VVooll.. 33 IIssssuuee 55 AAuugguusstt 11999988 AAssiiaann AAnniimmaattiioonn aanndd CCoommppuutteerr AAnniimmaattiioonn Malaysia(cid:213)s Kampung Boy Vilppu Life Affordable CG Drawing Set-Ups r t o p Profiles: India, R e a l c i China and Vietnam p e S 8 9 H (cid:212) P A R G G S I e h T s : u Cardiff, Zagreb & Singapore P l Festivals Reviewed T C ABLE OF ONTENTS AUGUST1998 VOL.3 NO.5 4 Editor’s Notebook Old countries are learning new tricks... 6 Letters:[email protected] 7 Dig This! Metrovision puts cinema in reverse. 8 ASIAN ANIMATION 9 Ram Mohan and RM-USL:India’s Change Agents of Animation 9 Dr. John A. Lent puts Ram Mohan and his new company RM-USL into perspective as India enters a new phase of development. 13 China-The Awakening Giant:Animation and Broadcasting in the Mainland 9 Milt Vallas takes us inside China to understand this giant and its current bid for the world’s attention. 18 Emerging Vietnam 1 Animation production is springing up in Vietnam. Anne Aghion and John Merson tell us about it. COMPUTER ANIMATION 22 Small Studio/Home Studio:An Overview of Low-End Computer Aided Animation Choices T Michelle Klein-Häss describes the hardware and software we need to start either a 2-D or 3-D affordable CG animation studio at home. S OTHER 29 Here’s A How de doDiary:May U How is Barry Purves getting on with his Channel 4 production? Find out in this month’s installment. 33 ASIFA’s Next Step Michel Ocelot relates the latest ASIFA International developments regarding ASIFA’s new relationship to G festivals. THE STUDENT CORNER U 34 Vilppu Drawing Online:Spherical Forms Glenn Vilppu continues his world-class life drawing lessons. This month the focus is on Spherical Forms. A FESTIVALS,EVENTS: SIGGRAPH ‘98:Special Report A multi-media co-production of Animation World Magazineand Visual Magic Magazine, AWN’s SIG- GRAPH ‘98 Special Report feature articles, news, reviews, product announcements and a special “compa- ny profile” section. Highlights include a survey of women in the computer graphics industry, an educa- tion spotlight on SIGGRAPH courses and panels, an update on the SIGGRAPH documentary in progress and a special selection of Quicktime video clips of animated films showcased in this year’s Computer Ani- mation Festival and Electronic Theater. AWN’s SIGGRAPH ‘98 Special Report will be available exclusively on the Internet on the AWN web site. © Animation World Network 1998. All rights reserved. No part of the periodical may be reproduced without the consent of Animation World Network. ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE August 1998 2 T C ABLE OF ONTENTS AUGUST1998 VOL.3 NO.5 37 Cardiff:A Difficult Year to Be Any Festival Heather Kenyon relates the events from Cardiff, Wales, an educational festival full of panel discussions and lectures with many bright spots, despite the rain. 41 Zagreb ‘98:Better Than Ever! The artists’ festival...Gunnar Strøm tells us about the 13th World Festival of Animated Films in Zagreb, Croatia. 8 44 Singapore Animation Fiesta ‘98 Singapore’s Animation Fiesta is making a unique place for itself after just two events. Mark Langer describes this exciting newcomer. 9 47 Members of the Fastest Growing Industry Meet Up in the Big Apple:The Return of the Licensing Show! Deborah Reber relates the latest animated merchandising trends straight from New York’s Licensing Show. 9 FILMS: 50 Azimuth :Get Those Red/Green Glasses—3-D Has Made It to Tape! 1 Judith Cockman reviews Staceyjoy Elkin’s Azimuth, a stereoscopic, 3-D computer animated film. BOOKS: 52 The Animated Film Collector’s Guide:David Kilmer’s Odyssey A tool to find almost any animated short in the world, David Kilmer’s long-awaited The Animated Film T Collector’s Guideis reviewed by Emru Townsend. HIDDEN TREASURES S 54 The Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum:A Cultural Monument Jackie Leger takes us to the outskirts of Osaka, Japan to visit the museum dedicated to Osamu Tezuka, Japan’s revered father of manga. U NEWS G 57 Animation World News Fox Invests In Ciné-Groupe, Oscar Rules Out TV Series As Shorts, DreamWorks Ups The Ante and more. 72 On A Desert Island With....Asian Animators U Ram Mohan and Frank Saperstein. AWN COMICS A 73 Dirdy Birdy by John R. Dilworth 74 Next Issue’s Highlights 8 This Month’s Contributors Cover:Kampung Boyis a new animated series about a youngster in Malaysia, designed by the cartoon- ist, Lat. An international co-production between the Philippine Animation Studios in Manila, broadcaster ASTRO in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and U.S. distributor Matinee Entertainment, Kampung Boyis an inter- national co-production in the truest sense of the word. The show was recently screened at the Singa- pore Animation Fiesta and will be showcased this month at the Hiroshima Animation Festival in Japan. Cover image and Quicktime movie © 1998 Matinee Entertainment. © Animation World Network 1998. All rights reserved. No part of the periodical may be reproduced without the consent of Animation World Network. ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE August 1998 3 by Heather Kenyon Old countries are learning new In the past, in terms tricks... of large commercial produc- tions, Asian studios have T he dog days of August are done the labor-intensive bringing another exciting work, primarily layout issue of Animation World through camera, while all Magazine. This month we are tak- design work, voice record- ing a look at Animation in Asia and ing, color keying, scripting, Computer Animation. We are spot- storyboarding and post pro- lighting three up-and-coming duction were done in either Asian animation-producing coun- the North American or Euro- tries: China, India and Vietnam. pean home studio. Perhaps Plus, in honor of SIGGRAPH, we this tide is turning. Will we are also issuing our first magazine see Asia nibbling at the pro- supplement in conjunction with duction steps that were cus- Visual Magic Magazine. The SIG- tomarily seen as processes GRAPH `98 Special Report will be that needed to be complet- on-line on August 11, 1998. ed on home turf? Asian pro- it is expanding the animation Asia continues to become ducers have certainly made it clear industry throughout Asia. Three more and more sophisticated in its that they are ready for the next countries currently preparing to production capabilities. Japan, a step and are developing their own make bids at the big time are world leader in producing animat- shows and shopping them at the India, Vietnam and China. ed footage, has brought the art to markets. On such series they will I am hoping Asian, Ameri- a new level, plus has manga and naturally be doing all of the pro- can and European studios can animation so integrated into its duction. Yes, the tide is turning work more closely on intelligent culture that, as Jackie Leger and Asia is trying to change from co-productions, bringing fresh, reports, Osamu Tezuka is regarded strictly a production house to a new Asian properties to our mar- as a national hero. Korean and creative player on the global mar- ketplace. These ancient cultures Philippine studios are continually ket scene. have spawned fascinating tales innovating with new technology In Asia, however, there are that I am sure would have global and expanding facilities. Many levels of preparedness for this new appeal. How many more times large Asian studios now have role. Japan, Korea, the Philippines can European and North Ameri- offices in Los Angeles in order to and Taiwan are the current lead- can audiences see re-hashes of the facilitate the animation process ers, having had an active anima- same old standard fairy tales and between North America and Asia. tion industry fostered by importing legends? Why, if children all over Indeed, Korean studio Rough work. In fact, one hears stories of the world can understand U.S. Draft performed quite a coup by work being so plentiful, that stu- programming, can U.S. children setting up a sister studio in Los dios in these countries farm it out not understand programming Angeles and snatching the high- through the back door to places from other regions? Kampung Boy profile, new Matt Groening series, like Bali, Malaysia and other grow- is such an example. This bright, Futurama, away from U.S. main- ing Asian animation countries. lively cartoon not only features stay Film Roman. Could this be the While this might get domestic pro- universal story lines, like children dawning of a new trend? duction managers hopping mad, being afraid to pass a certain ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE August 1998 4 locale, but might even be more Overview of Low-End Computer A certain bright spot for us interesting as it shows how Aided Animation Choices.” This all this summer has been Disney’s Malyasian children dress, eat and incredible how-to article should be Mulan.Mulanhas proven that yes, sleep. This is a “fresh, new enough to start you on your com- audiences will still watch an ani- approach,” we just need someone puter animating way, whether mated film if the story, music and to be brave enough to take it. you prefer 2-D or 3-D. We are also design are good. This summer