April 27, 2003
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We had about two hours to kill before the UPA animation screening in Hollywood so we decided to stop at the Vespa centre on Ventura Blvd.
… this place brought back memories of Eddie’s vespa in Sydney and how much we both miss being on the scooter. L.A. is so NOT a scootering city. Eddie bought a black leather vespa jacket and I got a T-shirt. The pistachio green helmet looked mighty tempting but it cost TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS. That’s a whopping Australian FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS…
The UPA SCREENING was good, but not quite what we expected. There was no John Hubley stuff. These were shorts produced as part of the Boing Boing TV series: more whimsical, abstract and jazz-driven.
Fred Crippen (Roger Ramjet) and Jules Engel (color stylist; funny man!) both gave talks about their time at UPA – how it was such a rare experience in the history of TV animation because they could do whatever the hell they wanted on the Boing Boing series, so long as they delivered four Magoo cartoons a year. The result: these shorts were artsy, stylized and considered way ahead of their time.
I think we would’ve liked to have seen more interesting animation(movement) a la Rooty Toot Toot… but it was cool to be there.
We also met up with Jorge; then had dinner with Tony aka El Evil before going to Sugar, a club in Santa Monica which was fun.
Now very tired… have to get up bright and early tomorrow. We’re heading out to the happiest place on earth.
Comments (2)
The Sydney goss is that the 2 x 2 piece of foyer real estate at the front of your building is fretting a little at the loss of the spunky Vespa as well.
You’ll have to tell your Vespa all about the ones you saw when you get back. Um, did they have any PINK ONES?
Your comment about the happiest place on earth made me laugh out loud into an otherwise quiet montane day.
One other thing that has been on my mind for a while now. I love the stylised Rooty Toot Toot art, and the similar stuff of that era, Gene Deitch, etc.
My own style is naturalistic or experimental and I am torn about abandoning the development of that and trying to imitate this retro style. I’m thinking stick with what I have for now. But maybe I can do both ….. what should I do oh great Godarina Animateo?
Sparx
what should I do oh great Godarina Animateo?
Oh I am not worthy of that title! Everyone is doing the retro thing here. If not, then the anime thing. Then there are those who are doing the humanoid superrealistic thing (but we don’t have to worry about them) I say stick with whatever makes you happy.
I am also keen to get home (not so much to Australia, but to my personal desk space) and do some animation for fun. Experiment with different styles. Good luck!