Events

Last weekend the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens hosted several screenings and signings with the talented and hard working Bill Plympton.

Saturday and Sunday, 6/4 and 6/5, they'll be presenting the remarkable Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Earlier this year that same institutional showed Martha Colburn's latest installation.

Martha will be given a program at 8 PM on Saturday at Anthology Film Archives.

This will include live accompaniment of piano and percussion and more.  The percussionist also plays with the neo-skiffle combo "Deerhoof" who, I understand, the kids like.

And if moving pictures are too much for you (and who can blame you, not me, for sure) - R. Sikoryak will bring his oft-imitated, inimitable Carousel to The Brick Theater in Brooklyn at 9 PM on Saturday.

This appears to be part of something called "The Comic Book Theater Festival".  The website doesn't give a direct html link to the page but it's an easy click from their home page.

And tonight (with rebroadcasts this week) PBS' Need To Know will air our "Ant and Grasshopper" film we made with Roz Chast for the second time.

Check local listings!

About Last Night

Yesterday afternoon I was telling Christina she should read Signe Baumane's blog, and she countered with a story of how Signe introduced her to PES at Patrick Smith's Christmas party when she was interning at Blend Films.

Signe pulled her over, gushing about what a great job she working on Bill Plympton's "Hair High" and graciously made the introduction.

Anyhow, the point is that Signe is amongst the friendliest, hardest working and (seriously) smartest people in animation.  She gave a presentation of several of her films at The Society of Illustrators last night.

She frames her presentation, like many of her films, with dispassionate talk about sex.

She says: "They say 'sex sells'.  It's not true, sex doesn't sell.  What sells is porn and I don't do porn."

Other pieces of wisdom:

"That's a problem.  I studied philosophy so I can justify whatever shit I make."

On virginity (probably applicable to her films): "You do it fast, or you don't do it at all."

On autobiographic "truth" in her films: "What is the truth?  What is reality? I'm interested in the story."

The screenings concluded with a brief (two or three minutes) excerpt from her current feature length film in production.  She's partially funded it by papier mache sculptures, partially with grants from NYSCA and the Jerome Foundation and is currently creeping towards her goal.

The excerpt demonstrated an integration of papier mache models with draw characters -a little reminiscent of "When the Wind Blows" visually.  There wasn't enough context or development within the sequence to make any statements on narrative.

New York Stuff

There are some weeks in New York when you can fill your social calendar with animation events.

The first of a few good ones was last night at SVA.  Frank Mouris presented some of his films under the auspices of ASIFA-East and Women in Animation.

Also this week, Tale at Galapagos in DUMBO on Thursday.  I haven't been to Galapagos (in any incarnation) since they were assholes to us on the shoot for Dr. Worm around 1999 but if you don't hold grudges over unwarranted professional hassles you should attend what looks to be an interesting show.

Then Friday, Patrick Smith is showing his new film at the 93rd Street Y in Tribeca.

Frank Mouris' talk reminded us how animated film, at one time, was closely connected to experimental film.  A short could have festival success, community acclaim and an appeal to the avant garde.

Kentridge Mania Running Wild

Years ago, at The Ink Tank, we produced two segments for a USA Networks pilot called Kid Show.  That pilot didn't get picked up but eventually it transformed in MTV2's Wonder Showzen (which we had nothing to do with).  In the pilot, a sock puppet went around terrorizing doormen and people on the street -this was shot just before Robert Smigel's "Triumph the Insult Dog" hit big.

For all the foul language and viscous haranguing the puppet produced, no one would ever address the person operating it people always talked to the puppet.

At some point viewers forget that Bugs Bunny is a bunch of drawings, we even forget that he's a rabbit.  We're looking at an actor, a man on the run, someone we know.

arts [greater than] World Financial Center: they said themselves

In keeping with New York City's unofficial "Year of William Kentridge" several of his works play with live accompaniment at The World Financial Center.  One performance last night, one tonight.

Quickly the audience forgets that we're looking at animation (the high-fallutin' kin to cartoons), we are looking at art just the same as a  Chelsea gallery or Fifth Avenue museum.

Tribeca crowd, decent turnout despite the horrible service at Starbucks

The film setting puts Kentridge's work in a different light.  In a gallery, they run on loops.  The visitor enters in the middle, sits with the piece for a while then moves on.  Even if one sits with a piece for a full cycle,  the understanding and the relationship to the work is held in this context.

From a Felix and Soho film, an image beautiful and profound

The Felix and Soho films, in particular, take on new appeal.  In addition, the music (composed by Phillip Miller, performed by Ensemble Pi) is terrific -especially the three or four vocal pieces.

All the greats have a little Steinberg in them

The screening runs about 70 minutes and starts at 8 PM tonight.

Tonight Only!

This evening R. O. Blechman and R. Sikoryak will be discussing their new books at The Strand.

I haven't seen R. O.'s yet, but its been in the works for a long time and I'm greatly looking forward to it. ORDER HERE We spoke briefly on Wednesday, he's still fiddling with the presentation -although this time his publisher hasn't yet shown him the slides.



As he told me this, I was reminded of his retrospective in Ottawa in 2002. We had planned it out weeks ahead -I had lobbied to include more "classic" work: Sesame Street films, "Abraham & Isaac" (with a great soundtrack by Pete Seeger), "The Emperor's New Armor", etc. R. O. did concede a few, ultimately showing "The Medical Dilemma" a 4:00 film for CBS which showcased some top notch Ed Smith animation and agreeing to show his 4:00 opening to the never produced "Golden Ass" (also featuring incredible work INCREDIBLE work by Ed Smith). I don't remember how the program finally played out, I do remember sitting in the back of the theater when Chris Robinson approached incredulous that R. O. was in the projection booth re-arranging the show moments before curtain.

The talk begins at 7:00 PM. The Strand is on Broadway at 12th Street.

I'll post some of the stuff Sikoryak has helped us out on in the next few days.