Bleeding Pixels

We're back!

2011-01-18T00:53:00.000-08:00

Just not here... go to bleedingpixels.net to check out our new home!

The Bleeding Has Stopped

2008-03-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

It's with a heavy heart that I must inform the loyal readers of this blog that I've decided, after two and a half years and close to 600 posts, I'm closing the door on "Bleeding Pixels."

The reasons are the same reasons that I'm sure have cost the lives of many a great blog, so I won't waste your time with details. The simple fact is that I don't have the time with my new family, Animation Mentor, and a possible new position within my games group on the horizon.

So as you can tell, none of the reasons for shutting the blog down are a negative, but the outcome for those who read it are.

I'll still be posting to my other blog at 3Dave.com and plan to continue posting the ocassional blurb about the world of animation, but for now I need to focus on chasing my dream of becoming a part of that very world.

I want to thank each of you who continued to visit over the last couple of years. I'll be leaving the site up as an archive, so that you can still read the interviews and browse through the posting, should you choose to do so.

In the meantime, if you need your fix of animation news, hit up: Animated News

Maybe someday, not too far down the road, some dork with an animation blog will be writing about me and the work I did on "WALL-E 7".

Take care, and thanks for stopping by.

Another Ice Age 3 Poster

2008-03-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

To confuse kids the world over even further, here is the brand new poster for Blue Sky's upcoming "Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs."

I think it's awesome to see yet another movie come out that totally throws natural history to the wind and just makes up its own story. The only thing this one seems to be missing is a good car chase where the T-Rex chases down the Ice Age crew in a Smart Car.

Horton Hears A Who... TODAY!

2008-03-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

Blue Sky's "Horton Hears A Who" opens today in theaters all over the place!

The film is sitting at an 82% on Rotten Tomatoes right now, which is pretty much unheard of in recent years for a non-Pixar produced animated film. From the trailers and stills, it looks nothing short of fantastic, so make sure you get out there and see it!

I can't wait!

Madagascar 2 Preview

2008-03-13T13:10:00.001-07:00

Who's up for a little "Madagascar 2" magic?

I liked the first film, but don't feel the need to return to it often, like I do with some of the other films in my collection. So while I'm sure I'll enjoy the sequel, I'm not as excited about it as I am for "Horton," "WALL-E," or getting Ben Stiller off of my computer screen.

New WALL-E Trailer!

2008-03-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

You read that right, folks! Apple has posted the latest trailer for Pixar's upcoming "WALL-E" film in all sorts of formats and sizes!

I don't know why I care about that little bugger so much, but I do.

WALL-E Trailer on Apple

Dawn of the Dinosaurs!

2008-03-10T09:22:00.001-07:00

Coming Soon has a brand new, and somewhat blurry, photo of the next Ice Age film from Blue Sky.

The poster also reveals the film's official title, which looks to be "Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs."

The entire poster can be viewed by hitting the link below, as I didn't want to get in trouble for taking the entire image from Coming Soon. Plus I've always felt that the eyes really are the gateway to the Dinosaur's soul.

Ice Age 3 Poster

Am I dead?

2008-03-05T10:08:00.000-08:00

No, silly, I'm not dead. I just don't have anything to post. I imagine things will start to pick up as "Horton" and "WALL-E" draw closer, but until then, I can't post what I don't have.

Stick around... I'll put something up when I'm good and ready!

NE-W WALL-E POSTE-R

2008-02-28T16:30:00.000-08:00

Isn't he just the cutest, lil thing you ever dun saw?

I want to take him home and give him some warm cocoa, stroke his little eyeball head thing and tell him that everything is going to be okay.

Look at what you've done, WALL-E... I'm crying now.

Horton Posters It Is True...

2008-02-27T09:22:00.000-08:00

Horton posters from the IMP Awards site to you!

The IMP Awards site has 11 beautiful "Horton Hears A Who!" posters displayed, which I'm sure have already cropped up in theaters all around the world, in anticipation of Blue Sky's upcoming film.

I've loved everything I've seen on this movie so far, and the posters are no exception. I simply cannot wait to see this film.

Horton Posters at the IMP Awards Site

Goobees!

2008-02-26T10:01:00.000-08:00

You'll never look at candy the same way again after watching "Goobees."

It's an amazing short film from start to finish, but what I really loved were the subtle touches, like the little pieces of candy slinking away after the body is dragged off of them, and the candy corn crow.

Created by four recent graduates of Texas A&M, Goobees is worth your time. Just don't watch it too much or it will rot your teeth.

Goobees Short Film

And the Oscar Goes To...

2008-02-25T09:18:00.000-08:00

Huge congratulations go out to Brad Bird and all of the amazing people at Pixar, as their most recent film, "Ratatouille," took home the Oscar for Animated Feature Film last night!

It's well deserved, and yet another feather in Mr. Bird's cap. I just hope he gets started on a sequel to "The Incredibles" sometime soon!

Planet 51's Cast

2008-02-18T08:51:00.001-08:00

New Line has introduced some of the cast that will be voicing their upcoming film, "Planet 51."

According to Variety:

Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel, Justin Long and Seann William Scott have been set to provide the lead voices in "Planet 51," New Line Cinema's first 3-D CG-animated feature.

I start to vibrate every time I see screenshots of this film, due to the stylized alien planet shots, and this cast looks to be more than respectable enough to really make the film work. Not that having The Rock and Stiffler in a film automatically make it respectable, but it's far better than finding out that the main characters will be voiced by Whoopi Goldberg and Andy Dick.

"Planet 51" hits theaters on July 24th, 2009.

Planet 51 Cast Info on Variety

Smurf's First Look

2008-02-17T12:05:00.001-08:00

Coming Soon has a Smurfclusive first look at the upcoming "The Smurfs" film.

They've also got a Smurfy video that is Smurf-a-rific! I Smurfed myself twice watching that Smurfer!

I'm not overly excited about this film, but I don't know my Smurf from my Smurf half the time, so maybe it will turn out to be something Smurfy.

Coming Soon's Exclusive First Look of The Smurfs

Quick Pixar Tour

2008-02-17T12:01:00.001-08:00

Empire Online has a three minute long tour of the Pixar studios.

I was hoping for more, as I always am when sitting down to watch a tour of Pixar, but in reality what you get is a tour of their pool table, cereal dispensers, and a "closed set" sign.

Still... it's only three minutes, and what else have you got to do?

Empire Online Pixar Tour

Clone Bores

2008-02-14T13:54:00.000-08:00

See what I did there? I made a joke about Lucasfilm's upcoming "Clone Wars" movie.

You guys know I hate bagging on anything, because I know that there are quite often projects where, due to things like schedules and budgets, some very talented people have their abilities totally nerfed, resulting in a horrible end product.

That being said, this trailer for "The Clone Wars" looks bad. I mean, even if I were a massive Star Wars fan, I don't see how I could be excited for this. Watching the trailer, it struck me as odd that R2-D2 has the most expressive face in the entire thing.

I don't know if additional footage can change my mind, but this trailer left a nasty taste in my mouth for sure.

Then again, maybe it's the tuna salad I had for lunch.

Star Wars Clone Wars Trailer

Brand New Kung Fu!

2008-02-12T21:53:00.003-08:00

A board-splittin' new trailer for Dreamworks' "Kung Fu Panda" is now up on the official site.

To watch the trailer, which is pretty sweet, swing on over to the official Kung Fu Panda website, and tell em' ol' Dave sent you. Not that there is anyone to actually tell, or that anything would happen even if there was, but just sort of say it to your monitor once you arrive at the site.

It will make us both feel better.

Official Kung Fu Panda Website

New Shots from Panda

2008-02-10T09:31:00.000-08:00

Character Design has posted new images from Dreamworks' upcoming "Kung Fu Panda."

Lots more at the CD blog, so swing on by. The first thing that struck me is the rich color palettes that are used and the wide variation in tones between the shots. The second thing that struck me is how much of a dork I am for typing something like that.

Kung Fu Panda Images at Character Design

WALL-E Trailer!

2008-02-08T15:13:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: Well, it was fun while it lasted. The video has been removed by Disney. Had I known, I honestly wouldn't have posted it in the first place. So if you still want to see it, I'm sure the trailer will be released officially in the near future.

Sorry about that.

I'm going to post this trailer for Pixar's "WALL-E," because I believe it to be legitimately posted on the web by Walt Disney Pictures.

However there is a small chance that it's been bootlegged or something, and if I find that to be the case, I'll be removing it, so watch it while you can!

Trust me... it's worth it.

Defective

2008-02-07T22:36:00.000-08:00

If I were a young buck, I would sign up to attend the Vancouver Film School in a heartbeat.

Of course, I'd also join a rock band, get hooked on nose candy, and become one of those stuntmen who rides on airplanes while they do loops.

Maybe it's a good thing I'm not a young buck anymore.

Thanks to the folks on the Animation Mentor forums for the sweet tip on this film.

Horton Hears A THX

2008-02-07T10:08:00.000-08:00

It's dark and hard to see (I'm guessing it would be better on the big screen), but here is the new THX intro starring the characters from Blue Sky's upcoming "Horton Hears a Who!"

I can't wait to see this movie, as evident by the fact that I'm even excited over a poor-quality THX intro.

