Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Special Thanks to TheAnimationEmpire from Web Show

You are - awesome, go check out www.andysamberg.blogspot.com

WARNING: Slight language.



So we blogged about some of their videos on our Andy Samberg blog site, and they did this thank you video for us.


Thanks for not showing us your boobs. LOL

You guys are hilarious.

Thanks/You're welcome.

- TAE

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Why is Disney/Pixar making a sequel to Cars?

First, let's talk about why they shouldn't.

Here is every Pixar movie.

The number is the total worldwide gross...


Toy Story
1995
$361,958,736

A Bug's Life
1998
$363,398,565

Toy Story 2
1999
$485,015,179

Monsters, Inc.
2001
$525,366,597

Finding Nemo
2003
$864,625,978

The Incredibles
2004
$631,442,092

Cars
2006
$461,981,604

Ratatouille
2007
$620,261,049





Cars was clearly the stinker of the bunch, if $461 million, two Oscar nominations, and a Golden Globe could possibly be called a stinker. =^)


This makes me wonder why they’re making a sequel to Cars instead of The Incredibles, Finding Nemo (maybe a Crush movie), or Monsters Inc.


My answer is... Merchandise.


Merchandise is probably the motivation for creating a sequel to Cars, seeing how it certainly isn’t the Box Office. (It makes more sense from a Box Office perspective to do a Crush movie, or a sequel to Incredibles or Monster’s Inc.)


Disney made more money off of merchandising Cars than any other Pixar movie.


Disney makes more revenue in merchandising than any other source. Even in the parks, more money comes from merchandise than food or tickets.

I remembered reading an article where Disney said they were hitting it big with girls with the Princess franchise and hoped to continue to get merchandise brands out of Pixar from Toy Story (which was their biggest success with boys), Incredibles, and Cars. (On the DreamWorks side, I’m sure they’re raking it in with Shrek and Madagascar.)

On a side note, they should make an Incredibles cartoon and place it in the older time frame when Supers ran rampant. That’s where the big money is for boys: TV cartoons and related merchandise (Warner Bros. has banked on it for 15 years).

Plus Pixar probably already thought of a killer idea for a Cars sequel, and that’s a motivating factor. It doesn’t take much to think of a sequel to Cars. The concept has “road trip” written all over it (which is pretty much the whole story of both Toy Story movies and Finding Nemo), and the road trip concept wasn’t used to its fullest potential in the first Cars movie.

- TAE

Sunday, April 27, 2008

YouTube Marketing Tips 12 - The title is super important

Check out this video from Flaming Tree. It got over 12,000 views in 4 days. Now, they aren't popular enough for that to normally happen.

This was titled: "monster in my closet"




The icon is of a guy about to beat on a monster. I don't think that you can get that from the icon, nor is it super interesting...



The conclusion is that I think they managed to make this video slightly viral just by the title. =^)

You can often tell when it isn't rated very well (only two stars). That means it's being passed on due to the snowball effect rather than word of mouth. People aren't watching because it's "good" (being rated well or talked about), so that means they are watching just based on the image, title, and the fact that other people are already watching it.

The viral effect is amazing, isn't it?

- TAE

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Is Pixar doing live action?

Rumors are running rampant that both Brad Bird and Andrew Stanton are combining animation and live-action for their movies. Is it an elaborate April Fools joke, or is the joke itself a joke (meaning that it was presented as an April Fools joke, but it really isn’t)?


From Wikismack:

Rumors began appearing in early 2007 that the Walt Disney Company was in negotiations to acquire the rights to the [John Carter] property for development through Pixar Animation,[2] or that it had already done so.

In what was an April fools joke, Pixar blog Upcoming Pixar broke the news that John Carter of Mars would be Brad Bird's live action feature length debut as director. However the same blog confirmed that the film was to be made by Pixar on May 22, 2007. A month later, however, it was revealed that Brad Bird's first live-action film would be 1906. But it was revealed that Carter will use a combination of animation and live-action and is said to be in theaters in 2012. On October 2, 2007, the director of John Carter was revealed to be Andrew Stanton and the screenwriter Mark Andrews. Both were visiting Tarzana, California to look into the Edgar Rice Burroughs Archives.


---------

Technically, Pixar came from George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), and this is the same sort of thing they’re doing with their Star Wars movies. Pixar could do even better. Plus, the action-oriented films starring humans do very poorly in animation (Beowulf, Final Fantasy, Titan AE, Sinbad, etc.).

So these flagship Pixar directors may be uncovering new territory by making live-action films (one with an animation twist). The first two of these films may be 1906 (Brad Bird) and John Carter (Andrew Stanton). Brad Bird just won two academy awards for Incredibles and Ratatouille, while Andrew Stanton is currently running Pixar, and he won an academy award for and had the biggest Pixar success with Finding Nemo (plus his Wall-E this year will surely also exceed expectations).






This information has been confirmed:

- Brad Bird is directing 1906, based on the novel of the same name (see below).

- People are guessing that the movie will be done in 2010.

- Andrew Stanton is working on the first John Carter movie, probably called The Princess of Mars.

- It will be a combination of live action and 3D effects (like the Star Wars movies).

- The move is currently scheduled for 2012.

- They are thinking that they will continue the series with sequels, every 1-3 years.

- Pixar will be producing both these live-action films (Warner Bros will be co-producing 1906).





The novel:
http://www.amazon.com/1906-Novel-James-Dalessandro/dp/0811849414




They would be leaving behind capable directors to concentrate on the animations, like:

1. Pete Doctor (directed Monster’s Inc., Mike’s New Car, and will direct Up in 2009)

2. Lee Unkrich (co-directed Toy Story 2, Monster’s Inc, Finding Nemo, and will direct Toy Story 3 in 2010)

3. Gary Rydstrom (directed Lifted (short before Ratatouille), and will direct newt in 2011; also won 3 Oscars for sound and 14 nominations)

4. Brenda Chapman (directed Prince of Egypt, and will direct Bear and the Bow in 2011)

5. Brad Lewis (produced Ratatouille, and will direct Cars 2 in 2012)



- TAE

Friday, April 25, 2008

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Empire Interviews: Mike Tyson will eat your children

TheAnimationEmpire proudly presents...

Empire Interviews: Mike Tyson will eat your children




What's the funniest part?

This video features actual audio of Mike Tyson talking about a fight during the interview. The voice clips in the credits are voice impressions that Mike Tyson did not say.

