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Cohen’s Cartoon Corners: Mar 2021
by Karl F. Cohen
Please support our stories by liking articles—thanks!
Vince Foster with his Bolex, circa 1972. image: courtesy V. CollinsIn lieu of Karl's regular Cartoon Corner, he's providing some fun movies, scenes and websites for your viewing pleasure.
Tour Collins’s Animation Shop
Take a tour of Vince Collins’s "The Old Animation Shop” here. It is full of amazing things not sold anywhere, I guarantee it!
From Vince’s "Unofficial Reality", 2005, “A frank and unflinching look at the debauched and depraved aspects of modern life.”
Happy New Year
Although I am running a bit late, here's a fun, happy new year animation by Gary Schwartz and there is more of his work after it. Gary teaches animation in Detroit.
New from Animacracker
Animacracker’s delightful new short “The Emperor’s New Clothes” is now online. Director Mark West says, “It is our fond homage to ‘Fractured Fairytales’,” and it certainly captures the fun spirit of J. Ward’s classic series.
The team behind Animacracker. image: courtesy AnimacrackerIt was created by Mark West and Barbara Bayne who have been active members of San Francisco’s animation community for several decades. Contact them at (415) 695-9105 or animacrackers.com or see their work here
Their short "Chicken Little" can be seen on Apple Books.
Kimmel’s Late Show Has Hot Animation
Did you see “Good-bye Donald Trump” that was made for “The Jimmy Kimmel Show” and wonder how was it done?
I asked Steve Segal, who replied, “This looks like it uses a variety of techniques, some motion capture, some keyframe animation (like Pixar) and a fair amount of bones on lattice (to make a painting or drawing move around). Pretty impressive for a show that's on every night. But obviously they knew it was coming and felt it was worth the extra effort. Plus, they have a reasonable expectation it will go viral.”
If you missed it, go here.
Segal Soars
Steve Seagal’s “Misfits” was in the prestigious Bash-bash Program is the Bay Area Short Film Festival 2020, which actually showed online January 22nd. Congrats!
Enjoy Exploring Zippy Frames
The Zippy Frames website features a rich variety of short films by independent animators from Europe and worldwide. Several categories are on view here (including 2D, 3D, stop-motion, music videos, children, etc.), as well as festival information, news and a lot more.
Here’s Another Site Worth Exploring
Hand Drawn Films.
Bill Plympton's Trump and Putin piece was part of the Show of Show. image: courtesy B. PlymptonRon Diamond’s Animation Show Of Shows
Lots of really great animated films from the past are for sale on DVDs at reasonable prices here. When you visit Ron’s website click on the DVD covers to see a short clip of the film. Box sets are available. There are 3 films on each DVD and each disc is only $7.95, shipping is free! Also these are excellent quality prints.
Kickstart to Restore Rare Silent
Tommy Stathes, who restores and shows rare silent cartoons, has a new Kickstarter campaign to fund the restoration of 15 early Walter Lantz films from the Bray Studio. The stars include Dinky Doodle, Hot Dog and Pete the Pup. There are also some "Unnatural History" titles thrown in.
The films feature a young Lantz acting with his animated characters. The promo video is quite interesting as are the promos for his other videos he has completed on DVD and Blu-Ray. Contribute to his Kickstarter fundraiser here
SF Indie Fest
Ten animated shorts were featured in the 23rd annual San Francisco Independent Film Festival. The virtual event ran every day from February 4 to the 21st and the shorts are part of the “SHORTS 1: In My Secret Life” program.
The shorts include “Metro6” by Geoff Hecht, from the Bay Area; GNT by Sara Hirner from Australia; Sad Beauty by Arjan Brentjes, Netherlands; “Each and Every Night” by Julie Roberts, France; “The Parrot Lady” by Michalis Kalopaidos, Cyprus; The Wind by Miranda Javid, U.S; Disappearing Pathways” by Michael Covetto and three more films from the U.S. and the United Kingdom.
Excellent Australian Animated Feature
An animated TV feature out of Australia—see the trailer here—starred “President Trumphorn” who was as evil as you know who. The film is “The Island on Nevawuz” directed Paul Williams who died last year.
“Here is a film made in 1978 that features a ‘President Trumphorn’ who goes about the task of destroying the world at the same time as he promotes his Trumpburgers and more,” wrote the Melbourne International Animation Festival in 2017.
“Screened around the world, “The Island of Nevawuz” portrays an overblown American tycoon, J.B. Trumphorn, who takes over a lost, medieval island. He beguiles the locals with promises of ‘economic reforms’ but, from his skyscraper penthouse, destroys their environment all the while marketing Trump Oil, Trump Metal, Trump Marts and Trumpburgers."
Williams’s other features are “The Black Planet” (1982), “The Phantom Treehouse” (1984) and “The Steam Driven Adventures of Riverboat Bill” (1986).
