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By Jake Friedman

Dean Yeagle has been animating and designing for decades, from licensed characters to his own creations. His work can be seen from Bugs Bunny to Playboy magazine, and his sketchbooks, including that of the sexy character dubbed “Mandy,” are a trove of quality draftsmanship. He was also assigned the unique task to revitalize a 65-year-old Disney property in the World War II-era comic book, “Return of the Gremlins,” for Dark Horse Comics. Look for it on the shelves.

Recently I had the chance to talk to Dean about his rise to success, the Gremlins project, and his sexy pin-ups.

Let’s start with your background. What was your first job?

I started working in Philadelephia – that’s where I’m from. It was a tiny company called “Animation Arts Incorporated” and it had some very good people working there. They were able to teach me some stuff that I might not have been able to learn going cold into a place like Disney, being pegged into one job or another. I got to do a little bit of everything.

Then I had to go into the service during Viet Nam; I was in the navy. After that my wife and I moved to New York. For the first seven years I worked at Zander’s Animation Parlour as a designer and animator and eventually a director. Jack Zander was a great animator of the old Tom & Jerry cartoons; he recently celebrated his 99th birthday. Afterwards I opened my own company called “Caged Beagle Productions” with Nancy Beiman and Daryl Cagle. Nancy is a great animator who worked for Disney and is now teaching in Rochester New York. Daryl is editor of the MSNBC editorial cartoon site now. And as of 2006 I’m living in Southern California.

(Read the article)

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Artists Band Together to Fight Restrictions on Street Photography
http://www.picturenewyork.org

“Picture New York” Formed In Response to Mayor’s Plans to Limit Cameras

YouTube “Video Public Comments” to be Submitted to Mayor’s Office

NEW YORK CITY: Picture New York WITHOUT pictures of New York. In one of the most photographed cities in the world, photographers and filmmakers, both professional and amateur, would be shut down by proposed regulations making it illegal for them to film or tape in NYC without a permit and a million dollars of insurance.

An overnight, massive grassroots fight against these proposed regulations has sprung up under the name ‘Picture New York.’ Fighting back with YouTube videos, petitions, handwritten letters, a website, Flickr space and a rally and press conference this Friday in Union Square, this ad-hoc group of working artists, photographers and filmmakers vow to stop the regulations going into effect as scheduled in September from the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting (MOFTB).

Albert Maysles, Patti Smith, Michael Stipe, and Amy Arbus are among the celebrated artists who have already signed on to demand the MOFTB extend the period of public comment, currently ending August 3, and eliminate the proposed regulations.

Jem Cohen, the critically-acclaimed filmmaker whose alarmed e-mail prompted an initial meeting of concerned filmmakers, says, “Because street photography is, by its very nature, inextricably born out of free and random movement through the city, street photographers cannot know exactly where and when they intend to work, or for how long. One cannot regulate an art form or activity by negating its very premise. The proposed rules, in refusing to recognize the spontaneity which is at the core of street photography, are untenable for that reason alone.” (Read the article)

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Occasionally we get messages that there are jobs available. You may post your offering here. Please post ONLY jobs related to animation.

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On July 11, StoryMakers Studio brings several of the biggest names in the cartoon world to the Grauman’s Chinese Theatres Complex in Hollywood: celebrated author, film critic and cartoon buff Leonard Maltin, six-time Emmy® Award winning cartoon producer Phil Roman, and voice actors June Foray (“Woody Woodpecker,” “Rocky and Bullwinkle,” Disney’s “Mulan”), Maurice LaMarche (“Futurama, “Animaniacs,” “Pinky and the Brain”) and Billy West (“The New Woody Woodpecker Show,” “Ren & Stimpy,” “Futurama”).

“We wouldn’t be surprised if these voice artists spent part of the evening talking as the characters they’re so well known for,” said Ronn Campbell, StoryMakers Studio’s executive producer.

“Here’s the best thing. You can enjoy this event whether you’re in Los Angeles or NOT,” Campbell adds. “In fact, we already have people from Europe and Asia reserving their viewing passes at
http://www.StoryMakersStudio.com/woodywoodpecker”

In addition, everyone who signs up to watch the Woody Woodpecker event has a choice of eBooks that are of interest to anyone who currently works in animation; wants to work in animation; or is simply an animation fan.

“When the word got out that we were doing this event, animation professionals and fans from all over the world started contacting us, asking for a way they could enjoy our Woody Woodpecker event,” said series host and confessed cartoon fan Gordon Meyer. “We’re delighted that we can make this available to them.”

