ASIFA CENTRAL ANIMATION RETREAT - GRAND RAPIDS, AUGUST 11 12

COMING SOON TO A WEALTHY STREET THEATER NEAR YOU! 

(ok, it's near you if you get to Grand Rapids, but keep reading!)
last update: Sunday 12:20 am, 12 August 2018

Connecting animators to animators! Celebrating the Art of Animation! Activities for ASIFA members include a hands-on animation workshop, multiple screenings and an animator’s picnic. An evening animation screening will be open to the public.

Events will be held August 11-12, Saturday & Sunday, at the Community Media Center, 1110 Wealthy Street, Grand Rapids, MI. You are welcome to come, join, network, and delve into animation.

- We gather Saturday morning at 11:00 am. Brad Yarhouse, ASIFA Central President will then officially welcome folks and open the events. New members welcome! Come and join our group, and stay for the weekend.

- Join the animating workshop, noon - 3:00 pm, where we will have several animating stations to undertake a short joint project. Try your hand at various techniques, such as using sand, silhouette or 2D sketching! (Bring along your favorite supplies, if you wish.)

- From 3:00 - 5:00 pm (or so), it's "Show and Tell" - SEE the wonderful animation YOU helped to create at the workshop! BRING and SHOW your own projects you are working on right now! HEAR the wonderful stories, gasps of appreciation, and praises as we share our techniques and passions! We will Premiere the new ASIFA/Central Ani-Jam, inspired by the International Animation Day poster for 2018! For "Show and Tell" entries contact Jim Middleton at jim.middletonrx@gmail.com

- Then, it is time for dinner! Wonderful food emporia are located conveniently to the Retreat.

- 7:00 - 8:30 pm (or so): More animation! Bridging the past to the present, Chuck Wilson will present the amazing silhouette work of Lotte Reiniger, animation pioneer. Following, will be the Best of the Ottawa Animation Festival, celebrating new international animation curated by the top animation festival in North America. This inspiring screening is open to the public, bring a friend.

- Folks are invited to reconvene Sunday morning 11:00 am, for chatting, mingling, and our annual picnic. This event asks for a $5 participation fee to help cover costs. Picnic location will be at the north end of Riverside Park in Grand Rapids, near the Veteran's home on Monroe. The ASIFA Central Retreat then concludes around 2:00 pm.  There may be cake!

Retreat limited to ASIFA and CMC members only. Memberships available on site.

For more information you can reply to this post or contact Steve Leeper at steve@jsleeper.com

"Show and Tell" section on August 11 - thus far:

ASIFA CENTRAL “SHOW AND TELL” for August 11, 2018
3-4:30pm

Time Presenter                 Topic
3:00         Jim Middleton         Photoshopping Anijammery
3:15         Chris DeWitt         New member, new film
3:30         Dylan Shay         New member (the sequel), and film with friend
3:45         Chris Sagovac Drawn Film Project - 16mm analog experience!
4:00         Mackenzie Mayo Something Amazing This Way Comes
4:15         Lindsay Moore Pen Droppings and Inkish Behavior
4:30         Wrap up discussion (buffer time to 4:45 and next retreat production)

Times may be adjusted for content and space, in either direction!

Be ready to answer some questions -
1. Did you have a particular self-imposed restriction on this project (were you only going to use a specific software, this project being your self-grown tutorial)?
2. What technology(ies) did you use?  (Hardware, software, tablets, lighting systems)
3. What turned out to be your biggest challenge in this production (music rights? Software limitations?  Rendering challenges? Post production output decisions based on distribution platforms?)
4. How did you adapt to the needs of the workflow for the project?  (If it was bigger than you expected, how did you cut or create work-arounds?)
5. What turned out to be your most valuable resource?
6. And just what did you learn from all this?

"Only You" from "I'll Say She Is"

"I'll Say She Is," a 1924 Marx Brothers musical, never made it to the screen, except for a tantalizing routine that promoted their 1931 film, "Monkey Business."  Noah Diamond reconstructed the musical for a 2014 revival, and it was no small task - so many of the elements were missing, so much was pulled from previous Marxian vaudeville shows, and of course, there was profuse adlibbing.  His excellent book, Gimme a Thrill , details the show's origins and his subsequent detective work in rebuilding this lost Marx Brothers musical.

One of the songs, "Only You," by Will Johnstone (author of the musical's "book") and his brother Tom, was set to record in the pre-electric studios of the Victor Talking Machine company, and it showed up in my collection as a B-side to a Fred Waring recording of "June Night." 

It isn't a great tune, but it offers a sample of what was used as a buffer between scenes featuring Harpo, Chico, Groucho, and Zeppo Marx in 1924.

