Yeti logo - Pixar Parody

Yeti logo - Pixar Parody

Pixar Intro Luxo Jr. Outtake #4-37-2

Another Luxo parody or two:

Pixar Intro Luxo Jr. Outtake #4-67-1

Luxo Jr. is the first film produced in 1986 by Pixar Animation Studios.

ELRO recovers never before seen Pixar outtakes 20 years after the release of the original short.

Luxo Jr is 20 years old this year, happy Birthday, enjoy our parody.

Coraline - A Creepy Stop-Motion Animation

Who's up for a creepy stop-motion animated film?

Sneak Peek:



“Coraline” (due in theaters February 2009)

Take an inside glimpse at this amazing stop-motion production. Beware – there are a few story spoilers within. Could it be as good or better than “The Nightmare Before Christmas?"

Making of:



Neil Gaiman's fairy tale horror, "Coraline" is being adapted as a stop-motion animated film by Henry Selick, the director of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "James and the Giant Peach". It is set to be released on February 6, 2009, and it's the first stop-motion animated film to be shot in stereoscopic 3D.

Here is a look behind the scenes of the film, with interviews from Selick and Gaiman, cast members including Ian McShane and John Hodgman, and all-new footage of Coraline! This video is first in a series of featurettes, presented exclusively by Rotten Tomatoes over the course of "Coraline Sneak Peek Week".

This video is shown courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes and IGN. "Coraline" ©2008 Focus Features and LAIKA Entertainment House.

The Story of Coraline:



In this featurette, Henry Selick and writer Neil Gaiman describes Coraline's unusual tale. She lives a life that's way too normal and her parents ignore her, when she finds a small, bricked-off door in the den. However, at midnight, it turns into a portal to another version of her house where everything is wonderful and magical, and she has more idealized copies of her parents that lavish attention on her and are much better cooks. However, she soon realizes that it's a trap set by the Other Mother to ensnare her and take her soul.

"Coraline" is adapted from an award-winning novel by Neil Gaiman, enchanting yet chilling. Henry Selick details how he is treating his story with his own stop-motion genius.

The World of Coraline:




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

Tim Burton must have rubbed off on the director, Henry Selick.

He worked with Burton by directing Nightmare Before Christmas and James & the Giant Peach.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0783139/


Thankfully, he returned to animation after directing Monkeybone. =^)

- TAE

Everyone's Hero creator set to make Dorothy of Oz with Jim Belushi

Martin Short and Jim Belushi have have signed on to lend their voices to Alpine Pictures’ upcoming animated movie Dorothy of Oz. Based on the book children’s author Roger S. Baum, the great-grandson of famed Oz creator L. Frank Baum, the pic is the first in a slated series of animated feature films being produced by Alpine Pictures, in association with Box Office Productions III.



Directed by Daniel St. Pierre (Everyone's Hero, Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey, Sheepish), Dorothy of Oz continues the beloved fantasy tale of a young girl who finds herself in a magical and treacherous kingdom threatened by a wicked witch. Short will voice the role of The Jester and Belushi will give voice to the Cowardly Lion. The movie is being produced by Bonne Radford (Curious George, The Road to El Dorado, Balto).

Emmy and Tony Award winner Short has voiced animated characters in Paramount’s The Spiderwick Chronicles, Disney’s 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure and Treasure Planet, Nickelodeon Movies’ Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, DreamWorks’ The Prince of Egypt, MGM’s The Pebble and the Penguin, Universal’s We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story and The Weinstein Co.’s upcoming Hoodwinked 2: Hood vs. Evil.

Belushi, star of the ABC sitcom According to Jim, also has credits in animation, including The Weinstein Co.’s Hoodwinked, Disney’s The Wild, Nickelodeon Movies’ The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and Classic Media’s direct-to-DVD features Casper’s Scare School, among others.

From:
http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/8910

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

I didn't think Jim Belushi would become a bigger name than Martin Short, but hey, it happened. =^)


- TAE

Imagi - TMNT creators set to make Astro Boy and Gatchaman

Imagi International Holdings Ltd., the company behind TMNT and the upcoming CG-animated feature films Astro Boy and Gatchaman, continues to raise funds to help finance more animated movies...



