Short Animation - The Terrible Thing of Alpha-9 (2009)

Directed by Jake Armstrong, visit his blog.

Everybody love presents

New Year is almost here, it's time to get in the festive mood, with all the songs and gifts, as suitable for the spirit of the season.



This video was created by the team behind Moldavian animated film Gypsy, that I've already mentioned before with two funny video segments they did. Now they released third special segment just for New Year's Eve celebration.
Visit their production blog (English version available) for more details, or this user on Vimeo to see the actual working process on animation.

Short Animation - Speed (1980)

Amazing what can be achieved with just simple drawing of lines and colors, and of course with fantastic soundtrack. This is classic anime by independent animator Taku Furukawa, that I've never heard of before. He created many short films over the years, some are very abstract and experimental, and they all seem to be in such minimalistic and very basic, child-like style of hand drawing. The film is described as "chronology of human progress, or the lack of it".



There was a DVD release in 1998, with compilation of his works. You can read this very informative article about it, with reviews and analysis of his films.
Taku Fukurawa also has active website and blog.

Short Animation - Golden Island (2008)

I am having some troubles to collect solid info about these guys, it's all in Chinese and even the link to their official website is not working for me, but it seems that they are China based animation studio named TINKID, relatively new. They are creating flash animation for commercials and TV, and have plans to make bigger projects.
I saw this short and immediately loved it for its cool visual style. I couldn't find it as video in good quality, so I have this embedded Shockwave, hope it works. It may take a while to load, but it's worth it.



In case the video is not working, head to their Chinese blog, with more info and other works, to see it in other format.

Short Animation - The TV Show (2009)

This video is pretty much storming the web right now. I am glad to join the club.



Created by animator Sugimoto Kousuke, remember that name, that I see only bright future for him. Visit his website to see his other works and appreciate his style.

Short Animation - Snow Blood (2008)

Shady Oaks

As part of the promotion for DVD sales of Pixar's Up, some folks at the studio created this simple short animation about George and A.J, two Shady Oaks caretakers that came to pick Mr. Fredricksen, and what happened to them in the week after the incident.

Short Animation - Even Pigeons Go to Heaven (2007)

Short animated film that was nominated for Oscar in 2008.



Visit director's website to see more of his works.

Short Animation - Knight Fever (2009)

Love the music and character's design. So funny.

Music Video - Lion's Den by The Nextmen (2009)

Cool music video for the song "Lion's Den", by The Nextmen featuring Ms. Dynamite



The video was created by Kenny Frankland of Tinspider Studio.

Short Animation - Wail to God (2009)

Short Animation - The Flower (2008)

One of the directors, Dale Hayward, has a nice and a bit naughty blog. Feel free to visit it and get impressed.

Animation Projects # 5

First, is computer animated TV series, called Yans! Gans! It is series of short episodes, set in New York in the future, when plants and dinosaurs have overrun the city. Yans and Gans are carnivorous dinosaurs who spend their days scaring and hunting down the herbivore creatures, not always with desired results. The series starts its broadcast in Japan at upcoming Friday, and the first episode already available on their youtube channel for some time.
This is very funny cartoon, very representable for crazy style of Japanese animation and design, and it even features amusing pop culture references that familiar to international audience as well.



More animation projects - below.

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Moldavian cinema is not really known internationally, they did number of films long time ago when Moldova was still part of Soviet Union, but I am not sure if they have serious film industry right now. They do try to create some animation in there, and here is an example for that.
This 3D full length animated film is called Gypsy, and it's about, yes, the gypsies. Favorite subject of Emir Kusturica's films, with their travel wagons and uplifting folk music, is getting animation treatment.

A band of the gypsies are walking along Basarabia [Area between Romania and Moldova]. Unexpectedly the horse of the main character dies, and he has to buckle down to the covered wagon were his family is because he has to follow the entire band. He is carrying the covered wagon all around the hills, it is really hot in spite of all obstacles.
During night’s lodging, after an exhausting day, the tired gypsy is hearing from the oak wood neighing of a horse and decides to steel the horse.