More Surf Boards!

2008-02-04T09:49:00.000-08:00

Armand Serrano has more designs up that he created for Sony's "Surf's Up!" film.

I have to admit that I really didn't pay much attention to the boards in the film, despite having watched it a half dozen times or so. However once I saw Armand's design work, it really made me appreciate the level of detail that went into ever phase of this film, making it the gem that it turned out to be.

I also didn't notice the film featured penguins, but I'm sure I'm not alone on that one.

Armand Serrano's Surf's Up! Boards

WALL-E Superbowl Trailer

2008-02-04T09:34:00.000-08:00

In case you don't watch the Superbowl and missed last night's "WALL-E" trailer, Disney has versions of it up in about a billion different formats.

As I was watching the trailer, all I could think was that if that little robot were to have attached that hose just an inch or two lower, this commercial would have taken on a whole new meaning.

Why isn't Ratatouille up for Best Picture?

2008-02-01T13:35:00.000-08:00

The AP has a great story up today about why Pixar's "Ratatouille" was excluded from the best picture category.

If not for the best animated feature category, it's safe to say "Ratatouille" would have been strongly considered for best picture. Brad Lewis, the film's producer, is quick to point out that he has no sour grapes with the academy _ and that he's ecstatic about the five widespread nominations.

Still, he has to wonder.

"Ultimately, it makes it perhaps too convenient for people to look at an animated film from an isolated perspective," said Lewis. "Somebody can say, `You know what? We have a place for that, so we don't necessarily have to give it broader consideration.'"

It's an interesting read and worth your time. I can understand the arguement on both sides, but I don't see why a film that's been reviewed so well shouldn't have a shot at the whole ball of cheese.

Ratatouille Best Picture Article via CNN Money

Starry Night

2008-01-31T09:18:00.001-08:00

This really is a wonderful little short.

While it's a bit depressing in the end, I found the animations and the clever use of textures really marvelous.

Starry Night Short Film

Vizzavi Tennis Commercial

2008-01-30T11:29:00.000-08:00

No idea how old this is, but it made me laugh.

Good stuff!

Who is this loser?

2008-01-29T22:02:00.000-08:00

That's right... it's time again for me to show off my latest reel for your viewing displeasure.

As I've said before, having only animated one scene in my entire life prior to starting Animation Mentor, I'm pleased with the progress I've made, and I hope it will land me an Animation job down the road. That being said, I still have a lot of work to do to get to the skill level of those I usually highlight on this blog.

Alright... I've stood here naked in public long enough... I'm going to go put some clothes on.

Fine... Here's the Up Shot

2008-01-29T15:13:00.001-08:00

I held off on posting this conecpt image from Pixar's "Up", but it's everywhere now, and I'm not going to be the only girl at the ball who doesn't have sequens on my dress.

I wasn't going to post it, simply because it's concept art and because it really doesn't reveal much about the movie, other than showing some planes and an old guy who managed to build a flying house.

So there it is. Enjoy.

The Ultimate Break

2008-01-25T12:25:00.000-08:00

While the boss reminds me a bit too much of the one from "The Incredibles," overall this commercial is top notch.

I'm going to go buy a Kit-Kat from the vending machine right now, so that my building will get all turned on like the one in the commercial.

Brad Bird Interview On Rotten Tomatoes

2008-01-25T12:15:00.001-08:00

Rotten Tomatoes sat down for a quick interview with Mr. Brad Bird.

The first half of the interview is really just them begging him to validate their Golden Tomato award, which Brad almost painfully does. However it really picks up steam when he starts to talk about the next wave in blurring in animation.

Oh yeah... it's that good.

Brad Bird Interview On Rotten Tomatoes

Kung Fu Panda Trailer

2008-01-24T09:45:00.000-08:00

I somehow missed that a new trailer for Dreamworks' upcoming "Kung Fu Panda" has been released.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with one of the writers of the film, and he said that he was "super excited for people to see the film, as it is something brand new that hasn't really been done before." While he wouldn't reveal anything about the film's plot or characters, he did say that people will be "blown away" by what they see.

I trust him, but then I also imagine the writer for "Happily N'Ever After" probably said similar things before that movie's release.

In either case, hit the link below or the image above to check out the latest "Kung Fu Panda" trailer.

Kung Fu Panda Trailer

Official Kung Fu Panda Website

Robert Chang Artwork

2008-01-22T09:35:00.000-08:00

While hunting around for the picture for my last post, I stumbled upon some of Robert Chang's concept work for Sony's "Surf's Up!"

Robert is quite a jack-of-all-trades, and you should swing by his site to see more "Surf's Up!" concept work, as well as a ton of other fancy stuff.

Robert Chang's Website

Animation Oscar Nominees Announced

2008-01-22T09:22:00.000-08:00

The list of nominees for this year's Academy Awards have been announced, including the pictures up for Best Animated Feature Film.

The nominees for Best Animated Feature Film are
- Sony’s Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud
- Disney/Pixar’s Ratatouille - Brad Bird
- Sony’s Surf’s Up - Ash Brannon and Chris Buck

While I think everyone expected "Ratatouille" to make the list (and most likely win), I was really pleased to see "Surf's Up!" make the cut, as I think the picture, and the team responsible for it, are both very worthy. Maybe this will spur a few more people to check the film out, in turn helping drive DVD sales and maybe persuading Sony to continue making animated features. "Open Season" and "Surf's Up!" are two of my most favorite animated films, and I can't wait to see what the group at Sony comes up with next.

As for Persepolis, I haven't seen it, and probably won't see it. That's not to say that it isn't worthy of the nomination, it just isn't my cup of tea. My cup of tea is a 32oz mug filled with Coke and Rum, with a crazy straw in it.

That's how I roll.

No Quarter

2008-01-17T10:09:00.000-08:00

One more VFS student film for you today, and it's another gem.

I don't have a YouTube version for this one, but it's worth letting it load in QT in any case. Just hit up one of the links below and make sure you check out Mike's website.

No Quarter - Large (61MB)
No Quarter - Medium (37MB)
No Quarter - Small (12MB)

Mike Trent's Website

The Switch

2008-01-16T09:17:00.001-08:00

Man oh man, the VFS sure does produce some top notch talent.

While simple in concept, I still didn't see the ending coming. Of course, I also didn't see the ending coming in "Titanic" either. I mean, that ship sinking is the last thing I ever thought would happen.

For more from creator, Zach Mathew, hit his blog link below.

Zack Mathew's Blog

Fun Factory

2008-01-15T09:56:00.001-08:00

Here's a charming little short by recent VFS grad, Mauricio Bartok Ruiz, called "Fun Factory."

For more of Mauricio's work, visit his blog.

Mauricio's Blog

Pete Docter at Animation Mentor Graduation

2008-01-15T09:06:00.000-08:00

Not much to add to this one, other than I can't wait to attend the next graduation ceremony (which I'll be taking part in) come this August!

ONLINE ANIMATION SCHOOL ANIMATIONMENTOR.COM®
CELEBRATES THIRD GRADUATION
Pixar Director Pete Docter Delivers Commencement Address

Berkeley, CA – January 14, 2008 —AnimationMentor.com, the online animation school® by animators for animators®, celebrated its third commencement Saturday, January 12, in San Francisco. Legendary Pixar Animation Studios filmmaker Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc. and the upcoming 2009 release, Up) delivered the inspirational address, and was joined on stage by distinguished animators from ILM, Pixar Animation Studios and DreamWorks/PDI, all of whom teach at the school. The graduating class was comprised of students from 20 countries and an equal number of states. Animation Mentor propelled more than 80% of its first four classes into coveted studio positions.

Speaking from the heart, Docter urged the graduates, “to be open to whatever life throws at you,” and that “whatever you do, make it your own.” Docter expressed his belief that an animator’s job was to “find a truth in the world that no one else has found and bring it to the screen.” He also emphasized the importance of story, because “without a good story, you’ve got nothing.”

“Pete is a visionary whose artistry helps set the standard for an entire industry,” said Animation Mentor President/CEO, Bobby S. Beck. “His appearance at our graduation with our great professional mentors speaks volumes about the world in which Animation Mentor lives and to which it aspires.”

A three-time Academy-Award® nominee, Docter began his association with Pixar Animation Studios in 1990, working as the supervising animator and a member of the story writing team on the groundbreaking computer-animated film Toy Story. He was a storyboard artist on A Bug’s Life and the storywriter on Toy Story 2. Docter made his directorial debut on Monsters, Inc., the fifth highest grossing animated feature of all time. He is currently in production on the motion picture Up, scheduled for release in 2009.

Animation Mentor’s nontraditional graduation ceremony included an award ceremony that honored the Best Forum Ninja, Biggest Personality in a Live Q&A (real-time, online class), Best Dialogue acting and more. Graduates earned a Certified Diploma in Advanced Studies in Character Animation from the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education.

ABOUT ANIMATIONMENTOR.COM

Based in Berkeley, California, AnimationMentor.com is an online animation school at which top working professionals teach character animation to students worldwide. Opened March 2005, the school offers an eighteen-month program built from the ground up by its founders, Bobby Beck, Shawn Kelly and Carlos Baena, whose combined credits include Ratatouille, Finding Nemo and Transformers. AnimationMentor.com’s California-certified curriculum includes professional mentoring; expert, rich media lectures; live, real-time, interactive Q&A sessions (classes); eCritiques® and 24/7 creative community. More information at: www.animationmentor.com.

