Radiohead's camera-free video for House of Cards went live this week, and by golly it's a treat, like the Matrix seen through a pinpression board:
There's a full page up at Google Code about this, including a genuinely interesting Making Of and details on how the data generated in the scanning-as-filming can be download for your own creative thrills. Now if I could just put that data into Manic Miner...
Just a couple of hours after I wrote the previous post, I see this on the GhibliWiki News page and it just makes me want to get the first train/ferry combo to Japan, all for the sake of some baked goods. I love living in a world where something like this can happen - if only it wasn't on the other side of the planet...
A shop named The cream puff studio of the white mustache opened on May 5. The following is known:
- The shop sells a single item, a cream puff of Totoro, and only sells about 100 per a day.
- This is the only shop which officially recognizes by Studio Ghibli.
- A single worker runs the shop
- It's located in a quiet residential neighborhood
- The picture on the site's opening splash screen appears to have been drawn by Miyazaki.
- The name of the Representative Director is Kyoko Miyazaki. According to shop, it is a secret who is she.
Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.
The artwork on the website certainly has that Miyazaki feel and I curse my ignorance of the Japanese language for not having a scooby what the site actually has to say. Still, puffs! Totoro puffs!
In other Ghibli news, GhibliWorld has a cracking piece of concept art up from the upcoming Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea that's well worth a look for any fans of the mighty Miyazaki - check it out. You can lose yourself in those colours. Ponyo puffs anyone?
Not old Neptune's only daughter - it's a teaser poster for the next animated feature from Studio Ghibli by the godlike genial genius that is Hayao Miyazaki.
The film will be called Gake no ue no Ponyo (Ponyo On A Cliff) and is reportedly about a goldfish princess who wants to become human. There's an official website, but as it's completely in Japanese you may prefer to check out the Wikipedia page or Nausicaa.net, while keeping up with the news at GhibliWorld. The prospect of a Miyazaki film using a distinct handpainted watercolour look is tantalising indeed, and could end up being the non plus ultra of the underwater-animated-feature genre alongside Finding Nemo, The Little Mermaid and Help I Am A Fish, a film only notable for being translated into French as Gloups! Je Suis Un Poisson! which is exceedingly satisfying to say out loud, preferably in an outraged French accent. Go ahead, try it!
Remember my March post where I pretty much disowned any future interest in Sylvain Chomet after reading that animation production for his CG-animated film had been shunted down south? Well, turns out that a 2D animation is still going ahead in Edinburgh - and, after two years of absolutely sod-all web presence (googling 'django animation edinburgh' still brings up Falling Sky, which is frankly ridiculous!), a fully functional website. Well, chuff me! The following was posted on Animation Nation last week:
Django Films is proud to be in production on the feature film “The Illusionist”.
The film, directed by Sylvain Chomet and based upon a script by French filmmaker Jacques Tati, promises to be a visually stunning follow up to 2003's Academy Nominated "Les Triplettes de Belleville "(Belleville Rendez-Vous).
Django Films is currently looking for talented animators and artists for this production to work in our studios in Edinburgh, Scotland. We will be in Paris on Thursday 28th and Friday 29th September to review portfolios and conduct interviews with candidates for all positions. If you would like to meet with us and show us your work please arrange a meeting by contacting 'Recruitment' at jobs@djangofilms.co.uk. This will be by appointment only.
Please bring with you a portfolio/ showreel and appropriate postage if you would like these returned.
Please see www.djangofilms.co.uk for more details.
So over to Django Films we look - and, behold, under 'jobs':
Senior Animators
Start dates: end of Oct/ early November/ early December 2006
Expected completion date: Late 2008
For this role, we are looking for animators with experience of working in a professional studio. This is essential. By senior, we mean at least 2 production credits on feature films as a lead animator/ animator. However, we do consider this as a guide only. We look at portfolios and showreels in their own right and are looking for talent and not just production credits.
Senior Layout Artist / Comic Artist
Start dates: Ongoing
Expected completion date: Late 2008
Talented artists with at least 3 years professional experience, able to work as a team with possible progression to animation.
For the l33t readers out there, they're also after an IT Systems Administrator. So, somewhat belatedly, it's on after all. And I'm, applying, right? Er, no.