WARNING: Mild/Implied animated violence.

This was made with Maya, Photoshop, Premiere, and Movie Maker (the latter is only used for its compression capabilities).

Written and directed by Ed 'word' Price. Animated by Alexander Louie.


-----------------
Starring...

Mike Tyson as himself

Louie Yak as himself
http://www.youtube.com/OverUnderWear

Jesse Springer as himself
http://www.youtube.com/JSDigital

Dave Stuchkus as the Earios Announcer

Rob Sandler as Mike Tyson (credits)

-----------------
Production...

3D Animator - Alexander Louie

Producer - Ed 'word' Price

Character Modeler - Arjun Gupte

Set Modeler - Alexander Louie

Credits Animator - Ed 'word' Price

Background Animator - Ed 'word' Price

Audio Design - Ed Price & Alexander

Music - Kevin MacLeod
http://www.incompetech.com/

-----------------
Mike Tyson Model presented by...

Glenbrook Services
http://www.glenbrookservices.com/

Quality landscaping in western Washington state.
Big enough to do the job. Small enough to care.


-----------------

Honors for this video (3/20/08):

#22 - Most Discussed (Today) - Film & Animation
#67 - Top Rated (Today) - Film & Animation


Subscribe if you liked this; there is oh so much more coming. =^)

Here, we'll make that easy-tastic:
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=TheAnimationEmpire

Thanks for subscribing!

- TAE

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

YouTube Tip: Wait for the background to load before inviting a friend

UPDATE: I think YouTube fixed this. I have to verify.
===============================

YouTube Tips 13 - Wait for the background to load before inviting a friend

Now, in YouTube, it's possible to go to someone's channel, click "Add as friend" and then have the screen refresh back to the top with nothing having happened.

Why does it do that? Because it's still loading all the images on the page and it won't respond to the invite request properly until it's done loading. This could be video icons, but it is usually a background image (or animated gif) that is a large file size. So that's a reason to make sure your background isn't a large file size. =^)

Once it's done loading all the images on the page (your browser's status bar on the bottom of the screen should indicate this), you can add the person as a friend.

- TAE

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Heartbeat - Disney Couples

Includes:

Tarzan/Jane
Belle/Beast
Aladdin/Jasmin
Ariel/Eric



Enjoy!

Monday, April 21, 2008

Question: Is there anything I can do to get featured on the front page of YouTube?

Question: Is there anything I can do to get featured on the front page of YouTube?

Nope. Make friends with partners and with people who are cool on YouTube. Try to make something you think will get featured. You really got to think outside the box to get featured, and the more often you think outside the box, the more often you get featured. Creative/entertaining songs and animations tend to do better, but they're much harder to do than a normal v-log.

The only vid we got featured was Fruits VS Bugs:



Check out the sequel if you haven't:



Our channel was also featured, on the day we released Episode 2.


- The Emperor

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Smurfs movie

The director of Everyone’s Hero (Superman, Christopher Reeve, actually directed the pre-production) is now working on Smurfs.

http://imdb.com/title/tt0472181/



A Smurfin' Movie Deal

Fans of a certain animated tribe of small, blue woodland creatures haven't gotten a lot of love lately: No new TV episodes, no old TV episodes on DVD (outside of a couple of import releases), no real news on a long-rumored movie.
Now, finally, things are looking rather smurfin'.
A 3-D, CGI-animated Smurfs feature film will bow in theaters in 2008, Daily Variety reported Tuesday. The extravaganza from Paramount's Nickelodeon Movies will be the first in a planned trilogy, it said. According to Newsweek, the project has been trying to get off the ground since at least 2003.

Word of the done deal comes a week after DreamWorks and Paramount set a July 4, 2007, release date for The Transformers, another animated TV series due for a big-screen makeover. But while Transformers fandom has thrived, fueled by new series and product, the smaller legions of Smurf faithful have waited.
"Dude, a Smurf movie?" went a message-board post on TheMovieBlog.com last month after Newsweek noted a film was nigh. "That's the smurfing best thing I've heard in smurfing forever."

Like the Transformers, the Smurfs were a phenomenon of the 1980s, unless one lived in Europe, where the characters have been mainstays since 1958, when Belgian artist Pierre Culliford, better known as Peyo, introduced them in the comic pages. The new movie's planned release date supposedly is tied to Smurfdom's upcoming 50th birthday.

Peyo's creations--the aforementioned small, blue woodland creatures who lived in homes shaped like mushrooms, whistled happy tunes, conjugated the word "smurf" in any way they saw fit, and named themselves Ramones-style (Papa Smurf, Brainy Smurf, Grouchy Smurf, etc.)--blew up as big as any Transformer robot in 1981 when The Smurfs debuted on NBC. The Hanna-Barbera-produced series won two Daytime Emmys, moved much merchandise, from Smurf-Berry Crunch cereal to countless figurines, and dominated Saturday morning TV until 1990. A 1983 big-screen adventure, The Smurfs and the Magic Flute, grossed $11 million, per the box-office site The-Numbers.com, even though it was nothing more than a retitled, redubbed version of a 1976 Belgian-produced movie.

There was no word on voice actors for the new film. The Smurfs' family recently lost Gargamel, the bad, and Baby Smurf, the good, in the death of performer Paul Winchell. Don Messick, who voiced Papa Smurf and others, died in 1997. Smurfette, meanwhile, lives. Lucille Bliss, who gave high-pitched voice to the tribe's lone female member, is 76, and still working.

As for Peyo, he died in 1992. His progeny, however, has kept right on their merry way.

Story:
http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/news/eo/20050719/112182198000.html

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Who Would Win: Alternate Material (Episodes 7-9)

These are our outtakes from Who Would Win episodes 7, 8, and 9. Go check those out! These questions and responses were funny, but they were a little too random for the videos, so we put them all into an Alternate Materials vid. Enjoy!



What was your favorite question we asked here?

Directed and edited by MattyO.
Check out MattyO's "Spectrum Song" and "Flowers N Plus" on his channel:
http://www.youtube.com/mattyobrien1

Written by Ed 'word' Price with assistance by MattyO. Featured Animation Empire Doodz include: Ed, Justin, Owen, Evan, Tyler, Chris, Colin, and Andrew.

Thanks! Please subscribe for more!

