The Society for Animation Studies Newsletter ISSN: 1930-191X

Volume 22, Issue 2 Fall 2009

In this Issue: Letter from the Editors SAS Announcements:

1 ● President Report Maureen Furniss & Paul Ward Greetings SAS Members! 2 ● Treasury Update and Welcome to the Fall edition of the 2009 Newsletter. Membership Reminder This edition is an SAS conference special featuring Robert Musburger photos from the conference held in Atlanta over the 3 ● Animation Studies Summer. We hope you enjoy catching up on the Nichola Dobson news, and don‘t forget the deadline for the next 4 ● 2010 Conference Update conference CFP is fast approaching. Nichola Dobson

5 ● 2009 McLaren-Lambart Award Recipient Sincerely, Tom Klein Lucie Joschko and Caroline Ruddell Co-Editors

News and Events 6 ● Engel DVD Release 7 ● SAS 2009 Conference Photos Courtesy of Charles daCosta

Membership Information 8 ● SAS Board and Contacts

The articles in the SAS Newsletter are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 543 Howard Street, 5th Floor, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA. Contributions are copyrighted by authors and remaining information is ©2006 Society for Animation Studies. Society for Animation Studies © 2009 SAS Newsletter, v22n2, p.1

President’s Report Maureen Furniss

Colleagues in the SAS: I hope this message finds all of you well and looking forward to the New Year. It won‘t be long until we are welcoming in 2010 and with it a new president, Paul Ward. Paul and the rest of the Board of Directors (Robert Musburger, Richard Leskosky, and myself) held a meeting recently via Skype, and discussed a number of things related to the transition, which I know will go smoothly in January. Top among our priorities was to approve the budget for the 2010. We based our model on last year‘s budget, with a few changes. Primary, of course, is that our incorporation expenses have ceased, since that process has been completed. As a result, that budget line is now zero. Secondly, we made two increases in the support available to our colleagues in the SAS. First, the conference travel fund budget has been increased from $600 to $1000. This award is administered by the Outreach and Awards committee headed by Tom Klein. Tom has also agreed to administer another award category that has been initiated for 2010: a Local Events grant. We are offering two $300 grants for individuals wishing to develop local events intended to bring together a community of scholars, and/or provide educational opportunities to local groups (that is, students and faculty) who wish to learn about animation studies topics. It is our hope that this award will encourage development of events in which English is not necessarily required—the money could contribute to translating an article for publication in the SAS journal, or to publishing articles in another language within the SAS website, for example. The $600 total being budgeted for this year for Local Events replaces the $400 allotted last year for professional development money; since no members applied the Board thought a different program might be more welcome. I felt that a fund for local events would address our collective interest in supporting animation studies across the globe, and not necessarily in English speaking contexts. Pierre Floquet researched the process of registering an organization within France, and he submitted his findings to us. Though it is possible to do so, it requires that the organization be ‗located‘ in France, which makes sense of course—to register the organization in California, the offices had to be in California (the same principle). Pierre, as well as members of the board, felt that SAS should not splinter into two groups in order to establish a second base in France (where we have only one member, Pierre). Personally, I believe that regional groups (such as the one being considered in Australia) have a place in the future of the organization, but I understand the consensus that in this instance we should not divide. In fact, I was hoping that we could have concurrent status, both in the US and in France (or elsewhere) without fully splitting. My thinking was that registration outside the US could help us seek financial support in other parts of the world—for example, through the European Union. However, it was pointed out that if events were held in other places—as Nichola Dobson is doing now in Scotland—the conference planner could always set up a temporary organization to benefit in that one instance. As a result of Pierre‘s findings and the Board‘s subsequent discussion, we have tabled pursuit of registration in France. However, Pierre‘s report

