The Film Society of Lincoln Center Presents – $9.99, a new film by Tatia Rosenthal

March 17, 2009
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The Film Society of Lincoln Center Presents – $9.99, a new film by Tatia Rosenthal

Based on the Short Stories of Etgar Keret, and adapted for the screen by Etgar Keret and Director Tatia Rosenthal, $9.99 is a stop motion animated feature which offers slightly less than $10 worth about the meaning of life. An astonishing work of stop-motion animation, $9.99 is both visually compelling and timely in its exploration of urban disillusionment and dreams deferred. March 29th – 7pm, Museum of Modern Art, Titus Theater 1 April 1st – 9pm, Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center MoMA The Museum of Modern Art 11 West 53 Street, (bet. Fifth and Sixth Aves) NYC www.moma.org Walter Reade Theater Film Society of Lincoln Center 165 West 65th St. (Bet. B’way & Amsterdam) Upper Level NYC www.filmlinc.com

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New York's Vibrant Animation History – It All Started Here: Part 2

March 10, 2009
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New York's Vibrant Animation History – It All Started Here: Part 2

Today we bring you Part Two of Richard Gorey’s review of the It All Started Here exhibition, brought to you by Howard Beckerman and J. J. Sedelmaier. It All Started Here: Part 2 Review by Richard Gorey. It All Started Here took up two levels of gallery space. The first floor, dominated by a life-sized cutout of Gertie the Dinosaur, was dedicated to the storyboards and designs of the classic theatrical cartoons. Further back were examples of TV ads from the fifties: work that kept many New York studios in the black during that time, when theatrical shorts became largely extinct. Visitors got a chance to see art and the final spots from the famous “Bert and Harry” Piel’s Beer ads, a sampling of some of the UPA films and television spots from the same era, and the work of artists like Jules Feiffer, whose social satire Munro was represented by the complete rough storyboards, on a wall dedicated to these charming sketches. The gallery’s vault (a novel and distinctive element of the former bank’s aesthetic appeal) opened to a series of projected commercials and short films created on Madison Avenue. Co-curator Sedelmaier’s work, including the series of ribald...

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New York's Vibrant Animation History – It All Started Here: Part 1

March 9, 2009
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Today we bring you Part One of Richard Gorey’s wonderful review of the retrospective of NY’s Animation History last month, brought to you by Howard Beckerman and J. J. Sedelmaier. Stay tuned tomorrow, for Part 2. It All Started Here: Part 1 Review by Richard Gorey. Howard Beckerman, co-curator of the Westchester Arts Center’s animation exhibit, recently told me, “I’ve always said the two best-kept secrets of world War II were the development of the Atom Bomb and that Animation began–and was still being produced–in New York, not just California.” Last month, Beckerman and animation producer J.J. Sedelmaier helped to spread the word about one of these “best kept secrets” in their White Plains gallery show It All Started Here, a retrospective of New York animation over the last century. The show championed the creativity, individuality, and uniquely “East Coast” personality of the work featured, but It All Started Here also served as an instructional tour through the specifics of traditional, hand-drawn animation production. A diverse sampling of commercial and independent New York films were represented, but the Westchester Arts gallery featured everything from tools, cameras, light boxes, projectors, desks, paints and even the computers instrumental in designing, storyboarding...

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Dicko's Cartoon Riff Raff Wrap Up

March 7, 2009
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Article written by Elliot Cowan. A good fifty folks crammed into the back room of Matchless Bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn for a really jolly evening of animation. There was a great energy in the room and the films for the most part reflected that. Perhaps one fed the other… Below are the films in competition and links to view them. Richard, who arranged and programmed the evening, also included clips of his own crazy work and included some episodes of Superjail. The blood and disemboweling whipped the crowd into a frenzy. Richard also played some films by his pal Chris Prynoski that balanced out the plasma and unleashed brains of Superjail with images of bottoms and feces. All bodily functions were covered, and some cartoons were covered with bodily functions. The clear winner of the evening was a music video by an incredibly talented gal called Abbey Luck who made an amazing stop motion extravaganza. It was very gratifying to see the crowd choose a film that showcases animation as a craft, rather than as amusing entertainment. Hooray for Abbey. Go watch her films and give her lots of money to do more. Among the winners were several ASIFA...

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Update to ASIFA-East Jury Screenings

March 7, 2009
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Update to ASIFA-East Jury Screenings

ASIFA-East Jury Screening Reschedule! No – nothing’s cancelled, just moved around a bit to accommodate the number of submissions in certain categories. All screenings at 6:30pm – Admission: FREE! TUESDAY, MARCH 10 – Student Films (3rd fl. amphitheatre) THURSDAY, MARCH 12 – Commercials/Sponsored under 2 min AND Sponsored over 2 min (3rd fl. amphitheatre) WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18 - Independent Films PART 1 (5th fl, rm. 502) THURSDAY, MARCH 19 – Independent Films PART 2 (5th fl, rm. 502) ALL SCREENINGS AT SVA School Of Visual Arts 209 East 23rd Street (Bet. 2nd & 3rd Ave) NYC * See dates for room locations * A note from Linda Beck, Membership Secretary: Please fill out your renewal or join forms ahead of time if you intend to renew at the Jury Screenings which start next week!   You can download the form here. Only paid up ASIFA-East members will be allowed to vote. ALSO remember to bring your check or cash with you. We have access to a dangerous Aussie who I will damage you if we deem it necessary.

