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04.25.09 *
Stop Motion Works
is Alive
& Well ..... From some of the responses to last
week  's
post here, looks like some of you misintrepreted
it. SMW Website or News is not
shutting down. You should read more
carefully! Others though, correctly understood
it, with
reference to the periods
of
slow or not much news related to Stop
Motion which is understandable because it has never been a
mainstream animation form since the beginning of cinema history all the
way to the current New Millenium MySpacey Ipodified
Internet era. Some of you sent me topic ideas which is appreciated and our
'editorial
staff'  will
review them. We have to be selective though so as to appeal to a wide
audience. If your news is 'time sensitive' it may be too late by
the time it is posted. If news is too specific to your
local area, city or town, it would not be relevant to others,
although there can be exceptions to our 'SMW News policy' 
* 'Howard the Duck' (1986) Special Edition ..... Seems like minimal mention of this in the the other animation related news/blogs but it appears that this is the first time official 2009 release Dvd with with added featurettes. If you do online search you will get hits and more info. Here are a few to get you going Top 5 reasons to love 'Howard the Duck' - Love Online Video - DVD Movie Guide - Howard the Duck vs. The Dark Overlord * 'Mythic Journeys' .... Found a trailer from what appears to be, a just released documentary called 'Mythic Journeys'. It looks like some of the L.A. Underground Stop Moes worked on the Stop Motion animated insert segments. Some names being Michael Granberry, Thomas R. Smith, the elusive & lurking out there Kelly Mazurowski, Justin Rasch, and a few other's from the Underground Stop Mo Clique in 'Tinsel Town' - 'Mythic Journeys' trailer * New Addition to Family of Stop Motion software .... This one appears to be for beginner Stop Moes. It works with DV Camcorders or USB Webcams. I do not always have time to test all the programs. They have free trial download if you want to test it, then if you buy, it's about $38. Their website home page is not CLEAR. It should 'specifically state' that this software is for PC/Windows - ZU3D Stop Motion Software EDIT: 04.26.09 ____________________ 04.18.09 *
Kind of Dead: Stop
Mo News ..... No one having affairs, doing drugs,
being busted & jailed, or no one publically flashing their
private
anatomical parts (like mentally askewed Britney Spears)?? How
BORING you all are  .
If this was POLITICS NEWS, I
would possibly shock you
with my higher level of TIRADE abilities  in which no elected
Government Bureaucrats or  'Paper Degreed
(supposed) Experts' would dare debate me. I would wipe the
floor with their butts ,
however, I have to somewhat muzzle/censor that
side of me, but sometimes it accidentally leaks outs here . Yeah
.... mainstream Stop
Motion buzz, sort of eerily quiet. Maybe just general overall
uncertainty of present and especially future affecting the mood of the
country and also worldwide.  The Stop Mo news was soooo dull (You then say, "How dull was it?"), that the alert services that I subscribed to have been virally spreading this, A Wolf Loves Pork. What the FUG? How can that get over 800,000 YouTube hits? I am not necessarily trashing it, but it is not that unique or extraordinary. There are a hell of a lot way better representations of Stop Motion out there. Also, many sites wrongly title it as 'Stop Motion'. In my view, it is not, but in a sub-category, more closer to the photo cut-out animation style. Our own ISMC© is just beginning to experiment with some of the COOLEST Turbo-charged Harryhausen, but we cannot reveal yet. If we did put it on YouTube, I would guess, the public's ignorance might unfortunately confuse it as CGI. So you got lazy mouse clicking fingers?? I am not of this Hi-Techy generation and only 'relunctantly' partake of this high tech 'bread & circuses' stuff, but yet, I am more efficient at researching & investigating than you, The New Millenium MySpacey iPodified Generation??  I have
to
TELL
YOU to check out Jeremy
Spake, Kevin
'Schmoozing with the Stars' Maclean, and Rich Svennson? You
should be frigg'n doing that on your own! Oh well, I am just
rambling here. My time is short and I've got things to do, places to
go,
people to meet. I am so much 'in demand', you know  . EDIT:
04.19.09____________________ 04.11.09 * Willard Wigan
documentary
..... Some brief news buzz last few months about a
documentary
to be made, based on the true life UK micro sculptor, Willard Wi  gan. He is dyslexis
but has the hyper
extreme patience & astounding skills to 'hand create' figure sculptures
that can
fit inside the eye of a needle! News-bytes unclear if this
is
inprogress documentary or part of prospectus to sell this project.