For one thing, I suspect my posts here may have burned any such bridges. Even if they haven't (it's possible that Studio Django/Django Films haven't googled themselves over the last few years) there's that requirement for 2 production credits on feature films, whereas I haven't done diddly outside of a college/university setting. And, ultimately, would I really enjoy the work? Could I rely on it the way I can rely on the civil service? Nah. A couple of years ago I'd have said yes in a flash, but things have changed. For anyone going for these jobs, I wish them all the luck in the world (and, yes, if you end up getting a job there thanks to this website, you DO owe me a pint or two, it's the law). Personally though, I need a job with solid security, relatively easy-going responsibility and the chance to be creative in my free time. Sadly, I've pretty much fallen out of love with animation and settled for paint and pencils instead. If things had happened when they were supposed to, well, it'd be a very different story, but these days I've no desire to inbetween for a living. There's multitudes of animators out there, some of which'll be happy to lurch over to Auld Reekie and become part of The Illusionist - there but for the grace of time go I.
You think you've seen it all, then you sit down one evening and happen to watch this:
Someone sign this sick genius up pronto.
Want to animate on Chomet's new film? Forget Edinburgh. From Digit Online:
Framestore sets up feature animation studio
UK visual effects house Framestore CFC has announced the formation of a dedicated feature animation studio Framestore Feature Animation. [...] Founded with the aim of becoming London's premiere feature animation studio, Framestore Feature Animation has – in partnership with Universal Studios – already commenced work on its first project. The Tale of Despereaux, based on the award-winning children's novel by Kate DiCamillo, will be directed by Sylvain Chomet, writer and director of the Oscar nominated Les Triplettes de Belleville.
[...] The formation of Framestore Feature Animation will involve a large scale recruitment drive by the company, with up to 200 new staff being expected to join as The Tale of Despereaux gears up through 2007.
[Cheers to Francis for the article] Sigh. I've absolutely sod-all desire to move back to London ever again, so I guess that's the end of any hopes of working for Mr Chomet. This seems to confirm what had been rumoured earlier - of pre-production in Edinburgh and full production in London, instead of the initial plan to set up a full animation studio in Edinburgh. So much for the 250 creative positions spoken of with such conviction and assurance in the Scottish press last year. For the many many people who end up here on Falling Sky by searching for Chomet, Studio Django and the like, you'll want to be taking note of Framestore's job page and checking it every few weeks from hereon, and I wish you the very best of luck. After this post, I'm finished with the story, just as the story seems finished with Scotland and me.
Back when I first heard about Chomet opening a studio, two years ago almost to the day, it almost sounded too good to be true. So it has proven. Here's all the stories on Falling Sky as they came in: April 04, May 04, July 04, September 04, October 04, that terrible November evening, April 05 (in which I wrote "what matters is, at long last, IT'S ON" - *smacks forehead*), April again, May 05, May again, then nothing until January 06, and finally today.
It's so strange to realise this has been going on for two years, with a few phone calls, emails and portfolio submissions chucked in for good measure. If this all sounds rather petulant from me, my apologies - I can't help but feel a certain attachment to the comings and ultimately goings of Studio Django (in whatever name or form it's been in) for all that time. Hell, I was all lined up for a storyboard interview in May last year until it was decided I would be better suited for the animation positions. At the time I thought this was a blessing, allowing me six months to prepare some quality work for an interview which never came and never will. What makes it all that much more galling is the terrible lack of official word, nothing direct from the source - were it not for news stories online, I'd still be under the impression that an animation interview is just around the corner. At the very least, emails could have been sent by the studio to all those who'd applied, letting them know the state of play, explaining that Framestore would be the place to look for animation work... really, how difficult would that have been?
Back when I wrote that great November rant, I ended it with...
"It can still happen. I'll get over this disappointment soon enough, and the excitement of a feature animation studio opening less than an hour away from here will again have me jiggling with nervous glee. No-one ever said it was going to be easy."
...and genuinely believed it. Ironic, then, that a couple of paragraphs beforehand, writing about the portfolio review itself, I wrote what's turned out to be a far more fitting coda:
Ultimately, you have to ask, why did I bother? Why was I so stupid and sure that this could actually work out?
Melodramatic perhaps, but genuine & heartfelt nonetheless, far more so now than then. It's bruising, disappointing to get involved, build up hope, imagine and dream about something you give a damn about, how wonderful things could be, and then see it drift away to nothing.
Just when it looked like the birthday jollies were over, two mighty mighty films come flying my way through the Royal Mail courtesy of wonderful people...
YES! Numbers 1 and 3 of the Studio Ghibli Collection on Optimum Asia (sitting very snugly next to number 4, the received-just-beforehand Pom Poko), both directed by Hayao Miyazaki, both brain-poppingly awesome.