ABOUT PIXAR

Pixar Animation Studios, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is an Academy Award®-winning film studio with world-renowned technical, creative and production capabilities in the art of computer animation. Creator of some of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time, including Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, and most recently, Ratatouille. The Northern California studio has won 20 Academy Awards® and its eight films have grossed more than $4 billion at the worldwide box office to date. The next film release from Disney•Pixar is WALL•E (June 27, 2008).

Meet the Robinsons Interview

2008-01-14T09:05:00.000-08:00

Animated Views has a nice interview up with Disney's "Meet the Robinsons" Director, Steve Anderson.

AV: Can you tell me about the voice of the Bowler Hat Guy that you did?

SA: It was funny how it came about. We do temporary voices for the characters very early on when we’re creating this movie on storyboards. We use ourselves, the studio, to do those temporary voices. And there are times when those voices have been around so long enough that they tend to stick to those characters and they’re defining those characters more so then than a cast that would be done later.

The interview covers everything from Steve's education, how he got on with Disney, the 2D films he played a roll in, his work on Robinson's, and even the music in the film.

Well worth the read.

Steve Anderson Interview on Animated Views

Ratatouille Wins Golden Globe!

2008-01-13T21:55:00.001-08:00

Something is right with the world, because Pixar's "Ratatouille" was awarded the Golden Globe tonight for best Animated Picture.

While there were some other great films in the list of nominees, "Ratatouille" was nothing short of brilliant and deserves this and every other award bestowed upon it.

It even deserves some dork with a blog blubbering on about how great it is.

Congratulations to Brad Bird and everyone at Pixar!

Bee Movie on DVD March 11th

2008-01-13T13:11:00.001-08:00

The Region 1 release of Dreamworks' "Bee Movie," starring Jerry Seinfeld, is set to release on March 11th.

"Bee Movie is an A!"

Get it?

I wonder if Seinfeld himself wrote that one.

I'd like to try out a few of my own on you:

"BEE sure to buy this DVD... HONEY!"

"A, BEE, SEE this movie!"

"This movie lives up to the BUZZ!"

I should be a movie critic.

For more info, hit the link below.

The Link Below

Plankton Invasion

2008-01-10T13:05:00.001-08:00

I pretty ambitious independent project seems to be underway, known as The Plankton Invasion, and below is the concept trailer for your viewing pleasure:

While the first "episode" wasn't really much to write home about, I found the second episode to be quite a kick in the shorts.

For more information and to view the first two episodes, swing on over to the official website, which is linked below.

Plankton Invasion Website

Help Wanted

2008-01-09T21:36:00.003-08:00

I usually don't use this blog for things like this, but I'm looking for some help and thought I'd throw the offer up here to see if any of you fine readers are interested.

I've been planning a startup business for some time now, and I'm looking for some talented and driven people with similar ideals to join the fold. This is not a scam or a get-rich-quick kind of thing. I'm looking to start a legitimate Animation House, focused on commercial work.

Initially it would be a team of 3-5 people, consisting of 1-3 animators an 1-2 modelers/riggers. I can tell you right now that there wouldn't be pay involved, for you or me... at least to start with. Instead the team will create a couple of short mock advertisements that we can then pitch to prospective clients.

I don't want to say much outside of that, other than to stress that I am VERY committed to this and have been working towards the goal for some time already. I've got a solid animator with some commercial experience and myself, so I'd be looking for 1 more animator. We've got a studio name and website in development, so we are moving forward.

Where I really need the help is in the form of a really solid modeler/rigger. The first couple of ads would be in a more cartoony style, so if you enjoy doing that kind of work, drop me a line.

I'd also like to stress that in terms of time commitment, it would be only would you could provide to start with. This is a side venture for me, and I know that everyone has careers and families that come first. That being said, I need people who are willing to commit at some time on a weekly basis.

For anyone who has read this blog for any time at all, you should already know that I'm not a flake, and I definitely have a passion for 3D art. So serious inquiries only please.

If you want to find out more, including the business name, focus and to get additional details on the mock ads, drop me a line at davesj(at)gmail(dot)com.

Thank you!

RooDoudou

2008-01-08T15:54:00.000-08:00

Goodness how I love Planktoon.

I mean come on... this is just two fat blobs fighting over a remote and yet I still got such a kick out of it. Maybe it was the awesome cartoon nipples that did it for me.

I'm a sucker for nipples.

Dragon Hunters

2008-01-08T15:45:00.000-08:00

There is a trailer now up for the upcoming French CG film, "Dragon Hunters."

The trailer looks nice, but I didn't have clue what they were saying, as I'm too lazy to learn any language other than English, which I barely have a grasp of. However the company behind it is also the one responsible for the wonderful "Minuscule" series, so it should be great in any language.

Dragon Hunters Trailer and Site

Igor Update

2008-01-08T09:15:00.000-08:00

I really should be posting this on "hump day," but nonetheless, here is an update on Weinstein's upcoming "Igor" which is being created in Paris by SPARX.

Thanks to Animated News, I can pass on links to the official Exodus site where you can see a full cast list, which is actually somewhat impressive. Not only that, but the cast does not (currently) feature Andy Dick or Whoopi Goldberg, so it's already got that going for it.

The second link is a video that takes us behind the scenes with some annoying CNN correspondent who somehow managed to land a role in the film. I'm sure it was basically a "do a piece on our upcoming movie and the lifeless corpse holding the mic can have a bit part," but it's still interesting to see the process. Don't hold your breath for any clips from the film though, as there is only one that lasts about 2 seconds at the very end.

With a cast like the one listed, the film has the star power for sure. Now we'll see if they can pull off the characters and story in the same way that Pixar and Dreamworks can.

Igor Cast List on Exodus

Igor Behind the Scenes Video

First Shot of Bolt Characters

2007-12-27T17:45:00.001-08:00

Once called "American Dog," now renamed to "Bolt," Disney's upcoming release issued its first character shot today.

While it is only one shot, it's pretty easy to tell that the story centers around Harry Potter's dog as it travels to Los Angeles with Pepe Le Pew's girlfriend.

The film is set for an 11/26/08 release.

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-24T19:42:00.001-08:00

I hope you all have a safe and happy Holiday Season!

If Christmas isn't your thing, then may you have a very wonderful "your thing" and I'll see you back here in 2008!

Horton Posters!

2007-12-21T10:47:00.001-08:00

I Watch Stuff has a bunch of new posters for Blue Sky's upcoming "Horton Hears a Who!" movie.

The film hits theaters on March 14th, but in the meantime you can print all of the posters out and make a flipbook out of them. I did and got to see the whole movie, which is as awesome as I had hoped, but is short, clocking in at just under a second.

Horton Posters at I Watch Stuff

New Wall-E Trailer on IGN

2007-12-17T22:42:00.001-08:00

IGN has a brand new trailer up for Pixar's upcoming "WALL-E."

Watching the trailer I was reminded of Spongebob, only with a roach instead of a snail and a giant ship instead of a gay starfish. That and the robot from "Short Circuit" instead of a yellow sponge.

In all serioussness, I found the shots of him entertaining himself with the junk to be the most engaging, and I hope there are more of those fly-on-the-wall moments in the film where we get to see the fascinating way in which the little guy keeps himself busy.

Click the image above or the link below to see for yourself.

IGN's Exclusive WALL-E Trailer

The Art of Surf's Up! Boards

2007-12-17T09:39:00.000-08:00

Artist and animator Armand Serrano has posted a bunch of images of the artwork used on the surf boards in Sony's "Surf's Up!"

I loved Chicken Joe's board, but then again I loved everything about "Surf's Up!" I can't stress enough what a wonderful Christmas gift this would make. Well... a copy of "Surf's Up!" and a Ferrari. You get those two things for just about anyone and they'll be thrilled, or my name ain't St. Nick!

Surf's Up Board Art

Horton Hears A Who...

2007-12-14T17:49:00.000-08:00

...and I hear me wetting myself with anticipation as I watch Blue Sky's latest trailer!

Seriously... the "Ice Age" films were good, but this trailer just looks nothing short of awesome. Sort of like me when I get a perm and wear a crushed velvet pants-suit.

Click the image above to see for yourself!

UDPATE: Fixed link now takes you to all sorts of sizes, including HD!

I baby'd!

2007-12-11T15:51:00.001-08:00

Posts may be slower than usual over the next few weeks as I try to figure this thing out:

What you see in that picture is my son, Sebastian, who was born this past Saturday!

Being that he's my first child, it's going to take me a while to figure out all of the bells and whistles, unless I can find an owner's manual somewhere.

Things are going great, and look for posting to resume soon!

Take care.
-Dave

Annie Award Nominees

2007-12-03T13:48:00.001-08:00

The nominees for the 2007 Annie Awards have been announced, and based on the banner below, it looks as though whoever is behind the awards is quite full of themselves.