The book by Noah Diamond, Gimme a Thrill, however, is much more fun, and Amazon has it.  It's probably the best Marx Brothers book since Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Sometimes Zeppo by Joe Adamson. 

https://www.amazon.com/Gimme-Thrill-Story-Brothers-Musical/dp/1593939337/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1531881616&sr=8-1&keywords=gimme+a+thrill+noah+diamond

Magic Show for July 13 2018

"Oh Fudge!" with GM and Dr. C (original version, before the only rehearsal revealed it to run far past its alloted 6 minutes, and that most of the visual jokes wouldn't be visible past the first row of the open air stage) (with yr hmbl typst and Dr. Richard Cooper of WMU)

GM comes on stage, with cart.  Cart contains two stands, a wind up portable phonograph, and art supplies – pastel sticks, four cardboard sheets (black on one side, white on the other). 

GM goes off stage to bring in Dr. C.  Dr. C is apprehensive about being on stage.  He helps GM place the stands in front and winds up the phonograph.
(Now this whole bit has been reduced to having the posts already on stage, and GM and Dr. C coming onstage at the same time.  That saved 34 minutes alone.)

GM produces a record from the turntable, which quickly reveals to be broken.  Dr. C plays the turntable, to the surprise of GM and Dr. C.  They take a Ta Daaaa! Credit for the trick. 

Dr. C’s task will be to keep the phonograph running during the presentation.
(The record was hardly visible, so we just went with the odd image of a wind up phonograph - a Birch portable from the 1940s - and a shellac record of a Hawaiian dance.  Ironically, at the end of the performance it was this record that ended up breaking.)

GM pulls up a cardboard sheet, and then a pastel stick.  He hands Dr. C a sheet as well.  They hand sheets back and forth to each other, with increasing speed, making what seems to be random marks on the sheets.

(The sheets are pre-cut to a template.  The first mark being made is along the pre-cut area.  Dr. C. will draw in the blank portion, GM will draw upon the portion with the faintly sketched lines.  We ended up with just GM doing the sketching, and Dr. C mounting the images on the poles.)

As they complete a color and move to another, they put the used stick into a bag. 

First time, it goes through the bottom to the ground.

Second time, it goes through, but they have a metal bowl to catch it.  Ta-daah!

Third time, they flip the bag upside down, and the stick goes into the bag and stays there. Ta-daaaah!
(This whole bit was dropped, since nobody could tell what was going on past 10 feet from the stage, which turned out to be everyone)

GM uses the broken record as a knife to mime cutting the drawings along the pre cut template.
(Nobody could see the record, so we went with an monstrously large orange cutter.  People saw that!)

The drawings are torn apart at the cut, and are mis-arranged on the posts.

They are re-arranged to show Buster Bronco and the WMU logo at the bottom.

Ta Daahhhh!
(And that, was that - 6 minutes!)
(And one more rehearsal would have been ideal, but live and learn! Maybe next time!)

After a considerable amount of editing.... it was trimmed to 6 minutes on stage, with this clip being the sole document, apparently!  Whew! 92 degrees of fun! (note on "sole document" - cue the mysterious audio track to read out... there .... is.... one.... other.... )

Shameless Self Promotion Update

Update in February, 2025:  Lulu press has discontinued certain publication size options, so without notice, my assembly of sketches went Pfft!  All that remains is "No Time For Time" in their catalogue, with the other titles being reformatted for other venues, TBA.  So Here is the link to "No Time For Time," also available on Amazon.

 

No Time for Time, a novella for the 1980s 

http://www.lulu.com/shop/jim-middleton/no-time-for-time/paperback/product-23497363.html

Charging Toward a Retreat - Organizational Meeting Notes #2

A Charge Toward a Retreat - Organizational Meeting Notes #2

ASIFA Central Subcommittee on Retreats and BBQs

Phone Conference Call/Zoom: Steve Leeper, Jim Middleton (secty), Gretchen Vinnedge, Robert Swieringa, Gary Schwartz

Tuesday, 26 June 2018, 7-7:40pm (Zoom says BE GONE, MORTALS!)

Some more of the August Retreat specifics were addressed and confirmed - some other items will be discussed “off-zoom” via email.  New material highlighted.

The Autumnal Retreat:
Location: Grand Rapids
Dates: Saturday, August 11 and Sunday August 12, 2018

Proposed Outline:
Saturday, August 11

11am - rousing, stretching, arriving at the theatrical location with snacks in hand for general consumption and minimizing distractions due to hypoglycemia

Opening remarks by Brad Yarhouse, ASIFA Central President - let the mayhem BEGIN!

