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Previous News
DECEMBER
2004
12.24.04
* I kind
of went off on a ramble at the Stop Motion message board
under a topic I started "2D Dying? StopMo Come-back?
Ponderings..."
I alluded to the possible backlash of public to CGI. I
should clarify .... to a certain kind of CGI where it
tries to gets too realistic in attempting to represent
humans in a pixel synthesized form.CGI seems okay to use
as digital stunt doubles, however, public can have a
conscious or subconscious rejection when animated
characters try to replicate real humans. Even using motion
capture does not help. A theory since the late
1970's was lableled by Dr. Masahiro Mori.
He calls this phenomenon "The Uncanny
Valley". It was in the area of robotics
that Mori initially applied his psychological
observations: People may start to subconsciously
reject what is shown to them if it
attempts to appear to look too much like real humans,
whether robotic creations, or now, visual moving CGI
pixel synthesized images. Remember Disneyland?
Those robotic recreations .... The Hall of USA
Presidents? I thought that was kind-of creepy
....interesting though. In this CGI bloated era,
a couple of films serve as examples .... Final
Fantasy (flopped) and now we have The
Polar Express (from what I read, has not done
well) The "Uncanny Valley" hypothesis is a
little too dry & technical for me ... Read it at this link and this other link or this one might be more understandable. I
have my own observations why the public may never really
respond, emote with, or bond with digitally synthesized
humans that are trying to pass off as too
human looking: It is just an
insult to our senses ....we have
hundreds of thousand of years of evolution in our brains
& genetic make-up, intimately relating with our own
human species. If a human is going to be
represented on the movie screen .... it better be
a living, flesh & blood human actor. Even an
actor in real prosthetic make-up, the
public will know it's a real actor. I think it's foolish
of the Studio Suits, if they continue
going in the direction of that self-impposed Holy Grail
.... a completely digitally synthetic human. It may be a
short-lived novelty (like "Final
Fantasy"). A CGI John Wayne or Marilyn
Monroe? What is the point, but only to masturbate
special effects? Audiences,
identify or emotionally react to the human actor (if it's
good role/movie). IMO, no matter how
real CGI fake humans get, the audience will
always know .... there will be a
mental barrier there. Now when it comes to stylized
or fantasy-like animated characters/cartoons, aliens,
monsters, or anthromorphisized creatures or animals.....
the public actually identifies more with that
.... because it is taking them in another world separate
& away from reality. In LOTR, Gollum
was kind-of realistic but it was
not human. Gollum was surreal dream-like. If you
are curious, here is small sample of reviews of
The Polar Express 1 2 3 Many other reviews with similar negative
reaction to PE. Remember, I am only the
"Messenger"
P.S. All this is somewhat similar to
what Ray has said many times and he did not need any hypothesis
or theory. It is just an instinctive natural commonsense
about human emotions-feelings. Dr. LIO-
____________________
Weekend Micro Edition - 12.18.04
* As
we posted before, Corky Quakenbush
contacted us. His website is not online at this time but
he has a temporary site here Space Bass Films Since this is a Yahoo Geocities
free website, Corky tells me they may impose download
limitations and also some of the movie links might not
even work. Later at his more permanent website, he says
it should be in working order.
____________________
12.17.04
* Whoooaaaaa
......a five page
article/interview with Henry Selick Hydronicus Inverticus: An Interview
with Henry Selick.
He is getting renewed national notariety with the
upcoming release of "The Life Aquatic",
opening December 25. Some minor Stop
Motion technical details he talks about. In another
article here, he reveals what direction Vinton
Studios might be going. We are all for
Stop Motion but remember I am only the
messenger, so don't kill me. Some lukewarm
reviews about the movie. I am not familiar or a
follower of Wes Anderson. Apparently
some die-hard Wes fans like his stuff. I cannot make any
comment because I have not seen any of his past films.
Anyway ..... you can listen to live
stream Ebert&Roeper brief excerpt of their review ....
unfortunately both gave it a thumbs down Here are others with their written
reviews 1 2 3
Addendum: If there are any unfavorable
reviews by those critics, perhaps they're
inconsequential. At least Stop Motion is getting more
publicity and the public will get a glimpse of an example
of the highest state of the art of Stop Motion. Good job
to Henry Selick .... keeping Stop
Motion Alive .... it's a constant battle for us
to survive!
