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Previous News
NOVEMBER
2003
11.27.03
* From "down under" in the
Land of Oz, a lone Stop Motion animator is getting a
little bit of notariety. His name is Adam Elliot
and is getting some news buzz about his Stop Mo film
called Harvie Krumpet. Check it out ....
a few links 1 - 2 - 3
* If you
got some extra cash or into "collecting", here
is an artist-sculptor that is offering some model
kits focusing on some Stop Motion themes.
They look very accurate and true to originals.
These are "kits". There is a small model
figure kit industry (aka nickname: garage kits)
where hobbyists buy these kits and take great creative
pleasure assembling, finishing and painting them. If you
are not inclined to do all that or cannot do it, then you
are out of luck. I do not know if one can buy them fully
finished but that is a custom job and I am sure would
cost more. One can also get special bronze
paints-finishes and that would be an easier way
so they would look like simulated bronze metal
statues/figures. Enjoy Jim Davidson's work
at Fantamation Studios
____________________
11.24.03
* Well, like I said here in my
comments from last week, looks like the newly published
book, RayHarryhausen: An Animated Life has been mostly, favorably
received. I just got my copy, and only started to read
it. The book is thick & done on glossy paper and of
reasonable quality. The book cover is
from Clash of the Titans which some have said, might not be
the best of Harryhausen's work, but it was his very last
stop motion content film before he retired and perhaps
that is one of reasons why this cover was selected. On
the SMA forum, some have commented that the new
information Ray reveals could have been more detailed. I
suppose these naysayers are the real Stop Mo Technical
Nerds  who want to know everything
right now! In the past, Uncle Ray has usually been secretive or vague about
his methods, but many of the Stop Mo technically savvy,
can take a close guess how he did them. In the book, he does
explain briefly how many of the shots were done.
The book does not have a lot of behind
the scenes pictures showing the technical aspects,
but nevertheless, the most revealing, Ray has
ever been. MY BIGGEST COMPLAINT, is the
layout & design of the book ..... the drawings are
numerous and enlarged, whereas the good key photos of
some armatures or behind the scenes are ridicuously very
small .... not good. I would FIRE that book designer.
Who knows how many photos Ray has hidden in his Stop
Motion archives. I also, said that I am not sure if this
would be the "definitive biography" about Ray.
Here's an idea ...... some museum or something like the Ray
Harryhausen Library with ALL of Ray's photo's (enlarged
to poster size) and recreations of actual Stop Motion
set-ups with narration by Ray. Kind of a historical
museum of pre-CGI. That may never happen in the
USA, but maybe somewhere in Europe .....
UK, France, Germany, etc.. Far more Stop Motion fans over
there and greater appreciation of this Animation
art/craft. Perhaps someone reading this can start this
LOBBYING effort. Who was the guy that got Uncle Ray his
Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame?
____________________
11.18.03
* Keeping Stop Motion Alive ..... short interview article about
Stop Motion effects in the movie Elf
(sorry, no pictures in article) with quotes from the Chiodo Brothers & the film's
director. For some unknown reason, I have not
been to find any online photos of the stop motion
characters/puppets used in Elf. Maybe this is
intentional by the studio "suits". Since the
movie has already been released in theatres, I think this
secrecy strategy is kind of dumb. It
sure does not help to advance the publicity cause for
Stop Motion .....keeping it in the public eye
(stop mo needs every scrap of promotion &
advertisement!). IMO, just shows you how Stop Mo gets
screwed in one way or another (typical of its
checkered history in mainstream biz). One of the Chiodos
says he is hopeful that there may be a little bit of
comeback for Stop Motion.
____________________
11.17.03
* Here is possibly a best
kept secret product .... Foam Latex
Paints .... not because anyone is intentionally
hiding it but due to the "company" not really
promoting or advertising themselves. Paint
Specialities Lab in the USA. It is a small
operation and they also custom formulate specialized
paints for other materials.... art field, vinyl paints,
leather paints, etc.. A few years ago, they use to have a
website but it has long vanished. I could not easily get
information about their paints. By email, I only
basically received prices & just some minor technical
data. So, doing my own journalistic research, I managed
to find a bit more detailed information about their Foam
Latex Paints.
