Priestley and reveals the unique relationship between the filmmaker and her films.

45 Charlie Thorson:Character Design In Classic Animation Gene Walz chronicles the mysterious career of Charlie Thorson, a crucial character designer who was quite a character himself.

THE STUDENT CORNER 48 The Television Animation Portfolio:A Model So, you want to work for a large television studio? Veteran television producer Larry Huber describes what you had better show him in order to get a job.

REVIEWS FESTIVALS, EVENTS: 51 SIGGRAPH ‘97:Too Much to Do, See and Think in a Week Our SIGGRAPH review includes:a review of the Electronic Theater by Avi Hoffer (p.52); news of the week’s most important announcements (p.55); an industry survey (p.60) 62 San Diego’s Comic Con:The King of All Cons The title says it all! Scott Brick reviews the world’s largest comic book expo.

65 Masters Of Animation:An Unprecedented Opportunity Seattle’s first animation festival gets a glowing review by Doug Ranney. His tales of hobnobbing with ani-

September 1997 mation’s biggest stars in a casual setting are sure to make you green with envy. © Animation World Network 1997. All rights reserved. No part of the periodical may be reproduced without the consent of Animation World Network.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 2 Table of Contents September 1997 Vol. 2, . No. 6 68 AnimExpo’97:An Introduction to the Rising Tiger Korea’s AnimExpo is reviewed by Detelina Kreck who reveals a thriving, lively community.

HIDDEN TREASURES

70 Animation in the NFTVA This month we are defining the collection at The National Film & Television Archive in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1936, the NFTVA has an expansive collection of British animation available for investigation.

NEWS

72 Animation World News Good-Bye Springfield....Hello Nevada?, Disney Quests For Gaming Market, WB Turns Iron Giant Green.

ON A DESERT ISLAND...

82 On A Desert Island With .. .TV Visionaries Martin Lickleder, Steve Purcell, Enzo d’Alo, Trey Parker and Matt Stone reveal their top ten films.

AWN COMICS

84 Dirdy Birdy by John Dilworth, as seen on MTV’s Cartoon Sushi! 85 Next Issue’s Highlights

Cover: Sam and Max. © 1997 Nelvana. © Animation World Network 1997. All rights reserved. No part of the periodical may be reproduced without the consent of Animation World Network. Bonus HTML Features

Every online (HTML) issue of Animation World Magazine contains additional features not found in the download or print Acrobat version, such as Quicktime movies, links to Animation World Network sites, extended articles and special sections. Don’t miss the following high- lights that are showcased exclusively in this month’s Animation World Magazine HTML ver- sion: http://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.5/awm2.5pages/2.5cover.html

¥ What’s On? TV Schedules From Around the World Wondering what animated shows are being watched in Brazil? Germany? And More? This compilation will take you on a mini-tour around the world. Who knows, maybe they are watching what you are.

¥ The Television Animation Portfolio: A Model More sample portfolio drawings are included. ¥ A Gallery of SIGGRAPH ‘97s Computer Animation Festival We are pleased to present a sampling of images, Quicktime movies, and notes from 33 of the films pre- sented at SIGGRAPH’s Electronic Theater. In addition, Avi Hoffer’s review of The Electronic Theater includes three Quicktime movies illustrating the author’s selections.

¥ Dirdy Birdy by John Dilworth features a streaming audio soundtrack in the online verision. September 1997

© Animation World Network 1997. All rights reserved. No part of the periodical may be reproduced without the consent of Animation World Network.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 3 by Heather Kenyon Television: Our Friend, Our Milk “AnimExpo’97: An Introduction to of the programming to the net- and Bread the Rising Tiger” review and Milt work, cable or satellite distribution Vallas’ “The Korean Animation mechanism. They don’t care about When we think of animation Explosion” indicate, Korea is eager the artist who went to school for most of us think of Saturday morn- to enter the market with its own cre- years and they probably don’t even ing first and foremost...television car- ative product. If we were to do think about the person who put toons. Television has a voracious “What’s On? TV Schedules From down the cable or launched the appetite for animation and it’s pre- Around the World” in the future, will satellite into orbit. Thousands, upon dominately all to entertain the lucra- we see less U.S. programming? thousands of people are employed tive children’s market. This issue No matter how much the to get television shows on the air, focuses on just a few of the many with the toys in the stores at the facets of television animation. same time. However, it all still Television is our friend. It is revolves around a child and what that bright and shiny box that makes him or her giggle. What a brings fun and information into our mad, mad business! It is such an homes. Because it’s a guest in our expansive business that involves, house we expect it to be bright, big, big money and yet, there is polite and non-offending. The absolutely no science to what will United States Federal make a child laugh whatsoever. Communications Commission has Our issue reveals the new recently passed laws encouraging shows that studios and networks U.S. networks to host more educa- are rolling the dice on this season tional programming. “What’s On? as well as the influence that MTV TV Schedules From Around the and CTW has had on the animation World” (HTML format only) shows community, its audience and even that this will influence the world, the world of animation festivals and not just the U.S. due to aggressive advertising. Mo Willems hosted “A international sales. There are poten- Conversation With: Arlene Sherman tial substantial changes that the FCC animation industry rushes around and Abby Terkuhle” one evening in ruling could bring to the U.S. mar- trying to make the best possible of New York and spoke to the heads of ket. Viewers are already migrating all children’s shows, it all boils down these groundbreaking studios. We toward cable in record numbers. to a child with the power to choose. are also looking into France’s prolif- With a ramping up of educational For the most part, they don’t care eration of channels in “Mushrooms shows on networks, it’s hard to which shows will be canceled After the Rain: France’s Children’s know if even more viewers will turn because they aren’t watching them, Channels” that also includes a short to cable for the cutting-edge, or who will lose their job as a result. description of the CSA, the French instead of the soft-edge. At the same They also aren’t concerned about Audiovisual Council, which governs time, the worldwide market place the fact that the show has been in French programming. is becoming more competitive as development for a year with only In our Reviews section we well. Europe is a lively market that is the top professionals, or that the are also reviewing “San Diego’s producing first-class animated enter- producers banded together a group Comic Con: The King of All Cons,” tainment. Australia is struggling to of the most respected studios in Seattle’s “Masters Of Animation: An find enough animators to handle order to make a show. They don’t Unprecedented Opportunity,” and, their new crop of animated pro- care which government quotas are of course, “SIGGRAPH ‘97: Too grams and as Detelina Kreck’s being fulfilled or who made the sale Much to Do, See and Think in a

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 4 Week.” Our SIGGRAPH review theme park attractions to the next includes an online version of the step from the Jet Propulsion Computer Animation Festival, com- Laboratories. plete with Quicktime clips and In this issue we are continu- much, much more. SIGGRAPH is a ing on with our Student Corner and fascinating experience that is half Hidden Treasures columns. I hope about today’s innovations and half that a number of our readers are ANIMATION WORLD NETWORK about the future. It is unlike any nor- finding these new articles useful. 6525 Sunset Blvd., mal trade show in that, while there Are we missing something? Which Garden Suite 10 are product demonstrations and specific topics or places would you Hollywood, CA 90028 companies vamping, there is also like to have addressed? Please drop Phone : 213.468.2554 an undercurrent. A feeling that one us a line. We are always interested Fax : 213.464.5914 gets that great minds are meeting in in listening. Email : [email protected] the corners, discussing innovations and scientific theories. The murmur Until Next Time, was most loudly heard for me in the Electronic Garden, which is a col- Heather ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE [email protected] lection of the newest ideas that PUBLISHER range from art pieces to possible Ron Diamond, President Dan Sarto, Chief Operating Officer Annick Teninge, General Manager EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CAREERCAREER CONNECTIONSCONNECTIONS Heather Kenyon Animation World Network ASSOCIATE EDITOR The Animation information hub on the Internet Wendy Jackson is proud to launch the world's first and only "On-line CONTRIBUTORS : Rose Bond Animation Job Fair" Scott Brick Marie-Agnès Bruneau RECRUITERS! Steve Bryant Elaine Burrows Don't waste your time with un-focused advertising on other job Martha Day sites! Avi Hoffer • Advertise employment opportunities at your company to the Larry Huber targeted AWN community… Wendy Jackson Heather Kenyon • Search the "Talent Pool" database of resumes of animation Detelina Grigorova-Kreck professionals… Buzz Potamkin Doug Ranney Chris Robinson Milt Vallas ANIMATION PROFESSIONALS! Gene Walz Come to the place to see and be seen for the animation Mo Willems industry! WEBMASTER • Search the "Jobs Database" for employment opportunities John Parazette-Tillar around the world… DESIGN/LAYOUT : John Parazette-Tillar • Post your resume on-line to be seen by top recruiters… Ged Bauer Guillaume Calop IMP Graphic

ADVERTISING SALES Find it all at http://www.awn.com/career North America : Bart Vitek Or, for information call AWN at (213) 468-2554 Germany : Thomas Basgier UK: Roger Watkins

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 5 [email protected] September 1997

from my point of view. NEW Chats and Discussions SIGGRAPH: Past and Present Many thanks. I have just read with great I know your article has long interest the articles by Jo Jürgens and Yours Sincerely, since gone to press, but I wanted to Guionne Leroy, both speak about Robert W. L. Butt thank you for your very professional stop-motion animation and their approach to it. I did review the article resulting development into 3D. and am pleased that you’ll be pub- I would very much like to Dear Robert, lishing it. email them as I have become inter- ested in entering the animation world Thank you for your keen inter- - Steve Cunningham after my visit to Annecy a few months est! You were not alone in your admi- ago. However, I have a dilemma of ration of Guionne and Jo’s articles. where to start. It is a fascinating but We received quite a few letters and Dear Steve, disorientating world particularly emails. As a result we are going to where the novice is concerned when be vigorously integrating topics from Thank you very much. We trying to find a foothold. I have been the magazine into the Animation were very pleased with the reception offered a place in a studio which World Network Discussion Forum at Joan Collins’ article, “SIGGRAPH: Past would give me good training in stop- http://www.awn.com/forum/index. and Present” received at SIGGRAPH motion animation. I have been men- html. We will start having some of 97 and online. We heard through tally rejecting this idea in favor of a our authors be special guests in the the grapevine that many people direct entry into computer animation, discussions so that they and every- found it enlightening and useful. I but in Jo Jürgens article he does men- one interested worldwide can have hope in the future that we can do tion the need, in particular of having an active, thought provoking con- more articles featuring SIGGRAPH sculpting knowledge as a basis for versation. Stay glued to the Weekly members and their fascinating work. future 3D computer work. The same Animation Flash Email Newsletter for goes for Guionne Leroy in that she when we will start certain forums Sincerely, trained in stop-motion animation and with special guests. If you do not The Editors then went on to work for the presti- receive the Flash you can sign up or gious company Pixar. It seems that a it at http://www.awn.com/reg- A New Resource good familiarity in the media of stop- ister.html. All the latest industry and motion/claymation is essential unless site news will arrive to you via email I’m e-mailing you regarding entering the 2D area, where the stan- absolutely free. your article in AWM Issue 2.5, August dard of drawing has to be very high We look forward to announc- `97. amongst other things. ing when Jo and Guionne will be I am a 3D animator/compos- If possible I would appreciate joining us! itor of TV commercials and would just the ability to contact these people in like to say that I whole heartedly order to “steal” a little of their time per Sincerely agree with what you’ve heard in that email, or if possible could you email The Editors computers are no more than just my dialogue here onto them? I live in another tool in the filmmakers arse- Germany so to call them by phone nal. Computers cannot think, reason, or create - nor should they ever be would not pose a problem either, relied upon to do so. Even though

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 6 there is no stopping their increasing involvement in all stages of produc- Comic Books, A Desert Island tion, I believe that they can only ever Response assist (and never replace) human cre- YYourour AdAd ativity. The first comic book I would Disney knew this to be the choose is Kurt Busiek’s Astro City. This CouldCould BeBe case, and as such, when creating Toy book takes classic superheroes and Story, chose not to employ a team their world in a different way. It does- HerHere!e! composed only of “computer opera- n’t simply concentrate on the super- tors.” Instead, they took creative peo- heroes, but also addresses the ordi- ple with training in traditional cel ani- nary citizens of the city - the ones For rate cards and mation and trained them over the who point up and say “Look up in additional information about course of two years to use this new the sky!” And, thanks to Busiek’s writ- various opportunities tool. They were foremost, animators ing, you realize that these “ordinary” for exposure at who already understood how to people are worthy, too. Animation World Network, make a character come to life on The second is the limited contact our screen, utilizing all the concepts of series, Batman: The Dark Knight by Los Angeles animation - squash, stretch, etc. Frank Miller. It is the four-part comic office at You needn’t worry, Heather that finally rescued Batman from the that you will ever be out of work. horrid camp atmosphere of the ‘60’s 213.468.2554 television series. I like to think it was [email protected] the series that made DC Comics final- or e-mail ly grow up. any of our sales Third, I’d have to take The representatives: Tick. Ben Edlund’s character, although Dear Daniel, he doesn’t produce regularly or often enough, is absolutely unforgettable. North America: We heartily agree. The com- He recognizes that superheroes are puter’s aid is going to help many film- ridiculous, and emphasizes exactly Bart Vitek makers and artists realize a new sto- where the ridicule deserves to go. rytelling vision and that is very excit- Finally, I’d like an English trans- [email protected] ing. It has also been pointed out that lated version of Rumiko Takahashi’s similarly, studio execs have never put Ranma 1/2. (Yes, you anime purists, just anyone in front of a computer I want it in English! Do you think they Europe: and expected them to write the next, watch Tiny Toons in the original lan- “Casablanca.” (However, after seeing guage in Tokyo, you jerks?) Despite Thomas Basgier a few of this summer’s “blockbusters,” my initial dislike of anime, Ranma it might be worth a try....) won me over; he/she and the other [email protected] characters are people I’d like to know. The Editors Thomas E. Reed U.K. Alan Smith Dear Thomas, [email protected]

Thank you for participating!

Sincerely, Other Location: The Editors [email protected]

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 7 A Conversation with: Arlene Sherman and Abby Terkuhle

Hosted by Mo Willems August 6, 1997 a pre-conception because what we er, but its still possible to come up Il Bucco Restaurant, New York do is for children. What I’m not look- with new ideas and also to sort of ing for is something that would be re-invent the approach. So, as If you want to catch up on typically thought of as something opposed to having the logo in the the latest independent animation, that would appeal to children, ten second piece, we challenge your best bet is to tune your televi- which usually means, not in a pos- directors and animators to come up sion to either Sesame Street or MTV. itive sense, playing down to them, with the logo in a different way. For the past 29 years Sesame Street stylistically. And that extends to our long form has been the repository of some of programming, too. I’m looking for the most inventive animated shorts At this time, the wine arrives. After something that you wouldn’t find in America. By the time MTV hit the a conversation regarding the bot- on a network or in a commercial. air, it took its cue from Sesame tle, it is poured and ... Street, and recruited independents MW: That brings up an interesting to supply them with odd, quirky All: Cheers! question which I think applies to i.d.s and shorts. MTV pushed both. How important is new the limits of animation tech- technology or formal issues? niques, changing the visual How important is it that they landscape for almost all tele- have a new look or a differ- vision while Sesame Street, ent look? with its loose format, eager- ly emulated MTV’s experi- AT: To me, I think a good mentation, commissioning concept is more important increasingly eccentric and than any technology. It’s not vibrant films. I recently had about which computer you a dinner conversation with use, its about the idea first. the two people in charge of I find, some of my favorite this wonderfully symbiotic Left to right: Mo Willems, animator/director,Arlene ideas have been the most Sherman, Supervising Producer on CTW’s Sesame Street, relationship, President of MTV and Abby Terkuhle, President of MTV Animation and simple ones. (Colossal) Animation and Creative Creative Director of MTV. Photo by Melissa Chimovitz. Pictures did a Generic M, Director of MTV, Abby © 1997 Animation World Network. which was a bar code “M,” Terkuhle and Sesame Street’s and then we played Muzak [over Supervising Producer, Arlene MW: So, something that isn’t a “kid- it]. It was a great idea. We are com- Sherman, to discuss the current die” film. And you, Abby? mitted to exploring new technolo- state of animation and enjoy some gies, but I find the idea always great biscotti. Abby Terkuhle: What I’m not looking comes first. for is formula. We purposely creat- Mo Willems: What are you not look- ed a blank slate, a tabula rasa that AS: I agree with that totally. The ing for in a film? we could always change. That was most important thing is the concept. really the big idea behind our logo. It’s really form following function. Arlene Sherman: Well, I can start by So now we have hundreds of these The idea is first, then what tech- saying that people that normally animated i.d.s built up over the nique you use is what technique would come to me, they come with years, and it gets harder and hard- best serves the idea.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 8 much can it be changed to meet [Free Your Mind] for two years in a MW: Have you ever come across your needs? Changed isn’t the right row. We started off with an envi- people that have come up to you word, maybe.... ronmental theme, then a world with a great idea, but the technique problems, and most recently, Free or the form of it is wrong, and you AT: For me its usually length. I’ll Your Mind has looked at racial, sex- say, “Well, this would be great in never forget Mike Judge before we ual and religious intolerance. We that technique, or this shouldn’t be went into series. In a weak moment, got 2,000 storyboards from every cel, this should be stop motion, or, he said “Well, these characters, corner of the world. It was really you know...” should I draw them a little better?” exciting. We commissioned ten, and And I said, “No, Mike. Don’t touch they aired all over the world. I think AT: I think that’s happened, but pret- a thing. They look like a 14 year-old animators respond particularly well ty much I let the creators decide. I drew them. They’re perfect.” They to something that’s very education- try not to muddle with their ideas were kind of naive or outsider in al, pro-social.... and their choice of techniques. I’m that way. They were his vision and not an animator, and I leave that up his characters. That said, if we need AS: You know what’s great about it to the people. I let them go and something that’s 22 minutes and its is that on Sesame Street you’re trust they know what they’re doing. coming in 24 minutes, we might never starting with a blank piece of say, “Well, we will make changes.” paper. You’re getting a piece of information across. Beyond that, “We grew up on cartoons, and AS: Well I think its actually interesting you can go in any direction you cartoons grew up with us.” - because, for us [Sesame Street], we want. There is all kinds of freedom. Abby Terkuhle are informational. We have to get It is easy to call in 2,000 storyboards a piece of information across, and when you’ve got a concept, or a time is not an issue with us. If I com- piece of information. I think its real- AS: Well, I guess sometimes the peo- mission something for 30 seconds ly interesting. Since I’ve been com- ple that you go after, you go after and it ends up being 32 seconds, or missioning animation on Sesame them because they have a specific 28, it’s okay. That’s the luxury of the Street, the thing that has really influ- style or technique or a sensibility. So magazine format that it has to fit in. enced our animation, as far as MTV, that already is dictating what form Time is really not the issue. It’s con- is that we use a lot of the same peo- or technique they’ll be working in. ceptual that’s the issue. And so, ple. But sometimes the idea may be because I’m going after people who generated from us. Some things aren’t necessarily privy to how you AT: We do. lend themselves better to a specific teach a four-year-old to recognize a style, to, say, traditional cel anima- certain symbol, that’s where our AS: So I think our sensibilities are def- tion as opposed to, if we want to input will come in. How’s the most initely the same and the same kind spend a little extra money ... 3D productive way, within your style of structural thing that we are trying CGI. Those kinds of things do some- and sensibility, to adapt for our pur- to attract. We are trying to teach times come into play. For the most poses? through entertainment and what part, though, since you’re working engages children most is incredible with someone who’s an indepen- MW: The really interesting thing colors, wonderful music, and inno- dent, you’re going after them there is the idea that Sesame Street vative styles that are captivating. I because you like their style. And so is definitely informational. There is mean, I got so many ideas, and you want them to work in the style sort of “hard knowledge” that has signed so many people by watch- they are most comfortable in. So, I to come across. Abby, do you feel ing Liquid Television. I can just think more than changing their that MTV has that? name people like Jim Blashfield or, style, you might adapt an idea that when we would do Muppet music fits their style. AT: Well I think first and foremost we videos, it really was inspired by that [MTV] are about entertainment, but whole genre of MTV. The whole MW: That actually leads right into we have initiated storyboard com- idea of Sesame Street was to make the next question. How important is petitions that have been around a it look “as good” as the rest of tele- the filmmaker’s vision and how pro-social theme. We’ve done those vision. We know kids were watch-

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 9 ing MTV, and they were respond- by you, then send me their stuff. there are a lot of similarities between ing to it. Initially, the animation was So, I’ve seen the gamut of what what you guys do. There is almost inspired by commercials. We knew, you’ve chosen, and its all at a very a pattern, a growth pattern, going by studying children’s responses, high level, and it’s so similar to what up. There is one very different thing, that commercials were highly pro- I do. on a practical level, that I wanted duced, they were innovative and to talk about. MTV is going more they were repetitive. Seen over and MW: It really is an icon. That’s the and more out of their studio. What over again. So we took our cue one thing that you guys have. I is good and bad about that? And, from that. And you know when mean that is something that, even Arlene, your work is almost all inde- MTV came around, it was this if you flashed it for 15 frames on the pendent. You don’t have any stu- whole other phenomenon, of tak- screen, people are going to recog- dio or any sort of set-up for anima- ing musical form, and codifying it, nize that as an icon. tors. How is that? identifying it, in some very innova- tive, wonderful, free ways. AS: It’s interesting that you’ve kept “The child of today doesn’t that identity, with all different kinds have the same needs as the AT: Always with a wink. I think we of interpretations of it. child when you were growing share that. We have that in com- up.We’re very aware of that, mon. The wink is so important in AT: Well, it’s really come to symbol- and we’re constantly chang- everything we do. ize what our brand means. It’s ever- ing.” - Arlene Sherman changing. It’s irreverent. It really sym- AS: Absolutely! bolizes what MTV is about, and we like to even break our own rules AT: At MTV, we still look everywhere MW: Arlene brought up a sometimes. We’ve done a live-action for the best idea. The best idea will point...One of the things I found, i.d., one of my favorites. There’s a always win, whether it comes from working for Sesame Street, that I guy who sneezes into his napkin, in house, or out of house. But really enjoy, is the limitation. That is and says “Oh look, I’ve made an you’re right, we do have a studio to say, well, how am I going to find MTV logo!” So you don’t even see it. now, and we have a talent pool. a way to talk about the letter “S” or It’s an anti-i.d. Wow! What a great We like to challenge that talent pool to talk about imagination....and idea! An i.d. that doesn’t show the and give them opportunities to work around it? Are there other lim- logo. pitch ideas for i.d.s or programming itations that MTV has, that are prac- or whatever. So, we have commis- tical limitations, that inspire and AS: Because that icon is so built into sioned a lot from within, but I think make the work better? everybody’s head, that you can do its only because we have a good that. It’s great. talent pool. We haven’t done that AT: I think so. Our logo is not par- at the exclusion of going outside. ticularly user-friendly, when you The food arrives. What is everyone think about it. It’s a big, blocky “M.” having? MW: Are the resources that you That in and of itself is a challenge, have available to independents that and I think for creative people, that MW: The duck is for me, and the you pull from outside? excites them. It’s like: “How do I solve rabbit is for Arlene. this problem?” “How do I breathe AT: Yes, people come in and they life into this block?” AS: I’m eating Thumper. can use our equipment. We can budget something internally or AS: You know what’s really interest- MW: I’m eating Donald. That’s okay, externally. In some cases, it might ing that you’ve done with the logo, because Donald was a bastard. be cheaper to do it independently. that I have to really commend you on is, you’re right, it’s a big blocky After comparing dishes and sam- MW: And Arlene, so the question “M.” How many reincarnations of ples of food (‘Want a bite?’) the dis- for you is, you work solely inde- that? It’s so inspiring; all of the dif- cussion continues... pendently ... well, even that’s not ferent approaches to that. A lot of necessarily true, because you often the people that have been rejected MW: I think we’ve established that take care of music, voices and

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 10 effects. That’s a great joy! nize has potential, but they’re just not there yet; it may be technical, AS: Some of that is a control issue. AS: I don’t know if I want that on it may be writing, may be aesthet- Some people are much stronger in the tape! We’ll have Barishnikov ic. What would you recommend terms of visual strength. We can pro- coming in, wanting to be a tap that they do before they come vide them, because we have that dancer! Because we are limited by back? at our facility, a wonderful band, our budgets, the way that we can great composers, good writers. So really exist, within the budget, is to AT: I think each case is different. it depends on the strengths and go the independent route. We don’t Usually I would protect something. weaknesses of people. Some peo- have any in-house facilities, in terms Even when the technique is brilliant, ple are the total package and some of making animation, or making but the idea is not quite where it people need that help which we that happen. We can, however, pro- should be. So, go think about how can certainly offer them. The eco- vide music, sound effects, voices. you can give it a wink, because nomic issue is that necessity, is the We work with all of these incredi- right now it doesn’t have a wink. mother of invention, and there are ble puppeteers who have a range That’s where i.d.s come in. I’ve been certain things that we can provide, of voices, talent, to help the person talking a lot about i.d.s, but we also because we are offering people along, both financially and aes- do series production now, and that such low budgets. thetically and conceptually. That’s requires a lot of drafts, a lot of sto- the way we can help the budgetary ryboard revisions, a lot of casting, AT: Another thing we have in com- situation a lot. Where it gets a little and you don’t get it the first time, it’s mon! dicey is when you want to experi- a process. ment with some very high end kind AS: Certainly nobody is going to get of things. If I work with Pixar or Will MW: What does the artist do? The rich by doing this. They’re going to Vinton, its because they have a spe- artist may pitch a series or an have a lot of freedom, and they’re cial feeling for Sesame Street. For i.d...the honest response is what? going to have a lot of fun. instance, when Will Vinton decid- ed to go CGI, one of their first exper- AS: Find a writer. You know, writing iments [Hammertime] was on a is so important. I think because Animation combines art with Sesame Street project. They can you’re dealing with the visual medi- motion, brings the filmmaking safely try out their new equipment. um of animation, where you can together with the art world.” - With Pixar, I was helping to train break all the physical rules of the Abby Terkuhle their animators for Toy Story. They world, that it gets overlooked. The needed to gear up a lot of people, success of The Simpsons is due so the Pixar people and I had a directly to the best writing on tele- MW: Is that always a trade-off? mutual feeling about the show and vision. It’s more real than any sitcom sensibility, and so I would never on television, that family. Look at AT: I think so. Definitely we can know when I was getting another any of them, Rugrats, and of the promise creative freedom, but animation. I would approve the sto- really successful animated shows, you’re not going to retire on one of ryboards, then I would get these the writing is there. The writing is our dimes. packages in the mail, with these generating characters and perfor- wonderful Luxo Jr. pieces. I’ve had mances that are wonderful. MW: I’ve worked for both of you, to work a lot with relationships, and As an independent animator for use the good feeling that Sesame MW: Then by necessity the inde- Sesame Street, and on Beavis for Street is promoting. Working as a pendent animator really should be MTV. At Sesame, I find that the free- producer is a real advantage there, a writer as well...a writer who hap- dom is tremendous. That’s what I because people want to work for pens to be able to draw? enjoy about being able to make the show. those films. Every year I get to do AS: Or seeing where you’re something I haven’t done before, MW: This is the question for people strengths and weaknesses are. If that nobody else in their right mind, just starting out. Would you pass you’re a strong writer, you can except for Arlene, would let me do! over an animator, that you recog- write. If not, find somebody who

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 11 can. dence in them. It’s a very successful I find with a lot of people now, is thing to do, to say, “No, keep it the that they come to you with a lot of AT: It is possible to find it in one way it is.” That’s having a vision. visual styles, but they can’t write, package. Look at Mike Judge, with they don’t have a concept, so it’s a him it’s voice, character, style, vision. AT: It was risky. It was the first thing. shortcut for me, really. I have this That’s rare. You need to team peo- The animation people said, “God, great team of writers, they’re won- ple together. A writer and an ani- what did you do?” derful. Thank you Mo, you’re one mator, a collaborative effort. of them. I can make up for that defi- AS: We are to a certain extent, in a ciency in doing that. AS: It’s about putting the right group situation where we can take risks. of people together. I always think That’s why I love working at this job. MW: What makes an engaging you’re the guy standing behind If something bombs, it’s not life or character? Is that an answerable someone playing solitaire, saying, death. Certainly if a series bombs, question? “Can you put that black Jack on that it’s a bit more. But if a logo or an red Queen?” It’s like you’re really just interstitial thing bombs... AT: I hate to use the word, but with sort of guiding this team that you our audience, usually if they can put together — hopefully to have AT: We tend to put stuff on the air, identify in the character, or find enough faith in this team — to let we want to keep it on, but we air them relevant to their lives in some them do what they want, etc. everything. way.