There are going to be Stop
Motion
scenes in which one of Willard's micro-sculptures comes to life. It
will use replacement
stop motion animation,
and the bragging rights of studio doing the Stop Motion is,
that
they will use 3D printing
(as
used in 'Coraline') to create the replacement animation parts. Hmmm
.... the animated puppet character looks relatively simple and I do not
know why 3D printing was chosen. It seems, other options could have
been chosen using more traditional animation puppet
fabrication
methods to keep
within the
spirit of Willard's
handmade techniques
of hands-on,
tactile 'Art' creation. Into
The Microworld - ABC
News-byte on
Willard - Second
Home Productions - Willard
Wigan website* Luke/Tauntaun custom poseable replica ..... This news-byte blog popped up about this but it is confusing who is actually fabricating this puppet (with jointed armature) replica. Guy Cowen or Jim Davidson? Someone else fabricated the Stop Motion armature (outsourced). Whoever is making it, using lots of reference photos from the 'Empire Strikes Back', and so far, it looks like they are doing a pretty damn good job at capturing the 'spirit' of the original Stop Mo puppet (created by Phil Tippett & Crew). Luke/Tauntaun replica - More details & 2 EDIT: 04.14.09 ____________________ * 'Clash of the
Titans' Remake
news again: Rehash use of CGI ..... 'Titans'
remake has
been buzzing around for a few years and more recently last year 2008
when Louis
Leterrier was announced as director. In July '08 at
a messageboard
discussion, Paul
J. McConnochie took the lead in putting together a
YouTube 'Clash of
Titans'
remake appeal video,
lobbying for
the use of State
of
the Art Stop
Motion. Well, with the most current
news, it appears that
the
remake appeal
has been ignored
by Suits and essentially, any consideration
of using some
or any
Stop Motion, has been 'Spat
Upon' and/or 'Killed'.
Per some newsbytes, the decision has
been made to go 'CGI' 04.04.09  . No
thinking
'out of the
box', fresh, or unique approach or concepts. Who
made that CGI order? Was it done by 'committee'
(aka 'the Studio Suits') or Louis Letterier?  So, Cinesite has been bestowed the privilege to execute the 'Clash' creature CGI special effects. Here is Cinesite's quote, "It's an exciting project to be involved with, and we're looking forward to further developing our creature pipeline to take CG creature animation to the next level of realism." What the HELL is "next level of realism"? More 'real' than 'real'? Sounds like B.S.. Or are they thinking, like watching National Geographics nature documentaries? Just copying & duplicating the real world? My observations: In the Imaginary & Fantasy realm, it is about the Surreal, Unreal or Otherworldly and that 'realism' can be any visual interpretation as dictated by the Creator's-Artist's vision. Modern sophisticated Stop Motion can capture that 'beyond realistic element' that is dream-like. Does anyone at Cinesite TRULY & DEEPLY understand the iconic status of Ray Harryhausen?? He was Creature Effects Cool BEFORE all this current CGI orgy & domination. Uncle Ray INSPIRED so many of the ol' school special effects trained artists & techs, including the current computer FX 'mouse clickers'. I can sense the 'Suits' possible marketing & promotion tactics: 'Clash of the Titans' remake is going to ride on the coat-tails of Ray Harryhausen. In other words, Warner Bros & Legendary Pictures are going to get FREE marketing by 'indirect' reference (via the Internet blogs, newsbytes & articles) to the original 'Clash of the Titans' and especially the 'cache power' of the Ray Harryhausen name. Will Legendary Pictures PAY 'Uncle Ray' for USE of his name? As usual, mainstream movies spends and wastes mega-mega millions but the results are becoming so-so mediocre. There is no lasting power (short shelf life) with today's excess of same ol', same ol' homogenized mainstream film entertainment products. I am somewhat getting weary of tirading on this as I've done this before about the Clash remake, SMW News 06.28.08 - SMW News 07.07.08 Here's the latest remake buzz, Cinesite to Provide Creature Effects for Clash of the Titans - 'Clash of the Titans' picks up James Bond Actors - Clash Of The Titans News Addendum: Warner Bros/Legendary Pictures Contact Info Email Contact If you are angry or upset at the all CGI decision, it would not be difficult to email, fax, or phone them. If they hear nothing, 'Suits' will assume audiences are just ignorant. You can prove them wrong. Surely, it would be very do-able to include some 'State of Art' advanced Stop Motion creature effects cameo shots, which could be blended-in with the other CGI creatures?? EDIT: 04.06.09 * April SMW Random Cinema©: > To CGI
pushers who diss
Stop
Motion
as ol' fashioned primitive .... analogy using MUSIC.
Heavy post production manipulated, kind of CGI'ish 'Live Performance' like handmade Stop Motion Both versions different but good. Give AUDIENCE Variety of Flavors or Mix it Up. NOT just CGI. 
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