ASIFA-East Exposure Sheet

Article by Caresse Singh.

I was a little nervous when I got out of the cab. The facade of 543 Union Street did not exactly scream “gallery.” I wondered for a moment if this was some sort of practical joke. Or maybe, it was like a page out of “Harry Potter” and I had to knock on the brick wall in a certain way to find the entrance. To my relief, two other guests soon arrived for this same event and were also puzzled as to how to get in. Following the suggestion of a stranger and a note on the door, we turned the corner, went up an alley-way and there we found Observatory.

We were greeted by the kind smile of Joanna Ebenstein – a key figure in the creation of Observatory. As we waited for the presentation to begin, we made our introductions and looked around the space. The entrance area was thoughtfully covered with artwork of varying mediums. Among some of the most memorable pieces was a long orange knitted scarf hung across the ceiling and extending down into a bundle on the floor, with pictures of its’ many contributing knitters in a glass case to the right of the heap.
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Article by Dayna Gonzalez.

On Friday, May 28, Rooftop Films presented  a series of short films with the theme “Dark Toons”.    This intriguing mix of films ranged from the chaotic train ride that is Cordell Barker’s Runaway to a short treatise on big, juicy, tasty hot dogs appropriately titled Sam’s Hot Dogs by David Lopez Retamero.  New York’s own Jake Armstrong’s, The Terrible Thing of Alpha 9, was also featured.  His wonderfully ugly yet adorable monster got a lot of laughs.  About a dozen animated films were presented, … Continue Reading

Article by Caresse Singh.

Displayed above, Rob Yulfo’s “Devil and Mouse Boy”  was one of the few real gems at Amnesia’s “Pop-Up Art” Exhibition on Friday, May 7th. This piece along with his two others on display, were created using scraps of cardboard, canvas and acrylic paint.

Seen below, “Donny No Skins” is a recurring character for Yulfo, who started the series in 2006 about a boy who was born without skin. (For more information, check out: http://donnynoskins.blogspot.com/)

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April 20 – 
The New York Television Festival presents – Developing Your Animated Pilot
.

Our guests are David Levy (President of ASIFA-East and author of “Animation Development: From Pitch to Production”) and NYTVF alum Elliot Cowan (award winner creator of “Boxhead and Roundhead”). The session will focus on the unique challenges and opportunities of creating serialized animation as opposed to a stand-alone short. 
NYTVF staff will be on hand afterwards to answer any questions about the 2010 Independent Pilot Competition
. Admission: Free! 
RSVP HERE : http://www.eventbrite.com/event/643399425 .

April 21 – ASIFA-East Presents – Winning Selections from the … Continue Reading

So the Mocca Fest was this weekend – Who went?  What did you see?  What did you think?  It was my first ever trip to Mocca this year, and only my second comic fest ever.  I know, I’m a bad girl.  But, it’s better late than never, right?  I’m glad I went, and compared to my first which was just a few months ago near Penn Station, it was a much better and inspiring experience.  Instead of bins and bins full of old and dusty comic books, here were tables upon tables of independent artists showcasing their homemade comic creations … Continue Reading

still from Hedgehog in the Fog

Article written by Dayna Gonzalez.

Acclaimed Russian animator, Yuri Norstein stopped by the SVA theatre last night, to show his films and have a Q & A with the audience. The animation community here heavily anticipated the evening, and the house was packed. It had been 10 years since Yuri’s last visit. Many well-known NY animators turned out to hear him speak, and it was very inspirational to be listening to such an amazing artist…. Continue Reading

Article by Katie Cropper.

Pardon this review if you’ve already read the thoroughly well written review by Charles Kenny, I’ll try to take another perspective on this one. On Wednesday night, The Children’s International Film Festival hosted a screening night at the Soho House in Hell’s Kitchen. The screening room was small and I happened to be 15 minutes late and missed out on what ended up being the most comfortable leather seats I have ever sat in (for the credits, that is). I digress, sitting on the … Continue Reading