2007 ANNIE AWARD NOMINATIONS BY CATEGORY

PRODUCTION CATEGORIES

Best Animated Feature
Bee Movie – DreamWorks Animation
Persepolis – Sony Pictures Classics
Ratatouille – Pixar Animation Studios
Surf’s Up – Sony Pictures Animation
The Simpsons Movie – Twentieth Century Fox

Best Home Entertainment Production
Doctor Strange – MLG Productions
Futurama “Bender’s Big Score” – The Curiosity Company in association with 20th Century Fox Television

Best Animated Short Subject
Everything Will Be OK – Bitter Films
How to Hook Up Your Home Theater – Walt Disney Feature Animation
Shorty McShorts’ Shorts “Mascot Prep” – Walt Disney Television Animation
The Chestnut Tree – Picnic Pictures
Your Friend the Rat – Pixar Animation Studios

Best Animated Television Commercial
CVS Watering Can – Acme Filmworks
Esurance “Homeowners” – Wild Brain
Idaho Lottery: Twister – Acme Filmworks
Oregon Lottery “Alaska” – Laika/house
Power Shares Escape Average – Acme Filmworks

Best Animated Television Production
Jane and the Dragon – Weta Productions Limited & Nelvana Limited
Creative Comforts America – Aardman Animations
Moral Orel – ShadowMachine
Robot Chicken Star Wars- ShadowMachine
Kim Possible – Walt Disney Television Animation

Best Animated Television Production for Children
Chowder – Cartoon Network Studios
El Tigre – Nickelodeon
Little Einsteins – Disney Channel
Peep and the Big Wide World – Discovery Kids
The Backyardigans – Nickelodeon

Best Animated Video Game
Avatar: The Last Airbender “The Burning Earth” – THQ, Inc.
Bee Movie Game – Activision
Ratatouille – THQ, Inc.
Transformers: The Game – Blur Studios

I'm pretty happy with the nominations for Best Animated Feature, and don't think I would have made any different choice as far as that's concerned, but I think the hands down winner has to be "Ratatouille." As far as the other categories, I'll keep my mouth shut (for once) because I frankly don't know a lot of the pieces that are listed well enough to comment on.

Click the image above for even more nominees.

Complete list of Annie Award Nominees

Planet 51

2007-11-28T10:09:00.001-08:00

Finally some news has leaked out on Ilion Animation Studios' "Planet 51," a film I've been very excited about for some time.

The film has now been sold to New Line Cinema for distribution (that's the good news), and will be in theaters sometime in 2009 (that "9" is the bad news).

According to an article on The Hollywood Reporter's website:

New Line is venturing into the animation business for the first time in its 40-year history by acquiring Ilion Animation Studios' $60 million feature "Planet 51" from Handmade Films International.

Written by Joe Stillman ("Shrek"), the story is set on Planet 51, whose inhabitants live in fear of an alien invasion. Their paranoia is realized when astronaut Capt. Charles "Chuck" Baker arrives from Earth. Befriended by a young resident, the astronaut has to avoid capture in order to recover his spaceship and return home.

I don't know if you folks remember the screenshots from this film, but if you don't, let me give you a refresher:

Needless to say, I cannot wait for 2009!

The Hollywood Reporter's Article on Planet 51

Fa La La La La....

2007-11-28T09:52:00.001-08:00

Dreamworks' made for TV special "Shrek the Halls," will hit ABC tonight at 8/7c.

According to ABC:

Just when Shrek thought he could finally sit back, relax and enjoy his happily ever after with his new family, the most joyous of all holidays arrives. It's Christmas Eve and everyone is filled with holiday cheer -- except for Shrek. He isn't exactly the picture of yuletide joy, but for the sake of Fiona and the kids, he tries to get into the spirit of things as only an ogre can. Unfortunately, everyone seems to have their own ideas about what Christmas is all about, so when Donkey, Puss In Boots, Gingerbread Man and the whole gang try to join in on the fun, Shrek's plans for a cozy family celebration end up spiraling into one truly unforgettable Christmas.

I'll watch it, but I swear the first joke I hear about how eggnogg gives ogres gas, and I'm changing the channel.

ABC's lame Shrek the Halls website

Reviews, clips, and images at Newsday

Jerry "bee" even richer!

2007-11-26T10:01:00.000-08:00

Hey... I'm still on a massive turkey hangover, so excuse the lame title, but Dreamworks' "Bee Movie" cracked the $100 million mark at the US box office the past weekend.

While it's nowhere near the insane numbers of "Shrek," the creators have to feel pretty good about breaking $100 million, especially considering this was yet another talking insect film, and could have easily gone the way of "The Ant Bully" at the box office.

Not only that, but the $112 million the film has now brought in should pay for at least a tenth of the marketing budget used on the film. Kidding aside, Box Office Mojo lists the budget at $150 million, so the film still has some work to do just to break even.

If it doesn't, you can bet Jerry is going to bee in some hot water!

Forgive me.

Box Office Mojo's box office ranking for all computer animated films.

Year In Review

2007-11-20T10:07:00.001-08:00

This was something I've been planning on doing for a while, and with my first child ready to show up any day now, I figured I had better get my tail in gear and get it out of the way.

2007 was the year in which animated films (no matter how good) felt the backlash of the previous year, in which film company executives did their best to ruin the genre for everyone.

No matter how good "Meet the Robinsons," "Surf's Up," and the others were, audiences just weren't ready to turn out in masses after being burnt by some of the flaming turds from the year before. However that doesn't mean that CG was without a home as "Shrek the Third" continued to give Mike Myers a reason to live outside of "Austin Powers" and "Ratatouille" scrounged up a hefty haul, despite falling short of previous Pixar gems.

Here is my rundown of the CG films released this year, in order of North American box off take. Obviously films like the recently released "Bee Movie" will continue to make money throughout the end of the year, so keep that in mind.

1. - Shrek the Third - $321 million
Yes, you read that correctly. "Shrek the Third" brought in $321 million in U.S. theaters alone, putting it third on the list of highest grossing CG films, behind "Shrek 2: We Hadn't Started Coming Up With Clever Names Yet" and "Finding Nemo." It's a good, but not great, film, and if you are a fan of the series, you'll find more to like here. My good friend, who is a casual animation fan, summed it up best when he said, "My family and I liked it, but we just felt like we had seen it all before." With "Shrek Goes Fourth" already announced, we can only hope that the filmmakers take a few more chances with everyone favorite green ogre.

2. - Ratatouille - $206 million
Pixar needs to sign Brad Bird to a lifetime contract and let the man do what he wants until he retires. If he wanted to make custom women's clogs instead of films, I'd even probably let him, because they'd be the best custom women's clogs ever. "Ratatouille" was a beautiful, charming, cinematic treat, and one that I now own on DVD and Blu-Ray. Sure I'm a Pixar nerd (who isn't?), but films like this one deserve to be seen by every person on the planet. Thank you, Mr. Bird... for giving me a reason to live.

3. - Meet the Robinsons - $98 million
While a modest hit, I would have love to see "Robinsons" find a larger audience, if for no other reason than getting the chance to meet The Bowler Hat Guy, who is in my opinion the greatest movie villain to emerge in the last 20 years. While the film was a little too over the top in spots, it's actually got a lot of heart, and some true laugh out loud moments.

4. - Bee Movie - $94 million
Haven't seen it. Want to see it. Nine month pregnant women can't sit through movies in movie theaters. Not only do they have to pee every 5 minutes ("Excuse me." "Pardon me." "Sorry... again."), but the seats just aren't comfortable enough. I will sneak away at some point though... you have my word, Jerry.

5. - Surf's Up! - $59 million
By far the biggest disappointment on the list. Not in terms of the film's quality, which is superb, but in terms of the box office revenue. "Surf's Up!" was done in by being lumped into the "another talking animal" film, and not only that but the fact that most parents didn't want to sit through another "Happy Feet." Oh if they had only given it a shot, they would have seen that "Surf's Up!" is to "Happy Feet" as steak and lobster is to fried baby turds. Fans of animation and mockumentaries ("Spinal Tap," "Best in Show") should love "Surf's," but even folks who don't like those genres can at least marvel at the beautiful water. It's on DVD and Blu-Ray, and you need to add this one to your library if you haven't already.

6. - TMNT - $54 million
After a strong opening weekend ($24 million) prompted one of the Weinsteins to announce we would be seeing many more turtle films, things looked quite good for the four "heroes in a half shell." However it seems that most of the nerds who grew up loving the turtles as kids chose to see the film on opening weekend, because after that its take dropped off considerably. The film was decent, the acting was passable, and the visuals were top-notch (the scene in the rain on the rooftop is still amazing.)

7. - Beowulf - $28 million
Haven't seen it. Won't see it. Might rent it.

8. - Happily N'Ever After - $16 million
While audiences may not always be the best at spotting the gems, they can sure sniff out the stinkers, hence "Happily" only pulling in $16 million. My wife rented this not too long ago, and it only took me walking in halfway through and watching 5 minutes to know that I had seen enough. It just wasn't for me, and Rotten Tomatoes combined score for the film is a 4%, so I guess I'm not alone.

---

So there you have it. My year in review. All in all it was a great year, in terms of quality of CG films, with only a few lame ducks in the mix. 2008 slows a bit more over 2007, in terms of output, but with films like "WALL-E," "Kung Fu Panda," and "Horton Hears a Who" set to release, it should be another great year.