AT: Judge started as an indepen- AS: Series are much different. Short MW: Are you very aware of your dent. He had done this cartoon at form interstitials, it’s not the end of audiences? home. He came to New York, and the world. You have to just shrug it I was so excited, I said, “Mike! We off and say okay. Television doesn’t AS: We are trying to teach some- got money to do 65 of these!” And allow you that luxury. thing, so we try to stay within the he turned white as a ghost...I said, perimeters of pre-schoolers. “Don’t worry, we’ll get help.” So we MW: I have a friend of mine who is However, what I like to do is chal- built a team of writers and we put a doctor. If I have a bad day, some- lenge those kids too. I don’t want it together. thing went wrong with a produc- to have pre-conceptions about tion, I think to myself that the worst them, such as a three-year-old does- AS: You saw something, an inde- thing that could happen is that n’t like a certain kind of music, or pendent coming to you with a very some child in Minnesota is going to get that book, or whatever. Kids are naive style, and you guided him, say, “Mommy, I wasn’t thoroughly sponges. If something’s engaging, you said, “Don’t change that!” You entertained today.” That perspec- and it’s relatable-to, it doesn’t have saw something in him. tive is important. Going on to define to fit into a box, you can stretch the that prior question, can you esti- boundaries. AT: It was less about the style, and mate what percentage of your film- more about the characters. He makers write and direct their own MW: If kids are sponges, then defined these universal characters. films, and what percentage team teenagers act like sponges, right? up? AS: My husband can’t stay away AT: Well, we’re very concerned with from it ! [Beavis & Butt-head] AS: I’d say that it’s probably 60% our audience, because they team up, 40% work independently, change. We have a new audience MW: It’s ironic that it’s a producer maybe 70/30. I often “blame” this every three years. They move guiding by saying, “Don’t change.” on the MTV generation. It’s so great through MTV. talking to you, Abby, because we’re AS: I think that’s the way if you’re a really coming from the conceptual MW: Move their way up to CNN.... successful producer. My whole thing angle. It’s what I tell young anima- is that if you see something in some- tors, it’s all style over substance. It’s AS: Hopefully! one, you hire them, and let them like bad Broadway, when you walk go, because you have that confi- out talking about the scenery. What They all share a laugh.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 12 AT: We talk to our audience. We lis- probably hasn’t changed in basic ten to them. We like them. We ways. It’s kept those values. It’s smart. AS: Now you’re doing a new ver- employ them. It’s well-produced, and I love it. sion of Liquid Television ? When my kid is a teenager, I don’t MW: Sesame Street doesn’t have know, things will change so much. AT: Yes, Cartoon Sushi, which is an any three-year-old interns do they? animated variety show. It is more MW: There is something about humor focused, and less experi- AS: No, but we’ve done some kids Sesame Street though, that makes mental focused. But then we are animation. parents want to watch it together thinking of “Cartoon Sashimi” which with their kids. Is MTV the opposite, could be more experimental AT: It’s very important. We definite- i.e., this is not for adults... focused. ly want to lead them, too, and chal- lenge them in the same way, which AT: Absolutely. Nickelodeon is based They all laugh again. I don’t think a lot of television does. on that. MTV is based on that. Even VH-1 is based on that. They’re all MW: That would be great! MW: Talk to my generation for a very niche-targeted services. I would minute. Talk to the kids who first hope and pray, well, let’s just say AS: I think humor is also something saw Sesame Street and first saw that if MTV is not different when my that we share. When people ask for MTV. Why was it such a logical kid’s a teenager, then it won’t be a thumbnail sketch of what Sesame jump, and what has changed now? around. It’s got to change. Street is, I always say it’s a comedy What is my kid going to be seeing? show that teaches. We have the AS: And also the marketplace best comedy writers on TV working AS: Your child will be watching changes so much. for us. That’s why it works. We have Sesame Street. The part of the show these incredible characters. They that stays the same, when the kid AT: Hopefully, we’ll share some core can be funny, and they can do the turns the television set off, he feels values of humor, risk-taking, unpre- corniest stuff in the world and get better about himself. That’s what we dictability, irreverence, those things away with it. want, self-inclusion. However, we that both of us cherish. need change. The child of today MW: I have a more personal ques- doesn’t have the same needs as the AS: How long have you been there tion for both of you. What brought child when you were growing up. Abby? you to animation, both career-wise We’re very aware of that, and we’re and personally? What is the attrac- constantly changing. What does the AT: Eleven years. tion for you? What grabs you? kid need to know? What’s happen- ing in the world, or their street cor- AS: So you’ve seen a change, then. AT: In school I had a professor at ner, or backyard, that we can do to Loyola University in New Orleans, engage them and relate to them, AT: Oh, quite a bit. When I was first by the name of Bill Kuhns. He so that we can teach them through there, it was all music, and what would bring in Eastern European entertaining. The basic fabric of the brought me there was the animat- films from Zagreb and show stays the same but the trap- ed i.d.s. It was something that Fred Czechoslovakia and Poland. It blew pings of it change, and the subject Seibert had started. We’ve grown me away. Here is not only a differ- matter changes. our animation over the years, from ent visual style than the Warner those ten second i.d.s to commis- Bros., Disney thing we’d all grown MW: What about when my kids are sioning shorts from people like up with, but this was animation that teenagers? Henry Selick and a lot of the direc- was being used to communicate a tors who did those, to Liquid political and social message. It was AT: Well, having a three-year-old Television, which is where we like, “Wow!” I had a lot of fun with myself, is very interesting, because showcased them, to spin-offs from this guy. I’d go over to his house, I might not have watched much Liquid, like Aeon Flux and Beavis and we’d mix soundtracks. I want- CTW or Sesame Street, but I watch and Butt-head. And it continues ed to work in the film business. I got it with my kid now. It’s fun, and it from there. a degree in film. I always had a love

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 13 for animation, an appreciation for vision show called Sesame Street. I ready for it? animation, an appreciation for art. recalled when I was in college, I married a painter. Animation com- watching it, and thinking, “This is AT: I remember when I first started bines art with motion, brings the so cool.” So, I worked on the show, in ‘85 or ‘86, there was nothing filmmaking together with the art first as a production manager on a going on. MTV and Sesame Street world. So I had been at Saturday remote they were doing in Puerto were the only ones supporting the Night Live, doing the commercial Rico. I’d never been out of the edit small animation community. parodies. Then I was over at MTV. room. I was standing there with Both were kind of dream jobs. But keys to all of these blue Chryslers in MW: I was in film school then, study- my first question was “Will I be my hand, wondering which goes ing animation. People couldn’t responsible for commissioning the to which at the end of the day. I understand what I was doing there. i.d.s?” You know, it was a curatori- was working with a great group of al job. And the answer was yes, so people that were really of the same AT: I don’t know, really. I did an inter- I went over there. That’s my story. mindset that I was. They were trying view today, and was asked the things, breaking the rules. I also felt same question. Mainly about adult AS: Well my story is that I started out good about it. I never thought I’d animation, why is that coming to as a filmmaker. I was a painter be working in television. I was a real be? I think The Simpsons were a piv- before I was a filmmaker, but I was- snob that way. So I sort of worked otal turning point. n’t a good painter. So I decided to my way up through the ranks, as a take pictures of things so that I film producer. And that’s where I got MW: That’s more of an abstract wouldn’t have to render myself. I involved in animation, was com- think, I think. But what’s at the core worked for many years as a film edi- missioning animation. My back- of it? Why did a certain generation tor, which was sort of the route that ground in art made it such an of people attach to it? happened when you got out of incredible marriage. I love being NYU Film School. Women at that able to break all of these rules of the AT: We grew up on cartoons, and time, you became a film editor. physical world. The limits are your cartoons grew up with us. So there imagination. You don’t have to have was an appreciation there. Also, to “I love being able to break all Steven Spielberg’s budget to do that. echo what Arlene said, its the visu- of these rules of the physical It’s the idea that makes it happen. I al equivalent of music. world.The limits are your became so fond of it, and also so imagination.You don’t have to fond of that independent animator have Steven Spielberg’s budget community. It’s so amazing, the tal- to do that.” ent and ideas that are out there. So, - Arlene Sherman because of my connections with downtown artists and my lifestyle, then I would think to bring William Mo Willems’ animated films have MW: Yes, there was some sort of Wegman on to do something for appeared on MTV, HBO, The official treaty... Sesame Street, or Keith Haring, or Cartoon Network, IFC, Sesame those people, at that time. I’ve Street, The Tournee of Animation AS: That’s right, that was the way grown so much, and I’ve learned and Spike & Mikes Festival of into the industry. I lived in Europe, about animation, and learned to Animation. He has won an Emmy after I went to film school, for five or appreciate it. Conversely, as I was for his work as a script writer on six years, and made some experi- learning, the whole animation Sesame Street, and is the creator of mental films. Those were the things explosion was happening around The Off-Beats, currently in its sec- that interested me, music and art, me. So, that’s how I got into it. ond season on Nickelodeon’s and breaking the rules. Not narra- KaBlam! tive filmmaking at all. Then when I MW: Can anyone make a wild came back to America, I suddenly guess at what the spark for the wasn’t in the union, I couldn’t find animation explosion was? I’m not work immediately as a film editor. I talking about a specific event, but got this temporary job at this tele- why all of a sudden people were

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 14 CTW and MTV: Shorts of Influence by Chris Robinson o be called an Oscar nom- The Roots of CTW and MTV inee pales next to being Certainly CTW and MTV did “Table to call myself a not evolve out of thin air. UPA’s lim- Sesame Street animator.” ited, affordable, and simple style first -Paul Fierlinger made people believe that it was even possible to do animation for “What [MTV] should be lauded for television. This had an enormous is that it has increased the visual sen- influence on Hanna-Barbera and sibilities, the visual palettes of an Filmation, whose appropriation of Sally Cruikshank has lent her dis- entire generation. It’s expanded tinct neo-thirties style to several UPA’s style opened the doors for tele- how people see. So, that’s a great Sesame Street spots, including From vision animation in the 1960s, and thing.” Your Head, a music video teaching paved the way for CTW. Fortunately, kids about using their imagination. -Candy Kugel, Buzzco and © CTW CTW adapted UPA’s more positive Associates elements. They created smart films, menting their shows with inde- like Gerald McBoing Boing, that pendent animation. Now, CTW and appealed to children, but did not Despite a prosperity of pages MTV might seem like strange bed- talk down to them. UPA, along with devoted to animation over the last fellows, but they actually have a Paramount, who Linda Simensky of decade, few have dealt with the great deal in common. From a neg- Cartoon Network says, was “more enormous influence and impact of ative perspective, both have been UPA than UPA,” had been produc- the Children’s Television Workshop routinely criticized by artists for their ing independent inspired shorts thir- (CTW) and MTV on the animation stinginess, and for years have been ty years before CTW. In fact, the UPA industry, and indeed, the media accused of stunting the attention influence extended right down to industry as a whole. Long before spans of the younger generation. CTW hiring UPA people like Howard the likes of Nickelodeon and But without a doubt, their positive Beckerman and John Hubley. Cartoon Network were creating impact on the animation industry CTW’s notion of combining artist driven shows, MTV was pro- outweighs the negatives. First and ducing hip interstitials created by foremost, they were the first two independent animators. Long companies to find consistent com- before MTV, CTW was also compli- mercial uses for independent ani- mators. This has had a huge impact on the animation industry in a vari- ety of ways: it has provided much needed jobs for animators, brought their work beyond the festival cir- cuit and to the general public, ener- Karen Aqua created Tempo in a gized the New York animation series of shorts about the basic con- cepts of music. © CTW scene, garnered critical respect for commercial animation, influenced animation and education was also Jane Aaron’s X Song uses stop- the advertising and feature film not digging up any new ground. motion animation to introduce industry, and arguably, paved the Sesame Street viewers to, [what Disney produced many “educa- else?] the letter “X.” © CTW way for today’s boom in animation. tional” shorts as did Bell Labs for

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 15 their Science series. The been there, the audience for MTV Bell Science series com- would never have appeared bined live-action with because it was the visual education animated shorts creat- that you got from CTW. We had ed by Shamus long discussions in 1981/82 about Culhane, Chuck Jones, the fact that it could only work if and Friz Freleng, the audience was prepared for the among others. The syntax and CTW had paved the way series obviously had an for that syntax to work: the combi- important influence on nation of live-action and animation, CTW in their using ani- the short attention spanned verse.” mation to make an educational subject CTW and MTV have also bro- more entertaining. But, ken the often elitist boundaries CTW was the first com- of animation festivals. pany to combine con- sistently education and entertainment. By The Birth of CTW and Artists’ doing this they found Reactions an on-going commer- CTW began in 1969 in New cial use for indepen- York. As Linda Simensky, the inspi- dent animators, and ration behind the Sesame Street brought independent 25th Anniversary screenings, has animation to a wider noted, Sesame Street producers audience. complimented their program with Despite an almost animation because it was an ideal entirely different man- “technique for creating incongruity.” date, MTV, in many Initially the animation shorts were ways, owes its exis- done by Executive Producer, Dave tence to CTW. Aside Connell’s Imagination Films. from 1970’s LP cover However, the producers wanted the art, former MTV pro- animation to act as short, highly ducer Fred Seibert produced commercials that would acknowledges the be repeatable. They wanted a very tremendous influence broad look. This led to hiring inde- of CTW. “I’d say the pendent animators like, for exam- two biggest influences ple, Paul Fierlinger. on what we did were “I made my first film for them straight cartoons (i.e. in 1971,” says Fierlinger, creator of Flintstones, Bugs Teeny Little Superguy. He had just Bunny) and Sesame arrived from Czechoslovakia at the Street. Sesame Street time and was desperately in need of was important work. “In those days [Producer] because they dealt in Edith Zornow would give me a cur- short form and they riculum. The curriculum has about were willing to use all thirty pages dealing with what top- sorts of styles.” ics they want to address for the next Buzz Potamkin, who season (e.g. letter A, figure 8, love, Henry Selick created many i.d.s and shorts for MTV dur- worked on the first backwards-forward). They made ing the 1980s. Shown here is the stop-motion Dollhouse M MTV Top of The Hour, about 180 programs a year in the (still and production shot), Contortion M, and Bathtub M. notes, “If CTW had not early days. To this day, working with Photos courtesy of Henry Selick

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 16 Sesame Street is a great asset. It has knows how to] combine the artist’s explains, “[The curriculum] expands got me work. It has got me com- vision and the curriculum. They are each year. Everything is done mercials. [Commercial clients] don’t always interested in an unusual through scrupulous research to want Sesame Street, of course, but look. Their values are good. They make sure that its educationally cor- they know you are a good anima- really care about human and demo- rect. And after the pieces are pro- tor if you’ve worked there.” cratic values. They are all inclusive. duced it is tested with children to Sally Cruikshank, known for This is a great thing to give to kids.” see what their comprehension and her surreal, musi- attention is. We cal influenced have seminars work, started with with pre-school CTW in 1988. educators, psy- “[They] sent three chologists, par- songs and that is ents, writers, cre- how it started,” ative people and explains talk about what Cruikshank. “[I] we should teach didn’t use the cur- next. Our whole riculum, I’ve had modus operation a really easy time with the enter- [essentially] just tainment and adapting songs. charm is to get Arlene Sherman the kids ready for [CTW producer] school.” has been tuned CTW’s impact into my musical has extended far interest, so she beyond the per- has chosen appro- MTV’s Aeon Flux started as a segment on Liquid Television, then became a full series sonal experiences. on MTV. © MTV Networks. priate music. I’ve As Buzz Potamkin really liked working with them Animator Karen Aqua came notes, “I’ve always been very appre- because they give you complete into contact with CTW around ciative of their ability to support ani- freedom and they’re very supportive 1989. CTW’s willingness to allow her mation during the really dark days and non-interfering. I wish there a freedom to experiment has of animation in the late 1970s and were more work like that available.” remarkably led to a bridging of her 1980. A lot of people in New York two creative worlds, her personal would not be in animation today if Every single piece I did for films and her commercial films. The it were not for the fact that CTW them I varied the style and 3D characters in her personal short, had been there for them.” technique so that I got to Perpetual Motion were originally explore things that I’d wanted worked out in a Sesame Street We really changed the game of to do. - Henry Selick piece. “Creatively, I am very happy to have them on my reel and sub- visual vocabulary on television. mit them to festivals. Once we get - Fred Seibert New York-based animator, beyond the concept, they are essen- Jane Aaron has done numerous tially my own little projects. There is shorts like River, Lake, and Next to a satisfaction in knowing that you MTV Begins Song for Sesame Street since the have gotten your concept across MTV launched in August of early 1990s. “I pretty much see what unlike your own work where you 1981. “Bob Pitman, Allan Goodman they need. I propose an idea based are never sure if the idea got across. and myself,” says Fred Seibert, on the curriculum. Arlene really I like the sense of completeness.” “thought about animating little net- understands the work conceptual- And what exactly is this thir- work pieces. We had no idea what ly and I think she understands that ty page curriculum that everyone pieces to animate, but we thought she is working with artists. [Arlene talks about? Arlene Sherman that animation would be a cool

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 17 thing to do. Cartoons seemed to be ed a Top of the Hour, but didn’t single piece I did for them I varied the closest visual equivalent to rock know what they wanted. Dale had the style and technique so that I got and roll. We had grown up during shown them the radio ad we did to explore things that I’d wanted to the days of LP design and we want- and they were very interested in do.” Working for MTV didn’t harm ed to make pieces that were as that. That was the start of the rela- Selick’s career either. “It helped. I had impactful on the video generation tionship. That campaign forced MTV done a few independent short films as album covers had been on ours. onto Manhattan cable which is real- but having stuff on MTV, people saw We wanted to create essentially the ly what made MTV.” it. People were aware of [my work] notion of the moving album cover.” Animator Henry Selick (Slow and they enjoyed it.” Of course, to create the Bob in The Lower Dimensions, “moving album cover,” one first James and The Giant Peach) took a The Industry Makes a Change needs anima- The tors. “We did- influence n’t know any- of CTW thing about and MTV festivals. We extends didn’t know well anything beyond about ASIFA,” the artists adds Seibert. and into “We bought the entire an animation animation issue of industry. Stick Figure Theater, a series of shorts by Robin Steele for MTV’s Liquid Television. teele has since Millimeter gone on to develop (with Nelvana) Stickin’Around, an animated series on Fox, and is now a director Prior to magazine at Wild Brain. Stick Figure Theater © MTV Networks. Stickin’Around © Nelvana. MTV, televi- and called sion ani- everyone that was listed. And then somewhat different route to MTV in mation was extremely limited in we looked at hundreds of reels.” the late 1980s. “What they were technique. However, when diverse One of the pieces that really got doing in the station interstitials was animation styles proved to be mar- Seibert’s eye was an advertisement pretty creative and I just figured that ketable, the entire industry took done by a New York company I could send in some work and they note and suddenly, a variety of called Perpetual Motion Pictures. would love me immediately. It was- diverse animations began appear- “We [Perpetual Motion] did n’t until I had a contact there, Peter ing on television. In the mid-1980s, an ad for a San Francisco radio sta- Dougherty, that I started doing i.d.s CBS’ Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, which tion,” says Buzz Potamkin. “I don’t for them. [There was] incredible free- appeared within a MTV/CTW influ- know why but part of [the motiva- dom. I got to continue where I had enced structure, brought striking tion] was artistic and part was sim- left off after doing experimental films and innovative designs, off-beat, ply [necessity]. We used photos with at CalArts. It was good for me. Every and, at times, adult humor, along acetate over them and worked with the forgotten techniques of magic marker on top of that. Andy stop-motion and clay animation, to Warhol was doing Interview mag- Saturday morning television. azine covers and [we wondered] Now it seems that everyone, what it would look like if we did this except Disney and Warner, is hiring in animation. Dale Pon, who was independent animators and allow- at NBC radio and audience devel- ing them to work in their own per- opment, was extremely supportive. sonal styles. Nickelodeon and He later became the ad agency for Cartoon Network produce artist dri- MTV. In Spring ‘81, Dale calls me Craig Bartlett created the 2D clay ven shows, including Rugrats and and says these crazy guys on 6th animation short, Lillian Big Sister for the recent “What A Cartoon!” shorts Avenue are doing this thing called Sesame Street years before going on series that was started at Hanna- to create the Hey Arnold! series for music television. They really need- Nickelodeon. © CTW. Barbera while Fred Seibert was pres-

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 18 ident, respectively. Indeed, the very tion sells has naturally expanded ing industry’s current interest in ani- idea of an all-animation specialty beyond the animation industry. mation has generated an increase in channel like Cartoon Network More and more advertisers are using commercial animation houses, like would have been impossible before animation to sell their products. J.J. Sedelmaier Productions, Inc., MTV’s success. Although Klasky- Animated commercials stand out (Colossal) Pictures and Will Vinton Csupo carries a definite European from conventional live-action ads, Studios. All of whom, its interesting influence, their diverse and unique and more importantly, CTW and to note, have roots leading back to designs (Santo Bugito, Duckman, MTV have created a generation of either CTW or MTV. The success has Ahh! Real Monsters) would not have children and young consumers also opened up additional avenues been possible for televi- for independent anima- sion without CTW and tors like Christine MTV. Panushka’s Absolut “We really Vodka Internet ad cam- changed the game of paign which was very visual vocabulary on MTV influenced. television,” adds Fred Seibert. “MTV opened Honors By The Elite up the door to saying In recent years, we visual vocabulary have seen the influence should be broad and it of CTW and MTV come should be appropriate full circle. After years of to the communication feeding off the festival you are making. It circuit, CTW and espe- should not be a copy- cially MTV are a regular cat. I am very happy presence in festival com- and proud of that we petitions. Karen Aqua’s were able to break the Sesame Street work has back of the idea that MTV’s new late-night animated series, Daria, grew out of a supporting been shown at character on Beavis & Butt-head, a series which itself originally only certain people were stemmed from a short film by Mike Judge. Do you see a trend here? © acclaimed festivals in allowed to work in these MTV Networks. Ottawa and Annecy. mediums. Independent MTV Europe and MTV animators had always been shut out who trust animation. MTV and The Japan, whose Top of The Hours from the professional commercial Simpsons have made animation have garnered awards in Ottawa world. I always thought that was more fashionable, or “hipper,” than and Holland, have had so many just stupid.” ever before. Therefore, anyone see- films in festival competitions it’s ing an animated commercial for a impossible to begin to name them Media Wide Pull pair of shoes, is likely to think that all. Thanks to the success of those shoes must be pretty cool. CTW and MTV have also bro- CTW and MTV, North American tele- Outside of superficialities though, ken the often elitist boundaries of vision and movie audiences are many younger consumers have animation festivals. Increasingly, fes- now able to see a diversity of styles been psychologically groomed for tivals are devoting a large portion and ideas. Animation features, pre- the animated commercial. As Buzz of programming to commissioned viously limited to cute, traditional Potamkin suggests, “CTW taught work. In fact, one festival, the Disneyesque works, have exploded children to be observers of and Holland Animation Film Festival, is in recent years into a variety of styles believers in commercials because if the only animation festival with a from the computer animated, Toy commercials teach you how to competition devoted solely to com- Story to Tim Burton and Henry count, they should also be able to missioned films. Festival Director, Selick’s Nightmare Before Christmas teach anything like how to eat, Gerben Schermer notes, “MTV did- to MTV’s own off-beat Beavis and what to drink, what to wear.” n’t influence the activities of the fes- Butt-head Do America. Ethics and psychology aside, tival but it certainly helped us to The awareness that anima- the bottom line is that the advertis- explain to people what we were

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 19 doing. We did the same kinds of tival circuit, the influence of CTW, order to compete, MTV and CTW things, only from a different back- but more so, MTV has expanded must continue to innovate against ground and for different reasons. beyond the borders of the USA. an increase in television channels Too many people underestimate the Animators like Canada’s Marv and programming, video games, possibilities of animation film as a Newland and Danny Antonucci, CD-Roms, the Internet, and other communication instrument. MTV Poland’s Piotr Dumala, Jerzy Kucia, distractions. Whatever the future will helped to put animation on the and many others including be, there is no denying the impact map as an art form. It showed that England’s The Quay Brothers, and that CTW and MTV initially had on animation is not only for children Czech Jan Svankmajer, have all the animation and media industry. and can be a valuable instrument worked with MTV. By taking a risk on independent ani- in communicating a product in a In Canada, outside of the mation during a time when anima- different and unique way.” Despite National Film Board, there is no tion was not very fashionable, they Schermer’s denial of any direct MTV abundance of independent anima- not only provided much needed influence, it seems hardly possible, tion. Marv Newland’s International work for many artists, while expos- given the lack of quality commer- Rocketship has been the rare excep- ing them to larger audiences, they cial work at the time, that a festival tion of a thriving independent stu- also made it profitable. On one devoted to commissioned anima- dio in Canada. Rocketship’s i.d.s for level, it has been a relationship tion could have existed prior to MTV. MTV not only provided work for the made in heaven. The artists, the ani- studio, but they also provided some mation and advertising companies, CTW taught children to be much needed exposure for and the viewers have all benefited observers of and believers in Rocketship by bringing their own from CTW and MTV’s investment in commercials because if com- independent work to a larger audi- independent animation. mercials teach you how to ence. It has certainly paid off. Thanks to all the people who count, they should also be able Rocketship recently scored a com- gave their precious time to chat; Mo to teach anything like how to mercial and artistic victory with their Slater for transcribing, HK and WJ eat, what to drink, what to animated film, The Far Side, based for patience; and SAFO staff for not wear. - Buzz Potamkin on Gary Larson’s strip. The film not killing me (yet). only played on prime time televi- In general, the success of sion, but also won the Grand Prize CTW and MTV has opened the at the 1995 Annecy Animation doors for a resurgence of animation Festival. shorts. In addition to touring pro- Internationally, as Gerben grams like Spike and Mike and the Schermer notes, “It helped film- Tournee of Animation, more and makers to experiment with the film more animation festivals are appear- medium on the expenses of MTV. ing. In fact traditionally biannual fes- For example, the Quay Brothers tivals like Annecy and Ottawa are made a few station calls for MTV Chris Robinson is the Executive now looking towards annual events Europe just do be able to express Director of the Ottawa to keep up with the increase of themselves without having to both- International Animation Festival, short work being entered. Also with er about the budget. Also a lot of and the International Student the introduction of additional chan- filmmakers were able to use MTV as Animation Festival of Ottawa nels like TeleToon, a Canadian all- a showroom for their artistic skills.” (SAFO). When he is not stressing animation channel set to begin air- over festivals, he programs a ing in October, there appears to be A Job Too Well Done? monthly selection of exploitation even more avenues opening up for MTV and CTW have signifi- films in Ottawa, and freelances independent animators. cantly contributed to creating for various magazines. today’s tough media market. It is cru- Reaching Beyond the U.S. elly ironic that CTW and MTV’s suc- Of course, festivals continue cess has spawned a multitude of to serve as important venues for impersonators who, in the end, recruiting. In fact, thanks to the fes- have come back to haunt them. In

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 20 Tooning in the Fall Season

on’t be surprised when you Casper until October 11. Fox is notice cartoons are having going further by continually rear- Dmore social sermons and ranging their line-up throughout educational tips than usual. That’s the season by bringing in new, fresh because, this September, the United programming. Will this keep them States federal government begins on top or just confuse the audi- enforcing its requirements for tele- ence? Time will tell. vision stations to air three hours per Produced by Nelvana week of educational programming. Limited and Medialab, Stickin’ Will the “FCC-friendly” cartoons Around will debut at 8:30 a.m. on entertain viewers enough to keep Saturday mornings. This series was them from turning the channel? If created by Robin Steele, whose style not, they’ll turn to the cable net- you may recognize from the Stick works, who are unaffected by the Figure Theater shorts on MTV’s FCC’s educational mandate. Liquid Television. Ned’s Newt will premier at 9:00 a.m., replacing CBS Casper starting on October 18. This Don’t look for any cartoons show details the adventures of Ned Invasion America . © DreamWorks here. They’ve switched to news and and his pet newt, Newton. A victim L.L.C. live-action “FCC-friendly” shows. This of overfeeding, Newton grows into ends the long-running Teenage a huge monster and is Ned’s very October 4. It’s based on Steve Mutant Ninja Turtles, but, never fear, own superhero. This superhero, Purcell’s comic book starring two their adventures will continue on however, is part time. When the crime-fighters: a rabbit and a dog. Fox as a live-action series. going gets tough...Newton goes Original episodes of X-Men back to his original four-inch length. air at 11:30 a.m. until November, Fox Kids Network On Saturday mornings at when a three-part preview of Stan Fox is currently the ratings 9:30 a.m., Fox will air Space Goofs. Lee’s The Silver Surfer will air. leader on network television. Still, This show was formerly called Produced by Saban Entertainment, they’re totally revamping their Home to Rent but was renamed at Surfer replaces X-Men in January Saturday morning schedule, while close to the last minute. The show 1998. moving their current hits, Bobby’s stars five alien monsters who reside World, C-Bear and Jamal, Spider in the attic of an abandoned home Will the “FCC-friendly” car- Man and Casper, to weekdays. Life and spend their time scaring poten- toons entertain viewers with Louie and Bobby’s World how- tial renters. No doubt inspired by enough to keep them from ever, stay on Saturdays, as does Nickelodeon’s Ahhh! Real Monsters, turning the channel? this is the first European import produced by France’s In February 1998, Gaumont Multimedia in DreamWorks introduces its first ani- association with ProSieben mated comedy, Steven Spielberg (Germany) and France 3 to Presents Toonsylvania, starring Igor, pierce the U.S. market. the hunchbacked assistant of Dr. At 10:30 a.m., Fox will begin Frankenstein. The series reveals that to air The Adventures of Sam it is actually Igor who is the genius, & Max: Freelance Police, pro- not the famous doctor. duced by Nelvana The remainder of Fox’s Entertainment in Canada, on Saturday morning is filled with live- Sam & Max . © Nelvana.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 21 action programming: Mowgli: The Batman/Superman Adventures will Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickock as New Adventures of the Jungle alternate 41 episodes of Superman they tame the Wild West. The Book, Ultimate Goosebumps, and (including the 13 from the first sea- French studio contre-allée originat- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation. son) with 24 new episodes of ed and produced the project, while Batman. Producer Bruce Timm has scripts and voices were done in the Kids’ WB! revised the design of the Batman United States. The Dubba-dubba-dubble- series, streamlining the characters Fresh episodes of Steven you Bee Network starts Saturday and brightening Gotham City. Spielberg Presents Pinky & the Brain, mornings with an “FCC-friendly” Batgirl has learned Batman’s secret Steven Spielberg Presents show, Channel Umptee-3, created identity, and teams with him on a Animaniacs, and The Sylvester & regular basis. Dick Grayson has Tweety Mysteries round out their become a new superhero, Saturday morning. Nightwing, while 12-year-old Tim On weekdays at 7:00 a.m., Drake has become the new Robin. the very popular Steven Spielberg These Gotham Knights will tackle Presents Tiny Toon Adventures the usual rogue’s gallery: Mr. Freeze, leaves Nickelodeon for the WB the Joker, Harley Quinn, Clayface, Network. At 7:30 a.m., FCC com- Catwoman, the Ventriloquist, and mitments rear their head again a new creation from when reruns of TBS’ The Adventures producer/writer Paul Dini, Roxy of Captain Planet air. In the after- Rocket. Guest appearances will noons, WB will rerun Bugs ‘n’ Daffy come from the Demon and the and Steven Spielberg Presents Creeper. Also, Superman will have a Animaniacs. New episodes of three-part World’s Finest crossover Steven Spielberg Presents Pinky & with Batman, in which they team the Brain will air at 4:00 p.m. and Recess. © Disney.All Rights Reserved. up against Lex Luthor, the Joker and feature more celebrity cameos this Harley Quinn. season. It will be followed by The by former Disney writer Jim George, Meanwhile, Supergirl will New Batman/Superman executive-produced by Norman appear occasionally on Superman, Adventures. Lear and produced by Columbia in which they combat the threat of TriStar in association with Act III Darkseid and the New Gods. A WB Network (Prime Time) Productions and Enchante/George. hilarious Mr. Mxyptylk episode, writ- Sometime in 1998, Story-edited by veteran humorist ten by Dini, premiered at the San DreamWorks will premiere Invasion Mark Evanier (Garfield & Friends), Diego Comic Con, with frequent America, in which a teenager, David the show stars a band of broad- laughter and applause by fans. A Carter, discovers he’s part alien — casters who operate a pirate televi- spokesman noted sion station from “a fast-traveling that Bruce Timm, super news van.” Umptee-3’s pro- Paul Dini, and Alan ducer is Ogden, a 7-foot ostrich Burnett had such an voiced by Rob Paulsen of obvious handle on Animaniacs fame. Also from the DC heroes, why Columbia TriStar is Men in Black: The didn’t Warners let Series, which of course capitalizes them do the live- on the success of the live-action action feature ver- movie. Due to production delays, sions? Channel Umptee-3 and Men in At 10:00, Black premiere October 11, while The Legend of the other series begin September Calamity Jane also 13. features such leg- At 9:00 a.m., and on week- ends as Wyatt Earp, day afternoons, The New Doc Holliday, Buffalo Extreme Dinosaurs . © Bohbot Entertainment.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 22 and is the key to thwarting an inva- focus is on three pups and a chick- ators of Rugrats: Paul Germain and sion from outer space. One story- en: the adventurous Lucky, the per- Joe Ansolabehere. Germain says, “If board artist describes this as “the petually hungry Rolly, the New Age- Rugrats was a show about seeing best action-adventure series since minded Cadpig, and the practical the world for the first time and The Adventures of Jonny Quest.” Spot, the spotted chicken who exploring its wonders, then Recess thinks she’s a dog. ABC One episode, “A The Disney-owned network Christmas Cruella,” has filled its schedule with product is a candidate for a from its own studio, with the excep- holiday prime time tion of The Bugs Bunny & Tweety airing. Aside from Show and the educational live- its inspiration from action Science Court. The network Dickens, it’s notable boasts that four of its five program because it details hours are “FCC friendly” — which why Cruella hates means Bugs Bunny is ABC’s only Dalmatian puppies. show done for pure entertainment. 101 Dalmatians: The Series comes from HBO Animation’s Spicy City, directed by Ralph Bakshi, is tar- the same creative geted towards adults. © 1997 HBO. team responsible for The Lion King’s is a show about the next stage of Timon & Pumbaa, Bobs Gannaway childhood — when you’ve seen the and Tony Craig, along with execu- world and have to figure out how tive producers Jim Jinkins and David to survive in it.” Campbell of Jumbo Pictures, Inc., Pepper Ann is like a female creators of Nickelodeon’s Doug. version of Doug Funnie. She’s a Harvard Project Zero is the compa- neurotic tomboy who is “too cool ny that ensures Dalmatians will com- to be 12.” The character was ply with FCC regulations for edu- inspired by the real-life childhood cational value. memories of Sue Rose, who pro- While Disney is currently the posed the series first to Nickelodeon. leader in animated features and direct-to-videos, Disney’s broadcast Don’t be surprised when you television product seeks to emulate notice cartoons are having rival studios. 101 Dalmatians uses more social sermons and edu- Rolie Polie Olie, Nelvana’s series of com- the thick-and-thin line approach cational tips than usual. puter animated shorts, will air on The from Hanna-Barbera’s 2 Stupid Dogs Disney Channel in 1998. © Disney.All Rights Reserved. (which both Gannaway and Craig Now, in an effort to out-Fox worked on), Recess echoes Klasky- the competition, ABC is enclosing At 8:00 a.m., 101 Csupo, while Pepper Ann is remi- Recess, Pepper Ann, and some Dalmatians: The Series continues niscent of Jim Jinkins’ Doug. Now “interstitial elements” within an the adventures of the Dearly family that Disney owns Jumbo Pictures, umbrella format called One (formerly Ratcliff, from the original they own The Brand-Spanking New Saturday Morning. The network movie), their polka-dotted pups and Doug, which is no longer brand- hopes a host and studio audience of course, Cruella DeVil and her spanking new. will keep viewers glued to the two- bumbling henchmen. The new Recess is sort of an older ver- hour block. Programs won’t begin series eliminates their British accents, sion of Rugrats, complete with on the half-hour, but will be stag- moves them to America, introduces crude designs and point-of-view sto- gered within the block — to keep a mix of eccentric farm animals, and ries from six kids in the fourth grade. competing networks guessing streamlines the designs of the char- Not so coincidentally, the show’s cre- about how to counter program. acters and their environment. The ative team happens to be the cre- From 10:30 on, the rest of

