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Adventures in Bay Area Animation by Karl Cohen
The studio and robot generating Bot and Dolly's incredible visuals. photo: courtesy Bot and Dolly
San Francisco's Bot and Dolly Takes SIGGRAPH Prize
SIGGRAPH is the computer industry’s main annual conference, a highlight of which is their Computer Animation Festival. They show short films, great moments from features, prize-winning commercials and game promos.
They also screen scientific visualizations, real time graphics and, elsewhere in the conference, the latest technical advances and visionary experiments in animation.
In 2014 there were 450 entries into the competition of which 34 were shown in the main event. Daytime programs included other entries.
The Best in Show Award went to “Box,” a unique work of art by San Francisco’s animation studio Bot and Dolly, now owned by Google, which introduces us to a truly new way to create.
It was made using projection mapping on two moving surfaces attached to the arm of two giant robots that danced about during the making of the film.
Confused? Just type into your computer search window “Box” by Tarik Abdel-Gawad and be amazed, or go here. Tarik was “Box’s” creative and technical director while the design director was Bradley G. Munkowitz.
The first time I saw “Box” I had no idea what I was watching. I was fascinated by the intricate moving visuals that are a theme and variation composition on the box form. I could also see something in the dark areas moving or dancing around the brightly lit images, but it wasn’t clear to me. Their technology certainly is impressive.
“’Box’ explores the synthesis of real and digital space through projection-mapping on moving surfaces,” notes SIGGRAPH in their catalog. “The short film documents a live performance, captured entirely in camera. Bot & Dolly produced this work to serve as both an artistic statement and technical demonstration.”
“It is the culmination of multiple technologies, including large scale robotics, projection mapping, and software engineering. We believe this methodology has tremendous potential to radically transform theatrical presentations, and define new genres of expression.”
It turns out I had seen the work of Tarik and Bot and Dolly before. It was on the giant screen in stereoscopic 3–D of “Gravity!” Their motion-control camera supports were used to create most of that film’s impressive camera moves.
Bot and Dolly builds robotic camera supports that can do almost impossible things. They can take a camera around a miniature tabletop stop-motion set up several stories high. Their robotic camera supports can execute exceedingly complex movements that are precise and repeatable.
Bot and Dolly certainly has an unusual specialty and I look forward to seeing how it will be used in future projects.
'Toy Story 1', the biggest cartoon in history until its recent dethronement by Disney's 'Frozen'. photo: courtesy Pixar
Silly Me for Thinking the Toy Story Saga Ended When Andy Went To College
Disney Chairman Bob Iger has announced John Lasseter’s toy box will come to life again and Lasseter will direct it. “Toy Story 4,” will premiere June 16, 2017. Iger says it will “open a new chapter in the lives of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and their gang.”
The story is by Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter and Lee Unkrich, the same writers responsible for the earlier “Toy Story” hits.
“We love these characters so much; they are like family to us,” Lassseter told the press. “We don’t want to do anything with them unless it lives up to or surpasses what’s gone before. ‘Toy Story 3’ ended Woody and Buzz’s story with Andy so perfectly that for a long time, we never even talked about doing another ‘Toy Story’ movie.”
“But when Andrew, Pete, Lee and I came up with this new idea, I just could not stop thinking about it. It was so exciting to me, I knew we had to make this movie and I wanted to direct it myself.” The writing team will be Rashida Jones and Will McCormack.
Are we to believe there was no pressure from Disney’s brass to create another sequel? The “Toy Story” trilogy has earned $1.94 billion worldwide. “Toy Story 3,” released in June 2010 earned $1.1 billion worldwide and won two Academy Awards. It was the highest-grossing animated film of all time worldwide until Disney’s “Frozen”. Pixar’s “Inside Out” will be released on June 19, 2015.
Scene from the new Disney, Lucas and
'Rango' team collaboration. photo: courtesy Disney
Surprise! Disney About to Release ILM’s Strange Magic
Disney just announced “Strange Magic” and it might be the ticket to grab when it opens January 25, 2013. What makes me want to see it is that it was made by the producers of “Rango,” Industrial Light & Magic and Lucasfilm Animation Singapore.
The press release says it is a madcap fairy tale, musical inspired by “A Midsummer Night's Dream” with popular songs from the past being used to tell an unusual tale that includes a cast of goblins, elves, fairies and imps.
The press release also said it will be a “hilarious misadventures sparked by the battle over a powerful potion.” While the description doesn’t make the film sound that exciting, what interests me is that the story idea was dreamed up by George Lucas.
We can also expect the feature to have world-class computer animation and visual effects. The director is Gary Rydstrom, better known as a sound designer; Executive Producer is George Lucas; and the screenplay was written by David Berenbaum (“Elf”), Irene Mecchi (“Brave,” “The Lion King”) and Rydstrom.
I’m amazed that the production was kept secret until now. Brenda Chapman, who created and co-directed Pixar’s “Brave”, did hint at its existence last year when she told the press, “I have been working on a project with Lucas for quite some time, about six months.”
“When Lucasfilm was handed over to Kathleen Kennedy,” Chapman continued, “she asked me to consult on the film to help solve its story problems. It was an opportunity for me to work with her. I felt honored to be asked by her, after what happened at Pixar.”
“DreamWorks was very generous to me in postponing my start date with them so that I could work with Kathleen. My work on the project is done. My good friend, Gary Rydstrom, is directing it.”
Pixar And Disney Have New Titles for General Managers
Both are now presidents. Jim Morris was the executive vice president and general manager of Pixar. Besides overseeing the day-to-day operations of Pixar, Morris produced “Wall-E.”
Andrew Millstein was the executive vice president and general manager at Disney Animation. He oversaw the production of numerous shows including “Frozen,” “Tangled,” “Wreck-It Ralph” and “Big Hero 6.”
Disney Museum Exhibiting All Aboard: A Celebration Of Walt’s Trains
I’m told it's for Disney fans, theme park fans, and people of all ages who love the magic and adventure associated with trains. It includes a large model railroad setup and other entertaining things.
Also, there are things relating to animation including concept art, sketches, film clips, and connections to the current productions “Big Hero 6” and “Inside Out.”
See Art of The Boxtrolls at Cartoon Art Museum
The exhibit includes models, props, sets and concept art. It is on display until February 1, 2015
Congratulations to John Jota Leanos
His 20-minute short “Frontera! Revolt And Rebellion On The Rio Grande,” a film about the Spanish invasion of the Pueblo peoples of the American South-West, won the Best Animated Film award at the American Film Institute’s annual film festival in November. John teaches at U. C. Santa Cruz.
Karl Cohen is an animator, educator and director of the local chapter of the International Animation Society and can be reached .