Michael Sporn Animation – Splog

- A week ago, I stepped off a train into Grand Central Station to be surprised by the kaleidoscopic carousel of lights that had been arranged in the grand terminal. I tried to take some photos, thinking it’d make a good post for this blog, but wasn’t pleased with the pictures I’d taken. It didn’t do justice to the light show.

Nulla has posted some fine images on her site, Blather from Brooklyn. I urge you to take a look. As a matter of fact, she’s also posted some nice pictures recorded on Christmas Day in NY. You just can’t beat this city for the show they put on. From Grand Central, to the department store windows, to the free ice skating and carousel in Bryant Park, it just gets better each year.

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- My favorite Christmas Blog reading this year was the arcana Tom Sito has treated us to on his site. From wasselling to cutting trees for the home to the birth of Santa. I’ve enjoyed reading about it all, and I’ve shared it with plenty of others. Thanks, Tom..

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- I’ve just found a free site set up by New Hampshire Public TV
which gives access to a number of Weston Woods films via RealPlayer. Among the many shorts available there are some eight films I’ve done for Weston adapting noted children’s books. If you’d like to see
any of these films:

The Amazing Bone
Doctor DeSoto
Leo The Late Bloomer
The Mysterious Tadpole
Max’s Chocolate Chicken
Max’s Christmas
Morris’s Disappearing Bag
What’s Under My Bed?

They can be found here. You have to scroll down the individual categories until you come to one of these titles. They’re not hard to locate if you’re so inclined.

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The Daily Telegraph reworks a piece by Sarah Boxer from The N Y Review of Books to give us this article on Krazy Kat. Herriman: Cartoonist who equalled Cervantes.
It honors Herriman while promoting the Fantagraphics series currently in issue.

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Finally, you can tell Christmas is over when Santas start to deflate.

Thanks to Steve Fisher for this picture.
It’s almost an abstraction.

“Let me tell you, there is nothing like
New York at Christmas Time.
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“The day we went to the ballet, Jenny’s eyes sparkled like the giant glittering snowflake that greeted us at Fifth Avenue.
She said it was like walking in a life-size pop-up book because lovely thngs kept popping up all around us. She was right.
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“There were evergreens shining like jewels high on a tower rooftop; dazzling window displays; Central Park, looking magical and majestic.”
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These are the lines of narration that greeted me when I initially read the “Narration Script” Maxine Fisher had written for my film, The Red Shoes, back in 1989.

The crystal light fixture that had arrived on 57th Street over the center of Fifth Avenue, was relatively new at the time. We did our own version of the piece, which slowly zooms and pans on screen for about four seconds.

This past Wednesday night we were uptown to attend the premiere of Denzel Washington’s new film, The Great Debaters. It was fun attending one of these premieres, having cocktails prior to the film (courtesy of Harvey Weinstein). The best part was seeing a movie on that enormous screen at the Ziegfeld Theater. It really is a treat. The film was a bit sentimental and not as dark as the reality probably was. Uplifting.

There were some celebrities milling about. I said hello to Mark Forester, the director of The Kite Runner and Monster’s Ball. He was talking with movie mogul, Joe Roth. Oprah Winfrey, who produced the film, wasn’t there. John Canemaker and his companion, Joe Kennedy, were the only animation folk we saw there.

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The film started late with the entire cast introducing it. Harvey Weinstein introduced
Denzel Washington, who stars and directed, and he introduced the rest of the cast.
Forest Whitaker is on the left of picture 2.
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At any rate, when the movie finally let out, we headed to rainy Fifth Avenue to catch a taxi or a bus (whichever came first.)

There was the snowflake! I decided to try shooting it while we waited for a bus to show up. These are the pictures.

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_________These are the “evergreens shining like jewels high on a tower rooftop.”

– I thought for one edition of these sunday photo trips, I’d post images I’ve taken of some of the Christmas trees decorated around New York.

So, of course, we have to start with Rockefeller Center.
This is the most famous one we have. Since NBC is centrally located around this tree and skating rink, it’s been featured on TV forever. Saturday Night Live ice skating after one of the shows around the tree; Keith Olberman doing his news with the tree behind him, or even David Letterman telling viewers, for years, to go home there are just too many tourists there. The tree gets its annual plow of plugs.