Karl F. Cohen—who decided to add his middle initial to distinguish himself from the Russian Karl Cohen, who tried to assassinate the Czar in the mid-19th century—is an animator, educator and director of the local chapter of the International Animation Society and can be reached .
Posted on Feb 18, 2021 - 02:36 PM
by Karl F. Cohen
Please support our stories by liking articles—thanks!
Vince Foster with his Bolex, circa 1972. image: courtesy V. CollinsTour Collins’s Animation Shop
Take a tour of Vince Collins’s "The Old Animation Shop” here. It is full of amazing things not sold anywhere, I guarantee it!
From Vince’s "Unofficial Reality", 2005, “A frank and unflinching look at the debauched and depraved aspects of modern life.”
Happy New Year
Although I am running a bit late, here's a fun, happy new year animation by Gary Schwartz and there is more of his work after it. Gary teaches animation in Detroit.
New from Animacracker
Animacracker’s delightful new short “The Emperor’s New Clothes” is now online. Director Mark West says, “It is our fond homage to ‘Fractured Fairytales’,” and it certainly captures the fun spirit of J. Ward’s classic series.
The team behind Animacracker. image: courtesy AnimacrackerTheir short "Chicken Little" can be seen on Apple Books.
Kimmel’s Late Show Has Hot Animation
Did you see “Good-bye Donald Trump” that was made for “The Jimmy Kimmel Show” and wonder how was it done?
I asked Steve Segal, who replied, “This looks like it uses a variety of techniques, some motion capture, some keyframe animation (like Pixar) and a fair amount of bones on lattice (to make a painting or drawing move around). Pretty impressive for a show that's on every night. But obviously they knew it was coming and felt it was worth the extra effort. Plus, they have a reasonable expectation it will go viral.”
If you missed it, go here.
Segal Soars
Steve Seagal’s “Misfits” was in the prestigious Bash-bash Program is the Bay Area Short Film Festival 2020, which actually showed online January 22nd. Congrats!
Enjoy Exploring Zippy Frames
The Zippy Frames website features a rich variety of short films by independent animators from Europe and worldwide. Several categories are on view here (including 2D, 3D, stop-motion, music videos, children, etc.), as well as festival information, news and a lot more.
Here’s Another Site Worth Exploring
Hand Drawn Films.
Bill Plympton's Trump and Putin piece was part of the Show of Show. image: courtesy B. PlymptonLots of really great animated films from the past are for sale on DVDs at reasonable prices here. When you visit Ron’s website click on the DVD covers to see a short clip of the film. Box sets are available. There are 3 films on each DVD and each disc is only $7.95, shipping is free! Also these are excellent quality prints.
Kickstart to Restore Rare Silent
Tommy Stathes, who restores and shows rare silent cartoons, has a new Kickstarter campaign to fund the restoration of 15 early Walter Lantz films from the Bray Studio. The stars include Dinky Doodle, Hot Dog and Pete the Pup. There are also some "Unnatural History" titles thrown in.
The films feature a young Lantz acting with his animated characters. The promo video is quite interesting as are the promos for his other videos he has completed on DVD and Blu-Ray. Contribute to his Kickstarter fundraiser here
SF Indie Fest
Ten animated shorts were featured in the 23rd annual San Francisco Independent Film Festival. The virtual event ran every day from February 4 to the 21st and the shorts are part of the “SHORTS 1: In My Secret Life” program.
The shorts include “Metro6” by Geoff Hecht, from the Bay Area; GNT by Sara Hirner from Australia; Sad Beauty by Arjan Brentjes, Netherlands; “Each and Every Night” by Julie Roberts, France; “The Parrot Lady” by Michalis Kalopaidos, Cyprus; The Wind by Miranda Javid, U.S; Disappearing Pathways” by Michael Covetto and three more films from the U.S. and the United Kingdom.
Excellent Australian Animated Feature
An animated TV feature out of Australia—see the trailer here—starred “President Trumphorn” who was as evil as you know who. The film is “The Island on Nevawuz” directed Paul Williams who died last year.
“Here is a film made in 1978 that features a ‘President Trumphorn’ who goes about the task of destroying the world at the same time as he promotes his Trumpburgers and more,” wrote the Melbourne International Animation Festival in 2017.
“Screened around the world, “The Island of Nevawuz” portrays an overblown American tycoon, J.B. Trumphorn, who takes over a lost, medieval island. He beguiles the locals with promises of ‘economic reforms’ but, from his skyscraper penthouse, destroys their environment all the while marketing Trump Oil, Trump Metal, Trump Marts and Trumpburgers."
Williams’s other features are “The Black Planet” (1982), “The Phantom Treehouse” (1984) and “The Steam Driven Adventures of Riverboat Bill” (1986).
Karl F. Cohen—who decided to add his middle initial to distinguish himself from the Russian Karl Cohen, who tried to assassinate the Czar in the mid-19th century—is an animator, educator and director of the local chapter of the International Animation Society and can be reached .
Posted on Feb 18, 2021 - 02:36 PM