____________________
12.15.04
* If you have taken any
art-drawing-painting classes/studies or self-study, some
teaching concepts say you should study deep beneath the
superficial skin-muscular layers, and be
"one" with and absorb the
spirit & essence of the skeletal anatomical
structures?? Well, maybe apply that philosophy to cartoons?
Click Here
* If you are not dead,
I am sure you have heard that Pixar's, "The
Incredibles", is the darling
hit-flavor these past few months. I saw it too
and it was very, very good ..... good
job Brad Bird and PIxar crew but I am not going gah-gah
over it like in the media .... typical of them. All pure
Cgi and another so-called boost to that
technique. Of course, the myopic studios-suits
cannot see beyond that .... that it is also GOOD
STORY-CHARACTERS. To me, the 2D, "The
Tripletts of Bellville" was just
as entertainly good as
"Incredibles" ..... but the publicity machine
and dollars was not behind "Tripletts".
Anyway ..... interesting little behind the scenes article
here Tool Time at Pixar about Brad Bird who comes from 2D
animation roots and how he liked to communicate with
Pixar crew with sketches/drawings. Astounding
isn't it? To actually draw something
with a pen-pencil and not rely
on or be dependent on computer!
* A couple of brief articles about Bent Image Lab doing Stop Mo commercial spots for
OfficeMax
Link 1 Link 2
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12.08.04
* Hey Jason
.... thanks for reminding me. Oh Susannah!
(they should write a song with that title?) Once again,
another Freebie article from your book at AWN.
It is almost word for word too? What are you doing girl? I can
understand teaser articles to promote book, but giving it
away? People will not appreciate the info as much
if it's so freely available. I have ranted in
past that Stop Motion info is a bit scarce but I think
that your book is sooooo affordable enough for most people. Aren't your
efforts $worth$ something? You need another
agent- representative. Me
* Hey,
guess who contacted me? Corky Quakenbush!
Who is he you ask? Look here As far as I know, he became well known some
years ago, for his his Stop Motion parodies
on Mad TV. One of my favorites called "Clops"
(a parody of "Cops" docmentary/reality type
series), in which Corky in Stop Mo reveals Wallace -- of
Wallace and Gromit” fame -- in bed with his
girlfriend then being arrested for animal abuse and we
see a starving, emaciated and rabid Gromit (the dog) who
resides tied-up underneath house in a dark basement!
Corky has done other Stop Mo "Clops" spoofs and
also many other animated works. His IMDb listing does
not appear to be up-to-date. His Stop Motion Christmas
theme parody, "The Reinfather", will be aired
on Comedy Central, December 17, 7:30pm. Corky
also just finished a music video for Denis
Leary's song, "Merry F#%$in'
Christmas", playing late night, also on
Comedy Central. This is Corky's website address www.spacebassfilms.com Unfortunately, it does not seem to
be working. I will email him to let him know.
* At the SMA message board
there was past discussion about Sex and Puppets I am surprised not too much talk
of a wild-crazy-spoof-parody .... full length movie
currently in production called "Disaster" Do you remember the recently
released "Team America"? Well,
"Disaster" is kind of similar but all Stop
Motion! There are puppet nude scenes
which you can see at their website. They have a music
video, basically with two words for the lyrics, "Oh
S--t". Sooo .....it's kind-of for mature
audiences. Through the grapevine, I hear it is
being shot using Digital Still Cameras and using the old
simpler Lunchboxes for checking in-progress animation.
The puppets are all wire armatured with miniature clothes
....resin heads with stick-on mouths. Not the fanciest
methods, but maybe relying on, in your face low brow fast
paced humor to grab you? They are trying to do as much in-camera
traditional effects, however some shots are
being done bluescreen. I do know a couple of highly
talented-skilled veteran animators who are working on it
but I am not sure if I should mention their names yet.
____________________
Sunday Micro Edition - 12.05.04
* Hmmmmm ..... so it's like over a
week since I posted anything in news here. Can you dudes
& dudettes please give me a break?!
You are not going to abandon me, are you? If you
bookmarked this news page it's not that difficult
to do just a quick click here. I need the website
hits! I do you a favor, you
do me a favor? All yous peoples
know that I approach Stop Motion in my own off-the-wall
or unique manner and if you miss any of it, then it's your
fault for not checking-in Okay
.... gotta jump here. I might have something tomorrow to
post here. Even if I don't, you should still check-in!
Stay tuned.....
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