NEW SPECIFICS!
Noon - 3pm Workshop
Here’s what we’re going with
1. A lip synch project, a brief 4 second bit of vocal gymnastics, promoting ASIFA Central.  Steve and Gary will be working on the narration text and will determine whether it will be pre-recorded or will be captured live at the workshop.
2. Gretchen has four (4) workstations available at the CMC site.  Dragonframe is available there.  Gary, Jim, and Steve all have workstations they can bring.   Steve is designing sand boxes, up to 8 of them.  Jim has a light board for silhouetting or 2D animation sketchery. 
3. Otherwise, it’s “BYOAS” - Bring Your Own Animation Supplies
4. Bring food! Drink! (It’ll have to stay outside the work zone) 

THEN - More NEW SPECIFICS!
3pm-5/5:30pm -Show and Tell, aka “Whatever the Hell We Just Made” (official ASIFA Central Sanctioned Term)
Jim will send out a request to the membership planning to attend to skoot along their intended participation works for the session.  Jim is also working up a standard half-dozen questions to ask everyone at the completion of the showing, with an emphasis on techniques and workflows employed.  The presentations will be recorded for editing into a document commemorating the event.  Jim's email is jim.middletonrx@gmail.com

5/5:30pm - 7pm - DINNER BREAK - on one’s own recognizances - such a variety, perhaps a deli, perhaps a bag of pork rinds

7pm - An evening show, no admission charge, but donations to the cause are always appreciated, if only to cover the light bill for the CMC
Two parts of the program are in the schedule -
Part One - Lotte Reiniger presentation (Chuck Wilson coordinating) - approximately 45 minutes
Part Two - The latest Ottawa showreel - approximately 45 minutes



Sunday, August 12
11am to 2pm - a BBQ “out back of the CMC”  - $5 will help defer the costs
Robert, Brad, and Gretchen will be the coordinators
We may freely enjoy each other’s company.  

Anijam tests for IAD '18

The Poster Challenge:
First of all, to have a poster challenge, you need a poster:

Then take an asisgnment:
The task is to morph between two sets of eyes for this year's poster.  Set #17 goes to #1.

The tests are ....

#1 - 11 drawings to check for color balance and registration, run through Sony Vegas, looped front to back, shot on twos.

And an animated gif test on the first frame for background layering...

And, blending the first second or so...

And now with the final frames, for the background...

Unassembled frames, waiting for layering and final edit to a 3 second opus:

Press Release Notes:
ASIFA Central - IAD October Project and Poster

The eyes have it - 18 visions gaze upon the viewer, just as the viewer is drawn to the variety of imagined expressions they represent.  Rene Castillo of ASIFA Mexico, along with nine other animators at his Mandaraka studios, created these emotions, frozen in time, practically begging for life beyond their storyboarded existence.
Castillo noted that “every animator has a unique and personal point of view, with different styles, techniques, themes, colors... if we celebrate world animation, we must celebrate the diversity of looks.”
With this philosophy, he created his poster celebrating International Animation Day, expressing passion he has embraced since a serious auto accident gave him appreciation for the brevity of life.  Better to mold life into clay than a life of molded management.
ASIFA Central in the United States took Castillo’s vision one step further, molding each image into an animated continuum.  Their Anijam project will be completed in time to present at its August retreat in Grand Rapids.

Le fin, enfin:

...and the whole thing, assembled by the MASTER, R. Brad Yarhouse:

Typing on a Manual Anything....

Presenting the opportunity to hash out random noggin noises, a typewriter is faster than legible handwritten notes — and creates an immediate, organic record, without interruption for “improvement.” It allows me to argue with my thoughts instead of those of an algorithm-designed program.
These gatherings allow for tactile experimentation – perhaps an unusual example will become a new extension of these fingertips. We all become percussion performers in the process.

 At work...

On the road...

 With Oswald

With a beer...remember, write drunk but edit sober...

ASIFA Central and Green Screen Frolix

June 9, 2018 - a rainy afternoon in Grand Rapids, with streets flooding in Battle Creek, and orange pumpkins heading to Singapore.  That calls for some video experimentation:

Part One - Melies as Mentor

Part Two - Koko Kicks Krazy

 Some guy with an old T-shirt and bad color sense

 Things quickly became surreal

 New guard, old glasses...

