The Making of The Little Mermaid

Santa's Christmas Parade

Yesterday they closed off the whole central Auckland for the annual Farmers Santa's Christmas Parada.

Since we're living in the middle of the city, the parade literally happened right outside our apartment and already at 8am we woke up when they started playing music and test sound equipment for the parade.

Micha, Kari and I found a really nice spot a couple of hours before the actual parade was going to start - it was a beautiful sunny Sunday, so we didn't mind the wait.

The parade itself felt more like something you would see in Disneyland than Christmas (coming from Europe, we're not used to this kind of Xmas), except all the Christmas tunes they were playing and singing. Still, it was really cool and I actually got a kind of Christmas feeling despite it's the height of the summer. I don't like snow anyway :)

The day was ended by watching Harry Potter at the IMAX.

Can't help falling in love with New Zealand :)

"I see the Light" - Tangled

It's been said before, but Alan Menken is truly a genius!

Never Give Up!

This guy rocks!

Megamind 3D Featurette

Opens in a couple of weeks here in New Zealand - Can't wait to see it :)

Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special

Top Animation Blogs Award

OnlineComputerScienceDegree.com

Online Computer Science Degree has recognized my blog as one of the Top Animation Blog award winners which is an incredible honor. I really appreciate this and recommend that you check out all the other amazing blogs that has received the same honor! Update Sept 08 2012: Links removed upon request

Floyd Norman at the Art Institute Inland Empire

Tangled: Count Up to 50th Animated Motion Picture

A Kind of a Sad Story

I usually stick to posting stuff that inspires me on my blog, but this time I have to share a sad story.

I remember I was surprised by the first lecture at Animation Mentor when they said "Don't Steal Other People Shots and Put them on Your Own Showreel". I was thinking...wow, isn't that obvious? Is it really necessary to even tell us that? Who would be THAT stupid?

Well, recently I found out that a guy I used to work with, and whom I thought was a friend, has stolen a couple of my shots and used them on his own animation showreel. After talking to several of my colleagues, it turns out that there's not only my shots on his reel, but others as well.

I don't get it! He may get a job as an animator by putting other peoples work on his reel, but if he could animate himself, he would obviously have used his own shots - so whats the point?

The real problem with this though, is that if any of us apply at the same places he has applied and they see the same shots on our reels, we may be accused of stealing his shots. Luckily the industry is very small. Everybody knows everybody and news like this is all over the place in no time - which is good.

It just makes me sad that somebody is capable of doing these kind of things. Thank God it's very rare!

"It gets better" - Love, Pixar

 

The Making of Cinderella

Micha Sky Jumped!

My good friend, classmate and colleague Michael Herold, joined the fantastic team of animators at Oktobor Animation Studio last week and one of the first thing he did in New Zealand was to book a jump from Sky Tower.

Sky Tower is the tallest structure on the southern hemisphere at 328 meters and the actual Sky Jump is done from 192 meters above the ground.

This awesome German put all my doubts aside and actually went through with it yesterday.

Despite a lot of strange words not suited for this blog, he got down in one piece and described it as one of the most amazing experiences ever!

Way to go Micha! You Rock!

 (The whole thing was filmed so stay tuned for a YouTube link soon)

Even More Tangled

Glen Keane Interview on ABC Brisbane Radio

From the ABC Brisbane website:
Glen Keane is a Disney animator whose work includes the Beast from Beauty and the Beast and Ariel from the Little Mermaid.

Some of his works are currently on display at ACMI as part of the Dreams Come True: The Art of Disney's Classic Fairy Tales exhibition. 

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW HERE
(The Glen Keane interview starts at 22:50 on the countdown)

An Interview with Ruben Aquino

From the TAG website:
We here present our first TAG interview with a leading light of the animation industry, kicking off this new feature via a conversation with one of the pillars of the Walt Disney Animation Studios, supervising director Ruben Aquino ...

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW HERE

Ed Catmull on Teamwork

Cars 2 Trailer

Tangled Clip: "The Snuggly Duckling"

More Oktobor Animation in the News

Here's another news clip from the launch of Oktobor Animation on Friday - from the daily show Campbell Live.