- TAE

Friday, April 18, 2008

Disney's Animated Movie Release Schedule

Scroll down for the lineup. Note that there are two re-releases (Toy Story in 3D and Toy Story 2 in 3D) and four direct-to DVDs (Tinkerbell series) that are in 3D and still look fantastic.

Enjoy!

- TAE

---------------------------


Disney/Pixar have announced their upcoming film slates.

THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS ROLLS OUT SLATE OF 10 NEW ANIMATED MOTION PICTURES THROUGH 2012

DISNEY'S "FAIRIES" DIRECT-TO-DVD FRANCHISE WILL ALSO DEBUT

New York, New York -- April 8, 2008 -- The Walt Disney Studios unveiled a diverse and ambitious slate of 10 new animated feature films from Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios to be released through the year 2012 at a New York press conference held today by Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, and John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios.

The line-up includes new films from Disney and Pixar's accomplished team of filmmakers, and features vocal performances by such top celebrity talents as John Travolta and Miley Cyrus ("Bolt"), Reese Witherspoon and Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson ("The Bear and the Bow"), Anika Noni Rose and John Goodman ("The Princess and the Frog"), as well as return engagements by Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and the rest of the "Toy Story" vocal ensemble ("Toy Story 3"). The roster of new animated features includes six new films from Pixar Animation Studios, four from Walt Disney Animation Studios, and the first four in a series of direct-to-DVD films featuring Disney Fairies from DisneyToon Studios. Starting later this year with the release of Disney's "Bolt," all Disney and Pixar animated features will be presented in state-of-the-art Disney Digital 3-D™. Additionally, newly converted 3-D versions of the beloved classics, "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2," are set to debut in 2009 and 2010 respectively.

Among the upcoming animated films on the 2008 release schedule are "WALL•E" (Pixar) from Academy Award®-winning director/writer Andrew Stanton ("Finding Nemo") opening nationwide June 27th; "Bolt" (Disney) from the talented new directing team of Chris Williams and Byron Howard, due in theatres on November 26th; and the Disney DVD and Blu-ray release of "Tinker Bell," the first in a new franchise of original entertainment set in the world of Fairies, on October 28th. The Studio's 2009 animated slate includes the summer release of Pixar's first 3-D feature, "Up," from director Pete Docter ("Monsters, Inc.") and co-director Bob Peterson, the Christmas Day release of Disney's original animated fairy tale "The Princess and the Frog" from acclaimed veteran Disney directors John Musker and Ron Clements ("The Little Mermaid," "Aladdin," "Hercules,") and the Disney DVD and Blu-ray release of "Tinker Bell North of Never Land" (working title). 2010 brings the highly anticipated return of Buzz and Woody in the Disney Digital™ 3D summer release of Pixar's "Toy Story 3" directed by Lee Unkrich ("Finding Nemo," "Monsters, Inc."); followed by the Christmas arrival of Disney's version of the classic fairy tale, "Rapunzel," featuring the directing debuts of animation legend Glen Keane and directing partner Dean Wellins, and the Disney DVD and Blu-ray release of "Tinker Bell A Midsummer Storm" (working title).

In the summer of 2011, Pixar's "newt" marks the directing debut of multiple Oscar® winning sound designer Gary Rydstrom. Christmas 2011 brings Pixar's first fairy tale, "The Bear and the Bow," from acclaimed filmmaker/writer Brenda Chapman ("The Prince of Egypt"). The Disney DVD and Blu-ray release of "Tinker Bell A Winter Story" (working title) also debuts in 2011. The year 2012 will mark the return of Lightning McQueen, Mater the tow truck, and an international cast of favorite and new car characters in Pixar's "Cars 2," directed by Brad Lewis (producer of "Ratatouille"). Scheduled for Christmas 2012 from Walt Disney Animation Studios is "King of the Elves," an adaptation of a Philip K. Dick short story, directed by Aaron Blaise and Robert Walker ("Brother Bear").
Commenting on the announcement, Cook said, "We couldn't be more proud and excited about our upcoming line-up of feature projects. With so many great films literally on the drawing boards and computer screens, we felt that now was the perfect time to give moviegoers all over the world an update on the state of our art. In a year when our Studio is marking the 80th anniversary of Mickey Mouse, the character that started it all for us, it seems especially timely to share our plans for the future of animation. With John Lasseter and Ed Catmull guiding our creative efforts both at Emeryville and in Burbank, this is as exciting a time as any in our history."
Lasseter added, "This is an amazing time for animation at Disney and Pixar, and it's a thrill to be working on such a diverse and original group of films with such an all-star team of filmmakers. The thing I love best about my job is that I get to work at both Disney and Pixar with filmmakers who are passionate about their projects and who are the absolute best in the business. We're excited to be pushing the boundaries of 3-D and computer technology to tell our stories in the best possible way. At the same time, we're drawing on our past to emphasize memorable characters, original edge-of-your-seat stories, and believable worlds. Walt Disney and his creative team taught us how to blend comedy, powerful emotion, and action-filled excitement in our films, and this group of incredible filmmakers is bringing their own originality and sensibilities to the process."


WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS/ PIXAR ANIMATION STUDIOS RELEASE SCHEDULE 2008 – 2012:


2008:




WALL•E
(Domestic Release Date: June 27th, 2008)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director/Screenwriter: Andrew Stanton Producer: Jim Morris Co-Producer: Lindsey Collins Sound and Character Voice Designer: Ben Burtt Composer: Thomas Newman, with an Original Song Performed by Peter Gabriel Voice Talent: Fred Willard, Jeff Garlin, Sigourney Weaver, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy
What if mankind had to leave Earth and somebody forgot to turn off the last robot?
Academy Award®-winning writer-director Andrew Stanton ("Finding Nemo") and the inventive storytellers and technical geniuses at Pixar Animation Studios transport moviegoers to a galaxy not so very far away for a new computer-animated cosmic comedy about a determined robot named WALL•E.
After hundreds of lonely years doing what he was built for, WALL•E (short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) discovers a new purpose in life (besides collecting knick-knacks) when he meets a sleek search robot named EVE. EVE comes to realize that WALL•E has inadvertently stumbled upon the key to the planet's future, and races back to space to report her findings to the humans (who have been eagerly awaiting word that it is safe to return home). Meanwhile, WALL•E chases EVE across the galaxy and sets into motion one of the most incredible comedy adventures ever brought to the big screen.
Joining WALL•E on his fantastic journey across a universe of never-before-imagined visions of the future is a hilarious cast of characters including a pet cockroach, and a heroic team of malfunctioning misfit robots.