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 23 the schedule is repeats of Bugs action-packed on stations subscrib- PB&J comes from Jumbo Bunny & Tweety, The Jungle Book’s ing to the Bohbot Kids Network, the Pictures, and is about three playful Jungle Cubs, the not-so New largest independent syndication net- young otters named Peanut, Baby Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and work. Reruns of The Mask and Sonic Butter and Jelly, who live in a house- the live-action Science Court. Jungle the Hedgehog are on tap, along boat on Lake Hoohaw. The show Cubs and Pooh will also show on with a new series and an updated encourages creative problem solv- The Disney Channel. ABC’s fall sea- version of an old favorite. ing and using imagination.Time son begins September 6. Mattel sponsors Extreme slots for these 1998 series have yet Dinosaurs, 52 episodes brought to to be announced. you by DIC Entertainment. Basically, Animated repeats come from it’s a band of dinosaurs who awak- Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Rescue Rangers, Katie en in the modern age, just in time and Orbie, The Little Mermaid, to combat an evil band of Madeline(from DIC, now owned by dinosaurs. Whew, what luck. Disney),Mickey’s Mouse Tracks, The The Ghostbusters return in New Adventures of Winnie the Extreme Ghostbusters, forty new Pooh, Timon & Pumbaa and episodes starring the next genera- Aladdin. tion of spirit-fighters, produced by KaBlam!, Nickelodeon’s prime time animation variety show, is hosted by two Columbia TriStar Television. It’s been PBS animated characters named ten years since the original team In October, Arthur, said to Henry and June. © cleared New York of its ghostly mal- be PBS’s most popular children’s contents. But now, the supernatur- series after Barney & Friends, begins Weekday Syndication/Disney- al has returned, and the city needs a second season with ten new Kellogg’s Alliance a new team of Ghostbusters. Egon shows, adding to 30 repeat What used to be “The Disney and Janine quickly train four episodes. Fred Rogers makes a spe- Afternoon” has been reduced to a teenagers and arm them with the cial animated appearance in one of 90-minute block sponsored by latest ghost-trapping technology. the episodes. Kellogg’s. Its season begins Slimer is also back, along with a September 1. friendly spectre named Gnat. For television animation, this Fifty-two new episodes of On weekends, Space will be an especially pivotal 101 Dalmatians will air daily in Monkeys, Extreme Dinosaurs and year. nationwide syndication, while 13 The Mask will air. additional episodes will be broad- A new series, Pocket Dragon cast on ABC. Adventures, features the cuddly lit- Reruns of The Mighty Ducks tle dragons created by renowned HBO will air Mondays and Tuesdays, artist Real Musgrave. Twenty-six half- The latest network to own whileQuack Pack will air hours have been written by veteran its own studio, HBO is venturing Wednesdays through Fridays. The animation scribes Marv Wolfman into a market largely untouched by ever-popular DuckTales, starring and Craig Miller. The show will ulti- any of its rivals: adult animation. Scrooge McDuck, will air daily in the mately be stripped to air six days a Supervising director Eric Radomski third half-hour slot — or whatever week for one month. has helmed six episodes of both time period that’s determined by the Ralph Bakshi’s Spicy City and Spawn. local television station. The Disney Channel With two more seasons of Spawn Disney’s Aladdin and The Nelvana Limited produces in production, plus developing his Lion King’s Timon & Pumbaa move Rolie Polie Olie, a robot boy who own properties for the network, he’s to The Disney Channel while lives in a magical mechanical world. a busy man and a hot commodity. Gargoyles disappears into limbo. It’s a CGI-series with three seven- minute episodes that demonstrate Nickelodeon Bohbot Kids “positive family and social relation- Rugrats is back by popular Network/Syndication ships.” Children’s book author demand with a sixth season, which Weekday afternoons will be William Joyce is the show’s creator. premieres August 23, showing

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 24 Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. There’s also penings in their small Colorado The Red Guy (aka The Devil) in two a Thanksgiving special, a direct-to- town. It’s based on the raunchy seven-minute segments. In the third video, plus, a motion picture in the short, The Spirit of Christmas, creat- segment, I Am Weasel, the interna- works. ed by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, tionally famous genius, I.M. Weasel Hey, Arnold!, yet another who executive-produce the series (voiced by Star Trek’s Michael Dorn) adolescent angst comedy, premieres along with Brian Graden. The series is pitted against his jealous rival, I.R. its second season on September 22, airs Wednesday nights at 10:00 Baboon, who sports a shiny red Mondays and Wednesdays at 8:00 beginning August 13 and is defi- behind. Yes, bare buttocks are com- p.m. nitely not FCC-friendly! monplace in these cartoons; such An eclectic mix of cartoon The popular but cheaply ani- exposure is taboo on a commercial shorts airs on KaBlam!, which has mated Dr. Katz: Professional broadcast network. its second season premiere Therapist airs with new episodes The second season of September 26, Fridays at 8:00 p.m. Sunday nights at 10:00. Dexter’s Laboratory began July 16, with show times at 8:00 p.m. Cartoon Wednesdays and repeats at 9:00 Network p.m. on Fridays. Special mention must be made of the episode “Mock The Cartoon 5,” a hilarious send-up of Speed Network got a Racer and for my money, one of the head start on the greatest shorts ever made. competition with The “What a Cartoon!” pro- three series spin- gram will continue with 16 new offs from the shorts. The first two have been “What a made by John Kricfalusi and star Cartoon!/World Ranger Smith of Jellystone Park. Yogi Premiere Toon” and Boo Boo are also along for the program. ride. Comedy Central’s outrageous new animated series, South Park, breaks new ground in adult animation. © Comedy Central. Space Ghost: Coast to Coast Thirteen episodes is also back for another 24 new of Johnny Bravo episodes. This is the only late night began July 14, airing Mondays at talk show hosted by an irreverent MTV 8:00 p.m., with repeats on Fridays superhero who dishes up many off- Daria’s success on MTV has at 8:00 p.m. Johnny Bravo is a the-wall surprises. prompted a second season order of blond, muscle-bound hunk with an And there you have it: the 26 episodes, which begin airing eye always open for the chicks — latest in animation entertainment ... early next year, totaling 39 episodes. and we’re not talking about farm and education. It’ll be interesting to The show airs regularly on Mondays animals, baby! A series of episodes see if viewers tune in the new “FCC- at 10:30 p.m. Aeon Flux and of titled “Johnny Bravo Meets...” fea- friendly” shows. If viewers instead course, Beavis and Butt-Head will tures animated celebrity appear- watch cartoons on cable networks continue to air. MTV will also serve ances from the likes of Adam West, and home video (Nickelodeon has up Cartoon Sushi, a series that will Michael Dorn, Tom Bosley, Mark already surpassed its network rivals show animated short films pro- Hamill, Donny Osmond, Jonathan in popularity), the decline in ratings duced by independent animators Winters and Farrah Fawcett. may discourage the commercial like John R. Dilworth. If you like Teats and Ass, Cow broadcast networks altogether. They & Chicken is the show for you. may abandon Saturday morning Comedy Central Twenty-six episodes began July 15, cartoons, as NBC and CBS already South Park is a show with with show times at 8:00 p.m. have. For television animation, this cheap cutout animation and a dis- Tuesdays and 8:30 p.m. Fridays. It’s will be an especially pivotal year. The gusting sense of humor. It features a blend of Ren & Stimpy and Baby season is just beginning and far, far a quartet of foul-mouthed third Huey, in which little sister Cow and from over. graders who take on weird hap- big brother Chicken contend with

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 25 Saturday Morning Bonanza: The New Crop for the Kiddies by Martha Day t’s the new fall Saturday morning filled with all sorts of life lessons. In broadcast television season, and fact, it seems that everything that is II am currently working on the on at 8:00 a.m. is cute and filled hardest task of the year — mapping with all sorts of life lessons. I think I’ll out my plans for what I am going to sleep until 8:30. watch on a typical Saturday morn- ing. 8:30 a.m. While I technically have five Stickin’ Around is on Fox and choices for Saturday morning, I will Men In Black is on Kids’ WB! be focusing on the three non-cable “Disney’s One Saturday Morning” channels that still run animation — starts on ABC, and will include a mix ABC, Kids’ WB!, and Fox. Last year, of Brand Spanking New Doug, I was glued to the WB! on Saturday Recess and Pepper Ann, as well as mornings, but this year, there are education interstitials. The shows will start slightly off of the every half-hour for- Pepper Ann, a new star on ABC’s Saturday mula and be presented morning line-up, is a character whose motto is “Too cool to be twelve.” under an umbrella for- © Disney,All rights reserved. mat, complete with a Doug. Who knows, maybe he’ll host. For the sake of this have a dilemma this time and Patty discussion, however, I’ll Mayonnaise will help him solve it. assume that each one is in a different half-hour 9:00 a.m. slot. An hour of new episodes of Men in Black is simply The New Batman/Superman Space Goofs tells the story of five alien roommates. the animated version of Adventures air on Kids’ WB!, possi- © Gaumont Multimedia. the movie. No messing bly an episode of Pepper Ann on with funny refurbished lineups on Fox and ABC styles, no tampering with to consider. changing the jokes — it’s all exactly the same as in 8:00 a.m. the movie, and yet not The choices are 101 quite as clever or funny. Dalmatians on ABC, Bobby’s World So, go see the movie on Fox, and Channel Umptee-3 on and leave it at that. Kids’ WB! Stickin’ Around has been on the air as interstitials. More choices simply equals I sometimes wonder if it more of the same mediocrity would be as interesting this year. if not drawn in a stick fig- ure style because that’s 101 Dalmatians is standard the joke. It’s not bad, but Disney fare - big-eyed, cute, and there is still dependable Recess. © Disney.All Rights Reserved.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 26 imitation Rens, two semi-Stimpys, competition gets tough. Pinky and and a random throw-in, and then the Brain on Kids’ WB!, Sam and the same story over and over again Max on Fox, and The Bugs Bunny of aliens chasing out unwanted ten- and Tweety Show on ABC. ants from the house. Sounds good to me. But the overall note is that Recess is another excellent most of these shows forgot to piece of reference material for any- put the “funny” in... one wanting to write a paper on the effect of Nickelodeon’s 1991 sea- son on the Saturday morning ani- Pinky and the Brain still mation of 1997. The creators are remains one of the funniest shows, two of the guys from the original and I will continue to watch it, while Rugrats, but it looks as though this I pray for it to return to prime time. time they didn’t bring the funny Sam & Max is a show that I’ve been writers along. Recess, in the process anticipating for years. I like the of trying to be relevant and clever, comic book. I like the video game, forgot to be interesting or funny. It and I’ll bet the show will be funny has the “adults think this is funny” too. I’ll tape it. When they both go feel. It’s also about the ugliest show into reruns, though, it’s back to Bugs Toonsyvlvania, now in production by DreamWorks Television Animation, will I have ever seen. The style borrows and Tweety, who remain the fun- air on Kids’ WB! starting in 1998. © 1997 from every other show on the air, niest, even years later. DreamWorks L.L.C. but forgot to have it’s own look. The ABC, and in October, Ned’s Newt characters are a multicultural group 11:00 a.m. premieres on Fox. of kids that could only exist in a car- Life with Louie on Fox, Batman and Superman are toon that is trying to satisfy FCC Animaniacs on Kids WB!, and Jungle always good bets, although I’ll prob- requirements. I’ll watch Space Cubs on ABC. ably give Pepper Ann a look, if just Goofs, it’s a better tribute. Hey, do the writers of for some surreal animation and Animaniacs split their writers’ fees (gasp!) a quirky female main char- 10:00 a.m. with the people who actually wrote acter. Ned’s Newt merely shows the More “One Saturday the stuff they are parodying in the effects of Ren and Stimpy on net- Morning” on ABC or The Legend of first place? Just wondering. It’s still work television. Calamity Jane on Kids’ WB!. Only funny, nevertheless, so I will watch the two choices because Fox goes Animaniacs. 9:30 a.m. to live-action The choices are Recess on with ABC, Space Goofs (formerly Home Goosebumps. to Rent) on Fox, and more Batman I am and Superman on Kids’ WB! amazed to see Fox follows up with yet another show another Ren and Stimpy-influenced with a woman show. Space Goofs is basically as the lead France’s tribute to Ren. Gaumont, character on the producers, were clever enough Saturday morn- to see that Ren & Stimpy was not ing! I will watch just about neuroses and gross-out Calamity Jane, jokes, but also about some pretty mainly out of

strange timing, posing, and react- curiosity. Fifty-two new episodes of 101 Dalmatians:The Series will air daily in ing. They were also smart enough nationwide syndication, while 13 additional episodes will be broad- to hire R&S veterans. The show fea- 10:30 a.m. cast on ABC’s Saturday morning line-up. © Disney. All Rights tures five characters, roughly two The Reserved.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 27 morning ani- Whatever the age skew, the mation. More issue really is, “Is the show enter- choices simply taining, and will it get and keep equals more of viewers?” With the FCC requiring the same educational television for children mediocrity this viewers, most of the shows have year. some pro-social lessons, either hid- For some of den or glaring. But the overall note the shows, the is that most of these shows forgot to attempt to be put the “funny” in, and since they different and are supposed to be funny on some relevant has level, that’s not a good thing. even made If you are an animation fan, the shows the what can you do? Be thankful that Dexter’s Laboratory started its new season this summer on Cartoon Network. © Cartoon Network. same as those not all animation is on Saturday that are on mornings. There are two major other channels. We are starting to trends that will save us - funny cable 11.30 a.m. see just a few too many fond animation and animation for adults. The New Adventures of paeans to youth all over the air- Thanks to cable, there is animation Winnie the Pooh on ABC, X-Men on waves, and they are becoming all over the schedule. Nickelodeon Fox, and The Sylvester & Tweety repetitive. Thus, there are a lot of has finally premiered new episodes Mysteries, on Kids’ WB! new programs, but nothing really of Rugrats. Cartoon Network is run- The Sylvester & Tweety new. Nickelodeon was successful in ning funny new episodes of Cow Mysteries is better than you’d think. 1991 because they made shows & Chicken, Johnny Bravo, and But CBS is set to weigh in with The that were different, and other show Dexter’s Laboratory. There is also a Weird Al Show, and that could be creators will probably have more new round of “sitcom” animation worth checking out, even though it success if they follow the lead of with Daria and King of the Hill. On is predominately live-action. making shows that are unique, not top of that, cable’s version of ani- replications of past successful mation for adults just keeps getting 12:00 noon. shows. stranger and stranger, with shows Science Court on ABC. such as South Park, Spawn, and Despite sounding about as much If you are an animation fan, Spicy City. fun as chemistry lab, this may have what can you do? Be thankful Besides, if I stay up late potential. It’s from the creators of Dr. that not all animation is on enough on Friday night to watch Katz, and my guess is that if you can Saturday mornings. Spawn, I may sleep through stand the Squigglevision, this could Saturday morning anyway. be fun. Enough fun to make you In addition, the trend for the forget that your daily dose of edu- rest of the industry outside of cational programming is being Saturday network mornings is that heaped on. programs are skewing a little older. We’ll have to wait until 1998 Shows on Cartoon Network and for Steven Spielberg Presents Nickelodeon skew towards the 8- Toonsylvania. Too bad. It will be 12 set whereas the current batch of Martha Day works in the televi- interesting to see DreamWorks TV Saturday morning shows still skew sion animation industry. In her Animation in action. toward the 5-8 age group. That’s spare time, she watches far too not a problem, as there are still plen- much television. Hmmm ... So,What Do I Think? ty of five to eight-year-olds. Yet if The good news is that viewers are used to shows seeming Saturday morning is no longer the a little sharper and edgier, they may Jim Carrey Cartoon Festival. But the find some of these network shows bad news is that it’s still Saturday a little bland.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 28 Mushrooms After the Rain: France’s Children’s Channels by Marie-Agnès Bruneau ith the advent of satel- digital subscribers registered in only was launched in April 1996 with lite television, thematic six short months. Sure, the amazing additional channels, interactive ser- W channels have multi- advertising campaigns that have vices, multiplexing, of Canal + most plied in France, like mushrooms accompanied these launches has notably, and pay per view, making after the rain. One of the favorite helped. In fact, the competition has a total of 40 channels. Already car- targets of these rying Canal J, new outlets is as well as children who Cartoon can now have Network, access, accord- CanalSatellite ing to which Numerique cable or satellite was less in bouquet they need than the receive, to up to other bouquets five channels to create a chil- entirely devoted dren’s channel. to them. Six by But aiming to November! present the best Why, just six and widest months ago, Summit Media Group’s Mr. Men is licensed to air on France 3. © Summit Media Group. reaching offer, they could bare- the service ly receive two. Next to veteran stimulated the market. Ten years worked out exclusive satellite car- Canal J, and Cartoon Network, ago, cable was handicapped by the riage deals, as has been achieved which was only carried on satellite, launch of a cinema and sports pay- with Disney Channel France. are now AB Cartoon, Teletoon, television, Canal +, who now has CanalSatellite is to date the leading Disney Channel France, and soon over 4 million subscribers. platform with 440,000 digital sub- Fox Kids. scribers (plus 130,000 using the The new channels have With the advent of satellite older analog technology). been either launched by the digital television, thematic channels satellite networks, referred to as bou- have multiplied in France, like A Strong Newcomer,TPS quets in France, or independently mushrooms after the rain. Not wanting Canal + to by American channels who are have the monopoly of pay televi- attracted by the new broadcasting sion in France, terrestrial broad- opportunities. Children channels are casters TF1, France 2, France 3, and considered as appealing as cinema CanalSatellite - The Digital M6 have associated to create TPS channels. In the last few months, Leader (Television Par Satellite), together France has had three competing Of the three digital bou- with Lyonnaise des Eaux and CLT, digital platforms launched. quets, CanalSatellite, controlled by who are also both shareholders of Surprisingly, while cable never real- Canal +, shot first. CanalSatellite was M6, and France Telecom, which is ly took off, with only 1.5 million sub- already an existing satellite platform, also acting as a cable operator. TPS scribers to date, DTH (direct to but was analog, carrying only the was launched in December 1996. It home satellite) went quickly over thematic channels that one could bet on the fact that it carries the ter- expectations with nearly 600,000 find on cable. The digital service restrial broadcasters’ programming,

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 29 and not CanalSatellite, which is not romance to erotic, to ... cartoons. episodes) and as for the rest, the AB received well in all parts of France. Unable to enjoy the same channels are known as the ones The digital satellite platforms pre- megaforce financial backing as its paying the lowest acquisition prices. dominantly target small towns two competitors, AB Sat has not yet AB Cartoon’s concept is to run the where reception is generally less benefited from a consistent launch “oldies but goodies” animated series good. TPS also carries the during the day and anime thematic channels devel- at night. Though the bud- oped by its shareholders get is not unveiled, it is said and to complete its offer- to be in the Frs 20 million ings launched cinema bracket. channels and ... Teletoon. Though all of these Supported by a strong ad channels rely mainly on campaign, which ran on their shareholders’ cata- all of its powerful terres- logues and have relatively trial partners, TPS started small budgets (Frs 30/60 strong with 170,000 sub- million), they need to scribers by June 1997 secure a number of sub- which was well over scribers that digital plat-

expectations. Reboot is licensed to air on both Canal + forms do not seem to be able to and France 2. © Alliance/ offer alone. Prior to convincing kids AB Sat:The Outsider Mainframe Entertainment. to watch them, they have to first The outsider has been AB campaign, and its subscribership is convince cable operators to carry Sat. It has been launched by leading low with only 11,000 by the end them. A difficult crusade since, even independent French producer and of June. AB Sat does not have, how- if they are currently launching into distributor, AB. For years the com- ever, such a high break-even level, digital, the cable networks are still all pany made a name, and high prof- needing only 400,000 subscribers analog and can’t add a channel its, by producing TF1’s children’s compared to at least twice that for without taking one off. shows and successful long-running the others. Because of their con- youth sitcoms. When the launch of cept, the AB channels are not run- Disney,A Strong Label AB Sat established a competition ning after fresh programming. They Disney Channel France has with TPS, their already sen- for its part managed to sitive relationship with TF1, get access to most of the a shareholder of TPS, cable systems thanks to its became worse. In fact, strong label. Operators TF1 has canceled all of AB’s figured they could bene- children’s shows for fit from Disney’s image September. Sure of its Frs 1 and that it would help billion yearly turnover and boost subscriptions. The its prominent catalogue, Disney Channel is the AB went to the NY Stock only kids’ channel to have Exchange to finance its positioned itself as pay TV. bouquet where it received They too are betting on Frs 888.9 million. AB Sat’s its strong label, powerful concept is totally different in not only the kids’ than the previous two: it minds, but also in the is cheap. Whereas the oth- Lapitch the Little Shoemaker is licensed to air on TF1. ones who have the wal- ers start at around Frs 100 © Pro Sieben. let, the parents. It tries to per month, AB starts at Frs 40 per rely heavily on AB’s existing cata- establish itself as a French channel, month which includes access to all logue. 90% of AB Cartoon’s pro- appealing to families, and perfect 18 new niche channels with gramming comes from its’ library for baby-sitting. Launched in March, themes ranging from action to (AB handles 15,000 animated the first figures have proved far bet-

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 30 ter than expected, with 200,000 The Cable Struggle its own shareholder France subscribers registered by the end of To get access to the cable Telecom, are not evident. “With the June. This was their goal for the end networks is not so easy for the other multiplication of channels they tend of one year. However, these results newcomers, especially when they to go toward a segmented offer are to be taken prudently. How are linked with a digital platform. (children, sports, etc.) on option much extra will people want to The three main cable operators are (people pay extra for additional spend when they have access to an all linked with one of the bouquets, channels for which they ‘option’), increasing number of children’s which can lead to conflicts of inter- putting the different bouquets in channels? Disney Channel’s sub- est. Lyonnaise des Eaux (Paris, competition, which is not in our scription rate is 35 francs per month. among others) and France Telecom interest.” Deplank would prefer to Most of Disney Channel’s current have shares in TPS. Generale des be offered as part of the basic chan- subscribers - 170,000 - come from Eaux has interests in CanalSatellite. nels which are those that are fed CanalSatellite, whose first sub- This is not the only problem these into every cable home without addi- scribers, attracted by novelty, seem channels are facing. tional charges. “We have more at this point to be in the mood to chances to gain new subscribers take a quasi complete service. 70% through TPS than with the cable also subscribe to Canal +. The networks!” The financial arrange- Disney Channel has only achieved ments with cable operators vary 30,000 subscribers from cable to from case to case, but the average date. Disney’s animated features are price that Teletoon gleans is 2F per a good asset. However, their broad- month per subscriber as part of the cast is rare, probably so as to not basic service, and 3.5 F or more hurt their healthy home video rev- when on option. enues. Disney programming only Teletoon needs 1.1 million makes up 50% of the channel’s subscribers to break even. Its cur- schedule, and being structured as a rent budget is Frs 30 million “but is French channel it has to meet cer- to climb to Frs 50/60 million in three tain quotas. Even if they have nego- years,” adds Deplank. 30% of its tiated a progressive deal with the programming comes from TF1, regulatory body CSA*, the channel 30% from France 3, and 10% from only has to air French programs The Wacky World of Tex Avery, produced by M6. The rest is acquired. One-third 30% of the time for this year. DIC Entertainment’s appropriately of the channel’s current budget named French studio, Le Studio Tex. © Obtaining French shows is current- DIC Entertainment. goes to programs and that will ly a headache, especially in the chil- climb to 50% in three years. In order dren’s programming field. Not only to reinforce its identity, the channel because of increasing concentra- Keeping Teletoon in Second intends to do a few co-productions tion of catalogues, but also because, Place of short animated series and spe- TF1, France 3 and M6 are the Thanks to its recent pick-up cials, which will be different from biggest commissioners of animated on Lyonnaise des Eaux’s cable net- what its broadcasting shareholders series and of course, the cable and works, TPS’ Teletoon is the second commission. satellite rights often go to ... most widely broadcast children’s Teletoon. To enter the market, The channel. While still well after Canal Surprisingly, DTH went quickly Disney Channel practices higher J, TPS has 529,000 subscribers to over expectations with nearly acquisition prices and intends to do date. “We are having discussions 600,000 digital subscribers reg- pre-acquisitions and a few co-pro- with the other cable operators but istered in only six short ductions to get fresh product. In they are not easy,” says Francois months. order to succeed, the channel will Deplank, who heads Teletoon. have to prove it is offering an espe- Besides the conflict of interest with cially worthy product; one that peo- Generale des Eaux, a shareholder Its’ concept is 100% cartoons ple will want to pay for and renew. of competing bouquets, the talks as is one of its main upcoming com- with the other operators, including petitors the Cartoon Network. The

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 31 Turner channel was not conven- channel. Its’ break even point is at by all cable systems plus tioned by the CSA until now, and 1.8 million subscibers. 75% of its CanalSatellite which helps it enjoy as a result, could barely have access programming comes from Fox and a healthy 1.9 million subscribers. to the French cable networks. CSA Saban, and includes series such as The channel made a consistent Frs has recently announced, however, The Power Rangers. Saban has an 120 million turnover in 1996, that according to European regu- animation production subsidiary in including Frs 30 million from adver- lation, if Cartoon Network is sanc- France which is one of the more tising and Frs 87 million from sub- tioned in the country from which it active. Though not available yet as scriptions. To counter the attack, the airs (UK), they can no longer be it is still held by AB, Saban also channel is further boosting its sched- refused. Deplank is confident acquired the prominent C&D ule, reinforcing what makes it spe- though. “We had the example of a French catalogue. Fox Kids’ posi- cial: original programming. Canal J small cable system in Alsace (French tions itself, compared to Canal J, as is to introduce a news show for kids border) who stopped running an “entertaining” channel, while this fall, among others. Cartoon Network to carry us Canal J aims to educate and inform instead. They are quite happy about children. Fox’s target focuses on chil- The three main cable opera- it. Cartoon Network still runs half of dren from 2 to 12 years-old but has tors are all linked with one of its programming in English, and dedicated slots per age group. the bouquets, which can lead French kids usually learn to speak to conflicts of interest. French before English!” Canal J and Original Programming As we’ve seen, the future Making a Space? Fox Kids With this increasing compe- remains full of uncertainties for all As if this was not enough, a tition how will Canal J maintain its of these channels and depends on new player is coming to the game leadership? Asked six months ago, so many factors such as their finan- as of November 15 - Fox Kids. At Eve Baron, head of programs, was cial reserves, the development of this point, they are announced on quite confident, “I don’t think it’s DTH, their ability to seduce cable CanalSatellite. “We are currently ‘competition.’ The channels are posi- operators, and, lastly but definitely meeting everybody and we have a tioning themselves differently. not least, the kids. Competition is good feedback concerning our con- Disney targets a family audience. going to grow tougher for sure. In cept,” says Benoit Runel, who heads Teletoon runs only animation. The addition, terrestrial broadcasters the new French American-backed budgets of most of these channels have muscled up their children’s pro- are very low and they grams; France 3 is dedicating 1,300 don’t do any original hours per year, TF1 1,000 and so programming. They on. The number of hours children know what it costs! For watch television has tended to our part, we are the decrease these past years due to only channel offering a competition from video games and full range of programs computers. Nothing proves that a and topics to children. greater television offering will make We are 11 years old. We it increase again. Let’s hope quality dedicate Frs 65 million will make the difference. to programs per year, Marie-Agnès Bruneau has been 90% being put into first writing about the French televi- run shows. Frs 45 mil- sion business since 1984. For four lion go to in-house pro- years she ran Mediaspheres, a duction, with a two- weekly French television trade hour daily live show magazine. She is currently a free- among others, and co- lance writer, living in Paris, who productions.” At this regularly contributes to FT Media point, Canal J seems to and Telecom’s publications. have a considerable Gaumont Multimedia’s Sky Dancers is licensed to air on France 3. © Gaumont Multimedia. advance, being carried