Slated for worldwide theatrical release in 2009, Astro Boy is being directed by David Bowers (Flushed Away) and will feature the voices of Freddie Highmore, Nicolas Cage, Donald Sutherland, Bill Nighy, Nathan Lane and Eugene Levy. The film is based on the manga and anime created by Japan's legendary Osamu Tezuka in the early 1950s.

Gatchaman is based on the classic anime TV series Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, which debuted in the 1970s and is better known in the U.S. as Battle of the Planets or G-Force. Imagi’s CG update is being directed by Kevin Munroe (TMNT), and is expected to hit theaters in 2010.

From:
http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/8916


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

Read the article for more news about how they're funding their films.

- TAE

Disney Sends The Rock to Tomorrowland

Disney Sends The Rock to Tomorrowland



The success of the Pirates of the Caribbean films has reportedly inspired Disney to make another feature film based on one of its theme park rides. Daily Variety claims that the studio has signed wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to star in a space pic inspired by the Tomorrowland attraction.

Disney apparently denies that the film is related to the area of Disneyland that houses Space Mountain and other futuristic attractions. The Mouse House asserts that the script, being written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, is an original idea. Lucas and Moore wrote New Line’s upcoming Matthew McConaughey/Jennifer Garner vehicle The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and a Warner Bros. comedy titled The Hangover for director Todd Philips.

Whatever the film turns out to be, it will be produced by Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray through their Mayhem Pictures. The duo produced the Disney hit comedy The Game Plan, which also starred Johnson. The actor also stars in Disney’s upcoming fantasy pic Race to Witch Mountain, a continuation of a series of films that began in the 1970s

From:
http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/8923

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

No, this isn't animation, but it is Disney, so we're reporting it. =^)

- TAE

Zemeckis & Gil Kenan Fly with "Airman"

The Monster House team of producer Robert Zemeckis and director Gil Kenan are joining forces to create another performance-capture feature film aimed at family audiences. The Hollywood Reporter brings word that the two have mounted a big-screen adaptation of the children’s book Airman by Eoin Colfer, author of the Artemis Fowl series and Half Moon Investigations. Kenan will again direct and Zemeckis will produce with his ImageMovers partners, Jack Rapke and Steve Starkey.



Released in January, the Airman book tells the tale of Conor Broekhart, a young man who was was born in a hot air balloon and earned the admiration of his king by saving the princess from a fire. When his tutor and king are both killed in a plot to take over the government, he is blamed for their deaths and spends the next two years in prison. While incarcerated, he spends his time drawing plans for flying machines and is ultimately liberated by a balloon. He must then decide if he should abandon those who turned their back on him, or return to the kingdom to fight the evil forces at work.

Kenan made his feature directorial debut with Monster House, which went on to garner an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film in 2007. Exec produced by Steven Spielberg, the pic was released in stereoscopic 3D in specially equipped theaters. Kenan has since helmed a live-action adaptation of Jeanne Duprau’s popular young adult fantasy novel City of Ember for Playtone and Walden Media and will be released in theaters on October 10. That film stars Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Martin Landau, Mary K. Place and Toby Jones.

From:
http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/8922

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

It's also important to note that Disney recently bought ImageMovers, so this might be a Disney movie.

- TAE

Igor Shuffles Into Theaters

Igor (2008) Official Theatrical Trailer



URL for the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrSX8NYN2x4

It’s been several weeks since we’ve seen a major animated theatrical release, but now we’ve got one to get us in the Halloween spirit. Exodus Film Group’s CG-animated feature film Igor hits 2,338 U.S. theaters today courtesy of MGM and The Weinstein Co. The family-oriented toon is up against the Lionsgate comedy My Best Friend’s Girl, Sony/Screen Gems’ thriller Lakeview Terrace, and Paramount/DreamWorks’ paranormal comedy Ghost Town.