has In this issue, beyond the highlighting a film by a true trail- been marked by films that are sup- SIGGRAPH `98 Special Report, we blazer Staceyjoy Elkin. Her film posed to be huge, but turn out to are also touching on computer Azimuth is the first anaglyph, be little. No film, not even films like animation. Michelle Klein-Häss has computer-generated animation to The Truman Show, which did well put her mass of acquired knowl- make it to tape. So dig through with critics and audiences alike, edge to the test by putting togeth- your junk drawer, pull out a pair of are showing any legs or staying er “Small Studio/Home Studio: An those funky 3-D glasses and enjoy! power. Could the leggiest picture of the summer be Mulan, a tradi- tional animated feature? Holly- wood, big effects blockbusters CCAARREEEERR take a step back! The success of Mulan has not only brightened the faces of our jaded children, CCOONNNNEECCTTIIOONNSS but has also made a lot of folks in feature animation breath a sigh of relief. Maybe this market can sup- Animation World Network’s port all of these films, maybe the production houses will all keep recruiting section offers free postings going—provided the films they and access to artist resumes produce have good stories, taste as well as recruitment advertisements and break the mold, even if just a little. ““TThhee rreeccrruuiittiinngg ssiittee I’d also like to send a special thanks to David Kilmer, who has rreeaacchheess tthhoouussaannddss ooff aarrttiissttss helped me meet a long term debt ffrroomm aallll ddiisscciipplliinneess,, qquuiicckkllyy to one of my brother’s best friends. It is amazing how easy it is to find aanndd eeffffiicciieennttllyy.. AAWWNN a rare animated short or two, if you just know where to look and cceerrttaaiinnllyy lliivveess uupp ttoo iittss who to call to order it. Within five nnaammee wwoorrlldd--wwiiddee..”” minutes, I had located the titles, the supplier and was on the --MMaacchhii TTaannttiilllloo phone to make my purchase. DDiirreeccttoorr ooff MMTTVV AAnniimmaattiioonn Thank you David for your Animat- ed Film Collector’s Guide ! It is a life saver...or at least a useful tool in - R ECRUIT TOP TALENT resolving bets. AT A FRACTION OF Until Next Time... THE COST OF PRINT ADVERTISING Heather www.awn.com/career ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE August 1998 5 [email protected] An Animated Detail Sincerely, just shows how much the market In response to: The Anime Pierre Colin-Thibert has hit bottom. Most American “Porn” Market (Patten 3.4) Writer for animated children’s comic art, in trying to combine The New York Times did series, as well as many radio and Japanese manga and some badly not describe Doraemon as scantily television screenplays. drawn exaggerated fan looking clad. They were referring to Vision- art style, fail in achieving the ary by U-Jin, which had a genuine We have heard from Ani- effect. It has flash, but like vio- scantily clad female android from mation World Magazine readers lence, one can become desensi- the future named Doreimon. Of around the world in support of tized to that flash. I guess this is course, it was a reference to the Tibor Clerdouet, Yvan West Lau- just one symptom of the fast food kid’s show, but it wasn’t a kid’s rence and Cedric Littardi. M. Littar- culture of America. show itself. di is still seeking letters of support I believe many animators to use in his trial. should be doing comics because Sincerely, they have great knowledge of Ken Arromdee The State of Visual Narrative In pacing and visualizing. I’ve Film And Comics enjoyed Bruce Timm’s and Brad In Support of Littardi I totally and emphatically Rader’s comic book work because In response to: Littardi 3.4 agree with Peter Chung’s assess- they offer a great deal of addition- Though working in the ani- ment of “The State of Visual Narra- al material unknown to the reader. mation field and living in France, I tive In Film And Comics” (Chung was not aware of M. Littardi’s prob- 2.4) especially where comics are Sincerely, lems. I do agree that this trial concerned. These days I purchase Neil A. Hansen sends us back to the dark ages of comics solely for the artwork (and “Pétainism.” [Editor’s Note: Pétain at that, I have to be extremely P.S. I want Peter to try out a was the right-wing temporary choosy) because the stories are so series of graphic novels featuring a president of France during Ger- bad. The last comic book I thor- heroine named Kelly Green by many’s WWII occupation of the oughly enjoyed was Batman Leonard Starr and Stan Drake. country.] Wasn’t law 49-956 