Disney has released a sneak peek of its upcoming and highly awaited 2D Animated Feature - The Princess And The Frog. All i want to say it its looks beautiful and so very refreshing.
See it for yourself.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Disney's New 2D Animated Feature Trailer - The Princess And The Frog
Disney has released a sneak peek of its upcoming and highly awaited 2D Animated Feature - The Princess And The Frog. All i want to say it its looks beautiful and so very refreshing.
See it for yourself.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Teaser - Pixar's UP
Heres a bit of a dope(totally fresh) on Pixar's next feature UP. Looks extremely entertaining and promising.
Cant wait for more such teasers/trailers. Keep watching this space for more.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Spline Doctor's Spline Cast with Doug Sweetland Part 1
Spline Doctors has released a new Spline Cast with Doug Sweetland, the director of the new Pixar short, PRESTO ! Doug Sweetland is a director/animator for Pixar. He has worked on many Pixar films, and was nominated for an Annie Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Character Animation for Toy Story 2. He has recently made his directorial debut for Pixar with the short film, Presto.
Its a wonderful Spline Cast hearing both Andrew Gordon and Doug speak, where Doug shares his experiences, his journey into animation and loads of interesting stuff which i am sure you don't wanna miss. This is Part 1 of a 2 part series.
So what are you waiting for, get the Spline Cast right here.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Weekly Movie Recommendations : 26th July 2008 - 1st August 2008
American Gangster (2007)Genre - Crime/Drama/Thriller
Cast - Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe
Whats It About - In 1970s America, a detective works to bring down the drug empire of Frank Lucas, a heroin kingpin from Manhattan, who is smuggling the drug into the country from the Far East.
Why To Watch It - Washington (Training Day) and Crowe (Gladiator) lead a spectacular cast of accomplished and rising stars--Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Josh Brolin, Ted Levine, Armand Assante, John Ortiz, John Hawkes, RZA, Common and T.I.--in this blistering tale of a true American entrepreneur directed by Oscar® nominee Ridley Scott (Gladiator) and produced by Academy Award® winner Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind) and Scott from a screenplay by Academy Award® winner Steven Zaillian (Schindler's List).
American Gangster is a gritty and entertaining throwback to classic gangster films, with its lead performers firing on all cylinders.
A sneak peek -
Cast - Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe
Whats It About - In 1970s America, a detective works to bring down the drug empire of Frank Lucas, a heroin kingpin from Manhattan, who is smuggling the drug into the country from the Far East.
Why To Watch It - Washington (Training Day) and Crowe (Gladiator) lead a spectacular cast of accomplished and rising stars--Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Josh Brolin, Ted Levine, Armand Assante, John Ortiz, John Hawkes, RZA, Common and T.I.--in this blistering tale of a true American entrepreneur directed by Oscar® nominee Ridley Scott (Gladiator) and produced by Academy Award® winner Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind) and Scott from a screenplay by Academy Award® winner Steven Zaillian (Schindler's List).
American Gangster is a gritty and entertaining throwback to classic gangster films, with its lead performers firing on all cylinders.
A sneak peek -
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Weekly Movie Recommendations : 19th July 2008 - 25th July 2008
White Heat(1949)Genre - Heist, Action, Adventure
Cast - James Cagney, Virginia Mayo
Whats It About - Cody Jarrett is the sadistic leader of a ruthless gang of thieves. Afflicted by terrible headaches and fiercely devoted to his 'Ma,' Cody is a volatile, violent, and eccentric leader. Cody's top henchman wants to lead the gang and attempts to have an 'accident' happen to Cody, while he is running the gang from in jail. But Cody is saved by an undercover cop, who thereby befriends him and infiltrates the gang. Finally, the stage is set for Cody's ultimate betrayal and downfall, during a big heist at a chemical plant.
Why To Watch It - One of the top gangster movie of all times.
Enjoy a bit of the heat right here -
Friday, July 11, 2008
Weekly Movie Recommendations : 12th July 2008 - 18th July 2008
Orfanato, El(The Orphanage)(2007)Genre - Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Language - Spanish (DVD will have English sub-titles)
Cast - Belen Rueda, Roger Princep, Fernando Cayo
Whats It About - A woman brings her family back to her childhood home, where she opens an orphanage for handicapped children. Before long, her son starts to communicate with an invisible new friend.
Why To Watch It - Before i begin with the review, i have to confess that i am not a very big fan of horror movies, not that i don't like them but for the very simple reason that horror movies are a niche segment, which if not handled properly can be extremely bad or more of a comedy than horror. As like in other genres its the subtle stuff which lingers in audience's mind for which a delicate treatment is required to really understand the audience's psyche. If its too in your face audience might get shocked(not scared) and if its too ignored, it will taste more of drama than horror. And so far there has been very few, actually just a handful which actually communicated the sense of horror the way it should be. The Orphanage is among the few.
