|
The
Nicktoons Film Festival Announces
Screening
8–The "Glad That’s Not Me" Show
The
Nicktoons Film Festival continues
this Sunday with Screening 7, a selection of seven
shorts that will definitely make you feel good about NOT
being a cartoon character–way too overwhelming. A co-production
of Frederator Studios and Animation Magazine for Nicktoons,
The Nicktoons Film Festival airs on the Nicktoons cable
channel Sunday nights at 10:00 p.m. (EST) and 7:00 p.m. (PST),
with a repeat at 1:00 p.m. (EST) and 10:00 p.m. (PST). The
films featured in Screening No. 7–The "Glad That’s
Not Me" Show are: Gruesomestein’s Monsters:
Freddie and the Yeti by Canadian directors Mark Ackland
and Riccardo Durante; PGi-13 from Korean visual effects
animator Beom Sik Shim; Hero: 108 from Taiwanese game
company Gamania Digital Entertainment; Josh W. Eats A Bug
from award-winning commercial director Johnnie Semerad;
Zoya The Zebra from Russian filmmaker Alexander Geifman;
Doggie Door from comedian Ron Yavnieli; and Bottom
of the 9th from Mark Nelson, an animator on the popular
BIONICLE direct-to-video series from LEGO and Miramax.
The
Nicktoons Film Festival:
Screening
8–The "Glad That’s Not Me" Show
Airdate & Time: Dec. 11, 2004, 10:00 p.m.
(EST); 7:00 p.m. (PST), Nicktoons
Film
#1: Gruesomestein’s Monsters: Freddie and the Yeti
(Length: 5:00; Flash)–Filmmakers Mark Ackland and Riccardo
Durante both graduated from Canada’s Sheridan College and
went on to work with John Kricfalusi on his outrageous series,
The Ripping Friends. Together, they created Gruesomestein’s
Monsters for Nelvana’s Funpak project–so obviously
these guys get along. We get along particularly well with the
outlandish sense of humor they show off in this episode of Gruesomestein.
In this mishap adventure, Freddie and his Dad head into the
deep and snowy woods where they encounter a psychotic ranger
hell bent on ridding his forest of the notorious beast. Now
what did that nice Yeti ever do to him? (For more info on Mark
Ackland and Riccardo Durante or the Funpack shorts e-mail funpak@corusent.com.)
 |
Film
#2: PGi-13 (Length: 3:50; CG with 2D sequences)–According
to award-winning filmmaker Beom Sik Shim, the title of his film
is an acronym for "Parental Guidance suggested for the
protection of children’s imaginations under the age of
13." Born in Korea, Shim majored in fine art at Chung Ang
University. In addition to professional work in visual effects,
Shim’s painting and video pieces have been on exhibit six
times and these fine art references really come through in a
strange and wonderful way in PGi-13. Think magical realism
but with an Asian bent, add a dash of William Gibson and Dr.
Seuss and you have a taste of this peculiarly compelling film.
As for those odd teabags? Shim says, "After dinner one
evening I became suspicious of the tea I was about to put into
a steaming cup of water. What exactly was hidden in that foggy
bag? Was it just the ordinary dried leaves of the box’s
friendly illustrations? I wondered if it might be something
much spookier." (You can find out more about Beom Sik Shim
by visiting www.shimbe.com.)
 |
Film
#3: Hero: 108 (Length: 5:00; Flash)–This week we’re
excited to air work from the stylish development team of Taiwan-based
house Gamania Digital Entertainment. A huge firm dedicated to
massively multi-player online games, Gamania boasts a small
in-house group of renegades dedicated to one task–creating
cool characters that move. Led by managing director Pongo Kuo,
this team of a dozen artists came up with Hero:108, a
story about a topsy-turvy world in which animals have displaced
the humans in society. In this introductory piece, based on
the ancient Chinese manuscript, The Water Margin, 108
heroes band together to set the world right. Kuo explains that
"the heroes each have their own specific and rather zany
power," and, of course, we thought that was cool. To be
honest though, we really liked the fact that they all ride turtles
that run on armored-car tracks. (To find out more about Gamania’s
games and animation go to www.gamania.com.)
 |
Film
#4: Josh W. Eats A Bug (Length: 1:20; Traditional Animation)–A
graduate of Pratt Institute, filmmaker Johnnie Semerad is president
and creative director of New York City-based commercial and
vfx house Quiet Man. While balancing the needs of clients like
HBO, Pepsi and Fox Sports with his life at home, Semerad came
up with the character Josh W. "Instead of reading bedtime
stories, my daughters Emma and Dara and I make them up together.
Actually, Emma and Dara make them up and I just listen."
By listening to his young ones and the clever set-ups they created,
Semerad started animating their character Josh W. and his hapless
and quite lovable life challenges. Josh W. shorts have won several
film festival awards. (To find out more about Johnnie Semerad,
go to www.quietman.net.)
 |
Film
#5: Zoya The Zebra (Length: 3:00, 2D animation)–Filmmaker
Alexander Geifman has trained with some of the greatest animators
of the world and worked in more exotic countries than most of
us will see in a lifetime. He started his career in the animation
department of the Kievnauchfilm studio in Kiev and later studied
animation at the Pilot School of Animation in Moscow with legendary
Russian animator Igor Kovalyov. Geifman worked for many years
in Israel as a character animator and director and has served
as creative director at Le Toon Filmes in Brazil since 1997.
He explains that his vibrant short, Zoya The Zebra, is
an homage to Op Art visionary Victor Vasarely. Drawn to the
optical patterns of this movement, Geifman plays with all kinds
of stripes–zebra stripes, tiger stripes, the stripes of
a sailor suit–with rare whimsy. Says Geifman, "The
name Zoya is a common Russian girl’s name, but it also
comes from the Greek word zoo, which means life." (You
can contact Alexander Geifman through his producer Ilana Braia,
i_braia@terra.com.br)
 |
Film
#6: Doggie Door (Length: 4:00; Traditional Animation)–CalArts
grad Ron Yavnieli says that his film, Doggie Door,
is the answer to a personal challenge. "Zog the dog,
the main character in Doggie Door, was actually a minor
character in a comic strip I created while I was at CalArts.
My friends really encouraged me to make him a main character
and try making a classic ‘40s style cartoon like a Bugs
Bunny or a Tom & Jerry. I’d tried to make
a funny cartoon before but never to my satisfaction."
Doggie Door–the story of an overweight pooch and
his very small door–is definitely a triumph for the gifted
comedian that is Yavnieli. In addition to freelance work in
character design and Flash animation, Yavnieli also performs
regularly as a puppeteer and an actor. (To find out more about
Ron Yavnieli and his sense of humor go to www.ronimation.com.)
 |
Film
#7: Bottom of the 9th (Length: 3:30; CG animation created
in Alias’ Maya)–Think of the most annoying and embarrassing
predicament you can and you’ve got the premise for filmmaker
Mark Nelson’s hilarious Bottom of the 9th.
Says Nelson, "While taking care of some personal
business, I made the startling discovery that I was short
on the supplies needed to finish the job. To take my
mind off my misery, I decided that my situation would make
a good short and I began to think of how I should construct
the story. As for me, well … a few coffee filters later
I emerged with a film idea and a stronger appreciation for
the softer things in life." Okay, we’re assuming
that you’re now feeling confused, curious or downright
worried. To find out what the "softer things in life"
might be, you’ll have to tune in this Sunday. We guarantee
you’ll sympathize! Nelson’s credits include Maya
animation work for an ESPN video game and the BIONICLE
direct-to-video series. (To find out more about Mark Nelson
go to www.markjnelson.com.)
|
