Lollipop Animation

Animation Art - What is Animation Art?

2010-08-17T09:40:00.003Z

Animation Art
Animation Art is a term used to describe the art used in creating animated cartoons and features. "Animation art" most often refers to the cels (often misspelled "cells" from the old celluloid that was used in the 20s) used in creating animated cartoons and animated features like Disney's classic "Snow White And The Seven Dwarves." But strictly speaking, it can refer to any art that is based on animation - from the original artists' drawings and production cels to limited edition reproductions.

The Animation Process
To begin to understand animation art, you need to understand the classic methods of producing animated films. In it's simplest form, an artist called an "animator" draws a series of images on paper. Each image makes up a "frame" of the final film. The frames are shown to audiences at a rate of 18 to 24 frames per second to produce an illusion of motion, just as you might see in a child's flip-book. Once the animator has drawn the images on paper, the outlines are traced onto sheets of clear celluloid - hence the term "cels". Then the cels are painted to give them color. One by one, the cels are photographed in sequence to produce the final product - an animated cartoon or feature film. The cels and backgrounds were designed to be used once and then quite literally thrown away. Disney began to purposely preserve a selection of production art starting with the 1937 animated feature "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves." The Courvoisier Galleries, an art gallery in San Franciso, teamed with Disney at that time to create a series of artwork by carefully reproducing the original hand-painted backgrounds and matching them with original production cels.

Modern animation
Over the past 20 years, animation studios have begun to produce their films using computers instead of relying on people to trace drawings and paint cels. They still create the original hand-drawn images, but instead of tracing them or transferring them to cels xerographically, the drawings are scanned into computers where they can be colored and otherwise edited. Many of today's animated films, like those produced by Pixar, are produced entirely on computers, except for the concept drawings and designs which are still hand drawn, and becoming more and more collectible and valuable.

People have been collecting animation art since the late 1930's, following the release of "Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs" in 1938 when the Courvoisier Gallery of San Francisco started to sell them in special presentation set-ups with reproduction matching backgrounds. The genre peaked in the 1980's and 1990's with the rebirth of interest in Disney movies and memoribelia, thanks to films like "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" in 1988 and "The Little Mermaid" in 1989. By its very nature, of course, original animation art is a scarce commodity. Each original production cel is one-of-a-kind. While prices have slightly declined in the last 10 years, selecting a piece of quality animation art is still a significant investment for most people. So it's important to understand what makes one cel more valuable than another, and how to select a piece of animation art that's right for you.

Collecting Animation Art
The first principle of collecting animation art is to only buy pieces that please you. Whether it's just the sheer beauty of the artwork, or the fact that the image brings back happy memories, if you buy art that pleases you, you can never make a bad investment. As the poet John Keats wisely wrote, "a thing of beauty is a joy forever". Amen to that. But it is the case that not all animation art holds its original value, any more than any other commodity. Their values rise and fall in the marketplace due to many factors. So buying the art that you really like is fundamental to successful collecting.

Further, from a cold, objective, purely monetary point of view, all animation cels are not created equal. Many factors are involved, but the most important aspects include the relative popularity of the character(s) depicted amomg collectors, the integrity or completeness of the image of each character (full-figure, face forward, eyes open), whether or not the cel has been trimmed to fit the mat, and the presence of a matching background. Naturally, the physical condition of the cel is also a vital component. Cels are often fragile, and it is common to find them with fine cracks or drop-outs in the paint. Fortunately, they can often be repaired and restored to look like new again. Production art, particularly original production cels, are the most valuable because they were created by the original studio artists and actually used to make the film.

Amazing Tape Deck Art

2010-08-14T10:45:00.002Z

Just stunning artwork that we discovered recently. Let us know if you like it too.

It's been a while

2010-08-14T09:05:00.003Z

We'll we've been busy little bees since the last post. Sooooooooo much news to fill you in on.

The biggest news is our sister site www.art247.com has gone from strength to strength and now lists over 1,000 artists work and over 100,000 unique prints. Not to mention mugs, t-shirts and canvases.

Also our Ely gallery is in it's 5th year and just seems to be busier and busier.

Before long, we're gonna need a bigger store!

Let's try a little experiment

2008-04-16T15:24:00.003Z

So I heard of this experiment about getting a million blogs to appear in this list. So this is our post to say we're IN. In fact we're in the top 500, which is pretty good if you ask me. D'ya think we'll make the million? Who knows? But if you're a blogger then jojn up too and spread the good word.

alt="Get listed at www.millionbloglist.com" width="173" height="35" />

Flipping the bird

2007-08-08T14:11:00.000Z

Ok so this isn't actually animated, but it's so freakin' sweet I just had to upload it. The editing it awesome so that'll have to do for a reason. Idle hands are the devil's tools. Hope you enjoy.

Kiss my...

2007-08-03T09:48:00.000Z

Here's a great little short from one of my all time favourite animators Bill Plymton. (Remember those old nik naks adverts? So good). Anyway, hope you like. This one is educational so listen up, take notes, they'll be questions at the end.

Who you calling Idiot?

2007-06-02T15:20:00.000Z

Here's a great little short from our friends at Enjoy Studios

There's much more to come from Giant Herb and Jasper the Cat (I used to have a cat called Jasper. Now HE was an idiot), so stay tuned. We'll be bringing you the next installment as and when.

Mario gets the canvas treatment

2007-05-23T12:49:00.000Z

Being Video game junkies here at Lollipop, not to mention Super Mario obsessives, when we saw this we absolutely HAD to have it. My lounge wall is getting the Mario treatment next month.

Todays Favourite Blog

2007-03-27T14:03:00.000Z

From time to time we come across another blog that we like the look of and think that you will too.

Here's one from the creator of Bob the Builder and our personal favourite Frankenstein's Cat.

http://badablingthing.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

Mad Monkey Mayhem

2007-01-25T16:53:00.000Z

One of our regular visitors has just sent us this little link (Thank you Tobias). Well worth a look, enjoy!

http://www.goblins-medias.com/annecy2006/burning_safari_LAN.mov

The REAL use for Post it notes

2007-01-06T16:02:00.000Z

post-it
Uploaded by sabo-tage

Nintendo Wii eat your heart out

2007-01-06T14:20:00.000Z

This one's a little different to our usual video, but no less impressive. You've now seen what the Nintendo Wii is capeable of. Well what's next for gamers? The answer is right here.

Motion capture
Uploaded by Youpinadi

Giggedy Goo - Family Guy Back in Production

2007-01-06T14:04:00.000Z

After being locked out for a couple months, the writers of Fox’s hit animated series Family Guy are back at work, according to Daily Variety. The trade reports that scribes started penning season six episodes on Wednesday as 20th Century Fox and series creator Seth McFarlane begin to make headway in their drawn-out contract negotiations.

MacFarlane, whose current contract expires soon, is expected to make out nicely in his new overall deal with Fox. The network has been extemely pleased with the TV ratings and DVD success of Family Guy and McFarlane’s other irreverent toon series, American Dad. He and Ricky Blitt also have a live-action comedy titled The Winner set up with the company.

The production stall may delay the premiere of the 2007-08 season of Family Guy, but there is speculation that Fox may pump more money into the show to maker sure episodes are ready for fans next fall.

Check out Lollipop Animation's current selection of Family Guy Art Here

Joe Barbera Passes away

2006-12-19T08:34:00.000Z

It is with great sadness that we let you know that legendary animation director, Joe Barbera, passed away on Monday, December 18th. Mr. Barbera was an icon in the world of animation and he will be greatly missed by his friends, colleagues and the fans of animation. The characters and the amazing body of work will live on forever.

We at Lollipop Animation will dearly miss him.

Drawing Pad with a difference

2006-12-04T15:41:00.000Z

I can't take the credit for finding this one. But it's just amazing and so we think you'll love it too.

Let me know what you think.

Kiwi's big adventure

2006-11-14T08:35:00.000Z

Enjoy this little CGI gem. Lots of fun.

Cartoon Network Enrolls in Class of 3000

2006-11-04T14:15:00.000Z

Joe Strike chats with Tom Lynch about collaborating with André “3000” Benjamin on Cartoon Network’s new animated series, Class of 3000.

When the number one name in “tween” TV joins forces with a multitalented musician/performer in a field neither one has experience in, it’s hard to predict the results — or fathom the reason for the effort in the first place. Is it an ego trip for all involved, a serious commitment to a new medium, or a use-my-name-and-collect-the-check exercise in dilettantism?
All indications are that Class of 3000, the new animated series premiering Nov. 3, 2006, on Cartoon Network is the real deal: two creative kingpins — TV producer Tom Lynch and musician André “3000” Benjamin — collaborating on a genre-stretching project that’s taking them and the medium they’ve chosen in new directions.

With a 20-year record as the king of ‘tween programming, Lynch was looking for a new world or two to conquer. Beginning with Kids Incorporated in 1984, Lynch is responsible for some of the most successful live-action shows aimed at the 9-12 age group, including Nickelodeon’s The Secret World of Alex Mack. It was on a trip to Atlanta to pitch some projects at Turner when Lynch sat down with an old friend — Adult Swim’s Mike Lazzo.

As Lynch recounts the conversation, “Mike asked me what I wanted to do next. I told him I really wanted to do an animated show, and I want to have some music in it. He said, ‘great, you have a pilot with us — do what you want to do.’

“We started talking about artists we liked — he was talking about animators, I was talking about musicians. It was the kind of conversation you have with people you’ve known a long time about what’s moving you artistically.”

Music-wise, the two men discovered they shared an enthusiasm for the hip-hop duo Outkast, and the half of it known as André “3000” Benjamin in particular. After various people called other peoples’ people, Benjamin met with Lynch and Lazzo for a three-way, three-hour get together. As a Grammy-winning musician (Speakerboxxx/The Love Below), film actor (Idlewild), painter and clothing designer, Benjamin obviously had an excess of "free time" on his hands. The meeting ended with Benjamin signing on to the project with the suggestion that the show be set in Atlanta, his (and Cartoon Network’s) hometown.

It was the beginning of a two-and a-half-year development process, the first year of which consisted of Lynch and Benjamin brainstorming ideas and considering different visual styles. The project quickly outgrew its original Adult Swim conception. “I always wanted to do a show about a kids’ point of view of the denizens of the night around them,” Lynch recalls. “Street people always had a great fascination for me. It was originally rougher and harder, but as we talked it evolved into more of a regular type of show.” It was Michael Ouweleen [Cartoon Network’s svp/creative director] who said, ‘Guys, we’re going to get a much bigger audience if you do this in primetime.’ André said ‘Okay, but it has to be the most edgy show in primetime.’”

While several earlier Lynch shows (including Alex Mack, Galidor and The Journey of Alan Strange) featured CGI effects, Class of 3000 would be his first animated 2D effort. “I really had a lot to learn,” Lynch admits. “Cartoon Network gave me Joe Horne who had an incredible résumé, including Teamo Supremo and The Boondocks, and going back to Pee-Wee’s Playhouse — a really great, eclectic collection of shows. I told him ‘you’re going to have to teach André and me. This is a new area for us.’
Horne became the project’s production supervisor and director. Nonetheless, Lynch confesses to “making every mistake anybody could make, and adding some new ones” on his road to creating a 2D series. “I think my worst one was when the cut came back [from overseas animation]. I looked at it and said, ‘Okay, I have some rewrites.’ They said, ‘Uhhh, you get some retakes… ’ I had thought retakes meant whole scenes, but it was only moments or close-ups. That was an education right there, because in live-action I rewrite all the way through post-production, I change everything all the time.”

While not an animation “playa,” Benjamin had some definite ideas about the look he wanted. “We didn’t know a lot about animation, but not knowing gave us a kind of innocence. We were familiar with the shows that were on Cartoon Network already, and they had a certain style of their own — really boxy and squarey, like Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi. We wanted a different kind of flow; we wanted our show to look different. I think that gave us the original spark of “let’s have a flowy kind of look.”