Take care!

I AM...

2007-11-19T14:16:00.000-08:00

...not going to see "Beowulf."

Yes, I know the film is getting good reviews. Yes, I know it's a "technical masterpiece." Yes, I know it's the first CG film in a long time that doesn't center around talking animals and/or insects.

I'm not going to see it.

I know I sound like a big animation snob, and I'll probably rent it on DVD, but I just can't allow myself to go see a mo-cap film. If you saw it and you liked it, good for you. That being said, I really hope it bombs at the box office. Not because I want to see anyone's work fail, but simply because it only takes on hit like this (and Happy Feet) to make movie studios everywhere decide that this is the way to go and that they don't need all of those snot-nosed "animators."

Maybe I'll give it a rent on DVD, maybe not. I won't fault you for going to see it, but if you want to try to convince me that it's the best thing since sliced bread, you've got another thing coming.

Movie Poster Friday: WALL-E

2007-11-16T09:51:00.001-08:00

Oh yeah... it's everyone's favorite day of the week, and to celebrate, here's a picture of that robot from "Short Circuit!"

Of course I'm kidding and this is the poster for Pixar's upcoming "WALL-E" movie.

Johnny Lasseter recently had this to say about the film to Rotten Tomatoes:

"It's a love story. It's got a lot of heart but it's really appealing. It's less dialogue with the characters but it's really fantastic."

I'm glad that the film has a lot of heart and is really appealing. I usually hate films with a lot of heart... oh... and good stories. I hate films with good stories.

Who's with me?

More from John Lasseter on Rotten Tomatoes

Academy Award Nominees

2007-11-12T10:54:00.000-08:00

EDIT: As Jason was kind enough to point out in the comments, this list is not the actual nominees, but the "short list" of hopefuls looking to be included in final nominations. So I'm an idiot. That being said, the post still stands, as frankly I don't think the films that I refer to below even belong on a "long list," let alone a "short list."

That Sesame Street song comes to mind and I begin to sing "Which one of these is not like the other ones, not like the other ones, not like the other ones..."

While I never like to directly bag on the hard work of artists, regardless of what they may need to do to pay the bills, it's pretty obvious that certain films in this year's list of hopefuls were submitted simply because they were animated, and not because they deserve the award.

Listen... I like hotdogs as much as I like a good $60 steak, given the right circumstances, but I wouldn't expect my Oscar Meyer cheese-stuffed wieners to compete for a food award with a steak I can cut with my own hand. In the same manner, while some of the films in the list may be great for college kids sucking on a bong and eating Cheetos, or a Mom or Dad to bring their kids to see, they really can't compare on a pure filmmaking level to some of the other nominees.

To put it a different way, you don't go into a diamond store and find a couple of cat turds in the case next to the tennis bracelets and earrings.

All this being said, one of those turds will probably wind up winning and then I'll look like an (even bigger) idiot.

Oh... and if you're wondering, here is the list of nominees:

Alvin and the Chipmunks
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters
Bee Movie
Beowulf
Meet the Robinsons
Persepolis
Ratatouille
Shrek the Third
The Simpsons Movie
Surf’s Up
Tekkonkinkreet
TMNT

I'm off to eat now... suddenly I've got a craving for a hotdog.

Kung Fu Panda Game Trailer

2007-11-08T14:02:00.000-08:00

It's a slow news day, so all I really have is this new trailer for the "Kung Fu Panda" videogame.

Be warned that there may or may not be spoilers in this trailer. I have no idea since I (obviously) haven't seen the movie yet.

Tomorrow I'll try to track down some more amazing footage like this.

One Froggy Evening

2007-11-07T14:07:00.000-08:00

So according to Cartoon Brew, some Brazilian Graphic Design students got together and tried to recreate Chuck Jones' "One Froggy Evening" in 3D.

While I commend them on their efforts, I will say that it takes some brass knockers to try and recreate an animated masterpiece such as this. I think they did an overall decent job, but the minute I saw the way the animated the frog's mouth, I was done. I watched this cartoon a million times as a kid, and I guess it was just engrained in my brain that when he croaks, his mouth opens up just a bit on one side and then rolls to the other. It sounds picky, but as soon as I saw that, something in my head just wouldn't let me enjoy the piece for the technical accomplishment that it is.

Not only that, but the students only managed to finish 2 minutes. I would have thrown their computers back at them, called them all "hacks" and then demanded that they leave my classroom immediately.

Of course then the professor would have asked what I was doing in his classroom, and why I was throwing the expensive equipment around.

You can swing on over to Cartoon Brew to check out the original.

Cartoon Brew's coverage of One (CG) Froggy Evening

Bee Movie Opens Today!

2007-11-02T11:03:00.003-07:00

In case you've missed on of the millions of commercials that seem to play every 5 minutes from my picture-box, Dreamworks' "Bee Movie" is hitting theaters today!

If you haven't heard of the film yet, let me clue you in:

Jerry Seinfeld is the voice of a bee who lives in a New York apartment. When his wacky neighbor, Kramer, decides to install a ferris wheel in his apartment, comedy mayhem ensues. Not only that, but Jerry's ex-girlfriend Elaine is dating a man who likes to snort Drain-O, and his best friend, George, yells a lot!

Should be really good, despite its current score of 56% over on Rotten Tomatoes.

Bee Movie Official Website

Bee Movie Reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Gotchi and Dotchi

2007-10-31T21:45:00.000-07:00

One more Halloween style animation for ya'!

As for my car, there are no broken eggs on it yet, but I'm still trying to confirm if it was those same kids that apparantly trained a condor to dump on my hood.

Zombie Dearest

2007-10-31T21:41:00.000-07:00

Still in time for Halloween, here's a nice little zombie flick starring Tofu the Vegan Zombie:

Now... I've got to go make sure the kids I chased off of my front porch for tearing down my "Sorry... All Out of Candy" sign aren't egging my car.

Happy Halloween!

Green Lumps In Your Stocking

2007-10-30T09:45:00.001-07:00

According to Animated News, Dreamworks' Holiday special "Shrek the Halls" will hit ABC on November 28th.

ABC, home of the beloved Christmas classics “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and others that have delighted generations, adds an instant classic to its holiday repertoire in November sweeps — DreamWorks Animation’s “Shrek the Halls,” a half-hour of entertainment starring America’s favorite ogre and his friends and featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas. “Shrek the Halls” airs WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28 (8:00-8:30 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

For more info on the special, hit the link below or click on the logo above.

Animated News Info on Shrek the Halls

Kung Fu Panda Trailer

2007-10-29T16:22:00.000-07:00

The brand new trailer for Dreamworks' "Kung Fu Panda" is now up over at /Film.

You get to see lots of live action clips of Jack Black acting like a jackass, but you also get a ton of footage from the movie itself. I've heard from a couple of insiders that this film will surprise a lot of people and is quite different from what everyone is probably expecting. Personally after watching the trailer it seems to be exactly what I was expecting, which is talking animals doing whacky things, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's bad.

Kung Fu Panda Trailer at /Film

Emergency surgery is fun!

2007-10-22T13:25:00.000-07:00

I had to have emergency surgery on my stomach this past Tuesady, and what a heap of fun that was!

Updates will continue once I'm feeling a bit better. I'm back at home now, but I'm still pretty drugged.

I'll be right as rain in no time at all, so don't worry your pretty little heads one bit!

Brutal Legend Trailer

2007-10-16T19:42:00.000-07:00

I may have to stop using the "we don't talk about videogames much here on Bleeding Pixels" line, due to games like Team Fortress 2 and now Brutal Legend.

If you can't tell by this overly-bloody clip, that there is Jack Black, starring in a brand new videogame that should be out next year.

I can't wait.

Movie Poster Monday: Kung Fu Panda

2007-10-15T10:09:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah! It's time once again for Movie Poster Monday!

Truth be told, Bleeding Pixels has never had a Movie Poster Monday, and probably never will again. Just look at the poster and be happy it isn't Malaria Monday.

Fall 2007 Animation Mentor Student Showcase

2007-10-15T09:54:00.001-07:00

In case you have yet to see it, Animation Mentor has posted their latest showcase of student work.

Awesome work as always, and my hope is that the school will get a good enough reputation that I can simply show prosepctive employers my AM dimploma, and not have to actually show any of my own animations to land a job.

Fall 2007 AM Student Showcase>

Team Fortress 2 is out and awesome!

2007-10-11T16:27:00.000-07:00

Bleeding Pixels normally doesn't cover games too often, but when it's a game like Valve's awesome "Team Fortress 2," you sort of have to stand up and take notice.

Having played the game all last night on my Xbox 360, I can safely say that I'm addicted. The game is so simplistic in nature, and yet so deep in terms of the classes that it's going to take a long time for me to tire of the game.

Not only that, but it just looks amazing. The taunt animations, the cartoon feel, the color palette (simple on purpose)... all lend to the gameplay in one form or another. It's all done with a purpose, and it all combines to make a beautiful package.

This would all be well and good, but TF2 is really just a small part of "The Orange Box," which contains "Half Life 2" and Episodes 1 & 2 for the game, "Portal" and "Team Fortress 2," all for the price of a single game.

So fire it up and look me up (gamertag = dajohns).

