Why I Love François Truffaut

Not only did Truffaut have a deep love for artists and great art, he believed in everyone's capacity for great art. Here are a few inspiring quotes from his fantastic book The Films in My Life. (Image from Truffaut's Les Quatre cents coups also known as The 400 Blows.)

"Today, I demand that a film express either the joy of making cinema or the agony of making cinema. I am not at all interested in anything in between; I am not interested in all those films that do not pulse." -François Truffaut

"People of the world are so imbued with their own stupidity that they can never believe that one of their own has talent. They appreciate only people of letters who are not of their world." -Marcel Proust

"Bad reviews preserve an [artist] better than alcohol preserves a piece of fruit." -Jean Paulhan

Wes Anderson Does American Express

For some, Wes' style of filmmaking is an aquired taste. Others simply just don't like (or get) him. However, I'm a big fan hence making the highlight of the 2007 Oscars his American Express commercial.
(PS: Those who are fans of Wes' work can find his original, 13-minute short film "Bottle Rocket" here on YouTube.)

Brad Bird Podcast

I thought you guys might like this. (Thank you, Spline Doctors!)
53-minute podcast interview with Brad Bird.

Azur et Asmar

Michel Ocelot's newest animated feature looks fantastically interesting. It's unknown whether it'll be released theatrically or straight to DVD, but it is coming to the U.S... eventually. You can read reviews of it at The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. (Both loved it, incidentally.)

Official Site
"Azur et Asmar" trailer (downloadable MP4)
Teaser (downloadable Quicktime)

Terry Gilliam goes commercial?

Gilliam made these ads in 2002 for Nike's "Scorpion Knockout Campaign."

Ad #1: "The Secret Tournament"


Ad #2: "The Rematch"

Great Quote

"A man who works with his hands is a laborer; a man who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman; but a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist."
-Louis Nizer, English Lawyer

From the Vaults

Here are some older pieces I did for my thesis. Some are studies, a couple are test designs, and a few are just some quick scribbles on napkins drawn while bored at work.

Great Site for Reference

From Animation Podcast:

"On a little break I came across these clips that I just had to share. Each and every one of them is a goldmine of reference, containing those juicy moments that would challenge any animator. They’re clips of people discovering how to play the new Nintendo Wii. They are put in this room and given the controllers with no instruction. The range of emotions is beautiful to watch, and many times I found myself smiling as much as the people on screen. I hope you’re as captivated as I am by their expressions, body language, and reactions to their discoveries.

I found myself so immediately engaged in watching these people and it reminded me of the Freddy Moore quote from The Illusion of Life:

'They love to see the drawings move and the characters think! Remember that! It’s what they like to see in our scenes. It’s what they liked with Fergy’s Pluto, you know. We should always let them see the characters think!'

It’s also an ingenious bit of advertising to not focus on the graphics and tech, but on the people enjoying the game. Isn’t that what really matters anyhow? What a great way to sell the darned things."

Click HERE to watch and study.

A Sneek Peek