BOLT
(Domestic Release Date: November 26th, 2008, Disney Digital 3-D™)
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: Chris Williams, Byron Howard Producer: Clark Spencer Voice Talent: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman
For super-dog Bolt (voiced by John Travolta), every day is filled with adventure, danger and intrigue – at least until the cameras stop rolling. When the canine star of a hit TV show is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood soundstage to New York City, he begins his biggest adventure yet – a cross-country journey through the real world. Armed only with the delusions that all his amazing feats and powers are real, and with the help of two unlikely traveling companions – a jaded, abandoned housecat named Mittens (voiced by Susie Essman), and TV-obsessed hamster in a plastic ball named Rhino – Bolt discovers he doesn't need superpowers to be a hero. Miley Cyrus ("Hannah Montana") brings her vocal talents to the role of Penny, Bolt's human co-star on the television series.




TINKER BELL
(Disney DVD and Blu-ray Release Date: October 28th, 2008)
DisneyToon Studios Director: Bradley Raymond Producer: Jeannine Roussel
Enter the magical world of fairies and meet the enchanting creatures of Pixie Hollow, who "nurture nature" and bring about the change of the seasons. Changing the colors of the leaves, moving a sunbeam to melt snow, waking animals from their winter slumber, or giving a patch of sproutlings a sprinkle of water are all within the realm of these seasonal specialists. Tinker Bell thinks her fairy talent as a "tinker" isn't as special or important as the other fairies' talents. But when Tink tries to change who she is, she creates nothing but disaster! With encouragement from her friends Rosetta, Silvermist, Fawn and Iridessa, Tink learns the key to solving her problems lies in her unique tinker abilities…and discovers that when she's true to herself, magical things can happen.

2009:





UP
(Domestic Release Date: May 29th, 2009, Disney Digital 3-D™)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Pete Docter Co-Director: Bob Peterson Producer: Jonas Rivera Writer: Bob Peterson Voice Talent: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, John Ratzenberger, Jordan Nagai
From the Academy Award®-nominated team of director Pete Docter ("Monsters, Inc.") and co-director Bob Peterson comes "Up," a comedic adventure taking off (and lifting spirits) in summer 2009.
Carl Fredricksen spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. But at age 78, life seems to have passed him by, until a twist of fate (and a persistent 8-year old Wilderness Explorer named Russell) gives him a new lease on life. "Up" takes audiences on a thrilling journey where the unlikely pair encounter wild terrain, unexpected villains and jungle creatures. When seeking adventure next summer – look "Up."

TOY STORY in 3-D
(Domestic Release Date: October 2nd, 2009)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: John Lasseter Producers: Ralph Guggenheim, Bonnie Arnold Composer: Randy Newman Voice Talent: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger
Originally released by Walt Disney Pictures in 1995, "Toy Story" was the first feature film from Pixar Animation Studios and director John Lasseter. The film went on to receive Oscar® nominations for Best Original Score, Best Original Song, and Best Original Screenplay, and earned Lasseter a Special Achievement Award (Oscar®) "for the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film." The 3-D version of this landmark film is being personally overseen by Lasseter with his acclaimed team of technical wizards handling all the necessary steps in the conversion process.




THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
(Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2009)
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: John Musker, Ron Clements Producer: Peter Del Vecho Composer: Randy Newman Voice Talent: Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Jenifer Lewis, John Goodman
A musical set in the greatest city of them all, New Orleans, "The Princess and the Frog" marks Disney's return to the timeless art form of traditional animation. The film teams Ron Clements and John Musker, creators of "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin," with Oscar®-winning composer Randy Newman to tell the most beautiful love story ever told…with frogs, voodoo, and a singing alligator.




TINKER BELL NORTH OF NEVER LAND - working title
(Disney DVD and Blu-ray Release Date: 2009)
DisneyToon Studios
Director: Klay Hall Producer: Sean Lurie
In autumn, Tinker Bell is entrusted with crafting a great treasure that can rejuvenate the Pixie Dust Tree. But when her friend Terence offers to help, Tink's temper and stubbornness get the better of her, shattering both her creation and her friendship with Terence. To set things right again, she must embark on a journey far North of Never Land… and along the way, she will discover an even greater treasure.

2010:

TOY STORY 2 in 3-D
(Domestic Release Date: February 12th, 2010)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: John Lasseter Co-Directors: Lee Unkrich, Ash Brannon Producers: Helene Plotkin, Karen Robert Jackson Composer: Randy Newman Voice Talent: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger
Originally released in 1999, "Toy Story 2" went on to become one of the most popular animated features of all time. The film picks up as Andy is heading off to Cowboy Camp and the toys are left to their own devices. When an obsessive toy collector named Al McWhiggin (owner of Al's Toy Barn) kidnaps Woody, and Woody learns that he's a highly valued collectable from a 1950s TV show called "Woody's Roundup," the stage is set for a daring rescue attempt by the gang from Andy's room. The film introduced such other memorable characters from "Woody's Roundup" as Jessie the cowgirl, Bullseye the horse, and the Prospector.





TOY STORY 3
(Domestic Release Date: June 18th, 2010, Disney Digital 3-D™)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Lee Unkrich Producer: Darla K. Anderson Writer: Michael Arndt Composer: Randy Newman Voice Talent: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, Estelle Harris, John Ratzenberger, Ned Beatty
The creators of the beloved "Toy Story" films re-open the toy box and bring moviegoers back to the delightful world of Woody, Buzz and our favorite gang of toy characters in "Toy Story 3." Lee Unkrich (co-director of "Toy Story 2" and "Finding Nemo") directs this highly anticipated film, and Michael Arndt, the Academy Award®-winning screenwriter of "Little Miss Sunshine," brings his unique talents and comedic sensibilities to the proceedings.





RAPUNZEL
(Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2010, Disney Digital 3-D™)
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: Glen Keane, Dean Wellins Producer: Roy Conli
In this new telling of the classic fairy tale, "Rapunzel," audiences will be transported to a stunning CG fantasy world complete with the iconic tower, an evil witch, a gallant hero and, of course, the mysterious girl with the long golden tresses. Expect adventure, heart, humor, and hair…lots of hair, when Rapunzel unleashes her locks in theaters for the 2010 holiday.




