“This Papaya Tastes Perfect” by Ian Cheng
Mainstream motion capture performances have the paradoxical effect of looking both flawlessly perfect and utterly unconvincing and …
#Mo-Cap
“Space Jam” Producer Says Mo-Cap Isn’t Animation and Why He’s Wrong
Last July we posted the amended Oscar rules that stated motion capture would no longer be eligible for the best animated feature Oscar. …
First Look: “The Adventures of Tintin”
Our first glimpse of Spielberg’s (and Jackson’s) mo-cap Tintin movie. They are still afraid to show us their faces – and I’m still not …
“El Clasico” by Richard Swarbrick
Despite my distain for Robert Zemeckis’ mo-cap monstrosities – I believe live action can be effectively used to create great animated …
Zemeckis’ “Yellow Submarine” is Dead – We Hope!
Our long national nightmare is over. Whatever your opinion of Mars Needs Moms it has accomplished a major goal of all right-thinking …
“Mars Needs Moms” talkback
Disney’s Mars Needs Moms opened today. It got no love from The New York Times where reviewer Mike Hale began his critique this way:”It …
Shannon Tindle Explains Why Characters Today Look Awful
Salon, of all places, published an excellent piece about animation character design. They interviewed designer Shannon Tindle (Coraline, …
Florida Jail Inmates Tortured with Zemeckis Animation
Talk about cruel and unusual punishment! Inmates in a Florida jail are being forced to watch Robert Zemeckis’s mo-cap trainwreck …
“Mars Needs Moms” trailer
Simon Wells directs this Image Movers Digital (re: Zemeckis) production. Disney is releasing it in March. Mo-cap or Mo-crap? You …
Will nothing STOP Robert Zemeckis?
Disney’s second animated release of 2011 (following Gnomeo and Juliet) will be the latest Robert Zemeckis/Imagemovers film, Mars Needs …
New Academy Rules for Animated Features
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has tweaked their rules concerning what qualifies as an animated feature in regards to …
The Disappearing Cartoon
Director and animator Will Finn made a thought-provoking observation on his blog a few days ago. He began the discussion by surmising …
James Cameron: “I’m not interested in being an animator”
In last week’s LA Times, James Cameron continued to assert his position that Avatar isn’t animation, though at least he’s acknowledging …
Cameron Bitter Because Oscars Snubbed Animated Characters
(Pocatar image by Chad Regan) An article from today’s Hollywood Reporter says that Avatar producer Jon Landau labeled the Oscars “a …
Two Animated Films Nominated for Best Picture Oscar
News media stories about the Oscars are cropping up all over and all of them are parroting the same factoid: Up is only the second time …
Performance Capture Technology circa 1966: AnimaScope
Mo-Cap, Shmoe-Cap! Move over Robert Zemeckis – your ideas are old hat. Max Fleischer invented the rotoscope in 1917 and, thanks to …
James Cameron: It’s Not Animation Because I Say So
A video in which Jim explains that, “the thing that people need to keep very strongly in mind is that this is not an animated film.” So …
Gene Deitch: Quo Vadis Animation?
Veteran animation director Gene Deitch and his wife Zdenka were invited to the Xiamen International Animation Festival (Oct. 30th-Nov. …
Zemeckis to ruin “Yellow Submarine”
We interrupt our bashing of Cartoon Network to get upset about something else: Variety is reporting that Robert Zemeckis is about to …
Michael Eisner Career Update
Now that Michael Eisner has purchased the ailing Topps baseball card company, he’s finally in charge of a company that has to use all of …
The Legend of Milu Deer: Princess Yoyo
One of my favorite sources for learning about obscure foreign animated features is TwitchFilm.net. Certain films though are perhaps best …
Sultan The Warrior
Four scary words: Motion Capture from Bollywood. Submitted for your approval: Sultan The Warrior. This new Tamil-language …
Demystifying Motion Capture
“Performance Capture technology is here to stay!” Or so says the Visual Effects Society who will be holding a seminar on motion …
Gene Deitch On Motion/Performance Capture
Serving as an appropriate complement to this earlier piece on Cartoon Brew, animation legend Gene Deitch has written a piece for …
Who Invented Motion Capture?
San Francisco commercial director Carl Willat has the shocking and hilarious answer. (Thanks, Karl Cohen)
“Beowulf” Blitzer
Two animated films led the U.S. Box office this weekend: Beowulf came in first place, and Bee Movie is holding strong in second …
Luciano Pavarotti Mo-Cap
Performance capture and opera: a match made in heaven. Quick, get Robert Zemeckis on the phone and have him follow up Beowulf with …
Worst. MoCap. Ever.
I’m sorry. This is the worst thing we’ve ever posted on the Brew. I’m horrified—and yet can’t stop laughing. Thanks to …
Postmodern Times by Joao Amorim
Postmodern Times is a new series of short animated films presenting “ideas about global consciousness and techniques for social and …
Ratatouille Triumphant
Brad Bird at last night’s world premiere of Ratatouille at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. The best film of the summer will be …
CalArts Teaches The Fine Art of MoCap
Don’t know if you’ve heard but CalArts is finally catching up with the times and renaming itself the California Institute of Motion …
Conan Capture
Conan O’Brien recently visited ILM where, among other things, he created some motion capture movement. It’s in the second half of the …
Oscar ’07: The fallout from the “Happy Feet” win
Happy Feet won. Does it matter? The sad fact is, it may. I won’t deny that Happy Feet was a well made, entertaining film. I liked …
The Mouse Goes Mo-Cap
“Hi! I’m Mr. Mo Cap! I’m the future of animation!” I woke up this morning to the news that Disney is entering a partnership with …
Notes on Monster House
Artist Chris Appelhans has posted some superb concept art that he created for the upcoming MONSTER HOUSE. If the finished “performance …
“Renaissance”, an animated feature from France
Here’s the most intriguing 2006 animated film I’ve heard about. Actually, it’s the only intriguing 2006 film I’ve heard about, but that’s …
ANIMATED FEATURES OF 2006
2006 begins – and I’ve just updated my running list of animated features. It’s going to be an interesting year for theatrical animation. …
Gene Deitch’s Definition of Animation
Academy Award winning animator Gene Deitch has a few thoughts on THE POLAR EXPRESS and the definition of animation – and I am taking the …
“Polar Express” Nonsense
I haven’t liked what I’ve seen so far on THE POLAR EXPRESS, but I’m willing to give Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks the benefit of the …