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 32 *Note: What Is The grams are divided into categories 34% from the U.S., and 8% from depending on the degree of vio- Japan. ** CSA? lence depicted in them. The cate- According to the European gories go from Category 1 “gener- Community directive “Television LE CONSEIL SUPERIEUR DE al public” to Category 5 “porno- without frontiers,” European net- L’AUDIOVISUEL (CSA) (French graphic or extremely violent works.” works can broadcast in all EEC Audiovisual Council) is a regulation Programs in Category 1 show no member countries but are depen- authority, composed of 9 “wise” on-screen symbol. Programs in dent on the laws applicable in their members. One third of the board Category 5 are forbidden on ter- country of origin. For instance, members are nominated every 2 restrial networks. For other cate- Cartoon Network is dependent on years by the President of France, the gories, on-screen symbols are oblig- ITC in Great Britain. Disney Channel Senate President and National atory and they have time slot restric- France has a special arrangement Assembly President. tions. regarding quotas, like other similar Among other activities, the Guarantor for freedom of channels. Within 5 years from their CSA controls the application of the communication, the CSA only takes start date, they will need to go from law for the protection of minors. To action a posteriori. They cannot 30% to 40% French speaking pro- that end, the CSA has created a block a program from airing. After grams, as is standard for all cable new plan to establish program rat- an offense, the CSA calls for sanc- networks in France. ings and on-screen information, in tions in the form of fines or on- cooperation with broadcasters and screen announcements. viewer associations. This plan, effec- The CSA also controls the dif- tive since November, 1996, applies fusion of French language within Info compiled from CSA informa- to national territorial networks and programs. If programs are from tion booklet by Annick Teninge. the Canal + cable network. other countries, they need to be This initiative is in response dubbed or aired with French subti- ** numbers are for programs on to a need for greater broadcaster tles. TF1, France2, France 3, La responsibility and is aimed at giving In 1996, animation pro- Cinquieme, M6 and Canal +. parents the tools they need to deter- grams represented 2,823 hours, Source: CSA, Program mine what is appropriate for their which is 54 % of the Children and Department. children, thanks to clear, standard- Youth Programs. 54% of the ani- ized on-screen symbols. The pro- mated programs were from Europe, REGISTER with Animation World Network TODAY and

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ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 33 The Korean Animation Explosion By Milt Vallas ver the last ten years the In the Beginning... In 1968 a company, animation industry in South Exactly how this all started International Art Production, began OKorea has grown beyond depends, like many things, on who re-doing a series of single reel shows what had to have been the wildest you ask. In 1960 two men, Mr. featuring classic animation charac- dreams of its early pioneers. Today, Dong Heon Shin and Mr. Chung ters such as Betty Boop, Krazy Kat, South Korea is undoubtedly the produced a 6-minute animated Felix and even Porky Pig. These old largest supplier of television anima- short for AFKN (Armed Forces theatrical shorts were being copied tion in the world. Industry estimates Korean Network) titled I am Water. frame by frame and being repro- are not always precise, but no one This small educational film might be duced in color. This company was would argue that in peak produc- called the Genesis of Korean run by Mr. Jeong Yoon Song and tion years the country’s production Animation. Mr. Tayk Kim. houses can turn out over a thou- Several years later in 1973, sand half-hour (22 minute) The Koreans were the New the same Mr. Kim would hook up episodes. While some may argue Yorkers of Asia. with Steve Hahn and open Dong about the quality of overseas ani- Seo Animation. Dong Seo is impor- mation, no one has ever turned out In the following years some tant because it will morph into the quantity of work to compare to work came into the country from HanHo which will become a major this Asian dynamo. How did this all Japan but this was almost exclu- player in the formative years of come about and how did the sively ink and paint work. One of Korean animation. However, in

HanHo Studio in Seoul, one of the first animation studios in Korea, today offers both traditional and digital ink and paint services. Photos courtesy of HanHo Company Ltd. Korean animation industry grow the early companies working with 1973, Korean animation was still into this 5,000 pound gorilla? What Japan was TBC, a broadcasting just beginning and mostly limited does the future look like for this high company which no longer exists. to ink and paint work from Japan. flying industry? Let’s see. TBC is credited with performing Dong Seo Animation broke ground assistant animation on a show titled by joining up with Ralph Bakshi and Golden Bat. supplying in-between animation on

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 34 Nest, but, in what would become a Sei Young, AKOM and Saerom, to reoccurring theme, he had a falling name a few, were all formed dur- out there and so was ready to try a ing this period. new start up in 1980 with Steve Hahn in South Korea. How Do They Do It? At the same time, Nelson To start with, everyone Shin, another key figure in the story, works very hard. Secondly, the stu- was starting out and began by mak- dios in Seoul, and there are well ing a deal with Depatie-Freleng to over sixty studios listed there alone, bring six half-hours of a show they have developed a system that relies were producing with The upon a strong cottage industry for An animator at AKOM studio. Netherlands to Korea. The show many phases of production. features War Wizards and Hey was titled Dr. Snuggle. In 1979, Anywhere from ink and paint to Good Looking. Nelson also brought a Bugs Bunny camera, there’s someone out there In the early years, the Korean special for Depatie-Freeling to Korea. who wants to sub-contract your animation industry was a bit rough Nelson Shin believes he brought the work if you’ll give it to them. Also, and tumble. The Korean business first full show (animation through almost everyone freelances, or culture was not always well under- camera) to Seoul. Others feel Steve moonlights if you like, and many stood by Westerners and in turn, Hahn or the late Jerry Smith was studios lay off work like a bookie lays Korean producers did not always first. All in all, it doesn’t really matter, off bets when he gets more action understand their Western clients. as they were all pioneers and than he can handle. A studio may Steve Hahn came to be seen by helped to get the industry started. be producing three separate series many as the epitome of the tough By 1985, the animation at the same time and not even have Korean producer. Hahn’s style was industry had become firmly estab- a layout department in house; it will more direct and confrontational lished in Seoul. Jerry Smith had split all be freelanced out. than other studios in the region, with Steve Hahn, formed his own While this might be undesir- such as those in Taiwan or Japan, company, Take One, closed it and able for an overseas supervisor who where saving face and avoidance then left the country. wants to see his work of open conflict was a more natur- Mr. Tayk Kim had left come back to him in al way of dealing with problems. Dong Seo and start- a smooth flow, this The Koreans were the New Yorkers ed his own company system helps the stu- of Asia. They worked hard, played called Pion Animation dios in that it provides hard and didn’t pull any punches and Nelson Shin was decentralized micro- both literally and figuratively. When opening a new stu- management within it came to face, Korean style was dio, AKOM, which each phase of pro- more in your face. They fought would eventually duction supplied by equally among themselves with become the largest in each contractor, not partnerships quickly forming, Korea. Steve Hahn dissimilar from the exploding apart and reforming all was about to lose his Nelson Shin, head of AKOM way Boeing manu- over Seoul. This highly competitive studio, then HanHo, Studio, president of ASIFA factures its airplane. Korea, and publisher of the and volatile business atmosphere by producing industry magazine Animatoon, The larger studios began to form in 1979-80 when Starchaser, a 3-D the- would like to see Koreans more producing the pricey Steve Hahn opened his new com- atrical film which involved in the creation of pro- shows maintain full grams. pany, MiHahn. He received work would flop and result in-studio depart- from Ruby-Spears on their show in his financial backers taking over ments but even they will avail them- Plastic Man. This work came to him his studio. selves to freelance help when they with the help of Jerry Smith, who If there is a marked begin- need it. The bottom line is that over was trusted by Joe Ruby and Ken ning to Korea’s golden period, it had the past fifteen years, Seoul has Spears. Smith had been sent to to be in the mid to late Eighties developed a large and capable Taiwan by Bill Hanna in 1978 to when animation studios began work force and a system in which help James Wang set up Cuckoos popping up all over Seoul; Daiwon, their production efforts can be max-

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 35 imized when needed and down- men and women who have main studio’s ability to supply every- sized when slow. acquired their companies as busi- one shows at a reasonable fee. After ness enterprises but have no more a while, inevitably, the small studios Overseas Supervisors attachment to their studios than to grow unhappy with the large studio For those not familiar with their plumbing supply house or from which they receive work. The the term, this refers to the client’s import/export companies. These large studio naturally skims a per- representative, sent by the client, business owners often buy into ani- centage of the client’s fees and the and normally at his expense, to mation studios that need a cash studio doing the work feels unap- work within the con- preciated and under- tracting studio. This per- paid. Also, if the show son most often is an artist is successful, the large (layout, animator, design- studio takes the bows er or even a director), but and egos can be frag- they could also be a pro- ile things. duction manager type. The first Westerners who The New Studios and went over to Asia were the ‘90s Boom all very versatile artists Like all businesses, who worked with the success breeds compe- local staff as instructors as tition, and there is much as client watch- nowhere more com- Background artists at HanHo Studio. Photo courtesy of HanHo dogs. What the Korean Company Ltd. petitive when it comes animators didn’t know is to business than Asia. that these people taught them. infusion and, more often than not, The ‘90s saw a rash of new studios American animation employed and end up taking over the company enter the scene. still employs, different techniques, from its original owner. Disney Television brought its style and timing than Japanese ani- There has also been a trend shows to a new, bright and aggres- mation. These early supervisors to form studio groups with one sive studio called Sun Woo. In 1991, helped the studios to speed up the large studio taking smaller studios Michael Webster, who was then in learning curve, enabling them to under its wing and presenting the charge of production for Disney understand quickly how to produce group as one large holding. A most Television Animation, told me that acceptable work for the Western recent example of this was the Sun Woo was producing some of market. Rainbow Animation Studio group the best work he had ever seen and (more recently renamed to Galaxy that Disney was so impressed with Over the past fifteen years, World, Inc.) which was put togeth- the quality, they were putting them Seoul has developed a large er by Ted Choi, a Korean business under an exclusive contract. This and capable work force and a man who lives in Los Angeles and didn’t work out for long, as Disney system in which their produc- came from the garment business. wanted exclusivity and Sun Woo tion efforts can be maximized This system is simply an extension wasn’t prepared to be tied down in when needed and downsized of subcontracting but with the log- such a growing market. when slow. ical twist of doing it openly and Rough Draft Korea (RDK) telling the client that you own/have started by doing an odd little show control of the smaller studios doing called Ren and Stimpy and soon their work. The only problem is that were being sought after as a high- The Business Men often times, the group is made up ly creative studio capable of pro- Another interesting phe- of totally separate business entities, ducing the off-the-wall type pro- nomenon of the Korean animation with completely different agendas, ductions that Klasky-Csupo and industry is the relatively large num- and the studio doing your work is Nickelodeon were developing as ber of studio owners who have no not being paid a fee that will allow their benchmarks. particular interest in animation other them to produce a solid show. The Plus One, Koko (formerly than as an investment. These are group is only held together by the Dong Yang), a revitalized Saerom

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 36 and Daiwon, along with an ever- parison may be unfair. There is still Seoul with Tayk Kim. He pointed out expanding AKOM, led the charge a healthy number of shows being that there were now five different into the Nineties with Korea cap- produced throughout Asia and cer- animation festivals being held in turing up to 30% of the world mar- tainly a good number of these are Seoul this year alone. Mr. Kim, like ket in animation production. From in South Korea. The question that Nelson Shin, is optimistic but also 1990 to 1996 the business has every studio owner must ask is how cautious. It seems that all of the pro- grown with last year reaching an long will the good times roll? ducers I have talked with feel that all time high. AKOM alone report- At the end of last year, a they need to find a way to develop ed a production run of 189 shows friend who is the head of produc- strong properties in which they can for the year. The little industry that tion for a major studio went to share long term revenues. This is started so quietly in 1968 with an Korea to look for a production not easy, as we all know. The educational film has grown into a house to place a new series that Koreans seem to be exploring dif- major industry which by 1996 prob- was to start this year. Her company ferent avenues. Animation houses ably came close to grossing $120 is not known for having high bud- are trying to link up with post-pro- million US. gets, but the new project was well- duction houses in order to offer funded, so she thought she would Western producers a fuller package The little industry that started interview a few high end studios, that can help shows with tight bud- so quietly in 1968 with an edu- who she hadn’t been able to use gets. Korean layout and storyboard cational film has grown into a before. When she arrived in Seoul artists have set up small production major industry which by 1996 her appointments were rather units in Los Angeles which bid on probably came close to gross- brusquely canceled. She was told it shows as an entire package, again ing $120 million U.S. would be a waste of time for her to trying to present themselves as go to the studios as she couldn’t attractively as possible. afford them. “I couldn’t believe how arrogant they were,” she told me. The question that every studio So What’s Next? This year both studios would be owner must ask is, how long Building a market and keep- honored to bid on her work. will the good times roll? ing it are two different things. It I asked Nelson Shin about doesn’t take a Wharton school grad what he saw in the future for AKOM Korean television, KBS 1 and to understand that if the demand and the industry in general. His 2, MBC and SBS, cannot pay for for new animated programming response was guarded but gener- quality original programming. slows, so does the industry that pro- ally optimistic. Nelson feels that the Sometimes a Korean studio will take duces the shows. 1997 is a definite industry is still in excellent shape but a Korean broadcast license on a down tick from 1996, but as 1997 he does understand that not all Western show as part of their fee, was such a record year, the com- years will be banner ones like 1996. however, the value is not as great as Nelson is one of the the discount they offer. The Korean founders. He has seen bad market is simply too small for the times before and knows that broadcasters to cough up a sub- the industry can turn south stantial amount of dollars. These “co- rather quickly. However, he production” deals are often no more feels confident in his own than sales gimmicks offered to make ability to bring work into the client feel that the studio has a AKOM and keep his staff vested interest in the show, and will busy. He also feels that favor it in production over the other maintaining a high quality shows simultaneously going standard and a good repu- through the studio. Most often this tation will help the strong is not true and the discount or back studios survive through the end position that the studio takes is off-years. worth little or nothing to them in A layout artist at Galaxy World animation studio (formerly Rainbow Animation). Photo courtesy of I also discussed the reality. The catch here is that the stu- Galaxy World. popularity of animation in dio has promised to provide a pro-

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 37 As more U.S. productions are being produced electronically, the Korean studios are responding by expanding their digital facilities.

Photo courtesy of Galaxy World. Photo courtesy of HanHo Company Ltd. duction service at a certain level of quality and to Closing Thoughts accept a lesser payment It seems that Korean than they would normally animation is in the same charge for that service. or better position than Seemingly, the studio takes U.S. animation. As long as an ownership position in someone is buying new the show in proportion to television shows, Korea the difference in services will continue to be called provided and lesser pay- upon to produce them. ment received. The rub for The Korean producers also the client is that the studio have Europe to look to for may elect to produce the work, and potentially show at the exact same interesting relationships, level of quality as the pay- Photo courtesy of AKOM. should the U.S. and ment they’ve received; not Canadian market slow up. at the higher level promised. subcontracting domain. After 30 years in this business, I’ve Some producers like Nelson One other note, North Korea learned that nothing stays the same, Shin are encouraging young artistic has joined the South in the anima- but I think the Korean industry is still staff members to try to develop the tion industry. SEK is a state owned very strong and most importantly, next Aeon Flux property as Korean and operated animation studio in flexible enough to weather a few designer Peter Chung did. They North Korea with a staff of 500 peo- off-years should they come along. know that until they can demand ple. We haven’t heard too much a slice of the pie that they bake for about this company in the U.S. up the Western producers, they will until now, and we couldn’t do busi- continue to deal with the peaks and ness with them legally, but the valleys of subcontracting. Shin, who French can and do. Currently this is President of Korea’s ASIFA chapter, studio is producing 26 half-hours a believes that there is a great deal of year at a very competitive price for Milt Vallas is an independent pro- talent in Korea that is still untapped. European producers. I suspect that ducer who is known as a special- He would like to see Koreans more it may not be long before political ist in overseas animation produc- involved in the creation of programs differences are put aside and busi- tion but he understands that the main ness interests are addressed foundation of his industry is in the between the two Koreas.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 38 The Cost of Eyeballs: Advertising Dollars & TV by Buzz Potamkin FBI Warning appetite for young eyeballs seems insa- favorites and oddities, and Hanna- What follows is a decidedly tiable, one bound to take animation to Barbera did start near the end, but personal look at the relationship yet new heights of popularity. there was no market in the sense of between advertising and television ani- Well, folks, it wasn’t always this what developed over the following mation in the U.S. Where it is now, way, and it wasn’t that long ago that decades. The whole idea of the how it got there, some thoughts on those of us old enough to remember Saturday Morning animation ghetto where it’s going, and how we can all were bemoaning the slow, painful was yet to be born, and it only came thank Ronnie Reagan for where we death of the animation industry. There about because of a convergence of are today, although not necessarily in are a few left from that lean generation several forces. that order. Advertising’s relationship of animation (myself included), those Most importantly, Bill Hanna with TV animation is symbiotic; some developed The System: a means by may even call it a morbid dependen- which great amounts of footage could cy: love and hate equally mixed, but Advertisers rarely lag too far be generated over a short period of the need for each other approaching behind current market condi- time at a reasonable cost. TV cartoons an addict’s craving. You’ve been tions. could not have succeeded without warned. The System, period. Say what you like who were so crazy that we went about the quality of the product, but Where It Is Now headlong into the breach in the ‘70s The System changed forever the man- Television animation as we while those around us fled to safer ufacture of animation, and allowed a knew it has changed so completely and more secure futures in book illus- cottage industry to enter the larger that it is no longer recognizable as the tration, greeting card design, live market. The networks could order in medium it was as recently as earlier action film, or, in at least one case, bag- one season more animation than had this decade. We’ve all seen the statis- gage handling at JFK. How did an been made industrywide in the entire tics, best summed up by one simple industry left for dead in the ‘70s man- decade of the ‘30s, and have it deliv- fact: available weekly national times- age to fight its way back, to a scale of ered ready to air within months. lots for TV animation have increased work unprecedented in its history? Revolutionary. by a factor of nearly 10 since 1980. First, let’s put aside all the deconstruc- The other factors pale by com- (Approximately 75 to over 600.) tivist theories about the audience parison, but deserve mention Remember though, that’s for available changing - that an audience raised on nonetheless. One was the inherent timeslots, most of which are not filled cartoons somehow made it possible repeatability of animation at a time with your latest production; in fact, for animation to rise phoenix-like from when videotape did not exist; live the overwhelming majority of what’s the ashes and become acceptable as shows on film could and did repeat, on is a repeat. Nevertheless, there is grown-up entertainment. The previ- but tired much sooner, and had none substantial production of new mater- ous two generations were raised on of the excitement of the then popu- ial to fill these timeslots. the same diet, perhaps even richer, in lar “live” kiddie TV. Another was the Those of us who ceaselessly the movie palaces of the ‘30’s, ‘40s and ease with which animation passed toil in the field of animation know all ‘50s. Yet they fomented no renais- over the barrier between Black & too well that the name of the game is sance. So, what happened this time? White and Color TV: cartoons had a TV. There may be big bucks over the long history in color, and additional fence in the feature pasture, but the History in a Nutshell costs were minimal, mainly in the areas total output pales in comparison to TV To understand better this phe- of film stock and lab work. (Live-action in all its forms: broadcast, cable, home nomenon, we need to plunge deep had to rethink itself completely for the video and - it really is TV to the audi- into the past, at least as far back as the change to Color TV; costs went ence - the ‘net. And, with the excep- ‘60’s. If you were born after 1960, you through the roof.) And there was SAG: tion of most home video, this veritable probably aren’t aware that there was Ronnie Reagan (he was President feast of cartoons is brought to the tube no large television animation industry there first and he’ll be back in this story courtesy of advertisers - those whose in the ‘50’s. Sure, there are a few old in a later role), residuals (and the lack

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 39 thereof in animation), etc. It was just an extent that the FCC finally took ness. In a scene that made me feel like plain easier in the fringe area of kid- notice, and this show was to the FCC I was Watson to her Holmes (“There’s die TV not to deal with those actors, the last straw: “program-length com- an east wind coming, Watson, and a and cheaper too. mercials” were forced off the air. But stronger land will lie in the sunshine There was also a need, a need not forever. when the storm has cleared.”), she that will be a recurrent theme through This FCC pressure was just one said something I will never forget: what follows: advertisers wanted those of several forces which pushed ani- “After yesterday’s results [the ‘80 elec- young eyeballs, they wanted them on mation into decline in the early ‘70s. tion], this industry will go through a national basis, they wanted them The premiere of Sesame Street brought major changes. It will never be the without dilution (no adult viewership more pressure on the networks to same again.” How right she was; I or interference), and they wanted clean-up kids TV, to make it more “edu- only wonder if she really saw the them all at the same time (or at least cational” and “real.” As networks future we’ve come to. day-and-date). As other audiences always want to have peace on the Ronnie Reagan probably dominated weekday dayparts at a political front, orders came down from never gave kids TV a thought while time when most houses had only one on high, and the industry entered the he was in the White House, but what TV, there was only one time that need great pabulum era. More live action, he did led to changes that reverberate could be met: Saturday morning. (And more social relevance, more lessons, still, and most of where we are today Sunday, too, until news took over.) more BS&P strictures, more boredom. can be traced back to those years. In So, throughout the later ‘60s, (Please understand that I am not tak- short, the FCC did three things: indi- animation came to dominate the air- ing sides on the content argument; rectly loosened the constraints on waves on Saturday morning. these are just the facts.) advertiser-controlled kids TV (and pro- Advertisers were happy, as they could And, to make matters worse, gram-length commercials); made it far and did dictate (informally if not direct- the networks dropped their orders by easier to quickly buy and sell TV sta- ly) what cartoons got on the air, and nearly 20% (from 16 episodes to the tions; and re-balanced the playing field soon they began to recognize the real still current 13); this was caused par- to favor the growth of cable. Now power of TV in selling to kids. And the tially by the network-wide cutbacks how did each of these affect the rela- networks were happy, too; the (then) brought about by the substantial loss tionship between advertisers and ani- three networks shared over 90% of of income from the cessation of ciga- mation, or animation in general? the kiddie audience, and even third rette advertising. (Until recently, this was the only time three-network We’re Back The advertisers had come to advertising income had ever dropped The first two combined to start dominate kiddie TV content to on a year-to-year basis.) TV animation the resurgence in TV animation. such an extent that the FCC was in a steady decline; in L.A., year- Advertisers could now fashion shows finally took notice... round work was history, as studios to suit their specific needs, and tie were now in production at most 8 them to products without fear of months of the year. And, last but not penalty. As stations were traded fast place made money, lots of it, as the least, overseas production became a and furious, purchase deals became scarcity of available national commer- factor for the first time; between 1972 more and more leveraged, and own- cial slots (only Saturday and Sunday and 1980, below-the-line production ers were looking around to find pro- mornings, for the most part) lifted jobs migrated overseas with lightning grams that cost little or less. Add these prices on a consistent basis. speed: the crafts from Animator on together, and you’ve got - you Before we get lost in the haze down suffered considerably, with the guessed it, He-Man and the Masters of nostalgia, let’s remember that the last Ink & Paint jobs finally disappear- of the Universe. ‘60s/early ‘70s was a mixed bag of TV ing completely in the early ‘80s (except Barter syndication, which gave cartoons. Some of what was made maybe for Filmation). the show free to the station in return then is now cherished, but much is for a portion of the advertising time forgotten, including one show espe- Salvation contained within the show, was per- cially, although it made its mark on the On Wednesday, November 5, fect for the parties at the dance: the industry for the next 15 years: Hot 1980, I had lunch with a network chil- advertiser got day-and-date nearly Wheels. The advertisers had come to dren’s programming executive, one of national broadcast of its commercials dominate kiddie TV content to such the brightest people I know in this busi- and product-supporting show; the sta-

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 40 tions got a free first run show with a as kids (a generational turnover every non-cable folks? How much new pro- few spot slots left open for sale; and 5 years for the main portion of the duction will they need? Aye, matey, the producers got new shows made, demographic), the power of these there’s the rub. The broadcast net- as well as the chance to cash in if the new players cannot be overestimat- works can’t leave the kids business; product was a hit. Another revolution, ed. under current law, each broadcast sta- and lots of work too - 65 episodes for Currently, according to the tion is required to air 3 hours a week one single series. That was a single trade press, Nick gets 56% of kids view- of kids “educational” material, and affil- series order which almost equaled the ership, and Cartoon another 18%. iates of the networks will look to those total yearly order for each of the then That leaves just 26% for the others: networks to take this headache off 3 networks. broadcast (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, UPN, their hands. But will it be animated? Advertisers loved barter syndi- the WB) and syndication. Once Fox And will any of these broadcast net- cation, as did stations, syndicators, pro- jumps in on cable, and if Disney works be able to retain a critical mass ducers, and animation artists. It took off Channel changes to ad-supported in kids for advertisers? like a rocket; within a few years, over (rumored), it won’t be long before More importantly, where will 10 series (650 episodes) per year were cable controls 90% of the market. the advertisers be buying? In the mid- vying for timeslots and kids. For the Remember that just 15 years ago the ’80s, with ad spending at roughly first time in decades, jobs went beg- $400 million, there were approxi- ging for artists. The drought of work It won’t be long before cable mately 100,000 national commercial faded from memory. And kids even controls 90% of the market. spot slots available to advertisers per seemed to like some of the shows. year, mainly barter syndication on Directly or indirectly out of weekdays and Saturday morning on barter syndication came the genesis (then) 3 broadcast networks controlled the three networks. By 1999, with ad of the Disney Afternoon, the Fox Kids 90%; the phenomenal upheaval in spending expected to top $1 billion, Network, Kids’ WB!, and UPN Kids, the advertising end of the business is there will be over 500,000 national which all led eventually to the destruc- moving so fast that many advertisers commercial spot slots available to tion of barter syndication itself. Disney, have not yet caught up to the news. advertisers per year, at least 85% on Fox, the WB and UPN fought (still Of course, these new cable cable, with the other players sharing fight, in some cases) over outlets and players require hundreds of program the rest. timeslots. timeslots to be filled each week with Advertisers rarely lag too far Stations discovered that open animation: Cartoon alone has to fill behind current market conditions. For timeslots were even more valuable 336 half-hours every 7 days; the oth- those of you who took economics in than they thought, and independent ers need fewer, as they also run live college, remember the Law of Supply distributors soon found that barter had shows as well as sharing channel and Demand. And don’t forget a new wrinkle: timeslots were rare, so space nearly half the day with an older Gresham’s Law. For those of you who clearance payments to the stations demographic doppelganger. Nick has didn’t take economics, look up both soon became the norm, and the prof- announced a commitment to spend of them. They’re the best tools we itability of these shows withered. Major $350 million over the next few years have to forecast the future of the advertisers could avoid the clearance making new animated shows; the oth- advertisers’ relationship to TV anima- payments, but the number of barter ers have not made their plans public, tion. shows inevitably declined in the ‘90’s but they have indicated that new ani- as the new networks lined up affiliates mation production will be a high pri- and locked up the choice timeslots. ority. Even if Cartoon and Fox each Buzz Potamkin is an award-win- spend only 25% of what Nick plans, ning independent producer, best The New Kid on the Block then we’re looking at over $500 mil- known for The Berenstain Bears We all know that Cable broke lion being invested in TV animation and Dr. Seuss. Before he escaped out in the ‘80’s, and Nickelodeon burst over the next few years. This is very L.A. for New York, he had been through the cable clutter to grab kids good for job prospects. President of Southern Star Prods in the early ‘90’s, soon to be followed and then Executive Vice President by the Cartoon Network, both of Econ 101 of Hanna-Barbera Cartoons. which are shortly to be joined by Fox. If 90% of kid viewership goes In such a rapidly changing audience to cable, what does this mean for the

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 41 Joanna Priestley: A Continuing Dialogue by Rose Bond start to finish and that became Where Do the Ideas Come After the Fall. But that is excep- From... tionally rare.” For Priestley the idea “My primary ideas come sorting process is not a straight- from what is going on in my forward one. She muses whether life at the time. But that’s just that’s not part of the reason why a starting place. It has to be she’s on the planet. “I see what a something that I’m totally learning process it is in terms of focused on.” Turning 40 was listening to my intuition, my inner an event she focused on. As voice, voices, and following my a result, working collabora- heart.” She concludes, “It’s hard. tively on a script with writer Sometimes it doesn’t work. Barbara Carnegie, Priestley Sometimes it’s muddled, but it’s fashioned the images and definitely what I’m trying to do.” reformed the incidents to cre- ate Grown Up. “There have been certain But ideas don’t always things I wanted to say and now come so easily affixed to road I’m sort of moving beyond marks in her life and it often that.” - Joanna Priestley takes time for ideas to “com- post.” “There are times in my life when it takes six or eight or maybe ten months of just Abstraction as the Medium being open-hearted and see- Living with ambiguity and ing what comes.” Priestley unsettled thoughts appears to be credits a show she saw in no impediment to Priestley’s cre- 1995, at the Los Angeles ativity. She continues to experi- Joanna Priestley. County Museum of Art by ment with new methods of ani- French sculptor Annette mating and talks about her latest himsical, personal, Messager, as a current inspiration. film, Utopia Parkway (1997) as a charming, experimen- “I’m realizing “Wtal, delightful” - all now, two years words that have been used to later, how that describe the work of independent show is manifest- animator, Joanna Priestley. Over ing in my work. It the past seventeen years, she has takes that amount produced a coven of films (that’s of compost time thirteen for the uninitiated). for ideas to sort Priestley has made animated films and rejoin in new using rubber stamps, sand, pup- forms.” pets, cut outs, computer paint pro- grams, found objects, and her sig- “Occasionally, I nature, white index cards. Diverse will hear a clear in technique, Priestley’s films seem voice about sub- bound together by a continuing ject matter for my dialogue of personal exploration. films. Once I had They dance playfully along the a dream that was After the Fall, a film that Priestley dreamed before she created. narrative of her life. an entire film from

