A Playdate for the Imagination

Posted on January 25, 2012 by animator

The Fourth Annual Bay Area International Children’s Film Festival

This show, an annual film festival programmed especially for families, returns Saturday, Jan. 28 & Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. It will be hosted once again at the beautiful art deco theater on the former Alameda Naval Air Station, 2700 Saratoga St, Alameda.  Through the festival, children gain visual exposure to varied cultures, traditions, lives and experiences. As they come to better understand the world, children grow into thoughtful and conscious adults. The mix leans toward live action but there;s always a lot of animated films as well. Bring the kids (or just your inner one)!

Tickets, showtimes and directions are available at the BAICFF website.

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Cartoons from Croatia!

Posted on January 22, 2012 by animator

Rare program of Zagreb animation from 1957-78

The Croatian Animation Cultural Exchange presents an evening of historical animations from Croatia (1957-1978) with works by Nikola Kostelac, Vatroslav Mimica, Zlatko Grgic and more. The program is presented by Vanja Hraste who is a visiting program director of the film-club association of Croatia. Tickets range from $6 to $10.50, depending on the venue—and there are three to choose from, so you don’t have to travel very far, considering!

In the history of animated film, the Zagreb school played an outstandingly creative role. It brought together many artistic talents who all had a strong will for artistic experimenting. In many of the works the animators created a space with only two dimensions and with movements in which the character movements were reduced and abstract. In these films, the authors challanged the laws of physics and created animations closer to the art avantgarde. The Zagreb authors also brought existential and social questions into animated film with themes such as old age, death, sickness and aggression. Their importance to the world of animation is unquestioned, and if you haven’t seen these relatively rare films, now’s your chance!

San Francisco • Sunday, January 29th, 8pm
Artists’ Television Access, 992 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 824-3890,

East Bay • Saturday, February 4th, 8pm
Studio Quercus, 385 26th Street Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 452-4670

North Bay • Sunday, February 5th, 4:15pm
Christopher B. Smith Rafael Theater 1118 Fourth Street, San Rafael CA 94901
(415) 454-1222

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Marty and Hugo at Skywalker

Posted on January 18, 2012 by animator

Fabled Director Talks Tech Tuesday, Jan. 17

As part of the award season runup to the Oscars, Martin Scorsese appeared at the Skywalker Sound Theater to an audience of Guild members after a screening of his latest film. As you might expect, he had a LOT to say about it, from how the rooftops of Paris influenced his shooting choices; to his amazement at how natural sunlight could still look better than the most sweetened CGI. The biggest takeaway for this viewer, however, was the director’s apparent “surrender” to the technology. He doesn’t pretend to understand how hi-def 3-D cameras work, but he certainly knows how to make them work in the service of the story. If you haven’t seen Hugo in 3-D yet, run!–do not walk– to your local theater. This is the most heartfelt 3-D film ever made (in part because of how 3-D is applied!), and we have the most unlikely director of a “children’s film” to thank for it.

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In Case You Missed It!

Posted on January 10, 2012 by animator

 

Back by popular demand-An anime exclusive!

One of the most highly anticipated anime releases slated for 2012, Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milo continues the powerhouse manga/anime narrative allegorizing the industrial revolution in Europe. The story is set in an alternate universe where alchemy emerged as the most advanced form of science—and at the heart of the conflict is Julia, a young alchemist who will stop at nothing to restore her oppressed people to their former glory—even if that means harnessing the awful power of the Philosopher’s Stone. The anime has been a huge, crossover hit in Japan and the San Francisco Film Society brings it back to SFFS Cinema (1746 Post St.-Webster/Buchanan), January 20-26. Tickets and more info are available here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back by popular demand: THE BEST OF ANNECY
January 13 & 15 
Showtimes 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:00 

From the San Francisco Film Society: “The Annecy International Animated Film Festival, led by Serge Bromberg, who garnered the Novikof Award at this year’s San Francisco International Film Festival, is widely regarded as the most important festival for animation in Europe and as a bellwether for the evolution of one of the most creative forms in cinema.  The Best of Annecy-a reprise of the ever-popular SF International Animation Festival program-presents a dynamic and entertaining array of shorts that appeared in Annecy this year.For more information visit sffs.org.”