was useful in clarifying the process and possible merits of registering the SAS as a society outside the US, and personally I welcome further discussion along these lines. In the New Year, Paul will be appointing officers to work with him, and I will continue on as Chairman of the Board. Because these classifications can be confusing, I have come up with a list of ‗job descriptions‘ that I am in the process of fine tuning; when they are finalized, I will ask Timo to publish them on our website. These descriptions explain the various volunteer positions within the SAS, which we hope will also help individuals who are considering a leadership position. Along these lines, I‘ll again request assistance for updates of events worldwide. Jeanpaul Goergen is handling Germany, but obviously there are animation studies activities going on everywhere. Over the next few weeks, I‘ll be contacting people who are working in various positions to confirm if the job description I‘ve written accurately reflects their duties. It has been an honor to serve as your president over the last four years, and I look forward to taking a supporting role as Chairman of the Board for the time being. My intention is to provide some continuity and assistance, while allowing others to build the SAS in new ways. On a personal note, I would like to close by expressing my happiness at receiving the McLaren Lambart Book Award this year. It is a great honor to have been selected, especially considering the excellence of the other works submitted for consideration. Happy holidays to all!

President’s Statement

Paul Ward, President of the SAS, 2010

I‘d like to wish all Society for Animation Studies members a happy and prosperous 2010. As incoming President of the SAS I would like to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to Maureen Furniss, who has served as President for the past four years and achieved a great deal in that time, not least the Incorporation of the Society and securing our status as a non-profit organization. Both of these involved a great deal of work on Maureen‘s part, and they mean we are on a surer footing with regard to our activities and how they are viewed in a wider context. It is important that we continue to build on these achievements.

With this in mind, I am delighted that Maureen will still be serving the SAS: she is remaining as Chair of the Board. (To clarify: for her term, Maureen has played a dual role of Chair and President, and will now simply be Chair, whilst I take on the duties of President). This will provide much-needed continuity.

I am in the process of talking to specific people about the various positions that need to be filled – people who have expressed an interest in working on a particular matter, or those with whom I am already working in some capacity. As is always the case with an organization such as the SAS, however, we rely on the goodwill and voluntary energy of our members. I shall be appointing officers shortly – but we are always in need of

people who can devote some time to building the SAS. If you have any ideas for ways that we could develop and, in particular, if you have some input on the objectives noted below, I want to hear from you.

My key objectives at the present time are:

 To identify how the SAS might expand individual membership in currently under- represented regions;  To continue to build membership – and member retention from year-to-year in particular – in already well-represented regions such as North America, the UK and Europe, Australasia;  To establish how we can expand institutional membership of the SAS – and what being an ‗institutional member‘ means;  To explore how the SAS can work as a scholarly society in terms of ‗outreach‘ to other communities (e.g. practitioners, animation studios, schools and colleges, other organisations)

Of course, activities will not be limited to these areas and all of these are intimately related in any case. As with any development, each new thing that comes along will raise certain questions and challenges. For example, if we set out to achieve objective # 1, and we succeed in expanding membership in (say) Africa or China, then this might lead to members there wishing to host the annual SAS conference. This would be a fine development, but raises questions to do with language, translation, travel and so forth. Of course, these questions exist right now for colleagues from those regions (and others) that have to travel to the USA or UK (or wherever the conference might be), and/or whose first language is not English. But, as with all organizational issues, it is a case of ‗critical mass‘, and finding the best solution under the circumstances. Without doubt, hosting the annual conference is an honour (as well as a lot of work!), but it is also one of the sure-fire ways of boosting scholarly activity in any region, and this can only be good for the SAS.

Speaking of the annual conference, Animation Evolution (the 2010 conference, in Edinburgh, 9th-11th July) will soon be upon us. I am certainly looking forward to heading to one of the world‘s great cities, and it sounds like the Conference Chair, Nichola Dobson, is lining up a great show for us at Edinburgh College of Art. Remember that the deadline for the Call for Papers is the 8th of January 2010. See http://animationevolution.blogspot.com/ for more details.

In the meantime, I look forward to working with – and for – all of you.