edict- Adventures: Mad Love by Paul These fast-paced adventures ed by Vichy’s government? France Dini and Bruce Timm. It was very opened my eyes to really good is supposed to be the champion of fast paced, but told its story purely writing and illustration. Even the ‘droit d’auteur,’ which includes through pictures and dialogue. It though they are out of print, they the right of writing and publishing was actually good! Unfortunately, are worth the hunt. freely. As far as I can see, Anime- DC Adventures Comics are the Land is not exactly Mein Kampf ! best ones to read because they fol- This trial is a shame as far as free- low a show that translates the dom of expression and the press is super-heroic medium very well. concerned. Besides, any child can However, whenever they throw in Note: Readers may contact any switch on the television and see a thought balloon, I’m automati- Animation World Magazinecon- people dying on the 20h news, or cally annoyed. tributor by sending an e-mail to copulating in a show 30 minutes In addition, comics creators later. All of this sounds like sheer are now out for the loot and are [email protected]. hypocrisy. Animation for adults sometimes getting it. Look at must exist. McFarlane’s Spawn, a highly over- rated, dark comic book. It’s out- selling Marvel and DC titles! That ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE August 1998 6 DDiigg TThhiiss!! MMeettrroovviissiioonn PPuuttss CCiinneemmaa iinn RReevveerrssee by Wendy Jackson P ersistence of vision is the phe- nomenon that enables us to see motion pictures—a rapid succession of still frames—as a continuous reality. Cinema has been designed on this phenome- non, and we have constructed the idea of a cinematic experience being one in which we, the view- er, sit still while images pass before our eyes. What if we were to keep the images still and move the peo- ple instead? This illustration demonstrates the set-up of the Metrovision system.Image courtesy of What If? Optek S.A. What if we were to keep lizes many of the same optics prin- per hour up to 60 Km per hour the images still and move the peo- ciples discovered by pioneers in averages 10 to 20 meters or pan- ple instead? This is the thought the 19th century who developed els per second.” that motivated a group of engi- optical toys such as zoetropes and What may seem like a sim- neers, artists and scientists in Santi- phenakistoscopes. Metrovision, in ple idea actually took years of ago, Chile, to develop a system fact, could be described as a sort research, development and test- that literally reverses the cinematic of “human zoetrope.” As the train ing. “We can positively say that experience as we know it. Enrique moves, it passes a series of still ours is not a trivial solution. There Vial, a civil engineer with the images outside, at the passengers’ are others that have worked in Catholic University of Chile, and eye level. similar areas, but their solutions Dr. Miguel Lagos, a physicist with have not yet been practical in the University of Chile, formed a The Metrovision system uti- regards to both the physical phe- company called Optek S.A. in lizes many of the same optics nomena and economic feasibility,” 1993, sharing space with Vial’s principles discovered by pio- said Vial. He added, “We believe animation studio, Cineanimadores neers in the 19th century... that this project would not have S.A. Five years later, they have been possible ten years ago,” cit- patented “Metrovision,” a system Vial explains: “On the tun- ing that recent advances in com- which enables passengers on a nel walls we place panels, approx- puterized, numerically controlled moving train to view animation as imately 900mm long by 600mm machines, computational soft- they pass through tunnels. high and 100 mm deep. The clar- ware, techniques for graphic ity of the animated images applications and the development But How? depend on the train speed; 30 Km of new optical plastics materials The Metrovision system uti- ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE August 1998 7 ANIMATION WORLD NETWORK 6525 Sunset Blvd., Garden Suite 10 Hollywood, CA 90028 Phone: 213.468.2554 Fax: 213.464.5914 Email: [email protected] Close-up of a lenticular panel.Image courtesy of Optek S.A. were of capital importance for the commercial purposes but also for success of Metrovision. artistic means. [email protected] PUBLISHER Ron Diamond, President How Much? Dan Sarto, Chief Operating Officer Although the system has EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Wendy Jackson is associate editor been