So long... for now.

Well, it's been a very long time since I've posted here. And the truth of the matter is I probably won't be posting here again anytime soon. I do plan to have a new updated and current blog sometime in the future.  Though I have no definite time frame for when it will happen, when a new blog does appear, it will most likely be associated with my website platypuspictureworks.com. Please head over there if you are interested to see more recent examples of my creative endeavors.

Thank you for the visit.  Hope to see you sometime in the future.

So long internets! (For now.)

Spongebob Christmas Redux!

Hello Internets!

Its been another couple of busy months!  I can't believe its the holiday season already!

I wanted to let you know just in case you missed it the first time around, The Spongebob Christmas special I worked on ("Its a Spongebob Christmas!) with the amazing gang over at Screen Novelties, is airing again tonight at 7:30 on Nickelodeon.  Please check it out!

Here is a preview:

Get More: SpongeBob SquarePants Episodes,SpongeBob SquarePants,SpongeBob SquarePants Games

Another clip:

Get More: SpongeBob SquarePants Episodes,SpongeBob SquarePants,SpongeBob SquarePants Games

I had an absolutely great time, working on this project with a group of amazingly talented people!

I'll be posting some behind the scenes pics and a video soon!

Until then....

The Story of Pines - Behind The Scenes

Thank you for all of the kind words and amazing support of our little film The Story of Pines!  It's so gratifying to know that people have enjoyed the film. Thank you!

The great folks over at Participant Media and Take Part have put together a series of behind the scenes videos about the collaboration with Alison Sudol of A Fine Frenzy

Unfortunately not all of the crew was there during the filming but a good number of them were.  Thanks again to all the amazing and talented crew for all you did to help realize this little film!

Here are the first two videos on Animating and Directing.

They are short and sweet, check them out!





I'll be posting more of the videos as well as some behind the scenes pictures soon!

Did you can spot the blooper in the "Animating" clip?
With apologies to Matt Manning and Pete Levin ;-)

By the way A Fine Frenzy's new album "Pines" is out now!  It served as the basis for the music and story in the film.  Its pretty great!  Go get it!

The Story of Pines

The moment has arrived.  Here is The Story of Pines.

Thank you all for the support.  Please enjoy.  

Thank you to everyone who helped to make this film possible!  

Please spread the word!

More to come about the making of the film in future posts.  Stay tuned!

Film Preview!

Hello Internets!

Please check out the trailer/preview for the new film I directed, The Story of Pines!




It was made in collaboration with Alison Sudol of the band A Fine Frenzy.

Stay tune for the Web Premiere later this week!

More to come!

Sam Jackson Has Somethin' to Say!/WTFU!

Hey check this out!  It's a web spot I worked on for the election.

Its kind of NSFW if you don't like cursing.

But it's funny, its got Samuel L. Jackson in it and it supports President Obama's re-election.

So f**k it and watch it at work anyway!

This spot was sponsored by the Jewish Council for Education & Research a liberal super PAC.  They're the same group that sponsored "The Great Schlep" in 2008 supporting President Obama's election and starring Sarah Silverman.

"WTFU" was Produced by Jesse Schiller, Written by Adam Mansbach and Directed by Boaz Yakin & Kitao Sakurai.

I served as Animation/VFX Supervisor, and got to work with a super talented animation team including Karen Knighton, Kyle Capps, Justin Connolly, Maria Sequeira and Richard Van As! 

The gig was a lot of work in a short period of time, but I'm really glad I got the chance to work on such a fun spot with such a talented crew and hopefully, in some small way, help to re-elect President Obama!

So America, stop bullsh*ttin'/get out there and sell some cakes and cookies NOW!

The Story of Pines/Choose to Go!

Hello all!

If you are in Los Angeles this week I want to encourage you to see the new film I directed called "The Story of Pines"  It's playing at the Nuart Theater this Tuesday -Thursday (August 28-30) @ 2:00pm and 3:30pm along with an hour long selection of short films.

Here is the poster for the film:

Working on this film was an terrific experience!  A dream really!

