The 2017 Academy Award nominations are out! Among them are two nominations for LAIKA‘s #OregonMade “Kubo And The Two Strings” – Animated Feature, and Visual Effects!
“Kubo” joined; “Moana”, “My Life as a Zucchini”, “The Red Turtle”, “Zootopia” in the Animated Feature category, and “Deepwater Horizon”, “Doctor Strange”, “Jungle Book” and “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” in the Visual Effects category. Should “Kubo” win each category, Travis Knight and Arianne Sutner would accept for Best Animated Feature, and Steve Emerson ,Oliver Jones, Brian McLean,Brad Schiff would accept for Best Visual Effects. Continue reading... “LAIKA’s “Kubo And The Two Strings” Receives Two Oscar Nominations!”
On Oct 15, 2016, two time Oscar nominee Bill Plympton will appear as a guest speaker at Oregon Cartoon Institute‘s one day symposium UNDERGROUND USA. The following evening he will introduce a program of his short films at the Mission Theater.
UNDERGROUND USA is one day public history/arts education event which focuses on one chapter of Oregon print cartooning history. It was created in partnership with UO Comics & Cartooning Studies and PSU Comic Studies, and with support from Oregon Historical Society. Continue reading... “Bill Plympton Speaks, Oct. 15 & 16, UNDERGROUND USA”
In the spirit of acknowledging our current industry as ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’, its important to note the contributions of Oregon’s first independent filmmakers. Anne Richardson has done an exceptional job of this, sharing her research, most recently in a series of screenings at the Hollywood Theater. (http://midcenturyoregongenius.wordpress.com/)
This Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 5:00 PM, she presents a talk at the U of O Knight Library prior to Dennis Nyback’s presentation of Harry Smith’s “Heaven and Earth Magic” at the Schnitzer Museum at 7:00 PM. Continue reading... “Harry Smith: Oregon Film Pioneer”
http://youtu.be/z3eHd87dx6M
Laika’s third big, stop motion feature, “The Box Trolls” screened out of competition last Sunday at the 71st Venice Film Festival and in theatres later this month, (September 26th).
Based on Alan Snow’s “Here Be Monsters”, the cardboard wearing Boxtrolls live beneath the streets of Cheesborough, only coming up from underground at night to collect items they need to build machines for their underground city. Ben Kinglsey, Elle Fanning, Toni Collette, Jared Harris, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Richard Ayoade all star in feature, with Anthony Stacchi (“Open Season”) and Graham Annabel (story artist on “Coraline” and “ParaNorman“) co-directing, and produced by Travis Knight and David Ichioka. Continue reading... “Laika’s “The Boxtrolls” Screens At 71st Venice Film Festival”
In honor of one of the world’s most accomplished animators, and in recognition of a recent documentary about Oregon creative legend Bill Plympton, the city of Portland proclaims Saturday, May 26, 2012 as “Bill Plympton Day!” The day will be celebrated with screenings of “Adventures in Plymptoons” at the Bagdad Theater on SE Hawthorne in Portland at 3pm and 7pm, preceded by a Bill Plympton-themed street party at 2pm in front of the Bagdad Theater. Filmmakers Alexia Anastasio, Steve Tenhonen, Kevin Shawn Michaels and other special guests will be in attendance.
Continue reading... “City Honors “Bill PlymptonDay!” with Celebration and Screenings at Bagdad Theater”
Portland declares May 26 date “Bill Plympton Day”
The Great NW Film Tour is a new series geared toward independent releases, kicking off at McMenamins Mission Theater on Saturday, May 19
In a partnership with the Oregon Media Production Association (OMPA), McMenamins presents The Great Northwest Film Tour, giving new films a place to be shown, gather momentum and burst out onto the scene. At regular intervals, The Great Northwest Film Tour will host directors, actors and/or producers at our McMenamins hotels and theater-pubs with their latest work – could be a documentary, an action film, animation or beyond. Continue reading... “OMPA and McMenamins’ Great Northwest Film Tour present… “Adventures in Plymptoons!””
The biggest animation festival that Oregon has seen in years is just around the corner. From Beaverton to Beijing, filmmakers have responded to our call, sending in their best work. Even the most seasoned animators on our jury agree: this is going to be something special.
NW Animation Fest 2012
amazing shorts from around the world
SHOWTIMES
7-11pm
Friday, May 18
Saturday, May 19
different program each night
TICKETS
in advance: $12 for one night / $20 for both
at the door: $15 for one night / $25 for both
CLICK HERE to buy tickets
VENUE
Hollywood Theatre – main auditorium
4122 NE Sandy Blvd
Portland, Oregon 97212
HIGHLIGHTS
The 2012 Northwest Animation Festival showcases nearly 60 short films from 15 countries, representing the very best of contemporary animation.
Continue reading... “Northwest Animation Festival, May 18-19 @ the Hollywood Theatre”
The Northwest Film Center’s School of Film is offering HISOTRY OF ANIMATION: A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE this spring.
How has animation shaped cultural sensibilities of different societies? What does the international evolution of animation look like and how did a cultural context define that evolution?
The course will cover these topics and more, registration open now!
HISTORY OF ANIMATION: A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE
Inst: Laura Di Trapani
This informal enrichment class for film lovers and students of cinema (self-appointed or formally enrolled) examines the rich history and evolution of animation from an international perspective, discussing its inventors and innovators and placing a wide range of animators and their works within a cultural context. Continue reading... “History of Animation: A Cultural Perspective”
Whether you’re aware of it or not, you know of Will Vinton. He’s the man who coined and, in 1978, registered the term “claymation” to describe his films’ use of stop-motion animated clay. He’s responsible for some of the most well-recognized ad spokesmen of the twentieth century in this style – the California Raisins and the Red and Yellow M&Ms. He’s won an Oscar and multiple Emmys; all while working from his home base in Portland, Oregon. Continue reading... “An Interview with Will Vinton”
We love to report good news! Oregon Cartoon Institute recently reported that they with receive support from Miller Foundation and Kinsman Foundation for the first project for which had sought funding,The Mel Blanc Project. The Project officially begins on June 8, with the first lecture: “Now Cut That Out!”: Portland Theaters Educate Mel Blanc.
Oregon Cartoon Institute is a consortium of individuals and organizations working together to raise awareness of Oregon’s rich animation and cartooning history. Five organizations created the Mel Blanc Project: Oregon Cartoon Institute, Oregon Jewish Museum, Ethos Music Center, Oregon Historical Society and PSU’s School of Fine and Performing Arts. Continue reading... “Oregon Cartoon Institute Launches Mel Blanc Project”
In a partnership with the Oregon Media Production Association (OMPA), McMenamins presents The Great Northwest Film Tour, giving new films a place to be shown, gather momentum and burst out onto the scene. At regular intervals, The Great Northwest Film Tour will host directors, actors and/or producers at our McMenamins hotels and theater-pubs with their latest work – could be a documentary, an action film, animation or beyond. 
The Northwest Film Center’s School of Film is offering 