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Annual Winter Screening

Posted on January 5, 2012 by animator

showtime

ASIFA-SF Presents Independent Animators
Friday, January 13, 7:30 PM

It’s time once again for our annual Open Screening for Independent Animators at the Exploratorium’s McBean Theatre, We expect a great evening of new work by local artists and friends from around the globe. Anyone is welcome to bring animated/special effects work unannounced the night of the show on DVD, VHS or 16 mm. You animate it,  and we will show it.

So far we expect to show:
Leonard Cohen’s Plato plus surprises
David Chai’s Why Do We Put Up With Them?
Dan McHale’s Spear, Fish, Boat
Gene Hamm will bring work by kids at Alchemia and student work from the Academy of Art
Expect several surprises that will be brought in the night of the show unannounced.

PLUS recent films from the National Film Board of Canada
Paul Driessen (Oedipe) Oedius
Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby’s Une Vie Sauvage/Wild Life  
(les Cordes De Muybridge) Muybridge’s Strings
Patrick Doyon’s Dimanche/Sunday
Georges Schwizgebel’s Romance

This event is FREE an OPEN to the public. Come and enjoy a really fine show!

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One More Party Invite

Posted on December 18, 2011 by animator

 

ASIFA’s Annual Holiday Party & Screening
plus
Winners of the ASIFA-East Competition

Yes, it’s the Christmas Season but us animators never take the straight and narrow road. So we’ll be celebrating Christmas in January, with our annual 12th Night Potluck. Come celebrate, network, eat, drink and laugh. ASIFA-SF will provide the basics. Please feel free to add to the treats.

We’ll party with the top films from the longest running animation festival in the US, and present a tribute to our dearly departed pal and rogue, Don Albrecht, with a selection of outrageous moments from his best work. The whole shebang starts at 6pm on Sunday, January 8 at Oddball Films, 275 Capp, third floor (Capp runs between Mission and South Van Ness, on Capp near 18th St.) free, bring a friend, films start around 7:30.

This is a great show of shorts by Bill Plympton, Patrick Smith, David Levy, John Dilworth, David Chai, Mo Willems and other fine artists. The ASIFA-East awards were presented in May in NYC, and include:

BEST IN SHOW Accumulonimbus, Andy Kennedy
BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM Guard Dog Global Jam, Bill Plympton
BEST MUSIC VIDEO Dot Dot Dot: Around the World(And Back), Bryan Brinkman
BEST EDUCATIONAL FILM Sesame Street:Word on the Street, David B. Levy

INDEPENDENT FILMS
1st Place Grandpa Looked Like William Powell ,  David B. Levy
2nd Place Enrique Wrecks the World ,  David Chai
3rd Place Barko, Allison Craig

Excellence in Animation Masks, Patrick Smith
Excellence in Design Nosy Bear, Fran Krause
Excellence in Humor. Bunny Bashing, John R. Dilworth

Commissioned Over 2mins.
1st Place Danny & Annie, The Rauch Brothers
2nd Place Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, Pete List & Mo Willems
3rd Place The Human Voice, The Rauch Brothers

Excellence in Animation The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog, Pete List & Mo Willems
Excellence in Design The Buddha: Enlightenment, Asterisk Animation
Excellence in Humor Christmas Shoes, Brian Musikoff & John Kuramoto

Commissioned Under 2mins.
1st Place Chilevision La Verdad, Juan Delcan
2nd Place Midtown Twist,  Gary Lieb
3rd Place, Catalyst, Bill Plympton

Excellence in Animation Farley in Thinking of You, Greg Ford, Doug Compton, Adrian Urquidez
Excellence in Design Urban Stencil, Christi Bertelsen
Excellence in Design Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival  Bumper 2011, Vaccese & Noelle Melody

STUDENT FILMS
1st Place To Have and To Hold, Jessica Polaniecki
2nd Place Book Girl and Cabinet Girl, Jane Wu
3rd Place Prayers for Peace, Dustin Grella

OPENING FILM by Dan Meth

We will vote for the winner of our audience award after the program.