Kind regards

Paul Ward President of the SAS [email protected]

Treasury Update and Membership Reminder Robert Musburger

We are in stable financial condition with money in the bank and also money still deposited at Pay Pal. We have about $16,000 in assets and no bills pending, other than support for the conference in Scotland. The board met on November 18 and approved a budget for 2010.

We now have about 200 paid members with 18 already renewed for 2010. Dues for 2010 are due January 1, we would like to see as many renewals sent in during December so we can purge our files of non-members early in January.

The breakdown of members shows about 102 live in North america, 62 in Europe including the UK, 32 in Asia including Australia and 4 living in Africa, and Israel.

The best, fastest, and most secure way to renew your SAS membership is to use the Pay Pal button on the SAS website: http://www.animationstudies.org. You may send a check to the Treasurer, Robert Musburger at the following address: 2552 14th Ave. W. #402, Seattle, WA, 98119 USA. Checks must be in US currency, drawn on a US bank.

Please include your mailing address, telephone number, and most importantly the email address that will be used to connect you to the website, SAS discussion list, and other secure SAS functions.

Animation Studies Update November 2009 Nichola Dobson, Editor

As 2009 moves rapidly into winter the journal is preparing for the publication of another of the Bournemouth papers. We had several paper submissions after the August call for papers which are now in the process of development for publication, so a busy few months are ahead before we close the volume at the end of the year.

The Melbourne papers from the Animated Dialogues conference are also now online, so I hope members will take the time to see what so many of us missed. The range of papers here suggests it was a great event so thanks to everyone who submitted their work. Thanks also to the guest editors Amanda Third, Murdoch University; Dirk de Bruyn, Deakin University and Dimitris Vardoulakis, Monash University for getting it all together. I know it was a lot of work!

There will be a call for papers in the spring of 2010 and while preparing for the conference I‘ll be handing over to a guest editor for the next volume. I urge you to continue to submit those past papers.

The journal is gaining a wider audience and we often receive requests to reprint for both undergraduate and postgraduate classes as well as translations into other languages, which is very exciting.

Thanks to the editorial board for all their hard work as always, and to the authors for their hard work and patience in going through the review process.

It was great to see the members who could make it to Atlanta and meet some new friends too. While I can‘t promise the weather will be as warm in Edinburgh next July, I look forward to welcoming as many of you as possible.

Best wishes for the upcoming seasons and keep checking the journal site for updates.

Nichola

Dr Nichola Dobson Editor Animation Studies http://journal.animationstudies.org

2010 Conference Update Nichola Dobson, Conference Chair

Animation Evolution

The 22nd Society for Animation Studies Annual Conference

Edinburgh College of Art, 9-11th July 2010.

CALL FOR PAPERS

The Society for Animation Studies invites submissions for proposals for individual papers and panels for its 22nd Annual conference to be held in Edinburgh College of Art, Scotland July 9-11 2010. This year‘s conference will include presentations, screenings and roundtables. We are delighted to be able to announce that the confirmed keynote speakers are Clare Kitson and Paul Wells.

The conference theme is ―convergence‖ with a view to encouraging debates surrounding the changing nature of animation studies, taking into account the diverse range of applications and industries which animation increasingly occupies. However papers and pre-constituted panels on all aspects of animation history, theory and criticism are also welcome.

Possible topics may include:

 Animation histories or national movements/identities  Animation and advertising  Gaming and animation  Animation applications in other industries (i.e. medical/science)  Animation and music/sound  New technologies in animation – the future of 3D?  TV animation - alternative broadcasting methods; specific shows; audiences etc.  Animation and popular culture – graphic novels, comics, film  Theories and methodologies in animation studies  Animation pedagogy – online learning applications; balance of theory and practice in curricula

1. Interested individuals should submit an abstract of no more than 250 words for 20 minute presentations with the following information:

 Title and 100 word version of abstract for publication.  A biographical statement, up to 100 words, indicating how the proposed paper fits into your overall research agenda and experience.  A head shot of yourself suitable for publication.  Complete contact information, including name, institutional affiliation (if any), postal address, e-mail address(es) and telephone number(s).

