Animation Nation

They used to be the standard by which all animated films were judged.

But lately, Disney films are more like also rans when it comes to feature animation. They still produce great movies, and they certainly have the capacity to do anything they want at any level they want. But it seems to me that just may be the problem. It seems like they don't want to. There doesn't appear to be the burning, overwhelming desire to consistently produce truly great animated entertainment that's beyond what anyone else would do.

Their latest effort, the 'Winnie the Pooh' movie which was released in the US last Friday, had a poor showing of only $8 million, placed sixth overall among the top box office films for the weekend, and was even outdone by Pixar's 'Cars 2' sequel which had been in release four weeks already.

Follow this topic on the AN Forums.

Animation is worldwide, and great feature films are being produced all over the globe. Here's another one we can look forward to. 'A Monster In Paris' is being produced... where else? In France. Bibo Films is the production company along with several others including Eurpoa Corp and Walking the Dog.

It's a 3D-animated movie set in Paris in the year 1910 and centered on a monster who lives in a garden and his love for a beautiful, young singer. Very reminiscent of Phantom of the Opera, it looks to be a retelling of the classic story through the contemporary animation process. Its release date is scheduled for October 19 of this year. It will likely open in Europe prior to the US.

Meanwhile, take a look at this website for more images and concept art from the film. Also check out the topic we're maintaining on the Forums to see some trailers. They're very impressive.

The annual Comic Con in San Diego, California is a huge affair. The event attracts more than 100,000 people and has been growing in popularity every year. This year however, there are signs that perhaps the Con has gotten too big for some to participate in and enjoy. The overwhelming crowds, the long waits, the effort that it takes to engage in the event is turning some people away. 

As the Con takes place this weekend, I ask the rhetorical question... Is it worth it?

Follow my commentary on the AN Forums and feel free to add your own perspective on the subject. If you're not registered for the Forums, follow this link for more information about how to establish an account with us.

Pixar's John Lasseter is a sage for solid advice pertaining to the animation industry, creatively and otherwise, and there's good reason for it of course. Take a look at Lasseter's 7 Points. Solid fundamental advice for all filmmakers. They've been published in both the General Discussion Forum and the Education Forum of AN.

China is very serious about their animation. They recently opened a $690 million production facility close to Beijing. To put it in perspective, last year's feature animated film 'Despicable Me' released by Universal Studios had a production budget of $69 million. The money spent on this facility could produce ten feature films comparable to that movie.

For more info follow this link. 

Willie Downs is an animation student with an ambitious and generous idea.

He's started the Animator Letters Project and his goal is to compile a series of hand written letters contributed by professional animators which describe how they got into the industry and encourage aspiring animators to pursue their dreams of making it into the biz. Once he has enough letters collected, he plans to publish a book and use the proceeds to help fund the education of up and coming animators who can't afford the expense of their education.

To find out more about the Animator Letters Project visit the site that Willie has set up. You can also visit the topic that Willie started on the AN Forums by which he brought it to the attention of the community.

Welcome to AnimationNation and our new homepage format.

Since 1999, AnimationNation.com has been the pioneer among industry centric forums. We've helped to highlight, promote and foster important issues within the community for the benefit of animation artists within our industry and beyond. We've established an extraordinary legacy and have affected the history of the animation community in many positive ways.

Previously, our forums have been something separate from our homepage. With this new format, we can bring our renowned forums directly to our members, readers and visitors who frequent the site through the homepage.

We're excited about this new feature and are looking forward to further servicing the community by showcasing forum topics via the AN homepage.

Please follow this link for more about the subject.