Creating that “flowy” look fell to character designer David Colman and art director Valerio Ventura. Eighteen different designers tried their hand at the show’s characters before Colman (who worked on and ) came along. Lynch admits that “André and I are very focused on what we want, but we didn’t have their language. They had to interpret what we were asking for. André wanted it to be cool and original looking; my notes were that it had to have a lyricism, a movement and body style almost like musical notes.”

Colman’s characters hit the bull’s eye. There isn’t a straight line among the curvy, willowy cast of characters, all of whom look like they could indeed flow rather than walk across the frame. Filling those frames are the show’s jazzy spotted backgrounds, the work of Valerio Ventura, the show’s supervising art director. Ventura’s credits include visual development on Disney features dating back to The Rescuers Down Under, but for Class of 3000, he put the (not-quite) finished art on a table, and according to Lynch literally threw paint across them Jackson Pollock-style. “It’s a contemporary design that gives the frames a depth and dimension. We loved it.”

While Colman finalized the look of the characters, Benjamin’s childhood experiences and friendships helped develop their personalities, not unlike the way Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor’s younger days inspired their Fat Albert and Pryor’s Place Saturday morning shows. “I was telling Tommy about how I grew up,” Benjamin relates, “and he’s like, ‘oh, that’s it! There’s a character right there’.” Those characters include among others, soft-spoken, rich kid Eddie, boy genius Philly Phil, tough but kind-hearted Tamika and André’s youthful stand-in Li’l D. According to Lynch, “André told me how he took a bus two to three miles to school because his mother wanted him to go to a school with music in another section of town. I said that’s great, that’s our lead character.” “My mom was smart enough to send me to school in Buckhead,” explains Benjamin, “I guess you would call it the place to be in Atlanta. I’m in school with the mayor’s kids, my friends were East Indian, people from France. I was getting all kinds of influences and I thought it would be cool to have these different types of characters, different nationalities coming together as music. Everybody loves music, you know.”

Class of 3000 is the story of disaffected superstar Sunny Bridges (voiced by Benjamin himself) who abandons his career to teach a class of musical prodigies. “These are regular kids that are gifted, but they’re still regular kids,” he continues. “It’s kind of a coming of age story, and on this series we’re coming of age through music. I think this show presents a really whimsical, fun side of life that we haven’t seen since Peanuts.”

3000’s characters are voiced by cartoon vets (SpongeBob SquarePants), Phil LaMarr (Samurai Jack), Jennifer Hale (PowerPuff Girls), Crystal Scales (Jimmy Neutron), Janice Kawaye (Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi) and Jeff Glen Bennett (Johnny Bravo). The key role of Li’l D went to Small Fire, an Atlanta comedienne from Benjamin’s old neighborhood. “She was the local tomboy — she would beat us in basketball,” Benjamin says. He had been thinking of her for the role from the start, and finding her was relatively simple: “My mom went to her mom’s house to ask where she was.”
Lynch brought veteran animation scripter Patric Verrone (Futurama, The Simpsons, The Critic) aboard as the series’ story editor. However, his and Benjamin’s greatest coup may have been lining up an all-star roster of “guest art directors” from both within and without the animation world. Each episode features a music video sequence with its own unique look, set to an original André 3000 tune. Talent on the order of Ren & Stimpy’s , comics artist and illustrator Bill Sienkiewicz, cartoonist Kyle Baker and Aeon Flux creator Peter Chung will be overseeing segments that Benjamin compares to “mini-Fantasias” within each episode.

According to Lynch, the artists all were given free reign; staying “on model” was strictly optional. “We don’t want that. We’re encouraging them to bring own game to it that will still work in the body of our storytelling. We told John K, take our characters and make them yours, which is exactly what he did. Peter Chung did a sci-fi version — it became a Mission: Impossible number. We’re doing a half hour show, not 11 minute cartoons; character and story are very important and André writes his songs to make sure they’re still continuing with the story.

“We have a couple of guys coming in from painting, famous artists. I can’t tell you who because we’re waiting to see if their work translates into animation. It will be interesting, and we’re always trying to push it further. We may trip a little bit but I think overall we’re going to come up with something esthetically pleasing and artistic, and set a new tone for it all.”

Beyond the music videos, Atlanta native and B-52s band member Pat Irwin oversees the show’s score with Benjamin. “André wanted an Atlanta/southern vibe to the music,” says Lynch, “and Pat helps bring that. André supervises all the music, he does a song every week and did the theme song.

“A lot of these projects where a celebrity of his stature is involved, people think he’s just putting his name on, but he’s involved with every story idea with me, every design idea, every music video idea. He does his own voice too. It wasn’t a vanity project for him — he’s showing up for it, not just slacking off.”

In fact, André “3000” Benjamin’s personal stake in Class of 3000 is unmistakable. “It’s kind of like a rebel thing,” he says. “I guess it’s the Ted Turner spirit in me. They told Ted he could never do it in the South, and look at what he’s done.

“I always like to prove people wrong, man. We’ve seen New York streets, we’ve seen L.A. streets, but there’s never been a show from here. This whole Cartoon Network opportunity came to me — I wasn’t sitting at home saying, ‘I want to do an animated show’ — it organically came together.”

Benjamin goes on to reveal another aspect to his hopes for the series: “There’s a kind of ‘save the music’ spirit in the show. Right now they’re taking music programs out of schools, and I think music’s a key part of life. As a kid, you have so many influences. A kid can look at Li’l D drumming and say, ‘Mom, I want a drum set,’ or look at Madison and say, ‘Man, she’s cool. I want to play her violin. Hey mom, get me a violin!’ I think kids are going to be impressed that normal kids they’d want to hang out with are playing the harp, the violin, a big trumpet or something like that. I think that’s going to be inspiring to them.

“So it’s not all gags and funny, even though that’s a huge part of what we do. But I think people will be able to feel the realness in it, too. One of my main goals in the show is to have kids grow up and when they’re 25, 30 years old. think back, “Man, do you remember when Class of 3000 was on? Do you remember this song?”

Sorce: AWN.com - Joe Strike is a regular contributor to AWN. His animation articles also appear in the NY Daily News and the New York Press.

Learn How to Pitch with Rita Street!

2006-10-30T14:01:00.000Z

If you have a great idea for an animated TV series and happen to be in Los Angeles on December 4, you’re in luck. Animation industry expert Rita Street (CEO of Radar Cartoons, producer of upcoming Nelvana series Ruby Gloom) will host a seminar on how to sell an animated TV show in West Hollywood.

Sponsored by Media Bistro, this highly informative seminar costs $65 per person and covers all the ins and outs of pitching a toon to TV execs. Street will cover how to create strong character profiles and present a winning sales bible that helps a buyer visualize your unique concepts. She’s also offers tips and tricks on getting your toon ideas to the right people and offer samples from successful bibles. Other topics include an overview of co-production deals, the advantages of selling a show to indie production companies, and how to package your toon if it’s based on a game, toy or even a popular t-shirt brand.

If you happen to have a cool concept for a TV toon, you’d be wise to sign up for this informative and very useful seminar (and we’re not just saying that because we think Rita is awesome!). To find out more about this event, visit www.mediabistro.com.

Source: www.animationmagazine.com

Shakespeare seals his own fate

2006-10-30T13:56:00.000Z

Today sees the limited theatrical debut of Phil Nibbelink’s independently produced 2D-animated feature, Romeo & Juliet: Sealed With a Kiss. More than five years in the making, the pic was animated entirely by Nibbelink, a former Disney Animator, who used Flash to facilitate his hand-drawn, 2D style.

In Romeo & Juliet: Sealed With a Kiss, Shakespeare’s classic of star-crossed lovers from warring families is retold with seals. When Juliet's father gives her hand in marriage to the monstrous elephant seal Prince, Juliet must fake her death in order to be reunited with Romeo. The plan goes afoul, however, and our heroes embark on a desperate race against time with some help from friends Friar Lawrence and a kissing fish named Kissy.

While at Disney, Nibbelink animated on The Fox and the Hound, The Black Cauldron, Basil the Great Mouse Detective and Oliver and Company, and was a directing animator in London on Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He later teamed with Steven Spielberg to form Amblimation in London, where he directed An American Tail: Fievel Goes West and We’re Back. In 1998, he started Phil Nibbelink Prods. with his wife, Margit Friesacher, as producer. After making direct to video films such as Puss in Boots and Leif Ericson: The Boy Who Discovered America, the duo dove into making a 77-minute 35mm animated family film with Nibbelink handling all the animation and lending his voice to the production.

Romeo & Juliet: Sealed With a Kiss premiered on Oct. 27, in a handful of theaters in Los Angeles and Northern California. To see a list of theaters, view the trailer and learn more about the movie, go to www.romeoandjulietfilm.com. As yet we have no news on a UK release.

Source: www.AnimationMagazine.net

Masterplan Video at last

2006-10-28T11:17:00.000Z

Many peoples favourite Oasis song, Masterplan was only ever a B-Side, but at last there's a video to go with it. And it's a goodie too. L S Lowry fans are sure to enjoy.

History of Anime

2006-10-13T17:14:00.000Z

We call this a the History of Anime, but if only all History Lessons were so enjoyable. Crank up your volume, sit back and enjoy some clips from the most famous and most influential anime of all time. Can-you-name-them-ALL?!

History of Anime
Uploaded by cozzypaper

Don't play with them Jason...

2006-10-13T16:46:00.000Z

We've had a load of requests recently for some Gatchaman clips or Battle of the Planets as it is better known. And never one to disappoint we managed to find this little clip to keep you lot from pounding down our doors. Great music and many peoples first glimpse of what we now know as anime.

gatchaman phoenix attaque
Uploaded by shariban

How about this for a find, the opening titles as they SHOULD be heard!

kagaku ninjatai gatchaman op
Uploaded by shariban

Fighting Spirit

2006-10-13T16:39:00.000Z

Here's a little clip from the sports Anime Fighting Spirit (or Hajime no Ippo to give it its proper name). If you like this then check out our GALLERY for some original hand painted production cels from this smash hit anime show.

Technique 10-Contre-Uppercut
Uploaded by the_boss_7777

Clay-mazing movies

2006-10-13T16:34:00.000Z

Here's a couple of VERY short Claymation Shorts, but interesting none the less and shows great promise. We'll keep an eye on this chap, and as more becomes available, we'll post it up!

Reves de boue_4
Uploaded by zonetv

Reves de boue_3
Uploaded by zonetv

The Wall

2006-10-13T16:11:00.000Z

Here's a great little film from Japan. It's not animation in the true sense, but I think it's well worth a look. Evolving art in the best sense.

One week of art
Uploaded by gabma

I will not do that thing with my tongue

2006-10-04T12:37:00.000Z

The Simpsons is still one of our absolute favourites, here at Lollipop Animation. In fact we love it so much we even obsess about the opening credits.

Here are just a few of our all time favourite "Blackboard Openings":

Tell us if we've missed any classics!

I will not waste chalk
I will not instigate revolution
I did not see Elvis
I will not do that thing with my tongue
I will not call my teacher "Hot Cakes"
I will not aim for the head
I saw nothing unusual in the teacher's lounge
My name is not Dr. Death
I will not teach others to fly
I will not bring sheep to class
A burp is not an answer
Mud is not one of the 4 food groups
I will not sell miracle cures
I do not have diplomatic immunity
All work and no play makes Bart a dull boy
There are plenty of businesses like show business
Five days is not too long to wait for a gun
I will not hang donuts on my person
I will stop talking about the twelve inch pianist
I did not invent Irish dancing
There was no Roman god named "Fartacus"
I will not scream for ice cream
I have neither been there nor done that
Substitute teachers are not scabs
I cannot hire a substitute student
I was not the sixth Beatle
I will not "let the dogs out"
The hamster did not have "a full life"
Nobody reads these anymore
A burp in a jar is not a science project
I am not Charlie Brown on acid
SpongeBob is not a contraceptive
I will not leak the plot of the movie

Blast from the past

2006-10-04T08:03:00.000Z

Watching Interstella 5555 the other day, I remembered how much I loved Daft Punk's animated approach to music videos. Here is IMHO, the best song and best 'video' from that album. Enjoy!