I got to work with a gifted and dedicated crew as well as the amazing and talented Alison Sudol of A Fine Frenzy.  And it was all made possible by the fabulous folks over at Participant Media!

If you have the opportunity please try to make it to this screening.

There will definitely be more updates about the project and the making of in the weeks and months to follow.

Thank you all for the support, and I hope to see you at one of the screenings!

Support For a Worthy Cause

Shelia Sofian is an independent animator and director.

She creates animated documentaries using a type of animation called "paint on glass".  She is an excellent animation instructor and serves as an Associate Professor in the John C. Hench Department of Animation & Digital Arts at USC. Along with my parents, for me she is the model of what a good educator can be.

She also happens to be a friend, colleague, and one of my primary mentors in the world of animation.

And she needs your help for a worthy cause.

http://www.indiegogo.com/TruthHasFallen

Please join me in helping to raise finishing funds for her film "Truth Has Fallen"  an animated documentary about people wrongfully convicted of murder.

Here is a short clip of "Truth Has Fallen" with Sheila discussing the film:



Please take a moment to visit her campaign on indiegogo.com and if you can, contribute.

Thanks!

Boom! Chrome Away From Home

Here is a spot I worked on at the beginning of the year for Google Chrome.  Check it out!



It was produced by the folks over at Superfad and directed by Nando Costa, with cinematography by Bryce Fortner.

It was quick, fun job working with a great crew!

I'll post some behind the scene pictures soon!

Yo! Lego Animation, OKAAAY!

Check this out!

Here is a fun clip with with Mr. Donald Faison talking about his time in the world of Lego Stop Motion among other things. It also features a brief appearance from myself and the talented and hard working Richard Van As.

Take a look!

Meeting Michael Yo was fun and as always working with Donald as well as Richard was a blast!

There's a bit more work still to be done on Black Storm Trooper 3, but the new episode looks great so far, has a more involved story and introduces a slew of new characters.  I'll keep you updated and let you know when it drops!

More exciting stuff coming soon!

Oops I Did It Again!/Share Our Streets

Well I did it again...Its been months since I last posted.  Once again a busy work schedule has kept me from posting on a regular basis. I won't make any empty promises but from here on out I will try to keep up with posting as best I can.

The great thing about being busy is that there will be lots of things to post about in the near future.  I've been working on some really exciting projects that I look forward to sharing.

First up is a series of bike safety PSAs I worked on last year for the city of Long Beach, CA.

Here are two of my favorites. Take a look!





The project was I lot of fun!  I served as the Animation Director and principle stop motion animator.  I got to work with the beautiful and talented Ms. Laura Yilmaz who both designed and directed the spots!  We had a small but dedicated crew that was loads of fun to work with!  I'll be posting some behind the scenes photos and more of the spots soon!

(And I'll do my best to keep the posts coming!)

Stay tuned!

Absorbent and Yellow & Porous is He...

So...

Happy March!

It's a busy time in the world of stop motion! My work schedule has again kept me from posting regularly.

Not that the world has necessarily been clamoring for it, but what's the point of having a blog if you don't keep it updated, right?!

So, I will try my best to prevent said events from happening again. And work hard to keep up the regular posts.  The first of which is this!

Here is the special 10th Anniversay title sequence for Spongebob Squarepants.  I worked on this a few years ago with the fellas over at Screen Novelties International.

Those guys are dear old friends and as always, it was an absolute pleasure to work with them on this.

Take a gander!





Working on this was a blast!  I'll be posting some behind the scenes pics in a little bit.

I just paid a visit over at their new studio and rumor has it that there may be some new Spongebob stop motion on the horizon...Stay tuned!

Hello Again!!/Sneak Peek

Hello Internets!


It's been a busy summer and fall this year!  I've been working on a wide range of projects, some of which will be released to an unsuspecting public in the very near future. Unfortunately my busy work schedule has kept me from posting regularly.


Well have no fear!  The drought is over! Our national nightmare is finally at and end!


