Xmas Podding

Got a double-whammy of seasonally-seasoned Skwigly Animation Podcasts to help stave off the inevitable anxiety that comes from being around your kinfolk this time o' year.
In episode 95 we hear from Sergio Pablos, whose film Klaus has been the talk of the industry since it premiered on Netflix a few weeks ago. Rightly so, as it really does push the envelope as far as what we can do with 2D animation these days.

In episode 96 we welcome back Robin Shaw of Lupus Films. I first chatted with Robin way back in 2012 for his work on The Snowman and The Snowdog and the studio have been cranking out hits ever since, including We're Going On A Bear Hunt and Ethel and Ernest.
Also discussed in these episodes: MAF highlights, dubious dubbing, Playstation plagiarism, the inevitable shitness of Disney's 'live-action' remakes, animation-themed (sort of) honeymoons, as well as a look at the animated shorts in the running for 2020 Oscar and BAFTA nominations, including work by previous Skwigly interviewees/pals Regina Pessoa, Theodore Ushev, Lauren Orme, Floor Adams, Ross Hogg, Bruno Collet and Naaman Azhari.
Give 'em a listen below or download for laters here (episode 95) and here (episode 96).
Remember how nearly I decade ago I made a film about Xmas? And how I didn't shut up about it for ages? Weren't those great times? Well, I'm bringin' 'em back with a cheeky look at how it came together. I know, I know, I shouldn't have, but sometimes the holiday spirit just oozes out of me uncontrollably. Enjoy!

Everybody Scream

In our last Skwigly Animation Podcast of 2018 we look back at the seminal stop-motion feature The Nightmare Before Christmas which this year celebrated its 25th anniversary – and I'm delighted to welcome the film’s screenwriter Caroline Thompson to discuss her career and contributions to the film. It was especially exciting as Caroline also wrote Edward Scissorhands and the 1991 Addams Family movie, both of which were also favourites of mine growing up although Nightmare is definitely at the top of that particular leaderboard. Her other projects include Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, Black Beauty, Corpse Bride and the recently-released Welcome to Marwen (out in the UK this January). Download here or listen below:
I want to give a special shout-out to my pal Isabel Peppard who helped put this in motion - I hadn't really planned out putting out a podcast this month for various reasons but thanks to her help this all managed to come together very quickly and sort of out of nowhere. I interviewed Isabel about her work for the site as well as our 2013 Annecy documentary and you can follow her amazing work on Instagram.
Don't have much else to offer on a Xmassey theme save for this looping animation I did the other day. I think it's pretty self-explanatory:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ben Mitchell (@benlmitchell) on Dec 22, 2018 at 10:46am PST

And to all a good night!

Stocking Fillers

Before I retreat into Xmasdom there are a couple of new podcasts ready for your listenin' ears over on Skwigly. Last week we resumed our longer-running series with a couple of timely guest spots, namely Ferdinand director Carlos Saldanha and Google Spotlight Stories composer Scot Stafford whose first directorial effort Sonaria was recently released. Some of you may recall we spoke with Scot in the first Animation Composed podcast outing about a year ago regarding his music output.
This morning saw us hit episode 75 (not counting all the other series strands and minisodes) with a focus on some holiday animation, primarily Blue Zoo (guests Tom Box, Simone Giampaolo and Francesco Mazza)'s new internally-produced short Lynx and Birds and director Jeroen Jaspaert tells us about the latest Magic Light Pictures Julia Donaldson adaptation The Highway Rat that you can catch on BBC1 Xmas day.
You can stream them above or direct download them here (74) and here (75).
Right now I'm far far away doing my best to get all the character animation done and dusted for my latest film Sunscapades. There are some sequences in this one that I'm incredibly chuffed with and would love to post up here but it would sort of spoil the film so I have to abstain. In the meantime here are a couple of Insta-peeks:

A post shared by Ben Mitchell (@benlmitchell) on Nov 20, 2017 at 1:21pm PST

A post shared by Ben Mitchell (@benlmitchell) on Dec 9, 2017 at 9:56am PST

A post shared by Ben Mitchell (@benlmitchell) on Dec 10, 2017 at 7:28am PST

A post shared by Ben Mitchell (@benlmitchell) on Dec 15, 2017 at 1:40pm PST

More of that good shiz if you follow me on Instagram, the 34-year-old man typed without hating himself whatsoever.
Captain dipshit over here was already on his way to Portland for the holidays before he realised he'd left his Cintiq pen back at his home office in Bristol, so any productivity in the next couple of weeks is entirely owed to the brilliant Dani Abram who posted her spare one to me. Some beverages and a big shiny Special Thanks credit in her future, but here in the present let me point you in the direction of her website so you can bask in her awesomeness. Spirit of the season and that.
Now to the past, and a last little bleat of gratitude regarding Klementhro, the film I really should have drawn a line under since its online release but just won't shut up about. Mainly I want to extend my thanks once again to the Short of the Week team who took a punt on it, including Rob for the original write-up and Georg who included it in his Top 10 of 2017. Here's a cheeky repost of last year's holiday animation for the benefit of those who hadn't seen the original film when it originally went up:

Seasonal Cheer (Part 4/4)

You'll be relieved to hear that this post represents the last of what's been a doubtless unnerving bout of goodwill toward men. Well, self-promotion masquerading as goodwill toward men. At least I'm not still trying to get people to buy Throat or watch The Naughty List*.

Today to help balance things out I've instead gathered together some lovely work by some of my favourite creatives and studios, including Rumpus, Blue Zoo, Sun and Moon, Trunk and Mummu, as well as some newcomers. Head on over to Skwigly for the full rundown.

*But seriously folks, buy Throat and watch The Naughty List.

Seasonal Cheer (Part 3/4)

For our Christmas 2016 edition of the Skwigly Animation Podcast Steve, Laura-Beth and myself discuss death, grief, erectile dysfunction and eggnog bathing among other such seasonally appropriate topics. On the guests front we’re pleased to welcome talents from three animation highlights of this holiday season:
Firstly we hear from Jamie Badminton, co-director of Snowy Day, whose previous work includes helming Karrot Entertainment‘s various properties including the hugely successful Sarah & Duck. For Snowy Day Karrot have taken on the daunting task of adapting Ezra Jack Keats’s classic of American children’s fiction to animation for an Amazon Prime special.
Also joining the podcast are Joanna Harrison and Robin Shaw of Lupus Films, who have followed up this year’s acclaimed feature film version of Raymond Briggs’s Ethel & Ernest with another classic book adaptation, Michael Rosen’s We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (Channel 4, December 24th 7:30pm and December 25th, 5:25pm).
Last but not least, producer and Magic Light Pictures co-founder Michael Rose (Room on the Broom, Stick Man), discusses the two half-hour Roald Dahl animated specials Revolting Rhymes that he'll be bringing to UK screens (BBC1, December 26th 6:30pm and December 27th 6:30pm).
Lots of goodies indeed. We are, after all, a giving bunch. Give 'er a stream below, why doncha?

Seasonal Cheer (Part 2/4)

With Klementhro nearing the end of its festival run I wanted to do something for the holidays and, as anyone who's seen the film will doubtless attest, this character was the most obvious choice out of all my films for its range and nuance.

Love and thanks to everyone who's been supportive through the peaks and valleys of this year. And indeed special gratitude to those who saw something in my weird little non-film - OFF - Odense International Film Festival, ANONIMUL IFF, LAIKA, Festival International du Film d'Animation de Paris, Animasyros International Animation Festival + Agora, Área de Contenção, interfilm Berlin, Flensburger Kurzfilmtage, Kyiv International Short Film Festival, Nuit du Court Métrage, AniPromítačka/AniScreen, Skepto FilmFest, Kraken Con, Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film (ITFS), Porto7 - Festival Internacional de Curtas-metragens do Porto, Ploiesti International Film Festival (PIFF), Shorts Attack, Animaze - Montreal International Animation Film Festival, TAFF - Turku Animated Film Festival, BUSHO, Linoleum International Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival, Fantoche, Filmfest Eberswalde - Provinziale, filmzeitkaufbeuren, Kurzfilmnacht-Tour, SoDak Motion, Kuandu International Animation Festival, Anima Mundi, Anilogue, MUMIA (Mostra Udigrudi Mundial de Animação), London Short Film Festival.
It's been a blast to reconnect with the community again in this way after several years off and it's bolstered me to crack on with my next film Sunscapades which, all being well, will see the light sometime in 2017. Much love y'all!