 

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Kids Making Kartoons!

Posted on December 15, 2011 by animator

“Imagine That” Screening
December 17, 2011 5:30 – 8:00 pm

“Imagine That” is an animation screening curated by Sarah Klein that features kid-made cartoons, suitable for adults, and adult-made animations fitting for kids. Featuring a variety of techniques and approaches these animations explore the limits of outer space, familiar landscapes, big places and small spaces. Before and after the show you can view the exhibition “McSweeney’s McMullens: Artwork from Children’s Books, plus 1,032 Illustrated Lunch Bags.” Doors open at 5:30 PM, show starts at 6 PM. Hot cocoa and cookies will be served.

Electric Works is at 130 8th Street San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 626-5496

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Note from NorthWest

Posted on December 11, 2011 by animator
NW ANIMATION FESTIVAL 2012: Call For Submissions

Festival Director Sven Bonnichsen gave us this heads up about a new-ish festival on the west coast:

The NW Animation Festival is now accepting entries for 2012. Films from anywhere in the world are welcome. The event will be held in Portland Oregon on the weekend of May 18-19. Early deadline December 15, final deadline April 1. See their website for details.

In our first year, we screened 78 films from 9 countries, including two from Oscar nominees. We aim to make our second year even grander. We showcase the breadth of the animation world. All methods are represented: hand-drawn, computer-generated, stop-motion, pixilation, and experimental hybrids. All styles are welcome: hilarious, heart-warming, dark, cerebral, or abstract. We make a point of showing films both from masters and remarkable amateurs.

This is a festival created by animators, for animators, and all lovers of animation. We bring together and inspire a community of artists, and expand audiences’ understanding of what can be done with the art form.

ELIGIBILITY
• Place of origin: Films may come from anywhere in the world.
• Length: Films may be of any length, short or long.
• Completion date: You may submit films made at any time during your life.
• Other festivals: You may show your work at other festivals simultaneously.
• Internet: You may show as much of your work online as you like.

You can send materials by mail, or you can submit everything electronically. For full instructions, visit our submission page.

 

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Talk to a Live Animator

Posted on December 4, 2011 by animator

lanesplitter pizza, emeryvilleStudent Reel Review in Emeryville

Here’s a great opportunity for animation students this month. Hans Brekke, a lead animator at Tippett Studios, tells us that he and several of his colleagues are starting a little venture called Reel Feedback. On the evening of Dec 15th they will review student animation demo reels. The event will be held in Emeryville at Lanesplitter Pizza, 3645 San Pablo Ave., (near MacArthur) from 7-10pm. There will be some great animators there, students can come and meet—and if you ask your humble webmaster, the thin crust pizza can’t be beat.

For more details, visit the Reel Feedback site. This is a fantastic opportunity and sounds like a great way to spend a Thursday in the East Bay.

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16mm Christmas

Posted on November 23, 2011 by animator

The Psychotronix Film Festival
Saturday December 3,  7pm

KFJC-FM presents another of their wild and wacky film fundraisers at Foothill College, with a predictable Holiday tinge. As always, collectors from the Bay Area assemble a show of “16mm films, the vinyl of visuals, an archaic medium that brings us wondrous images of a near forgotten time. Antiquated commercials, neglected cartoons, previews from old movies, various short subjects which may have been intentionally educational then that are now just unintentionally funny.”

In addition to the films, there’s always great fun with an enthusiastic crowd, goofy giveaways, and host Robert Emmett to steer the proceedings. Get there early for a good seat, it’s always a sellout!

Room 5015 on the Foothill Campus in Los Gatos. See the map here and look for Building 5000 off Parking Lot 5. There will be a $5.00 donation which benefits KFJC, and you’ll need 8 quarters for a parking permit.

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