Not content with keeping ourselves busy with the deludge of mail and animations to trawl through, we also decided that this year not only would our web page get a whole new look – it would also get a whole new home so we’ve moved sites and servers.

So now we have a new home to decorate, make coffee in and talk about all things Flip.Please visit www.flipfestival.co.uk for your regular updates from the Flip team.

www.flipfestival.co.uk

Steph xxx

So pop those films in the post in the next couple of days if you want the chance for your film to be in the Open Shorts section in November. I look forward to getting your film…

Nick

A paper Kudan for you to cut out and keep!

In other news, the Best of Flip 2009 starts soon with the first showing on the 15th July at Light House Media Centre, Wolverhampton. It will take place between 6:30 and 9:30.

The official text for the event states:

‘This evening’s event, run in conjunction with Animation Forum West Midlands, includes a packed programme. Beginning with a screening of the best of FLIP 2009, a 35 mins programme of award winning films from across the world. This is followed by a screening and talk from Light House Animator in Residence Drew Roper. Drew just finished his first commercial commission in between stints on The Fantastic Mr. Fox and Tim Burtons’ new Disney production. Drew will show his 3.5 min stop motion short and the sets and puppet will be on display. Finally, there will be the official launch of this year’s Great Animation Challenge, which is very much like last year’s but with an exciting twist – not to be missed. All this and networking and drinks supplied courtesy of Animation Forum West Midlands.’

To reserve a place for Best of Flip ’09 or to find out more information, contact info@light-house.co.uk

So we hope to see you there.

Nick

The complete animation will explain an alternative history to denim – how the Americans stole the idea from right here in the Midlands.

With the voice of “Johnny Roper” being supplied by Mark Williams, Star of The Fast Show, ‘Harry Potter and 101 Dalmatians, to name but a few, this short clip shows Drew’s work in progress….

Drew has asked us to point out that this is a rough draft render of the scene so it doesn’t portray the correct quality or correct ‘happenings’ within the scene regarding the edit – but personally I think its pretty smart as it is!

Steph x

/Film’s tag line – blogging the reel world, should hint at what they write about, they cover pretty much anything film and cinema related and hence cover a fair bit about animated features and events too.

Today they have a video of an interview with Jeffrey Katzenberg the Head of Animation over at Dream Works;

Katzenberg talks about his Disney years, being fired by Michael Eisner, the formation of DreamWorks, 3D filmmaking, Avatar, his response to Roger Ebert, the future of cinema and downfall of DVD, the failure of DreamWorks, the future of DreamWorks Animation, movies as shared events, a respect for time, his experiences in politics.

Head over to see the  interview at slashfilm.com

Steph xx

With a tag line that reads…

Sometime you find yourself in a place that you just can’t explain and quite often it can be a little bit worrying.This animated short tells of one such occasion as our hero tries to express his feelings in the only way he can…via the medium of song.

…I just had to share it with you.

You can read about the making of Dry Fish over on Andy’s blog www.andymartin.onfo/blog

Steph xxx

Since it’s release in November last year, ‘Panic Attack’ has gone viral on YouTube with nearly 6million hits and last landed Alvarez “a seven-figure deal to direct a $30 million feature for Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Pictures”.

Read the full interview with him about this as yet untitled project here.

Nick

I’m Nick and I’m the new Research Assistant for FLIP. Today I was asked to do a quick interview with Light House’s resident animator Drew Roper and find out what he’s currently up to.

NP – So what are you working on right now?

DR – I’m making a stop motion animation for a local fashion brand, Luke, and explaining their history of denim. It’s a stop motion animation so it’s made with puppets, sets and a camera, rather than on a computer or by drawing.

NP – Okay. So what’s the story then?

DR – It starts off with a guy in a pub back in the 1800s who claims he is the creator of denim, but because he was a grafter and in the pub a lot, people didn’t believe him. Basically he was a foundry worker in the Black Country, they would tend to get burnt from the hot smelt and so they needed to create a thicker material, hence denim. It then goes on to say that the Americans stole the idea, hence why it was massive in America… ‘cause of the jeans…and the cowboys…when really it was created by a guy called Serge de Nîmes who was French. Then Luke claims that he’s brought it back in 1977, as this is all about [the brand] Luke 1977, and him bringing back his heritage of when his ancestor created it… it’s his old gimmick, it’s not true, it’s a tale but it’s quite cool how he’s gone about telling it.

NP – Oh right, I’m guessing you’re really busy at the moment then?

DR – There’s a lot of work involved and at the moment I’m working on the dialogue. This would normally have been done weeks ago however we’ve been waiting for a famous voice artist, comedian and actor to do the voice, which he has now done and is brilliant. And so at the minute I’m drafting at what frame and at what point I need to move his mouth, so it’s mainly lip-synching at the moment. That’s week one of production.

NP – Okay that sounds cool. So who’s the famous voice artist you’ve got?

DR – Mark Williams, the actor, who is from The Fast Show and is Arthur Weasley in the Harry Potter films…I had the privilege of working with him last week and so now I’m just lip-synching his voice.

NP – Fantastic! So have you got anything else in the pipeline right now?

DR – I’m working part of this weekend and then on Sunday I’m going down to London for the week as I’m working on the new Walt Disney/Tim Burton film…the new puppet film where I’ll be helping to set up the puppet hospital which is where they make and repair their puppets and do mass productions of them. There’s another company that makes the puppets called Mackinnon and Saunders and they send down all their moulds for everything so then they can just remake those in the hospital. This saves Mackinnon and Saunders doing it. So I’ll be helping set up that and then I might be able to set up a test shot. So it’s a lot of running, shifting and lifting but it’s for a week and it’s easing my name out there and it’s hopefully going to give me a better opportunity of getting a job at the end of this, when this should be finished…the 30^th June, so I’ve got 7 weeks, well 6 weeks because of the Tim Burton thing.

NP – Wow…yeah that sounds like a great opportunity. So it’s nonstop then?

DR – There’s a lot of work to do, but I can do it. Yeah! So after next week, I’ll be starting to shoot and animate and hopefully have it finished by the end of June.

NP – Great. Thanks for your time; I’ll let you get back to work.

You can find out more about Drew and his animation at www.yamination.com.

Look out for more posts about Drew or other animated goings on from myself or any of the others involved in FLIP in the coming weeks.

Nick

Luckily US Photographer/Cinematographer Sean Steigemeier wasn’t as caught up with the state of the UK electoral system as those with cameras closer to home. He spent 4 days travelling to Iceland to put together the most beautiful time lapse video.

Just watching this film makes me even more determined to get over to Iceland with my own camera one day – Unless of course someone wants to pay for me to go sooner – I’ll pay you back by baking cookies?

Steph xxx