Daft Punk - One More Time
Uploaded by bazboss

Today's Smilers

2006-09-22T15:57:00.000Z

As the title suggests, here are a few shorts that made one or more of the Lollipop team 'smile today'. Feel free to share them with your friends.

Grenouille
Uploaded by missmu

MINIBN: fish
Uploaded by yotraxx

Pepeland Changements Changes
Uploaded by astre

Happy Three Friends - Pas de chance !
Uploaded by sosotony

New Ads - Old Navy

2006-09-22T09:02:00.000Z

Regular readers of the Lollipop blog will know what HUGE fans we are of John K. And judging by your reactions whenever we post about him, you love him too. Well because of that we've found two ads he's done for Old Navy, featuring Roxy and the rest of the Heartaches

Oldnavy-girls1
Uploaded by ikyoto

Oldnavy-girls2
Uploaded by ikyoto

To Mute or not to mute?

2006-09-22T08:52:00.000Z

That is the question. It's your call, either way, this music video is worth a little look. As always, comments please!

Exporttripoli_sore_small
Uploaded by Fredy_K

Plympton & John K Toon Up for Weird Al’s New Album

2006-09-14T16:10:00.000Z

On Sept. 26, 2006, Grammy Award-winning singer/comedian “Weird Al” Yankovic will release his latest album “Straight Outta Lynwood,” a DualDisc featuring animation by artists including Bill Plympton, Jim Blashfield and John Kricfalusi.

The Way Moby/Volcano Records release features six brand new animations to accompany Al’s original tracks such as:

* “Don’t Download This Song”— Directed and animated by Academy Award-nominee Bill Plympton, this video is a tongue-in-cheek plea for fans not to illegally download music.

* “I’ll Sue Ya” — A Rage Against the Machine inspired headbanger, which takes aim at the abundance of frivolous lawsuits. It is directed and animated by Thomas Lee.

* “Weasel Stomping Day” — Conceptualized and produced by the creative team behind Adult Swim's ROBOT CHICKEN, this video celebrates the time-honored holiday. The TV broadcast premiere is scheduled for Sept. 24 on Cartoon Network.

* “Close But No Cigar” — Directed by REN & STIMPY creator John Kricfalusi, this video takes an irreverent look at the world of dating as seen thru the eyes of Cigarettes the cat.

* “Pancreas” — Al’s musical homage to pop music legend Brian Wilson. The video is directed by filmmaker/media artist Jim Blashfield (best known for videos by Talking Heads (“And She Was”), Paul Simon (“Boy In The Bubble”) and Michael Jackson (“Leave Me Alone”). Like those, “Pancreas” uses a combination of live-action "found footage" combined with new animation. But unlike those, it stars an undulating pancreas.

* “Virus Alert” — Reveals the evil that lurks in your inbox. Animated and directed by RETARDED ANIMAL BABIES creator David C. Lovelace.

To view the Plympton animated video, visit www.dontdownloadthissong.com

Source: www.AWN.com

Carrey and Carell sign up for 'Horton Hears a Who'

2006-09-14T15:59:00.000Z

Jim Carrey and Bruce Almighty co-star Steve Carell have been signed to the voice cast of 20th Century Fox’s animated adaptation of the 1954 Dr. Seuss favorite, Horton Hears a Who. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Carrey will star as loveable elephant Horton while Carell takes on the role of the Mayor of Who-Ville in the CG-animated pic, which is now in preproduction and slated for release in March of 2008.

Horton Hears a Who is being directed by Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino from a script by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio (The Santa Clause 2). Hayward’s credits include Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc. and A Bug’s Life. He met Martino (Oscar-winning vfx director for Total Recall) when they worked together on Robots. The film’s animation will be handled by New York studio Blue Sky, under the supervision of Fox Animation president Chris Melendradi and Blue Sky’s Chris Wedge (Ice Age, Robots). Theodor Geisel’s (Dr. Seuss) widow Audrey Geisel will be exec producing the film, as well as its proposed sequel, Horton Hatches an Egg.

This is the second Dr. Seuss adaptation for Carrey, who wore prosthetic make-up to take on the title role in Universal’s 2000 live-action take on How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Though he played an animator in the obscure 1984 television series The Duck Factory, Carrey has done little animation voice work to date. He was originally scheduled to lend his voice to the character of R.J. the raccoon in DreamWorks’ Over the Hedge, a role that eventually went to Bruce Willis. Carell, meanwhile, turned in a show-stealing performance as the voice of Hammy the squirrel in that film. In addition to starring in the hit film Little Miss Sunshine and keeping up his Emmy-winning job on NBC’s The Office, Carell is scheduled to reprise his Bruce Almighty role for a sequel titled Evan Almighty.

Source: Animation Magazine

Site Spotlight - pt 1

2006-09-12T16:39:00.000Z

Another regular feature to appear on this Blog is going to be 'Site Spotlight', where we show you some of the websites that have caught our eye each week. This week it's www.cuppacoffee.com .

We actually found out about it whilst checking out an article over at our friends www.animationmagazine.net . As usual they've got their finger on the pulse with the latest news in the wonderful world of animation, and introducing us to the magnificent 'Bruno'.

To see the full article Click Here. But basically Bruno is a series of 50 one-minute shorts from Cuppa Coffee Studios, which has begun airing on Cartoon Network Japan.

I don't know about you, but we're big fans of all things 'Monkey' and this little chap looks a real cutie. Anyway, don't just take our word for it. Go and have a look around www.cuppacoffee.com and come back and tell us what you think.

Lots of little gems there for you, the download time can be a little slow but stick with it.

By the way, if you or someone you know has a site that rocks, let us know, we'll be happy to showcase the best of them, right here at Lollipop

Our Beady Eye Pt 2: "My Dead Girlfriend"

2006-09-11T17:00:00.000Z

Yes Folk's, your favourite feature is back, and this week "Our Beady Eye" is well and truly transfixed on the magnificent Eric Wight and his all-new spirited manga series 'My Dead Girlfriend' - published by TOKYOPOP .

Developer of numerous high-profile entertainment properties for The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Studios, Universal Studios, 20th Century Fox, and Cartoon Network among others — 'My Dead Girlfriend' marks Wight’s first original series. As the ghost artist for principle character Seth Cohen’s graphic novel, Atomic County, Wight’s artwork can currently be seen on the smash hit Fox television series, The O.C.

According to Wight: "After being showcased on The O.C., I received many offers from publishers anxious to capitalize on my success with the show. But TOKYOPOP was the first company to bring an offer to the table that proved my best interests were just as important to them as their own." Wight continues, "TOKYOPOP’s enthusiasm and devotion to my work has been staggering. Their unwavering belief in my ability continually inspires me to push myself well beyond my creative limits."

My Dead Girlfriend invites readers to meet Finney Bleak. At any other school, his Johnny Depp good looks and aberzombie style would secure him a place among high school royalty. But within the halls of horror at Mephisto Prep, normal is the new weird, and Finney dangles from the lowest rung of the social evolutionary ladder.

Then along comes Jenny Wraith. Smart. Beautiful. But kind of dead. Jenny is the ethereal object of Finney’s affection, except that their corporal differences keep them apart. As if young romance wasn’t awkward enough, try getting frisky with a ghost.

How far will Finney go to be with his true love, when not even Death can stand in his way? Find out when My Dead Girlfriend comes to life in bookstores (and at www.LollipopAnimation.com) everywhere Valentine’s Day 2007.

I don't know about you guys, but we can't WAIT to get our hands (and beady eyes) all over this one. From the snippets we've seen, we believe My Dead Girlfriend is destined to become a manga classic. And who knows, with Eric making his way over to the UK later in the year, we may JUST be able to bring you even closer to him and his amazing work than you ever dreamt possible. Watch this space!

PS: We always like to direct you to other great blogs and Eric's is certainly one of those, so here's a link for ya'll. But just make sure ya come back, ya hear! Eric Wight's Awesome Blog!

Simpsons First Look

2006-09-09T12:29:00.000Z

As fans eagerly await the season premiere of FOX’s The Simpson’s, Fox Interactive Media (FIM) today announced that it will offer fans an exclusive online glimpse at the first episode through a campaign sponsored by Burger King. The seven-minute sneak peek can be viewed exclusively at FIM sites including MySpace.com , FOX.com and IGN.com's new site, IGNTV.com. Visitors can also check out footage from an episode in the making with an animatic-to-finished-scene comparison.

Web sites across the FIM network will be used to promote the Simpsons season premiere and the online preview. For instance, AskMen.com will become "AskHomer" for the day, while FoxSports.com on MSN presents Homer's week one NFL picks. Visitors to movie review site Rotten Tomatoes will also notice a Simpsons-style graphic takeover of the homepage.

The Simpsons' 18th season kicks off in the US on Sunday, Sept.10 at 8 p.m. The first new episode offers a spoof of HBO's crime drama The Sopranos and enlists the vice talent of guest stars Michael Imperioli, Joe Mantegna, Joe Pantoliano and Metallica. In the installment, Lisa befriends the son of mob boss Fat Tony. The high-brow guest list for the 18th season includes Tom Wolfe, Gore Vidal, Michael Chabon and Stephen Sondheim. The November "Treehouse of Horror" show has Richard Lewis as the voice of the golem monster of Jewish folklore and Fran Drescher as his bride.

The longest running sitcom on television first aired in 1990 and will celebrate its 400th episode in May of 2007. Produced by Gracie Films, in association with 20th Century Fox Television, and animated by Film Roman the show can be found on the web at www.thesimpsons.com .

Cartoon Network on Download

2006-09-09T12:15:00.000Z

Turner Broadcasting System Inc. announced that programming downloads of original episodes from Cartoon Network and Adult Swim are now available on Amazon.com’s new digital video download service, Amazon Unbox. The new content features such favorites as Cartoon Network’s FOSTER’S HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS and Adult Swim’s AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE.

Available download content from Cartoon Network and Adult Swim will include the following:
* JOHNNY BRAVO
* THE POWERPUFF GIRLS
* FOSTER’S HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS
* CODENAME: KIDS NEXT DOOR
* AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE
* SEALAB 2021

“Our partnership with Amazon.com is expanding from strictly providing fans with the option of purchasing Cartoon Network and Adult Swim DVDs to providing them with the additional choice of purchasing a digital download of this content,” said Dennis Quinn, evp, business development, TBS Inc. “Turner Broadcasting’s distribution deal with Amazon.com displays how we are utilizing new platforms to further expand the powerful brands of Cartoon Network and Adult Swim.”

“As a 24-hour network, our mission is to provide our fans with round-the-clock access to our programming – and we are thrilled that viewers can now download their favorite Cartoon Network and Adult Swim shows from Amazon.com, slip then into their pockets, and take them anywhere” said John Friend, svp of Cartoon Network Enterprises, the global licensing and merchandising arm of Cartoon Network. “Being a part of this 360 degree marketplace is critical. It creates the awareness and emotional connection we need to make our products and our programming resonate on-air or on shelf.”

“Turner Broadcasting Inc., is widely known for producing some of the most popular and entertaining television shows in the industry,” said Bill Carr, Amazon.com’s vp of digital media. “We are proud to offer Amazon Unbox customers a faster, more convenient way to watch their favorite Turner programming in DVD-quality picture.”

Amazon.com Inc., a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as health and personal care, jewelry and watches, gourmet food, sports and outdoors, apparel and accessories, books, music, DVDs, electronics and office, toys and baby, and home and garden.

Cartoon Network , seen in more than 89 million U.S. homes and 160 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System Inc.'s ad–supported cable service offering original, acquired and classic animated entertainment for kids and families. Overnight from 11:00 pm–6:00 am (ET, PT) Sunday–Thursday, Cartoon Network shares its channel space with Adult Swim, a late–night destination showcasing original and acquired animation for young adults 18–34.