Directed by animation veteran Tony Leondis (The Prince of Egypt, Lilo & Stitch 2) and written by Chris McKenna (American Dad), Igor tells the story of an evil scientist's hunchbacked lab assistant who has big dreams of becoming a brilliant scientist in his own right and winning the annual Evil Science Fair. John Cusack lends his voice to the title character, leading a cast includes Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Jennifer Coolidge, Arsenio Hall, Sean Hayes, Jay Leno, Molly Shannon, Christian Slater and Eddie Izzard.



The movie has spawned a series of comic books published by IDW, which has made comics from such features and TV shows as Monster House, Beowulf, Transformers, 24 and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

It’s anybody’s weekend to win. Despite harsh early reviews, Igor stands as good a chance of taking the top spot as any of the newcomers, though Lakeview Terrace is being heavily promoted and is likely to come out on top when the dust settles. The Samuel L. Jackson vehicle opens in about a hundred more theaters than Igor. My Best Friend’s Girl has the highest theater count of the openers, but Overture Films’ Righteous Kill, starring Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino, remains the most widely distributed pic with 3,152 screens.

From:
http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/8929

- TAE

Stars Dig into Sony’s Meatballs

More news on the new 3D animated film that Andy Samberg will star in alongside Bill Hader and Anna Farris. This is Andy's second animated film (which is odd, since he's only had one live-action film). (This is also Bill Hader's first lead role, oddly enough.)

Stars Dig into Sony’s Meatballs



Sony Pictures Animation has announced the voice cast for its next CG-animated feature film, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. The adaptation of the well-known children’s book will feature the voices of Bill Hader (Saturday Night Live), Anna Faris (The House Bunny), James Caan (The Godfather), Andy Samberg (Saturday Night Live), Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead trilogy), Mr. T (Rocky III) and Tracy Morgan (30 Rock). The movie will be released in stereoscopic 3D on January 15, 2010.

Written and directed by Chris Miller and Phil Lord, Cloudy is based on author Judi Barrett’s and illustrator Ron Barrett’s book about a land where food begins raining down from the skies. Hader, who has appeared in the films Superbad and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, will voice Flint Lockwood, a young inventor who dreams of creating something that will improve everyone's life. Caan will be Tim Lockwood, Flint's technophobic father, and Faris takes on the role of Sam Sparks, a weathergirl covering the phenomenon. Samberg, who recently voiced a lead role in the Vanguard Animation/Starz Media CG toon Space Chimps, will play Brent, the town bully who has plagued Flint since childhood, while Campbell takes on the role of Mayor Shelbourne, who figures out that Flint's invention can put the town, and himself, on the map. Mr. T is by-the-rules town cop Earl Devereaux, and Tracy Morgan is Earl's rule-breaking son, Cal.

Pam Marsden is producing the pic for Sony Pictures Animation. The film follows on the heels of Surf's Up, which was nominated for last year’s Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and picked up two Annie Awards. Sony Animation made its debut with the animal tale Open Season, which did well at the box office and was Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s second best-selling title in 2007.

From:
http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/8930

Enjoy!

Robert Zemeckis to direct 3D animation: Mars Needs Moms

Mars Needs Moms



Berkeley Breathed revealed that Back to the Future director Robert Zemeckis is attached to direct an adaptation of his latest book.

“Robert Zemeckis is doing the movie version of Mars Needs Moms! They’re working on the script now,” Breathed revealed.

Jim Hill speculates that this could be one of the very first projects to be produced by Disney’s new ImageMovers Digital unit.

Here is the book description for Mars Needs Moms!:

Milo doesn’t get it: What’s the big deal about moms? They’re just slavedriving broccoli bullies. Yet they are worshipped the world over! Perhaps even the galaxy over-because here come Martians and they’re after one thing only: moms. Milo’s mom in particular. Who better to drive them to soccer practice and to pizza parties? That’s quite a long way to come for a mom-could it be that Milo has been overlooking something special?

From Pulitzer Prize winning comic strip creator of Bloom County and bestselling author Berkeley Breathed comes a funny, poignant book about how the unique love that binds our families can be overlooked in the rush and tumble of everyday lives . . . especially those of disgruntled little boys.