TINKER BELL A MIDSUMMER STORM - working title
(Disney DVD and Blu-ray Release Date: 2010)
DisneyToon Studios
Director: Carolyn Gair Producer: Margot Pipkin
After being confronted by her antagonist Vidia, an irritated Tinker Bell retaliates by taking a photograph of Vidia…without considering the consequences. Now, the two must set aside their differences and cooperate to prevent evidence of the existence of fairies from falling into human hands.

2011:





NEWT
(Domestic Release Date: Summer 2011, Disney Digital 3-D™)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Gary Rydstrom Producer: Richard Hollander Writers: Gary Rydstrom, Leslie Caveny
What happens when the last remaining male and female blue-footed newts on the planet are forced together by science to save the species, and they can't stand each other? That's the problem facing Newt and Brooke, heroes of "newt," the Pixar film by seven-time Academy Award® winner for sound Gary Rydstrom, and director of Pixar's Oscar nominated short, "Lifted." Newt and Brooke embark on a perilous, unpredictable adventure and discover that finding a mate never goes as planned, even when you only have one choice. Love, it turns out, is not a science.





THE BEAR AND THE BOW
(Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2011, Disney Digital 3-D™)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Brenda Chapman Producer: Katherine Sarafian Voice Talent: Reese Witherspoon, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson
A rugged and mythic Scotland is the setting for Pixar's action-adventure "The Bear and the Bow." The impetuous, tangle-haired Merida, though a daughter of royalty, would prefer to make her mark as a great archer. A clash of wills with her mother compels Merida to make a reckless choice, which unleashes unintended peril on her father's kingdom and her mother's life. Merida struggles with the unpredictable forces of nature, magic and a dark, ancient curse to set things right. Director Brenda Chapman ("The Prince of Egypt," "The Lion King") and the storytelling wizards of Pixar conjure humor, fantasy and excitement in this rich Highland tale.





TINKER BELL A WINTER STORY - working title
(Disney DVD and Blu-ray Release Date: 2011)
DisneyToon Studios
Producer: Sean Lurie
The fourth, as-yet-untold story of Tinker Bell and her fairy friends will take place in winter, completing the cycle of the seasons.

2012:




CARS 2
(Domestic Release Date: Summer 2012, Disney Digital 3-D™)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Brad Lewis
All the world's a racetrack as racing superstar Lightning McQueen zooms back into action, with his best friend Mater in tow, to take on the globe's fastest and finest in this thrilling high-octane new installment of the "Cars" saga. Mater and McQueen will need their passports as they find themselves in a new world of intrigue, thrills and fast-paced comedic escapades around the globe. "Cars 2" is being directed by Brad Lewis, producer of the Oscar®-winning film "Ratatouille."





KING OF THE ELVES
(Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2012, Disney Digital 3-D™)
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: Aaron Blaise, Robert Walker Producer: Chuck Williams
Legendary storyteller Phillip K. Dick's short story (his only experiment in the fantasy genre) becomes the basis for this fantastic and imaginative tale about an average man living in the Mississippi Delta, whose reluctant actions to help a desperate band of elves leads them to name him their new king. Joining the innocent and endangered elves as they attempt to escape from an evil and menacing troll, their unlikely new leader finds himself caught on a journey filled with unimaginable dangers and a chance to bring real meaning back to his own life.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Horton Hears a Who! is out in theaters

Has anybody seen Horton Hears a Who!?

If so, what did you think?



-----------------------


It’s being made by Blue Sky, the Ice Age folks:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Sky_Studios


It seems to be doing well, $140 million domestic, $244 million total:
http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=hortonhearsawho.htm


Which makes it #19 in 3D animations, not quite as successful as the least successful Pixar movie:

http://boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=computeranimation.htm





Promotional poster

--------------------

Horton Hatches the Egg – Looney Tunes, Bob Clampett




· "Horton Hatches the Egg" was made into a 10 minute cartoon for Looney Tunes in 1942. Created by Bob Clampett.
· "Horton Hears a Who!" was made into an animated TV special in 1970. Directed by Chuck Jones.
· Horton the Elephant appears in the Robot Chicken episode "Metal Militia" voiced by Roger L. Jackson. He is seen listening to a Jewish comedian.
· Horton Hears a Who! was made into an animated motion picture in 2008 with Jim Carrey as Horton, Steve Carell as the mayor of Who-ville, Carol Burnett as Sour Jane Kangaroo, and Jesse McCartney as JoJo.

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horton_the_Elephant

- TAE

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

A video of animated movies coming out within the next couple of years

I found some pics for some upcoming animated movies. Enjoy



Enjoy!

- TAE

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Save the Princess (Trailer) - with VenetianPrincess as Zelda

VenetianPrincess stars as Princess Zelda in this new "The Legend of Zelda" parody animation from TheAnimationEmpire and WillemWorks.



What part was funniest?

Starring (in the order they are listed):

Venetian Princess - Princess Zelda
Mike Elmore - Narrator
Ed 'word' Price - Dragon Boat

Check out the Venetian Princess channel (her VP Trailer will blow you away):
http://www.youtube.com/VenetianPrincess

Production credits:

Designed and Animated by Willem Serne. Produced by Ed 'word' Price. Directed by Willem and Ed. Written by Ed with Story Assistance by Willem.

WillemWorks features a version of this without the titles (and a few small differences):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh3kSOxn5yc

Check out the Willem Works channel. We recommend "Metal Gear Solid Story":
http://www.youtube.com/WillemWorks

Also, here is Willem's website:
http://www.willemworks.tk/

Honors for This Video:
#60 - Most Discussed (Today) - Film & Animation
#87 - Top Favorites (Today) - Film & Animation

This was animated in Microsoft Paint and Windows Movie Maker. The song is called Zelda, by Joe Pleiman, from an album called The Rabbit Joint (popularly believed to be done by System of a Down).

So, yeah. If you thought this trailer was funny, wait until you see the rest of it!!!

Thanks for all your support! Please subscribe to make sure you don't miss the full "Save the Princess" video!!!

Here, we'll make that easy:
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=TheAnimationEmpire

- TAE

Monday, April 14, 2008

The History of Animation 16 - Walt Disney: Laugh-o-grams, Puss in Boots



Puss in Boots




"A Laugh-o-Gram Short"

Release Date November 3, 1922

Running Time 9:39

Director : Walt Disney



Sad Note: This animation is not currently available online.


