MIAF Day 3 – Supinfocom; Careers Forum; RCA 25th Anniversary
24 Jun
By Michael De Martino
Supinfocom: Le Lab d’Images Project
Supinfocom is a French 3D animation school. This was a special one-off opportunity for students to be teamed up with professional French graphic novel artists and designers. I’m not normally a big fan of 3D CGI animation; I much prefer the traditional styles, but I was not anticipating how much I would enjoy this session. Of the six sessions I have been to so far this could be the best one. All of these films are creative, imaginative, fun, and full of colour and expression. Most amazingly though is the fact that these films all took roughly 2-3 months to put together, which is an epic achievement considering how refined each film is.
Here are my top picks for this screening:
Cosmic Jungle (2010) Exaggerated colour fills this angular urban jungle where two dogs chase after a runaway fire hydrant.
Muzorama (2009) A head inside a mouth. Another head used as a soccer ball. A man whose eyes sit on top of his upside-down nose. A man riding a bicycle which has snails for wheels. If you can figure out what this film is about I would love to know…
Puppet Mansion (2010) The ghost train from hell featuring two cuddly critters and their battle with the ticket collector.
Rubika (2010) The world is a giant Rubik’s cube where gravity changes from vertical to horizontal for some unfortunate people.
Careers in Animation Forum
Fun and informative, this free forum gave the general public the chance to get an insight into the animation industry from four Australian professionals from different fields. Katrina Mathers, Jack Parry, Huni Bolliger, and Darren Bell spoke of how they entered the industry and how they have made a living through animation. The rest of the forum consisted of Q&A where anyone from the audience was given the chance to ask questions about the industry, how to make yourself known, and anything else they desired. The panel of animators stuck around afterwards to answer any further questions people wanted to ask. I spoke to Katrina Mathers who was extremely approachable and genuinely respects those who wish to seek her advice. A very valuable session for anyone with hopes of entering the animation industry.
RCA 25th Anniversary Retrospective
Just when I thought the Polish were dark… Wow! This collection of fourteen films, celebrating 25 years of the Royal College of the Arts, are among the creepiest I have ever seen. Who would have guessed the British had such an evil side to them? A fascinating array of styles, this session featured multiple approaches to hand-made films. Pencil, ink, paint, models, stamps, and so on, were used to animate these painstakingly detailed films.
Here are my top picks for this screening:
Hello Dad (Christoph Simon, 1987) This film lead the session and boy did it go out with a bang. Some (including myself) bellowed in laughter, some stared in utter bemusement, and “WTF?” was echoed throughout the cinema. It must be seen to be believed.
Prophet And Lo$$ (Jonathan Bairstow, 1988) Creepy, energetic industrial workplace consisting of robots and clowns. Black and white, but full of excitement.
This Is Harrow (Monika Forsberg, 2001) A very simple looking animation of pencil on paper full of spirit and subtle comedy.
Toxic (Andrew McEwan, 1990) Haunting stop-motion film consisting of preserved dead animals. A platypus leads an army of animals to defeat an evil insect.
Melbourne International Animation Festival (MIAF) – Be There!
21 Jun
By Michael De Martino
From June 19-26 the Melbourne International Animation Festival (MIAF) will be running at ACMI in Federation Square. Over 400 films will be screened at this ever growing animation event. Come and witness animation from all over the world and experience an array of visual and aural styles you never thought possible.
MIAF is my number 1 pick of all the film festivals available to us Victorians. It is easily accessible, tickets are very reasonable (especially the season pass), you are able to meet the filmmakers, and it focuses purely on hand-made cinema: animation, where the possibilities are limitless. There is so much variety that everyone will be able to appreciate certain aspects of it.
Last night I was fortunate enough to attend the Gala Opening screening where we were given a taste of what to expect from the collection of themed sessions. These films ranged from the themed nation – Poland, other international films, some classic UPA films, films from the UK’s Royal College of the Arts, some cut-out films as a part of the themed style, and films from our own back door. If I could judge the rest of this metaphoric book by the cover I witnessed last night, then I’d be saying this is gonna be one damn good book.
With an eclectic assortment of screenings to attend, the one I am most anticipating is the Australia Showcase which will be screened at 4:15pm on Saturday the 25th. Last year’s Australian Showcase blew me away. I was truly astounded at this nation’s ability to create magnificent animation. If you have ever doubted Australia’s artistic abilities, prepare to have your faith regained because animation is where so much of Australia’s talent has been hiding, and I believe it is damn well time that more people realised this. At the end of the Australian session there is a meet & greet where the audience is introduced to the filmmakers. I’ve already got my spot booked!
If you get the chance at all this week you absolutely must make an effort to see at least one screening of this festival. It is one of the only festivals dedicated to animation in the country. You have my word that it will be a memorable experience. These Australian animators need your support and this is the way to show it.
For more information head to the MIAF official website or the ACMI website:
DVD Review: Summer Wars (2009)
28 Apr
By Michael De Martino
(Mamoru Hosoda, 2009, Japan, in Japanese, Science-fiction, 114 minutes)
Time and time again, Japanese anime proves that the field of animation extends farther than that of Disney, Pixar or Dreamworks, and what a marvellous little gem of an example this film is!
Kenji, a 17 year old maths-wizz school student and moderator of the online interactive world, OZ, is asked to stand in as the boyfriend of 18 year old student, Natsuki, for her grandmother’s 90th birthday party. While at the party, Kenji is sent a mysterious numerical code. Kenji cracks the code, thus unknowingly allowing OZ to be hacked, creating a super avatar which takes over the security systems.
At first you wonder why that’s such a big deal, a couple of people lose their account and that’s all, right? Wrong. So very, very wrong.
OZ is much more than a social network or online role-playing game. As it turns out, the world has put so much faith into this program such as major corporation accounts and emergency services contact details. As the super avatar wrecks havoc in the OZ universe, consequences are felt in the real world, growing progressively more disastrous as the program is corrupted.
Aesthetically this film is to the point of masterpiece. Intricately crafted backgrounds with precise detail are illustrated in every frame. From the cute avatars of OZ, to the humanoid characters and rendered sceneries, every aspect of the animation is executed with great precision.
Summer Wars is a very modern film which communicates a powerful statement on the way the rapid expansion of online communities can not only create a global village but also have catastrophic consequences that are much worse than we could ever imagine.
Summer Wars is an elaborately executed and highly enjoyable work of imagination which teaches a powerful message to citizens of our time. The Japanese anime can be very addictive, and this film is an apt example of how the obsession begins. Even so, I recommend this film not only to the animation fans, but to everyone, for it is an overall enjoyable film.
8.9/10
Special features
Special features include a detailed interview with the director, theatrical trailer, TV promotional spots, footage from an exclusive theatrical promo, and interviews with several cast members.
The highlight of these special features is the informative interview from director Mamoru Hosoda. Sometimes learning the inspiration behind a film can add to its appreciation, and this is certainly the case with Summer Wars. Hosoda speaks of his views on the prominent involvement of technology in Japan today, as well as Japan’s culture. This interview alone makes the separate Special Features well worth it.
3.5/5