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 42 point of departure is the reality of an eclectic collection of objects, it is the metaphysical nature of Cornell’s vision that sets it apart. Priestley chanced upon a showing of Cornell’s boxes at the Seattle Art Museum. “I began to think about incorporating that for- mat into the new film. I’ve always worked with frames within the frame, so it was a kind of evolu- tion of the type of work I’ve been doing.” Indeed, you could line up Priestley’s films, All My Relations, After the Fall, Hand Held and Utopia Parkway, and see the rec- tangularization and containment of images within images. “It’s A 3D sculptural element from Priestley’s latest film, Utopia Parkway. something I’ve worked with as a new direction. “It’s totally differ- in Flushing, New York. When his painter and printmaker,” Priestley ent. I’m combining different tech- mother died and his sisters moved comments. “I think we all carry niques in the same film...much away, Cornell stayed on, taking with us certain shapes and forms more dramatically.” In the five care of and fashioning boxes for and symbols that we’re very close minute film she introduces his invalid brother, Robert, until to... it’s only when you get older replacement sculptures inspired the brother’s death in 1965. that you realize what they are.” by her stylized drawings. These 3 Today Joseph Cornell is dimensional pieces, used in thought by many to be America’s For Priestley, animation is the sequences and animated in boxes, premiere assemblage artist. His gift she brings to the world. work in combination with drawn, legacy is a collection of small pastel, and water color animation. boxes. Cornell managed to com- bine objects that intrigued him in Priestley’s imagery in Utopia childhood – stamps, marbles, soap Parkway may differ from Cornell’s Diverse in technique, flaking ephemera - old engrav- Priestley’s films seem bound bubbles, butterflies, and seashells – with his adult interests – refer- ings, canceled postcards and sci- together by a continuing dia- ence magazine clippings - gar- logue of personal exploration ences to 19th century Europe, bal- let, sky charts, cordial glasses and nered from second hand stores wooden drawers. Though his along New York’s Fourth Avenue; To pull off this blending of techniques, Priestley turned to abstraction and found inspiration in the work of several pioneers of abstract animation: Oskar Fischinger, Len Lye, Norman McLaren and Jules Engel. “Abstraction has really begun to appeal to me. It’s taken awhile to get to this point.” Priestley elabo- rates, “There have been certain things I wanted to say and now I’m sort of moving beyond that.” Utopia Parkway is a definite move beyond for Priestley. She had been working on this yet unti- tled “abstract film” when she hap- pened to see a documentary on the artist Joseph Cornell (1903- 1972). Cornell was a reclusive artist who lived most of his life with his mother, younger brother and two sisters in a small, white Voices, Joanna Priestley’s student film made at CalArts. frame house on Utopia Parkway

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 43 all has been my work. No matter how chaotic or how jubilant things are, there’s always this con- stant, wonderful place I can come to.” “I sometimes wonder, and I guess everyone does, how this work relates to what I see as a worldwide environmental and social crisis going on. What I’ve really come to realize is that the most important thing we can do is make peace with ourselves and our lives in our own communi- ties.” For Priestley, animation is the gift she brings to the world. Without fail, at every showing there will be several people who come up and tell her how much her work has meant to them. “That’s what keeps me going.” Priestley lives a life full of art animation. Besides creating films, she tours with them, judges A scene from All my Relations, using a dimensional frame around an animated drawing. at international festivals, and is a member of the Short Film branch but she too mines her images was her intention in putting up a of the Academy of Motion Picture from what has come before and web site? “I wanted to put some Arts and Sciences. She remains a casts them in a metaphysic reality art on the web. I’m not selling working spokesperson for the art of her own creation. Experimental anything. I just wanted to put of animation. “It’s really important animators like Faith Hubley, Paul something interesting in the ether, to show animation in art galleries. Glabicki and Jules Engel, as well because from what I observe, I’ve spent my entire career trying as Copper Age Goddess art, spark 98% of what’s on there is just to educate people that this is an her imagination. The images are advertising and dull information.” important art form.” As animation freshened and made whimsical What she hopes for quite simply is writer Bill Givens penned recent- with a primary color palette. that “someone stumbles across ly, Joanna Priestley remains, “a Priestley underlies her Utopia this and is thrilled.” leading light in the world of ani- Parkway with a percussive sound- Priestley worked with mation.” track by Jamie Haggerty that David White and Al Hooton of evokes the tribal. It’s as if Priestley Level Seven Communications to is suggesting a connection create the site. As Priestley between the glyph and the explains, “It was much more com- glimpses, and delighting in the plicated than we thought initially interplay of the organic and the and they spent many, many hours spirit. putting it together.” The result is an outstanding site located at http://www.easystreet.com/~joan Rose Bond teaches Digital “No matter how chaotic or na. To see it in full motion, you’ll Animation at the Pacific how jubilant things are, there’s need Netscape 3.0 or higher and Northwest College of Art in always this constant, wonderful the Macromedia Shockwave plug- Portland, Oregon and is editor of place I can come to.” in, which can be downloaded the ASIFA-NW newsletter. Her - Joanna Priestley from buttons on the site. award winning films, created by drawing and painting directly on An Expression of Life film, are in the collection of the Art on the Web Clearly, for Joanna Priestley Museum of Modern Art. As a full time independent animation is an artistic form of film artist, Priestley is a force for expression. An incredibly prolific promoting animation as an art animator, Priestley talked about form. Her films are even distrib- the importance of that work in her uted by the Museum of Modern life. “In the past five years a lot of Art. She has recently created a things have changed for me, yet web site featuring her work. What the one constant thing through it

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 44 Charlie Thorson: Character Design In Classic Animation by Gene Walz n June 1939, Charlie Thorson competitions; several employees broke a five-year contract with would submit drafts of the proposed ILeon Schlesinger’s Looney Tunes characters for a story, and the final and Merrie Melodies Studio and design would be chosen by formal moved on to work for Dave and or informal voting. Usually the char- Max Fleischer at their new opera- acter designer simply consulted the tion in Miami, Florida. Thorson was animation supervisors or directors or only one of many workers lured took his cue from notes or rough away from Hollywood to help the sketches. Fleischers complete their first ani- After the look of the cast of mated feature film, Gulliver’s Travels. characters was determined, it was His contribution, however, was the character designer’s job to pro- immediate and not insignificant. He vide model sheets or action sheets designed a wacky bird named for the film’s animators and in- Twinkletoes and cooked up some betweeners. These model sheets Self-portrait by Charlie Thorson. comic business so that the charac- Courtesy of Dr. Stephen Thorson. showed the characters in the film’s ter could be shoe-horned, at the last significant poses and provided front- minute, into the finished film. animation business from 1935 to views, side-views, and back-views, Thorson, however, was not 1946, but his contribution to the if necessary. Model sheets also delin- all that impressed with the movie golden age of animation has gone eated the underlying geometries of when it was finally rushed into the- virtually unrecorded. circles and lines that defined a char- aters less than a year later. So he acter’s size and shape and propor- withdrew his name from the cred- The Character Designer tions. They could also include close- its. It was an odd and uncharacter- Charlie Thorson was a char- ups and written instructions for the istic gesture for Thorson. acter designer or, as Schlesinger precise details of costume and For the rest of his life, termed it, a character model man. In expression. Thorson would fly into a jaw-clench- the assembly-line method of cartoon ing rage at the mere mention of production refined by Disney Studios Charlie Thorson was a Walt Disney’s name because of the in the early 1930s, and later copied character designer or, as anonymity Walt imposed on his by all its competitors, the position of Schlesinger termed it, a workers. He was especially furious character designer was of utmost character model man. that Disney left his name out of the importance. endless credits for Snow White, evi- Combining the talents of a With so many different peo- dently because Thorson had quit the casting director, a costume designer ple involved in drawing as many as studio before the movie was fin- and a make-up artist from live-action 5,000 cels for each seven minute ished. When Thorson ventured into movies with the precision of a por- cartoon, the character designer had children’s book publishing, he was trait painter and the imagination of to draw enough precise reference so thirsty for recognition that he a sculptor, the character designer points so that even the clumsiest and often signed every single illustration created distinctive anthropomor- least observant artists could work in his books. As it turns out, Gulliver’s phized animals or familiar caricatures together. Along with the storyboard, Travels would prove to be Thorson’s that would star in animated movies. a series of vivid, careful model sheets last chance to see his name up on Sometimes the design of the char- provide the indispensable blueprints the silver screen. He worked in the acters was determined by studio behind each animated cartoon,

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 45 even today. For the kind of per- from The Captain and the Kids into sonality animation that Disney potential movie stars. emphasized, and especially at stu- After a year at MGM, dios trying to create animation Thorson jumped to the Warner stars to compete with the likes of Bros. camp where he was recruit- Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and ed to provide characters for the Pluto, the character designer took young Chuck Jones and the neo- on a special importance. As with phyte team of Cal Dalton and John Wayne or Shirley Temple, Bugs Hardaway. For Jones he cre- the look of a cartoon character ated the Sniffles the Mouse char- was central to the success of a acters, Inki, the Little Lion Hunter, film. A model sheet for Terrytoon’s Happy Circus. and his nemesis, the Mynah Bird, Courtesy of Dr. Stephen Thorson. and the curious puppy and pals. © Terrytoons Inc. Thorson’s Beginning Most famously, he designed the pro- Charlie Thorson wasn’t the Thorson soon became an expert at totype for Bugs Bunny, the infamous first character designer to work in the sentimental cuteness that Elmer Fudd, plus the Rainmaker and America’s animation factories, but defined Disney in the 1930s. He the Lady Known as Loo for Dalton circumstances, plus his own talent could do “cute” better than anyone. and Hardaway. It was one of his and adventurous spirit, made him For Disney he designed characters most productive and influential peri- one of the most sought after and for Elmer Elephant, The Old Mill, ods. He helped initiate Chuck Jones influential. Wynken, Blynken and Nod, Country as a director, and he played a crucial Thorson was 45 and Cousin, Toby Tortoise Returns, and role in the creation of characters that divorced when he left a secure posi- most importantly, Little Hiawatha. are still with us today. But the ever- tion as a graphic artist and catalogue He also worked on Snow White and restless designer stayed at Warners illustrator in Winnipeg, Canada to the Seven Dwarfs, telling his friends for less than a year. try his hand at the animation busi- back in Winnipeg that his design for At first glance, the new ness. He was twice the age of most the main character was modeled Fleischers Studio in Miami must have of his co-workers and ten years older after his Icelandic girlfriend. On this looked like the best of all possible than his employer when he was is based the local legend that Snow opportunities for Thorson when he hired by Walt Disney in early 1935. White is Icelandic. moved there in 1939. His work on At the time Disney was fixat- Gulliver’s Travels was quickly fol- ed on “cuteness.” Impossibly preco- Although he had a robust lowed by the redesign of all the cious and cherubic infants plus cud- sense of humor, a Viking’s taste characters from Raggedy Ann and dly and charming anthropomor- for women and alcohol, and a Andy for an important film featurette phized animals predominated. All restless, pack-up-and-leave atti- and even the redesign of the stu- his characters had large, expressive tude, Charlie Thorson soon dio’s most famous stars, Popeye and eyes for communicating wonder- became an expert at the senti- his cohorts. His favorite commission ment, varying degrees of appre- mental cuteness that defined at Fleischers, however, was for The hensiveness, and sensitivity. Most of Disney ... Stone Age cartoon series. This pro- the characters had heads as big as totype for The Flintstones was based their bodies and were built on pear- on scores of prehistoric creatures and shaped or vertical dumb-bell-shaped After Leaving Disney characters. Thorson both designed armatures. These shapes readily con- Angry that he was getting and created story ideas for the series. note vulnerability and equipoise, neither the money nor the recogni- Made in black & white and largely symmetry and instability and help to tion that his contributions deserved, forgotten today, these cartoons were create overpoweringly cute charac- Thorson quit the Disney’s employ the closest Thorson came to studio ters. and immediately went to work for contentment. When the Fleischer Although he had a robust Harman-Ising Studios. He then quick- Brothers Studio was closed, he was sense of humor, a Viking’s taste for ly switched to MGM where he was devastated, but not without women and alcohol, and a restless, mainly charged with transforming prospects. pack-up-and-leave attitude, Charlie the ill-fated comic-page characters After working successfully as

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 46 a children’s book illustrator and in nature but it is rarely ever seen. The soft, unforced three-dimension- billboard and magazine advertising ality and the simple suggestion of in New York for a while, Thorson Tell-Tale Signs an attractive inner life to the char- returned to animation at Paul Terry’s How is a Charlie Thorson acters are his gift to the medium. Studios in 1941. He was there when model sheet identified? The easiest Character designers are cer- Mighty Mouse was created, but his clue is his slightly flamboyant hand- tainly not as crucial to the art of ani- specific contribution to this famous writing. Thorson makes very recog- mation as animation directors and character is unknown. In fact, the nizable curves on the second leg of studio heads, but until their roles in exact nature of his work at Terry’s his h’s, m’s, and n’s. His v’s, w’s and y’s, the creation of our animation classics Studio, at Columbia/Screen Gems used less often, also have a curvy are recognized, our understanding where he worked during 1942, and leg, and his t’s, and less pro- of the craft and the process will be at George Pal’s Studios where he nouncedly his e’s and f’s, have a incomplete. Charlie Thorson creat- worked after this are all mysteries. curved-up top. Other tall-tale fea- ed hundreds of distinctive charac- tures are his r’s, with its angled leg ters with recognizable personalities. He [Thorson] worked in the penetrating its upper curve, his s’s, To assist in the animation, he likely animation business from 1935 with the top larger than the bottom, drafted model sheets with many to 1946, but his contribution to and his c’s, which continue their hundreds, if not thousands, of the golden age of animation counterclockwise swirl almost into a poses. He also provided story ideas has gone virtually unrecorded. g-shape. for some of the films he worked on. He helped to launch the directorial careers of at least three animation A Mystery supervisors — Chuck Jones, Cal Since Thorson’s name never Dalton, and Ben Hardaway. He appears in movie credits and he is made a definite contribution and rarely cited in the studio records that there must be others like him who remain, the task of determining his should also be recognized. output as a character designer is not Charlie Thorson worked for an easy one. Luckily, he was so Disney (1935-1937), Harman-Ising enraged at the fact that Disney (1937), MGM (1937-1938), Warner would not acknowledge his contri- Brothers (1938-1939), Fleischer butions that he decided to keep his Studios (1939-1940), Paul Terry’s own personal animation archives. Terrytoons (1940?-1942), Columbia/ These include inspiration drawings Screen Gems (1942-1943) and and photostats of model sheets for George Pal Studios (1943?-1945?). many of his most famous character Anyone with model sheets that designs. Sadly, Thorson was an unre- might have been drawn by Thorson, liable archivist. His vagabond’s nature or with stories or photos of him is

and his extravagant lifestyle caused A 1942 model sheet for Fleischer’s asked to contact Gene Walz at him to sell, lose or discard much of Raggedy Ann & Andy. Courtesy of Dr. [email protected] his portfolio. What remains affords Stephen Thorson. © Fleischer Studios. only a glimpse of his effect on the But Thorson’s work can golden age of animation. always be distinguished by the for- Gene Walz is head of the film pro- The current popularity of ani- mality, precision, and attractiveness gram at the University of mation artifacts may help expand of his character designs. Thorson’s Manitoba, Winnipeg. He is cur- on his reputation. Thorson model enormous capacity for liquor and rently finishing a biography on sheets must exist in collections not his ribald, anarchic sense of humor Charlie Thorson and is now edit- yet examined. Since model sheets are never betrayed in his drawings. ing a book called Great Canadian were rarely signed by the character The firm, unwavering lines have an Films. designers, however, identifying ease and lightness that must have Thorson’s work is not as easy as it been come from both raw talent might seem; he has a distinctive sig- and a tremendous exercise of will.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 47 The Television Animation Portfolio: A Model

by Larry Huber n the 25 plus years I’ve been basic film designed. It is a light sources. All camera infor- a working as a professional “Bible” for the animated film. mation is included, from the I in the business, I must basic, “What field is this have reviewed hundreds scene at?” to the com- of portfolios. What I’m plicated, “What’s the looking for varies accord- degree of rotation on ing to the job I’m filling. this pan?” Layout is no If I’m hiring a storyboard longer done domesti- artist, I don’t need to see cally in television ani- a lot of color work. If I mation. Instead, it has need a background been broken down into painter, character sketch- several classifications, es won’t get you the job. including Background A little careful editing of Design. No location, your portfolio to fit the actual or fantasy, is job you’re being inter- exempt from animation, viewed for, might save us and the BG designer both a lot of bother. had better be able to The television ani- A caricature of Larry Huber by Dave Feiss, the draw it. Landscapes, mation industry employs creator/director of Cow & Chicken. seascapes, exteriors, hundreds of artists, many of Portfolio Requirements: interiors, mood pieces, day and them filling specific classifica- A typical portfolio for this job night, outer space to the bow- tions. You don’t have to be would require examples of els of Hell is the realm of this good at drawing everything if good drawing, some back- artist. you’re just real good at draw- ground and character design ing the something that fits the and many composition set-ups. A little careful editing of your classification. So what are the Storyboards are generally done portfolio to fit the job you’re typical jobs? from scripts or detailed outlines being interviewed for, might so samples of completed or test save us both a lot of bother. Storyboard: examples of storyboards are This is a shot by shot necessary. Portfolio illustration of the animated film. Requirements:Background It is used to communicate as Background Layout Design: drawings exclusively will got much information as possible Each scene of a story- you the job if the examples are to all the artists, overseas and board becomes a layout, which good and varied in style and domestic, that are working on is a detailed breakdown of the location. Get your perspective, the film. It includes background shot. Key character posing is details and locale right. sketches, incidental character drawn in proportion along with and prop designs, animation the necessary “props.” The Character And Prop Design: poses and all the necessary background elements are From the principal play- camera description. This is designed and labeled, often ers to the innocuous member where the story is told and the including mood rendering and of a crowd, the character

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 48 designer must draw the right Can you paint type in the proper costume. with water colors Characters are not limited to or acrylics, control humans. Animals, fantasy a wash and use monsters, elves or space aliens an airbrush? Can make up the roster of the ani- you reproduce the mated cartoon. A “prop” is, texture of stone or generally, any non-living item the translucence that finds itself kicked, carried, of glass without thrown or moved during a resorting to a scene. If it doesn’t move, it’s computer pro- painted on the background gram? If you and becomes the responsibili- answered, “Yes!” ty of that artist. Sometimes a to these ques- prop can become a character tions, this might (i.e. The candlestick and clock be the job for in Disney’s Beauty and the you. Beast) and therefore, more Portfolio detail must be paid to its’ Requirements: design. Color, color and Portfolio Requirements: more color. Most Realistic and cartoon charac- background paint- ter examples should augment ings are done “on a solid life and animal draw- the clock” so fast- ing portfolio. Nudes are fine drying mediums but costumed figures should are the norm. Animal sketches are always a good demonstration of be included. I’d rather see Acrylics are the expressive drawing.This primate is from the sketchbook character drawings of your paint of necessity. of Carlos Ramos, a Nicktoons artist currently working on own design than copies of If you are able to designing animated shorts for Nicktoons. © Nickelodeon. classic Disney or Warner char- “paint” by computer that’s sionals with examples of pro- acters. Prop drawings of cars, “nice” but it must be an addi- duction work. A solid graphic boats, aircraft tional skill, not the basis of arts portfolio with lots of and tanks are your work. Slides of your best examples of the good use of necessary along work are okay but I prefer to color in layout, background with mundane look at good color copies or painting and character items like table original material. designs might get you a start- settings, furni- ing spot as a back-up artist. ture and radios Color Key: to secure a spot Originally done by the I don’t run an art school so as a prop artist. Background department, it is you’d better know the basics of now a separate job. This proportion, anatomy, perspec- Prop and background artists should show samples of everyday objects in involves choosing the colors tive, vanishing points and the their portfolios.This is a lamppost as of the characters and props, “golden mean.” sketched by Carlos Ramos. sometimes changing the © Nickelodeon. palette between day and night. The colors of the back- Tips of the Trade Background Painting: grounds must be considered • When bringing in a portfo- Know the difference carefully when choosing the lio, make a selection of your between the gray-blue of a character palette. This is a best work. Don’t bring in stormy sky and the blue-green hard job to get “right outta everything in the hope that tones of the ocean’s depths? school.” I usually hire profes- my worst taste may lie some-

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 49 of proportion, anatomy, per- spective, vanishing points and the “golden mean.” I hire artists and train them into specific, marketable goals in animation, but I don’t teach life drawing.

Talented, hard-working artists are in demand.

Animation is booming. Talented, hard-working artists are in demand. A solid portfo- lio is the first step to getting a professional gig in the indus- try. Good luck. I hope to be seeing your portfolio soon.

Additional drawings from the sketchbook of Carlos Ramos can be found in the html ver- sion of this issue.

Larry Huber is certainly a vet- “The best professional artists are those who can’t stop drawing.” These sketches by eran of television animation. Carlos Ramos were made while observing a Tai Chi class.© Nickelodeon He started out in 1969 as an assistant animator at Hanna- where in your drawings. they draw all the time. Barbera, then worked for 15 years as a producer at Ruby- • I like to see “napkin” portfo- • However, I need to see that Spears, after working on fea- lios. A sketch book tells me you have a range. Life draw- tures with Ralph Bakshi. He more about your ability than ings are useful but so are ani- returned to Hanna-Barbera in the senior project you spent six mal sketches. If you have more 1990, and this year, moved months perfecting. I like to see than one style, show it off. I’m over to Nicktoons, where he what you draw when you’re not interested in seeing various is executive producer on a having fun. Bring the doodles techniques so important in new pilot series of animated you do when you’re riding the publication art. Save the shorts. Metro-Rail or waiting to be scratch-board stuff for the served at a restaurant. The best weekends. professional artists are those you can’t stop drawing. They • I don’t run an art school so draw well, they draw fast and you’d better know the basics

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 50 SIGGRAPH Ô97: Too Much to Do, See and Think in a Week

IGGRAPH ‘97 came to Los Angeles with such a hype and fervor that before anyone knew what was hap- pening, everyone was involved. The event was the talk of the town as SIGGRAPH graciously welcomed, Snot only the usual crowd of academia, visual effects artists and students, but by week’s end, everyone from the curious to those remotely involved with the entertainment or computing field. Our extensive coverage of this event includes several features:

• Avi Hoffer’s The Films of SIGGRAPH ‘97: A Coming of Age, reviews this year’s groundbreaking films from the Electronic Theater.

• Newshound Wendy Jackson brings us News from SIGGRAPH ‘97, a comprehensive report on all of the new and exciting products and events that were announced throughout the week.

• We are also presenting as an extra special treat; our very own AWN Gallery of SIGGRAPH ‘97’s Computer Animation Festival, a sampling of images, Quicktime movies, and notes from more than 30 of the films presented at SIGGRAPH’s Electronic Theater. This presentation is only available in the HTML version of the magazine.

But wait! There’s more! We have also included a sur- vey of top computer animation studio executives as they discuss the challenges they face running a digital facility. Take a look at The Digital Studio Challenge: A Catch 22 to see what representatives from Rhythm & Hues, Fantôme, Neurones Animation and Pacific Data Images have to say.

Enjoy!

Photo by Cintia Matte Ruschel. © Animation World Network.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 51 The Films of SIGGRAPH Ô97: A Coming of Age by Avi Hoffer The HTML version of this article wanted to see contains three Quicktime movies: the collabora- Facade by Paul Debevec, Pets by tions between John Lally and Valerie Mih and people in scien- Flipbook by Satoshi Kitahara. tific disciplines and artistic disci- plines, what kind of work can be his year's film selections at the spawned from SIGGRAPH '97 Electronic people of these Theater in Los Angeles cele- T mixtures. It turns brated the expanding diversity of out that people storytelling talent and production don't necessarily technique now possible with soft- make that very ware-based animation tools. The explicit, but it's "CG" animation genre of the late A blue-haired girl eats a passenger train in Kutchae!, an animated there. It's there in ‘80s and early ‘90s (typically denot- i.d. directed by Isao Nishigori for MTV Japan. © 1996 Music the work. I think Channel Co., Ltd. ing some robotic, overly geometric this year the sci-fi scenario) is giving way to some convenience: (1) cool math/eye work is stronger for all of those traditionally-inspired techniques, candy (2) synthetic organics (3) film teams that people have built up." expressive characterization, and effects and (4) "old-fashioned" tech- more conceptually provocative film- noid CGI of the type noted earlier. The Genres making. The "cool math" category The animation exhibited can Of this year’s screening, typically stretches a series of inter- be broken down into roughly four Judith Crow, Chair of the Electronic esting techniques such as morph- categories which I've labeled for Theater, explained that, "I really ing shapes into an entire film by

Facade by Paul Debevec. ILM’s visual effects for The Lost World: Jurassic Park was among the fea- ture film work represented in the festival. © 1997 Universal Studios and Amblin Entertainment.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 52 alternating repeating mathematical tures mapped onto geometric it.” motion patterns until a hypnotic planes in 3D space. The result is akin Mass Manipulator by trance is achieved. While this cate- to a multi-plane animation camera Florencia and Pablo Mederico Faivre gory might be very popular in a except that the camera is free to also captured a distinctive hand- Rave or club setting (i.e. Runners by roam in any direction creating a made quality. Somewhat visually Kazuma Morino and Steven dynamic and stylized sense of inspired by Terry Gilliam, this film Churchill's Pellucid Spaces), the depth. portrays a pus-colored fascist dicta- abstract lo-cal con- tor literally using the tent quickly wears masses as toilet thin and leaves you paper. Besides the hungry for some- audience appeal of thing heartier. At scatological humor, least with films like the film successfully Facade by Paul integrates several Debevec, the audi- hybrid styles with- ence is made out calling attention aware that they are to technical execu- watching an ani- tion. mation experiment, The film illustrating a new effects category technique without covers the best of any pretense digital Hollywood. towards the craft of This years' stand- filmmaking. Facade outs included shots was the direct Pets is a student film created at USC by John Lally and Valerie Mih. Lally currently from the Jurassic result of a paper works at Square USA and Mih works at Pixar. Park sequel, Disney's presented at SIG- Hercules, Digital GRAPH ‘96 which postulated the The synthetic organic cate- Domain's EV-1 commercial, possibility of generating real-time 3- gory refers to the filmmakers who Appliances, which features excited D graphics on standard hardware use the computers as a tool but are electrical appliances, and a sneak with the use of a few spatial pho- more interested in simulating or peak at a very convincing comput- tographs for texture. A year later, improving upon traditional "analog" er generated luxury liner from Paul Debevec's team from UC animation techniques. This catego- James Cameron's upcoming Titanic. Berkeley have presented a com- ry includes one of Judith Crow's per- These effect shots drew big pelling visual demonstration of their sonal favorites, Cheerful Country, a applause which shouldn't be sur- technology using the university student film by Pierre Henon of the prising given the local Los Angeles campus as a "virtual set." This low- ENSAD in France. Says Crow, "The crowd, many of whose bread and polygon, photo-realistic 3D anima- look of it is actually closer to maybe butter depends on this type of tion has extremely useful applica- the look of stop-motion. It has the photo-realistic animation and com- tions in education and entertain- look of film because of the way they positing. ment. process the animation. It is just a lovely piece of story-telling. It's a “I suspect that students are SIGGRAPH's film program lovely art piece. It's visually a very, now getting a lot of training, profoundly demonstrates how very different work here and very and they're getting a lot of versatile the computer has funny, and so it's just an amazing input on traditional animation become as an imaging tool. skilled piece of animation. You don't techniques.” - Judith Crow spend all your time thinking about The same might be said the techniques that were used and Lastly, there were still a few about Tour Into the Picture by Ken being aware of whether this is tech- space battles and cyberaction pieces Anjyo, which illustrates the use of nically proficient. You're just com- that have long been synonymous 2-dimensional photo-realistic tex- pletely absorbed into the story of with computer animation such as

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 53 an imaging tool. Artists around the world no longer need be limited by hard- ware or compro- mised by inflexi- ble software. The learning curve for the animator seems to be hit- ting the down- ward slope and the results are exciting. Artists are now free to explore in a digi- tal environment, what is possible at the far reach- es of their imagi- nations. The dis- tinctions Flipbook by Satoshi Kitahara. between "tradi- Flipbook by Satoshi Kitahara and logue from documentary inter- tional" and "com- Soulblade from Namco. It’s very views, with the mouths of 3D ani- puter" animation continue to blur competent work but certainly not mated domestic pets, which speak and blend so that quite soon, the cutting edge. directly to the camera; Gabola the "CG" label may be merely a quaint Great by Tim Cheung at Pacific Data historical artifact dating back to a An Exciting Time to be 3D Images, a refined piece of charac- brief period of time when gear- Thankfully, the real vanguard ter work with good comedic timing heads posing as animators ruled the of digital animation is combining and a twisted ending; MTV Japan's earth; a time before programmers both the technology of the future on-air promotions which are even understood squashing and stretch- and the rich techniques of the past more fun than the U.S. promos and ing; an awkward time of hardware to create powerfully executed, well- finally, a stylish surreal Coca-Cola adolescence and interface evolu- conceived films. Judith Crow adds commercial made by Marianne tion. that, "I suspect that students are Barcilon in France which continues now getting a lot of training, and to push the boundaries of photog- they're getting a lot of input on tra- raphy with the use of unsettling 3D Avi Hoffer is Dictator of Digital ditional animation techniques. camera moves and seamless com- Production at Acme Filmworks in They're not just thinking about what positing. Hollywood, and owner of Red looks like computer graphics Thankfully, the real vanguard of Herring Pictures, a digital media because I don't think we'd be get- production company in Venice, ting such consistently good work digital animation is combining both the technology of the California. He has written for out of these places, if they are not MacWorld, MacWeek, DV, In getting such a well-rounded edu- future and the rich techniques of the past... Motion and Interactive Jumpstart cation." magazines, and will be a featured Other important mentions faculty member at the Digital include: Pets, a humorous student SIGGRAPH's film program Video Conference and Exposition film by John Lally and Valerie Mih profoundly demonstrates how ver- in October. which superimposes people’s dia- satile the computer has become as