From the utterly smashing Stu and Andrea, a pair of very good eggs in London town, came Nausicaä, a great big whopping sci-fi/fantasy epic based on Miyazaki's own manga of the same name (one of my favourite books, both in terms of artwork and narrative vision). Such a nice surprise to find it turn up in the mail this week, looking forward to reliving the last time I saw it - Barbican 2001. You're both absolute stars and I look forward to seeing you in Stockbridge sometime this year for fine nosh and booze.
From my fabulous ex-flatmate Sau Yi (shown here on the right) came Porco Rosso, an incredibly enjoyable airborne romp with a Casablanca vibe and blistering action scenes. Treating the ludicrous core of the film - a pilot with the head of a pig (truly a pig can fly!) - as completely normal and hardly acknowledged is refreshing, instead plunging straight into a 1930s-based story of pirates, cads, planes and feisty femmes. Absolutely classic, with dogfights to rock your world and curl your tail. Thanks mate!
GLEE! Glorious news from DVD Times: Totoro. On DVD. In the UK. If you're not already glowing with joy at such brief yet blissful information, read this here post to appreciate the wonder and genius of this absolutely classic animation.
Optimum Asia have announced the UK Region 2 DVD release of My Neighbour Totoro for 27th March 2006 priced at £19.99. My Neighbour Totoro is a charming tale about Saksuki and her little sister Mei who move to a new home in the country to be near their ailing mother. Far from the bustle of the city, they discover a mysterious place of spirits and magic, and the friendship of the big fluffy Totoro woodland creatures.
Conceived as a family film suffused with the joy of country living, My Neighbour Totoro unites the unique vision of Hayao Miyazaki with an elegy to two ever-fading miracles: the fairytale world of childhood and the disappearing countryside.
Only 14.99 on pre-order at Amazon, which is a perfectly decent price. Finally, no more relying on DVDs of dubious legality and quality from ebay and comic marts. The finest animated-film-not-called-Dumbo will be mine (and yours, if you've got any sense, taste and fifteen quid) and I shall doubtless spend days just staring at the cover and giggling.
[Near-equal amounts of joy also for proper DVD releases lined up for the gorgeous Whisper Of The Heart as well as two Ghibli features I've never seen, My Neighbours The Yamadas and Only Yesterday]
Since it's over a week since conventional wisdom would have had reviews of the year published, it's time for this site to jump on the now-stationary bandwagon, breaking things down into those odd little words that supposedly categorise my many ramblings. Let's start small with animation - what's been going on there?
On a personal level, nowt. Long-minded readers may remember back at the start of June when it was announced with a mighty fanfare that I was about to start work with a fine writer on an animated music video for these chaps. What happened there then? Erm. I bollocksed up, frankly. I ended up biting off much more than I could chew and didn't have the sense to end things when it was clear I wouldn't have the time to finish things, leaving it to Alex to call a well-needed halt to things in October. So what went wrong?
Two main points - firstly, the production ended up being larger than I'd expected, being a 2 min 50 sec song. The video was written to contain seven characters (plus a couple of incidental ones) all of which required model sheets, consistent designs and movement, and three different locations. To put things in perspective, a 6 min film that I made back in '98 contained only three characters and barely left one location; in retrospect, for a one-man animation, I should've insisted on a far simpler story rather than going with what was written.
Secondly, when the idea of producing a video was first brought up and initial work began, I was a singleton with weekends free to do what I may - then July came around, bringing the joy of Burd, and suddenly my weekends were gloriously full. Really, I should've known it was doomed from that point on, but I foolishly kept on. Some nice character designs came out of all this - some included here - but it never got any further than concept work and I just couldn't give it the huge amount of time the project needed and deserved.
It's a real shame - there were some great ideas at work and it's gutting to think I've let people down, though at least I've much more realistic expectations on what I can produce on my tod. I do still intend to produce a short wee animation some point this year, and if I haven't done so by this time next year the Lass has been instructed to withhold my teacake privileges.
Now, what of Mr Chomet and his Django-titled studio? In April, things got rather exciting - what then? Well, I was initially asked to come along for an interview for storyboarding but, a couple of weeks beforehand, was asked to go for animation instead. Fine by me, though by the nature of productions they wouldn't be interviewing for animators for at least another 6 months. Ah well, figured it gave me a good wodge of time to get some excellent work together. In May, more positions were advertised on AWN and a couple of months ago animation positions were also advertised. Alongside this, a large piece devoted to Chomet's studio was printed in the Scotland On Sunday last September, while the man himself gave a short class in animation on the BBC's excellent The Secret Of Drawing. But have I heard anything since? Not a sausage. Reportedly - I missed the broadcast - Sylvain was on BBC Scotland News in November because Scottish Enterprise wasn't giving enough funding to make full animation in Edinburgh viable - preproduction appears to be underway, but animation could be shipped out to existing animation studios down south (thanks to Scott McGregor for the pointer). What I find most disappointing is that there's no definite source of info on all this - indeed, the studio name appears to have changed from Studio Django to Django Films or Django Animation (this site features an email address for anyone whose been searching for one) but there's no information made available to anyone with a mind to apply for the studio - which is why such searchers end up here instead!