Also, here is very general company & contact listing
that I could find at Thomas Register,
links 1 & 2. Leo M. Bergman is the
main dude, chemist, formulator, etc. that is behind Paint
Specialties. Hey Leo ....I really love
your incredible Foam Latex Paints but if you
want to make your products more known or promote
it .... you should get a website!
Potential customers like to read about
products/services on the internet.... especially
those that are very difficult to find, like your's. Again
Leo .... you have a unique service & also a
great product for use in Stop Motion puppet fabrication
process.
____________________
11.12.03
* As many of you may already know, a new
book about Ray Harryhausen is now in print. I am
not sure if it would be called his "definitive
biography" but it seems to have received favorable
& positive comments at the SMA Forum. Here are some articles with some newer
brief interviews with Uncle Ray....
links 1 - 2 - 3. Unfortunately, his book is only available
from Amazon in England and I have ordered it from them (a
little more expensive getting it overseas). As posted
below in my 11.03.03 news item, there is
an Amazon Book Request Form where you can suggest that they
offer this book for USA. Remember, I am
thinking about long term availability of
book to wider audience to Spread
the Stop Motion Word. Is is that time consuming
or difficult for you to make a simple book
request? I have made it easy for you to enter
the book information (scroll down this page and SEE!) Do
it now!
* I
cannot believe it, searching the internet ....there is very
little information about the on-going
progess of "The Corpse Bride" but I
found this detailed New York Times article
about Tim Burton. The Director will be Mike
Johnson and some of you may or may not know, our
Anthony Scott, founder of the SMA website, will be Animation Director on
Corpse Bride! Maybe he is a bit humble to
mention it on the message board. Anthony, a truly
die-hard Stop Motionist and very gifted in this animation
art/craft and just a "good guy" who really
deserves this opportunity! Anthony is in England
now and he can still be reached at his contact email address and I assume he can still
run/manage his website from across the world in the UK. Wish
Anthony well or congratulate him!
____________________
11.07.03
* Just got a few more details about
the Bruce Bickford documentary, Monster Road.
The Director, Brett Ingram, and other
staff are working to enter it, into Film Festivals. In
its initial showcasing/premiere, this will probably be
the best way for people to see the documetary. You can be
placed on an email list to receive status information
about it Monster Road Update. Be sure to put that in your
subject. Tell them that Stop Motion Works
sent you!
* From
the people that brought you that cool Stop Motion opening
title sequence for Willard, Nirvan a production
studio has completed a Stop Mo animated short that will
premiere at AFI Fest 2003. It is called The Three of Us. If you are in the area, the show
dates are Nov 8 & 10.
* From my
"underground sources" ..... it has been
revealed to me that the new movie ELF
(opening today, Friday), definitely will have some Stop
Motion done by the Chiodo Brothers.....some handful of scenes including the
opening credit sequences. Also, supposedly, Ray
Harryhausen supplied the voice for a character named The
Narwhal, but my "spy" told me, it does
not sound like him.
____________________
11.03.03
* There is a
documentary called Monster Road that is
suppose to be released around the end of 2003.
It is about a long time underground animator named Bruce Bickford. He does very,
very non-traditional animation work .... very zen,
free-form, organic or "trippy" imagery. Some
admire his work and others dislike it. This article was
about a year ago Unearthing Bruce Bickford. I do not know how
the public will get a chance to see this but here is the
latest from Bright Eye Pictures, the production
company doing it. You could contact them for further
information.
* A new book will be out this month, Ray Harryhausen: An Animated Life Currently only
available from Amazon in England. If
you want Amazon in USA to carry this book, make
your request here Book Request Form. Stop Motion needs all the
publicity it can get before it possibly gets devoured
by the CGI Beast! Do not just sit on your butt
and do nothing! You do not even need to
give them your email address (you can remain anonymous) A
message needs to be sent in "numbers".
Perhaps they will see that there is a niche market for
this esoteric and arcane animation art/craft.
Here is info about book:
Ray Harryhausen: An Animated Life
by Ray Harryhausen, Tony Dalton
Hardcover 320 pages
Publisher: Aurum Press; ISBN: 1854109405
Category(ies): Animation, Biography
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