My first REAL incident with this tree came a million years ago when I was still in the Navy, on home for Christmas leave. I was on a double date with a friend. The four of us at 2AM came upon the rink empty on not completely dark – just dimmer. There was the tree; there was the ice skating rink; there we were.

The four of us skating around the tree late night (without skates) brings back a fun memory. The security guard chased us away after ten minutes of our play. I suspect that I might be in Guantanomo Bay if I tried that today.

I was told that Rockefeller Center had installed some solar panels atop one of these buildings which would cover the electricity for the lights. This would make sense of all the additional lights this year. I don’t remember all the white lights, but I do remember that the tree was lit differently. This year it’s quite blue. In the past, it felt less color coordinated.

For those who haven’t seen it in person, the way to the tree is this alley lined with stores. The centerpiece has a lot of over illuminated angels blowing horns. This leads to the skating rink with the tree dominating the space.

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Looking 180 degrees from the tree, you see a wall of Saks Fifth Avenue. They’ve lit their wall with snowflakes, and it’s attractive as a backstop
for all the Rockefeller Center decorations.

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Don’t ask me why, but I’m a sucker for the tiny tree in Madison Square Park. I’ve posted images of this tree several times, and I’ll probably do it again.

This was historically the firsts lit public tree in the City. 1925 was the first ceremony, and
it was broadcast on radio.

In Union Square, where they have an elaborate farmer’s market as well as a crafts fair at Christmas, the adjoining park has this tree at its center. It looks a bit lonely.

Of course, any of us in the City looking to bring a real tree into our homes go to the local supermarket where groups of brigands have settled in for the season to make as much money as possible from trees they’ve brought to our local CTown, Food Fair or Gristedes.

The critics are starting to hand out their awards now. Animated Feature has gone in two different directions. As of today:

- Persepolis was named Best Animated Feature yesterday by the NY Film Critics Circle.
- Ratatouille was named Best Animated Feature by the D.C. Film Critics and by the
__National Board of Review.
__The Boston Film Critics don’t have an award for animation (they will next year) but __gave a Best Screenplay award to Brad Bird for the animated feature.
- The LA Film Critics Assn. couldn’t make up their mind. They gave a tie to both films.

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Sunday was one of those nightmare days for travelling the subway system in New York. One panhandler was followed by another with nary a break in between. Give me money because I’m sick; give me money to help the poor; give me money to buy my expensive M&Ms. The saxophone guy was followed by the drummer was followed by the gymnasts who smashed into everyone.

On the way home, the train took more than 20 minutes to get into Grand Central Station. For the entire time, the Chinese guy played his one-stringed instrument with depressing, atonal, Asian-sounding music. All the while an older woman sobbed loudly and unremittingly into a stanchion. Numbers of people kept approaching her to see if they could help, but she continuously turned them away. When the train arrived she sat down, continued to cry for half a stop, then perked up. I guess she just had to escape the Asian music and get a seat.

Fortunately, the rest of that rainy evening was better for me. A party for The Kite Runner brought out a lot of the news stars in NY: Pete Hamill, Carl Bernstein et al. It was fun for a short bit. I took a taxi home to avoid public transportation this time.

The Rockefeller Center Tree helped perk up the night;
this was our view from the Kite Runner party.

- It’s already history, but my friend animation director, Ray Kosarin, was there with his camera. I asked if his pictures could go up on my blog. Here are some of them.

The first few photos are from the Saturday-before party held in my studio.
Of course, as usual, click any photo to enlarge.

Here’s Giuliana Nicodemi, me (getting fatter by the second) and Signe Bauman in the foreground. In the background: Jason McDonald and the back of Jimmy Picker’s head.

Here’s David Levy and his companion, Debbie.

George Griffin and John Canemaker chat and eat in the back of the studio.

Ken Brown stands to the left of Cathy and John Celestri.

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Jimmy Picker stood still for this nice snap.

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The remaining pictures were shot at MOMA’s auditorium after the completion of the event.
I look relieved; others are looking forward to the cocktails held in the museum restaurant next door, where the remainder of the pictures were taken.

Note: these pictures don’t wholly present these beautiful people in the best light. It was dark, and the flash made the backdrops even darker. But I still think it’s a good record of people having a good night.

