Lost Kurt Vonnegut short story brought to life by animation

A lost short story by American author Kurt Vonnegut was recently discovered and turned into an animation by Atlantic Studios, the video team at The Atlantic magazine. The short story, “The Drone King,” follows a discussion between two associations about a use for bees beyond honey production. According to The Atlantic, it was written in the early 1950’s before Vonnegut’s debut novel, Player Piano.

“The Drone King” will be printed in Complete Stories on September 26th.

The animated short by Atlantic Studios helps bring “The Drone King” to life through  imaginative sequences and a sense of rising tension throughout.

To watch the video, click on the image below.

Atlantic Studios, 2017

 

 

Traditional animation vs CG (part 1)

The debate is relatively new, but it will continue for ages: traditional animation vs. computer generated (CG) animation. Traditional animation is created using hand drawn techniques: pen, pencil, ink and paint. This originates to the very early 1900’s. CG animation involves creating works on computers, using software to animate. This was first used in early 1980s films such as Tron, and became more popular in the mid-1990s and early 2000s after Toy Story‘s and other Pixar films’ successes.

Both techniques have their pros and cons, but the inevitable question remains: which is better? The answer: it depends on the situation.

For example, if a work or franchise was originally traditionally animated, its future works should be as well.

Why do you still watch cartoons?

A lot of people ask me: why do you still watch cartoons?

“Why are you still watching those kids’ shows?”

The first thing I wonder is: should I not be watching cartoons? Should I spend my free time doing something “serious?”

And you know, I have been thinking lately: why do I love animation so much? Earlier this week, I poured my heart, soul and life into my “Top Ten Studio Ghibli Movies” list. Everything I wrote about my love for those films magically appeared on the page, as if Totoro himself took a bag of scrambled words and gracefully placed them there. Sometime after I finished the list, I was home, completely engrossed in the humor and wonder of the shows Steven Universe and BoJack Horseman.

Have I always been this way, have I always seen animation as something more than merely entertainment? Yes, yes I have.  I like animation because it is clearly not reality, but the degree of this unreality varies depending on the work.

Crash Bandicoot animation surfaces

In the early days of Playstation, Crash Bandicoot was a mascot for Sony’s video game system. As a cartoony animal who embarked on adventures collecting crystals, he was something of an ideal video game character. His 1996 debut game showcased Playstation’s 3D rendered graphics capabilities. Recently, the game producer, David Siller, unveiled what could have been the game’s cut scenes, which are not 3D, but hand-drawn animation. Check out the video:

Siller posted on the video’s YouTube page that this test animation had the potential to be a cartoon series in addition to being included in some of the games. For some reason, this never happened. Did Sony miss an opportunity?

Avatar Last Airbender co-creator working on graphic novel

A teaser image for “Threadworlds,” Korra co-creator Bryan Konietzko’s new graphic novel. It is set for release in 2017.

One of the minds behind Avatar the Last Airbender and Legend of Korra is busy at work on his next project. Bryan Konietzko’s new work is a graphic novel titled Threadworlds, a sci-fi adventure about a girl looking to explore the world through science. The first volume is schedule for release in 2017.

This is the first piece of news concerning either of the Avatar the Last Airbender co-creators since they announced they were splitting up in March.

Nickelodeon Magazine returns!

Nickelodeon Magazine Please! The front cover of the June 2015 edition. Will this begin a new early of the legendary publication?

Remember the old days of the 90s and early 2000s that everyone seems to talk about on the Internet, filled with Rugrats, Britney Spears and others? Now a key player is returning: Nickelodeon Magazine is back on the press and was released this week.

That’s right, the legendary magazine that filled so many childhoods with outrageous pranks, innovative humor and a reporting dog is producing new content.  If this isn’t sparking any memories, Buzzfeed is here to remind us why we loved Nick Mag. Thanks, Buzz.

Nick Mag made its first splash in 1993 and enjoyed 13 years old publication before it quietly disappeared from newsstands in 2009.

“Peanuts” movie trailer shows more of Charlie Brown and gang

The first full length trailer for the new Peanuts movie has hit the web. Blue Sky Studios (behind films such as Ice Age and Rio) is bringing Charlie Brown and the gang to theaters on Nov. 6. The animation is clearly not hand drawn like the various other Peanuts films over the years, but that should have very little to do with the film’s quality.

Speaking of quality, hopefully Blue Sky Studios won’t just give us a rock. Here’s the trailer:

From the trailer, it seems Charlie Brown is trying to reinvent himself by actually not being the biggest loser on the block. That underdog-to-hero plot line is certainly overdone, but the Peanuts cast could add a new charm to it.

“The Land Before Time” series: an odd cultural phenomenon

So many “Land Before Time” films, so little relevance. What drives the production of these films?

The Land Before Time was not supposed to be a series. It was originally a 1988 film directed by the acclaimed animator Don Bluth and produced by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. The film was a box office hit and received high acclaim. Then, six years later, in 1994 helmed by other creators, The Land Before Time transformed into one of the most long-winded animated film series of all time. Today, the original film is probably so well-known because of its 12 (soon to be 13) sequels. Later this year, The Land Before Time XIV: Journey of the Heart will be released on home video.

The series has a unique place in our culture and in the industry, being one of the few American (or any other nation’s) animated film series to boast such an oddly prolific sequel count. However, unlike long animated film series like Japan’s Dragon Ball film series (19 since 1986) which has a very high fan base, The Land Before Time lacks a visible and relevant fandom.

Live-action director to helm Dreamworks’ “Beekle”

Jason Reitman, director of live actions films such as “Juno” and “Up in the Air,” is set to direct Beekle, an upcoming animated film from Dreamworks Animation. A live-action director switching to animation is something of a rarity.

Jason Reitman, director of critically acclaimed live-action films Juno and Up in the Air is set to direct the Dreamworks film, Beekle. The news was announced via Deadline, a film news website.

The film will be an adaptation of the bestselling 2014 children’s book, The Adventures of Beekle: An Imaginary Friend. 

This is an interesting and bold experiment for Dreamworks. Not too often do live-action directors switch to animation or vice versa. One notable exception is Tim Burton, director of live-action films like Edward Scissorhands and director of animated films such as Frankenweenie. Others on this list include Wes Anderson among others.

“Song of the Sea” wins at IFTA and the “genre” of animation

Song of the Sea became the first animated film to win top prize at the ITFA (Irish Film and Television Academy) on May 24. The IFTA  is an organization founded in 2003 that recognizes outstanding Irish film and television series.

Song of the Sea director Tomm Moore was delighted with the win and saw it as a victory for animation as a medium, not a genre. The Iron Giant and The Incredibles director Brad Bird has stated in the past his disdain for American audiences’ tendency to see animation as a genre, not a medium. He discussed at length how this viewpoint affects the quality of the films, saying:

“…if you have great quality animation, you usually have very safe, traditional kind of boring stories. If you have exciting stories, or clever writing, you usually have bargain basement animation.”

Similarly, in a  2013 Forbes article, writer Scott Mendelson discusses the “child’s play” of American animation. What can be done to get American audiences to realize the true potential of animation? At this point, seemingly nothing, unless a studio takes a risk and makes massive financial returns.