The film is currently in production, and as it is very common in case with independent filmmakers, they don't have money to work on it steadily. But they don't have plans to give up either, and as they say it's a matter of pride for them to complete the movie.
In the meantime two segments were released, that are not part of the film, but feature the characters and the animation style of the future film. I must admit, it looks very good and absolutely charming.





More details, characters designs and work stages you can find at the production blog, which has English version as well.

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Next is short animated film Sherlock Holmes and Dr.Watson 2, created by Russian animator Alexander Bubnov. It is a sequel to his previous short, about the famous duo, from 2005, and it was so popular all around the world, that he decided to make another one. The work on the film is still in progress, Bubnov and his team are slowly working to complete it, raising money in between. They even addressed to all the people that loved the first film and asked them to donate as much as they can.
More details about the film, including some sketches, beginning of the script and interviews with animators can be found at this website. There is also two blogs for the film, Bubnov's personal blog and production blog, but all of them are in Russian.

The first film from 2005 you can see below in two parts and with accurate English subtitles. It is very amusing and funny short with great imagination and unexpected turn of events.

Short Animation - Monsieur COK (2008)

Watch this great award winning short animation, translated as Mister COK. I like the sapient WWI retro look and the steampunk style, very cool visuals in this one.



Official website - here.

Short animation - The Cat Piano (2009)

Much deeper voice would be probably better for narration in this one, but it's mostly the visual side of film noir that important here.



More about the film, including concept art, at production blog of the film.

Short animation - Isabelle au bois dormant (2007)

Known also as Sleeping Betty, this short animation is sharp, clever and brilliant. It reminds me a little of Terry Gilliam's works for Monty Python and Bill Plympton as well, with similar technique of distorting the familiar and presenting it with unexpected results. Great and imaginative stuff, one of the best animated films I've seen.



More about the film, including short video how it was done - at the official website.

Short Animation - Tower Bawher (2006)

Here is short description of the film as it appears at the website of National Film Board of Canada, that actually produced it:

Tower Bawher is like a whirlwind tour of Russian constructivist art, and filmmaker Theodore Ushev pays homage to the movement with cascading, energetic animation. Constructivism was born out of the Russian Revolution of 1917, and Tower Bawher is filled with visual references to artists of the era (including Vertov, Stenberg, Rodchenko, Lissitsky and Popova), who saw their art as being in the service of the people. The work of these artists was a key part of the cultural landscape in Ushev's native Bulgaria. Over the same stirring Georgy Sviridov music that opened the Soviet regime's nightly newscast in the 1970s, Ushev highlights line, form and dynamic rhythms in place of volume and static mass. The title of the film is an allusion to constructivist architect Vladimir Tatlin's tower, conceived in homage to the glory of the proletariat. Drawing on the tower's design, the movement in the film draws us continually upwards towards a utopian summit. But in the end, all of the grandiose, futuristic forms that point to a glowing future wind up crashing under the weight of ideology. In Tower Bawher Ushev celebrates the genius of constructivist artists, while also offering a scathing commentary on art in the service of ideology. A film without words.

The energetic music piece, called Time, Forward!, was composed by Georgy Sviridov in mid 60's, as a theme to the Soviet movie by the same name. Something about lives of a workers building a new factory, trying to finish the work ahead of scheduled time, and ready to work non-stop in the name of Revolution and for the glory of USSR. As title indicates, it's all about progress and moving strong into the bright future, which according to that time, was socialistic.
Later, the music became among most recognizable in Soviet Union, because it became the background theme for the opening intro of main news broadcast, coincidentally called Time as well.

Just to show you example of Russian constructivist art, the style that inspired this short film, here is couple of examples.

Short Animation - Bar Fight (2006)

Short Animation - The Kingdom of Cats (2007)

This is very unique and impressive Russian short animated film with Japanese art design. English subtitles are available, and if subtitles don't appear from the start, go to the rightmost option and press CC in the menu to display them.

Short Animation - Frog (2004)

A little bizarre and disgusting, yet very funny cartoon.