From:
http://www.slashfilm.com/2007/05/07/gore-verbinski-to-leave-pirates-of-the-caribbean-4-robert-zemeckis-to-direct-mars-needs-moms/

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

Now what's interesting about "Mars Needs Moms !" is that this Breathed book was also optioned by the Mouse. Which means that the movie version of this children's story could be one of the very first projects to be produced by Disney's new ImageMovers Digital unit. You know? That state-of-the-art performance capture studio that Mickey's in the process of setting up for Zemeckis. Which would then be housed in an old airplane hanger on what used to be the Hamilton Air Force Base in Novato, CA.

From:
http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2007/05/07/monday-mouse-watch-is-gore-verbinski-looking-to-bail-on-pirates-4.aspx


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

Good for Berkely that he's branching out and getting his characters into animations. I also heard he was trying to get an Opus movie made, but that appears to have failed.

Also, I think Zemeckis' Christmas Carol will be the first film from Disney's new Image Movers studio. So this looks like the second project.

- TAE

Gore Verbinski to direct 3D cartoon: Flawed Dogs

Flawed Dogs: The Year End Leftovers at the Piddleton “Last Chance” Dog Pound



Johnny Depp has told Disney that he would be willing to return for a fourth Pirates of the Caribbean, but now word comes that director Gore Verbinski (who helmed the three previous films) is uninterested in helming the project.

“Gore’s sick of pirates. If I wrote a scene that had to be shot on water, he’d run the other way.,” said Mars Needs Moms! author Berkeley Breathed on a recent book tour appearance.

What does he know? Berkeley and Gore have been working together to adapt Breathed’s 2003 children’s book, Flawed Dogs: The Year End Leftovers at the Piddleton “Last Chance” Dog Pound into a Computer Animated movie for Disney.

From Pulitzer Prize winning comic strip creator of Bloom County and bestselling author Berkeley Breathed.

From:
http://www.slashfilm.com/2007/05/07/gore-verbinski-to-leave-pirates-of-the-caribbean-4-robert-zemeckis-to-direct-mars-needs-moms/


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

Gore Verbinski is at it again! Not only is he leaving Pirates to do one 3D animated film (Rango), but apparently he has a second one already lined up (Flawed Dogs). Wow! That's ambitious. =^)

- TAE

Gore Verbinski to direct 3D cartoon: Rango

Paramount Pictures Pacts With Director Gore Verbinski for First Animated Feature 'Rango' With 'Pirates' Star Johnny Depp Voicing Title Role

Tentpole Film to Be Released March 2011



HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Sept 10, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Paramount Pictures has signed Gore Verbinski to direct his first animated feature film "Rango," starring Oscar(R) nominee Johnny Depp, who will voice the title character. Release is set for March 2011.

The screenplay was written by Oscar(R)-nominated screenwriter John Logan ("Gladiator," "The Aviator," "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"). "Rango" will be produced by Verbinski's Blind Wink Productions, Graham King ("The Departed") and John Carls ("Open Season"). The animation for "Rango" will be provided by the San Francisco-based Industrial Light and Magic.
"Rango" is Verbinski's first animated feature. He directed the "Pirates of the Caribbean" blockbusters, which grossed nearly $2.7 billion worldwide. Depp starred in all three movies as the swashbuckling Jack Sparrow, and earned an Oscar(R) nomination for the first film.

Verbinski is already experienced in CG animation and will be employing techniques he developed with ILM in the creation of the Davy Jones character in the "Pirates" movies, which won the 2006 Oscar(R) for Best Visual Effects.

"We're delighted to be partnering with Gore Verbinski on Rango," said John Lesher, President, Paramount Film Group. "The combination of Gore's exciting vision and the talents of John Logan and Johnny Depp make 'Rango' a great tentpole for Paramount's 2011 slate," added Rob Moore, Vice Chairman, Paramount Pictures.

