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:

Last Gasps

A couple of final 2017 screenings for Klementhro ahead - back in April of last year the fine folks at AniScreen demonstrated their immaculate taste by showing the film and will do so again as part of a special screening at this year's PAF Olomouc, taking place in the Czech Republic. The AniScreen in the Antique Bookstore programme will take place Saturday December 9th 2pm at the Antikvariát Olomouc - an antique bookstore, as you may have already deduced.

Another organisation who gave the film some love last year and have seen fit to do so again is the splendid Short Waves Festival, who have put together a special screening event for International Short Film Day. You can catch Klementhro as part of The Shortest Day on December 21st at the Under The Black Cat wine bar in Poznań, Poland. Best of all, both screenings are FREE, which is as cheap as you can ask for really. I'm sorry to not be there myself as they sound very cool, but of course I'm grateful for the inclusion. Keeps this old fella's holiday spirit up.

Will these deals NEVER END?

Missed out on Black Friday? Well hang in there, you lackadaisical so-and-so, because TA-DA! Cyber Monday! It's a thing, I'm informed!
For TODAY ONLY you can get a whopping 40% off the graphic novels with code CYBER40 at checkout!
You can also get 30% off Independent Animation: Developing, Producing and Distributing Your Animated Films PLUS FREE shipping, no code required.
Not to stoke the fires of consumerism, but once again it's for TODAY ONLY so GO! NOW! QUICKLY! TIME'S A-RUNNIN' OUT!

UPDATE: The CYBER40 deal is now running until the end of the month. If you missed out yesterday, don't forget that until the end of the month you can still get 20% off Independent Animation and free shipping if you order via CRC and enter the code LMT02)

It's the most cynical time o' the year...

Already losing hair over the impending nightmare of holiday shopping? Aghast at how miserably difficult-to-buy-for the comic'n'animation enthusiasts in your life insist on being?
Well fret not, you downers, because Uncle Ben* is here to ease your burden. Have I got some Black Friday deals for you!
Firstly if you're in the mood for some graphic novels (and why wouldn't you be?) you can head on over to my store and pick up anything there for a juicy 30% off! Merely enter code LULU30 at checkout. Bear in mind this is valid today (November 24th) only, so act fast lest you feel forever empty.
If it's something non-fictioney yet still quite cartooney you're after, then you could do worse than pick up Independent Animation: Developing, Producing and Distributing Your Animated Films. If you enter code LMT02 at checkout not only do you get a cool 20% knocked off the price but there's also FREE shipping thrown in! Plus this deal goes on throughout the rest of the month, so you're granted some extra mulling time. 'Tis the season, after all.

*Not affiliated with any pre-existing Uncle Ben or other brand that may operate under the Mars, Inc umbrella. Ho ho ho!

MAFward Bound

I'll be back at the Manchester Animation Festival this coming week to fly the ol' Skwigly flag. If you're in town on Wednesday we'll be doing another one of our maddening (though splendid fun) Skwigly Quiz sessions, so festival passholders be sure to get yourselves to the the Event Space at HOME for 5pm.
The next day (Thursday 16th) at 4:10pm festival passholders can check out the Skwigly Screening, a totes-free collection of some of the best films we've encountered over the past year. This'll also be in the Event Space and the full list of films included is as follows:

• Mediocre Cooking Skills (Dir. Joost Lieuwma, 2017)
• Sparks - Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me) (Dir. Joseph Wallace, 2017)
• Dam (Dir. Milo Targett, 2017)
• Link (Dir. Robert Löbel, 2017)
• The Best Invention In History! (Dir. Joost Lieuwma, 2017)
• Casino (Dir. Steven Woloshen, 2016)
• To Build A Fire (Dir. FX Goby, 2016)
• Whack-A-Mole (Dir. Joost Lieuwma, 2017)
• Nighthawk (Dir. Špela Čadež, 2016)
• Catherine (Dir. Britt Raes, 2016)

A lot of these films have recent Skwigly interviews attached, so you can learn more about them by clicking on any of the active links above.
Catch you there!

Keeping the music going

Continuing Animation Composed, Skwigly’s celebration of the harmonious relationship between music and animation presented by myself and Wez Allard, our second episode delves into the world of composing for animated TV series, with special guests Ben Locket and Gareth Davies.
Born in Australia and presently based in London, Ben’s work in television centers around the long-running Cartoon Network series The Amazing World of Gumball, as well as the recent Magic Light adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes – both of which presently nominated for a Children’s Animation BAFTA. Revolting Rhymes also recently won Best Original Score at the Sapporo Japanese Short Film Festival and, as well as an upcoming soundtrack release, has been screened to a live orchestral accompaniment over the past year with the next performance taking place this coming February at the Southbank Centre.
UK-based composer/songwriter Gareth Davies has a wealth of experience composing for television and corporate clients alongside his own personal projects. He has most recently written for the animated television shows Scream Street (CBBC) and Everybody Loves A Moose (Rai). He also produces original songs under the moniker Band of One.
Also featured in this episode are musical scores to the National Film Board of Canada productions The Head Vanishes (Dir. Franck Dion) and I Am Here (Dir. Eoin Duffy) by Pierre Caillet and Menalon respectively, as well as more work from previously featured composers David Kamp (Réka Bucsi’s Love), Mathieu Alvado (Who’s Afraid of Mr. Greedy? from Gobelins) and Ephrem Leuchinger (Anete Melece’s Analysis Paralysis).
Full playlist:

• Theme from Love – David Kamp
  
• The Hole (The Amazing World of Gumball) – Ben Locket
• The Kidnapping [Excerpt] (Revolting Rhymes) – Ben Locket
• The Man (The Amazing World of Gumball) – Ben Locket
• Meeting an Old Friend [Excerpt] (The Amazing World of Gumball) – Ben Locket
• The Shell (The Amazing World of Gumball) – Ben Locket
• Antons Suche (Analysis Paralysis) – Ephrem Leuchinger
• Excerpts (Who’s Afraid of Mr. Greedy?) – Mathieu Alvado
• Jaqueline perd la tête (The Head Vanishes) – Pierre Caillet
  
• I Am Here – Menalon
• The Uninvited (Scream Street) – Gareth Davies
  
• Haunted House (Scream Street) – Gareth Davies
• Transformation (Scream Street) – Gareth Davies
• Otto’s Theme (Scream Street) – Gareth Davies
• Main Titles (Everybody Loves A Moose) – Gareth Davies
• Jack’s Theme (Everybody Loves A Moose) – Gareth Davies
• Sad Moose (Everybody Loves A Moose) – Gareth Davies
• Too Many Moons – Band of One
• The Climb [Excerpt] (Revolting Rhymes) – Ben Locket

Hormone monsters

Continuing the second season of Intimate Animation – the Skwigly podcast in which Laura-Beth and I explore, discuss and interview the talents behind animation that deals with adult themes of love, relationships and sexuality – we welcome Netherlands-based director Dario van Vree of Studio Pupil, whose film Tabook was released online this week to coincidence with Face Your Fears Day.

As well as his creative work at Studio Pupil, Dario was one of the original founders of the KLIK! Amsterdam Animation Festival and teaches animation at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam. Using TVPaint to combine digital 2D character animation with hand-crafted sets and a touch of CG, his film is a warmhearted tale of overcoming one’s inhibitions and moving past fears of what others may think of our natural impulses.
Also discussed in this episode: Animation sexploits at the New York Museum of Sex (including work by Polly Nor, Michael Sullivan and the 1929 animated ‘stag’ film Buried Treasure) and the surprisingly on-point new adult animated Netflix sitcom Big Mouth.
Stream below or direct download:

Leaves of Autumn

Another batch of joint outings for Boris-Noris and Klementhro ahead, this time at the Cinemagic Festival in Belfast. In all candour my brain is still a bit fried and jetlagged from the honeymoon so I'm not 100% sure I get how this one works but I think Animated Antics is essentially a programme that tours schools throughout the city between October 16th and November 17th. Boris-Noris is part of the primary school competition with Klementhro included in the 15+ shorts showcase that kicks off a little later (October 23rd). As far as specifics go you can keep up to speed at the festival's official site and Facebook page.

Speaking of Ireland, which we sort-of, tenuously were, I'll be headed to the seventh edition of the Dublin Animation Film Festival at the end of next week as part of the Student Film Jury team, so if you're in the city October 20th and 21st that'll be a fun one to check out too. See you there, possibly maybe!

In Russia, raft paddles YOU

Following last month's Russian tour it seems the nation can't get enough of our paddlin' pal Klementhro. This month and November will see it play in Moscow for the Big Cartoon Festival, a big festival of cartoons I would assume, or very possibly an average-sized festival of big cartoons. Probably the former as my cartoon is not especially big. The screenings will kick off on my birthday (which also just happens to be International Animation Day - coincidence? Well, yes). Full info as follows:

• October 28th - Karo 8 Atrium, 8pm
• October 30th - Moscow Cinema Fakel, 7pm
• November 4th - Karo 11 Oktyabr, 10pm
• November 5th - Documentary Film Center, 7pm
• November 5th - Karo 11 Oktyabr, 8:30pm

The film will also screen as part of a mini-tour through Saint-Petersburg, Kazan and Ekaterinburg after the festival but I don't have all the specifics for those screenings just yet. So hang tight, comrades.

Naughty little rock-faced children, scampering around

Just got wind of some good news that one of the episodes of Lendas Animadas I was lead animator on is presently a finalist for the Japan Prize International Contest for Educational Media. I'm not sure what happens if it wins but the event's Facebook page has put up the first (to my knowledge) clip from the episode which you can check out below:

As you've probably deduced, the animation is taken from collages and drawings by schoolchildren across Brazil that have been made animatable. I was working to storyboards by the project's Art Director Adriana with only a vague idea of what the narrator guy was saying, so it's kind of a new experience to actually see this with subtitles. This is also the same episode that screened at Anima Mundi back in July - Como Surgiram as Estrelas (How the Stars Were Created) - and I'm chuffed to say it was picked as one of the 10 best Brazilian films at that festival, making it eligible for a BNDES Award. It didn't win though. So, y'know, fingers crossed for this other thing.