|
Author
|
Topic: Joe Ranft
|
Aurelio O'Brien
Member
Member # 3061
|
posted
I lost my dear friend. I guess almost everyone in the industry can say that, because Joe was so generous with his friendship.
I was in the same class with Joe at CalARTS, went to Disney with him, Taiwan with him, worked on Fun with Mr. Future, Toaster, B&TB with him. Lots of people like to claim the "discovered" Joe's talent, but his talent was so obvious from the start. He was funny, yes, but in all his humorous work lived a beating heart. I never knew Joe to be competetive or to resent the talent of others either. He just loved good work, always applied himself to improve his own, and made it fun for the rest of us along the way. Just like the guys who were in the car with him, Joe saw the potential in others rather than their failings.
But Joe wasn't just his work. We used to go hiking on weekends in those early days and he, another classmate, and I took a road trip together back then. That was one of my fondest memories. None of us really had careers yet, we were just starting out, and Joe's humor and personality was a large part of the optimism we felt. In the early 80's, the industry was in the doldrums, but we were going to change all that. We did, and Joe was a huge and significant part of that change.
I'm flooded with memories of Joe this week. Every one if them is a fond one. And I take inspiration from how Joe lived his life: with humor, and generosity, and enthusiasm. Even in his death, he inspires me on.
IP: Logged
|
|
Trilby
Member
Member # 3105
|
posted
I only knew him through his work yet the sadness I feel is deep.
My condolences to his family and friends.
IP: Logged
|
|
Doodles
Member
Member # 565
|
posted
A quick update: Amid amended Cartoon Brew to say that rather than donate to Mosaic alone, the family will be putting together a charity fund that comprises several organizations that Mr. Ranft assisted. Check with here, CB, or your Pixar contacts for details as they become available.
IP: Logged
|
|
Mr. Fun
IE # 63
Member # 352
|
posted
Before Joe left on his vacation last week he made one last correction for us. A rough sketch of one of the delightful characters from Pixar's new film, "Cars." It could very well have been the last sketch Joe every made. As I held that sketch yesterday, I couldn't help but feel a little bit of my friend in that drawing. He was so generous with his time and with his knowledge. Always there to help make things just a little bit better. Words can't express how much we'll miss him.
IP: Logged
|
|
RMills
IE # 151
Member # 2986
|
posted
Many here I'm sure never got to see Joe's drawings accept in small portions in making of books or on DVD extras. But Mr.Fun mentioning his drawing reminds me of when I sat with him one time while he was working on Brave Little Toaster before it left Disney and went to Hyperion and recently seeing some of his work on Cars. There is so much of Joe in his work, the simplest little drawing had so much life and feeling. As I do Storyboards I always have tried to follow that same approach and Joe's work will continue to be something to inspire me.
--------------------
www.rustymillsanimation.com
IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
Chadeus
IE # 204
Member # 1656
|
posted
Heimlich is a "Bootiful Butterflieee!" in the sky now.
I'm sad, but a slight sliver of satisfaction has creeped in...because I know that Joe can face his creator, and say he left his mark on the world. The world will never be the same without him...but the world is a better place BECAUSE of him. And that's power. The REAL power of storytelling.
Something to aspire to. Cheers, Joe, we'll see you again some day. Say Hi to Walt for me. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
--------------------
CHAD
"The winner of the game is the player that makes the next-to-last mistake." --Chess Proverb.
IP: Logged
|
|
Michael W Howe
IE # 251
Member # 1827
|
posted
I could see him, sitting in the waiting room of Heaven's animation studio, drawing out little images, waiting to show his work to The Big Guy...oh, and Walt too.
And then there are the little children in heaven who walk by, and he pulls his voices on them, turns around, and shows them his wings on his back, saying like Heimlich- My vings! They are beautiful! And those children are smiling and laughing.
--------------------
"He's got three Piston Cups!"
"He did WHAT in his cup!??"
IP: Logged
|
|
MattDaddy
Member
Member # 3133
|
posted
I have a friend who's a huge comic book nerd...I mean huge, a bigger comic book nerd than I am an animation nerd. And he has always been in love with the work of the guys from the silver age, the books he grew up with, that had a direct affect on what he wanted to be when he "grew up". As he got older he was stunned as these icons of his childhood started to leave us due to illness, accident and old age. He has spent the last several years trying to meet the remaining few from that era. Not for autographs or memorabilia but to shake their hands and thank them for inspiring him to be what he is, and for helping him live the dream.
My biggest fear the last couple of years (being a child of the great stop motion movies) is that I might not get a chance to meet Ray Harryhausen and thank him...but I never was concerned about getting to meet the people inspiring us now...the Brad Birds or John Lasseters, the Glen Keanes...or the Joe Ranfts. I have friends Joe's age and death is the last thing I think about when I see them. I was never blessed with the opportunity to meet Mr Ranft and experience how good a person he was on top of the talent he possesed. I, personally, only knew him through his work. But that was enough to motivate and inspire me. My heart felt prayers go out to his family, his friends and the great folks at Pixar. And if you're listening, thank you Mr Ranft for inspiring me to be what I am and for helping me live the dream.
IP: Logged
|
|
JHBucktooth
Member
Member # 1884
|
posted
"A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others."
That applies to no one I've ever met in the animation business better than Joe.
"Each man's life touches so many other lives. And when he isn't around, he leaves an awful hole."
Ditto.
IP: Logged
|
|
Lee Crowe
IE # 154
Member # 1135
|
posted
I'm a mess. I can't stop crying. I didn't know Joe that well but, like Bronnie, I used to see him at Spaf's and the Kroyer's, and around Disney during "Mermaid" -- and we probably always had mutual friends going all the way back to the early 80s. And he was always so sweet, and always said, "Hi Lee!"
I feel like we've lost our generation's Bill Peet.
Occaisionally I'll slip when speaking to my students and faculty and say, "I don't like CG" then when I see the shocked looks on their faces I qualify it and say, "Well, I like Pixar -- I like everything Pixar does -- but it's because of the storytelling -- the medium doesn't matter." And that's because of people like Joe. (And Mr. Fun...).
Oh man. My company sent me to SIGGRAPH earlier this month and during my brief time there I kept running into old pals in the hallways -- some of them like Joe who I knew from the eighties traditional LA scene who went up to the bay area to work for Pixar...and now I am reminded once again how quickly any one of them could leave us...
I feel like this is a huge blow to our industry. And now that I checked out Mosaic, I understand why Joe's storytelling abilitites were so keen. Wow. It all makes sense. He did a lot in a short time, like Buddy Holly. Wow.
--------------------
Look me up on http://IMDb.com.
IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
papercut
Member
Member # 161
|
posted
The following was posted on Ronnie del Carmen's blog on the 19th of August.
Joe Ranft: Donations and Cards
In lieu of flowers, the Ranft family respectfully requests that donations be made to:
The Joseph Henry Ranft Memorial Fund
c/o Pixar Animation Studios
1200 Park Ave.
Emeryville, CA 94608
Anyone wanting to send a note or card to the family is also welcome to send it to:
The Family of Joe Ranft
c/o Pixar Animation Studios
1200 Park Ave.
Emeryville, CA 94608
IP: Logged
|
|
Map
IEcm
Member # 9
|
posted
Sad news indeed.
He looked like a fun guy to hang out with..
IP: Logged
|
|
|
Printer-friendly view of this topic