temporarily installed in the Heather Kenyon of Animation World Magazine. Chilean subway for testing, Metro- ASSOCIATE EDITOR Wendy Jackson vision has not yet been perma- EDITORIAL INTERN nently installed in a public transit Katie Mason system. The advertising agency J. CONTRIBUTORS: Note: Readers may contact any Walter Thompson has assessed Anne Aghion Animation World Magazinecon- the system’s use for advertising Judith Cockman tributor by sending an e-mail to purposes, and has come up with a Michelle Klein-Häss [email protected]. pricing plan that would permit Wendy Jackson investment recovery for advertisers Heather Kenyon in a few months. Mark Langer Jackie Leger We believe that this project What else should we dig? Every Dr.John A.Lent would not have been possible month, Animation World Maga- John Merson Michel Ocelot ten years ago - Enrique Vial. zine will highlight the most inter- Barry Purves esting, exciting happenings in ani- Deborah Reber “We are now negotiating mation, in “Dig This!” Send us your Gunnar Strøm with an important foreign subway, ideas, suggestions, videos, prod- Emru Townsend which we expect to conclude ucts or works-in-progress today. Milt Vallas nicely, so soon we should be able You dig? Glenn Vilppu to start this as a business.” Vial OPERATIONS concluded, “We are completely Editor Annick Teninge, General Manager sure that once we are in one sub- Animation World Magazine WEBMASTER way, we will immediately be ‘in 6525 Sunset Blvd. Garden Suite Ged Bauer the market.’” 10 DESIGN/LAYOUT: Ged Bauer The possibilities to expand Hollywood, CA 90028 U.S.A. ADVERTISING SALES animation to new venues is excit- E-mail: [email protected]. North America:Dan Sarto ing. Hopefully, systems like Metro- Germany:Thomas Basgier vision can be used not only for UK:Alan Smith ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE August 1998 8 Ram Mohan and RM-USL: India(cid:213)s Change Agents of Animation By Dr. John A. Lent I ndia has produced animation training to production. Its first attempted bigger works, foreign sporadically for 83 years and assignment is an animated fea- collaboration was sought. He steadily for more than half that ture, Bagmati. The demise of the gave me an example: “When we time, facts that are general- three-year-old course left the took up Meena for UNICEF in ly buried beneath the National Institute of Design in 1992, we had a staff of 20-25 hoopla given the popular Ahmedabad as the sole for- artists and we felt we did not have and gargantuan feature mal animation training cen- the capacity to handle production film industry. ter. of all 13 episodes.” Thus, many This relative early episodes were designed and obscurity may be storyboarded by Ram Mohan Bio- about to change graphics, but animated at Fil-Car- as foreign anima- toons in Manila. tion houses move To ensure a continuous further into Asia to flow of talent, RM-USL recruits mine inexpensive artists from the finest art schools labor pools, as Indi- and then provides them with in- an television channels R M - U S L — house animation training; first proliferate and demand India’s Top Studio through a six- to eight-week pro- large chunks of program- Foremost among gram for newcomers who join at ming, and as domestic stu- Indian animation houses entry level as in-betweeners, and dios and training centers open in size, longevity, and then in an ongoing series of cours- up to serve these and other quality of work is RM-USL es in advanced animation for needs. Animation, established in upgrading clean-up artists to the Mumbai (Bombay), India’s April 1997, when Ram animator’s level. Hollywood, is home to most ani- Mohan Biographics formed a mation studios, although a few partnership with United Studios One of RM-USL’s immediate others have operated elsewhere in Ltd., India’s leading post-produc- accomplishments was the Hyderabad, Madras, and New tion studio. President of the com- strengthening of its personnel Delhi. Silvertoon and Creat Com- pany and animation guru, Ram pool,which was increased from munications, both in Mumbai, are Mohan said the purpose of the 30 to 120 in one year. engaged primarily in subcontract merger was to build a facility with work for U.S., French, and British enough space (about 5,000 The added space, equip- studios, using digital ink and paint square feet) and equipment (13 ment, and personnel allow RM- and compositing system. Silver- Animo work stations) to handle USL to operate at four levels, toon’s current project is a feature large volume work, mainly for according to Mohan: “[a] high production of Hanuman, a Hindu