;-)


Here is a link to a blog post from the Getty Museum detailing one of the super secret projects I worked on this summer.  It is a short art film project from world renowned artist/photographer Thomas Demand.


The blog post describes the project without offiering any visual clues.  We'll have to wait the the premiere of the work for that.  However it provides a brief but insightful glance into Demand's work and process.


Take a look!


http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/a-visit-to-thomas-demands-studio/


I was one of the "team of highly skilled animators and technicians," and got to work with several old friends as well as some current and former students on the project. (More on this crack team of specialists in a later post.)


It was one of the most challenging and unique projects I've ever worked on! Long hot days and physically demanding work.  But what an interesting project!  When the finished piece is premiered I have no doubt all the hard work will have been worth it!  I am proud of the work of the whole team and it was an honor to work with such a well known and respected artist.


Check back soon for more posts!

Coming Soon: Black Storm Trooper III

Hey gang!

Its been a busy couple of months.  I've been working on a couple of great projects that I can't tell you about just yet...

What I can tell you is that work has begun on Donald Faison's Black Stormtrooper: Part III!

Here are some preview pics taken via Hipstamatic!

Donald prepping to animate.
(That's his serious animation face!)

Christmas in July!

Happy Birthday America!

In celebration here's the last of the Happy Honda Days 2010 commercials I worked on @ Buck last year.

I forgot to post this one last Christmas but what better time to post it than now?! Its one of my favorites!




And how about some Behind The Scenes pics form another Christmas themed project I worked on, Community!

Enjoy!

Animating in a Winter Wonderland.

You never really change, like they say...

Here's a brand new Jane's Addiction video I worked on recently.

It's for their new single "End to the Lies" from their upcoming album "The Great Escape".

It was directed by Alex Bulkley and produced by Victoria Howard of Shadow Machine Films.

I was the Animation Director.

Warning: There is some brief nudity so NSFW, but it's tastefully done. 

Anyway, you've been warned.

Check it out!

This job was a fun and intense run, with a great cast and crew!  I'm happy with how it turned out.

Thanks to everyone who was involved!

I'll be posting some behind the scenes pictures shortly.  Keep an eye out!

Plain White T's Boomerang BTS Pics

Here are a few behind the scenes pictures from Plain White T's video shoot for their single "Boomerang"

It was directed by Tim Nackashi and produced by Fuliane Petikyan

Plain White T's perform under a whirlwind of confetti
while Director Tim Nackashi and 1st A.D. KC Grim look on.

Get in and Let's Go-o-o!

Here is the video for Foo Fighters new song "Miss the Misery"

It was directed by Pete Levin, and produced by Andrew Ahn.

I served as Animation Director.

Take a gander!

Creepy, cool and fun!

We had an abosolute great cast & crew including some of my current and former students from both CalArts and USC.

For a complete list of credits, some behind the scenes pics and a note or two about Pete's influences for the look of the video, please check out his blog.

(Also thanks to Jerry Beck of cartoonbrew.com for the thoughtful post about the video!)

Working on this video was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my career thus far!

I'll be posting a few of my own behind the scenes pics in a bit.

You might miss the misery, but you won't want to miss those pics!  Keep your eyes peeled!

Finding Ferguson

One of my good friends and frequent creative collaborators Trisha Gum was recently accepted to a directing workshop at the prestigious American Film Institute.

She is currently raising money for the film that she will be producing in the program.

In order to help that cause we made this short film that explains the program, the project, and her fund raising goals.

Check it out!



We made this short from start to finish in just a few days!

Please visit her Kickstarter page and take a look at her website .

If you can, please think about donating.  It would mean a lot to me, and help out a good friend and a sooper talented lady!


Thanks!

Foo Fighters Video Preview Pic!

I recently worked as Animation Director for a Foo Fighters music video!

Here's a preview pic!

The video was directed by my friend Pete Levin and the shoot was a blast, with a great cast & crew!

I'll be posting the video itself and a few more behind the scenes pictures shortly.

Stay Tuned!