A panelist in last month’s installment of the ongoing Marc Davis Lecture Series–presented by ACM SIGGRAPH and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as the keynote attraction at SIGGRAPH 2013–animation director Henry Selick shared his take on the state of the biz as well as hearkened back to the sources of inspiration that brought him into animation and influenced his style.
Selick’s directorial credits over the years include the stop motion tour de force feature films Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach, as well as Monkeybone, a mix of live action and stop-motion. His stop-motion animation work also took the form of sea creatures in Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou. And Selick most recently served as director, producer, screenwriter and production designer for the Oscar-nominated animated feature Coraline.
Assessing today’s marketplace for animation, Selick observed that it’s both an “incredible” and “the worst time” for animation. The positives include an increased demand for talent as animation storytelling–particularly in features–has become a valued commodity. Additionally, access to tools has enabled new, up-and-coming talent to experiment and hone their craft. And exposure for the work of new artists is now more likely given the reach of the Internet and the emergence of new media outlets.
On the flip side, though, feature film budgets are so high today that “people cannot afford to take risks,” related Selick. “Having to make a blockbuster every time puts an unhealthy pressure on the creators.”
In today’s risk-averse climate, Selick said he couldn’t imagine another Fantasia being made today. Still, he harbors hope that a breakthrough will materialize, prompting studios to see the value of smaller projects and trying to bring more of them to fruition.
Indeed smaller projects have served as sources of inspiration for Selick, influencing his animation. He cited, for example, the Canada Film Board shorts, particularly the work of animation director Caroline Leaf. He mentioned powerful adult stories like Leaf’s The Street as being “dark, more adult, with a sprinkling of humor,” a mix that’s akin to what has become a major part of Selick’s brand of animation. Selick recalled as a youngster being captivated by such work from VFX pioneer Ray Harryhausen as Jason and the Argonauts and The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad. Those stop-motion features made Selick “scared and attracted to monsters in animation” at the same time.
How The Hollywood Awards Calendar Has Been Affected By The Wildfires
Hollywood's awards season has all but come to a rare halt as the wildfires continue to disrupt life and work in the Los Angeles area. There are near daily updates from the Hollywood guilds and organizations that put on awards shows as the industry navigates the ongoing crisis.
Here's an overview of the major upcoming awards shows, from the Oscars to the Grammys, including updated dates for nominations.
Producers Guild and Writers Guild award nominations
Postponed, no new dates announced
The Writers Guild of America nominations were to be announced Jan. 8, a date that was pushed to Jan. 13 and then postponed indefinitely. The Producers Guild of America nominations for feature films were to be announced on Jan. 10, which was pushed to Jan. 12 and then postponed to an unspecified date this week.
Academy Award nominations
Jan. 23
The Oscar nominations have been twice-delayed — they were initially slated for Jan. 17, then Jan. 19, before being delayed again. The delay in the announcement accommodates an extended voting deadline, as many Academy members have been affected by the wildfires.
The nominations will be announced via a "virtual presentation," eschewing press on site.
Critics Choice Awards
Jan. 26
Originally slated for Jan. 12, the awards were set to take place at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, only miles from the Pacific Palisades neighborhood where fire was raging.
The awards will be broadcast live on E!, hosted by Chelsea Handler.
Grammy Awards
Feb. 2
By virtue of announcing their nominations back in November, the Grammys' schedule has largely been unaffected by the wildfires. Some... Read More