Feature Articles

ASIFA-East Team on hiatus til the fall

May 15, 2012
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Tis that time of year again when the team here at ASIFA-East takes a break til the fall.  A huge thank you to all our board members for their hard work and dedication throughout the year, and to all our lovely members who make our organization what it is today.  The aNYmator will still post from time to time as well as our email  newsletter, but just not as frequent.  The events calendar will be updated come the fall.  If there’s a delay in returning an email, it may mean said board member is on a vacation. Stay tuned for drawing class updates as well as traveling sketch group events.  We have a few things in the works and we’ll update here and on FB when we do. Enjoy your summers!!!!!

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Video Footage of ASIFA-East’s 1980 Animation Festival

May 14, 2012
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Video Footage of ASIFA-East’s 1980 Animation Festival

Guest post by Michael Sporn.  This article was originally posted on the Splog. Howard Beckerman brought a DVD of his home movies of he ASIFA East Animation Festival of 1980. (Actually, I think there are two separate years on this video. People are wearing different clothes in the latter half. However, I can’t be sure.) These are the faces of the crowd who came to those wine and cheese gatherings before the awards. Now, you have sandwiches, wine, beer and soda AFTER the awards. It’s still the place to see a large group of the animation cognoscenti in NY. I’ve tried to identify as many people as I can and have printed out some stills to do just that. Here are some people to look for. Here’s the silent video of the Festival celebrities. See if you can identify any of those I missed (and let us know in the comments.)

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Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art Festival

May 2, 2012
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Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art Festival

Article by Tristian Goik. Once or twice, I have heard of people talking about how they ‘got a table’ at the MoCCA Festival. The Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art Festival is a gathering of artists (mostly illustrators) at the Lexington Avenue Armory. Only this year have I been fortunate and intelligent enough to go. It is a large, but manageable convention. The armory is filled with both young and more mature artists, who are manning their tables filled with comics, illustrations, posters, and more. Some of them are eager: smiling over their work with the confidence that they will peak your interest. Others are more extroverted and hand out a flyer or two. Some are more likely just holding the table for the artist in absentia, and fortunately only a few are too emotional to make eye contact. I drifted through this colorful reef of people and emerged with a bag full of paper-swag, which I present to you here. Please keep in mind they are just a fraction of what was available, and try not to over analyze one poor man’s experience and choices… Here are a few fun things I noticed. “The Man with F.E.E.E.T.”  is...

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43rd Annual ASIFA-East Awards Ceremony

April 30, 2012
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Last night, ASIFA-East held its 43rd Annual ASIFA-East Awards Ceremony, a culmination of our 2012 Animated Film Festival in which films are screened throughout the month of March.  The event was held at The New School, in their wonderful Tishman Auditorium, which was followed by a reception upstairs.   Films are entered into the festival among a number of different categories.  These are then screened over the course of a few nights.  Screenings are open to anyone, but only current members of ASIFA-East are eligible to participate in the voting process.  Ballots are anonymous and given to an independent accountant to tally the votes. I always enjoy attending the Awards Ceremony every year – it is a night in which you get to see amazing films across a diverse array of styles and mediums.  Last night was no exception, and I have to say it was a particularly strong showing.  It’s hard to even pick out a favorite because the films were so great.  Linda Beck, our ASIFA-East President, did a great job as host and I am told the ASIFA-East sign fell down at just the right time during her closing remarks!  How fitting.  After the films were...

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And The Winners Are….

April 30, 2012
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The 43rd Annual ASIFA-East Animated Film Festival Awards were held this evening.   Congratulations to all the winners!!!  Expect more posts in the following days documenting the evening but for now, without further adieu, here are the winners!!! BEST IN SHOW John and Joe StoryCorps/Rauch Brothers BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM 1st Place Taxonomy Karen Aqua – Director 2nd Place Two Steven Subotnick – Director 3rd Place Old Man Leah Shore – Director BEST MUSIC VIDEO 1st Place the light that died in my arms Alan Foreman – Director 2nd Place (Baby) It’s You! David Cowles, Jeremy Galante, Brad Pattullo – Directors 3rd Place Le Soleil Chante (The Sun Sings) Delphine Burrus – Director INDEPENDENT FILMS 1st Place Turning A Corner David B. Levy – Director 2nd Place Dr. Breakfast Stephen Neary – Director 3rd Place The First Time Cee-Cee Did Acid Twins are Weird Noelle Melody – Director Joy Vaccese – Producer Excellence in Animation More Than Winning Nick Fox-Gieg – Director Susan Murray – Animator Excellence in Design The Girl and the Fox Base14/Tyler J. Kupferer – Director Excellence in Design Orbis Park Andrew Kaiko Excellence in Soundtrack Car Crash Opera Skip Battaglia – Director Jairo Duarte-Lopez, Michaela Eremiasova –...

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A Chat with Animator Chris Conforti

April 28, 2012
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A Chat with Animator Chris Conforti

Interview by Richard Gorey   Last month I spoke with New York Animator Chris Conforti, whose work I first saw when I guest-lectured in Dave Levy’s “Careers in Animation” class at SVA. At that time Chris was in the throes of finishing his thesis film, and he was zonked for much of my endlessly fascinating lecture. He introduced himself  (and apologized for nodding off) during the break, and I found him to be sincere, dedicated, and very gifted. No wonder Chris was tired that evening. It takes almost everything we have as artists to finish a thesis film…as many of my current students are discovering Chris is very busy these days, too. Unlike many art and film majors, Chris is that rare thing: a working animator (hooray!).  The hours are still long, and animation is a demanding art form, but Chris seems to have landed in all the right places, though the journey was a circuitous one. I recall being charmed by Chris’ thesis film, “Frog” which was fun, funny, engaging and well drawn. Was that the film the opened doors for him? I’m betting several students reading this have been asking themselves, ” How do I get to...

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2012 Blue Sky Studios Summer Internships! Deadline April 30.

April 27, 2012
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2012 Blue Sky Studios Summer Internships! Deadline April 30.

Morning all! We’ve just received word that Blue Sky has expanded its summer internship program to include all of its departments. The deadline to apply is April 30th. I have confirmed that this internship is indeed a paid one.  Kudos to Blue Sky!  It looks like a great program.  So get your applications in before it’s too late! http://blueskystudios.com/content/company-internships.php Did you ever imagine what it may be like to spend the summer working alongside Animation professionals? Here at Blue Sky, our Summer Internship Program offers that and so much more! We have an array of positions available for the summer of 2012. Every department involved in the Internship program has a specific learning module they utilize to make your experience not only entertaining but full of knowledge that you can use in the future. Located in Beautiful Greenwich CT, Blue Sky Studios is just a short 40 minute train ride from NYC! You can literally stay in any environment you want while you are here with us whether it’s an Apple Farm or the Big Apple! The grounds of the Studio offer a serene park like atmosphere with many amenities including picnic tables, basketball courts and hiking trails. Come...

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