Michael Sporn Animation – Splog

This week was another packed week full of tight deadlines and lotsa movies. We finally got the go-ahead for our airline safety film. We contracted in March, started the board in April. The first pass was done by early May, but we went through another dozen versions adapting it to the client’s request. The thing was so tight that I don’t have to do layouts. The client has no conception of how to do animation, so despite the low budget, I have to try to educate them as I make the movie. It’s not fun. The voice recording was done three times. The track is very good, but I also thought the first version was very good.
However, it’s fun to be animating again. Now I have to work like the devil to try to get it done quickly. The budget’s too low to take my time with it.

We’re also doing a spot for R.O. Blechman which will go directly to the internet. I’ll post it on this site when it’s done. It was originally to be animated by Ed Smith but he dropped out at the last minute for personal reasons. My loss. However, Matt Clinton, who’s been working with me for the last twenty years (actually it’s only about seven) is animating it. The spot is in good hands. The film is supposed to be done by Christmas. Given that Bob always has revisions, I imagine it’ll go to New Years. Another low budget job. Is that all they make anymore?

Other than that, I’ve been seeing movies. There have been a bunch more than usual in that I’m voting for the animated feature. That means I have to see at least 14 of the 18 on the eligible list. This is a hard category. For the most part the films stink. There have been a couple recently that I liked, but those are few and far between. I really enjoyed Rango, and was fortunate to get to meet Gore Verbinski last week. We sat at the same table at a dinner. The film sagged a bit in the middle, but the opening was exceptional.

This past Tuesday I saw a double-bill:

Gnomeo and Juliet – This is not a film I would have chosen to see, however I was quite entertained by it. Unfortunately I’m still humming Elton John’s songs (“Rocketman” today) after listening to the Elton John songbook playing in the background for an 90 minutes. I thought Emily Blunt’s voice was remarkable. She truly has a voice for animation, and I enjoyed her performance quite a bit. The textures on the garden gnomes was a plus, but the characters seem to be made of feathers not clay. The animation could have done with a bit more weight. This is often a problem I have with CG animation.

Happy Feet Two was another film that I wouldn’t have selected for myself. However, I really enjoyed it. Finally, an animated film ABOUT SOMETHING. Global warming from frame one of this movie. I loved it. The penguins dance in an inch of slushy water in the opening, as we witness the melting of the polar ice caps. I was a bit confused by the insertion of the Krill brothers. I suppose they were saying that even the smallest of creatures is being affected by the human destruction of the environment. It is the Krill dance underwater that finally knocks down the one ice cap so that the trapped penguin village can escape. The movie moved, and was quite entertaining.
MoCap was used for the dancing penguins. All other characters were animated without the aid of the device.
The film also used 3D smartly.

On Wednesday there were another two features:

Roman Polanski‘s Carnage is his adaptation of the hit stage play by Yasmina Reza. The four actors on screen were brilliant. Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly and Christoph Waltz all did superlative work. The film is worth the price of admission just to see Winslet get soused. She’s become a truly sparkling actress. Polanski’s wit is very dry and very dark. I can imagine what some other director would have pulled in driving home the underlying comedy of this film and was grateful to see him masterfully choreograph this movie.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy has to be hands down the most subtle of films done this year. A quiet and steady pulse beats trough the magnificent editing of this movie. Gary Oldman’s performance is so quiet that it takes you time to realize how wonderful he is in the part of “Smiley.” There’s no doubt he took Alec Guiness’ version of the character and just added his own subtleties atop that. However, I have to warn you that this film requires the audience to work for its supper. You have to pay minute attention to it or you’ll miss key elements that keep coming at you. I can’t imagine seeing this in DVD unless your eyes are glued to the set and you sit about two feet away from the monitor. It’s worth it; a very good movie.