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 54 News From SIGGRAPH Ô97 by Wendy Jackson or those of you who didn’t compilation reel. Both titles, distrib- LambSoft showcased Smirk, a plug- have a chance to absorb the uted through Sony Music Video and in for facial animation which uses Fwho, what and how of the in stores on September 23, will be pre-set expressions which can be 24th International Conference on reviewed in the upcoming issue of altered to fit any face. It also works Computer Graphics and Interactive Animation World Magazine. with motion capture devices. . . . Techniques, interactive was defi- Odyssey is also producing a video .Kinetix previewed CharacterStudio nitely the key word in the acronym of the works of abstract computer 2.0, which, used with 3D this year. Virtual Reality, VRML, and artist Yoichiro Kawaguchi. StudioMax, creates movements and Motion Capture were every- behaviors which can be where. . . . More than 48,000 applied to characters. This people attended SIGGRAPH, technology was used in the creating an unending sea of creation of CG sequences for bodies in the showroom, nav- Hanna-Barbera’s Jonny Quest igating the jungle of series. Hardware, 3D Software, and Alias/Wavefront demonstrat- 2D Software. on display from ed their highly anticipated 300 exhibiting companies . . Maya software, which has .Recruiting was on the agen- been pushed back for an da of many studios. . . . And early 1998 release. Called “the we got a sneak peak at some next generation of 3D ani- of the coolest Content around, Photo by Cintia Matte Ruschel. © Animation World mation software,” Maya will as well as a look at what’s In Network. present Alias’ first new soft- Production. ware architecture in years. . . . .Maya is currently going through Content 3D Software beta testing at 50 locations, includ- Everyone was showing off Kinetix released the latest ver- ing, most of the major computer ani- the portion of this summer’s effects- sion of 3D Studio Max, with more mation houses. Meanwhile, inside driven feature that was created than 1,000 new features, according Alias/Wavefront’s lab, Chris Landreth, using their hardware, software or to their literature. 3D StudioMax R2 creator of the Academy Award nom- services. Films such as Jurassic Park: for PCs is $3,495 for a new single- inated short, The End, is creating a Lost World, Spawn, Contact, Air user license with prices for upgrades new short animation with the Maya Force One, Species, Men In Black starting at $795. Several 3D program. Maya will be priced simi- and Titanic were played in heavy StudioMax-compatible programs larly to Alias PowerAnimator 8.5 , rotation on video monitors all over and plug-ins were also unveiled. . . which was released back in April. . the place! . Digimation alone released 15 new . . .Alias also announced an exclusive Odyssey Productions pro- plug-ins including the self descrip- alliance with Physical Effects Inc., duced two new computer anima- tive ClayStudio Pro, Shag: Fur and developers of a technology for ani- tion videos: Cyberscape: A The Incredible Comicshop. . . . .Sven mating cloth, which will be incor- Computer Animation Vision by Beny Technologies released porated into Maya. Tchaicovsky, and Computer SurfaceSuiteMAX, a new plug-in for Softimage is developing Animation Showcase, a 45 minute mapping photo realistic textures. . . Sumatra, another software package

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 55 built with new architecture. Like Alias The cost is $835. sion 3.5 of The Animation Stand for has with Maya, Softimage has Intel and Digital's Alpha platforms pushed their new product’s release 2D Software running on Windows NT. New fea- back to early 1998. Everyone is curi- With digital ink and paint tures include eight new animation ous which will come out first. This technology steadily being adopted tools, automatic batch scan clean- should be an interesting time for the industry-wide for animation pro- ing and simultaneous camera moves industry, and a good time to buy, duction, there is a wider selection and rotations. At $5,000. Animation with two competing high-end 3D of 2D software packages to digitize Stand is designed for affordability to animation packages being released every production process, from sto- smaller studios and even individu- around the same time. . . . Now in ryboarding to ink and paint to cam- als. . . . .CalArts Character Animation beta testing, Sumatra is called “the era. The competition, however, is Program recently licensed a Mac OS world’s first collaborative nonlinear good news for people in produc- platform version of The Animation animation system.” Only trying out tion, as it results in development of Stand for use as the 2D computer the real McCoy’s will determine better software, and competitive animation system in their recently which software package will best pricing. There will be a lot of growth upgraded computer lab. meet the needs of the demanding in this area before the year 2000. professional 3D industry. Cambridge Animation Motion Capture Systems is growing, and their soft- Woah! This micro-industry of ware package, Animo is now the computer animation has become a most widely installed 2D animation whole industry of its own seeming- production software, with licenses ly overnight. Just in the past year, at 200 studios in nearly 50 coun- we’ve seen the development of tries. The company will release wireless technologies, the opening Animo Ax-Cel for PCs in November, of Medialab’s L.A. studio, and the for- opening a new window of oppor- mation of the Performance tunity for home users to collaborate Animation Society, a non-profit orga- with the larger studio systems run- nization for this hybrid field. At SIG- ning on Silicon Graphics machines. GRAPH, there seemed to be a pro- Floops, a VRML cartoon on the Web created by Protozoa. Download a The PC version will be available with liferation of motion capture/real-time Quicktime version now! at a floating license for $12,000. Not animation displays. Apparently, the http://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.6/ exactly small change, but certainly abundance of transmitting technol- 2.6pages/2.6.toc.html a step in the right direction for the ogy on the showroom floor caused NewTek’s Lightwave 3D is individual user market. Animo has some electromagnetic interference available to Sun computer users for been continually developed through that made it difficult for some the first time, with a $2,995 pack- beta testing at DreamWorks SKG and exhibitors to operate their technol- age which runs on Sun's Ultra Warner Bros. Feature Animation, ogy. Magnetic motion capture tech- Creator 3D workstations. Version 5.5 where it is now being used in fea- nology is particularly sensitive to this of Lightwave 3D for Windows ture animation productions Prince type of interference. Despite tech- 95/NT was released in July. Also of Egypt and Quest for Camelot. nical difficulties, there was plenty released at SIGGRAPH, is the new Other studios currently using Animo going on in the field. Some high- Motion Plug-in Pack for Lightwave include Nelvana (Sam & Max), lights: 3D, offering five complex animation Sunbow (Salty’s Lighthouse), SimGraphics literally put on tools for $200. Pentafour and Rich Animation (The a show to feature their recent adop- Questar released a version 3 King and I). . . . Great Eastern tion of Polhemus’ StarTrak magnet- upgrade of World Construction Set, Technology has recently been estab- ic wireless motion capture system. their software package for model- lished as a reseller for Cambridge Enacting something of a live soap ing and rendering photo realistic Animation System’s Animo software. opera named My Lover, My Dance landscapes and natural settings such They will provide hardware and soft- Partner, My Alien, they demonstrat- as clouds, water, terrain, planets and ware sales, system integration and ed their ability to simultaneously cap- vegetation. Compatible with support for CAS customers. ture motion of multiple characters. Lightwave 3D and 3D StudioMax. Linker Systems released ver- This is the first performance anima-

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 56 tion system to be ported to the ment. for use in video arcade games, Silicon Graphics 3 pipe Onyx2 For the first time ever, Silicon motion-based film rides, computer System, which enables live motion Graphics offered a dramatic special monitors and home entertainment capture projection in a 120 degree offer on their Octane O2 R5000 systems. wraparound viewing environment. workstation, targeted at individual Medialab recently made the users and small studios. The system, VRML switch from Polhemus’ previous non- which normally sells for $7,495, was VRML, which stands for wireless system to Ascension offered for three days, to SIGGRAPH Virtual Reality Modeling Language, Technology’s MotionStar magnetic attendees only, for $4,995. While allows developers to create interac- wireless system, which they are now the marketing team at Silicon tive 3D worlds on the Internet. First using along with their proprietary Graphics expected that maybe 50 proposed at the International WWW CLOVIS P.A. and facial puppetry sys- or so people would seize the oppor- Conference in 1994, VRML is finally tem. New features of the system tunity, they sold systems faster than becoming a reality with interactive include real time shadows, and a they could arrange the orders with 3D web sites such as The Palace joystick which enables the director to vendors. During those three days, cropping up all over the Web. move and pan the camera on a a total of 960 systems were ordered, Properly equipped visitors can cre- character during a shot. Medialab 65 percent of which were first-time ate their own avatars (CG charac- will soon be launching a new char- customers of Silicon Graphics! ters as personas) and settings, and acter for Nickelodeon U.K., which interact in real time with multiples will join their “Bert the Fish,” a of other incognito users around the motion capture character already air- world. Most VRML browser software ing on the network. still requires at least 16MB of RAM, Downstairs in the Electronic extensive memory, and are usually Garden, SIGGRAPH’s showcase for available only for the PC. Some of innovative new experimental pro- the latest VRML developments jects and techniques, a group of unveiled at SIGGRAPH are: Japanese performers and techni- Blitcom, a company recently cians presented Cyber Bunraku, a formed by VRML innovator Mark blending of the modern technolo- Pesce and producer Jan Mallis (for- gy of motion capture animation with mer executive producer at Protozoa), the ancient traditional art of Bunraku to create VRML 3D character based puppetry. Created by Kiyoshi Arai entertainment across the web, from Central Research Laboratory in Lambsoft’s Smirk software for facial ani- unveiled "Bliss.com," their first pro- Tokyo, this system used a wired mation. ject using streaming VRML technol- metal puppet armature to control Infinity Multimedia created a ogy. Streaming delivery of VRML ani- the body, and an optical point track- buzz with their patented autostereo mation means viewers see anima- ing system to control the facial 3D display system, which creates a tion during downloading, rather expressions, in order to translate seemingly three-dimensional image than after downloading. motion and emotion into original without any special glasses or head- Meanwhile, at the Microsoft booth, computer generated characters. The sets. A far cry from red and blue cel- streaming VRML was demonstrated result was a creative and refreshingly lophane lenses, or even polarized with a project created by Protozoa organic performance. filters, this digital technology works earlier this year. Floops, a seven on the principle of displaying sever- minute, 22 MB animation that Hardware al images of a scene in rapid suc- would have taken an hour to down- At the concurrent MacWorld cession, each from a slightly different load, was displayed instantly with Expo in Boston, Microsoft Corp. angle, on a very high speed moni- streaming VRML in Microsoft's latest announced that it will invest $150 tor. The result, seen with both eyes, Internet Explorer browser. Floops, million in Apple Computer, a bold is the illusion of a third dimension touted as the first VRML 3D cartoon business move that will affect users that changes as the viewer's head on the Web, was also showcased in of both systems with more integra- moves laterally. Infinity plans to the SIGGRAPH ‘97 Computer tion and cross-platform develop- license the autostereo technology Animation Festival, and can be seen

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 57 in Quicktime format in this issue of Spicy City, his animated series on facilities in designing lander design Animation World Magazine. HBO. In an episode titled “Love is A technology for future missions to Sony debuted Community Download,” he depicts a story of Mars. Place, their new communication two people who choose to have a Downstairs in the Electric software with multimedia user func- relationship solely interacting Garden, Vivid Group displayed their tions conforming to VRML 2.0. The through their avatars on the patented Mandala System for real browser and server installed soft- Internet. What's next? time video interaction in virtual real- ware enables real time navigation ity games. This system operates with- through 3D space with full sound, Virtual Reality out any of the wires, data gloves, text chat, video images and anima- What is virtual reality these headwear or other encumberments tion. It is available for Windows days anyway? From flight simulators often found in these types of enter- 95/NT, and runs in compatibility to glorified interactive video games, tainment applications. What this with Netscape. Sony is currently virtual reality, or, VR, is claiming to means is that users are able to see working with pioneer multimedia be everywhere. SIGGRAPH is more themselves, not avatars, on screen, artist Rodney Alan Greenblat to cre- of a showcase for VR developers’ and interact in real time with com- ate original interactive attractions, in tools than actual entertainment puter generated, animated envi- a sort of "online theme park" called applications (go to IAAPA for that). ronments. Mandala is currently Rodney's Chip and Peg Park. A couple of the coolest things going being used in entertainment com- Sven Technologies premiered in VR at the show were: plexes in the U.S., Korea, Ireland, AvatarMaker 3D 1.0, a new pro- MuSE Technologies show- Finland, China and Australia. gram for creating avatars from scratch, using a Recruiting/Education palette of pre-existing As expected, SIGGRAPH was heads, torsos, limbs and a hotbed of recruiting activi- accessories. Avatars creat- ty for digital effects and ani- ed with the software can mation companies. then be used in any VRML Recruiting was the main 2.0 compliant virtual world. interest of animation pro- Available for Windows duction exhibitors such as 95/NT, the package is Pacific Data Images, Pixar, designed with an intuitive Walt Disney Feature interface that requires no Animation and DreamQuest, Rich Animation used the Animo system for The Swan Princess knowledge of program- 2, and is currently using it in the production of The Swan who took in hundreds of ming languages. It retails Princess 3 and The King and I. resumes and showreels at at $39.95 their booths while everyone Platinum Technology pre- cased Continuum, a system for real else was busy pitching products. On sented VRCreator, an authoring tool time collaboration which is being the fourth day, throngs of resume- that enables users to create interac- called "a quantum leap in human wielding artists waited in line for tive VRML content with a simple collaboration over networks." What over three hours just to get into the interface. It includes a library of more does this mean in English? Career Center Job Fair. Among the than 1,000 "drag and drop" com- Continuum allows multiple users to crowd must have been a number ponents like 3D models, and work together from different geo- of ex-staffers from the recently shut- JavaScript behaviors. VRCreator graphic locations in shared multi- down Warner Digital, as well as Personal Edition is available for media environments, for applications many of the 31 employees laid off $129., with a free sample Learning in science, industry, education and from Digital Domain the week Edition available on the Platinum entertainment. MuSE, which stands before SIGGRAPH began. More than web site. for Multidimensional User-oriented 35 companies were vying for the tal- Is VRML just the next Java Synthetic Environment, is one of the ent’s attention at the Job Fair, with craze? All of this virtual reality cyber- systems being integrated at NASA's plenty others scouting the rows of space activity inspired Ralph Bakshi Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to col- corkboards overflowing with to dream up a whole storyline for laborate with researchers at other resumes.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 58 Can you say guerilla market- CG feature Dinosaur. At their gallery- ing? Softimage has established a style booth at SIGGRAPH, they “campus rep” program which will showed off some artwork from a place full-time paid employees of new “Nutcracker Prince” computer Softimage on college campuses, to animated sequence for Fantasia promote the products, and scout 2000. Their studios in Los Angeles, student work for publication. . . . Orlando and Paris are working on Softimage Education Program (SEP) traditional animation and CG effects premiered a reduced $1,500 stu- for Kingdom of the Sun, Mulan and dent subscription price to Softimage Tarzan. Disney Feature’s recruiters 3D, and a $5850 price for the Digital were scouting the ranks of digital Alpha XL Workstation. . . Softimage’s artists, pushing Atlantis, the next ani- latest Student Animation Contest is mated feature in line by inviting tal- now accepting submissions, and is ented artists to join them as they offering $83,000 in cash and prizes. “take on the next millennium.” On the schools front, Plugging away on their five Sheridan College, USC, and Cal Arts picture deal with Disney, Pixar is qui- “Love is a Download,” an episode of have all recently vamped up their etly working on A Bug’s Life, a fully Ralph Bakshi’s Spicy City which draws upon the age of virtual interaction computer animation facilities. computer animated feature due in Looking Ahead Ringling School of Art & Design theaters Fall 1998, and the much The organizers of Imagina, seems to have a very strong pro- anticipated sequel, Toy Story II, Europe's answer to SIGGRAPH, gram, with three excellent comput- scheduled for a direct to video seized the opportunity to put out a er animated student films in the SIG- release sometime in 1999. Pixar and call for projects and announce pro- GRAPH ‘97 Computer Animation Disney are already working with grams for the Imagina ‘98 festi- Festival. Mattel in developing the toy and val/conference/trade show, which merchandise line for both films. Ever will be held March 4-6 in Monaco. In Production: so timely, Mattel president and CEO Knowing it’s never too soon to be Walt Disney Feature Jill Barad recently joined Pixar’s board thinking ahead, SIGGRAPH was also Animation, with ten films in various of directors. promoting their 1998 conference, stages of production, is already well Pacific Data Images showed scheduled for July 19-24 in Orlando, underway with animation on the some concept artwork from Antz, Florida. SIGGRAPH will return to Los their CG feature film in production Angeles in 1999. How much things for DreamWorks. No, Antz with a will have changed by then!?! In addi- “z”, is not a misspelling. It’s the recent- tion to the conference, SIGGRAPH’s ly copyrighted title for the film. To local chapters hold many events handle the volume of character throughout the year. For informa- modeling needed for Antz, PDI tion on the SIGGRAPH chapter near- recently formed an alliance with est you, visit http://www.sig- Viewpoint DataLabs to contract out graph.org modeling work by shipping actual sculptures to the facility for computer digitizing. This working relationship will enable PDI staff to focus on the animation process. Warner Bros. Feature Animation has begun production on Wendy Jackson is Associate Editor Iron Giant, which will be partially of Animation World Magazine. CG animation. Get the full story in this month’s edition of Animation An actor demonstrating the World News. Polhemus system.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 59 The Digital Studio Challenge:A Catch 22

eeping up to speed with studio, and building a working envi- Europe. We also have an animation today's ultra-new, ultra-cool ronment that is nurturing and con- studio in Korea. The Neurones Ktechnology is a daunting task. ducive to good work. group is composed of the follow- We asked four leaders in the field ing studios: to answer, "What are the largest • In Liege, Belgium: Neurones challenges you face everyday run- Georges Lacroix, President, Animation, R&D and real-time 3D ning a digital studio/facility?" Fantôme animation. Representatives from Rhythm & Fantôme is a digital studio, • In Luxembourg: 2D productions, Hues, Fantôme, Neurones specializing in 3D computer ani- pre-production, inking, and post- Animation and Pacific Data Images mation. The largest challenges that production. all replied. we are confronted with when run- • In Angoulême, France: inking, Time and time again the ning the studio are: special effects, scanning, shooting, experts all agree that the continual compositing, story-boarding and push to upgrade to the newest • Hiring people who can bring their layouts. technology and then integrate it creativity and a real dedication to • In Seoul, Korea: 2D animation back into the system proves to be the 3D area. • In Longwy, France: inking the largest challenge. Oh, yes, and finding incredibly talented people • The constant training of staff in We are faced with extreme- and keeping them happy and cre- order to maintain our high level of ly fast growth, and the communi- ative also adds a few headaches! quality. cation of information and the coor- dination of materials between stu- The "7 x 24 uptime" nature of • The continual upgrading of soft- dios is one of our biggest chal- production makes implement- ware and maintaining the unique lenges. Everybody has to receive ing growth and other changes production line for 3D series that the work on time and the instruc- difficult. - Mark Kirk, PDI we have created. tions must be as clear as possible, in order to avoid wasting time on • The constant gathering of infor- phoning, mailing, emailing and fax- John Hughes, President, Rhythm mation to pass onto our R&D ing. Our production schedules and & Hues Studio (research and development) depart- budgets are tight so each produc- Rhythm and Hues is an ani- ment, regarding the industry's tion day is a challenge. mation studio with clients in the tele- never-ending upgrading of software In Liege, Belgium, we pro- vision, commercial, feature film, and hardware. duce cyberactors which are car- theme park and video game indus- toon-like 3D characters evolving in tries. We do the Coca Cola Polar And, despite all of that, trying to real-time. The project is called Gabby Bears and have won the Academy produce good movies! and was developed by the R&D Award for Best Visual Effects for our department of Neurones. We have animation of the talking animals in to produce 3D characters for our Babe. Sebastien Dohogne, Gabby customers in a very short time peri- The main challenges I face Project Leader, Neurones od. Furthermore, these characters are keeping everyone focused on Animation speak in real-time with the public at being creative, attracting a steady Neurones is now one of the fairs, events, meetings, etc. on low- supply of "A" quality work for the biggest 3D/2D companies in end SGI computers. Therefore, we

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 60 have to build 3D characters with challenging task for everyone on Planning, preparation, and sched- their environment with a maximum our team. The last two years have uling are extremely crucial. When of 4500 polygons within 2 or 3 been a tremendous period of we are afforded the rare opportu- weeks. Despite that, the characters growth at PDI due to both the nity to make some major change, have to be perfect. They have to expansion of our visual effects/com- it must be done quickly and with- move well, and we have to reach at mercial group and the Antz feature out error. Technology also requires least 15 frames per second for lip production. So, one of the primary talented people to manage it. PDI is synchronization. Each time, this is responsibilities is planning and fortunate to have a superb systems a big challenge for the whole 3D implementing this growth, with all group, but continued growth fuels team which includes: 2 3D- of its ramifications, while maintain- the search for additional systems Animators, 3 modelers, 1 software ing a robust environment to sup- administrators. The dramatic short- integrator and 1 tester. port production. For example, the age of skilled systems administrators last year has seen the introduction makes expanding our staff difficult. of over 200 new computer systems All studios are facing this problem. We are faced with extremely to PDI. The timely preparation and Everything we do must fur- fast growth, and the communi- deployment of these systems is crit- ther our end goal of providing a sta- cation of information and the ical in itself. However, an important ble and powerful environment for coordination of materials side-effect of this has been the nec- the animators. We never want tech- between studios is one of our essary growth of our network. nology to become a bottleneck for biggest challenges. - Sebastien Expanding PDI's specialized, high- our creativity. Dohogne, Neurones Animation performance LAN (local area net- work) in the face of such rapid growth is a significant design chal- Mark Kirk,Technical Director for lenge. Systems, Pacific Data Images The "7 x 24 uptime" nature Managing the technology of of production makes implementing Pacific Data Images is certainly a growth and other changes difficult. REGISTER with Animation World Network TODAY and

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ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 61 San Diego's Comic Con: The King of All Cons by Scott Brick

f you’ve never been to a comic (or at least someone dressed as a in the coming months; be it in book convention, I heartily rec- passable replica), sci-fi fans got to comics, films, TV or gaming. Fans Iommend the experience. It’s a sin- see previews of upcoming releases, especially interested in animation gular adventure that everyone and collectors young and old got were overwhelmed this year with should have at least once. The faint- to rummage through back-issue upcoming releases, many based hearted may choose to start out bins to find that ever-elusive Al upon popular comic book titles. with one of the smaller events, Capp’s Schmoo #2, the one with Spawn made a huge splash with attended only by a few thousand the Superman cover. Amidst all the two bases covered: a live-action film folks and one or as well as the two pros to jus- video release of tify the ticket HBO’s animated prices. Those series. Coming who want to in at 147 min- dive head-first utes, the video- into the experi- tape, released ence, however, August 5, con- should start at tains the com- the top: San plete, uncut Diego’s Comic footage from Con the first six International, a episodes and is staggering press soon to appear of humanity in WalMarts and that’s affection- Blockbusters ately referred to everywhere. as the King of all HBO also Cons. announced that Costumed Marvel characters entertained attendees of Comic Con ‘97 in San Diego. This year’s Characters © Marvel Entertainment. Photo courtesy of Comic Con International. six new Spawn event, the 28th episodes will air annual, began when the first fan frenzy and chaos, editors heard in the upcoming year. Said HBO’s hit the Exhibit Hall at 10:00 a.m. hundreds of article proposals, Marketing Manager, Preston Kevin Thursday, July 17th, and officially dozens of comics were solicited as Lewis, “Quite simply, the phenom- closed when the last dealer fled the movies or animated projects, and a enal success of Spawn’s first six room late the following Sunday. In select handful of properties actual- episodes mandated more.” between, San Diego’s Convention ly made significant headway into Marvel Comics made a huge Center hosted over 36,000 people, the land called “development.” impression at this year’s Con, show- fans and professionals alike, who ing why they’re the biggest name in made the pilgrimage to comics’ So,What’s Next? the industry. With several animated greatest spectacle from points More than anything else, series already airing (Spider-Man around the globe. For four furious people come to San Diego to dis- and X-Men on the Fox Kids Network days, kids got to meet their heroes cover what they can expect to see and The Incredible Hulk on UPN),

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 62 by Sam and Max standards. So with comic books, CD ROM’s and an animated series already cov- ered, what could be next for Sam and Max? Says Purcell, “My ideal licensing moment would be a Pez dispenser.”

Still Pitching... Even though they may not have release dates yet, several other projects remain close to fruition. From the comic book end, Shannon Wheeler’s Too Much Coffee Man seems poised to be an animated gem in the not-too-distant future. The hero of the piece lives by the credo, “No one can escape addiction. DC Comics occupied a block of space on the ‘97 Comic Con showroom floor. Choose yours carefully!” As for Photo courtesy of Comic Con International. Wheeler, he lives by his own Marvel will also debut Marvel Super through Marvel. Men In Black #1 credo: Too Much Coffee Man is, Heroes, featuring Fantastic Four will reprint the original 1991 book. “more than a comic book, less than and Iron Man, in national syndica- MIB: The Movie will adapt the live a hernia operation.” tion on the Saban Kids Network in action feature, and MIB: Far Cry and More than anything else, peo- September. And as if that weren’t Retribution will follow up on events ple come to San Diego to dis- enough, a brand new weekly ani- set forth in the film. The animated cover what they can expect to mated series based upon Marvel’s series currently has a 13 episode see in the coming months. venerable character, The Silver commitment and will air on Surfer, will join the Fox Kids Saturday mornings. Network lineup for the '97-'98 sea- Another comic book prop- Another animated project son. Coinciding with the 30th erty, Sam and Max, has expanded that seems very close to production anniversary of the Surfer’s creation, into various other formats. Steve is Randy Lofficier’s Virtual Meltdown the series will preview on Saturdays Purcell, a former LucasArts anima- which promises to be a fascinating this fall. tor, began Sam and Max as a black film, marrying western artistic styles, and white comic book ten years an American script and Japanese ago. A CD ROM soon followed, and animation techniques. (For com- If you’ve never been to a comic this fall will see the premiere of the plete details on the project, check book convention, I heartily rec- Sam and Max animated series on out Randy’s article “Virtually Melting ommend the experience. Fox, produced by the folks at Nelvana. Currently slotted for 13 Men In Black (MIB) complet- episodes, each show will be divid- ed a cyclical odyssey at this year’s ed into two eleven-minute stories. Con. Having begun as a Malibu “The shorter format is good because comic book back in 1991, the live- they can get right into the story and action film opened in July of this get out and keep the pace going. year. MIB begins its third incarna- That’s ideal for these characters, tion when it debuts as an animated because they have short attention series this October on the Kids WB!. spans,” says Steve Purcell. However, Once again, the property will see he does admit that a few of the sto- Spawn, the animated series from HBO life as a comic book, this time ries will spill into full half-hour epics Animation.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 63 Down” in the July issue of Virtual Springfield. With the click of to make it in the industry. For his Animation World Magazine.) a mouse, Simpsons fans can go any- part, Eisner proved himself to be Despite the fact that they’re await- where they want. Die hard fans will eminently approachable, always ing funding, this project is very near- appreciate the attention to detail, willing to take a look at someone’s ly realized, with script, production with little-known facts revealed in sketches to assess his or her talents. designs, and celebrity involvement Simpsons episodes being accurate- Everywhere you looked for the already finalized. ly represented in the game. For duration of the Con, there was instance, as dedicated fans know, Eisner, tucked away with a few fans, Virtual Worlds Apu’s Quick-E-Mart has a secret pas- looking intently at their work, offer- Based upon previews at this sageway to the roof, cleverly hid- ing advice where appropriate. year’s Con, there look to be two den behind the one spot Springfield huge interactive hits this Christmas shoppers never look: the non-alco- What other industry offers this season. Marvel Comics previewed holic beer. The game remains true kind of interaction between their upcoming release, Marvel to its roots, allowing you to click on legends, fans, and aspiring pro- Interactive by flashing it across a the non-alcoholic beer and find fessionals? dozen linked video monitors. In it, your way to Apu’s roof. Set for a fall various Marvel super-heroes do bat- release, Virtual Springfield looks to It's this kind of personal tle in highly-detailed computer gen- be a huge holiday hit. attention from an industry legend erated graphics. When Wolverine that makes the San Diego Comic slashes Magneto’s chest, you can The Big Event Con an exceedingly rare experi- see the shards fly. Hundreds of fans As in each of the previous ence. What other industry offers this sat glued to the tubes at Marvel’s nine years, the highlight of this kind of interaction between leg- booth, promising that a staggering year’s Con was the presentation of ends, fans, and aspiring profes- amount of units will fly out of stores the Will Eisner Comic Industry sionals? It’s a phenomena virtually when it debuts this fall. Awards, comic books’ version of the unheard of in the entertainment But as great a reaction as Oscars. Everyone is welcome at the field. Yet it’s commonplace at the Marvel Interactive got from the fans, Eisners, making it a rare chance to Con and it’s why so many thou- the most popular new product out see the best talent the industry has sands of people attend and why there may wind up being Fox’s to offer gathered in one room. The they continue to make the trek year venerable comics pioneer, Will after year. Eisner, was on hand to con- gratulate the winners, which included himself! He took home the award for Best Comics-Related Book for Graphic Storytelling. Comics Scott Brick is a frequent contribu- superstar and five-time Eisner tor to Wizard, Sci-Fi Invasion and winner, Frank Miller delivered InQuest magazines. When people the keynote address. He ask him what he does, he opts encouraged everyone pre- not to say an actor/writer like sent to raise the quality of the everyone else in L.A., but will entire industry, emulating the instead claim to be a Holistic talents and abilities of Will Veterinarian. If he tells you this, Eisner himself, bringing it don’t believe him. He also tells back to the heyday of his people he’s Head of time. Development for Pyrite Films, but Miller emphasized that Eisner that part is true. Sam & Max, characters which debuted in a comic was a fountain of comic book book, will star in their own animated series this fall on Fox. © Nelvana. knowledge, an invaluable resource that should be tapped by everyone looking