You can visit the Unbox HERE .

Your first chance to get Flushed Away

2006-09-08T18:19:00.000Z

We thought you'd enjoy seeing Aardman's first foray into CGI animation. I must say that I'm pleased to see that it's still unmistakeable Aardman. See for yourself and tell us what you think.

How big a Simpsons fan are YOU?

2006-09-07T17:32:00.000Z

We know A LOT of Simpsons fans. Many of whom visit our gallery on a weekly basis, searching for the next Simpsons item to add to their collection. From Original Production Cels and Limited Editions, to prints, posters and figures, collectors of all ages come to us for their latest Fox Fix .

HOWEVER, today we're bringing to your attention the ultimate in Simpsons experiences! Ever wanted to meet the cast? YES. Ever wanted to listen in on a table read of the latest Simpsons episode? Heck YES! Well then know's your chance. Get a load of THIS!

There be treasure in this here Movie!

2006-09-06T08:40:00.000Z

A decade ago, when MGM’s expensive Cutthroat Island was sinking fast in theaters, few would have thought that a pirate movie could gross $1 billion at the box office. With some help from the irrepressible Captain Jack Sparrow and some Oscar-worthy digital animation by ILM, Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is set to do just that. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the sequel topped the foreign box office for the ninth consecutive week, bringing its worldwide gross to around $993 million. Over the next few days, the pic will become the third movie in history to cross the billion mark.

Domestically, Dead Man’s Chest has earned approximately $579.5 million, making it by far the year’s biggest hit. Still, the swashbuckler has a long way to go to catch 20th Century Fox’s Titanic, which pulled in $1.8 billion worldwide. The only other movie to rake in a billion dollars is New Line Cinema’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, the third installment in director Peter Jackson’s fantasy trilogy.

Screenwriters Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio (Shrek, National Treasure) recently confirmed the title of the third Pirates movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End, which is scheduled to sail into theaters next year.

Source: www.animationmagazine.net/

To see the range of Pirates of the Caribbean Booty click here.

US Release date for Cars on DVD

2006-09-06T08:32:00.000Z

You those of you who can't wait to get hold of Disney/Pixar’s CARS on DVD, the US release has been officially announced for Nov. 7, 2006 (Walt Disney Home Ent., $29.99). The John Lasseter 3D-animated feature has garnered $242M domestically (ranking seventh all-time) and $401M worldwide.

Extras include the all-new animated short MATER AND THE GHOSTLIGHT, starring Mater, the rusty but trusty tow truck. The story is set in the town of Radiator Springs and tells the legend of the Ghostlight — a mysterious blue light that haunts the town and its residents. Also included for the first time on DVD is Pixar's ONE MAN BAND (Oscar nominated for Best Animated Short 2005), which played with the film in theaters and spins the amusing tale of two competing street musicians vying for a little girl's attention. There’s also a behind-the-scenes "Inspiration for Cars," an exciting journey with Lasseter that explores how the story of CARS was born, as well as deleted scenes and a special sneak peek at the next Disney/Pixar feature RATATOUILLE, directed by Brad Bird and due June 29, 2007.

Walt Disney Home Ent. is distributed by Buena Vista Home Ent. Inc., the marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax, Dimension and Buena Vista videocassettes and DVDs.

Source: www.AWN.com

To see the range of Cars art available to us, click here.

RG Studios receive two claws up

2006-09-04T14:14:00.000Z

I received a barrage of requests after our last showcase from RG Studios. The general consensus was "MORE MORE MORE".

Never one to disappoint, here's another 'Painfully' good cartoon from the RGS guys.

Golf cartoon
Uploaded by ovalballs

It's that time again...

2006-09-03T11:47:00.000Z

Yes folks, It's Sunday which means Cartoon day here at Lollipop. We've found a few gems for you, so sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

Superman1942 TheMagneticTelescope
Uploaded by astre

Buy or rent this DVD here!

Ren & Stimpy - Fake Dad & Out West
Uploaded by bachache

Buy or rent this DVD here!

fast and furryous 300
Uploaded by aoofy

Buy or rent this DVD here!

The Art of Alan Bodner

2006-09-02T10:37:00.000Z

We thought we'd bring to your attention a recent release from Clampett Studio.

Eclectic and having a sophisticated class, The Art of Alan Bodner reflects the culmination of a lifetime immersed in color and design.

This artwork harkens to a period where martinis were de rigueur, and jazz fusion involved more than just a nice foot-tapping beat. A wildness exists here, defined only by boundaries being pushed outward in theme and an infusion of bright colors and contemporary design.

Alan, a 25 year veteran of animation, is currently with Cartoon Network as an Art Director on the “The Life and Times of Juniper Lee.” He also developed “Space Mountain”, “Dream Catchers” and “Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas” for Disney Television Animation. In 1999 Alan art directed “Clerks, The Animated Series” for Miramax Television. During his tenure at Warner Bros., Alan was Art Director for numerous theatrical productions , including the highly touted Iron Giant and “Carrotblanca.” Alan won an Annie Award for his work on “Iron Giant.”

These glorious works of art are all available here. Prices start at approx. £110 $175 €155.

Ed Benedict , 1912-2006

2006-09-01T15:15:00.000Z

Animation legend Ed Benedict passed away in his sleep on Aug. 28, 2006. He was 94.

Benedict began at Disney in 1930 and animated on the studio's early films like THE CHINA PLATE and BLUE RHYTHM. In 1933, he went to Universal where he worked on Walter Lantz's OSWALD shorts. He stayed at Universal for much of the 30s, with a stint at Mintz and briefly started his own studio, Benedict-Brewer, in partnership with Jerry Brewer.

He returned to Disney in the early 1940s where he did layout on various industrial/educational films such as ENVIRONMENTALL SANITATION and DAWN OF BETTER LIVING. During this time, he received his first and only Disney credit as a layout artist on MAKE MINE MUSIC.

In the mid-1940s, he entered the world of TV commercial animation at Paul Fennell's Cartoon Films, where he first began exploring the more modernized approach to drawing.

In 1952, Benedict was hired by his former Universal colleague Tex Avery to become Avery's lead layout artist and designer at MGM. Benedict designed a number of Avery's classic shorts, including DIXIELAND DROOPY, FIELD AND SCREAM, THE FIRST BAD MAN, DEPUTY DROOPY and CELLBOUND. After Avery left MGM, Benedict continued working there on the Mike Lah-directed DROOPY shorts, while also freelancing for Avery on TV commercials at Cascade. While at MGM, Bill Hanna asked Benedict to design a dog and a cat for a TV project, which turned out to be the first Hanna-Barbera TV series, THE RUFF AND REDDY SHOW.

During the late-1950s and early-1960s, Benedict became the primary designer for Hanna-Barbera, designing most of the studio's early stars, including Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw, The Flintstones, Snagglepuss and countless others.

Iwao Takamoto, vp special projects at Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, told AWN he was quite an admirer of Benedict. While Benedict was designing characters for Hanna and Barbera at MGM and then their own studio, Takamoto was working at Walt Disney Feature Animation. When Takamoto left Disney for HB, he said Benedict was one of the first designers he was greatly influenced by and helped him understand how to transition from Disney to Hanna-Barbera styling. Takatmoto ultimately became vp of character design for Hanna-Barbera for nearly three decades.

Benedict moved to Carmel, California in the 60s and continued freelancing for various studios during the 60s and 70s before retiring.

Source: AWN

His work will never be forgotten and in fact, we'd like to show you more of it. But we'll leave that to a man who new Ed well, John Kricfalusi. Visit his excellent blog HERE.

For another great tribute to Ed, please take a few moments to read HERE and for one of Ed's cartoons, take a look below.

Blackboard Jumble
Uploaded by thadk

Modern Toss Splits Opinion

2006-08-31T15:44:00.000Z

Those of you over 18 ;-) will no doubt have heard of Modern Toss or perhaps of 'Mr Tourette, the French Master Signwriter'.

The humor is distinctly adult in tone, but usually extremely childish in nature (which is probably why I like it so much). If you haven't seen or heard about it, then this little description sums it up rather well I think:

What's it all about eh? It's the stink of excellence in a world gone tits up. It's flies and sneezing and illegal alphabets and astronauts and drive by abusing ducks and a bloke who turns into a giant red monster when he sees Alan Titchmarsh and swearing. Lots and lots of swearing...

It's a 'love it' or 'hate it' kind of show, so check it out on Channel 4 when it's next on and make your own mind up.

Spumco and Tenacious D

2006-08-31T12:20:00.000Z

As the title suggests (we're clever like that), we found this blog whilst surfing the old Blogosphere for the MIGHTY (and we don't use that word lightly around here, I assure you) Spumco!!!!

Most famous for Ren and Stimpy, Spumco basically ROCK. If you loved R&S, then you'll love this. Some awesome production drawings and roughs featuring JB and KG, otherwise known as Tenacious D

Go and have a look NOW. We mean it, it's too good to miss. But then come back ;-) We promise to tell you about more great stuff!

all kinds of stuff

Hi Hi Puffy Blog

2006-08-31T12:02:00.000Z

We love you coming over and reading all our ramblings, but occasionally we know that you stray from our path and onto other peoples Blogs. Don't deny it...we know you do it! Well anyway, we figured, if you're gonna do it, at least go to the right places. Here's a cool blog by the Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi crew.

Hi Hi Puffy Blog: "Randomness from the Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi crew

You will come back though? Promise?

The force is strong in Snoopy

2006-08-31T10:59:00.000Z

We could spend all day showing you Star Wars fan films, but there are other blogs out there for THAT. What we do is select the best one and save you all the time wasting.

Yes, the title sums it up pretty well, it's Snoopy meets Star Wars. What else could you possibly want?

Our Beady Eye - Part 1

2006-08-30T07:06:00.000Z

Welcome to 'Our Beady Eye', the first in (hopefully) a long list of articles where WE tell YOU who to watch in the world of Animation and Illustration.

This week we're focusing on an Illustrator called Zebitz , a UK based artist who has caught our eye, not to mention a few major brands who have been banging down his door to sign him up.

We invite you to visit his website and take a look at his work yourself.

Everyone here at Lollipop loves it, as there's more depth to his work than first meets the eye - a little twist or dark humour intertwined with great visuals.

We'd also like to give props to the website build itself, great job! We can't wait to see what's coming next. After a bit of digging we found that it was built by Dan Robertson Graphic Design or DRGD as they are better known.

We're always looking for new articles, so if you've got someone or something that you think our readers would like to hear about, we want to hear from you.

Tell us who YOU think WE should focus 'Our Beady Eye' on next week.

Lollipop invites you to The Big Draw

2006-08-29T16:41:00.000Z

For those of you who have not heard of The Big Draw, shame on you! But it's OK, because we're here (as always) to tell you more, and best of all, to show you how to GET INVOLVED!

'The Big Draw', summed up, is "Drawing events for all ages and abilities across the U.K."

There's loads of stuff happening ALL over. Too much info to cram in here. Your first point of call will be to visit The Big Draw website . From there you'll find lots of info about an event in your area.

If you're interested in this, then also check out this little gem 'The Campaign for Drawing'. If you don't believe us, then maybe the fact that Quentin Blake, David Hockney, Sir Richard MacCormac, Andrew Marr, Sir Roger Penrose, Gerald Scarfe and Posy Simmonds are all Patrons, will persuade you to pay it some attention...I thought so!

Here at Lollipop Animation we think that it's a great idea and we're going to do all we can to support this years activities - with yours truly guest speaking at one of the local events. More news to follow on this so stay tooned!

Plymton's All Star Feature is this year's 'highlight'

2006-08-29T16:16:00.000Z

Hair High, the latest animated feature from indie legend Bill Plympton, will play at the Two Boots Pioneer theater in New York as part of the venue’s “Month of Horror” festivities. Plympton and cast members will be on hand for the screening and every guest will receive an original Plympton drawing. (Where's our ticket, Bill?)