Deadline for individual submissions: 8 January 2010

2. Alternatively, panel proposals of 3 to 4 speakers each are also encouraged. One individual should act as the Chair of the panel and collate abstracts and contact information for all panel members before submission. Please include the following information:

 Overall panel title/theme  Name and contact information for the panel Chair (clearly identified)  Titles and abstracts of each paper  Contact information for each presenter (mail, email, phone)  Biography (100-word) and contact information for each presenter (mail, email, phone).  Photo of each presenter suitable for publication.

Deadline for panel submissions: 8 January 2010

Proposals will be blind reviewed by a panel of SAS members, and acceptance will be announced by 8 February 2010. Please be aware that spaces for paper presentations are limited. Late proposals will not be considered until all other proposals have been read.

Proposals must be submitted as an email attachment, in MS Word or RTF formats to Nichola Dobson at [email protected] by 8 January 2010.

Membership in the Society for Animation Studies is required if your proposal is accepted for presentation at the conference. (For more information on the Society, go to its webpage at www.animationstudies.org.)

Financial aid for travel will be available on a limited basis; details will be forthcoming.

A schedule and further details of the conference will follow in due course at www.animationevolution.animationstudies.org

If you have any questions regarding the conference or submission of a proposal, please contact the Conference Chair Nichola Dobson.

2009 McLaren-Lambart Award Recipient: by Tom Klein

THE 2009 McLAREN-LAMBART AWARD: THE ANIMATION BIBLE, BY MAUREEN FURNISS

The recipient of the 2009 McLaren-Lambart Award for Best Scholarly Book on Animation is Maureen Furniss. Her beautifully illustrated book, The Animation Bible, represents an innovative new approach to an introductory text on animation, focusing not just on history, or how-to, or theory, but instead finds a multi-disciplinary thread that touches on both analytic and practical knowledge. The author engages new and intermediate readers of animation studies with her excellent discussions of traditional and digital media, production considerations, and a wide range of animation techniques, while making use of well thought-out case studies of independent animators. As a new kind of survey text on animation, The Animation Bible is distinguished as a scholarly work that remains accessible to many people.

The selection committee also acknowledges the fine examples of scholarship we read in the anthologies, The Illusion of Life II: More Essays on Animation, edited by Alan Cholodenko, and CinémAnimationS, edited by Pierre Floquet. It was gratifying to see a number of the contributions to these books made by our members in the Society for Animation Studies, representing the diversity and richness of our field. The McLaren- Lambart judging panel included Tom Klein, Laurence Arcadias, Caroline Ruddell, Nichola Dobson, and Bella Honess Roe. We would like to thank the authors and publishers for submitting their books for award consideration. On behalf of all the members of the S.A.S, congratulations to Maureen for receiving this year's McLaren- Lambart Award.

iotaCenter Releases a DVD of Selected Work by Jules Engel

CONTACT: Stephanie Sapienza, iotaCenter PHONE: 626-676-6451 (not for publication) E-MAIL: [email protected]

Los Angeles, CA – The iotaCenter is proud to annouce the release of the first DVD of the work of Jules Engel, Jules Engel Selected Works Volume 1. The DVD is the next release from iota‘s Kinetica Video Library, available through the iotaCenter Store at http://www.iotacenter.org/store/videos/engel_dvd.

Jules Engel bestowed many influences on the world of art and animation – both commercial and independent – as a painter, as a sculptor, and as a teacher … but perhaps his most enduring legacy has been through his pioneering efforts in the field of abstract experimental animation.

This first volume of Engel‘s work offers a selection of fifteen of his films ranging from one of his earliest experimental works (Carnival, 1963) to one of his last (The Toy Shop, 1998). Arranged chronologically, it offers up one view of an artist‘s progression over almost four decades. Also included is an excerpt from Jules Engel: An Artist For All Seasons, a documentary from Janeann Dill, Ph.D, containing rare footage of his artwork and interviews.