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_The pic on the left shows me in the back of the auditorium standing in front of the
_projection booth. On the right, Heidi Stallings (l) and Giuliana Nicodemi (r) flank me
_and keep me laughing.

After my session, I must have felt above it all when chatting with Maxine Fisher (l) and
Lisa Crafts (r) in the auditorium.

Here’s Debbie Solomon questioning me about something in the music for the titles of
Garbo Talks which was screened in a very rough state.

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__Candy Kugel chats on the left, and Bridget Thorne moves out into the cold to get
__to MOMA’s restaurant, next door.

We tried to coax Giuliana into coming to the restaurant next door to continue the chat,
but she had to leave.

Adrian Urquidez (l) and Dave Levy (r) have a cocktail as Matt Clinton (center) arrives
at the restaurant.

Heidi gets into a spirited conversation with Jason McDonald (l) and Matt Clinton (r).

Chris Boyce (far right) was also part of their chat.

Here I’m chatting with Tom Hachtman about “Pabs First Burger.” It’s the short I did
adapting Tom’s comic strip, Gerturde’s Follies, and this was the first time it was
screened locally on a big screen. Joey Epstein stands to the left.

In the eeriest light possible, Candy Kugel (l) chats with Bridget Thorne (r) and Steve MacQuignon (cent).

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__Jason and Heidi continue talking on the left, and John Canemaker looks a bit evil
__as he talks with Mike Barrier, just off camera.

Editor, Paul Carrillo, and animator, Matthew Clinton, enjoy the refreshments.

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__Matthew Clinton caught alone in the left; Steve MacQuignon solo on the right.

Thanks again to Ray Kosarin for sharing the photos with us.

- About an hour ago, it started snowing in Manhattan. We’re supposed to get about an inch of snow (in the City – more, in the outer suburbs) before it turns to sleet this afternoon and rain tonight. It was a bit of a surprise since I expected it to come later today. This is what I saw on the way to the studio this morning.
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______23rd Street looking west toward Sixth Avenue.
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______The steel trees in Madison Square Park.
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______These Christmas trees – to be decorated – were set up this past week.

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- Last Sunday’s post of signage photos brought out the best in some of friend, Steve Fisher’s pictures. He sent them, and I can’t help posting them. They’re funny.
Sometimes, home made ads aren’t much worse than store-bought ones.

(Click any image to enlarge.)

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– It’s been a bit of time since I’ve put up one of these photo bits on Sunday, so I’m looking to get back into the stream of things. What I’ve tried to do is keep my eyes open when walking my daily route in New York. Anything that pops out at me tends to get into these blog spots.

Naturally, in a place like NY there’s an awful lot of signage about. The image to the left gives a good idea of the typical everywhere in this city. There are signs on the temporary construction, signs on the building, signs on the windows. Signs are everywhere and have become the ordinary part of the landscape. In fact, they’ve become part of the building, itself.

The signs that interest me usually are the ones that are actually painted on the buildings, themselves. I have to admit I’ve always been curious about these, and
_____(click any image to enlarge.)_______.___ I’ve wondered how they actually do them.

Unlike the usual poster that’s printed onto strips that are pasted together on the billboard, these posters are actually painted in place on the brick walls. How, exactly, are these done? Realistic looking images are painted there. Paint by numbers? Perhaps I’ll do a little research and try to find out.

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Of course, the City provides many blank canvases (open building walls) where ads can be placed. Several can be seen looking down any street. It’s actually not much different from the construction site image at the top of this post. A space is a space, and that space can
be rented out. (The image on the right is a closeup of the one of the several signs on the left.)

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The fashion industry seems to have their own wealth of ads on buildings. These are photographically realistic, yet they’ve obviously been painted there somehow.
You can see the bricks under the coating of paint.

This Cartoon Network ad for “Boondocks” is painted right over a number of windows.
(You can see the lit window shining through it.) How do these folk see out? I assume
it must be some kind of special paint.

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This ad for Sprint presents a new problem. When you look at the sign straight on, it looks fine. However, if you move a bit, you’ll see that the building/wall on which it’s painted has a shift in it. The sign had to have been designed to take in this change in level of the canvas. An interesting problem. (If you look closely at the Boondocks sign, you can see the same problem existed there.)

Here we have a melange of signage, not all of which are painted on walls. Does the skull represent a building under reconstruction?

Of course, any construction site offers plenty of blank canvas.