"'Rango' is an oddly charismatic character that is perfectly suited for Johnny Depp's extraordinary abilities," said Verbinski. "The techniques we are employing will allow us to capture and translate every aspect of Johnny's performance, using it to drive the computer-generated character in a way that has yet to be seen in an animated feature. This is not a disembodied voice: Johnny Depp is Rango. We are creating something that will resonate with a broad audience and stick in the minds of kids all across the globe. The characters and circumstances are feeling buoyant and rich in humor and attitude, yet with a surprising emotional depth. I am tremendously excited about the support and enthusiasm we have received at Paramount."

Verbinski is represented by Creative Artists Agency and his attorney is Warren Dern. Depp is represented by UTA.

About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom, a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The company's labels include Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, MTV Films, Nickelodeon Movies and DreamWorks Studios. PPC operations also include Paramount Digital Entertainment, Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studio Group, and Worldwide Television Distribution.

From:
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/paramount-pictures-pacts-director-gore/story.aspx?guid=%7BC13FFB97-6F0A-4BDD-8A12-C2C4E3383DC0%7D&dist=hppr




‘Rango’ is about a household pet that goes on an adventure to discover its true self, and Depp actor will be lending his voice to the lead character.

Par-based Nickelodeon Films is expected to be involved as well.


Johnny Depp will begin working for ‘Rango’ penned by John Logan based on an idea hatched by Verbinski in the month of January 2009. (ANI)


From:
http://www.topnews.in/light/johnny-depp-lend-voice-animated-flick-rango-216102



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

"The techniques we are employing will allow us to capture and translate every aspect of Johnny's performance, using it to drive the computer-generated character in a way that has yet to be seen in an animated feature."

What??? It sounds like Gore is adopting Zemeckis' style of walking corpses (Beouwulf, Polar Express, and the coming Christmas Carol).

That said, Happy Feet was a huge success, and it was also directed by a live-action director with a similar "realism" goal.

- TAE

Macabeus the Crazy Priest - hidden camera - Part 1

We created one of the logo animations shown at the end of this MGM video:



Description:

I attempt insulting 33% of the world's population.

...and my Macabeus only has one "C", so don't even try suing me, Mr. Vatican.

Thanks Lais for shooting this! Thanks Market Basket and Newbury Comics for kicking us out!

Vegetables Love Cookies - 123GiantPanda

123GP's version of this animation.



A carrot and a pea fight over a jar of cookies. Then a guy's pants fall down and he says some joke that only a fourth of my audience will understand. But I think the word "philanthropic" sounds pretty funny anyways. And underwear makes little children laugh. This video will also appear on The Animation Empire!

Philanthropic means something along the lines of: "I'm a rich dude who gives money to peeps."
At least, that's what my mommy told me.
Either way, it sounds better than "My underwear with pictures of a variety of dollar bills on it is showing."

Automation Dilemma

If you haven't checked out this beauty from Mash Brother, you should. The ending is great!



- TAE

Disposal Dilemma - DFG & 123GP

From the description:

Jake lost his quarter! Oh no! Now he has to severely injure himself by sticking his hand down the sink!

Music is by ABBA, but we think the song is annoying. This is the first video for the Dilemma's. Go watch Automation Dilemma.



The music is aboslutely perfect.

Like the intro and when he's spacing out.

Made by 123GiantPanda & dfg13o.

DFG's channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/dfg13o

- TAE

A Pup Named Scooby Doo

Description:

Mystery inc is off to investigate coolsville after there have been reports of a ghost.


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

Moonpie does a live-action remake of Scooby Doo. Some classic gags here.

Moonpie's channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/MoonPieStudios5

- TAE

Jello Jump - 123GiantPanda

Here is he version that 123GiantPanda has on his channel:



From the description:

This would have been awesome, if only they had remembered the jello.
Voiced by TAE!

Thanks to chabrydancer for saying it would be crazy to jump off the Empire State Building into a kiddie pool. I think that would be crazy too.

Thanks to me for filling it with non-existant jello.

Thanks to my mom: for earning the money for our awesome flat-screen TV, so I can waste my nights watching the Olympics with amazingly sharp quality. (I just felt like saying that.)


123GP's channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/123GiantPanda

Enjoy!

- TAE