Engel immigrated to the US from Hungary in 1930. Moving to Hollywood in 1937, he provided animation choreography for Disney‘s Fantasia and also worked on Bambi, before joining the Armed Forces and working in the First Motion Picture Unit on military films. As a founding member of the United Productions of America studio (UPA), he helped to create characters such as Gerald McBoing-Boing, Madeline and Mr. Magoo. Engel finally began to gravitate toward more experimental work starting in the early 1960‘s with such award-winning films as Icarus Montgolfier Wright (1960), Carnival (1963), and Coaraze (1965).

It wasn‘t until the late 1960‘s and early 1970‘s that Engel began turning out a significant amount of purely abstract experimental animation – often called ―visual music.‖ True to the spirit of this idiom, Engel animated first, and only added music afterward. Animation historian William Moritz notes that ―occasionally, the music and visuals seem to synchronize very closely, but most often they work in parallel, alternately agreeing and disagreeing, each with its own integrity.‖

Engel‘s influence as a teacher and mentor was significant. By founding the Experimental Animation program at California Institute of the Arts, he not only influenced the development of this genre through his own art, but inspired countless

students through his legendary mentorship. A small but impressive selection of his students includes Ellen Woodbury (The Lion King), Henry Selick (Coraline), Mark Osborne (Kung Fu Panda), Steve Hillenburg (SpongeBob SquarePants), Mark Kirkland (The Simpsons), and independent animators such as Adam Beckett, Kathy Rose, Joanna Priestley and Christine Panushka.

For more information on Jules Engel, please visit iotaCenter‘s Jules Engel profile page, which includes a complete filmography, bibliography (with many full text articles), biography, and much more: www.iotacenter.org/program/publication/engel. You can also make a donation to our ongoing Jules Engel project on our website, to help us preserve and digitize more of Jules‘ work and upload more articles and resources.

Films included in this volume:

Carnival (1963) Centipede (1967) Silence (1968) Train Landscape (1974) Rumble (1975) Swan (1975) Shapes & Gestures (1976) Wet Paint (1977) Hor d'oeuvres (1978) Gallery 3 (1987) Interior (1985) Villa Rospigliosi (1988) The Meadow (1994) Aviary (1996) The Toy Shop (1998) PLUS: An excerpt from Jules Engel: An Artist for All Seasons, a documentary by Janeann Dill, PhD.

About iotaCenter: iota is a public benefit, non-profit arts organization founded in 1994 on the premise that this wide range of techniques and titles share common aesthetic goals which unite them into a single art of light and movement today generally known as ―Visual Music.‖ iota is dedicated to preserving, promoting and uniting the dynamic world of visual music through our various programs: research, publication, preservation, exhibition and distribution. Our programs together celebrate this art form from its earliest appearance through its current expression with the latest technologies. For more information please visit our website at http://www.iotacenter.org.

Society for Animation Studies Conference The Persistence of Animation

July 2009, Atlanta Photo Scrapbook Harvey Deneroff and Charles daCosta organized the 2009 SAS Conference at SCAD in Atlanta. Many members attended the event contributing exciting and wide-ranging papers. Below are some photos courtesy of our SAS historian Charles daCosta.

