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Pixar Scientist Discusses Importance of Math in Animation

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March 12, 2013

Tony DeRose, Pixar’s senior scientist, gave a lecture on “Math in the Movies” at New York’s Museum of Mathematics. His job consists of translating principles of arithmetic, geometry and algebra into computer software that can render objects or power physics engines. He gave the talk in part to explain why aspiring animators and game designers need to have a solid base in mathematics. Continue reading Pixar Scientist Discusses Importance of Math in Animation

Netflix and DreamWorks Reach Deal for New Cartoon Series

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February 14, 2013

Netflix announced a partnership with DreamWorks Animation this week to create an original cartoon series, to debut on the streaming service in December. The premise will be based on DWA’s upcoming “Turbo,” a movie about a snail who gains the power of super speed. “The Netflix spinoff will be called ‘Turbo: F.A.S.T.,’ which stands for Fast Action Stunt Team,” reports The New York Times. Continue reading Netflix and DreamWorks Reach Deal for New Cartoon Series

Two Popular Video Games Announce Plans for Animated Shows

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February 11, 2013

Zynga social game “FarmVille” is getting its own half-hour animated TV series. The news follows Rovio’s announcement that it plans to release short, animated episodes this spring based on its popular “Angry Birds” game characters. “Together, the shows will test whether addictive video games with thin plots can translate into enjoyable programming for children,” suggests Quartz. Continue reading Two Popular Video Games Announce Plans for Animated Shows

Disney Short Film Blends Computer and Traditional Animation

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February 1, 2013

Disney Animation debuted its animated short “Paperman” in theaters with “Wreck-It Ralph” at the end of last year. The short is now available online, allowing people to watch it before the Academy Awards. “The Oscar-nominated animated short that blends hand-drawn and computer-generated imagery in a beautiful, innovative way that might just look like the future of animation as a whole,” writes Wired. Continue reading Disney Short Film Blends Computer and Traditional Animation

Chicago Filmmaker Pours 15 Years into Dark Animated Feature

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January 6, 2013

While it commonly takes significant time to complete a motion picture, the process does not typically involve 15 years. That’s how long it took writer-director Chris Sullivan to complete his animated featured “Consuming Spirits.” Why so long? In addition to raising a family and working as a film professor, Sullivan is an “obsessive artist who animated three-fifths of its 129 minutes with his own hands, using puppets, tracing paper and miniature models shot on 16mm film,” explains the Wall Street Journal. Continue reading Chicago Filmmaker Pours 15 Years into Dark Animated Feature

Disney Tests the Video Game Waters with Possible Character Franchise

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November 23, 2011
  • The Walt Disney Company is working to replicate the success of “Angry Birds” with its new “Where’s My Water?” iPhone and iPad game.
  • Since its September 22 release, the game has proven rather successful, even taking the top spot from “Angry Birds” for three weeks.
  • “The logic is pretty simple; games are a cost-effective way of not only testing new characters, but also building a fan base for a potential movie,” reports Market Intelligence Center. “Developing the game cost a couple of hundred thousand dollars and about seven people. The time to build the game was less than eight months.”
  • The article points out that the financial risk is minimal when compared to a feature animation project: “Animated movies can easily run in excess of $100 million to produce, so each one is big gamble. If the game continues to find success, Disney can start to plan an animated movie around the game knowing they already have a fan-base for the movie’s characters. Disney will also be able to use its merchandising muscle to create and sell all kinds of toys and clothes around the game’s characters before it ever gets a movie into theaters.”
  • ETCentric staffer Phil Lelyveld adds: “Entertainment technology must now be defined VERY broadly. The ‘Halo II’ launch incorporated thousands of calls to pay phones into a coordinated transmedia market development campaign.”

Bob Iger Named to Apple Board, Arthur Levinson to Serve as Chairman

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November 16, 2011
  • Apple has named Disney chief exec Robert Iger to its board, while Arthur Levinson will take over the chairman post previously held by Steve Jobs.
  • Bob Iger was a friend and business partner of Jobs. The two worked together when Disney acquired Pixar Animation Studios in 2006.
  • Levinson, chairman of biotech company Genentech, has been co-director of the Apple board for six years.
  • “They’re trying to shore up the Disney relationship or strengthen that relationship because it’s an important part of where Apple is going,” said Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray Cos, referring to the possibility of a future Apple television and its need for licensing deals. “The content piece is the critical key to the living room,” Munster added.
  • “He is going to make an extraordinary addition to our already very strong board,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said of Iger, commenting that Iger’s role at Disney in harnessing new technology makes him “a great fit for Apple.”

Revolutionizing Wait Time: DreamWorks and Intel Partner on Rendering

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November 15, 2011
  • Animators at DreamWorks have to work in low resolution — “as if blind” — because rendering takes a week for 3 seconds worth of animation.
  • “CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg said his company’s four-year partnership with Intel is developing scalable multicore processing methods and software that will change all that,” reports Forbes.
  • Katzenberg explains the partnership is dedicating tens of millions of dollars in an effort to reengineer animation software “in a way that will halve the number of steps in the production line and ramp up animators’ productivity between 50 and 70 times.”
  • The technology will also be widely applicable in areas that use high-end rendering, including medicine, oil, aircraft design and more.
  • “This literally is going to revolutionize waiting,” suggests Katzenberg.

