SynchroLux

The on-line character animation school, AnimationMentor.com, celebrates its fifth birthday tomorrow.  How the years have flown by!  I’ve been a mentor for 70% of that time, and I’m certain I’ve learned and grown at least as much as my students have.  It’s been a privilege to be part of the school, and to see so [...]

Pete Emslie made an interesting point in the comments section on a recent post: “I particularly believe that films set in exotic locales like South America have a great deal of appeal . . .” This is consistent with what most of us believe — Variety is the spice of life.  We consciously crave variety [...]

I should have posted this earlier, but each Tuesday this month Turner Classic Movies is showing a huge selection of Akira Kurosawa’s films, all uncut and commercial free.  I’m a huge fan of TCM and Kurosawa (and the great Toshiro Mifune) so this is pure gold.  I pretty much filled up my DVR last Tuesday, [...]

We’ve established that I don’t think story is the end all and be all for successful animated films, and that it might not even be crucial.  And I’ve written that I think storytelling is one factor that is absolutely crucial.  But is there more?  Yeah, I think so, and I think both of these things [...]

So last week we watched that new CG feature, Kung Fu Wormy, and were disappointed.  Why didn’t we love it as much as Kung Fu Panda?  They had virtually identical stories, and that fat, funny lead worm, Pi, was expertly voiced by the very best Jack Black imitator in all of Iceland.  How could it [...]