On Thursday night I saw one film of the double-bill:

Albert Nobbs stars Glenn Close as a 19th Century woman posing as a man so that she can work without difficulties. This was probably a film I would have waited to see on DVD, but I want to see all films I vote on in theatrical screenings. I’m glad I did. The film was OK, but Close was remarkable. I am not one of her biggest fans – I hated her in Sunset Boulevard -, but I have to hand it to her. This performance was mostly virtuoso. However, it was one of those films where a character alone, on screen, has to say everything aloud so that they can further the exposition. Sorry, people just don’t say everything out loud. I can see why SAG gave her a nomination. However, I think one of the performances of the year was Charlize Theron’s brilliant work in Young Adult. I can’t believe they didn’t even nominate her! Instead, the horrendous Tilda Swinton’s overacting in that amateurish film, We Need To Talk About Kevin, got a nomination.

War Horse also screened last night, but I’d gone to the World Premiere of that at Lincoln Center. Spielberg and the cast introduced the film which was not a great effort. I would have preferred seeing Black Beauty on the big screen. Even the recent version that starred David Thewlis would have been better. This Spielberg film was all too serious and, as a result, tedious. He stole from John Ford, he stole from Gone With the Wind, he stole from everything under the sun, and it all was too predictable.

I was sad to learn of Christopher Hitchens‘ death yesterday. He was someone who always made me gnash my teeth while listening to his outrageous political commentary. But he was particularly articulate and intelligent albeit acerbic which always forced me to stay with him. He was an Atheist and argued his points well. I’m sure this didn’t please many watching him on television, though I usually felt in agreement with him on this subject.

I watched closely in the last 18 months or so as he very openly talked about his esophageal cancer and how it was forcing him to slow down. It was great to see that the NYTimes gave his obituary front page coverage.

A.O. Scott in the NYTimes praised Brad Bird‘s work in Mission Impossible 6, while appropriately taking the movie with little seriousness. Goodbye Brad Bird, animation director. Neil Genzingler did the dirty work in reviewing the new Chipmunk film, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked. I can’t believe this is one of the films I’m supposed to watch for the Oscar race.

Last night, Friday, I went to a Christmas gathering at Richard O’Connor‘s new company, Ace and Son. I’d been to the space once before after he’d just opened for business. Richard had brought a catalogue from this year’s Ottawa Festival for me, and I went to retrieve it. Then the studio was sparsely decorated, but now it’s starting to feel lived in, with a warm aura about it. They’d just completed their animated Christmas card so shared it with us. We also got a piece of the film as we left, a painted drawing that served as a cel from the film. It’s always fun to take home gifts from parties.

- As of yesterday the IFC Center in NY is presenting 15 films from Studio Ghibli. Mosat of Miyazaki’s masterworks can be seen in this series which runs through January 12th. Here’s a NYTimes article about the screening. The films to be screened will include:

Castle in the Sky *
Wednesday, December 28 – Thursday, January 12

The Cat Returns
Friday, December 30 – Thursday, January 5

Howl’s Moving Castle *
Wednesday, December 28 – Thursday, January 5

Kiki’s Delivery Service *
Friday, December 16 – Thursday, January 12

My Neighbors The Yamadas
Friday, December 23 – Thursday, December 29

My Neighbor Totoro *
Friday, December 16 – Thursday, January 5

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind *
Friday, December 16 – Thursday, January 5

Ocean Waves
Thursday, December 29 – Thursday, January 5

Only Yesterday
Friday, January 6 – Thursday, January 12

Pom Poko
Friday, January 6 – Thursday, January 12
Ponyo *
Friday, December 30 – Thursday, January 5

Porco Rosso *
Friday, December 23 – Thursday, January 5

Princess Mononoke *
Friday, December 16 – Thursday, January 12

Spirited Away *
Saturday, December 17 – Thursday, January 12

Whisper of the Heart
Wednesday, December 28 – Thursday, January 5

* Those followed by * are films by Miyazaki.

Go here to see the schedule and the exact times for the screenings.

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