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Sita Sings the Blues

March 4, 2009
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Sita Sings the Blues

If you haven’t had a chance to see NY Animator Nina Paley’s Sita Sings the Blues, fear not!  It is now available for viewing and download on Reel 13, PBS New York.  It will also be having its NY Broadcast Premiere this Saturday, March 7 at 10:45pm on PBS. “Sita is a goddess separated from her beloved Lord and husband Rama. Nina is an animator whose husband moves to India, then dumps her by e-mail. Three hilarious shadow puppets narrate both ancient tragedy and modern comedy in this beautifully animated interpretation of the Indian epic Ramayana. Set to the 1920’s jazz vocals of Annette Hanshaw, Sita Sings the Blues earns its tagline as “The Greatest Break-Up Story Ever Told”.” Click here to watch Sita Sings the Blues. And please do donate a little something to PBS for bringing this movie to the masses. UPDATE:  Please visit the Sita Sings the Blues web site, where you will find links and information to share this film.  From her site: “I hereby give Sita Sings the Blues to you. Like all culture, it belongs to you already, but I am making it explicit with a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License. Please distribute,...

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NY International Children's Film Festival

March 1, 2009
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NY International Children's Film Festival

Article written by Dayna Gonzalez. One of my favorite film festivals is hitting New York City theatres with wonderful films from around the world.  From February 27 – March 15, 2009, the New York International Children’s Film Festival presents animated, live action and experimental shorts and features from around the world along with retrospectives, filmmaker Q&As, and workshops.   A few animated films will have their US premieres here, and it’s a rare and sweet treat to see them on the big screen.  A number of NY based animators are often featured at this festival and a few have gone on to win awards. The audience is full of very excited children and parents, who get a chance not only to enjoy not-often seen films, but also to participate in the voting process.  At each of the short film screenings, audience members are handed voting ballots and tiny yellow pencils, and asked to rate each film.  You’ll often hear little children yelling out “I loved it!” “Eh, that was so-so”, “Oh I hated that one!  It was so short!”  Their exclamations are really hilarious to hear.  Of course, a few tantrums and crying fits are always thrown in for good...

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Super Jail Panel Discussion Video

February 28, 2009
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ASIFA East presents: An evening with the creators of Super Jail. moderated by: Dan Meth Panel: Christy Karacus (creator, director, the voice of Alice), Stephen Warbrick (co-creator, editor), Britt Myers (sound designer), and Richard Mather (the voice of the Twins). Thursday, February 19th, 2009

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12th Brooklyn International Film Festival: June 5-14, 2009

February 27, 2009
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FILM SUBMISSION DEADLINE Categories: Feature, Documentary, Short, Experimental, Animation Awards: $80,000 in services, products, and cash. Final Deadline: March 16, 2009 (posted by) Film Festival Dates: June 5-14, 2009 Click for more info or to submit.

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40th Annual ASIFA-East Animation Festival and Jury Screenings

February 26, 2009
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40th Annual ASIFA-East Animation Festival and Jury Screenings

The 40th Annual ASIFA-East Animation Festival will be held on Sunday, May 3rd, 2009.  There’s still time to get your submissions in!   Films are due Monday March 2nd.   Entry forms can be found here. ASIFA-East Presents – Jury Screenings for ASIFA-East’s 40th Annual Animation Festival! Only up-to-date ASIFA-East members may vote in the jury screenings, but it is possible to join or renew a membership that evening. Non members are welcome to attend, but will not be allowed to vote.  Join ASIFA now. All screenings at 6:30pm – Admission: FREE! TUESDAY, MARCH 10 – Student Films (3rd fl. amphitheatre) THURSDAY, MARCH 12 – Commercials/Sponsored under 2 min (3rd fl. amphitheatre) WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18 – Sponsored over 2 min (5th fl, rm. 502) THURSDAY, MARCH 19 – Independent Films (5th fl, rm. 502) SVA School Of Visual Arts 209 East 23rd Street (Bet. 2nd & 3rd Ave) NYC * See dates for room locations *

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Super Jail holds ASIFA captive!

February 23, 2009
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Super Jail holds ASIFA captive!

Article by Sam Marlow. On Thursday, February 19th, the creators of “Super Jail” got together at The School of Visual Arts to give insight about their first season. The panel was moderated by animator Dan Meth, and the guests included Christy Karacus (creator, director, the voice of Alice), Stephen Warbrick (co-creator, editor), Britt Myers (sound designer), and Richard Mather (the voice of the Twins). “Lets get this party started… in my pants.” Said Richard, in the voice of his character. Christy Karacus explained the origins of his collaboration for Super Jail. In the 1990′s, Karacus worked at MTV doing background designs for Daria. At the time, MTV was proposing to commission animated shorts for a program called Labs. In 1999 Christy and Stephen collaborated on a short film called “Bar Fight”. In the similar style of Super Jail, bar flies find themselves erupted in violence for 4 minutes. After its completion, MTV shelved it, along with the rest of their animated shorts program. Karacus and Warbrick made copies of it on VHS, as passed it around. Without success from Bar Fight and not animating for three years, claimed Christy, he moved on with Warbrick to create Super Jail. They...

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Additional report and photos from Comic Con

February 13, 2009
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Please visit Jared Deal’s Blog for another look at the Comic Conference.  It’s chock full of fun photographs of the action going on at their booth.

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