Month: December 2002

  •  FWAK!’s ART OF THE MIX

    Have you ever made compilation CDs or MP3 playlists of your favorite tracks? Well, I have just come across a massive online community – Art Of The Mix -where music aficionados can submit their mixes/playlists (no actual songs, just the lists) and share their musical interests with the world. The best part is that there are lots of very cool playlists out there, and if you like what someone else has, and they like what you have, you can do a CD/casette swap. How cool is that? Or is this just all very obsessive and geeky?

    Fwak! has so far submitted three mixes of music we listen to while we work:

    1. Walt Waxline’s Limbo Lounge (Polynesian theme)
    2. Fwak’s Universe of 1000 Dances (Dance theme)
    3. Rockin’ Mamacitas’ Forearm Jolt (Mexican wrestling theme)

    Also check out some these very cool mixes by greaseball and joey de vivre

  • NEWSFLASH: THE FUZZ

    THE FUZZ has just been selected to screen at the ANIMAC animation festival in Spain. Details on their website: http://www.animac.info

  • X-MAS AU GO GO!

    I am getting myself this video by the Pontani Sisters for x-mas! Not only does it feature cool go go dancing instructions, the music is by Los Straitjackets (enmascarado surf garage band – whose music, a few years ago we requested to use for our Rudo by Night intro but couldn’t afford).

    Check out this Go-Go Robics video clip (Quicktime format). – Lili

  • CURRENTLY LISTENING TO -

    We have just come into possession of this rare and cool piece of vinyl – yes, the above pic is Barbara Feldon (Get Smart) and she sings!!! For your online listening pleasure…

    1. Ninety Nine 
    2. Max 

    These are in SWF format. Flash Player required.

  •  

    NEWSFLASH: THE FUZZ

    Our short film THE FUZZ (funded by the Australian Film Commission) has just been selected for the Digital Work Competition of the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival 2003. Free accomodation in France for 10 days sounds mighty tempting. But my guess is that we’ll be too busy to go…   http://www.clermont-filmfest.com

    The Fuzz is a 2D-Flash short with a 3D ‘Erotic Toy Story’ segment. (pic above)

  •  

    ANIMATION DISCUSSIONS

    The SPA Animation Forums. I have just been introduced to this very well-organized website (run by some very friendly Canadians) with forums that cover just about every animation-related topic you can think of. Check out the Animation Talk forum for tips on how to create bibles, how to pitch, character design, etc etc. See you there! - Lili

  •  
    FLAIL-MATION
     
    Topic: Why do Disney’s characters overact ???
     Why do they have to throw their whole bodies into action ? The voices and facial expressions aren’t enough ? Why do they have to bow their heads and lower their shoulders that much when they want to just “sigh” ? And what is it with all that hand waving thing ? Animation Nation discussion board topic
    It’s true – Disney characters flail. Not that there is anything wrong with characters moving all the time.The problem with contemporary Disney animation (‘Beauty & The Beast’ onwards)  is that it is so FORMULA. Disney characters nowadays are drawn with emotional expressions that are totally predictable. They act “cute”, “zany”, “perturbed” and “sigh” in the same way. Also: it’s as if Disney animators have been conditioned to animate movement for movement’s sake. As if they feel they are not doing their job (and failing as Animators) if their character isn’t moving ALL the time.
     
    It’s a pity – more often than not, we don’t get to appreciate the drawings  – which if HELD, would communicate a character’s essence and attitude a whole lot better than superfluous and relentless head-nodding, arm-waving, hair-flippin’, squashy-stretchy movement.
     
    Next time you talk to someone, ask yourself: How much does my head actually move?
     
     

  •  

    HISTORY: AUSTRALIAN ANIMATION INDUSTRY

    Given that we have no bulletin boards or magazines for our local animation industry (not counting the once-a-year Encore Mag Animation Issue & the OzAnimation Group - which seems a little quiet anyway), I was doing a Google search to find out what’s happening in the Australian Animation Industry right now. I happened to find this  webpage – which outlines the historical development of the Australian Animation Industry from World War 1, through to the 60′s including Hanna Barbera’s set-up in Sydney… up to the 1990s’ (which I presume is when this document was written by the Queensland College of Art). The document addresses the issues of Animation Study and Training and our lack of confidence in the local industry…  So frustratingly true. And these issues are still relevant today. What do you think?

  •  

    MUCHA LUCHA NEWSFLASH

    Kids’ WB! has joined forces with Warner Bros. Animation to simulcast the new Latin-flavored, irreverent, Flash-animated comedy Mucha Lucha! in Spanish beginning Saturday, Dec. 14 (10:30 a.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT). Hispanic viewers will be able to enjoy the series via Second Audio Programming (SAP).  Animation Magazine news item

  • Oh – and also in planning right now (over in the USA) is the Mucha Lucha DVD, which will consist of the best episodes from Season 1 and some very cool extra stuff! (if our suggestions are all approved). Apart from this, we are also working with DC Comics - are we allowed to announce this? - on 3 issues due out in the next year. Eddie is writing the stories, and I have been pencilling/inking covers.


    2003 is a big year.  There’s the Australian premiere, and Cartoon Network Asia Pacific will be broadcasting the series throughout Asia Pacific – with dubbing into Hindi, Thai, Mandarin, and Korean subtitles (!!!) Quite a bizarre concept. But then again, irreverent slapstick humor is a universal thing – isn’t it?