 A virtual Gary... we had to take a picture

Avatars abounding

ASIFA Central and IAD Anijam Concept - for discussion on June 9 2018

From our noble ASIFA Central President, Brad Yarhouse:

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to get your opinion on the ANI-JAM event happening this week. I am wondering about having the event be a starter for the jam. Those who want to gather locally can come to the Community Media Center, those who wish to Skype in remotely can connect with us there. We announce the ANI-JAM theme, goal, and elements and discuss among the participants the how to share files, whose piece links to whose, and then the participants go off to work on their segments. 

Here is the Theme and particulars:

The theme will be based on the IAD 18 poster which will be revealed on Friday this week. The poster is made up of a series of images of characters faces in extreme closeup with different expressions. Each face is done in a different style of animation. For the ANI-JAM each participant will be organized with a start expression and an end expression that links up with another persons start or end expression. The execution and interpretation of the expressions will be solely up to the participants. Which expressions and who does what will be determined at the start of the jam. Each participant has 3 seconds to animate their expression transforming to the other expression through whatever means they determine. A click track for the beat will be provided, a final soundtrack will be custom created by a member, I am hoping to get Andrew Zesiger, a recent KCAD graduate to do the music, but there could be others. 

The pieces would be due on July 1st, the debut of the completed jam would be at our Retreat. The completed jam would be used as a proof of concept for the other chapters in ASIFA to create their own ANI-JAMS that could be used as openings to IAD or as interstices between films on IAD. 

SO, this Saturday’s event would be less about making something during the event and more about launching the event. The core goal of the event (in my opinion) is to get animators from throughout our wide region connected and working together. The hope is that this would seed and lead to other collaborations.

What do you all think?

Brad

(watch this space for updates after Saturday's gathering...)

The assignments have been assigned - the challenge is presented!  Let the morphing (not morphine) begin!

ASIFA Central August Retreat Planning Notes

A Charge Towards a Retreat - Organizational Meeting Notes

ASIFA Central Subcommittee on Retreats and Exquisite Corpses

Phone Conference Call/Zoom: Steve Leeper, Jim Middleton (secty), and Gary Schwartz

Wednesday, May 30, 2018:  8-9pm

Steve and Jim coordinated the general outline, Gary was able to call in during the latter portions of the Zoom experience and contributed several options on workshop activities.  Bob and Gretchen were unable to phone in, so specifics were tabled to our next meeting time, TBA.

The Autumnal Retreat:
Location: Grand Rapids
Dates: Saturday, August 11 and Sunday August 12, 2018

Proposed Outline:
Saturday, August 11
11am - rousing, stretching, arriving at the theatrical location with snacks in hand for general consumption and minimizing distractions due to hypoglycemia
Opening remarks by Brad Yarhouse, ASIFA Central President - let the mayhem BEGIN!

Noon - 3pm
Workshop
Specifics depending on spaces and material - Notions from Gary include, but are not limited to:
metamorphosis, meat puppetry, sand, exquisite corpsing/Anijamming, paper collage, shadow puppets, white boarding with dry erasery, and lip sychronism.
The thought of animating food, possibly the result of hypoglycemia, brought up a Movable Feast, or Paschkemation, idea - as a Michigan tribute to Hemingway

3pm-5/5:30pm
Show and Tell, aka “Whatever the Hell We Just Made” (official ASIFA Central Sanctioned Term)
Beginning with the fruits of paschkemation and the workshop, moving to individual show and tell projects, with liberal time for not just the showing of, but the How It Was Done - what software, what production pipeline, what elaborate ruse for obtaining adequate funding was necessary...
Exhausted from the experience, this calls for

5/5:30pm - 7pm
FOOD - on one’s own recognizances - such a variety, perhaps a deli, perhaps a bag of pork rinds

7pm - the end of the night as we know it
Ottawa showreel - Steve may be able to obtain, Jim will be glad to provide funding for the bootleggery

Sunday, August 12
Exhausted from animation and food, the only recourse for Sunday will be –
an 11am barbeque - perhaps with leftovers of Paschkemation!

Jim will provide Steve with meeting notes, to be shared with rest of committee and other interested parties for input and comment.

Linkage test between sites

Just a test to see if blogger connects with this creaky website.  It is a Flash animation, so a Flash player is needed to view it in all its glitchy glory:


http://animatingapothecary.com/SWF%20Animation/AVIANFLUInternet.html


And that, is that...

1940 - Night time CBS comes to Kalamazoo

After nearly a decade on the air in Kalamazoo, WKZO was granted evening broadcast permission in 1940 - and they produced this memento to celebrate.  CBS came to western Michigan!

Edward R. Murrow, a very young Eric Sevareid, Conrad Nagle, Helen Hayes, Kate Smith, Dale Evans, Amos and Andy, and Gene Autry crackled forth with high fidelity and 1000 watts of broadcast power!