Blending ’50s nostalgia and campy zombie action, Hair High tells the story of a small town terrorized by the corpses of a teenage couple who were murdered on prom night one year prior. The movie’s star-studded voice cast includes Dermot Mulroney (The Family Stone), Sarah Silverman (Jesus is Magic), David Carradine (Kill Bill Vol. 2) , Keith Carradine, Justin Long (Accepted), Beverly D'Angelo (TV’s Entourage), Ed Begley Jr.(Arrestd Development), Michael Showalter (Wet Hot American Summer), Craig Bierko (Scary Movie 4) Eric Gilliland, Zak Orth (Prime), Tom Noonan (Manhunter), Simpsons creator Matt Groening and animator Don Hertzfeldt (Rejected).

Plympton wrote, directed, produced and self-financed the film, which is co-produced by his friend and distant cousin, actress Martha Plimpton (TV’s 7th Heaven), who also provides a voice in the movie. Hair High had its world premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival and enjoyed a successful run on the festival circuit last year.

If you're unfamiliar with Mr Plymton's work, we highly recommend you visit his website, or better still, get hold of one of his glorious DVDs.

To find out more about Hair High, check out it's own offical site here .

Don't you open that trap door!!!!

2006-08-28T18:39:00.000Z

Trapdoor first hit our screens in 1984. We were introduced to the loveable (allbeit blue) Berk who's voice was the late great Willie Rushdon. The animation was produced by CMTB Animation & Queensgate Productions. Steve Box formerly of CMTB Animation's, now works for Aardman and has helped to produce such films as Chicken Run.

Who thought a large blue blob of plasticene would eventally help make a BAFTA award winning film.

Today's Poll is...

2006-08-28T12:02:00.000Z

Animation Ads

2006-08-26T11:29:00.000Z

Animation in advertising has long been seen as a way to stand out from the crowd. From ad only creations like Captain Crunch, Tony the Tiger and The Jolly Green Giant, to specifically licensed characters brought in to do a job, The Simpsons (Domino Pizza, Mastercard etc), Wallace and Gromit (Renault Kangoo), the list is endless. Anyway, we'll keep digging out more of our favourites and yours too if you let us know.

Here are a few to get us started. Different decades, different styles. Starting with the controversial Flinstones and Winstone Cigerettes - then moving on to the silly but excellent Chewits ad (1986!) - through to present day and Becks. We had to include this one on here, what with the nod to the different animation techniques. Subscribe to the Lollipop Blog to see more in coming weeks.

If Ofcom have a problem with Tom and Jerry smoking, just imagine what they'd say about this one:

The Cartoons that never made it...

2006-08-26T11:21:00.000Z

Sometimes a real gem of a show never gets that all important Second Series. Just ask Alan Partidge! But wait, what's he got to complain about. At least he had one shot. These little cartoon capers we're about to show you, didn't even get that. And everyone here at Lollipop Animation, thinks that's a crime. Let's hear it for the little guys. Here are some cartoons that just didn't (quite) make it ;-)

We hope you found those as funny as we did. Make sure you let us know. We can always show you more!

Too Hot for TV

2006-08-26T11:01:00.000Z

This great little short was banned from TV for a little while for a couple of silly reasons, but now we can show you it, in all its glory. Made even more famous by the film Mask starring Jim Carey, which paid homage to this short in a BIG way. We hope you enjoy it.

Painfully Good Animation

2006-08-26T10:55:00.000Z

Here are two great shorts from RG Studios a Korean Animation Studio who are really making waves. We've been watching them for a while now and after you see these two 'painful' films below, you'll see why.

Get ready to feel the burn.

Wallpaper fast as Lightning

2006-08-24T19:03:00.000Z

We've had some requests for some FREE cars downloads, and as we always listen to our customers, here's a Wallpaper featuring Lightning McQueen. If you like this one, let us know and we may just help you get your hands on some more!

Aren't we good to you? Just click on the image to enlarge it, and then save it to your desktop!

Tom and Jerry Up in Smoke

2006-08-23T08:38:00.000Z

Under pressure from regulators and the U.K. anti-smoking lobby, Turner Broadcasting will edit out scenes of cartoon characters smoking in U.K. versions of classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons, including THE FLINTSTONES, TOM AND JERRY and SCOOBY-DOO, according to various news outlets.

In all, more than 1,700 episodes will be re-edited after the Office of Communications (Ofcom) received a complaint about two TOM AND JERRY toons — "Texas Tom" and "Tennis Chumps" — which aired on Turner-owned Boomerang.

In a statement, the company said, "Turner recognizes that it is not suitable for cartoons aimed at children to portray smoking in a cool context and has additionally pledged to review the entire Hanna-Barbera catalog to remove scenes that appear to glamorize or encourage smoking."

Ofcom ruled that the two episodes of TOM AND JERRY were inappropriate for a children's show. Currently, Ofcom is viewing 160 other TOM AND JERRY episodes for additional offensive material.

Ofcom's rules do not allow smoking in children’s programs unless there is strong editorial justification and it must not be condoned, encouraged or glamorized before 9:00 pm.

Source: www.AWN.com

So what do we think of all this hulabaloo? Well quite honestly we think it's nonsense and also a bit worrying. The moment you start banning one subject i.e. smoking, next they'll be saying that you can't show, hitting over the head with a saucepan, being crushed by an anvil or even slamming hands, feet and tails in various devices, and then where will we be? Everyone at Lollipop Animation says "leave our cartoons alone!" Especially Fred Quimby's Tom and Jerry masterpieces.

Daffy Duck Direct to DVD

2006-08-23T08:32:00.000Z

The ghosts of Christmas past, present and future are back, Looney Tunes style, when Warner Home Video (WHV) releases BAH, HUMDUCK! A LOONEY TUNES CHRISTMAS on Nov. 14 on DVD for $19.98.

Daffy Duck stars as the "Scrooge-like" proprietor of the "Lucky Duck" mega-mart in this all new, first ever Looney Tunes made-for-DVD movie based on the classic holiday tale, A CHRISTMAS CAROL. To take financial advantage of last minute shoppers, Daffy demands that his employees, including his long-suffering manager, Porky Pig, work on Christmas Day instead of spending the holiday with their families. It's up to Bugs Bunny and the ghosts of Christmas past (Tweety and Granny), present (Yosemite Sam) and future (Taz) to make sure that Daffy realizes the error of his ways and save Christmas for the Looney Tunes gang.

"The Looney Tunes characters have been revered by generations. We think both kids and adults will love this hilarious adaptation of the timeless Dickens story. It's the kind of film which families will want to make part of their holiday traditions," commented Dorinda Marticorena, WHV vp, kids and sports marketing. "The first three volumes of LOONEY TUNES GOLDEN COLLECTION have been enormous hits amongst consumers, and we anticipate this new title to be well received by both new and existing Looney Tunes fans."

BAH, HUMDUCK! A LOONEY TUNES CHRISTMAS will feature a score by Grammy Award-winning and three-time Emmy Award-winning composer Gordon Goodwin. Goodwin most recently earned a Grammy Award in the "Best Instrumental Arrangement" category for his work on THE INCREDIBLES soundtrack.

An on-air broadcast of BAH, HUMDUCK! A LOONEY TUNES CHRISTMAS is planned for winter 2006 on the Cartoon Network.

With operations in 90 international territories Warner Home Video (www. Warnerhomevideo.com), commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Ent., Castle Rock Ent., HBO Video and New Line Home Ent.

Source: www.AWN.com

Pixar: Coming soon to a town near YOU

2006-08-19T09:34:00.000Z

Staying on the Pixar theme, for those of you who have not visited their current exhibition, celebrating their 20 years of animation (yes really, 20 YEARS!), it's currently showing at Mori Arts Center gallery in Tokyo, Japan until the end of the month. It returns to the UK in March 2007 and hits Australia this time next year.

We can't recommend this exhibition highly enough. So many great pieces of original art and the 3D Zoetrope will blow your mind! Just trust us on that.

To find out more dates and more locations, visit www.Pixar.com

Best of Pixar's Short Films

2006-08-19T09:19:00.000Z

Pixar have always been very generous with their DVD extras. Not just content to wow us with the main feature, they also like to include a short to really show off ;-) We've had so many requests for these short films, we simply could not put it off any longer. So here goes. First up:

For the birds

Geri's Game

Jack-Jack Attack

One Man Band

Boundin'

PS: Don't forget to tell us which of these is your favourite. We'll publish the results sometime next week.

Ratatouille (rat-a-too-ee) Trailer

2006-08-19T09:00:00.000Z

If you think the guys at Pixar are sat congratulating themselves over the success of 'Cars', think again. They're working their socks off on their next movie, Ratatouille, which judging by this trailer, is not going to disappoint.

Halas & Batchelor Tribute

2006-08-19T08:50:00.000Z

Southbank Publishing has released a richly illustrated book - a part-history, part-tribute, part-critical analysis of the Halas and Batchelor Cartoon Studio, Britain’s leading and most influential animation company between 1940-1995. It draws on the archives of the Halas & Batchelor Collection and looks at the key works of the studio, including ANIMAL FARM, Britain’s first full length animated feature; THE TALES OF HOFFNUNG, with the legendary Peter Sellers; AUTOBAHN, featuring the music of Kraftwerk; and BUTTERFLY BALL, with the work of Beatles illustrator, Alan Aldridge.

Established writers, including Giannalberto Bendazzi and John Canemaker, have contributed to the book, which includes a forward by Oscar-winning creator of WALLACE & GROMIT Nick Park, where he comments: 'Halas & Batchelor are my earliest memory of British animation making a mark on the world stage, and having a distinctively British style. Their work has lasted and remains impressive and important.'
Nick Park - Wallace & Gromit - Aardman Animation

The book also features an autobiographical account by Vivien Halas - daughter of John Halas and Joy Batchelor, director of The Halas & Batchelor Collection — as well as critical insights by Loughborough University professor of animation Paul Wells, Richard Holliss and Jim Walker.

The 224-page book is selling for £19.99. For more information, visit Southbank Publishing

Shout out to 'Pes'

2006-08-19T08:37:00.000Z

Fans of Lollipop Animation will know that we've been singing the praises of 'Pes' for a long time now. You may recognise his work form the current Coke ads that are running, but if you are unfamiliar, then his website www.eatpes.com is a must visit. It has loads of his amazing stop motion short movies on display, including my personal favourite 'CoinStar' which can also be seen below.

Sony Animation Announcment(s)

2006-08-17T12:42:00.000Z

The folks at Sony Pictures Animation are getting ready to send off their debut feature, Open Season, in grand style. At a special press event held at the studio’s Culver City space on the Sony lot yesterday, attendees were treated to clips of the studio’s next four features and had the chance to meet and greet many of the upcoming features’ noted directors and producers.

One piece of news that came out of the event was that the studio has started to work on the CG-adaptation of Judi and Ron Barrett’s children’s book, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Teased as “Coming to theaters Septober 32, 200F,” the film will be directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller (creators of MTV’s much-loved Clone High series) and produced by Pam Marsden (Disney’s Dinosaur, Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas). The off-beat project will answer time-honored questions such as what would happen if food (i.e. meatballs, pancakes, spaghetti, hamburgers, peanut butter and jelly sandwich) dropped like rain from the sky? What if you didn’t like the menu? What would it be like to be squashed by a pancake? Who would clean up the mess?

Besides Open Season, which premieres on Sept. 29, the studio has set the marketing wheels in motion for its 2007 summer release, Surf’s Up. Directed by Ash Brannon and Chris Buck, and produced by Chris Jenkins, the film will feature a voice cast that includes Jeff Bridges, James Woods, Zooey Deschanel and Shia LaBeouf. Also in the busy CG production pipeline is Hotel Transylvania, to be directed by David Feiss (Open Season, Cow and Chicken) and Anthony Stacchi (Open Season, Antz), and produced by Michelle Murdocca (Open Season, Stuart Little 1 and 2).