Just be aware... when playing against me, I'll probably be on my couch, not wearing any pants.

A Gentlemen's Duel on iTunes!

2007-10-09T12:36:00.001-07:00

You can finally download Blur's short, "A Gentlemen's Duel" from the iTunes store!

The thing will only run you $1.99, so just downsize your cup of Starbucks for today and get this as well!

Blur's Official Website

Surf's Up on DVD!

2007-10-09T10:12:00.001-07:00

Sony's wonderful "Surf's Up!" hits Region 1 DVD shelves today!

If you missed this in the theaters, which many did, you owe it to yourself to go and pick up a copy, or at least give it a rent. The film is beautiful, funny, and just a great film from start to finish. Yes it's anthropomorphic animals, and yes it's another penguin film, but it's still worth watching (and owning).

Not only that, but Circuit City has it for $15 bucks, and I'm sure you can find it for that price or less at various other big chain stores.

It's a shame that this film didn't perform better in theaters, but with any luck, a ton of people will get to discover it on DVD.

Go now!

Bee Movie Poster

2007-10-09T10:09:00.001-07:00

Looks like honey just got funny...

Personally I've always found honey to be funny, so I guess I'm just way ahead of my time. I also wear bras as earmuffs and drink motor oil with lunch.

So you've got even more stuff to look forward to!

Fight for Kisses

2007-10-01T09:59:00.001-07:00

This is actually a pretty funny marketing campaign for razors called "Fight for Kisses."

As a guy expecting my first child in December, I pretty much have to buy one of these razors now so that I can make my child hate me and in turn train to be some kind of badass baby ninja.

Fight for Kisses Website

WALL-E Poster and Trailer News

2007-09-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

Pixar has popped out a new poster for their upcoming flick, "WALL-E."

Upcoming Pixar also points out that a new trailer will hit on or around October 1st, and you can hit the link below for times and the location where you'll be able to view the trailer.

I'm so torn on this film...

On one hand, it's Pixar, so I'm sure I'll enjoy it. On the other hand, the idea of sitting through a film with little to no dialogue about robots in a dump gets me less than excited. It's like if Victoria Secret released a catalogue jammed with attractive women, but they were advertising the new line of gunny sack lingerie.

I've been on vaction... it's the best I could come up with.

Upcoming Pixar's WALL-E Trailer Info

New Bee Movie Images

2007-09-12T10:02:00.001-07:00

Blackfilm has posted a bunch of new shots from Dreamworks' upcoming "Bee Movie"... uh... movie.

The film looks promising, and I'm glad they decided to take out the whole part where the bee falls in love with the main female character (think I'm kidding?). That really would have made explaining the whole "Birds and Bees" thing to kids that much more difficult.

Blackfilm's Bee Movie Images

Team Fortress 2 Engineer

2007-09-11T16:21:00.000-07:00

I am so in love with "Team Fortress 2."

It's going to be an amazing year for gamers...

UPDATE:Hi-Res Version Here

DVD Season

2007-09-10T10:21:00.000-07:00

According to Variety, the sequel to Sony's "Open Season" is going straight to DVD.

Though "Open Season" grossed just a so-so $85 million domestically and $105 million overseas, Sony felt the pic performed strongly in homevid and that, with a good follow-up story, it would help meet the goal of increasing SPA's output.

"We don't have a deep bench yet , so we're certainly looking to have more product available," said Sony Pictures Digital prexy Yair Landau. "We felt we had a really fun story and the marketplace wants more 'Open Season.'"

Sequel will focus on one of the original pic's supporting characters, Mr. Weenie, a domesticated dachshund who escapes to join the rebellion of forest animals.

While the idea of straight-to-DVD always scares the pants off of me, I liked the original film a great deal, and will probably wind up picking up the sequel, even if it does wind up being a Sony executive's turd stamped into the form of a DVD.

If anything, it will make for a great conversation piece.

More on Open Season 2 from Variety

In the Rough on iTunes!

2007-09-04T15:50:00.001-07:00

Blur Studios' awesome "In the Rough" short is now available on iTunes.

At only $1.99, you really can't go wrong. It's either that or you go buy a hamburger, but who needs to eat stuff when you have awesome animations to watch instead?

Just hit up the iTunes store and type in "In the Rough." Tell em' BP sent you.

I Digg being Dugg!

2007-09-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

Bleeding Pixels now has 100% more Digg functionality, so feel free to Digg away! Of course, I have no idea why you'd ever want to Digg a story that I probably stole from another site, but just in case the mood should strike you, the option is there!

"Better never than late," I always say.

Ratatouilled Breaks $200 Million!

2007-09-03T10:11:00.000-07:00

It's official... Pixar's "Ratatouille" has now grossed over $200 million domestically.

Pixar couldn't continue the upwards trend of previous movies forever, but I have to think that they're still quite pleased with "Ratatouille," which just passed "Happy Feet" to move into the 9th spot in highest grossing computer animated films, behind "Cars."

It's sort of like how I couldn't continue to date supermodels the way I did. I'm dating a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader now, and that's still pretty good.

My wife is going to kill me.

Just in case you're wondering, "Ratatouille" has also raked in an additional $172 million in Foreign theaters. Unless you happen to live in one of those countries, in which case the domestic box office is actually the foreign box office to you and your box office is the domestic one.

Ratatouille info at Box Office Mojo

I Don't Think I'm Dead...

2007-08-31T10:48:00.000-07:00

Though it may seem like it to some of you, I'm actually alive and well. I've been looking for things to post all week, but there just hasn't been much at all to report. I did get the inside scoop from someone working on "Bee Movie," that they had their wrap party last week, so that one is now on to final post production and will be in theaters soon.

Outside of that, my only other real news worthy item this week is that I got my boxers caught in the zipper of my shorts at work and had to rip them in order to get them free, in turn allowing me zip my fly closed.

I'm in talks with Pixar to turn that harrowing experience into their next movie.

In the meantime, just know that I'm still looking for stuff to post, so if you find anything, toss it my way!

Thanks.

Dolbee

2007-08-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

Get it? C'mon... it's clever.

Bee Movie - Dolbee Digital
Uploaded by toma-uno

Man... if the rest of the film is filled with this level of wit, I don't know how I could possibly pass it up.

Honestly though, I don't know how you couldn't bee there for opening weekend.

I'm awesome.

Donkey Xote Trailer

2007-08-23T13:44:00.000-07:00

I had never heard of filmax or "Donkey Xote" until today, but the former has released a trailer for the latter.

The trailer looks decent, but I guess I expected more from a company whose previous films include such blockbusters as "Pinocho 3000" and...

You know what? I was just looking at the company's website trying to find lame movie titles to make a smartass comment, and now I see that "Donkey Xote" was released last year. So I guess that sort of backfired on me, as I'm posting a news item about a film that's been out for some time now. Heck... the trailer could have been out for two years now for all I know.

Good thing I didn't go with the "Shrek the Third" ripoff joke I had planned...

UPDATE: In doing some more poking around on the website, now I think the film is still in production. I'm so confused now. I'm reminded of the time when my wife put a blanket over my head and it took me an hour to find a way out.

Oh... and just so we're clear, I didn't misspell "Pinocchio" in "Pinocho 3000." I think that's how it's spelled in Spanish.

Donkey Xote Trailer

Donkey Xote Website

RE-Animation Blog

Team Fortress 2 Soldier

2007-08-22T14:01:00.000-07:00

I had no idea that I could fall in love with a videogame.

You can watch the latest trailer using the link below, but I should warn you up front that Team Fortress 2 and I are pretty much a couple now, so don't try stealing her away from me. We're going to get married and have little videogame babies together, and there's nothing you or anyone else can do about it.

Team Fortress 2 Soldier Trailer

FJORG! Winner

2007-08-22T12:04:00.000-07:00

Here is the winner of this year's FJORG! contest at Siggraph:

For those of you who aren't sure what FJORG! is, here is the description from the Siggraph site:

SIGGRAPH 2007 officials, along with DreamWorks Animation, HP, and AMD, announced the winners of the world's first international FJORG! Competition - an "iron animator" event in which 16 competing teams from around the world had 32 hours to create the most impressive character-driven animation of at least 15 seconds in length adhering to at least one of two themes and using at least one of 16 sound bites.

Based on storytelling, animation talent, use of resources, creativity, and technical skills, the judges selected Team Mocap from Bowling Green State University for their animation "Switch" as the first place winners. The team consists of Jim Levasseur, Tomas Jech, and W. Jacob Gardner. Picture This, a team from Miami International University of Art & Design came in second place and Impulse, from The Illinois Institute of Art-Schaumburg, won third place.

For a complete list of particpants, and their entries, hit the link below.

The Link Below

The Animator and the Seat

2007-08-20T16:17:00.001-07:00

Another fine short animation.

I would have totally started making out with the chair. I mean... I'm not really into the whole "chair thing," but come on... that chair is hot!

As with the previous post, you can hit the link below for high-res versions of the film.

Eric Drobile's Website

Down on the Farm

2007-08-20T15:54:00.001-07:00

Really nice little short film.

If I were the frog, I would have totally hung out and ate butt flies off of the cow until I was too fat to walk.

I heart butt flies.

