Poll: Best Animated Films of the Decade

I took a look at this list and couldn't believe all these films came out just in the last 10 years. I suddenly feel a lot older. And I haven't seen the bulk of these movies. Many I intentionally skipped, but now I have a bucket list of animation features I really should watch (Fantastic Mr. Fox, Secret of Kells, Persepolis, The Illusionist, Triplettes of Bellville, and Bill Plympton's features Hair High and Idiots & Angels). It's embarrassing to admit I haven't seen some of those. Almost as embarrassing as some of the ones I did see. Some more than once. Usually due to circumstances beyond my control.

So follow the link and pick your top 15 before December 27.

Twi-ing too hard?

I can't sleep so I thought I'd share an observation I made earlier today at Best Buy.

If you buy the Twilight: Eclipse DVD/Blu-ray as the 2-disc Special Edition, the actors on the cover gaze back at you at eye-level.


But if you decide to save a few bucks and go for just the single-disc edition, the actors look down at you in scornful disapproval.

Niquitin Mini's TV Spot

I didn't think this was online anywhere but I stumbled across it today. I worked on this ad about two years ago at The Orphanage. It was part of a series of spots directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, of Dexter's Laboratory and Samurai Jack fame. It was a fun style to work in and definitely cool to be working with/for an animation icon like Genndy.


Niquitin Minis Advert

Animation Show of Shows

If you can catch it, this is a pretty cool traveling collection of animated short films. Ron Diamond puts it on and usually has a couple of the filmmakers with him to discuss their stuff. Last year I got to meet Cordell Barker who was screening his short Runaway. I got him to sign a DVD copy of his Oscar-nominated The Cat Came Back, which I've always loved since I was a kid.

Below is this year's playbill and the screening schedule is here.

Back to Tippett's

If this were an actual blog it would be a pretty terrible one. Why do I even have this?

Well since I do I might as well say hey, I'm back at Tippett Studio for a stint. Working once again with some unbelievably talented folks. I'll leave you with a sketch of the Godfather himself, Mr. Phil Tippett drawn by my current Animation Supervisor. Click the pic to see more animators' doodles of the big guy on his facebook page.

UPDATE: Just launched today - Phil's YouTube channel! Lot's of great interviews, behind-the-scenes "making of" clips, and animation tests!

Sims 3: Late Night Trailer

I may or may not have been spending my summer working on this EP...

The Survival Kit expands...

This may be kind of old news, but I just found out there is a new revised/expanded edition of Dick Williams' Animator's Survival kit with an extra 40+ pages tacked on.



Check out some samples from it here and here.

I just ordered my copy to arrive tomorrow so I can study up over the weekend. Rock on!