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 64 The Masters Of Animation: An Unprecedented Opportunity

by Doug Ranney he city of Seattle hosted it's first- Plympton, David Silverman, Jim Plympton know all about the diffi- ever animation festival this past Blashfield and Maurice Noble. You culties of getting their work seen, TFourth of July weekend. but even Maurice Noble had some Attendance could have been marketing horror stories about the stronger, but those who were there, later work he and Chuck Jones did fans and animators alike, gave the together. event across-the-board rave reviews. Animator Marv Newland said it Marv Newland said it reminded reminded him of Annecy in the late him of Annecy in the late sev- seventies: no hype, no self-promo- enties: no hype, no self-promo- tion, just a heartfelt display of craft tion, just a heartfelt display of and opinion. The low-key nature of craft and opinion. the festival, perhaps typical of Seattle, more than made up for its On Monday, an impressive lack of glitz by providing attendees panel of stop-motion animators was with an unprecedented chance to assembled, including Bruce mingle closely with some of the top Bickford, Stephen Holman, Barry animators in the world. Most of the Purves, Henry Selick, Ray guests made themselves available could hardly ask for a wider cross- Harryhausen, David Anderson, and after their presentations, holding section of animation backgrounds Janice Findlay. The dominant theme informal Q&A sessions in the lobby and styles. At times, a question from was the increasing competition of the Seattle Art Museum. Ray the audience would spark an inter- stop-motion animators are facing Harryhausen lingered for nearly two change among the panel members, from computer animation. Naturally, hours after his session, taking ques- leading to the somewhat comical there was plenty of criticism of the tions, signing autographs, and pos- sight of Rene Laloux posing a ques- shortcomings of CGI. Barry Purves, ing for pictures. Barry Purves did tion in French that was translated in particular, waxed bitter about likewise, even allowing fans to pass into English and re-translated into putting in nine months of puppet around and manipulate several of Japanese for Mamoru Oshii, whose work for Tim Burton's Mars Attacks!, the original stop-motion puppets he response in Japanese was translat- only to see it thrown out in favor of had brought along. ed into English and.. you get the CGI. Even Burton collaborator idea. While the panel members dis- Henry Selick criticized Burton's deci- Amazing Events agreed about many things, they sion, pointing out that you can't do With 25 animators and 29 concurred that commercial distrib- a real homage to cheesy Fifties sci- separate events, where does one ution remains a big problem for ani- fi stop-motion by using hyper-real- begin to summarize this festival? mation. Oshii maintained that even istic computer animation. The gen- Here are a few examples. On in Japan, the domestic audiences eral consensus was that, Nick Park Sunday there was a remarkable prefer Disney films, and regard their notwithstanding, puppet animation panel composed of Mamoru Oshii, own Japanese anime as somewhat is getting harder and harder to sell. Rene Laloux, Marv Newland, Igor disreputable. Naturally, indepen- One of the biggest draws of Kovalyov, Craig Bartlett, Bill dents Marv Newland and Bill the festival was the Sunday night

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 65 Simpsons show with director David mercial animation being done Silverman. He talked the audience today. Davis kicked off the festival, through two hours of clips, includ- showing some of his work and nar- ing some early proto-Simpsons rating slides of his designs for work. Big crowd-pleasers were a Disneyland attractions, including compilation of "couch gags," and a “Pirates of The Caribbean” and “The censored “Itchy and Scratchy” Haunted Mansion.” Maurice Noble sequence. It's hard to believe, but filled in for an ailing Chuck Jones at there are some things beyond the the last minute. Since the screen- pale even for Itchy & Scratchy, in ings were already set, Noble ad- this case involving chewing his own libbed his way through Jones' work, Mark Gustafson presented his stop- leg off to escape a trap. Silverman some of which he had not worked motion short, Bride of Resistor. © Will laid out the entire history of the on. In the end, he completely Vinton Studios. show and talked the audience charmed the audience, and his off- confident, enthusiastic, and irrever- through the production process of the-cuff presentation led him to ent. Silverman fairly crackles with a typical episode. After experienc- some offbeat topics that probably intensity and wit, while Bartlett radi- ing two and a half hours of his would not have been otherwise ates upbeat energy. Both had great intense, quick-witted personality, it's covered. fun goofing on the "Masters of easier to see how Silverman's show As a long line formed for Ray Animation" theme, suggesting that maintains its creative edge. Even Harryhausen's program, a pleasant others bow to them and respond, during the Q&A period, he never sight was Harryhausen and Henry "Yes, Master." Despite the banter, let up, and more than one insipid Selick chatting in the lobby. It was though, they exhibited a sincere question was answered with a tart, the kind of sight that proved to be awe of the aforementioned Old though not nasty, response. common throughout the weekend. Guard. Mark Gustafson screened There's no doubt that the animators Mr. Resistor and Bride of Resistor, enjoyed sitting in on each other's with engaging stories of life at Will programs as much as the fans did. Vinton Studios. Devo co-founder As Marv Newland put it, they all had Mark Mothersbaugh presented his a great time hanging with each musical scores and jingles for ani- other and just "making the scene." mated shows, while Stephen The fans were by no means kept at Holman screened his hard-to- arms length, either. One attendee, describe hybrid Life With Loopy seg- whose experience was not unique, ments. related how he struck up a conver- sation with Harryhausen when he found himself seated next to him in A pleasant sight was the audience of another animator's Harryhausen and Henry Selick Looney Tunes veteran Maurice Noble entertains an attentive crowd in the event. When Harryhausen's screen- chatting in the lobby....the ani- Seattle Art Museum lobby. Photo cour- ing of Jason and The Argonauts ran mators enjoyed sitting in on tesy of Susan Purton/Scarecrow Video. long, he graciously took questions each other's programs as much in the lobby afterwards. This was in as the fans did. The Old Guard contrast to Marc Davis, whose cor- The wide-ranging roster of porate handlers hustled him out of The Independent Presence attending animators might be the museum like a rock star. The Independents included grouped into a few major cate- Bruce Bickford, Jim Blashfield, Rose gories. The Old Guard included Young Whipper-snappers Bond, Janice Findlay, Joan Gratz, Disney veteran Marc Davis, layout In contrast to the old-timers Ruth Hayes, Marv Newland, and Bill artist Maurice Noble, and stop- were the younger, and employed, Plympton. All are doing, or have motion wizard Ray Harryhausen; all animators, such as David Silverman done, interesting personal films, gracious, entertaining, and unani- and Hey Arnold's Craig Bartlett. with Blashfield, Newland and mous in their dislike of most com- These guys are young, successful, Plympton being the most commer-

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 66 went to great lengths to underscore "the indus- what a flop the film was in Japan. try." Festival He claimed that it kept him from organizer getting work for years, and thanked Norm Hill the audience for not falling asleep believes that during the screening. When asked one is unlike- what he thought of the festival, the ly to see shy director replied only that he another pro-

Nosehair, a sequence featured in Bill hated traveling, he missed his dogs, Barry Purves with the gram of this Plympton’s Mondo Plympton.Animator and his producer had forced him to working model from his size anytime attend. We think he was joking. short film, Next!. Photo soon- any- cially successful. Bill Plympton is as courtesy of Susan tireless as usual, screening Mondo Despite his less-than-outgoing Purton/Scarecrow Video. where. It's a Plympton and working on yet nature, Oshii's screening of Ghost real shame another one-man feature, although in The Shell on Saturday was a big that the crowds weren't better, but this time he's using traditional cel draw. it was Seattle on a beautiful holiday techniques to increase his produc- weekend, after all. And the event tion speed. Also in this category, but In a sense it was an "anti- was a first-time effort at that. Not somewhat distinct, are the Brits Animation Celebration," in one single event was a clinker, and David Anderson and Barry Purves. that it was all about the works even the rookie projection room Both have created some terrifically themselves, with practically screw-ups at the Art Museum had impressive shorts, especially Purves' zero focus on "the industry." serendipitous side-benefits. Nearly Achilles - a stop-motion tour de force every program ran long, which led with a decidedly un-commercial Rene Laloux seemed every to all those wonderfully intimate homosexual theme. Poor Barry had inch the French elder statesman, Q&A sessions in the lobby. the misfortune to be scheduled at 8 holding forth on a variety of sub- Considering how influential PM on Friday opposite the Fourth jects. The voluble director some- American cartoons are worldwide, of July fireworks, so his program times rambled on in French for min- it's odd that there really isn't a reg- drew (it must be said) an embar- utes at a time, leaving his dazed ular, honest-to-God animation festi- rassingly small crowd. onetheless, interpreter to try to sum up his val in the United States. Neither the jet-lagged animator screened remarks afterward. He brought Annecy nor Ottawa have much to some beautiful works, and thor- along the original version of do with animation in France or oughly engaged the audience with Fantastic Planet, much different Canada...maybe Seattle could his passion for the art form. than the edited and dubbed ver- become their American counterpart. Friday's biggest crowd sion seen in America, as well as the Let's all hope so, because years from turned rarely seen Time Masters. Martin now, the animators and fans who out for Rosen had two presentations, attended the 1997 Masters of Mamoru screening both The Plague Dogs Animation will still be talking about Oshii and Watership Down. Animation it. whodirector Jack Stokes made an screened extremely rare public appearance his early with an equally rare screening of indepen- Yellow Submarine. Gerald Potterton dent had two presentations, including work, the festival-ending screening of Doug Ranney lives in Seattle. He Angel's Heavy Metal. created and operated The Whole Egg. All in all, there was just about Toon Catalog, which is now man- Animation director Jack Oshii, everything for which an animation aged by Facets Multimedia. Stokes made an extremely speaking fan could wish. In a sense it was an rare public appearance "anti-Animation Celebration," in that with an uncommon screen- through ing of Yellow Submarine. his trans- it was all about the works them- lator, selves, with practically zero focus on

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 67 AnimExpoÕ97: An Introduction to the Rising Tiger by Detelina Kreck er.” Besides MBC, other sponsors Nooijer (The Netherlands); a domes- included, the Ministry of Trade, tic commercial Hana Bank by Sun Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Woo Entertainment (Korea); and a Environment, the Ministry of debut cartoon, Mozaffar Sheydaei’s Information, the Korean Cultural and Fish in Soil (Iran). All of these films Art Foundation and the Software shared the respectable amount of Industry Association. $100,000 U.S. The Merit Prize went to a Korean black & white cartoon The Awards Open by Dong Hee Jung, a gentle irst-timer AnimExpo `97 in Seoul, The International Jury award- expression of the Jury’s will to sup- Korea was a success. The expo- ed the Golden Damby Prize ($20,000 port domestic art films which are Fsition was a spectacular domes- U.S.) to Oscar winner Quest, pro- nearly non-existent. The UNICEF Prize tic event, a commercial and cultural duced by Thomas Stellmach and was awarded to Mons the Cat by achievement. It was targeted at the directed by Tyron Montgomery, with Piotr Sapegin (Norway). general public, especially children, worldwide distribution by Joachim and included interactive games, pop- Kreck Film, Germany, for its deep The exposition was a spectacular ular animation characters starring on philosophical meaning and human- domestic event of commercial several stages, and big video walls istic idea. The First Prize in the Ecology and cultural success. showing the latest and most highly- & Pollution Theme Category went to rated Korean children’s series. The the German cartoon When the Wind main screenings took place in the Subsides by Serbian filmmaker Vuk Each Jury member (Kihachiro Seoul Art Center situated in the heart Jevremovic. Special Prizes for out- Kawamoto, Japan, Dan McLaughlin, of Seoul’s entertainment area standing films were given to: Limbo U.S.A, Barbel Neubauer, Germany, between the trendiest cafes, pubs by Beriou (France); 1895 by Priit Parn Kyung Sup Shin, Korea and Yang and karaoke bars, a district of colleges (Estonia); Bavel’s Book by Koji Ding Xien, China) awarded their own and universities. Young people Yamamura (Japan); Jam the Special Prize, a clever decision that between 16 and 20 years-old Housesnail by Tatsutoshi Nomura neutralized the different artistic tastes queued up for hours to get a ticket, (Japan); l995 - 1995 by Paul de of the jury. These prizes were award- which is not surprising in a city of 11 ed to: Yankale by Gil Alkabetz, million, especially after such a strong Germany; Tale About The Cat and publicity campaign from main spon- the Moon by Pedro Serrazina, sor, the second largest television chan- Portugal; The End of the World in nel, MBC. The organizers reported a Four Seasons by veteran Dutch ani- turnover of roughly $700,000 U.S. mator Paul Driessen, made at the from the ten day exposition at the National Film Board of Canada; Seoul Olympic Park. Tickets cost $6 Achilles by Barry J.C. Purves (U.K.); U.S. for children and $8 U.S. for and Flatworld by Daniel Greaves adults. MBC said, “It is an enormous (U.K.) ($2,000 U.S. for each). With undertaking for economical and cul- three awards, Germany was the most tural development, bringing indus- Thomas Stellmach and Tyron Montgomery’s successful international country for try, international filmmakers and Oscar-winning short, Quest took home yet another prize; this one the $20,000 (U.S.) the first time and stole the show from domestic audiences closest togeth- Golden Damby Prize, at AnimExpo in Seoul. the old animation bastion, the U.K.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 68 the local censors to exhibit erotic films and films with homosexual messages. It isn’t easy to imagine how difficult a problem this can be for a more closed country with a traditional, structured society. You have to comprehend tra- ditional Korean society and modern culture to understand that it is a mat- Vuk Jevremovic’s When the Wind Subsides ter of long historical development, of was awarded the First Prize in the Ecology religious dogma forbidding even the Films containing erotic and homosexual & Pollution Theme Category. slightest expression of pornographic material, such as Barry Purves’ Achilles, had to be cleared with local censors for who has dominated the internation- or homosexual aesthetics in art. exhibition at the festival. al animation scene for years. Korean society follows its own laws Among 311 entries from 25 based on Confucian ethics which say a lot of hand-drawn animation. They countries, the International Selection that you have to be friendly to guests specialize in hand-drawn animation Committee (Taku Furokawa, Japan, and “never lose face,” which means because puppet, clay and other alter- Chris Robinson, Canada, Detelina G. answers like, “I don’t know what you native techniques are not considered Kreck, Germany, Erica Russell, U.K. are speaking about,” when asked as trendy. A rich drawing tradition is and Kim Sae Hoon, Korea) selected uncomfortable questions. the base for the elaborate skills of the 88 films for the main competition pro- young girls working in Korea. The gram. Only films without major Behind a few art films hides a working week is ten hours per day, six awards from other festivals were powerful animation industry of days per week. Nearly all major allowed to compete, which led to a big, professional studios which American television studios produce festival joke, kidding about “a festival employ 650, 1500 or more ani- their shows in Korea. A few of losers.” Nevertheless, several mators, mainly female. Europeans, like Le Studio Ellipse, also awarded shorts were invited to send their work to Korea. These stu- attend the out of competition pro- Despite Seoul’s heavy traffic, dios are seeking good work at rea- gram. dominated by the domestic Hyundai sonable prices, and that’s what they and Daewoo cars, and local com- get for sure. It is worthwhile to invest With three awards,Germany was munication problems, the few inter- money in this country. The product is the most successful international national guests met a country of rapid of uncompromising quality. Whether country for the first time ... economical and industrial develop- or not this market stays stable is ment on all levels. It has a right to be doubtful; the cold war between called the rising tiger. Behind a few art North and South Korea continues. Unique Korea films hides a powerful animation One can smell it in the air. In two Never forget your business industry of big, professional studios years time, the next Expo has ambi- cards in Korea! In a strong hierarchi- which employ 650, 1500 or more tions to enter ASIFA, and to gain even cal society everybody has to know animators, mainly female. They use more international grandeur and their right place. Never say, “Mr. Kim self-made software and also perform appeal. and Mr. Lee called, please call back,” because everybody’s last name is Kim and Lee! You are welcome to enjoy Detelina Grigorova-Kreck is a your stay, but never complain. It’s a producer, director and distributor bad omen, even worse than the based in Wiesbaden, Germany. She number 4. You cannot find a 4th floor has served on a number of in a hotel or in a public building. They International Animation Festival ignore it. Juries and Selection Committees. In The organizing committee, the early 1980s, she was in charge managed by Daniel Lee, had to of programs for the World Animated resolve a few problems. The primary l995 - 1995 , Paul de Nooijer’s film which Film Festival in Varna. one was obtaining permission from chronicles war destruction in Europe, was awarded a special prize.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 69 Animation in the NFTVA by Steve Bryant and Elaine Burrows he NFTVA is The National Film & Even Wallace And Gromit is sched- being funded by the companies Television Archive in the United uled to attract a young audience. In themselves through statutory provi- TKingdom. The archive was recent years, though, adult-oriented sion. About 25% of ITV, 20% of founded in 1936 with the mission “to animation, such as the work of Jan Channel 4 and 15% of Channel 5 maintain a national repository of films Svankmajer and the Brothers Quay are recorded. The ITV recordings of permanent value.” This expansive has found an outlet on Channel 4, include regular examples of children’s collection can seem a little daunting. particularly in the late-night slot, programs, including animation and However, this guide will clarify the Fourmations. This is interesting the Channel 4 recordings include all collections and make using their ani- because much of the contents of this of Fourmations. Regular recordings mation and animation-related series is material not originally intend- of complete days of output also cap- resources easy. ed for, or commissioned by television, ture examples of animation, both in though there are also documentaries children’s slots and in late-night trans- missions such as Beavis and Butt- head.

The archive holds roughly 2,000 animated titles of one kind or another.

Acquisition by donation, from all television companies including the BBC, ensures the addition of “classic” children’s animation, such as the Watch With Mother programs. Particularly, well represented are the works of Cosgrove Hall, which was associated with Thames Television. This material was acquired by both recording and donation.

The General Animation Collection The NFTVA gives priority to the acquisition of British material and, while including numerous American, Film Vaults at the The J. Paul Getty Conservation Centre, National Film and Television Archive (NFTVA), British Film Institute (BFI). Photo courtesy of the BFI. European and other productions, the collection is primarily weighted The Television Collection on animators made specifically for toward British product. In addition to Animation made for television television that are included. the Television Acquisitions section, is not the subject of a specific acqui- The Archive acquires materi- there are two other sections - Features sitions gallery but exists in the Archive’s als in two ways - by recording off-air and Documentary. Both of these sec- collection as part of the overall tele- to preservation standard and by tions acquire material for the Archive vision holdings. donation of material from the televi- from corporate and individual Traditionally, animation for sion companies. The former method donors, and both may seek out or television has been particularly asso- applies to British commercial televi- be offered animated films. The archive ciated with children’s programming. sion and has operated since 1985, holds roughly 2,000 animated titles of

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 70 staff are happy to assist in this. is now providing access to titles in Because of the essential pri- the NFTVA collection for off-premis- ority given to the Archive’s preserva- es use, such as screenings at festivals. tion function, access can only be pro- vided to films for which the NFTVA Contacts holds material additional to its preser- The National Film & Television vation masters. While 100% of the Archive (a Division of the British Film productions acquired through direct Institute), 21 Stephen Street, London recording are available (generally, W1P 2LN. Telephone therefore, films made in the last ten or 0171.255.1444. Fax fifteen years), the percentage is much 0171.580.7503. For general infor- lower for the rest of the collection. mation on the Archive’s holdings, con- Part of the problem here is the cost of tact the Cataloguing section; via e- duplicating successive frame mail, use [email protected]. To Technicolor originals and other color make research or study access The J. Paul Getty Conservation Centre, systems, though the quality of new arrangements, contact the Research National Film and Television Archive prints produced is extremely high. If Viewings section; via e-mail, use kath- (NFTVA), British Film Institute (BFI). the researcher is prepared to wait, [email protected]. Photo courtesy of the BFI. arrangements can usually be made one kind or another. to copy material in order to produce The collection includes numer- Throughout film history, British access copies. ous public health films, political animation has been used not just to Research and study access to propaganda films, advertising entertain children, but to educate, to the Archive’s collection is organized films ... as well as what is gen- instruct and to sell. Consequently, the by the NFTVA’s Research Viewings erally referred to as cartoons. collection includes numerous public section, with viewings taking place health films, political propaganda at the British Film Institute’s premises films, advertising films, and so on, at 21 Stephen Street, London. The BFI Films (a Division of the made for both cinema and television pressure on viewing facilities is such British Film Institute), 21 Stephen formats, as well as what is generally that there is often a waiting period Street, London W1P 2LN. Telephone referred to as cartoons. Many of these of two to three weeks, so appoint- 0171.255.1444. Fax films have been acquired in their orig- ments are essential. Viewing fees are 0171.580.5830. For information on inal film form, though acquisition by currently £10.00 plus VAT per hour BFI Films holdings or a catalogue, direct recording from television (as for researchers and £5.00 plus VAT contact their Research and described above) means that, increas- for students. Information section on direct phone ingly, productions are held only on Loans for off-premises uses or 0171.957.8909; via e-mail, use infor- videotape and in the versions in any use of extracts in new produc- [email protected]. To book BFI which they were transmitted. tions can be arranged through BFI Films titles, use the Bookings section’s Films (see below). In most cases, the direct telephone line 0171.957.8951; potential user will have to obtain per- via e-mail for either purpose, use The NFTVA gives priority to mission from copyright owners before [email protected]. For extract the acquisition of British material can be released. use, contact Archival Footage Sales material and ... the collection on direct telephone line is primarily weighted toward BFI Films 0171.957.8934; via e-mail, use British product. The British Film Institute’s BFI [email protected]. Films division includes the section for- Access to the Collection merly known as BFI Film & Video Steve Bryant is Keeper of There is currently no separate Distribution, which controls films for Television for the NFTVA. listing of the NFTVA’s animation col- which the BFI owns (usually) UK dis- lection, though it is possible to search tribution rights. There is a catalogue Elaine Burrows is in charge of our holdings by title and by the name (1994) of the 500 or so animated preserving animation for NFTVA. of animators and/or directors. Archive titles available from BFI Films. BFI Films

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 71 Animation World News Compiled by Wendy Jackson Business York digital production community take place in New York. For infor- have announced the formation of a mation on ECDC, visit Activision To Acquire Raven new, professional organization http://www.ecdc.org. Software. The ever-expanding Los called the East Coast Digital Angeles-based game developer and Consortium (ECDC). The stated Comics Case Denied Supreme publisher, Activision, has inked an goals of the organization, as defined Hearing. The United States agreement to acquire Madison, by a group of founding partners Supreme Court has denied Michael Wisconsin-based Raven Software. from member companies, are: busi- Diana’s petition for a writ of certio- The 40-employee developer of com- ness development, standardizing of rari, thus ending his three-year bat- puter games, such as Heretic and operations, education and the fos- tle to have his conviction for pub- Hexen, will have become a wholly tering of talent in the area. lishing and distributing obscenity owned subsidiary of Activision by Founding member Amy Jupiter, overturned. The comic artist, whose the end of August. who recently left 14 years in Los work contains graphic imagery and Angeles to take on an executive pro- commentary on strong subject mat- Paragon Acquires Lacewood. ducer post at Blue Sky Studios in ter, was convicted in 1994 for pub- After months of making headlines Ossining, New York, describes ECDC lishing and distributing what was with a power struggle in a deal as a “voice” for the emerging east deemed to be “obscenity,” and has gone sour, Toronto-based Paragon coast digital production communi- since been working with the Comic Entertainment Corp. has taken con- ty, and a means of fostering growth. Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) trol of Ottawa-based animation Ultimately, ECDC plans to become a and the American Civil Liberties company, Lacewood Group. non-profit organization, with affili- Union (ACLU) to overturn the con- Lacewood, owing Paragon an esti- ate members from visual effects viction. Diana, whose legal fees and mated U.S. $1.8 million, attempted companies, educational institutions, fines are thus far in excess of to pull itself out of debt by arrang- government organizations, indus- $50,000 is currently serving his pro- ing an investment by Canadian- try suppliers, individual artists and bationary and community service descent actor Leslie Nielsen, but was producers. Member companies so sentence in Long Island, New York. unable to come up with the funds far include Blue Sky Studios, Click For more information on the case when Nielsen decided to avoid the 3X, Curious Pictures, Image Design, and the CBLDF, read Susan Alston’s legal complications of becoming Manhattan Transfer, MacKenzie article, “Censorship in Comics: Is This involved in the situation. Though Cutler, MASS.ILLUSION, Nice Shoes, The United States?” published in the originally planned to be a partner- Nicholson NY, NYU Center for July issue of Animation World ship rather than a takeover, Advanced Technology, Post Perfect, Magazine. Paragon’s final acquisition of RGA Digital Studios (R/Greenberg), Lacewood fits into the entertain- Sam Edwards Group, SMA, Cinar Completes Publisher ment company’s plan to include ani- Spontaneous Combustion, The Tape Acquisition. Cinar Films, Inc. has mation in its children’s programming House Co., and Zero Degrees completed the acquisition of activities. Kelvin. ECDC’s introductory events Carson-Dellosa Publishing already scheduled include: a post- Company, Inc. and its affiliates NY Digital Studios Form SIGGRAPH presentation, and a sem- Unique Collating Services, Inc. and Alliance. An aggregation of peo- inar at Showbiz Expo East in The Wild Goose Company. The ple and companies from the New September. All of these events will deal, which was announced earlier

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 72 this month (Animation Flash ly 25 years, is leaving his post to pur- people who were laid off from 7/9/97), and closed this week, is sue other projects in the industry. Disney Interactive during a down- valued at roughly $40.5 million, His sister, and current Executive VP sizing in April. with an exchange of U.S. $24.5 mil- and VP of program development, lion in cash and 465,285 Class B Sally Bell, will take his place as pres- Subordinated Voting Shares of Cinar ident. Claster Television is owned by Places Films, Inc. the toy manufacturer Hasbro. . . .Andy Lewis, a former finance and A Virtual Subway In The Desert. planning executive for Buena Vista The New York subway is the sub- People Television, has been hired as Senior ject of a new art exhibit and multi- VP of Warner Bros. Television media installation at The Arizona Hollywood Shuffle Animation. He will be working State University Art Museum in Simon Graty has been named directly under Jean MacCurdy, who Tempe, Arizona. “Token City” was executive director of original pro- has been president of created by visual artist gramming for The Disney Warner Bros. Television Muriel Magenta and Channel’s new production office in Animation since 1992 composer Michael New York. His responsibilities will . . . . Multimedia pub- Udow. Viewers to the include overseeing New York-based lisher Binary Media gallery enter a simu- Disney Channel original produc- Works, a sister com- lated subway plat- tions, such as the upcoming 1998 pany to anime distrib- form in which their series PB & J, being produced by utor Central Park videotaped image is Jumbo Pictures. Graty was previ- Media, named Matt merged with the pro- ously a development and pro- Ikegawa as Manager of jection of a 3D com- gramming executive for Children’s Technology and puter animated sub- Television Workshop (CTW) and, Katherine Keating as way station. Exhibit prior to that, for Nickelodeon UK. . Online Producer . . . . related events include . . Pacific Data Images (PDI) has IAAPA (The a lecture by artist brought on animation producer International Cindy Cosenzo takes on pro- Muriel Magenta on ducing at PDI. Cindy Cosenzo to manage com- Association of Tuesday, September mercial production for their Palo Amusement Parks and Attractions, 9, and a reception for the artists on Alto, California studio. She was for- a non-profit organization) has Saturday, September 20. For infor- merly a producer at Pizazz Pictures restructured its leadership to be mation about the exhibit, visit in London. . . . .Albert Miller has headed by a volunteer board of http://asuam.fa.asu.edu/tokenci- been hired to teach fundamentals directors, under chairman Larry ty/token.htm Cochran of Six Flags Theme Parks . . . Parachute Consumer Good-Bye Springfield....Hello Products, the merchandise licens- Nevada? While no one is revealing ing division of Parachute Properties, which state the cartoon town of has found two new recruits from Springfield is in, the presenters of the comic world; Lee Ann Taylor “The Simpsons” have built a life-size (formerly of Marvel Entertainment) replica of the cartoon family’s home has been named Director of in Henderson, Nevada. The recent- Sally Bell will take over for John Claster International Licensing, and Nel ly completed, four bedroom, 2,200 as president of Claster Television. Yomtov (formerly of DC Comics) square foot home includes details of animation, in the new four-year will be Creative Director. . . . .Steve down to family portraits and tooth- animation program at Woodbury McBeth has announced impend- brushes. The house will not be University. Miller previously taught ing resignation from his post as pres- open to the public as a tourist attrac- animation history at the University of ident of Disney Interactive. tion, but rather will be given away Colorado. . . . .John Claster, presi- McBeth, who has yet to announce in a promotional contest. During dent of kids TV programming dis- his next move, will be voluntarily the September 21 season premiere tributor Claster Television for near- joining the ranks of roughly 100 of The Simpsons, the house will be

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 73 awarded to a viewer, in The Sanrio, the Japanese company World, Orlando, Florida. A second Simpsons House Giveaway, spon- which created Hello Kitty. The flag- DisneyQuest will open summer sored by Fox, Pepsi-Cola and the ship location at the corner of 1999, in Chicago, and future sites home’s builder, architecture firm Wilshire Blvd. and Bundy, in are planned both domestically and Kaufman and Broad. Winners will Brentwood, Los Angeles, will open internationally. Designed to be an be selected by matching numbers in October, and a second location is interactive, multimedia entertain- with those printed on selected Pepsi-Cola beverages, or by random drawing. Additional prizes include 100 one-year supplies of Mandarin Orange Slice, 500 Bart The Simpsons’ house, from the cartoon, and the life-size replica built in Henderson, Nevada.TM & © 1997 20th Simpson Century Fox Film Corp.All Rights Reserved. skateboards, and 1,500 Virtual Springfield CD- slated to open in Tokyo in 1998. ment “experience” for visitors, the Roms. We can only hope that the venues will offer guests opportuni- lucky enjoy visitors! Disney Quests For Gaming ties to interact with the entertain- Market. The Walt Disney ment. “Within a two to three hour Cartoon Restaurant To Open In Company’s Regional Entertainment visit,” describes Disney Regional L.A. Entrepreneurs Steven Scarduzio division will open a new chain of Entertainment president Art Levitt, and John Rosenfield are building hi-tech family entertainment centers “guests can embark on adventures what they call a “kiddie Las Vegas” called DisneyQuest, starting in sum- that let them actually ‘enter the in the middle of Los Angeles. mer 1998 with a flagship 100,000 story’ and become part of it.” Cartoonsville, as it is named, is a square foot facility at Walt Disney Drawing upon classic Disney char- new theme restaurant and enter- acters as well as new stories, attrac- tainment venue for children which tions will include games, rides, combines a hip restaurant, a live motion simulated ridefilms and din- variety show, arcade games, and, ing venues, all with appropriately of course, a large retail facility. The named (and trademarked) titles 13,000 square foot attraction will such as FoodQuest, The Wired also function as an animation art Wonderland Cafe and Ventureport. showcase and gallery. Special Partnering in the venture are Silicon events with guest animators and Graphics, Tandem Computers, voice talent will also be hosted at Hughes-JVC Technology and the site. Cartoonsville creators are American Express. Disney Regional in talks with several rights holders Entertainment was established in about licensing classic animated 1996, and opened its first location, properties, but don’t expect to be Club Disney, in Thousand Oaks, buying Disney merchandise in this California in February 1997. boutique. Most of the characters in Cartoonsville are being created DisneyQuest conceptual artwork. © specifically for this venue, and some Disney.All Rights Reserved. Films of the merchandise is designed by