The Orphanage is one of those rare horror movies, which is truly disturbing and unsettling. And this is not just during the film but even afterwards the story and the events will remain in your mind much after the movie comes to an end. And is what is truly wonderful is that it chills your spine without showing any gory creatures or blood. This is the true power of film making. Just with the performances, the background sound, the camera angles used, the pace of the movie, the timing of the occurrence of events and doing the editing sensibly we virtually take our audiences in a completely different world. Add to it that its in a different language, Spanish, it proves emotions and impeccable film making has really no language. A person feeling scared will appear scared without any need of dialogs or whether the film is made in English or Spanish or French, provided of course it has been executed well.
But what makes The Orphanage an even greater achievement is its insistence on being more than just a superficial scare-fest. The film makers are more interested in deeper themes of memory, loss, and grief, establishing the lead character as a mother who feels guilt over not being able to protect her child from outside forces. The result is a film that is both unsettling and moving. The Orphanage is morbid yet beautiful !
At your own risk, have a glimpse of The Orphanage right here -
Language - Spanish (DVD will have English sub-titles)
Cast - Belen Rueda, Roger Princep, Fernando Cayo
Whats It About - A woman brings her family back to her childhood home, where she opens an orphanage for handicapped children. Before long, her son starts to communicate with an invisible new friend.
Why To Watch It - Before i begin with the review, i have to confess that i am not a very big fan of horror movies, not that i don't like them but for the very simple reason that horror movies are a niche segment, which if not handled properly can be extremely bad or more of a comedy than horror. As like in other genres its the subtle stuff which lingers in audience's mind for which a delicate treatment is required to really understand the audience's psyche. If its too in your face audience might get shocked(not scared) and if its too ignored, it will taste more of drama than horror. And so far there has been very few, actually just a handful which actually communicated the sense of horror the way it should be. The Orphanage is among the few.
The Orphanage is one of those rare horror movies, which is truly disturbing and unsettling. And this is not just during the film but even afterwards the story and the events will remain in your mind much after the movie comes to an end. And is what is truly wonderful is that it chills your spine without showing any gory creatures or blood. This is the true power of film making. Just with the performances, the background sound, the camera angles used, the pace of the movie, the timing of the occurrence of events and doing the editing sensibly we virtually take our audiences in a completely different world. Add to it that its in a different language, Spanish, it proves emotions and impeccable film making has really no language. A person feeling scared will appear scared without any need of dialogs or whether the film is made in English or Spanish or French, provided of course it has been executed well.
But what makes The Orphanage an even greater achievement is its insistence on being more than just a superficial scare-fest. The film makers are more interested in deeper themes of memory, loss, and grief, establishing the lead character as a mother who feels guilt over not being able to protect her child from outside forces. The result is a film that is both unsettling and moving. The Orphanage is morbid yet beautiful !
At your own risk, have a glimpse of The Orphanage right here -
Thursday, July 10, 2008
My Class 1 Progress Demo Reel as a Student At AnimationMentor.com
Finally !!!
After months of delay, a little bit of laziness, a little bit of procrastination, but a lot of time really busy with my Animation Mentor classes, here is my Class 1 work of 3 months ! Though by now i should be putting up my Class 3 work, i needed to make a start somewhere at least. So instead of waiting, till i make my Class 2 and Class 3 work, ready for public consumption, i thought of putting it up in parts.
Class 1 is called Basic Foundation and as the name suggests, its really about getting the basics right which will serve as a foundation for our future work as an animator. Though these basic skills will continue to grow and refine as we gain more experience by working, at least a certain level is desired and is helpful, in order to go forward into more advanced stuff.
For a layman who has no knowledge about animation and is purely watching it from an audience standpoint, there is not much entertainment and story in the following animations. Like i said these are just the basic on which the more interesting stuff will be built upon. Though for some one in the field of animation, he/she should be able to see what the various animations are about and what i was trying to achieve through these animations.
P.S. - I am not very sure if the playback speed/frame rate is same as the original one. If you find if its too slow or too fast, please let me know. I am still figuring out better ways for uploading movies. Thanks!
After months of delay, a little bit of laziness, a little bit of procrastination, but a lot of time really busy with my Animation Mentor classes, here is my Class 1 work of 3 months ! Though by now i should be putting up my Class 3 work, i needed to make a start somewhere at least. So instead of waiting, till i make my Class 2 and Class 3 work, ready for public consumption, i thought of putting it up in parts.
Class 1 is called Basic Foundation and as the name suggests, its really about getting the basics right which will serve as a foundation for our future work as an animator. Though these basic skills will continue to grow and refine as we gain more experience by working, at least a certain level is desired and is helpful, in order to go forward into more advanced stuff.
For a layman who has no knowledge about animation and is purely watching it from an audience standpoint, there is not much entertainment and story in the following animations. Like i said these are just the basic on which the more interesting stuff will be built upon. Though for some one in the field of animation, he/she should be able to see what the various animations are about and what i was trying to achieve through these animations.