export. quality animation for commercials, mythological character. The pro- One of RM-USL’s immediate for which we have a separate ject was commissioned by an Eng- accomplishments was the team of animators, [b] high-end lish producer. Crest Communica- strengthening of its personnel animation on subcontract for stu- tions, whose forte is 3-D CGI, pro- pool, which was increased from dios in Los Angeles, [c] low-end, duces pilots for Los Angeles stu- 30 to 120 in one year. Mohan said low-budget, limited animation dios. Drawing on its pool of about that before 1997, staff shortages shows for local and Asian spon- 100 alumni, the Zee Institute of limited Ram Mohan Biographics sors, and [d] in-house productions Creative Arts (ZICA) in Myderbad, mainly to the production of short which RM-USL will try and market recently switched from animation commercials, and when the firm on its own.” ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE August 1998 9 When I interviewed him July 10, 1993, Mohan was optimistic about the future of animation, pointing out that of 15 studios in India, already three or four were computerized, that a three-year diploma course in ani- mation was in the works for the Film and Television Institute in Pune, and that initial contacts with foreign animation clients had materialized. He said, “If we had assurance that studios abroad would send work here, we would have to train anima- tors and get more space. I’d start with 100 animators.” To Mohan, using relatively inexpensive Indi- RM-USL’s cast of characters.Courtesy of Ram Mohan. an labor to process overseas ani- After one year of the part- capacity to work on the total con- mation was not exploitative: “From nership, RM-USL’s production cept, from visualization to post- the Indian perspective, to do ani- record is rather impressive. The production, handling customized mation for Hollywood is an oppor- studio has designed, animated, projects and meeting deadlines tunity for young people to find a and post-produced three 12- with high-quality work at competi- career. There are very few chances minute episodes of Meena for tive quotes. For example, the for artists and this would open up UNICEF (South Asia), focusing on Meenaepisodes had a total bud- a large area of employment.” the girl child of South Asia; ani- get (excluding language dub- Reiterating several times mated one 16-minute episode of bings) of U.S. $60,000 each, the the problems incurred by a lack of Sara for UNICEF (East and South- Sara episode, U.S. $90,000 trained animators and working ern Africa), dealing with the prob- (including production, post-pro- space, he cited instances where lem of the African adolescent girl; duction, and dubbing in three lan- jobs were lost because studios animated, on subcontract, two guages), and the Adventures of could not deliver work on time. 24-minute episodes of Adventure Oliver Twist episodes, U.S. Mohan also saw Modi Entertain- of Oliver Twist for Saban Interna- $60,000 each. Mohan admits the ment’s dubbing of Disney anima- tional, and started pre-production latter price in rather low, but said tion into Hindu for Doordadshan work on a 13-part serial of 24 min- the work gave RM-USL the “oppor- television as a potential problem, utes each, called Jo Killat, for Sin- tunity to be measured, in terms of since it could minimize chances for gapore Television. The latter, co- quality, against other Asian com- local animators. However, he was produced with UTVI of Singapore, petitors.” quick to point out the advantages is one of several collaborations of Disney’s presence, especially the Mohan has had with foreign com- From the Indian perspective, building of interest for animation panies. In the early 1990s, he co- to do animation for Hollywood training of Indians in the Disney produced with Nippon Ramayana is an opportunity for young style. He concluded that all in all, Films and producer Yugo Sako, people to find a career.- Ram local animation would not suffer The Legend of Rama, a 135- Mohan because “in all the years that Dis- minute, award-winning animated ney was not here, animation still feature. He and Sako are now dis- did not grow.” cussing the possibility of co-pro- Animator Ram Mohan’s Visions A science graduate, Mohan ducing Krishna, another feature Some of Mohan’s long-held began his career in 1956, when based on Indian mythology. aspirations have been realized he joined the governmental Film RM-USL takes pride in its with the establishment of RM-USL. Division, then in the process of ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE August 1998 10