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 74 WB Turns Iron Giant Green. you get when you cross the ani- Holman (Life With Loopy). Warner Bros. has given the much- mation style of Mr. Bill, the fantastic Nickelodeon will premiere the new anticipated green light for produc- concepts of Toy Story, and the season of “Kablam!” on October 11, tion to begin on its second animat- superhero-parodies of The Tick? at 8 p.m. (ET/PT). ed feature film, Iron Giant. The prop- Nickelodeon, has the answer in erty is based on the 1968 story, Iron Action League Now!, a series of Iris Animating Grimm Tales. Man by the laureate British poet Ted stop-motion animated shorts which Luxembourg’s Iris Productions, Hughes. Brad Bird (The Simpsons, are being shown as part of the which recently formed an alliance The Critic, Family Dog), who has Kablam! series on Nickelodeon, as with Cinevox Productions in been heading up the long devel- well as in a new theatrical short, Germany, has recently begun pro- opment process, is direct- duction on The Magic ing the film, which Forest, an animated fea- sources say will be a com- ture based on the classic bination of traditional fairy tale story of Hansel & and computer generat- Gretel. Iris is also working ed animation. Also on a series of ten animat- attached to the project ed shorts based on fairy are producer Allison tales such as “Cinderella,” Abbate, award-winning “Little Red Riding Hood” Broadway and theater and “Sleeping Beauty” to producer Des McAnuff, be packaged for television and musician Pete in programming blocks of Townsend, who adapted varying length. Both pro- the property into the Iron ductions are slated to be Man album and musical ready in 1998, the year production in 1989. which marks the 100th Production on Iron Giant A baby doll terrorizes a toy community in Action League Now! anniversary of the Brothers is slated to take place Photo by Tom Queally. © Nickelodeon. Grimm, making it an ideal solely in Warner Bros.’ time to promote produc- Glendale, California production facil- currently running in front of the live tions based on these classic stories. ity. This news, no doubt, will action feature film Good Burger. increase speculation that Warner Created by Tim Hill, the theatrical Television Bros.’ relatively new, multi-million short and 13 subsequent fall ‘97 dollar, state of the art London studio series segments are animated by Teletoon To Hit The Airwaves. will be closing down, as was the David Fain, who is probably known Canada’s first 24 hour animation fate of the visual effects division, best for his independent short, Oral channel will soon begin broadcast- Warner Digital, just last month. Hygiene. The shorts feature a tech- ing, in French-speaking territories Meanwhile, rough animation has nique Nickelodeon has dubbed starting September 8, and in English been completed on Quest For “chuck-i-mation,” a budget-cutting Canada on October 17. After a Camelot, Warner Bros. Feature technique which explains the live- three-month, free trial period for all Animation’s debut solo effort, which action footage of characters being cable subscribers, Teletoon will be is due out in summer 1998. Many “chucked” or thrown and tossed offered as part of a multi-channel of the 350 employees working on across the screen. Accompanying package through Specialty TV Quest in Glendale are already mov- Action League Now! on the Kablam (Cable TV). TeleToon’s daily sched- ing over to start production on Iron series are creator-driven, unusual- ule includes four programming Giant. While there are also rumors technique shorts by Ink Tank (Sniz blocks: TotToon for pre-schoolers, of a Space Jam sequel in develop- and Fondue), LunaVox Productions Kid Toon for children, FamilyToon ment, Warner Bros. declined to (Prometheus & Bob), Crank it Out! for all ages and AdultToon for comment on the project. (“Henry and June” bumpers), mature audiences. Much of the pro- Federico Vitali (Lava), Mo Willems gramming for the channel is pro- Chuck-I-Mation Now! What do (The Off-Beats) and Stephen vided by TeleToon’s shareholders:

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 75 Nelvana, Cinar Films, YTV Canada Space Goofs)from Gaumont, added specifically for the series. and The Family Channel. The chan- Captain Star from Alliance, Ned’s Introducing new characters are nel’s fall line-up contains roughly 40 Newt from Nelvana, Pond Life from British comic Eric Idle as percent Canadian produced shows. Candy Guard/Eva Entertainment, “Parentheses,” exercise guru Richard The network The Simpsons Simmons as “Phys Oedipus,” and aims for that from Fox, Sandra Bernhard as “Cassandra.” quotient to Duckman from The series is being directed by Phil reach 60 per- Klasky Csupo Weinstein, Eddie Hotchins and Bob cent by 2003 and Sushi TV, a Kline at Walt Disney Television by “injecting collective pro- Animation. some $76 mil- gram of lion (Canadian) Japanese anime South Park Premieres On over seven (not to be con- Comedy Central. On August 13, years into fused with MTV’s Comedy Central unveiled its’ outra- Canadian pro- “Cartoon Sushi”). geous new prime time animated grams of series, South Park, giving U.S. audi- which $42 mil- Cats & Dogs ences a taste of the foul-mouthed lion will be Reign On Nick. humor and endearingly low bud- directed into Canada’s TeleToon’s night time line-up Nicktoons is get, cut-out animation of creators new produc- includes Sushi TV, a Japanese anime variety working on Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Their tions.” Family show from Lacey Entertainment. © Lacey another animat- Entertainment. and adult pro- ed series featur- gramming also includes classic car- ing talking animals. But instead of toons from the Warner Bros. library, two angry beavers, this animal has which includes Hanna-Barbera. two heads and one body. CatDog “This is not just another channel or is a character and series which pre- network,” anticipates John Riley, sents a silly physical comedy in that president of Teletoon, “TeleToon is the main character is half dog, half a world unto its own, a planet host- cat. The premise is that dogs and ing the zany, the unconventional, cats are opposites, which makes for BMG Video’s Cabbage Patch Kids series of plenty of conflict. Created by Peter stop-motion specials. © Original Appalachian Artworks and BMG Video. Hannan, a cartoonist and children’s book illustrator, the series is slated privately-commissioned short, The for fall 1998, and will be produced Spirit of Christmas, captured the in Nicktoons’ new animation studio, attention of the animation industry now being constructed in Burbank. when it circulated as a joke holiday greeting card last year. Brian HerculesTo Be Animated Series. Graden, who commissioned the Surprise, surprise. Walt Disney original short, is executive produc- Television Animation is in produc- er of the series. South Park will air tion on a television series based on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on Comedy the Hercules animated feature film. Central. Planned for fall 1998, Hercules: The Wonder Boy Years will present the Home Video Kenny, Stan, Lyle and Cartman in South story of Hercules in his teenage Park. © Comedy Central. years. Actors Tate Donovan Cabbage Patch Comeback. Xavier (Hercules), James Woods (Hades), Roberts’ collectible plush dolls are the wild and the extraordinary as Bobcat Goldthwait (Pain) and Matt starring in a stop-motion animated part of everyday life.” Some of the Frewer (Panic) are cast for the same theatrical feature now playing until animated series scheduled to air on respective voices, with a handful of the end of August in 130 General TeleToon include Home to Rent (aka new actors and characters being Cinemas movie theaters across the

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 76 U.S. The Cabbage Patch Kids Film each (U.S. distribution only). days...Todd McFarlane’s franchise Festival is actually a compilation of has been exploited in a comic book three half hour shorts created by Warner Digs Into Library For X- (90 million sold), a toy line, a fea- Famous Flying Films in London, for Mas Video Line. Warner Home ture film, video games, an animat- Original Appalachian Artworks, the Video is planning to release a huge ed series, and now, on home video, creators of the original Cabbage collection of Christmas-themed in Todd McFarlane’s Spawn, a 147 Patch dolls which hit a peak of pop- home videos in September. . Of the minute video available in stores star- ularity in the early 1980s. These lit- 29 videos in the line, more than half ing August 5. A collection of “direc- tle known films rival the production are animated quality of stop-motion features such or contain ani- as James and the Giant Peach, with mated seg- puppets created by expert British ments. All of modelmakers, Mackinnon & the material is Saunders, and expressive, near-per- being culled fect animation directed by Famous from the mas- Flying Films’ Mark Waring. This, sive Time- along with clever, thoughtful writ- Warner library ing by Lorraine Brunning and non- of shorts, tele- insulting musical ditties by Dave vision shows Cooke have talk show host Rosie and specials. Expanded in last year’s T ime- Warner/Turner merger, includes char- J.J. Sedelmaier’s Larry the Luger. acters such as Scooby Doo and Fred Flintstone in tor’s cuts” from HBO Animation’s ani- the same family as Daffy Duck and mated series is being sold as a Bugs Bunny . Among the titles in $22.97 Collector’s Edition for mature the line are: A Flintstone Christmas, audiences, while a PG-13 version Flintstone’s Christmas Carol, which ties in with the toy line is Christmas In Bedrock, A Pinky & The available for $19.94. To promote Brain Christmas, It’s A Wonderful the August 5 video release, Tiny Toons Christmas Special, A McFarlane will be making appear- Nutcracker Scoob, Animaniacs: ances and doing a book-signings. Helloo, Holidays, Ace Ventura the McFarlane’s company, TMP Inc., is Reindeer Hunter, Daffy Duck’s also participating in “The Warped Todd McFarlane’s Spawn, the home video, Thanks For Giving, Rudolph and Tour,” a 29-city U.S. extreme sports features extended “director’s cuts” not Frosty’s Christmas in July, Bugs and alternative music event. included in the TV series. © HBO Video. Bunny’s Thanksgiving Diet, Looney Christmas Tales and Frosty’s Winter Manga To Release First Korean O’Donnell voluntarily promoting the Wonderland, among others. Title. Manga Entertainment, dis- tapes on the air. On September 30, Ranging in price from $9.95 to tributor of Japanese anime (and the most recent of the half hour $14.95, the whole collection will soon to be distributor of animated shorts, entitled Screen Test, will be become available on September 30, shorts!), will release Armageddon, released for the first time on home a full 84 shopping days before its first Korean anime release, on video by BMG. The other two titles, Christmas! home video September 23. Created The New Kid and The Clubhouse, by director/producer Hyunse Lee were released by BMG last year. Spawn Lands On Video. Spawn and Daewoo Electronics, Titles are available retail for $12.98 seems to be everywhere these Armageddon features a style and

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 77 action storyline similar to much of 3D computer animated spot, enti- Player…Portland-based Will Vinton the Japanese anime films. The 90 tled High Noon, depicts a brown Studios created Metal Test, a com- minute Armageddon will be avail- paper bag lunch and a Lunchables mercial for Clorox Bleach, through able exclusively in an English box pitted against each other in an dubbed version, for $19.95. “old western” style set-up. High Noon is airing in a few U.S. spot markets now, and will start airing Commercials nationwide in early 1998…Curious Pictures also created Rubio 1 and Spotlight Rubio 2, a pair of 30 second spots J.J. Sedelmaier Productions cre- for the Southern California restau- ated Larry the Luger, their fifth com- rant chain, Rubios. Directed by mercial for Goodmark’s Slim Jim Steve Oakes, the spot features snacks “extreme sports” themed match sticks, dancing Busby campaign. The 30 second spot was Berkeley-style, animated using a animated by Tom Warburton in a combination of stop motion, table- rough, black and white style that top photography and motion con- looks like scratch-on-film, but was trol camera work. The agency was created with traditional drawings VitroRoberston in San Diego… In composited on a computer by Tape yet another project, Curious House Computer Ink And Paint. Pictures, in collaboration with While this one was completed dig- Tomato, the London-based artists’ itally, the first four spots in this cam- collective, created a 15 second I.D. paign, produced by J.J. Sedelmaier, spot for Island Records, which will were 15 seconds each and created be used on the company’s videos strictly on film… The Ink Tank in and marketing New York has expanded its pro- materials….Viewpoint Studios, a duction facility to include an addi- Boston-based broadcast design and tional 650 square feet of space. . . animation studio, created the title .Curious Pictures’ New York facil- animation sequence and internal ity and staff director Steve Oakes cre- graphics for Science Times, a new ated a 30 second commercial for television series inspired by The New Oscar Mayer’s Lunchables snack York Times’ science news column, Talking Eyes, a visine commercial by product, through the J. Walter and produced by NyT Television, Zander’s Animation Parlour. Thompson Agency in Chicago. The Pearson Television and The Learning Channel…Blue Sky the DDB Needham agency. completed the sec- Directed by Barry Bruce, the 30 sec- ond in a series of ond spot uses 3-D computer gen- commercials for erated character animation to depict Rayovac, following anthropomorphic bottles of bleach their pilot CGI spot attempting to pass themselves off featuring appliances as Clorox brand… San Francisco- lining up to be filled based Luna Cie, Inc. recently cre- with batteries. The ated animated segments and effects new 30 second spot, for two animated music videos. For titled Fierce Creatures, the band Primus and their song, stars campaign “Shake Hands With Beef,” Luna Cie spokesman Michael director/president John Tissavary Jordan interacting animated bluescreened CGI wings with a CGI “battery- for live-action characters. For The Will Vinton Studio’s Clorox Metal Test. eating” CD Charlie Hunter Quartet’s song,

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 78 “Lively Up Yourself,” Tissavary creat- ue to be the New York representa- ed the entire video using grainy Telezign Goes Bicoastal. Telezign, tive. Super-8 film composited with com- the ten-year-old New York-based puter effects. Both spots utilized Alias graphics, design and animation stu- Interactive & Internet Wavefront’s PowerAnimator on a dio, recently “went bicoastal” by Silicon Graphics Indigo2 Extreme opening a Los Angeles studio in Quick Bytes workstation… Loconte Goldman Santa Monica. The new facility, Broderbund Software’s Living Books Design created a package of I.D.s, which has already aided the com- is releasing an updated version of bumpers and motion backgrounds pletion of several productions, is their award-winning 1992 Just for ABC News’ program, Nightline. being headed up by Jean Shim as Grandma and Me, an “interactive The spots, featuring animated mov- creative director and Peter Burega as storybook” CD-ROM for kids ages 3- ing typography, and multi-layered managing director. Both Shim and 7. The title is available for retail $30 imagery, were created using a vari- Burega joined the company this on Windows and Macintosh. . . . . ety of techniques including SGI-ren- year. Telezign, which has produced Broderbund also recently released dered lighting effects…Portland- many broadcast i.d. promotional three new Carmen Sandiego game based Will Vinton Studios creat- packages for television networks, titles: Where in Time is Carmen ed Drum Solo, a commercial for hopes the expansion to L.A. will add Sandiego?, Carmen Sandiego BBDO/NY’s client’s product Doritos more motion picture work to the World Detective and Carmen Nacho Cheesier. This is the second company’s credit list. Most recently, Sandiego Math Detective. All titles Doritos commercial created by Telezign has created promos for the are available on Windows and Vinton in a campaign promoting TV shows The Keenen Ivory Wayans Macintosh formats for approximately the snack food as “The Loudest Taste Show, Wheel of Fortune and $35-$40 each. . . . . Watertown, On Earth.” The 15 second spot was Jeopardy! Massachusetts-based FableVision created using experimental tech- Animation Studios created anima- niques described by director David tion for Dr. Jane Goodall: Animals Daniels as “carefully calculated non- Kleiser-Walczak Launches and Environments, an educational chalance,” starting with deliberate- Commercial Division. Kleiser- CD-ROM published by Tom Snyder ly scratching live-action film, scan- Walczak Construction Company, a Productions. The title highlights the ning the images frame-by-frame into visual effects firm with offices in work of chimpanzee researcher Dr. a computer, then printing, coloring, North Adams, Massachusetts and Jane Goodall. texturizing and ultimately re-shoot- Hollywood, has launched a studio ing each frame on film… Los in New York focused on commer- Education Angeles-based REZN8 cial production. Headed by partners Productions designed an on-air Jeff Kleiser and Diana Walczak, the L.A. Learning Tree Grows image campaign for Fox company has primarily focused on Animation. The Learning Tree Broadcasting Company, promoting digital production for feature film University (LTU), a private educa- the network’s daily programming and theme park projects, such as tional program run in Chatsworth line-ups with a combination of live Judge Dredd, Stargate, and cur- and Thousand Oaks, California, is action, effects and animation…New rently, New Line Cinema’s Mortal offering a new program in anima- York’s Zander’s Animation Parlour Combat: Annihilation. The New York tion. Fourteen topic-specific courses completed Talking Eyes, two com- studio is already in production on a are being offered, covering the mercials for Partner’s & Shevacks’ commercial for Griffin Bacall’s toy basics of animation production, client, Pfizer, the manufacturer of line based on the Beast Wars ani- from Storyboarding, Character Visine eye drops. The hand-ani- mated series by Mainframe Development, Background mated, 15 and 30 second spots Entertainment. Animators Ray Painting, Layout and Inbetweening, depict two simple yet realistically- Haleblian and Josh Reisf have relo- as well as one course in computer animated pairs of human eyes, one cated to New York from the animation with 3D StudioMax soft- of them, of course, in bloodshot Massachusetts facility, and Kleiser ware. Faculty include employees at condition. Walczak anticipates several new Columbia TriStar, Disney Consumer hires as well. New York-based com- Products, Hanna-Barbera, Film mercial rep Alan Brown will contin- Roman and Walt Disney Feature

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 79 Animation. In addition, LTU offers gram, in which all of the animated /worldfest courses in Life Drawing, Caricatures, films in competition are screened and Computer Graphics. The pro- together. A trophy and a cash prize IAAPA Trade Show. The gram is intended for aspiring ani- is planned for the animation cate- International Association of mators and professionals seeking to gory, while a $1,000 cash prize is Amusement Parks and Attractions update their skills, with evening and confirmed for the best short film. (IAAPA) will host its’ 79th annual weekend classes which can be The winning film will be selected by Convention and Trade Show, transferred for college credit. a secret jury comprised of critics, dubbed “The Magic of Fun.” Known For information, visit professors and graduate students as the largest convention for pro- http://www.ltu.org from the San Diego film communi- fessionals in the amusement and ty. The entry fee is $20.00 and all attractions field, the event is sched- IAAPA’s Intern Program. The films must be submitted on video uled to take place November 18-22 International Association of cassette for a deadline of November in Orlando, Florida. Organizers Amusement Parks and Attractions 30. For entry forms and regulations, expect more than 1,000 exhibitors (IAAPA) is sponsoring an intern visit http://ueo.ucsd.edu or email and over 23,000 attendees. For placement program in cooperation [email protected] information, visit with the George Washington http://www.iaapa.org University Event Management Honolulu Underground Fest Call Program. The program will help For Entries. Aloha! The third annu- Unicef Animation Art Auction. place qualified college students from al Honolulu Underground Film UNICEF and Sotheby’s Collectibles universities nationwide into unpaid Festival (HUFF), slated to take place in New York City will hold an ani- positions at any of the nearly 5,000 November 16-23 in Hawaii, is now mation art auction in mid- IAAPA member companies, such as accepting film and video entries for December, with proceeds to bene- ridefilm creators Rhythm & Hues or its international competition. fit UNICEF’s Cartoons For Children’s Iwerks Entertainment. For informa- Competition categories include 2D Rights Animation Campaign. tion, visit http://www.iaapa.org Animation, 3D Animation, UNICEF is currently seeking dona- Documentary, Comedy, Horror, tions of feature film and television Technology Drama, Action, Adventure, Shorts series animation artwork; all dona- and Features. Cash prizes range tions are tax deductible. Companies See: SIGGRAPH News Report in from $200 to $500. The entry dead- which have already donated art- this issue. line is September 15, and the fee is work include Walt Disney Feature $20 per film. For information, visit Animation, Warner Bros. Feature Events http://www.lava.net/huff after Animation, MTV Animation, HBO August 10. Animation and Fred Wolf Films. To In addition to our announcements make a donation, or for additional in the weekly Animation Flash, you’ll Worldfest-Charleston Call For information about the auction, con- always find frequently updated Entries. The Worldfest-Charleston tact Deborah Reber information and links for festivals International Film and Video Festival [[email protected]] or Lynn and events worldwide, in Animation is now accepting entries for its fifth Klugman [[email protected]]. World Network’s Calendar of Events annual competitive festival in For information on UNICEF’s activi- section, at Charleston, South Carolina, ties in animation, visit the official http://www.awn.com/awneng/vil- November 1-9, 1997. Five out of UNICEF web site on Animation lage/calendar.html ten competition categories include World Network. animation sub-categories: Theatrical http://www.awn.com/unicef SD Film Fest Call For Entries. Feature Films, Television and Video The 13th annual San Diego Film Production, Short Subjects-Films and Celebration Of Independent Fest, slated for February 1997, is Videos, TV Commercials and PSAs Video. LA Freewaves kicked off its now accepting submissions for its and Experimental Films and Videos. fifth Celebration of Independent animated film category. This is the Entry fees range from $50 to $100. Video Etc. in Los Angeles last week- second year that the festival has For entry forms and information, end, with more than 15 screenings, hosted a separate animation pro- visit http://www.vannevar.com courses and presentations of video

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 80 and media which took place topics include 3-D animation & com- Ottawa for over 20 years. For infor- throughout the Los Angeles area. positing, special effects and new mation, visit the SAFO web site in The programs will now be traveling delivery technologies. AWN’s Animation Village, to 13 different locations in Southern http://www.awn.com/safo California. In addition to the Celebration, the Museum of Contemporary Art in downtown Los Student Festival A Class Act. The Awards Angeles is hosting a new media International Student Animation exhibition called Private TV, Public Festival of Ottawa, otherwise Kurtz & Friends Win Peabody. Living Rooms, August 29-September known as SAFO, has released the Burbank, California-based Kurtz & 30. Make the trip, because this facet schedule of programs and screen- Friends recently received a presti- of the Celebration won’t be hitting ings for the September 18-21 event gious Peabody Award recognizing the road. For information on these in Ottawa, Canada. Only in its first “distinguished achievement and events, visit year, the festival selection commit- meritorious public service” for their http://pixels.filmtv.ucla.edu/com- tee has received over 600 entries 1996 animated television special, munity/LA_Freewaves from student filmmakers in 25 coun- Edith Ann’s Christmas: Just Say Noel. tries, more than half the number of The half-hour special, produced Small Press Expo. The Eastern films received by large, established with Lily Tomlin (who voices the U.S.’ annual independent comic festivals such as Annecy. Festival character) and Jane Wagner, aired book publishing event, the Small director Chris Robinson said that the on ABC in December 1996. Press Expo, is scheduled for response “suggests that perhaps ani- Selected by a jury out of more than September 19-21, in Silver Spring, mation festivals, most of which are 1,000 entries, Edith Ann was noted Maryland, with a follow-up signing biennial, may need to consider by the Peabody committee for hav- tour taking place throughout the focusing on an annual program of ing an “alternative perspective,” in its month. Many comic artists will be events to accommodate the sheer “emotionally complex” depiction of present at the “mini Comic Con,” number of works being created.” a dysfunctional family. Diane Sawyer and in the tour, including Shannon Several panels and workshops are was master of ceremonies at the Wheeler, creator of Too Much being offered for students, on sub- 56th annual awards presentation in Coffee Man. An anthology featur- jects such as preparing a portfolio, New York. The first “Edith Ann” spe- ing the work of more than 40 comic setting up your own studio, and cial was animated by Klasky Csupo artists, titled SPX Comic, will be dis- negotiating licensing contracts. In in Hollywood, in 1993. tributed before and during the addition, SAFO has programmed Expo, with all profits going to sup- an interesting selection of retro- AnimExpo. The first edition of port the Comic Book Legal Defense spective screenings, including trib- AnimExpo in Korea took place last Fund (CBLDF). For information on utes to Corky Quackenbush and J.J. month. Check out the full review the Small Press Expo, visit Sedelmaier; “First Cracks,” a pro- and list of winners in this issue. http://www.indyworld.com /spx97 gram of first films by the likes of Mike Judge, Tim Burton, and Paul Animation World News is compiled Digital Video Conference. Miller Driessen; “Animation Grooves,” a daily for publication in the AWN Freeman, the San Francisco-based show of musical animation; and Daily Flash, the weekly Animation organizers of many technology, “Cartoons and the Movies,” pro- Flash email newsletter, and month- graphics and digital media events, grammed by Jayne Pilling, which ly issues of Animation World is presenting The Digital Video looks at the relationship between Magazine. Conference & Exposition, October live-action cinema and animation, Send your newsworthy 20-23 in Burbank, California. The their interaction and mutual influ- items, press releases, and reels to: exposition will feature exhibitors of ence over the century. The first fes- Email: [email protected] hardware, software and services, tival devoted to student and first Fax: (213) 464-5914 while the conference will present time animators, SAFO is being pre- Mail: Animation World Magazine technically-focused seminars for pro- sented by the organizers of the 6525 Sunset Blvd. Garden Suite fessionals using or learning about Ottawa International Animation 10, Hollywood, CA 90028 USA digital video technology. Seminar Festival, which has taken place in

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 81 On A Desert Island With . . . TV Visionaries Compiled by Wendy Jackson re there televisions on desert islands? Just in case, we asked some of the most creative, creatives in tele- vision animation to pick their top ten films to take with them if they were stranded on a desert island. A Coincidentally, with seven picks on the list being comic adaptations, and two of our guests currently working on television series based on comic book properties, this episode of the Desert Island Series doubles as proof positive of the influence the comic world has on television animation. Martin Lickleder is responsible for the creative development of ProSieben’s animation co-productions. With the help of various international partners, he is currently helping to develop animation programs such as Loggerheads, Space Goofs (Home to Rent) and Ned’s Newt. Trey Parker and Matt Stone are the co-creators of Comedy Central’s new prime time animated series, South Park. Some of you may also remember their animated short, The Spirit of Christmas, which became the underground cult hit of the animation industry last year. Maybe now we can explain where they get their sense of humor, with several live-action comedies making their lists. Steve Purcell first created Sam & Max Freelance Police as a comic book. The comics were adapted in 1993 for a CD-Rom game from LucasArts called Sam & Max Hit the Road. Now Sam & Max is an animated series from Nelvana, premiering this fall on the Fox Children’s Network. Enzo d’Alo is an acclaimed Italian director who has made his mark directing animated feature films such as La Freccia Azzura (The Blue Arrow). He recently directed 26 fifteen minute episodes of La Pimpa, an animat- ed television series for RAI, based on the Altan comic strip. We caught up with Enzo while he was vacationing on the Italian island of Sardinia, mentally gearing up for his next feature film, The History of the Little Seagull, scheduled for a Christmas 1998 release. While Sardinia may not be a desert island by most definitions, Enzo had no trouble coming up with the top ten films he’d like to have with him!

Martin Lickleder’s top ten list: 1. The Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons. 2. Tintin by Hergé. 3. Why I Hate Saturn by Kyle Baker. 4. Corto Maltese by Hugo Pratt. 5. Asterix by Goscinny & Uderzo. 6. Little Nemo In Slumberland by Winsor McCay. 7. Some Stories by German artist Walter Moers. 8. Les Frustrés by Claire Bretécher. 9. Love & Rockets by Bros. Hernandez. TheLoggerheads series, for which Martin Lickleder worked on development. © Pro Sieben.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 82 Trey Parker’s favorites: 1. A Christmas Story. 2. Life of Brian. 3. Outlaw Josey Wales. 4. The Bad Seed. Matt Stone’s picks: 1. Rocky. 5. Camp Jabberwocky ‘96. 2. Rocky II. 6. This is Spinal Tap. 3. Rocky III. 7. The Empire Strikes Back. 4. Rocky IV. 8. Babe. 5. Rocky V. 9. Sorority Sex Kittens III. 6. Raising Arizona. 10. Excalibur. 7. Babe. 8. Camp Jabberwocky ‘97. South Park, created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. 9. Megaforce. © Comedy Central. 10.Withnail and I.

Enzo D’Alo’s program: 1. Manipulation by Daniel Greaves. Gianini and Emanuele Luzzati. 2. All Norman McLaren films, especially Blinkety 7. Bob’s Birthday by Alison Snowden and David Blank. Fine. 3. Allegro Non Troppo by Bruno Bozzetto. 8. Crac! by Frederic Back. 4. The Big Snit by Richard Condie. 9. The Little Wolf by An Vrombaut. 5. A Close Shave by Nick Park. 10. All Tex Avery cartoons, especially Swing Shift 6. La Gazza Ladra (The Theiving Magpie) by Giulio Cinderella.

Steve Purcell’s selections: 1. The Nightmare Before Christmas from Disney/Henry Selick. 2. Feed the Kitty. 3. Bambi from Disney. 4. Rabbit of Seville from Warner Bros. 5. Beauty and the Beast from Disney. 6. Yellow Submarine by George Dunning. 7. Pinnochio from Disney. 8. The Wrong Trousers by Nick Park. 9. Man’s Best Friend. 10. Akira by Katsuhiro Otamo.

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 83 AWN Comics

The Dirdy Birdy by John R. Dilworth

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 84 Animation World Magazine 1997 Calendar

Licensing and Merchandising, October 1997

This month we will take a look at a field that is constantly growing in importance - Licensing and Merchandising. Entertainment promotions expert Jennifer Deare will tell us about building strategic promotions while Teresa A. Klein will outline the benefits and drawbacks of the new wave of “studio stores” vs. the good, ol’ fashioned nationwide chain. Tom Tumbufch will lead us down memory lane with an in-depth account of Disney’s first product lines, while Karen Raugust will detail Japan’s current merchandising trends. UNICEF’s soon to be launched Meena line in South Asia will also be examined. We will also feature London’s Museum of the Moving Image in our “Hidden Treasures” column and hear one of anima- tion’s hottest agents, John Goldsmith, describe why young up-and-comers need his services.

In addition, we will unveil two new features! AWM will now present a monthly film review. Get a jump on the festival selection committees and check it out! We are adding a monthly online chat with a special guest as well. Throughout the month of October, Jennifer Deare will answer all of your questions regarding the strategic promotion of licensing, merchan- dising and your project.

Animation World Magazine 1997 Calendar

Licensing & Merchandising (October)

Home Video and Animation Art (November)

Gaming! The World of Interactive Animation (December)

ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE September 1997 85 World Youth Programming Screenings TRADEcentre 24-25 September 1997• Hotel Martinez, Cannes, France International Film & Programme Market for TV, Video, Cable & Satellite In a worldwide marketplace, we deliver a 26-30 September 1997 Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France year long strategy. The family of MIP events. Unrivalled international television programme MIP SIA sales opportunities throughout the world. Present your products, pursue new developments, International Film & Programme Market for TV, Video, Cable, Satellite, Licensing & Merchandising create new ventures. Listen. Learn. And do deals! 4-6 December 1997 Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong HEADQUARTERS: REED MIDEM ORGANISATION, B.P. 572, 11, RUE DU COLONEL PIERRE AVIA, 75726 PARIS CEDEX 15, FRANCE. TEL: 33 (0) 1 41 90 45 80 FAX: 33 (0) 1 41 90 45 70. USA: REED MIDEM ORGANISATION INC. mipdoc TEL: 1 (212) 689 4220 FAX: 1 (212) 689 4348. Documentary Screenings

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