From left: Gary Goldman [Don Bluth Productions], Raz Greenberg [Hebrew University, Israel]

From left: Matt Maloney [SCAD-Atlanta], Paul Wells

From left: Gary Goldman [Don Bluth Productions], Deborah Rouse [SCAD-Savannah, Special Collections]

Publicity for exhibition on the Don Bluth Collection

SCAD student helpers

From left: Becky Wible-Searles [SCAD-Atlanta] Adam de Beer [University of Cape Town, South Africa] Reza Yousefzadeh [University for the Creative Arts, UK] Maria Lorenzo-Hernandez [Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain] Gan Sheuo-Hui [Kyoto University, Japan]

Animation History II

From left: Paul Wells Richard Leskosky [University of Illinois-Urbana- Champaign]

Andrew Darley Keynote Speaker Independent Scholar

From left: Gary Goldman Terry Lindvall [Virginia Wesleyan College]

Tze-yue Gigi Hu [University of Caroline Ruddell [St. Mary‘s University Oklahoma] College]

Nichola Dobson [Independent Van Norris [University of Portsmouth] Scholar]

Maureen Furniss Richard Neupert [Georgia Tech] Maureen Furniss

From left: Raz Greenberg, Phil Anderson [Minneapolis College of Art and Design], Gunnar Strøm [Volda University College, Norway]

From left: Chris Jaynes [New York University], Van Norris and Heather Holian [University of North Carolina, Greensboro]

From left: Phil Anderson, Raz Greenberg, Gunnar Strøm

From left: Alla Gadassik [Northwestern University] Gary Goldman

From left: Maria Lorenzo-Hernandez Gan Sheuo-Hui Phil Anderson Eliška Děcká

From left: Ton Crone, Pierre Floquet

Animation Technologies II Session

Approaches to Animation I Session

Gunnar Strøm, Andrew Darley, Tony Tarantini, Reza Yousefzadeh

Heather Holian [University of North Carolina, Greensboro]

Maureen Furniss Visiting Harvey Deneroff

From left: Ton Crone, Tze-yue Gigi Hu Visiting Harvey Deneroff

From left: Ton Crone [Netherlands Institute of Animation Film], Maureen Furniss, Andrew Darley

Vicki and Harvey Deneroff

Pierre Floquet

Farkhondeh Torabi, Iran

L-R Van Norris, Charles daCosta, Gunnar Strøm

Charles daCosta

From left: Maureen Furniss, Pierre Floquet

From left: Adam de Beer, Charles daCosta

Society for Animation Studies Board and Contact Information

Founded by Dr. Harvey Deneroff in 1987, the Regular Membership: Society for Animation Studies (SAS) is an USD 35.00 / 35.00 Euro international organization dedicated to the Student Membership study of animation history and theory. USD 20.00 / 20.00 Euro Institutional Membership SAS Board: USD 60.00 / 60.00 Euro Maureen Furniss, President and Chair Please visit the SAS website to learn how to California Institute of the Arts become a member. Paul Ward, President-elect

Arts Institute Bournemouth SAS Websites: Richard Leskosky, Secretary/Parliamentarian http://www.animationstudies.org University of Illinois, Urbana http://www.sas-in-europe.com Robert Musberger, Treasurer/Chief Financial http://universe.animationstudies.org/ Officer

Musburger Media Services Temporary SAS discussion group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/animationstudi

es/ Charles daCosta, Historian

Savannah College of Art and Design Timo Linsenmaier, Webmaster Tom Klein, Awards and Outreach Committee University of Arts and Design Karlsruhe Chair

Loyola Marymount University Tim Jones, Website Development

Publications Editors: Jeanpaul Goergen Regional Website Nichola Dobson Editor, Animation Studies Contributor (Germany) Independent Scholar

Caroline Ruddell, Lucie Joschko, Co- SAS Newsletter Editors, SAS Newsletter Submissions, suggestions, corrections, St. Mary‘s University College; Monash address changes and all other Newsletter- University related correspondence should be addressed

to: SAS Membership Caroline Ruddell Benefits to members include: E:[email protected]  Annual conferences. or  Publication of peer-reviewed conference Lucie Joschko proceedings in the Society's online journal, E: [email protected] Animation Studies.  Listing in the 'SAS Animation Experts' SAS Newsletter subscriptions are free with directory (forthcoming). membership in the society.  The SAS Newsletter, an internal news publication.  Members-only discussion list.  Discounts to festivals and other events with participating organizations.