For high-res versions of the film, go check out the official site below.

Down on the Farm Official Site

Ratatouille Breaks Even!

2007-08-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

I think it's safe to say that Ratatouille is a hit.

Over the weekend the film moved into the 10th spot on the list of highest grossing animated films (domestically). It now sits at $196 million, in terms of domestic box office haul, and is about $1.5 million away from taking the 9th spot from "Happy Feet," which it will probably manage to do in a weekend or two.

The film has also grossed $119 million in international ticket sales.

I'm sure glad to see the film break even like that. $315 million was a ridiculous budget for a CG film, and so it's good to know that whatever it makes from here on out is pure profit. I hope Pixar learns from this bullet they dodged, as this financially distarous film could have really sunk the company.

It's fun to pretend.

Box Office Mojo's Ratatouille Box Office Info

Help Wanted

2007-08-16T16:39:00.000-07:00

Interested in helping take Bleeding Pixels to the next level? Know anything about website creation/coding? Want to work for no pay?

Then have I got a job for you!

I'm looking to take Bleeding Pixels a step or two further than it currently is, but the problem is that I'm about as dumb as a wet napkin, so I'll need some help. I'm looking for someone with some web coding experience who can help me make Bleeding Pixels more than just a blog. If you're interested, drop me a comment or email me (davesj-at-gmail-dot-com) and we'll talk. It's not something that needs to be done overnight, so it won't take up a ton of your time, and I'll take care of all of the costs, such as hosting.

If you're interested in helping out, please let me know!

Illustrative Rendering in Team Fortress 2

2007-08-15T10:49:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been in a room with people who were talking about a subject that you thought you knew a little about, only to have them inadvertently make you feel like a bumbling idiot who can barely hold the drool in your own mouth?

That's how I felt after watching Valve's video for their soon-to-be-released "Team Fortress 2" game for the Xbox 360 and PC. I understood about a tenth of what the narrator says, and yet by the end I was still giggling with delight and mumbling, "PURTY PICTURES!" to myself.

Still totally worth watching, even if you feel as though the guy talking might as well be speaking another language.

Small Version on GameTrailers

Large Version on IGN (may require sign-up)

Ratatouille DVD Info... and more!

2007-08-14T14:35:00.000-07:00

Via DavisDVD, comes some great news! First the 3D stuff...

Above is the cover for the upcoming Ratatouille DVD release, which DavisDVD has some info on, that can also be found at Ultimate Disney, including word that the film will include a new short titled, "Your Friend the Rat."

DavisDVD and Ultimate Disney also both have word on the above "Pixar Shorts" DVD, which is set to release on November 6th, and will include (in chronological order): The Adventures of André & Wally B., Luxo Jr., Red's Dream, Tin Toy, Knick Knack, Geri's Game, For the Birds, Mike's New Car, Boundin', Jack-Jack Attack, One Man Band, Mater and the Ghostlight, and Lifted.

However what I'm most excited about is the non-3D release that DavisDVD also mentions, which is the up until now VHS-only, "Opus and Bill In: A Wish for Wings that Work."

I cannot wait for this to release, as I've only seen it one time on TV, and it was mostly over by the time I surfed by and noticed it. The site claims that there will be no extras, but it's also going to retail for only $15 bucks, so I can't complain too much.

More info on all 3 from DavisDVD

More on the Pixar releases from Ultimate Disney

Red and Boxbot Responds

2007-08-10T10:01:00.000-07:00

This is darn spiffy:

"Red and Boxbot Responds" was done by two guys in 48 hours during the 48h 3D jam 2007 in Stuttgart. Everything from boards, design to modelling, animation and shading.

In short: We had nothing when we started, and had everything when we finished.
However being aware of some of the few and minor flaws of the story and a couple of the shots, we got together 2 evenings to make the final polish.

Furthermore we have been gifted with an original score, done by René Brokop.

The most I've ever accomplished in 48 hours was the two days I spent trying to eat a King Size bag of peanut M&Ms. After several attempts, I realized it might be easier to open the bag and eat them individually, but by then it was too late.

Thanks... I'll be here all week.

Shrek the Third DVD Info

2007-08-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

DVD Active has a bunch of info on the upcoming release of Dreamworks' "Shrek the Third," including the box art.

I love it when they put quotes from some film critic on the cover like "The best Shrek yet!" If you are standing and looking at "Shrek the Third" on a DVD shelf, is what Mortomer Diphole of the Village Voice Times Tribune really going to sway you into purchasing it?

As for this blog post, I'd like to mention that Rod Morf of the Post Star Report Magazine had this to say:

"Best blog post on this blog within the last five minutes!"

I bet you're totally glad you read it now.

For a list of DVD extras and a super fancy rotated shot of the box, hit the link below.

Shrek the Third DVD info on DVD Active

A Gentlman's Duel

2007-08-07T21:17:00.001-07:00

The hits here on Bleeding Pixels have really spiked in the last few days, and it seems to be directly related to Blur's short film "A Gentleman's Duel."

I think the reason for this stems from people searching for the film on Google and hitting my site thinking I have the film posted. Yes I know the film has been leaked to a couple of video sites, and I won't say that I haven't watched. That being said, I'm also not going to provide links here for those types of unauthorized videos any longer.

While I can totally understand the desire to see something like that, I also feel that by not actually purchasing films like this one, it's going to cost studios like Blur money, which will in turn cause them to take less risks and produce a smaller number of films.

Again, I'm not trying to get all preachy here, because I too have watched the film in the format listed above, but I've since found out that it's available in a paid format as well, and so I promptly ordered it.

My hope is that Blur releases it to iTunes very soon, and in the meantime, you can use the link below to purchase the Stash Issue #32 DVD, which has the film on it as well.

Stash Issue #32 DVD, which contains A Gentleman's Duel

TMNT ON DVD OMG FYI ROFL... oh forget it.

2007-08-07T21:11:00.001-07:00

Warner Bros' "TMNT" arrived on DVD shelves today.

While the film didn't do too well with either critics or box office patrons, it was still fun and totally worth the $16 bucks you can find it for at some major electronics stores.

Your other option is to go fish 4 turtles out of your local pond, tape ninja weapons to them, and then film the action, hoping that something cool happens.

Trust me... it won't.

10 Quick With Keith Lango

2007-08-07T10:34:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you come to Bleeding Pixels?

Well frankly, you don't get much, besides an occasional sarcastic comment and any decent story I can strip from actual credible sites. However from time to time I do manage to piece together something worthwhile, as is the case with the ongoing (though never on schedule) "10 Quick" interviews.

This week is no exception, as we have one of the most respected folks in animation answering my silly questions.

Keith Lango is known around the animation industry as being someone who continues to champion the principals of traditional animation, in an attempt to keep the CG industry from falling (further?) into a rut. His online tutorials and sage-advice-filled blog are excellent resources for both aspiring animators and seasoned industry vets alike.

Take it away, Keith!

1. Tell us a bit about yourself. How did you break into the business and get where you are now?

I started into Cg art and animation in 1994 mainly by accident. I had been doing graphic design and page layout for a while and was working at the local newspaper in Rochester NY when I got my first exposure to 3d via a co-worker who had StrataStudio Pro. I was hooked when I saw it. Shortly after that I bought my own copy of the software and I was off and running. I did mostly 3d illustration at first, then virtual environments, lots of corporate type stuff. Then I got into doing some advertising and then visualization work for an airport security training firm (that was an interesting job). All along I was developing my animation skills and I slowly transitioned into freelance character animation. I made my first short film in 1996 (it was 45 seconds long). That got me some more attention. By the time I finished my third short film "Daycare for Junior" I had developed a bit of a reputation. This was maybe 1998. In 1999 I left the world of freelance and went to work at Big Idea Production in Chicago. I worked there in all manner of roles and responsibilities in the studio for a little over 4 years. By the time I had left I'd done everything from write screenplays, animate, direct, storyboard, rig, helped architect a direct-to-video production pipeline and then remake a feature film pipeline as a CG supervisor. After the studio shut down internal production in exchange for outsourcing I moved on to Blur Studio in Los Angeles to work as an Animation Supervisor and Director. I was there for about a year and participated in a number of projects, including being a director over pre-production for their Oscar nominated short film Gopher Broke. I left there in 2004 to go to ReelFX Creative Studios in Dallas TX, where I was the animation director, as well as a director. I directed a DVD movie for Hasbro and led development on a number of other properties and projects. After a year I was getting pretty burnt out on management so I took the opportunity to step back down to be "just an animator" again and worked for a year at DNA Productions in Irving TX on their feature film project The Ant Bully. After that show wrapped the crew was laid off. Rather than head back out to the west coast to latch onto another project my wife and I decided that this would be a great opportunity to do something radically different. I had been running my Video Tutorial Service business on the side for about a year at the time so I was able to pay the bills. We decided to move down to Cuiaba' Brazil, out in the more remote central west region of the country. Down here we are actively engaged in developing a ministry project that brings clean drinking water to remote people living along the river banks in the Pantanal region, as well as providing some medical relief and spiritual hope. We've been here for a little over a year and we have plans to be here a while longer. The work is very demanding, requiring a lot of trial and error and patience, but it is also very rewarding when it goes well (I almost said 'when it goes as planned', but it never goes as planned. God has his own plans and we just stumble into them. ;o).
Meanwhile I am still doing my monthly VTS videos for subscribers around the world as well as teaching animators directly via my Animation Personal Trainer program. Teaching is my second great joy after animating, so I am really having a blast being able to combine both into one job. It pays the bills and allows my wife and I to be here doing what we're doing for those less fortunate.

