Animation

Since we're on a geography kick ... Chinese animation industry produces about 266,600 minutes of animation content every year. Foreign animation films dominate the market with more than 60% of television animation being of foreign origin. In China, there are about 8,000 animation studios. The key animation industrial bases in China are Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Shenyang and Wuxi. The Chinese animation industry is growing at the rate of about 10-15% YoY. The cost of outsourcing one episode of animation work to China is about US$ 60,000 - 70,000. ... The key factor which is driving the flow of outsourcing of animation jobs to China is the low cost labour as well as the availability of a large talent pool of animation professionals. ... But low costs only take you so far. Beyond the "work is inexpensive" calling card, the work created in the Middle Kingdom needs to be dynamic enough to compete in the world market place. Hasn't happened in a major way ... yet. Doesn't mean that at some point it won't. The world never remains static.

Through sight and sound and faceless terrorThrough endless corridors by trial and errorAhead a blazing light does burnAnd one door leads to the point of return.These are the opening words at the Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, right?No, these are the words the Ghost Host (Paul Frees) speaks:When hinges creak in doorless chambers And strange and frighening sounds echo through the halls Whenever candlelights flicker and the air is deathly stillThat is the time when ghosts are presentPracticing their terror in ghoulish delight.What about the other words? They seem so similar.Dark Shadows fans will immediately recognize the verse as part of the infamous Dream Curse, one of the story arcs in the popular ABC daytime horror/fantasy soap opera. It's not considered one of the best storylines in the series, as it's a pretty cheesy plot (and I really like the show). The dreams are kind of funny rather than terrifying and they begin on Volume 7 of the Dark Shadows Collection DVD series.The first time viewers heard these words were on April 24, 1968. The Haunted Mansion opened on August 9, 1969. Could the Disney Imagineers been influenced by a hit TV show that a lot of people were watching over a year before the attraction opened?I couldn't say, but it's pretty interesting, no?

The NYT profiles Brigham Young University's animation school. ... Out of nowhere, B.Y.U. — a Mormon university owned and operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — has become a farm team for the country’s top animation studios and effects companies. Unlikely as it sounds, young Mormons are being sucked out of the middle of Utah and into the very centers of American pop-culture manufacturing. Praising the program in a speech on campus in 2008, the president of Pixar, Edwin Catmull, noted: “It’s the perception not just of Pixar, but also at the other studios, that something pretty remarkable is happening here.” (During the production of “Brave,” for example, a 14-person team tasked with rigging the complicated musculature in horses and wrangling Princess Merida’s curls included six B.Y.U. alumni.) ... Makes sense to me that Brigham Young turns out top-flight artists. Many are older when they start their education, and they don't get slowed down or hampered by booze or drugs. And being older they have a clearer idea of where they want to go with their careers and the road they need to travel to get there. Adding, TAG Prez Bob Foster just pointed out to me that some of the best animation artists he's worked with have been Mormon. So there's a history of quality work that goes back a few years.

Produced by: Limón estudios Direction by: Ernest Desumbila Executive producers: Alejandro López, Albert Montero Edit & postproduction: Limón estudios Sound desing: HUE Creative Studios Line producer: Alejandro López Postproduction coordinator: Albert Montero DOP: Felipe Contreras Soto Art director: Iván Triviño Stylist: Jess Monterde Make up: Rubén Mármol Choreography: Les filles föllen Production manager: Jorge Llama Production coordinator: Luna LladósCast: LIMÓN ESTUDIOS, Ernest Desumbila, Felipe Contreras Soto, hue-studios, Iván Triviño Art Director and Jorge LlamaTags:

Directed by Gerry Geronimi assisted by Jack Bruner. Laid out by Hugh Hennesy and Don Griffith. Secretary Marie Dasnoit.This Final draft dated 10/8/54.

Ash Thorp has been busy. In addition to banging out amazing design and illustration work, he’s launched a podcast, The Collective. The third episode, featuring Danny Yount, just launched. Other episodes include GMUNK and Anthony Scott Burns as guests. Check them out below. UPDATE: The Danny Yount podcast has been taken down for some editing. It will up again soon. Posted on Motionographer

Ash Thorp has been busy. In addition to banging out amazing design and illustration work, he’s launched a podcast, The Collective. The third episode, featuring Danny Yount, just launched. Other episodes include GMUNK and Anthony Scott Burns as guests. Check them out below. Posted on Motionographer

Continuing our week of Epic artists, we take a look at the designs of Blue Sky visual development artist Sandeep Menon. Sandeep works as a designer, drawing and painting concepts for objects, vehicles, environments and structures. Sandeep studied at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California where for one project he developed concept art about a future India which included flying elephant cars and robots designed with traditional Indian motifs integrated into their structures. Sandeep previously worked as a product designer in India, which gives him practical experience in designing functional, real objects that he can apply to his current work designing fantasy worlds. See Sandeep’s animation design work on his blog.

Veteran visual effects supervisor John Knoll has been promoted to the position of chief creative officer at Disney-owned Industrial Light & Magic, reports Variety. Working directly with ILM president Lynwen Brennan, Knoll will ensure creative consistency throughout the planning and production stages of ILM projects. The move is similar to John Lasseter becoming chief creative officer at Pixar following Disney’s purchase of the company. Knoll is held in high regard throughout the visual effects industry. He was a visual effects supervisor on the Star Wars prequels as well as the first three Pirates of the Carribean films. He has worked on countless other major projects at ILM stretching back to Willow and The Abyss, and including films in the Star Trek and Mission: Impossible franchises. Knoll is also known as the creator of the software package Adobe Photoshop, which he developed with his brother Thomas in the late-1980s. Besides serving as a creative voice in the production process, Knoll told Variety that he will leverage the company’s talent pool by encouraging interaction between crews working on different projects. He also said that he will remain hands-off in many instances: “We have well-established supervisors here that certainly don’t need me to interfere with their project. Michael Bay comes because he wants to work with Scott Farrar. J.J. [Abrams] comes to ILM because he has a great relationship with Roger Guyett. These things are already working and I don’t need to interfere. [My role] is just to help from a facilities standpoint to make sure they get the resources they need, and to troubleshoot problems.”

Deadline: August 15, 2013 The 9th GIRAF (or the Giant Incandescent Resonating Animation Festival) is looking for Animation submissions, in all styles, genres, lengths, and mediums. Our programs are a strong eclectic mix of animation, representing the best of the medium from Claymation to CG. We focus on presenting indie, experimental, and underground animations that push boundaries through new techniques, unique visions, and stimulating subject matter.  Our 2012 program featured visiting artist Nick Cross! We DO NOT CHARGE A SUBMISSION FEE, and encourage short and feature length local, national, international, and student submissions. Animators can submit online at: http://giraffest.ca/submissions/