Hotel Transylvania will visit Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, the Wolf Man and other classic creeps, who all hang out together and try to cope with the notion that they are no longer relevant in modern times. The script is being written by Surf’s Up scribe Don Rhymer, whose credits also include Big Mama’s House. The ghoul-fest is slated for a 2008 release.

Source: Animation Magazine

Even More Cartoon Network

2006-08-17T12:39:00.000Z

Great news for young animation viewers here in the U.K. You will have a new daily destination when Cartoon Network Too launches its new preschool block, Cartoonito. Anchored by such established favorites as Cookie Jar’s Caillou, Warner Bros.’ Baby Looney Tunes and HIT Ent’s Barney, the 6 a.m. to 3 p.m block will debut on Monday, Sept. 4, with programs in English and French.

Other shows scheduled to air during Catoonito include Animal Stories from Collingwood O’Hare and Foothill Ent., Blanche from VGI Ent., Hi-5 from Southern Star,Big Foot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks from CCI Ent., Ellen’s Acres from Cartoon Network U.S. and Animation Collective, Fluffy Gardens from Monster Animation, Pororo the Little Penguin from Iconix Ent. and Roobarb and Custard Too from Celador.

Source: Animation Magazine

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12

2006-08-16T18:11:00.000Z

Those of you of a certain age will remember this one. The Sesame Street Pinball cartoon is an absolute classic. Catchy tune, great effects. SUCH NOSTALGIA! This was one of my favourite cartoons when I was a little boy, and watching it now brings the emotions flooding back. I hope it does for you too. Not that it effected me too much, but yes I do own a Pinball machine ;-)

By the way, this is the super-doopa extended version...in case you were interested. We're so good to you! Enjoy the flash back.

David Shrigley Part 1

2006-08-16T17:35:00.000Z

Sticking with the 'Blur' theme (see previous post), although this time it's the band Blur, here's a very different piece of animation. You may recognise the style of David Shrigley the Glasgow artist. Lollipop Animation are big fans of his and this music video is no exception. We hope to showcase much more of his work, but only if YOU want us to. Let us know what you think of this one. If you're familiar with his work then you'll know what to expect. If you're not and you're overly sensitive, then (a) what are you doing here? and (b) give this one a miss!

Gopher Broke - Blur Studios

2006-08-16T17:29:00.000Z

If you haven't seem this little animated short yet, then make yourself comfortable as for the next 4 minutes and 18 seconds, you're in for an absolute treat. There's nothing better in my opinion than a really good short film and if it's animated, well heck, that just makes it even better.

As the title suggests this film is called 'Gopher Broke' and has been made by the talented guys at Blur Studios

Keep an eye out for more stuff from them V.Soon!

Happy Feet dances its way into our hearts

2006-08-15T12:22:00.000Z

While we're on the subject of trailers. There are a number of new animated films headed our way, including a number of sequels: Fox and Hound II, Brother Bear II and Cinderella III? Anyway, there's one film that's caught our eye, and that's Warner Bros. Happy Feet which is scheduled for release in Novembuurrrr (sorry!). Anyway, it's based on the story that every penguin has a heart song to attract their soul mate. Unfortunatley our hero 'Mumble' cannot sing. A cute enough storyline, sure, but just check out the trailer below, as this one looks like it could be something special! We can't wait.

Getting revved-up over Cars

2006-08-13T13:57:00.000Z

With Cars hitting the Cinemas last week to rave reviews, Disney-Pixar have done it yet again. The latest 'Cars' prints are now available in our GALLERY

If you haven't seen it yet, our advice is to get down to your local movie theatre NOW! But if you still need convincing then check out the trailer below.

Advertising, The Simpsons way

2006-08-12T15:42:00.000Z

Just about everything that can be said about The Simpsons, HAS been said about The Simpsons. So, all we're gonna say IS... if you love them, then we reckon you're gonna love these four little gems too.

Best. Titles. Ever!

2006-08-12T14:14:00.000Z

This week, the hot topic at Lollipop Animation has been "Best Ever Cartoon Intro Credits". The debate got pretty heated at some points, but the final votes have been cast and in no particular order (THAT debate would have lasted FOREVER), here is our top 10. Let us know who we've missed and why on earth we should add them to our blog and maybe we'll do a top 20! Enjoy.

The Flintstones

Banana Man

Superted

Ulysees 31

Dungeons & Dragons

Teen Titans

The Simpsons (with a twist)

Mighty Mouse

Looney Tunes

He-Man

Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood

2006-08-12T13:39:00.000Z

Great song, great video. We felt the Gorillaz gang desevered a place on the Lollipop Blog. If you want to see more, then let us know! Oh, and we've just heard today that there's a new set of Vinyl toys available v.soon, from Kid Robot. Brand new sculpts, brand new molds, available October time. Let us know if this is something you're interested in and we'll get them in for you! Now sit back and enjoy this blast from the bast.

Cribs - Gorillaz Style

2006-08-12T13:28:00.000Z

You've all heard of the show 'Cribs' on MTV? Where we get to see how celebs spend their big bucks and take a tour around their luxury homes? Well this is what happened when the Cribs crew went around to see the home of our favourite virtual band, The Gorillaz. To find out more about the Gorillaz visit their WEBSITE

It's a great site. To hear one of their classic songs look no further than the next post ;-)

X-Men really is Astonishing!

2006-07-26T19:00:00.000Z

At Comic-Con, the “Oscars” of the comicbook industry — the Will Eisner Awards — were handed out. BUFFY creator Joss Whedon took home one of the top prizes for his work on ASTONISHING X-MEN in the Best Continuing Series award.

The full list of winners include:

Best Short Story
TEENAGE SIDEKICK, by Paul Pope, in SOLO #3 (DC)

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)
SOLO #5, by Darwyn Cooke (DC)

Best Serialized Story
FABLES #36-38, 40-41: "Return to the Homelands," by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, and Steve Leialoha (Vertigo/DC)

Best Continuing Series
ASTONISHING X-MEN, by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday (Marvel)

Best Limited Series
SEVEN SOLDIERS, by Grant Morrison and various artists (DC)

Best New Series
ALL STAR SUPERMAN, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (DC)

Best Publication for a Younger Audience
OWLY: FLYING LESSONS, by Andy Runton (Top Shelf)

Best Anthology
SOLO, edited by Mark Chiarello (DC)

Best Digital Comic
PVP, by Scott Kurtz, www.pvponline.com

Best Reality-Based Work
NAT TURNER, by Kyle Baker (Kyle Baker Publishing)

Best Graphic Album-New
TOP TEN: THE FORTY-NINERS, by Alan Moore and Gene Ha (ABC)

Best Graphic Album-Reprint
BLACK HOLE, by Charles Burns (Pantheon)

Best Archival Collection/Project-Comic Strips
THE COMPLETE CALVIN & HOBBES, by Bill Watterson (Andrews McMeel)

Best Archival Collection/Project-Comic Books
ABSOLUTE WATCHMEN, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (DC)

Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material
THE RABBI'S CAT, by Joann Sfar (Pantheon)

Best Writer
Alan Moore, PROMETHEA, TOP TEN: THE FORTY-NINERS (ABC)

Best Writer/Artist
Geof Darrow, SHAOLIN COWBOY (Burlyman)

Best Writer/Artist-Humor
Kyle Baker, PLASTIC MAN (DC); THE BAKERS (Kyle Baker Publishing)

Best Penciller/Inker
John Cassaday, ASTONISHING X-MEN (MARVEL); PLANETARY (WildStorm/DC)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)
Ladronn, HIP FLASK: MYSTERY CITY (Active Images)

Best Cover Artist
James Jean, FABLES (Vertigo/DC); RUNAWAYS (Marvel)

Best Coloring
Chris Ware, ACME NOVELTY LIBRARY #16 (ACME Novelty)

Best Lettering
Todd Klein, WONDER WOMAN, JUSTICE, SEVEN SOLDIERS #0 (DC); DESOLATION JONES (WildStorm/DC); PROMETHEA, TOP TEN: THE FORTY-NINERS, TOMORROW STORIES SPECIAL (ABC); FABLES (Vertigo); 1602: NEW WORLD (Marvel)

Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition
Aaron Renier (SPIRAL-BOUND)

Best Comics-Related Periodical
COMIC BOOK ARTIST, edited by Jon B. Cooke (Top Shelf)

Best Comics-Related Book
EISNER/MILLER, edited by Charles Brownstein and Diana Schutz (Dark Horse Books)

Best Publication Design (tie)
ACME NOVELTY LIBRARY ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS, designed by Chris Ware (Pantheon)
LITTLE NEMO IN SLUMBERLAND: SO MANY SPLENDID SUNDAYS, designed by Philippe Ghielmetti (Sunday Press Books)

Hall of Fame
Judges' Choices: Floyd Gottfredson, William Moulton Marston
Vaughn Bodé
Ramona Fradon
Russ Manning
Jim Steranko

Other Awards presented:
Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award: Calvin Reid
Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award: R. Kikuo Johnson (NIGHT FISHER)
Bill Finger Excellence in Comic Writing Award: Harvey Kurtzman, Alvin Schwartz
Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing Award: Zeus Comics (Dallas, Texas)

DC Universe just got bigger

2006-07-26T18:54:00.000Z

DC Comics, Warner Home Video and Warner Bros. Animation announced the start of production and distribution of “DC Universe,” a series of original, animated PG-13 movies. The slate features two to three action-packed films per year.

Talent on tap for the films include DC Comics’ creators, such as award-winning writer/artist Darwyn Cooke (THE NEW FRONTIER; CATWOMAN) and legendary writer Marv Wolfman (THE NEW TEEN TITANS), along with Bruce Timm (JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED, BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES) and Tom DeSanto (exec producer of the first two X-MEN films and producer of the forthcoming TRANSFORMERS feature). These producers have been instrumental in the creation of some of the most successful translations of the comicbook experience into other media. Writer/producers Duane Capizzi (THE BATMAN, THE BATMAN VS. DRACULA) and Stan Berkowitz (JUSTICE LEAGUE) will also be part of the creative team on the DC Universe films, with Timm serving as supervising producer.

The first three films to be released in late 2007/early 2008 are:

* JUSTICE LEAGUE: NEW FRONTIER – written by Stan Berkowitz (Justice League).

* SUPERMAN: DOOMSDAY – produced by Bruce Timm and written by Duane Capizzi.

* TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT – written by Marv Wolfman and Tom DeSanto, produced by DeSanto.

I don't know about you, but we can't wait to see what these guys do with this franchise. Rest assured, we'll keep you posted!

Source: www.awn.com

Pirate Baby!

2006-07-26T15:56:00.000Z

This little short is making quite a name for itself at the moment. We love it! See how many references from classic beat 'em ups you can spot. This one is a little on the gory side, so if you're squeamish then it's not for you. Thank heavens it's in black and white is all I can say!

Simpsons Movie Sneak Peak!

2006-07-26T14:36:00.000Z

During the annual Comic-Con Simpsons panel, creator/exec producer Matt Groening and fellow exec producers James L. Brooks and Al Jean thrilled the crowd with some first glimpses at the eagerly awaited 'The Simpsons Movie'. Groening also announced that next year’s panel will feature clips from the 13 all-new episodes of Futurama, which Comedy Central will air sometime in 2008.

When asked about the process of expanding The Simpsons from a half-hour to 90 minutes, Brooks quipped, “It’s been rough. We worked at it for a long time and then found out that Snakes on a Plane was doing the same story.” Groening then introduced a couple of black & white animatics from the movie. In the first piece, the good people of Springfield have formed an angry mob and are after Homer for some reason. When the mob manages to bust into the Simpsons home, Maggie has to fend off sea captain Horatio McCallister’s pet monkey with a broken milk bottle. In the second clip, Homer is driving a dog sled across a snowy terrain. His incessant whipping is avenged when he stops to set up camp and the dogs start ripping him to shreds. As the dogs are running away, Homer sighs and whines, “Oh, why does everything I whip leave me?”