P.S. - I am not very sure if the playback speed/frame rate is same as the original one. If you find if its too slow or too fast, please let me know. I am still figuring out better ways for uploading movies. Thanks!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Ten Short Movies and Interviews with the Director
Came across this collection of 10 Short Movies each with its unique style in terms of story, narration and the way the story has been presented and communicated. Also included are the interviews with each of the directors about their creative process, their views on their movies and so on.
Very interesting diverse collection of short movies and interviews.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
New Animation Podcast : Ken Duncan Part Three
Animation Podcasts releases its 3rd part of the Podcast with Ken Duncan.
Quote from the podcast -
“It’s really great trying something out and then seeing how people react and if they don’t kind of react the way you think they should, it’s wise to be honest with yourself and try to analyze the work.”
In this final part of the interview, Ken shares more of his experiences on Hercules and Tarzan as well as futher insights in to his approaches to performance and how he approaches running his own animation studio.Ken Duncan owns Duncan Studio in Pasadena, CA. Before that he animated Meg in Hercules, Jane in Tarzan, Capt. Amelia and Scroop in Treasure Planet, and he served as a sequence supervisor on Dreamworks’ Sharktale.
Get the MP3 here
(40.2MB, 1:27:39 minutes)
Or get the enhanced version playable only with Quicktime, iTunes, or iPods.
(Includes chapter breaks, pictures and links in addition to the audio.)
Get the enhanced podcast here.
(42.2MB, 1:27:39 minutes)
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Wall-E Vignettes #5 : Pixar's new short animations featuring Wall-E
Wall-E playing with Fire Hydrant !
Animation Mentor 3rd Webinar : Demo Reel DOS and DONTS with Carlos Baena
Animation Mentor.com the online animation school is hosting its 3rd Webinar and this time its with another co-founder and PIXAR animator, Carlos Baena.
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Carlos Baena, to common mistakes animators make when creating their demo reels and how to tailor your demo reel to stand out from the rest.
Carlos Baena, a veteran animator, currently works at PIXAR Animation Studios in Emeryville, California. His movie credits include FINDING NEMO, THE INCREDIBLES, CARS, RATATOUILLE, and the upcoming PIXAR movie WALL-E. He was nominated for the coveted 2006 Annie Award for his Individual Achievement for Character Animation in a Feature Production on CARS.
What is a Webinar : A webinar is a web conference silmilar to a live seminar where the presenter engages the audience through a webcam and image - based presentations. A webinar is a very collaborative experience that includes a question & answer session and interactive participation from the audience.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Weekly Movie Recommendations : 5th July 2008 - 11th July 2008
Magnolia (1999)Genre - Drama
Cast - Tom Cruise, Julianne Moore, William H.Macy, John C.Reilly, Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Whats It About - An epic mosaic of several interrelated characters in search of happiness, forgiveness, and meaning in the San Fernando Valley.
Why To Watch It - Apart from a stellar cast, the way the director shows how each character's life gets entwined with other is sheer brilliance.
Director Paul Thomas Anderson's follow-up to BOOGIE NIGHTS is an extravagant, emotional epic inspired by such films as Robert Altman's NASHVILLE and SHORT CUTS, with a sprawling cast of characters searching for love and meaning in a chaotic world. The cast delivers uniformly excellent performances, most notably Tom Cruise's Oscar-nominated role as the sleazy Frank T.J. Mackey.
Each one of the lead roles has played their part to perfection thereby enhancing the already magnificent character development, plot and acting.
Have a preview right here -
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Weekly Movie Recommendations : 28th June 2008 - 4th July 2008
Michael Clayton (2007)Genre - Crime/Drama/Thriller
Cast - George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Sydney Pollack, Tilda Swinton
Whats It About - An attorney known as the Fixer in his law firm comes across the biggest case of his career that could produce disastrous results for those involved.
Why Should I Watch It - Clooney delivers a rich performance as a hangdog and haunted man who wants to stay on the side of good, but is a little too skilled at moral margin-walking to make that an easy choice in every situation. Swinton glows as a secretly frail Amazon who somehow won't let a tortured conscience prevent her from getting ahead. The final third of the film is as suspenseful as any courtroom drama, without ever resorting to legal-thriller cliches.
Watch a bit right here -
Cast - George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Sydney Pollack, Tilda Swinton
Whats It About - An attorney known as the Fixer in his law firm comes across the biggest case of his career that could produce disastrous results for those involved.
Why Should I Watch It - Clooney delivers a rich performance as a hangdog and haunted man who wants to stay on the side of good, but is a little too skilled at moral margin-walking to make that an easy choice in every situation. Swinton glows as a secretly frail Amazon who somehow won't let a tortured conscience prevent her from getting ahead. The final third of the film is as suspenseful as any courtroom drama, without ever resorting to legal-thriller cliches.
Watch a bit right here -
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