Details of the event including how cartoon fans can enjoy StoryMakers Studio’s Salute to Woody Woodpecker and Walter Lantz, can be found at:

http://www.storymakersstudio.com/woodywoodpecker/

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Though he is not directly in the animation industry he has touched a lot of animators at the school which he fought so hard to start. The founder of School of Visual Arts, Silas H. Rhodes, died at 91 last Wednesday.

Here is a really good obituary about his life which includes everything from working on the early Tarzan comic strip to his run in with Senator McCarthy when he was going around claiming people were Communists. Very interesting life.

NY Times Obituary

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by Rob Kohr

It’s a rare thing these days to find traditional animation in American theaters. Unlike their Japanese counterparts, theaters in the US are fraught with 3d eye candy pumped out by studios that will as soon as capture the movements of an actor and then throw them up on the screen and call that animation instead of ACTUALLY doing animation. True, there was a day when Ralph Bakshi was using live action video to make “American Pop”, but that was different, the hand of the animator still came through.

“Paprika” is the latest jaunt in animation from Satoshi Kon. Kon is well known for his psychological thrillers such as “Perfect Blue” and the television show “Paranoia Agent” as well as more subdued films such as “Millenium Actress” and “Tokyo Godfathers”. Not since “Perfect Blue” has Kon played with the ideas of psychological trauma and distress. In fact “Paprika” takes it to a new level.

29 year old Dr. Atsuko Chiba is a research psychotherapist whose work on a powerful new psychotherapy devise known as the “DC-MINI” allows her to enter into people’s dreams, as her alter ego named Paprika, and synchronize with their unconscious to help uncover the source of their anxiety or neurosis. It is believed that someone is manipulating the machines has a more evil purpose. The DC MINI is being used to destroy people’s minds and merge reality and fantasy.

Art Director, Nobutaka Ike, who has worked with Kon on all his past films brought forth really solid character designs that contrasted the world of reality and the dream world. For instance Dr. Atsuko Chiba is a very solidly realistic character, while her dream self Paprika is very solidly anime looking.

(Read the article)

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“Animation Takes on the World (Wide Web)”

May, 2002
The future of East Coast animation is here… and it is as accessible to the animator as his or her computer. Just the click of a mouse takes an amateur, student, or professional animator all to one new, yet prominent name in animation: Animators Unite, Inc.!

Animators Unite, Inc. is a non-profit corporation aimed at improving the future of East Coast animation via an Internet-based community of services and support. Using information, current events, news, and promotional services as a vehicle, Animators Unite, Inc appeals to both the aspiring student animator and professional alike. Membership to the web site (www.animatorsunite.org) is free to all. This site offers a wealth of discussion boards, a free newsletter, an online film gallery of members’work, animation news, upcoming local and national events, as well as local and national job postings. The only requirements for membership are an active email address and a love of animation!

A board of local New York City artists leads animators Unite, Inc.: Robert Kohr, Celia Bullwinkel, and Grace Koleczko. Through their hard work and perseverance, Animators Unite, Inc. continues to grow tremendously towards its goal of connecting animators on both a local and national level. From the School of Visual Arts (where the Animators Unite, Inc. was conceived) to the surrounding communities of New York City (where it continues to thrive today), Animators Unite, Inc. is growing through its web site — reaching students, teachers, and local artists. It was announced in January of this year that Animators Unite, Inc. received a very generous grant from the Visual Arts Foundation, which is diligently applied to improving the web site and increasing web participation.

Participation within the web community is vital to Animators Unite, Inc., as it exists for the animator to display and discuss his and her work, as well as to see what his and her peers are producing. One of its primary goals is to provide an excellent promotional service to all artists with animated films. Currently several thesis films by SVA 2001 alumni are available for viewing by visiting the “Film” section of AnimatorsUnite.com. These include Mike Pappa’s The Elite, James Ross’ The Metronome Heart, Celia Bullwinkel’s The Rammellzee Three, Chris McDonnell’s Sketch Modern, and Michael Blank’s Waldemar. Also available is Michl Banks’ Face (2000), and Rob Kohr and Rich Browd’s The Malicious Pizza Guy (1999).

Those with animated films should submit inquires to films@animatorsunite.com to have their film shown on the Animators Unite, Inc. web site. It is the intent of Animators Unite, Inc. to host film competitions in the near future — check the web site often for new films and details!

Also coming soon to the Animators Unite, Inc. web site… a memorial to the late Chuck Jones. Animators Unite, Inc. is currently building an online tribute to the late animation genius, which will include the life story of Mr. Jones and a message board where visitors can leave tributes. Highlighted in the memorial is a ten minute filmed interview with Chuck Jones by Charlie Rose from 1994. Animators Unite, Inc. is only a click away — the future of East Coast animation is at www.animatorsunite.org . It is a virtual headquarters of all things animation!

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