Much has been made of the mutual spoofing between The Simpsons and FOX’s other hit animated series, Family Guy. Fans at Comic-Con fishing for negative comments about Seth McFarlane and his show were disappointed when Groening stated that he is happy about the Family Guy comeback. “It’s shown me and FOX that there is life after cancellation,” he said, making reference to Futurama. “I’m tiptoeing in Seth McFarlane’s footsteps.”

Groening also announced that he is working on another Life in Hell book and is still trying to find a way to make the original Simpsons shorts from The Tracey Ulman show available to fans. “I think cell phones is the only format crumby enough to show them on,” he said, commenting on the primitive nature of the animation.

Groening and company assured fans that they are still dedicated to keeping The Simpsons series going strong as long as they possibly can. Special guest voices lined for the next season include Kiefer Sutherland, Natalie Portman, Dr. Phil and recording artists The White Stripes and Metallica. The Simpsons Movie is slated to hit theaters on July 27. 2007.

Source: www.animationmagazine.net

My first Blog

2006-07-26T13:12:00.000Z

Good afternoon, and welcome to our updated blog. Things are gonna be hotting up around here, with a huge amount of new articles and more excitingly a vast archive of cartoons popping up very shortly. Yes that's right, you'll soon be able to view loads of great shorts from the last century, including some of the first examples of early animation, and bang up to date unsigned talent too. Yep, it'll all be here and you'll have the chance to comment on it. As the new Superman film launched this week, we thought we'd kick things off with a little Superman tribute. We look forward to hearing from you shortly, but for the time being just sit back and enjoy the show.

Top Ten Toons

2006-07-25T18:58:00.000Z

Lollipop's favourite channel Boomerang TV recently surveyed 1000 adults (aged between 25 and 54), asking them to identify their most popular cartoons from their childhood years. The results are in and it's Tom and Jerry that takes the top-spot. Created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera in 1940, Tom and Jerry is officially a classic, and with the recent DVD releases is sure to remain a favourite for generations to come. In at number two, came Scooby Doo (no doubt with the help of the recent movie release), and in at three, Cosgrove Hall's Dangermouse. Here's how the best of the rest fared:

1. Tom and Jerry
2. Scooby Doo
3. Dangermouse
4. Top Cat
5. The Flintstones
6. Bugs Bunny
7. Popeye
8. Road Runner
9. Wacky Races
10. Hong Kong Phooey

If your favourite character isn't in there, let us know. We'll be compiling our very own favourite cartoon list later in the year.

Ghouls, Ghosts and Monsters: Animation Catches a Craze

2006-07-25T15:05:00.000Z

In the 1950s and 60s America was scared. Of monsters. Monsters; death; the occult have all been a part of the fabric of humanity since humans first stepped onto the soil of Earth. In the 1930's in America our interest in monsters grew tremendously thanks to pulp magazines, radio programs and horror movies, particularly those released by Universal Pictures. Even animated films, in a way, got scary.

Frankenstein's Monster made a number of appearances in Warner Brother's cartoons, Bugs Bunny went up against Gossamer (the red haired monster) and several of the Warners 'heroes' were put up against Jekyll and Hyde type of characters. UPA gave us a unique look at 'The Tell Tale Heart' while Disney spent time on the dark side with such works as the Silly Symphony 'Skeleton Dance' and the animated 'Legend of Sleepy Hollow'.

This love affair the public had with the macabre though soon gave way to other interests such as the Wild West, outer space and television. When television first took hold in the 1950's, film studios were fearful of the new competition and fought against it. Over time though they came to understand and accept that it was here to stay and perhaps the two could exist and work together.

And so it was that in 1957 Universal Studios decided to package together their horror films from the 1930s and 40s and 'syndicate' them to television. For many people, viewing these images provided their first exposure to these stories while for others watching these movies was a dark trip down memory lane. Whatever their reason, people took strongly to these broadcasts and monsters were again large in the public consciousness. Thanks to the repetition of a television broadcast this following would only continue to grow and gather steam. And so it was that by the mid-60s, classic movie monsters were a big business. Television, toys, models, costumes and feature films all were permeated with monsters. Animation was not far behind.

One of the earliest animated spooks was Casper the Friendly Ghost. Casper was originally created by Seymour Reit and Joe Oriolo in the 1940's to star in a Famous Pictures theatrical short. This story of a ghost who didn't want to scare anyone was surprisingly popular and Casper went on to star in several other cartoons over the next few years before fading away. In 1963 Casper was brought back to 'life' for a completely new set of adventures in 'The New Casper Cartoon Show'. This television incarnation of Casper featured him in the Enchanted Forest along with his friends Wendy the Good Little Witch and Nightmare, a talking horse who also was a ghost.

During the time that monsters were on the rise in television, so were the team of Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera. They had been two of the most successful theatrical cartoon producers and were now applying their talents to television. By 1964, thanks mainly to 'The Flintstones', they had found their place and were well in the midst of trying other topics, including horror. In 1965 they released 'The Winsome Witch'. The story of a witch who used her powers only for good was a bit too saccharine and the show only lasted two seasons. Monster 'blandness' was not just a problem for Hanna Barbera, many studios had issues in properly fitting horror characters into traditional cartoon surroundings. In 1965 Hal Seeger tried to jump on the bandwagon with 'The Milton The Monster Show'. The star of course was Milton, a massive Frankenstein's monster fellow who had a near continuous cloud of smoke hanging above his head. The adventures of Milton and his monster friends never broke out and the show lived a quiet and short life.

Undaunted, the studios continued to search for the magic mix of Halloween and animation. In 1966, Hanna Barbera came back with 'Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles' a two-part show with the first half being made up of the adventures of Frankenstein Jr., a 30-foot tall Frankenstein's monster style robot who was created by boy inventor Buzz Conroy. Although the monster here was 'friendly' this show came under intense pressure from various watch groups for the amount of violence that it allegedly showed and in 1968 it was pulled from network rotation. 1966 also saw the well-known production team of Rankin/Bass enter the field with 'King Kong'. Rankin/Bass were already a successful force in animation, thanks in large part to the production of 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer' (1964). At this time they were looking to branch into other areas and saw King Kong as the perfect vehicle for this. Rather than use their popular animagic (a stop motion) technique, they decided to go the hand drawn animation route in telling this tale of Kong. The series found a friendlier ape living on Mondo Island with a number of people, including the Bond family. Kong had taken a special liking to the youngest Bond, Bobby and most of the episodes consisted of their adventures fighting the evil Dr. Who. The series lasted three years and while it was Rankin/Bass' first foray into 'monster animation'; it would not be their last.

Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass had first met each other in the mid-1950s as they were working on separate projects for a mutual client. This chance meeting turned into an immediate friendship and in 1955 a partnership, as the two opened Videocraft International. The bulk of their early work consisted mainly of television commercials. While it was work that they enjoyed, the two also had dreams of producing television programs as well as feature films. It was with these thoughts that in 1961 they renamed the company Rankin/Bass Productions and refocused their goals. Goals that they started to reach almost immediately with the production of Rudolph.

In 1966 producer Joseph E. Levine had thoughts of merging the popularity of monsters with the golden touch of Rankin/Bass and he signed them to a feature film contract. What he got was not a quickly produced exploitation film but rather a lovingly crafted animated musical. The animagic 'Mad Monster Party' (1967) told the story of the Worldwide Organisation of Monsters gathering together for the retirement of Baron Von Frankenstein. On this occasion, the Baron would announce that his non-monster nephew Felix would now head the group. It's an announcement that causes much dissent amongst those in assembly and the entire group spends the rest of the ninety-minute film trying to sort it all out.

Arthur Rankin, Jr. wrote the story and then turned it over to Len Korobkin and Harvey Kurtzman (a writer for Mad Magazine) who turned it into a screenplay while Jules Bass worked with Maury Laws in creating the musical score. The jazz based music and songs fit in perfectly with the times and, while hinting at parody towards what would be found in a spy film of the day, they remain as something more than just a curious relic of the era.

With story and songs complete, they now needed a look for the picture and in a fit of inspiration they turned to another man of Mad Magazine, Jack Davis. Davis was the perfect man to turn to as he had started his career drawing horror comics for EC in the 1950's. He was able to use these experiences perfectly in creating the film's modern approach to the classic horror characters and settings. Once this was established, Don Duga and Paul Cocker took Davis' work and turned it into a series of meticulous storyboards. This was a key point in the production, as scenes had to be meticulously planned out because the actual animation was not being done in an easy to supervise location.

In 1958 Rankin took a tour of Japan and along the way visited several animation houses, including Toei Studios. He was impressed by their quick production and unusual animation techniques and saw in these elements something that could be a great benefit to his companies work. Upon returning home, he contracted Toei to do the physical animation of the Rankin/Bass stories.

The last piece of the Mad Monster Party puzzle was signing the voice talent. In a serendipitous bit of casting, they were able to convince Boris Karloff to step in as the voice of Baron von Frankenstein. Who better to give life to this version of Frankenstein than the man who starred as the original Frankenstein's Monster in the movies? His legitimate acting ability and horror movie pedigree leant considerable weight to the production. Boris was joined behind the microphone by Phyllis Diller, Gale Garnett and Allen Swift.

Around this same time (1966 to be exact) another animated fright fest came into being. While more nostalgically entertaining than legitimately scary, 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown' has taken a place in our minds as the Halloween animated program. Directed by Bill Melendez, the Emmy nominated show is a meditation on faith and devotion shown through Linus' unwavering belief in the Great Pumpkin. The scares come in the literalisation of every child's nightmare when Charlie Brown gets rocks during trick or treat.

Three years after 'The Great Pumpkin' first aired, another cartoon with a dog for a star would appear and its mixture of horror and hi-jinks would influence animation for the next three decades. In 1969 Hanna Barbera had a concept for an animated horror series, which they took to Fred Silverman, an executive at CBS. Titled 'House of Mystery' the show revolved around a group of teenagers who solved mysteries. Silverman immediately ok'd the concept and pre-production began. As this started, the name changed to 'Mysterious Five' and a dog was added into the mix. As the premise continued to be worked it started to become apparent that the character of a dog here could have the all-important marketing potential. Writers Ken Spears and Joe Ruby started to build the dog more substantially into the plot and finally Silverman had a solid show, now called 'I'm S-s-s-s-scared', to take to his board in New York City. The board at CBS took one look at the storyboards for the program and vetoed the entire series under the fear that it would be too scary and intense for children. As legend has it, Silverman was flying back to California to break the news to the team and as he tried to relax, he plugged into the airplane radio system. The soothing sounds of Frank Sinatra singing 'Strangers in the Night' floated out of the headset and as Sinatra came to the scat refrain, Silverman shot out of his chair with a newfound excitement. If you are unfamiliar, this section of the song goes '...scooby dooby do...'. Silverman knew what needed done.

Arriving home, he put the focus of the show completely on the dog and named him Scooby Doo. Voice artist Don Messick gave Scooby a half-human/half animal voice, the comedy element was heightened against the horror and a star was born. 'Scooby Doo, Where Are You?' debuted in 1969 and has remained on TV, in one incarnation or another, ever since.

These shows and films are just at the top of what has become a long and continually growing list of animated monsters. Over the years many more creatures and ghouls have crossed our screens including Fangface (1979), The Groovie Ghoulies (1970), Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1969), The Galloping Ghost (1978), Goober and the Ghost Chasers (1973), Halloween is Grinch Night (1977), Ghostbusters and The Real Ghostbusters (both 1986), AAAH!! Real Monsters (1994), Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and Monsters, Inc. (2001) . We now thankfully have an animated monster to match everyone's needs and desires. So as you turn your lights out tonight sleep tight knowing that somewhere, there is a ghoul for you.

