Stopover: Animation by Neil Stubbings

I like this fast-paced and funny little cartoon about a driving emergency in outer space. The characters are expressive and silly. The ‘I have to pee urgently’ walk is hysterical. The computer animation has that nice cartoony/drawn look that always catches my eye. Neil Stubbings directed the film for LeMob Animation.  Via Neatorama.

How Walt Disney Cartoons Are Made: 1939 Documentary Film

Here’s a wonderful glimpse into the animation techniques that were pioneering at the time of Disney’s first feature-length animation, ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.’ You get to see some shots of Snow White being drawn and photographed, sound effects being recorded, and people arriving at the premiere. You also get a good dose of the Disney sexism in which all women who work on a film are referred to as ‘pretty girls.’ It’s basically an advertisement for the film, but it’s a good one.

 

Light Up: Animation by Aveline Stoquart and David Duvieusart

‘Light Up’ is a short animation by Aveline Stoquart and David Duvieusart.  Students at the Haute École Albert Jacquard in Namur, Belgium also worked on the film.   A girl who is into astronomy lives in a totally starless world. One evening she sees something new and gets into her little flying machine to investigate. I love the scene in the little plane. It’s a very simple charming little story, gently told and well-animated.

 

1955 Urban Renewal Animation: Man of Action

In 1955 The American Council to Improve Our Neighborhoods produced this animation to encourage people to get together and work hard to rebuild and clean up impoverished neighborhoods and slums. Its focus on individual effort, painting old garage doors, and forming groups seems hopelessly naive, but it does at least make an effort to encourage people. The production actually has quite an impressive audio track and I think that’s Ray Walston voicing the Devil. The film calls itself: ‘a film dedicated to the purpose of better living in homes and neighborhoods for… All Americans.’

100 Year Old Little Nemo Animation by Winsor McCay

The Los Angeles Times’ Hero Complex blog has a post about Winsor McCay’s early animation efforts from 100 years ago. This is a film that features the cartoonist impressing his skeptical artist friends with moving characters from his great comic strip, Little Nemo in Slumberland.

The actual Nemo animation starts at the 8:15 mark.  Enjoy!

Thanks to Short of the Week for the tip.