Animation:

Walt Disney
Rudolph Ising
Hugh Harman
Carman "Max" Maxwell
Lorey Tague
Otto Walliman


A boy falls for a princess, his cat for hers. But her father does not like the idea of a commoner marrying a noblewoman and kicks him out. After seeing a Rudolpho Valensino movie at the local theater his cat has the idea that he could try impressing the king as bullfighter, to win his daughters hand. Bullfighting is relatively easy, when you can hypnotize the bull, but why does his cat need new boots ?

Walt Disney was barely 21 years old and still working out of Kansas City when he and his earliest cohorts in animation produced this cartoon. PUSS IN BOOTS is a slangy update of the old fairy tale, complete with jazzy topical references to flappers, radio, and Rudolph Valentino. (Rudy is parodied in a brief burlesque of his bullfighting saga BLOOD AND SAND, a movie-within-the-movie entitled "Throwing the Bull.") The characters in this silent film converse in dialog balloons, as they would in a comic strip; similarly, when they're startled, their hats dance in the air, or little lines fly out of their heads-- it's like the Sunday funnies come to life.



The story is simple. A boy who is a commoner is in love with a Princess, but of course her father the King objects. However, the boy's cat has a plan to make him a hero, therefore an acceptable suitor. Lots of cute gags along the way boost the entertainment value of this very early Disney effort beyond what a plot synopsis might suggest. Character movement is a bit jerky at times, but the backgrounds are surprisingly elaborate, rather more detailed than those found in Disney's later 'Alice in Cartoonland' series or in the early Mickey Mouse cartoons. It's also impressive that these young filmmakers would take on the challenge of animating such a large crowd of spectators packing into the arena for the climactic bullfight. Even this early, Disney wasn't one to play it safe or cut corners. PUSS IN BOOTS is charming and funny, an inauspicious debut to a career whose impact can still be felt.


From:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0013520/




Probably the earliest Disney inside joke; when the boy and the cat are standing outside of a movie theater, one of the posters features "Cinderella," a Laugh-o-Gram then still in production.

Color Type : Black and White
Animation type : Standard
Sound mix : Silent
Aspect ration : 1.37 : 1
Negative format : 35mm
Print format : 35mm
Cinematographic process : Spherical
Original language : English

This is a very well-animated cartoon short for its time. The background art is exceptional, with a lot of use of perspective. A boy and his cat, Puss in Boots, visit the princess in her backyard. The king, however, catches the boy flirting with his daughter and kicks him out. After seeing a movie with a bullfighter, the boy gets an idea and decides to fight the bull at his local arena where the king and his daughter are watching.
Expect loads of wit and funny stuff. The sign advertising "$5 Boots now $4.99, the film-within-a film "Throwing the Bull" with "Rudolf Vaselino," etc.

After the boy (who is wearing a mask) wins the bullfight, the king says that he can marry his daughter. As soon as the boy removes his mask, the king runs after the two of them who escape in a car.


The animation is outstanding for 1922 and the numerous extra touches to the short are fun. Other interesting parts include the odd sculptures in the garden when the king chases the boy; the fact that the cat and the dog are also "in love"; and that the spedometer of the car shows them going up to 125 miles per hour.

Information from:
http://www.disneyshorts.org/years/1922/pussinboots.html


-------------------------

Puss in Boots was never touched again by Walt Disney.

He has appeared in a 1999 made for DVD animation:



Of course the character was also introduced into the Shrek world in 2004.



Dreamworks' desire to lampoon the fairy tales has resulted in them claiming an actual fairy tale character as their own (Puss in Boots) and giving him his own movie (scheduled for 2011).



Due to the popularity of the character, Puss in Boots has become a DreamWorks character (similar to how Cinderella, Aladdin, and others have become Disney characters).

Interesting note, Ub Iwerks, Disney's right hand animator, left Disney to go do his own thing (Flip the Frog and ComiColor Cartoons). (Ub later came back to Disney and worked on technical aspects of the Disney animated films.)

Ub:


The ComiColor cartoons ran from 1933 to 1936 and were mostly fairy tales.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ComiColor_Cartoons#1933-34

Ub did three stories that Walt already tackled in the Laugh-o-gram series:

1. Jack and the Beanstalk, November 30, 1933
2. Puss in Boots, May 17, 1934
3. The Bremen town Musicians, March 6, 1935
4. The Three Bears, August 30, 1935




Most of the Ub stories were used by Disney at some point:

1. Jack and the Beanstalk, November 30, 1933
(Mickey and the Beanstalk: Fun & Fancy Free, September 27, 1947)

2. The Little Red Hen, February 16, 1934
(The Wise Little Hen: a Silly Symphony, June 9, 1934)

3. The Brave Tin Soldier, April 7, 1934
(Piano Concerto No. 2: Fantasia 2000, December 17, 1999)

4. Puss in Boots, May 17, 1934
(Puss in Boots: Laugh-o-gram, November 3, 1922)

5. The Queen of Hearts, June 25, 1934
(Alice in Wonderland, July 26, 1951)

6. Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp, August 10, 1934
(Aladdin, November 25, 1992)

7. The Headless Horseman, October 1, 1934
(The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, October 5, 1949)

8. The Valiant Tailor, October 29, 1934
(Brave Little Tailor: Mickey Mouse, September 29, 1938)

9. Don Quixote, November 26, 1934
(Disney Movie planned but canceled in 2000)

10. Jack Frost, December 24, 1934
(Nope; just Disney's Santa Clause 3)

11. Little Black Sambo, February 6, 1935

12. The Bremen town Musicians, March 6, 1935
(The Four Musicians of Bremen: Laugh-o-gram, August 1, 1922)

13. Old Mother Hubbard, April 3, 1935

14. Mary's Little Lamb, May 1, 1935
(Mother Goose Goes Hollywood: Silly Symphony, December 23, 1938)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp1M6xzI2Z8