By Noell Wolfgram Evans
Originally appeared on Digital Media FX

William Hanna - The Story of a Legend

2006-07-25T13:02:00.000Z

You may not be aware of the first time that you encountered William Hanna or one of his many cartoons. Chances are that it was a Saturday morning and you were probably curled up on the sofa with a big bowl of Cornflakes. Or maybe it was a Wednesday afternoon and you were sprawled on the floor, relaxing from a hard day of school when The Flintstones, The Smurfs, Yogi Bear, The Shirt Tales, Scooby-Doo or any number of other multicolored characters ran across your TV screen. You may not have realised it at the time, but these cartoons, produced in part by William Hanna, would come to represent not only a certain form of entertainment, but they would also become markers of your youth. Such is the genius of William Hanna, one of the few entertainers whose work is not only entertaining and influential in it's own time, but also holds a timeless importance in influence and entertainment.

Hanna was born in Melrose, New Mexico on July 10, 1910. His father was a construction engineer who moved the family from job to job before finally settling them in Los Angeles in 1919. Nearly immediately, William encountered one of his true loves: The Boy Scouts. He joined the new organisation quickly and remained an active participant in it through his entire life. It was here where he also started down the path he was born to take. While assisting his father with the construction of the Pantages Theatre, he learned that Warner Brothers was going to be starting an animation division. With strong natural talents and no formal training, he went looking for work.

He landed himself a job and rose quickly through the studio; he was soon putting in time as the head of the Ink and Paint Department. Hanna continued to work and grow and in the mid-1930's, he found himself in the position of director in the animation unit at MGM (his directorial debut was 'To Spring' in 1936).

At this point, MGM had been 'outsourcing' their animated films but in 1937, they decided to bring their production directly under the MGM roof.
One of the first people they hired was Bill Hanna who was given the position of Director of Animation. He needed of course people to direct, so MGM went looking for animators. It is here where Joe Barbera steps into the picture. Barbera and Hanna 'latched on' to each other early on. The two of them couldn't have been any more different, but it might be safe to say that each man saw his own potential in the other.

With his partner Joe Barbera, William Hanna won seven Academy Awards, and eight Emmys (including the prestigious Governors Award). They've won Golden Globes, Annies, several environmental awards (for various series episodes), received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and been the recipients of numerous other accolades on their way to being inducted into the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame in 1993.

The pairing of William Hanna and Joseph Barbera was a serendipitous event and one that seems to have been determined to happen years before. Their strengths complimented their weaknesses and their personalities meshed perfectly. Barbera had a certain skill with the drawing board while Hanna had an innate knack for timing and gags, pieces crucial to the success of a cartoon. The two worked together at MGM for over 20 years, reaching successes unknown outside of Disney (They once won four Academy Awards in a row.). They were a special partnership, producing not only great works of entertainment, but acting as an influence to other animators, both in and out of MGM's cartoon division.

In 1956, the partners were placed in charge of the entire animation unit at MGM. It was to be a promotion that was short lived as in 1957 the animation division was closed.

During a partnership that spanned over sixty years of film and television, Hanna and Barbera worked with over 2,000 animated characters.

William Hanna was one of the first animation producers (and definitely one of the biggest animation 'names') to embrace television as a viable outlet for his trade. After the closing of the MGM studio, Hanna had to search for an outlet for his creative talents. One day he had a chance meeting with Jay Ward. Ward was looking to revive his 'Crusader Rabbit' TV series (which had been the first animated program on television). Hanna saw this as a great way to get his fingers into television and he agreed to take on the job, forming Shield Productions to handle the work. Just as they started though, the project stalled out. Hanna was energised by what he saw and did during the short time he was in production. With a renewed interest in animation, he contacted his old partner Joe Barbera with the idea of going into television. The decision of that conversation was a decision that changed an industry. They formed Hanna-Barbera Productions and in 1957, using many of the former Shield staff artists put 'Ruff and Reddy' on the air. At this moment Hanna-Barbera became television animation. There would be high and low marks but they would go on to set a consistent mark of entertainment right up through today.

Hanna-Barbera cornered the market on animated adaptations of live action shows. Throughout their career, they had a part in the following animated series:
Fonz and the Happy Days Gang
Partridge Family: 2200 A.D.
Laverne and Shirley in the Army
The Gary Coleman Show
I Dream of Jeannie
Mork and Mindy
The Dukes (From the Dukes of Hazzard)
and The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley among others.

William Hanna is one of the few entertainers in the world who will live on, in work and influence for years to come. On March 22, 2001 Mr. Hanna passed away at his home in North Hollywood, California. He is survived by his wife Violet and his friends Yogi Bear, Magilla Gorilla, George Jetson, Huckleberry Hound, Barney Rubble, Snagglepuss, The Banana Splits, Penelope Pitstop, Kwicky Koala, Foofer, Fred Flintstone, Hong Kong Phooey, Space Ghost, Johnny Quest, Tom and Jerry.

By Noell Wolfgram Evans
Originally appeared on Digital Media FX

Chuck Jones, A Man for All Seasons

2006-07-24T11:59:00.000Z

It's said that Jack Warner, the boss at Warner Brothers during animation's Golden Age, thought that Chuck Jones' animation unit made Mickey Mouse cartoons. That anyone could work and thrive under conditions where no one understands what you do is a testament to talent, creativity, tenacity and strength.

As one of the last surviving members of the great Warner Brothers animation unit of the 1930s - 1950's (in fact as one of the last surviving 'name' members of the entire 'Golden Age of Animation'), Jones often found himself standing in the spotlight. His work output, attitude and knowledge placed him in the position of 'Animation Guru', it was a job that he enjoyed to the fullest. He made constant appearances lecturing at classes and festivals, acting as a consultant to animators and historians and acting as a general 'Goodwill Ambassador' for animation.

During the course of his 60+ year career, he directed over 300 movies. Two of these films, 'What's Opera Doc?' and 'Duck Amuck', continually find themselves at or near the top of any 'All Time Greatest Cartoon' lists. 'What's Opera Doc?' is an animation tour-de-force that takes on all of the conventions of opera and animation in six and one-half minutes. Its striking visual design and layout were created by Maurice Noble who did an amazing job of placing an opera into a cartoon without making it feel 'cartoony'. Michael Maltese wrote the story while Milt Franklyn arranged the score from Wagner's 'Ring' cycle (and he threw in some original music as well). All of this was orchestrated by Jones to create a memorable, exciting and moving animation experience. Prior to this, Jones and Co. created 'Duck Amuck', perhaps one of the most dissected short films ever created. In case you've failed to see it, its plot would seem to be a simple one: Daffy Duck appears on screen to act out a scene. As soon as he starts though an unseen animator changes the scene's settings. Daffy quickly adjusts and restarts only to have things change on him again and again. Soon everything is upside down and Daffy appears on a white 'canvas' arguing and pleading his case to the off-screen, omnipotent hand that controls his fate while he is painted purple with yellow polka-dots. This constant change and adjustment and change again builds and builds until the surprise ending which can be viewed in any number of ways. In fact this whole picture can be taken from a number of angles and in fact it has been. 'Duck Amuck' has been seen as everything from a pure piece of animation (a cartoonists cartoon as it were) to a philosophical statement on creation and existentialism. It's a far cry from the general 'Was it funny?' type of question that animation usually brings about but it's precisely these opposites that make the film the studied and admired work it is today.

If you had to single out one Jones cartoon to represent the director, this would be a solid choice for it works off of two of his strong points, split second timing and a strong sense of character, to relay it's comedy. Like a good live action comedy, you don't necessarily laugh at the action on screen, you laugh at the characters reactions to it.

'Duck Amuck' is Jones' most theorised about film and it alone would warrant him a place in animation history but in a testament to Jones' talent, creativity and energy there are literally dozens of other shorts in his cannon that can be looked to for inspiration or a simple smile.

A Chuck Jones Sampler:

'Rabbit Seasoning' (1952) - Even people who claim not to know cartoons, know this one. Elmer is hunting rabbits and then ducks and then rabbits again as Daffy and Bugs continually spin the world around turning each other into the target. The short's famous 'Rabbit season, Duck season' argument is not just a classic moment in animation, it's a classic piece of film.

'One Froggy Evening' (1953) - A construction worker finds a singing frog who will sing for no one but him. Proving Jones' mastery of timing and character, this is essentially a silent picture (minus the frogs singing).

Any of the early Road Runner/Coyote shorts - Start with their first outing 'Fast and Furry-Ous' (1949) and watch from there. These characters (created by Jones and Michael Maltese) eventually drifted into a sort of banal repetition but their early appearances feature crackling timing wrapped around some unique ACME-sponsored innovation.

'How The Grinch Stole Christmas' (1966) - For many, this half-hour television special is the Christmas program. Jones himself directed the piece and animated a number of the sequences.

'From A to Z-Z-Z-Z' (1954) - This Academy Award nominated short tells the story of a daydreaming schoolboy (sort of a junior Walter Mitty) in a uniquely stylised manner. At the time, design was being looked at in a whole new light in the field of animation; Jones created this picture and raised the mark.

'Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2 Century' (1953) - Daffy Duck at his blowhearted finest. You needent be a science fiction fan to appreciate his 'ineptitude'.

It must be noted that Jones' official title for much of his career was that of 'Director' and he was fortunate enough to direct some amazing talents including design artist Maurice Noble and writer Michael Maltese. Jones' credit as a director was that he allowed each member of his team to display their talents. Granted as Director, his 'stamp' can be seen on each and every one of the animations that he oversaw but his imprint was not so overpowering so as to block out the contributions of the other members. Jones didn't direct as much as he orchestrated, enabling each team member to create and express their ideas while still keeping them within the framework of the story and characters. It should not be taken that all Jones did was sit back and point, on the contrary he was an accomplished artist who broke into animation as a cel washer; it's important because it shows that he indeed knew the business from the bottom up. He spent time in all facets of the job and was willing to dive into any of them when the time arose.

Of everyone that Chuck oversaw, perhaps none were more influential than the Dover Boys. The Dover Boys (Tom, Dick and Larry) appeared in Jones' 1942 short 'The Dover Boys at Pimento University or The Rivals of Roquefort Hall'. A send up of late-19th century melodrama, the short told the story of Dainty Dora, her kidnapping by Dan Backslide and eventual rescue by The Dover Boys. What made this picture stand out was its unique stylisation and design. It's use of wipes and 'limited animation' was light years ahead of its time and proved to be a major influence on the UPA revolution that occurred in animation in the 1950s. Jones would further lay influence on the artists who would form UPA when he directed 'Hellbent for Election' in 1944 for the Industrial Film and Poster Service, a collection of artists who would morph the company into UPA.

It wasn't just UPA that felt the effect of this film though, modern animators continue to turn to it as a benchmark. In an interview with Animato in the spring of 1988, Ren and Stimpy creator John Kricfaluski cited the Dover Boys as a strong influence in the design of much of his work in through its innovation in the 'Strong Pose' theory. It's a theory that states that limited animation can be effective if the characters maintain and react to action with strong poses as a 'stance' can tell almost as much about who or what a person is as a walk can. Kricfaluski: "It (the strong pose) was all invented by Chuck Jones in The Dover Boys."

Over the course of his life Chuck Jones received 3 competitive Academy Awards as well as an honorary Oscar in 1996. He won a MacDowell Award, several Peabody Awards, saw 'What's Opera, Doc?' named to the National Film registry and received numerous other accolades.

One of the ultimate testaments to Jones' career and talents came in the early 1990's when Warner Brothers decided to resurrect their animation division. One of the people that they turned to for help was Chuck Jones. When the Coyote and Road Runner appeared in a brand new short, 'Chariots of Fur', in 1994 in theaters, a whole new generation was able to experience the magic of Chuck Jones on the silver screen. Jones continued to work for Warner Brothers, moving into the digital world through the creation of an all-new animation series, called 'Timber Wolf', that could be found exclusively on-line. He ended his life as he lived it, animating, innovating and entertaining.

By Noell Wolfgram Evans
Originally appeared on Digital Media FX

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