Elsewhere, there's been a fistful of fine animated films this year (which'll probably come up in the Films review post in a few days time) with Howl's Moving Castle showing 2D animation can still kick copious arse. Corpse Bride and Curse of the Were-Rabbit were remarkable works of 3D animation, while Madagascar was an utterly throwaway, utterly enjoyable piece of CG fun. What may have been going on inside the odd world of animation, a bubble of festivals, shorts and the occasional consciousness-pricking advert, I haven't got a scooby. One day I may get absorbed back into that funny little world, but really I'm quite happy on civvie street where one is less likely to have an aneurysm over Arts Council funding decisions or devour the still-beating heart of a rival to absorb their drawing skills. Happens all the time in Soho.
Commercial break time again, methinks. Way back when, the praises of Citroen's body-popping robot, Müller's dancing proles and VW's Gene Kelly remix were sung here. A few months on, there's three doing the rounds via TV, cinema or online that I can watch any number of times, no matter what devilish consumer messages they may be channeling in the process. All made with captivating visuals, established music and not a word of dialogue, they're presented here as a hurrah to the creative process and as a service to our friends in the colonies who might not get to see such cracking little commercials.
SONY: BRAVIA
This has been online and on the telly for a few weeks now, and I still can't get enough of it. SO BLOODY GOOD - complete with a comprehensive making-of film to accompany it - the ad shows little bouncy colourful balls bouncing down a street in San Francisco. Lots of balls. Really, LOTS. And - here's the clincher - it's all real. No CG, no green-screens. Over two days they shut down a long San Franciscan street and dropped/launched/blasted thousands of little bouncy balls down it. That's it. No actors, no story, just balls going bouncy bouncy bouncy (Along with a few locals and a rather perplexed dog). And it's BRILL. Soundtracked with José González's beautiful Heartbeat (from the 2003 album Veneer) it's like having your eyes and ears gently massaged - you can watch either the standard 60 second ad or an extended 150 second cut that's just lovely. Hypnotic, entrancing, soothing, it really is moving-adverts at their finest. Not that I'm in any position to buy a Bravia telly, mind, but I appreciate the effort.
GUINNESS: NOITULOVE
Whether this'd play in certain American states after recent educational wrangling on the teaching of Genesis 'intelligent design', I couldn't say. Still, their loss if it doesn't - it's one of the most imaginative and fun shorts I've seen in yonks. After a spate of pedestrian ads that just reminded you how good Guinness ads used to be, they're finally back on track with 30 seconds of pure genius (see what I did there?). A lunatic rewind through evolution from stout-supping bloke to prehistoric mudskipper, it's a real class act that goes through most of the major stages, including the Ice Age and the destruction of the dinosaurs, without ever becoming incoherent. All played with humour and infectious energy, it throws so much at you that looking away before the resolution is nigh-on impossible. Better still, little details reward repeated viewings (particularly on a cinema screen, rather than the pathetically small version available online) such as the streetlights changing to oil lamps on the Dublin street at the beginning. Taking the springy Rhythm Of Life by Sammy Davis Jnr for a soundtrack, it ties in nicely at points and wraps things up gloriously. By the by, there's a nice little making-of Flash film on the Guinness site here.
ORANGE: DANCING
Directed by Dougal Wilson, already responsible for a big wodge of music videos (remember that Four Tet one with the morris dancers?) this is as pleasing as the Müller ad in its use of choreography in everyday settings, though notably different. A seemingly seamless continuous shot, it shows a couple in their sixties moving with remarkable grace from sitting in the kitchen to walking down a quiet path. While Müller and Citroen both used fast-tempo modern dance, this is contemporary ballet, near-silent but for a single piano, as the camera smoothly follows the duo as they gently twist and whirl. The soundtrack, which seems to play independently of the dance yet somehow fits perfectly, is 1/1 by Brian Eno from 1978's seminal Music For Airports. It's a lovely piece of work that stands out in commercial breaks by being so much quieter, gentler and downright classier than the rest. Now all I have to do is convince the Lass to take dancing lessons with me before retirement.
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