15. Summertime, June 15, 1935

16. Sinbad the Sailor, July 30, 1935
(Nope, but there was a DreamWorks Sinbad animated film in 2003)

17. The Three Bears, August 30, 1935
(Goldie Locks and the Three Bears: Laugh-o-gram, October 5, 1922)

18. Balloon Land, September 30, 1935

19. Simple Simon, November 15, 1935
(Mother Goose Goes Hollywood: Silly Symphony, December 23, 1938)

20. Humpty Dumpty, December 30, 1935
(Mother Goose Goes Hollywood: Silly Symphony, December 23, 1938)

21. Ali Baba, January 30, 1936
(Aladdin and the King of Thieves, August 13, 1996)
(Also a 1940 Porky Pig cartoon)

22. Tom Thumb, March 30, 1936
(The Adventures Of Tom Thumb And Thumbelina: Miramax, August 6, 2002)

23. Dick Whittington's Cat, May 30, 1936

24. Little Boy Blue, July 30, 1936

25. Happy Days, September 30, 1936

-----------------------

In total, Disney released 6 Laugh-o-gram fairy tales:

Little Red Riding Hood
The Four Musicians of Bremen
Jack and the Beanstalk
Goldie Locks and the Three Bears
Puss in Boots
Cinderella


Adequate information cannot be found on Jack and the Beanstalk and Goldie Locks. So this is the last Laugh-o-gram to be discussed in this series.

Disney also completed Tommy Tucker's Tooth, on December 6, 1922.

The Laugh-o-Gram series had proved to be popular, but, unfortunately, financially unsuccessful. The company had been forced to find other outside projects in order to pay an ever growing stack of debts. (One of these was a dental hygiene film, "Tommy Tucker's Tooth.") However, Disney was already looking ahead to newer ideas in animation.

The Fleischer brothers had already achieved some moderate success with their "Out of the Inkwell" series in which a cartoon character would jump into and interact with the real world. Disney envisioned a series where a live actor would be put into a cartoon world. He enlisted a young actress, Virginia Davis (who had previously appeared in a few of the Film Ad shorts) and began working on "Alice's Wonderland."

More information:
http://www.disneyshorts.org/years/1923/index.html

Famously, Disney took his money from Tommy Tucker's Tooth, began production on Alice's Wonderland, and left for Hollywood.

Together with his brother, Disney pooled in money to set up his first Hollywood cartoon studio in his uncle's garage.[3] Disney sent an unfinished print to New York distributor Margaret Winkler, who promptly wrote back to him. She was keen on a distribution deal with Disney for more live-action/animated shorts based upon Alice's Wonderland.

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_disney

This ends the first Walt Disney series of three that he did before hitting it big with Mickey. Like all his series, Laugh-o-gram fairy tales were well liked, and Disney slowly grew his studio in the 20s, but it wasn't until 1928, 6 years later, that Disney had his first big hit (by pioneering sound in animation), Steamboat Willie.

- TAE

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Space Chimps (2008) trailer

"Two NASA chimps are sent to a galaxy far, far away. One chimp has 'The Right Stuff,' and the other, a good natured goofball, has 'The Wrong Stuff.' The two chimps find themselves on a strange, uncharted planet, where they embark on a fantastical journey to save its inhabitants from a tyrannical leader."



Wow. This one actually looks like it might do well. The company, Vanguard, is a flop-maker (Valiant and Happily Never After), so we assumed this would help put them away. But the preview looks very solid. The only problem is, well, they get to space. Then what? Where's the story? Other than the coolness of the animation and space exploration, and the humor of Andy Samberg's jokes, what are they selling here?

Notice that the story in the description isn't even hinted on here. Chimps and aliens? Really? Is that going to work? Why didn't they mention the aliens in the trailer? Do they think that would turn people off? Maybe.

I don't think people are going to buy in and go see it without a story being marketed, but we'll see. =^)

- TAE

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Song for TAE!!!!

May your hammer be mighty!!!!



This is a tribute video to us from JenandKatCandy.

You girls are too much. We love it.

Thanks!

- TAE

Friday, April 11, 2008

Question: What is a YouTube Partner and how do subscribers help you become a partner?

Question for the Emperor: What is a YouTube Partner?

A partner is someone selected by YouTube to be given tons of tiny priviledges that add up to coolness. For example, revenue sharing on ads (partners have more ads around their vids), autoplay on their channel, banners, and smaller features.

Question for the Emperor: How do subscribers help you to become a Partner?

Well, they subscribe and they watch your videos. The requirements include regularly making videos where thousands of people watch them. It's pretty vague, but basically you just build a case for having a strong, active audience that already goes to your channel. Plus, you won't get selected if you are just showing copyrighted images, music, clips that aren't yours, or clips of videogames. You've got to generate original content pretty regularly (like at least two videos a month).

Hope this helps! The only vid we got featured was Fruits VS Bugs:



Check out the sequel if you haven't:





- The Emperor

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Laugh-O-Gram Studios - Where Mickey Mouse Was Born

A young Walt Disney creates Mickey Mouse at Kan... (more)
Added: February 29, 2008
A young Walt Disney creates Mickey Mouse at Kansas City's Laugh-O-Gram studio in 1922. The "Thank You Walt Disney" group is working to refurbish the facility.



So far they've gotten the walls up. Now they have to work on the interior to turn the Laugh-O-Gram studios into what it used to be. Note that the bottom floor was a restaurant that gave Walt a "tab" when they saw him eating beans out of a can.


Enjoy!

- TAE

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Question: Why do some animated movies flop?

Question for the Emperor: Why do some animated movies flop?

So, first thing about animated movies is that your target audience has to be the family. The latest person to make this mistake was Robert Zemeckis, who lost a ton of money on Beowulf. Even Disney has made this mistake with Treasure Planet (Atlantis barely survived the mark).


If you want to target adults, you need to make cheap anime and release it on DVD (the expense of 3D won't get you a return; only the really popular anime can touch 3D, and, even then, it's only used for effects). If you want to target boys with action (movie mistakes include Sinbad, Treasure Planet, Final Fantasy, Titan AE, etc.) you need to get it on TV. (For example, Osmosis Jones flopped in the theater but made a successful TV cartoon.)



So, why do family animated movies do well? Women. Women won't go see action movies, especially cartoon ones. They are the ones driving what the kids see, so only the die hard moms give in and take kids to see animated action movies. On top of that, all the children (sons and daughters) want to go see Finding Nemo, but only the son wants to see TMNT. So they skip TMNT because over half the people who would have to see it are... Women. That's vital. They need to be the primary market (even if the movie is about super heroes or cars - Pixar knows this very well).

On top of that, men won't go see animated action films; they'd rather see Die Hard 4 than Beowulf.