Naturally, I couldn’t pass up this image. The tiny Commerce Bank on the corner is overwhelmed by the Chase Bank next door and on the second floor. However Commerce seems to have painted its own add on the Chase construction-site doorway.

Finally, an image sent me by Steve Fisher, shows an odd and funny juxtaposition of signs.
It would make me a bit nervous to have my pet cared for by this veterinarian.

_________Happy Thanksgiving

- I haven’t been able to post any photos for the past few weeks since I was so focused on the animation events flying all about me.

My friend Steve Fisher has been sending me a bunch of pictures from Queens – Maspeth, to be exact – that are more than a little appropriate for the day.
Autumn is flying by us, and it’s a good time to look at leaves. Steve has captured some of them for me, and here they are for your amusement. There are also a few turkeys (balloon turkeys) thrown in for the heck of it. I guess it’s not enough to decorate your house for Christmas; Thanksgiving is a good excuse for some people as well.
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Are these supposed to be Pilgrims? Or are they Thanksgiving leprachauns?

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- Halloween’s here – or at least it will be this coming Wednesday. How could I pass up a chance to post some Halloween photos?

In Manhattan not a lot gets decorated except for store windows, apartment doors or the small jack-o-lantern in the lobby. The event becomes monstrously large with the Village parade that blocks off all traffic (auto and pedestrian) within the route of the event. Adults (20 somethings for the most part) dress up in bizarre costumes and get rowdy for a couple of hours. This happens two blocks from my studio, so police barricade everything in sight for a day or two. It gets a bit inconvenient. Too bad kids aren’t usually involved.

In the outer boroughs, everything gets decorated. My friend, Steve Fisher sent me some photos of Maspeth, Queens, where he lives. Steve has a great sense of humor, which comes across in his pictures, and I thought it all-too-appropriate for me to appropriate his photos (with his permission) for this post.
Happy Halloween.
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Paul Lasaine has a great new site which reveals some of the incredible artwork he’s done for a number of films.

He has a beautiful post which details some of the matte paintings he did for Disney in the years he worked in their matte department. Films like Dick Tracy, The Jungle Book (live action), and Lord of the Rings show before and after shots of the artwork he did for those films.

This is a beautiful site with lots of examples of Paul’s artwork – including background art he did for Prince of Egypt as the supervisor. There are examples of art he did for a number of features.

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The image on the left is the live action constructed set for the film Dave; on the right the same shot combined with Paul’s matte painting.

The painting, above, is from a version of Moby Dick he was helping to develop at Dreamworks. The Brizzi brothers would have directed it.

This is turning into a regular stop for me, an excellent site. Check it out tout de suite.

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I’m a sucker for silent movies. I think I’ve read at least a dozen biographies of D.W. Griffith, and I’ve seen a lot of his films (probably all of the features) at least once. I’m impressed with the drive and the love those people put into their work. They didn’t think of it as an art form, and they weren’t considered artists in their time. But in the end, there can be no doubt that some of the filmmkaers of the time were creating art.

A scene from Griffith’s The Birth of A Nation. It’s a recreation of Ford’s Theater as Lincoln gets shot.

I once saw a silent feature with no musical accompaniment. The silence was defeaning. It was amazing how silent the audience remained throughout the feature film. I guess the film was absorbing enough to make that audience unaware of the silence. That was about 15 years ago; I wonder if the same would occur today.

DW Griffith on the Booth Theater set under construction.

Watching silent films with organ music playing background is not the ideal way to see them. Most piano players who back up these films also aren’t really up to the task. But when you see a film with a great pianist or a good orchestral score it makes all the difference. There’s a musical group called the Alloy Orchestra that enhances the films they accompany, and allows the movies to live up to their full potential. I suggest you try to attend one of their programs if they’re in your neighborhood. (Or just buy one of their cd’s; you won’t regret it.) I suggest Metropolis or one of their sampler albums.

A rare picture of D. W. Griffith and Billy Bitzer on location for Biograph around 1912. Bitzer is lining up a. shot through ground glass, which he has inserted into the gate — there was no viewfinder on the Mutograph camera. This large machine, which punched its own sprocket holes, was smaller and more portable than Biograph’s first cameras. Negatives made with it are still providing superb quality prints.

________(Click any image to enlarge.)