From the 3 News website:
New Zealand's reputation as a major player in the international film and television industry took another leap forward today with the opening of Oktobor Animation. 

The Auckland-based company will make programmes for Nickelodeon, the American-owned kids' television network, who’s Spongebob and Dora the Explorer creations are worth billions of dollars.

The Penguins of Madagascar is another smash hit, and it's this programme that artists at Oktobor Animation are churning out. 

WATCH THE CLIP HERE

A story of Dogs - The Making of Lady and the Tramp

The Official Opening of Oktobor Animation

Oktobor Animation was officially opened for business yesterday.

We had several visitors coming over from Nickelodeon, the Mayor of Auckland, Len Brown and the Minister of Research, Science and Technology, Wayne Mapp.

It was quite an exciting day, lots of stuff going on all day and in the evening we had an awesome party with some really inspiring speeches, entertaining karaoke and a lot to drink :)

The studio is growing at lightning speed and I have a really good and proud feeling of being a part of something that's gonna be huge. Lovin' every second of it!

News Clip of the Opening of Oktobor Animation - TVNZ
News Article of the opening of Oktobor Animation - TVNZ
Press Release - Oktobor Animation

Winnie the Pooh Official Trailer

Interview Pixar Animator Aaron Hartline

Ub Iwerks: Animator, Inventor, Creative Mind

Ub Iwerks: Animator, Inventor, Creative Mind from Adam Osgood on Vimeo.

More Tangled

Kung Fu Panda 2 Teaser

The Making of Bambi

Is this Crazy or Supercool?

When we got up this morning, we noticed that some bright sparks had the idea of attaching a car to the side of Sky Tower - the tallest building on the southern hemisphere, as a part of a huge Christmas tree they're painting there.

Four guys and the car was hanging on the side of the tower in a huge crane, trying to attach the car which I assume is meant to be the foot of the tree.
 
I tried to find something about it online, but couldn't find anything. Maybe it's just a common thing down here to attach cars to tall buildings ;)

Sky Tower is getting ready for Christmas

Anyway....I think it's superduper cool - the crazier, the better :)

Back to Snells Beach

Yesterday my lovely wife Kari and I rented a car, got together with Joe and Gary (good friends and colleagues at Oktobor) and went for a trip up north to Snells Beach.

 

Kari and me at Orewa Beach

We made a short stop at Orewa before we headed for Snells Beach, where I finally got my hands on the most AWESOME Almond Croissants ever...they don't make them like that anywhere else - trust me, I've been searching. We also went down to the beach where I showed my wife and the guys the place I was living the last time I was working in New Zealand.

 

Joe, Gary and me at the beach in Snells Beach

Next stop was Matakana where they had a really nice farmers marked and then we headed out to Omaha Beach, but it was a little bit too chilly and windy for us to stay.

On the way back we stopped at Takapuna - a nice small city just outside Auckland - a really idyllic place. No doubt we're going back there once the summer really sets in.

It was great to go back and see the place I used to live two years ago - there wasn't that much changed though :)

Interview with Megamind Director Tom McGrath

Pure Awesomeness - Milt Kahl and Ollie Johnston

Milt Kahl & Ollie Johnston from Jamaal Bradley on Vimeo.

Tangled Featurettes

Be Thankful for Your Uniqueness

Great article from Pamela Kleibrink Thompson at Animation World Network.

From the article:
During the filming of Some Like it Hot, Tony Curtis (who just recently passed away) pointed out to director Billy Wilder that he was doing an impression of Cary Grant. Billy Wilder replied, "If I wanted Cary Grant, I would have hired Cary Grant."

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." -- Bill Cosby

READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE HERE

Carlos Baena Interviews

Check out these two short interviews with Pixar animator (and Animation Mentor co-founder) Carlos Baena.

CREATING SPANISH BUZZ

TOY STORY 3 INTERVIEW: CARLOS BAENA

Excerpt of Interview With Bill Tytla

This excerpt of an interview with the legendary Disney animator Bill Tytla has been out there for a couple of years now, but it's new to me :)

Click here for more info

CLICK HERE TO HEAR THE EXCERPT