So, if you make an animated action movie, all you're left with is boys, aged 7-19. That's a small market when the mom controls most of that money. That market is confined to the TV set.

Even flops like Ant Bully, Doogal, and Barnyard are squarely aimed at young boys. The mom has no motivation to take kids to those. Check out the poster for Ant Bully. It even looks like an action animation:

Look at all those posters above. There is no motivation for women and girls to see any of those movies based on those posters (or the movies themselves).

Read more about this here:

http://theanimationempire.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-action-animated-films-dont-do-well.html

- The Emperor

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Ed Price Standup 1: Kids, Taxes, and One-Liners

All these jokes are original (obviously). Basically, it's a grab bag of jokes, so hopefully something in here will strike your fancy (and we hope your fancy strikes back).



What's your favorite joke here?

Written by, edited by, and featuring Ed 'word' Price. Shot by MattyO.

If you liked this video, you'll probably like our first Tax Laugh entry, Software and Submarine Gift Shop:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiwqokDjuvg

Constructive comments only. Adult spam gets you blocked.

- TAE

Monday, April 07, 2008

The History of Animation 15 - Walt Disney: Laugh-o-gram, Little Red Riding Hood (1922)

Little Red Riding Hood

"A Laugh-o-Gram Short"

Release Date July 29, 1922

Running Time 6:12

There are no Internet videos of this one. =^(

The traditional story of the little girl bringing treats to her grandma (in this case donuts with shotgun-created holes) with the "wolf" as a dapper gentleman in a flivver and her rescuer a passing aviator.





Director : Walt Disney
Animation : Rudolph Ising

The original Little Red Riding Hood story:
http://www.disneyshorts.org/sources/littleredridinghood.html

They showed this short to conventionears at The Official Disneyana Convention. It was very funny and well animated for a 21 year old in 1922.

This was Disney's first Laugh-o-Gram fairy tale and reportedly Walt Disney animated this cartoon single-handedly (I'm maybe 70% on this one).

The opening is quite stupid, as it is the same thing over and over, a woman shooting doughnuts to make holes. Then a cat eats the doughnut and dies (HA HA!)

This is Walt Disney's first example of brutality to animals in a cartoon. This was normal during the day, as Felix committed suicide at the end of his first animation.




The animation is crude and repetitive , but the gag with the cat dropping dead and his 9 lives exiting from him is really funny.




The wolf in turn, attacks Red Riding Hood instead of trying to eat her. Then some dude comes with a plane, hooks the wolfs car to a hook, and dunks him in the river (this was done in the 007 film "You Only Live Twice," which was after 1922.) =^)

It also includes a scene of Little Red Riding Hood's car being pushed by her dog with some sausages on a stick to inspire him.





Another scene is of Little Red Riding Hood blowing up one of the doughnuts to replace a flat tire. The "wolf" in this cartoon is a human - not a real wolf. Another scene is of the man reducing the car to pocket size and putting it in his pocket. When the wolf attacks it just shows the house with "help, help" - which I imagined to just be the "wolf" chasing her.



Another scene is of the dog racing off to find help and joining the pilot who returns to rescue her. The last scene is of the dog hiding his eyes as Little Red Riding Hood and her rescuer kissed at the end.





From:
http://www.disneyshorts.org/years/1922/littleredridinghood.html



Interestingly, Walt only went back to Little Red Riding Hood one time, even though it was his very first story. He did it here, in a sequel to the successful Three Little Pigs...


The Big Bad Wolf (1934)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH43DopBa_k


The Three Little Pigs in 1933 (with its hit song) was so successful that Disney produced three sequels. This was the first:

- The Three Little Pigs (1933)

- The Big Bad Wolf (1934)

- Three Little Wolves (1936)

- The Practical Pig (1939)



Enjoy!

- TAE

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Andy Peterson - Animation Demo Reel

"My demo reel, current as of the end of 2007. Focus on traditional animation, as well as a lot of After Effects work."



This is a good look at what 2D animation is like.

- TAE

Saturday, April 05, 2008

Animation Tip: Blinks

Also, before a character turns he (1) blinks, (2) moves his eyes, (3) moves his head, (4) blinks again sometime in here, (5) moves the upper body, and (6) moves the lower body.

Characters also blink before they speak and they sometimes look down before they speak (so they blink, look down, blink, look up, and then blink regularly while they speak).

Take a look at our Tyson animation as a reference:



Seriously, start watching peoples' eyes around you. Pay attention to what their eye movements are like (in comparison to where their attention is focused) and how much people actually blink (that alone might amaze you).


- TAE

Friday, April 04, 2008

Norton Fears the Flu

An animated short done in the style of a Dr. Seuss story. Little Norton the Hippo just KNOWS he's caught the flu and panics over it.



- TAE

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Who Would Win 9: Captain Jack Sparrow VS Captain America

TheAnimationEmpire asks you... Who Would Win between the swine of the seven seas (Johnny Depp AKA Captain Jack Sparrow) and the Powerhouse of Patriotism (Steve Rogers AKA Captain America)?



Cast your votes in the comments or with a Response Video. Let's see if you Tubers agree with The Animation Empire Doodz.

Directed and edited by MattyO.
Check out MattyO's "Spectrum Song" and "Flowers N Plus" on his channel:
http://www.youtube.com/mattyobrien1

Written by Ed 'word' Price with assistance by MattyO. Featured Animation Empire Doodz include: Ed, Justin, Owen, Evan, Tyler, Chris, Colin, and Andrew.

Thanks! Please subscribe for more!

- TAE

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Animation Tip: Deliberate Movement

There are general animation rules that you need to use to make movement deliberate: (1) anticipation/preparation, (2) quick movements, and then (3) settle/spring/overlap.

Check out Fruits VS Bugs 2 and look for these animation rules:



- TAE

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

The Legend of Zelda movie trailer



Yeah, it's time for the biggest April Fools Joke of all time...

http://movies.ign.com/dor/articles/863515/legend-of-zelda-movie-trailer/videos/legendofzelda_filmtrailer_040108.html

Wow. Sure, they'd need to put more money into the costumes, makeup, and effects, but this is pretty darn close to what a Zelda movie should be. Also, it's missing the obligatory humongous battle sequences that are prominent in Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Narnia, 300, (and most) trailers.



Think of this as a major commercial for IGN, because, man, that's what this is.

Here's their article:
http://movies.ign.com/articles/863/863492p1.html

Enjoy!

- TAE

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