Post Production Trend: Hollywood Turns to India for Special Effects

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November 11, 2011
  • Hollywood is looking to special effects houses in India to deliver shots for 25-50 percent of what they would spend domestically. PriceWaterhouseCoopers predicts the Indian special effects industry will more than double in size by 2015.
  • Digital Domain is partnering with Reliance MediaWorks, an affiliate of India’s Reliance ADA conglomerate. Lucasfilm is working with India’s Prime Focus for the 3D conversion of “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.”
  • Indian companies like Crest Animation Studios and DQ Entertainment, meanwhile, have announced projects with Lionsgate Entertainment and France Television.
  • “These days, as much as a third of the budget for major Hollywood films is earmarked for special effects, according to a research report by accounting firm KPMG. The annual amount spent by filmmakers on special effects in the world’s top five markets totals some $1.9 billion,” reports Fortune.

Viewer Email: Pixar CEO John Lasseter Answers Fan Questions

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November 7, 2011
  • CEO John Lasseter answers New York Times readers’ emails as Pixar Animation Studios turns 25 this year.
  • Lasseter on Walt Disney: “The films take me to other worlds through the amazing stories and characters…He really inspired me to do my life’s work and to try to entertain audiences in that same way.”
  • On his favorite animated feature: “‘Dumbo’ is my favorite film for many reasons. It’s very tight storytelling. It’s amazing to have a main character not speak at all through the whole movie.”
  • On CalArts: “The original instructors were all these amazing Disney artists that had gone into retirement, and so they came out of retirement to teach us.”
  • On advice for aspiring animators: “Every young person gets so excited about new software packages and new technology. Technology never entertains an audience on its own. It’s what you do with the technology.”
  • Steve Jobs during the making of ‘Toy Story’: “John, you know at Apple when I make computers, what is the lifespan of this product, two years, three years at the most, and then about five years, they’re like a doorstop. But if you do your job right, these films can last forever.”

Company Culture: Former CTO Outlines 5 Secrets to Pixar Success

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October 17, 2011
  • Oren Jacob, Pixar’s former CTO, talks about the company’s keys to their success: Honesty about the quality of their films, a willingness to address problems quickly, looking at the source of problems, storyboarding out the issues, and hiring people that fit the company culture.
  • The story behind the overhaul of “Toy Story 2” was presented regarding the importance to: “Be honest with yourself. When the work isn’t great, say so. Then get to work making something you can believe in.”
  • Fast Company also points out the company’s hiring philosophy: “When Pixar is evaluating potential hires they look for three traits: humor, the ability to tell a story, and an example of excellence.”
  • And one of the more interesting lessons (applicable to a range of businesses): “Sketching storyboards and acting out scripts are the currency of ideas at Pixar. Try a variety of different media to find what works best for you and your organization.”

Netflix Pursues DreamWorks Animation, No Facebook Integration

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July 26, 2011
  • Netflix is reportedly negotiating for exclusive streaming rights to DreamWorks Animation films.
  • The deal would replace DreamWorks’ contract with HBO (which runs through 2014).
  • DreamWorks reportedly has permission to end its HBO contract early. If it does, it could provide content to Netflix by early 2013.
  • If the deal goes through, it would mark the first time a major studio has licensed content to subscription VOD at the same time (as opposed to after) its pay TV window.
  • In related news (see LA Times link), Netflix will not be including Facebook integration anytime soon in the U.S. (although it will be integrated in Canada and Latin America). This is based on the 1988 Video Privacy Protection Act that requires peoples’ video rental information be kept private. Netflix feels that the law is ambiguous as it relates to Netflix/Facebook, but they’re not taking any chances.

SoftEther Develops 3D Motion-Capture Figure

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July 22, 2011
  • Japan-based SoftEther has developed a 3D motion-capture figure dubbed Quma, designed to create 3D computer graphics and animations.
  • Quma is essentially a doll with sensors on each of its joints that allows a 3D artist to articulate the motion of characters and capture the positioning in a more intuitive manner (hold up an arm, for example, and the 3D figure on your computer screen will mimic the action in real-time).
  • The figure simply plugs into a USB port (no drivers or external power required).
  • 3D CG applications for Quma may include video games, robot applications, training and education simulations.
  • A release date and pricing has not yet been announced. The TechCrunch post features a video demo of the figure in action.

Follow SpongeBob SquarePants on Twitter this Week

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July 13, 2011
  • Nickelodeon is testing an interesting means of leveraging social networking this week by delivering SpongeBob SquarePants’ next adventure solely on Twitter.
  • SpongeBob will star in “The Ice Race Cometh: A Twitter-Tale,” a storyline that will unfold Tuesday through Friday in bites of 140 characters or less.
  • The tweeted project includes images to accompany the messages and will serve as a prequel to a new SpongeBob TV episode that premieres on Friday, July 15.
  • Twitter’s service terms do not allow children to have their own accounts, but Nickelodeon believes there is a significant overlap between tweeters and those who watch the series.
  • “SpongeBob’s fan base is so broad that about a third of its audience is adults, so we wanted to extend the show’s magic to new places like Twitter so those fans can experience it,” said Roland Poindexter, senior VP of animation and current series, Nickelodeon. “SpongeBob is already a big deal in the social media space, with 25 million Facebook fans, and we hope his Twitter debut will drum up some extra excitement for all the people who love him and the show.”

Rovio Planning Angry Birds Feature Film, Acquires Animation Studio

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July 6, 2011
  • Rovio, creator of the game app “Angry Birds,” is planning the next step for its popular IP: a feature-length motion picture.
  • The expanding franchise has already proven successful with plush toys, iPhone cases, a Mattel board game, a cookbook, and an interesting tie-in with 20th Century Fox’s feature film, “RIO” (Rovio launched mobile game “Angry Birds Rio” to coincide with the film’s release).
  • In order to facilitate its next steps, Rovio has acquired Finnish animation studio Kombo and has attached former Marvel Studios chairman David Maisel as special advisor.
  • Based on the global popularity of the app and the “emotional connection” that gamers experience during play, Maisel sees continued success for “Angry Birds” as an entertainment brand.

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