Click the image to see Keith's latest animation test.

2. Which of your work are you most proud of?

Hrmm. That's a tough one. I can spot problems in everything I've done. I like to think that my best work is yet to come. While the film is loaded with technical issues I've always felt like my short film Evelyn was successful in communicating a story with weight. I have a lot of accomplishments that never saw the light of day at Big Idea because the studio went bankrupt. We were working on a film that I was the CG Supervisor for and it was turning out to be pretty cool. I am proud of my contributions to Gopher Broke. I took the original story treatment and turned it into a functioning film narrative. I developed the beat outline, boarded quite a lot of the show and edited the first two passes of the animatic, as well as directed the early production design to settle on the look, etc. While I didn't get to enjoy being the director through to the end, I am proud that I was able to leave Jeff Fowler and the team at Blur in a position to succeed as well as they did.

3. What are the main tools and/or programs you use to create your work?

I have been suing Maya since version 1.0 and it's what I still prefer to use. I've built up quite a library of scripts and tools that help me do things the way I like in Maya. Having said that I've animated professionally for various different projects or jobs in XSi, Softimage Classic, 3DS Max, Messiah, etc. If the client or studio needs me to work in a specific tool I can do that. But when it's my choice I come back to Maya simply because I've invested so much into it that it's second nature to me.

4. What's a typical day in your life like?

Heh, I have no typical days anymore. I am a bit of a night owl so I tend to sleep in a bit. I'm usually up by 9:30, maybe some days as late as 10. I check my email, read my blogs, follow up on various communications and such. When I'm teaching an APT session I look over my students' work that may have been submitted over night and develop a critique and instruction response for them. I then usually take time out for a home cooked Brazilian lunch with my family, drive my 5 year old boy to afternoon school and run errands with my wife. We do a lot of running around for our ministry project during the day so that takes up some time. Late afternoon I'll hang out with my older kids (I have two teenage daughters) and see how they're doing. Then in the evening I'll start either working on my own projects or I'll start recording feedback and assignment videos for my APT students. I'll take a break for dinner or to go meet friends or head to a meeting about our ministry project sometimes. I'll tuck my son into bed when it's time for that, too. Then I'm usually working late into the night- about 3 or 4am usually. It's quiet then so I can get a lot done. Weekend days are interesting because we're often travelling into the forest along the remote rivers to either scout out people who need our water filters, or install them. We've driven some really rough "roads" and have gone into some pretty remote areas and seen some cool things. Life's an adventure.

5. Who or what are some of your artistic influences?

Wow, I have a lot of various influences. My biggest influences as far as a filmmaker go are Chuck Jones and Tex Avery. I'm a huge fan of Nick Park and Aardman's work, especially the work of Stefan Marjoram. I think Marc Craste at StudioAKA is doing amazing work, as well. Hitchcock is probably my favorite director. Earlier on in my animation career I was influenced a lot by Pixar- as was everybody, but lately I've been looking into new territory for inspiration. I'm falling in love with Freddy Moore's flow, Milt Kahl's control and Ward Kimball's imagination, Rob Scribner's bravery, Tim Tyer's insanity. Personally I owe a ton of thanks to some great animators that I've worked with or under. Tom Bancroft, Tim Hodge, Andres Dejas, Eric Leighton, Ken Duncan to name a few. I learned a ton about animation from those guys either directly, indirectly or even by their written notes on my submitted scenes. Then there are my peers, guys who grew up as animators at the same time I did. Mark Behm comes immediately to mind, we've worked together a few times in various studios and we still stay in touch and share ideas.

6. Would you say that you're a 3D artist who dabbles in 2D from time to time, or a 2D artist who happens to work in 3D?

I'm a 3d artist who is desperately trying to express a 2d aesthetic in his 3d work. I am not a gifted draughtsman or painter. Anything I do with a pencil or a brush is a major battle. I persists in it because there is great reward, but I persist so that I can make my 3d work better. I want my CG work to have a very strong foundation in the hand drawn and classical aesthetic.

7. What are 3 of the best things about your job, and what are 3 of the worst?

Best? Freedom. Flexibility. Exploration. Worst? Hmm. The computer. The computer and the computer. Heheh. It really is an infernal beast, but it's one I know how to use. So I have a love-hate relationship with CG in general.

8. You have so much great advice on your website, but if you had to pick one key piece of advice for aspiring animators to follow, what would it be?

Open up your mind to the possibilities of what animation can be. So much of animation today- especially in CG- is stuck in a literlalist rut. As a generation of animators we're losing our imagination and we're content to mimic or slightly stylize the real world in a pretty literal way. We have a lot of proficient technicians in the industry today, but I am afraid we're desperately short of animators who grasp the full power of what animation can do.

9. What do you see as the biggest hurdle for the animation industry to overcome in the next 5-10 years?

I think the steamroller of literalism has been set in motion and it will continue to crowd out other style voices. The mo-cap films are going to continue to grow in influence and keyframe animation is going to continue its march toward trying to look like mo-cap. The good news is that for a while there will be plenty of work for people willing to do that. But if you're a cartoon animator who loves doing something that only cartoon animation can do I'm afraid there won't be much to choose from. I think we need to recapture a sense of fun in our work. If we can get some kind of movement away from the current motion and rigging paradigms I think we have a shot at breaking free. So if I had to be concise (which I haven't been) I'd say that the biggest challenge to the animation industry in the next 5-10 years will be the risk of suffering from a kind of creative incestuousness like Disney suffered from in the late 90's. You can only let your creative gene pool so shallow before the offspring start to look like monsters. ;)

10. There is always a debate that rages about motion capture, in that some say, given certain deadlines and budgets it's the only way to go, while others feel you should NEVER use it. How do you feel about motion capture?

Well, I kinda tipped my hand in earlier questions, but I think I need to further define my previous thoughts and put them into proper context. Like any medium or style the use of mo-cap is primarily dependent upon a variety of variables. It is a valid technique with definite commercial and artistic value. As a CG Supervisor I have used and recommended mo-cap. For certain projects and certain stylistic goals it is absolutely the best tool to use, no question. If a director wants to bring a specific actor into an unreal world then mo-cap is going to be used. This trend will only increase. Where I think keyframe animators sell themselves short is in the styles of motion they're trying to animate. Much of that is dictated by their bosses, so I can't lay it all at the animator's feet. Still, it's hard to deny that a lot of keyframe animators are being used to re-create a very literal style of motion in many CG film studios. It seems that instead of marking out a distinct style of motion and performance that plays into the unique strengths and abilities of hand keyed animation, many studios are employing animators in an effort to achieve a mo-cap style of motion on puppets that would work just fine for mo-cap. In my opinion you're going to see more and more films go the way of Happy Feet or Monster House simply because that's the style of motion that executives can understand, and apparently that audiences will accept. If you're investing tens of millions of dollars and you want not just big name actor's voice but big name actor's gestures, manners and motions in your 'cartoon' then it only makes sense to get the real big name actors to give you that performance via a mo-cap suit than to hire an animator of questionable acting pedigree to rotoscope themselves acting out a scene with a miniDV camera. It only makes economic AND artistic sense to use mo-cap if that's what the producers want. The problem for hand keyed animators is that there are fewer projects being made that really *need* hand keyed animation to achieve a particular style of motion in the design.

Thank you to Mr. Lango for taking the time to answer these 10 Quick questions, and for providing such a great resource for animators everywhere! For more on Keith, visit his fine website below.

Keith Lango's Official Site

Andrew Stanton Talks WALL-E

2007-08-06T12:25:00.000-07:00

Andrew Stanton blabbed away to IGN about all things WALL-E, in their exclusive interview with... uh... Andrew Stanton.

IGN: One of the things you changed about animated movies with Finding Nemo was eliminating that ubiquitous "theme song." Is that something you did consciously, and is it something you prefer to continue with on Wall-E and future films?

Stanton: It's also a bit of a reflection of where we're at in the times. We're fans of movies just as much as anybody else, so if it annoys other people because you're seeing it too much, then it annoys us too. We might not want to do or see that kind of thing. We were very receptive to not wanting to do musical numbers or have characters break out into song, but that's been gone for so long that who knows? Maybe tomorrow we'll come out with a musical. I think we're more up for just the challenge of feeling like something is fresh and we haven't seen it before, because that's the reason anybody goes to the movies. It's really that simple drive that makes us decide what we want to do and how we're going to make it, so we may contradict ourselves all over the place, but the one thing we hopefully will always be consistent about is that we are trying to be fresh, trying to be original, and that first and foremost that the movie is good -- that it's worth the price of admission, and you forget where you were for two hours. That pretty much drives all choices, so if our choices contradict each other outside of that, it's just randomness.

I really do hate musicals, so I'm glad that this is now the exception rather than the rule in animated films. I also hate children and old people, and puppies.

Man... how I hate puppies.

IGN's interview with Andrew Stanton