Chocolate Substitute

Our Skwigly advent calendar has wrapped up for another year, and what a thing of beauty it has become!
Here's another sampling of brilliant contributions:

Tanya Scott

Ross Butter and Louis Hudson

Rok Predin

Blue Zoo

Charlie Miller

Elliot Crutchley

Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi

Massive gratitude again to everyone who took the time! Until next year, boys and gals.

Season Song

"Ew, why's that prick buggering up my lovely song?"

Happy allocated-family-togetherness week, m'lovelies! Here's hoping you have a tolerable time with you and yours this season. In lieu of a scrapped plan to put up some free downloadable EPs I've cleaned up my live recording of Danny Elfman's "La Canzone di Sally"/"Sally's Song" (from Nightmare Before Christmas) from the other week and made it downloadable between now and the new year as a sort unofficial Christmas single. Obviously I didn't write it so can't sell it, but should you feel so inclined give it a download here!

At least I'm wearing clothes this year

Be merry, y'all.

Merry Thingfish!

Happy holidays, everyone! Here's hoping your tides are...yuley?
But more than anything I hope that you, like myself, are spending the season with the person who matters to you the most:

Before I Submerge Fully...

Here's a brief overview of how the next few weeks of my adorable li'l life are looking set to pan out:
WORK WORK WORK WORK bit of Christmas holiday WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK and so forth. Best case scenario is that the world may end on Friday and grant me some respite.

Needless to say things may be quiet on the blog front, so here's one last pre-season entry before I'm submerged in deadlines and yuletide alcoholism. We have our last Skwigly Podcast of 2012 and, eschewing the variety of religious holidays that are active around this time of year, we've opted for the atheist favourite and made it a Christmas Special. Or Xmas Special, as I think I'm supposed to spell it.
Makes perfect listening for the long voyages home, hours of painstaking food preparation or to drown out unbearable acrimonious squabbling. Steve interviews Tim Searle from Baby Cow Animation who have two seasonal specials lined up, as well as Michael Rose of Magic Light Pictures whose not-especially-Christmassey-but-looks-pretty-good kids' short "Room on The Broom" will be shown on the 25th. There's also the second part of my interviews with the folks from Lupus Films following on from last episode, this time chatting with assistant director Robin Shaw and co-writer/director Hilary Audus about the hugely anticipated "The Snowman and The Snowdog", a follow-up to "The Snowman" which, along with Channel 4 itself, will see its thirtieth anniversary this year. All this and some needless trivia, cartooney Christmas nostalgia and I even wrote a little radio play. That's right, ya bestids. With sound effects and everything.
Stream it below, download it and/or subscribe on iTunes!
Elsewhere, the wonderful people over at Toon Boom (the Montreal-based animation software company) has picked my ol' Christmas toon "The Naughty List" for their showcase today. What lovely Quebecians they are! Granted, at the time the version of Toon Boom I used was incredibly basic and mainly just helped out with the clean-up, but I've since become rather enamoured of Toon Boom Animate. In fact, I'll probably be using it exclusively for the job I'm currently working on, so I may have become a full convert a few months from now. Now that I finally have a post-Intel Mac that can run it. Yep, I've been dragged kicking and screaming into the year 2006.

Lastly, today is most likely the last shopping day to get "Throat" in time for Christmas, so if you're still struggling to find the right gift for the indie graphic novel snob in your life - or if you just want to treat yourself - head on over to Amazon (US and now, for the convenience of my Brit compadres, UK) and grab one!

