VFXWorld covers Shorts

Shorts: Rodriguez Summons Another Kid-Friendly Tall Tale, at VFXWorld.

Michele D’Auria: Honda “The Dream Comes True”

honda-dream
Michele D’Auria’s ambitious mini-bio of Soichiro Honda is full of jewel-toned palettes and beautiful illustrations that relate the genesis of the Honda brand with heart-felt enthusiasm and surprising artistry.

Michele’s approach is anything but literal, using for the enchanted dreamland of young Soichiro’s mind as the film’s stage.

The slow and steady pace of the narrative is punctuated by clever transitions and unexpected camera work. Simone Prisco’s lush, painterly backgrounds are wonderfully offset by the hybrid 2D and 3D animation.

Don’t miss the making-of video on Michele’s site.

Posted on Motionographer

Convey Human Emotions

Escape Studios Nick Savy provides expert guidance on giving your characters convincing facial expressions

Animation Dance Competition

Become the richest and most famous animator on the planet! Lets participate in multibudgetary and international competiton

Un mondo di carta

Curioso e divertente pensare ad un mondo dove ogni cosa è di carta. Ci ha pensato l’agenzia di pubblicità BBDO messicana, la realizzazione è stata curata da Cru De Ladies.. La produzione è durata solo 2 settimane ed i software utilizzati sono stati Nuke, After effects, 3dmax e Photoshop. Buona Visione!

Shift competitions

Last minute call for Shift 2010 Calendar competition and DOTMOV Festival entry

Bif for The Mill: “Dix”

Dix

The Mill’s renowned directing trio, Bif, has conceived a dark and eerie short-film in Dix. Dix, which is French for “ten,” highlights Mark, a tortured man who suffers from an obsessive-compulsive disorder that forbids him from physically stepping on lines beneath his feet. In many ways, the main characters unnerving anxiety is reminiscent of the childhood mantra that, “If you step on a crack, you break your Mother’s back.” Modernized by Bif, the directorial threesome makes certain to inject their own personal flavor, and does so in a way that is both startling and sobering. Indeed, Marks thoughts become so chilling that, when venturing into his psyche, viewers can fully experience the hellish agony of its main character, and witness a ghastly account of his volatile journey to recovery.

With accolades galore, and enough industry awards to shake a stick at, the appeal of Dix comes from it’s harmonious marriage of storytelling and CG. Incubating within the creative hothouse of The Mill, Bif exemplifies a knack for storytelling that is only matched by their technical savvy, and accentuates The Mill’s loyalty to producing non-commercial, and experimental ventures.

Update: Despite coming across this undeniable gem a bit late, we have, after thoughtful consideration, decided to post it, and even upgraded this former Quickie to a Main course. Better late than never! Bon appétit!


Credits
Production: Autour de Minuit
Actors: Ian Faure (Marc), Lucien Momy (Marc as a child) and Alain Choquet (Monsieur X).
Directing Collective: Bif (Jules Janaud, Fabrice Le Nezet and Francois Roisin).
Producer:Nicholas Schmerkin, Autour de Minuit,
Director of photography: Reynald Capurro.
Post production:The Mill, London,
Post producer: Stephen Vennin.
Sound design: John Baptist St Pol at Dune Sound
Sound mix: Guillaume Leriche.
Music: Raphael Martinez-Bachel (Azel).

Posted on Motionographer

Theodore Ushev: Tower Bawher

Motionographer reader Chino tipped us off to “Tower Bawher”, a stirring salute to Russian Constructivism by Théodore Ushev from way back in 2006. The visuals are brilliantly synced to the locomotive music, building an abstract mechano-utopian vision of civilization that’s full of energy but poignantly lacking warmth.

For more excellent work of this caliber, browse the impressive NFB archives.

Posted on Motionographer

100 Years of Special Effects

College Humor posted a pretty cool montage of some of the most iconic visual effects from the last 100 years

Making of Kid

Artist finds a photo of a kid on flickr and decide to create this in 3D to showcase the skills