Brrr...

Have a highly-defined Christmas, everybody!

While I imagine the expiry date on being allowed to pimp my seasonal animated short "The Naughty List" will be up by this time next year, I'm giving it one last gasp. From now on (either until the new year or possibly forever, depending on how well it goes down) the complete, unedited version of the film is available to watch in full 1080p HD. "Ooh" and, I'll hasten to add, "Aah".
Rather apt as the HD thing kind of plays a part in the story, also in consideration of my peers you can now see all the inconsistencies in the line work that SD went some way toward covering up.

Please watch it/share it/'like' it etc as you all see fit. Plus if you're a Vimeo member you can download the full-res file and keep it forever and ever! It's a not-entirely-selfless act of holiday benevolence on my part.
Goodwill to all!

Seasonal Spaniards

Some very nice Christmassy news regarding "The Naughty List" - despite its somewhat sardonic take on the holiday season, I'm really happy to say that it'll be getting a bunch of TV broadcasts in Spain over the Canal+ network during December. Here are the dates/times/channels:

•Friday 9th December - 12:36pm - Canal+ Xtra
•Monday 12th December - 6:10am - Canal+2
•Friday 16th December - 4:50pm - Canal+2
•Sunday 18th December - 1:41pm - Canal+ Xtra
•Friday 23rd December - 4:35pm - Canal+1
•Friday 23rd December - 5:05pm - Canal+1 ...30
•Saturday 24th December - 5:36pm - Canal+ Xtra
•Thursday 29th December - 12:06pm - Canal+ Xtra

More info including a rather flattering description and the declaration "No recomendada para menores de siete años" (so that's the cutoff point - good to know) can be found on its Canal+ page.

"I guess they let any old crap on TV these days..."

Déjà Vu

Falalala...eh, you get the idea.Admittedly it's pretty much the exact same image as last year's blog-card-thing, but sort of interesting to see how it developed from the original concept illustration. 'Interesting' being, as ever, a pretty subjective word.
Glad tidings. And all that. Innit?

And to all a good night

Reaching into my sack of treats

View from my balcony. Pity I can only go out on it for five seconds at a time.

'Hohoho'.
Right, that's enough yuletide spirit for one year.
Although, I do love giving presents. Especially the self-serving ones that promote my shallow li'l projects - and you're not allowed to be ungrateful because I made them myself and after all, isn't that the true meaning of the season?
Yeah, my family doesn't buy it either.I'm reminded of a Dr. Phil holiday special in which he urged the viewing audience not to buy things we think others should have, but things we know that they actually want.
Dr. Phil, in case there's any ambiguity left on this matter, is a redundant boob. Of course you're supposed to give people stuff you think they need at xmas. It's the one time of year you can force your own personal tastes and homemade crap on others. And if they don't like it, remind them that they got it for free and then backhand them.
Yes, I'm an angry, bitter man who will probably die alone.
But that aside, here are two presents from your close personal friend Ben Mitchell that you definitely didn't ask for, but I think you should have. Ain't I a stinker?Firstly, forget this RATM/X-Factor horseshit and instead check out my xmas single! Well, it has nothing to do with xmas, I just got it done last week and I'm too impatient to wait for the new year to put it up. It's called 'Spy Vs. Spy' and can be either streamed on MySpace or, for the next few weeks, downloaded as a full-quality mp3 right...wait for it...here!
The title is an obvious reference to the Prohias comic, which I love, but has nothing to do with it lyrically. More an analogy type-thingy.I've also put together a free preview sampler for "That Isn't Funny, You Stupid Child", featuring the xmas-themed (it's a rip-off of "It's A Wonderful Life") short story "Vicky, Icky & Sticky" in its entirety! So download away, my adorable little buttered muffins, and drink heartily from the overflowing cup of my altruism!
Download "Vicky, Icky & Sticky" - gratis!
Now I'm off to watch old episodes of "Home Movies", drink some Cup-A-Soup and ever-so-gently weep. To all a good night!