News Archive for James R Whitson

DreamWorks investing in technology to streamline animation

The Motley Fool, a financial-services company that supports investments, recently took a tour of DreamWorks Animation. Despite their recent issues with layoffs and earnings results, after seeing the “investments the company had made in terms of technology to streamline and improve its animations” the reporter changed his “overall image of the company from just a […]

Amazon adds another kid’s series to original slate

Amazon Studios has added another original children’s series to their production slate. Sara Solves It (created by the people behind Blue’s Clues, Super Why, Arthur and Curious George) follows a brother and sister as they attempt to solve each episode’s mystery — an interactive, math-based puzzle that the home viewer can solve along with the […]

Fix-It Felix Jr. high score champion profiled

Disney has posted a video exposé on “one time Fix-It Felix Jr. high score champion Garlan Hulse, his fall into obscurity, and his attempt to be on top again”. A promotion for Wreck-It Ralph which was released on home video this week, you can watch the 30 minute mockumentary here:

Poppy Hill photo gallery

Check out an image gallery from Studio Ghibli’s From Up on Poppy Hill over at The Daily Blam. Directed by Gorō Miyazaki with a screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa, the film opens in the United States on March 15th.

Shareholders may challenge Disney at meeting

Deadline reports that Disney could face some contentious shareholders at the annual meeting today. Attendees and the company “are girding for a fight over resolutions that could shape the way Disney’s run, especially after Bob Iger steps down in June 2016. Many shareholders support a movement sweeping corporate America to democratize governance policies, giving the […]

Croods clips and featurettes, Guardians home video trailer online

In anticipation of their upcoming film The Croods, DreamWorks is posting new clips and featurettes to their YouTube channel. Also just added is a preview of the upcoming home video release of Rise of the Guardians, which you can watch here. The Croods hits theatres on March 22nd while Guardians hits store shelves on March […]

Monsters University, Blue Umbrella posters

The Nerdist has a look at a new poster for Pixar’s Monsters University. You can view a large version here, or the original there. Also here, check out a large size poster for the short attached to MU, The Blue Umbrella. You can see both in theatres June 21, 2013.

Cook to voice Planes’ Dusty

Disney has announced that Dane Cook will voice the lead character Dusty in the upcoming film Planes. Inspired by the world of Cars and directed by Disneytoon Studios veteran Klay Hall (King of the Hill, The Simpsons), the film is about a plane who dreams of competing as an air racer despite his unfortunate fear […]

Rio 2 cast news

Flick Direct reports that Twentieth Century Fox has released cast details for their upcoming sequel Rio 2. Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Jemaine Clement, will.i.am, Tracy Morgan, George Lopez, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro, Bebel Gilberto, Jake T. Austin, and Jamie Foxx return and will be joined by Andy Garcia, Bruno Mars, Kristin Chenoweth, Rita Moreno, Amandla […]

Feast on a new Cloudy 2 poster

Sony Pictures Animation has revealed the teaser poster for their upcoming film Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. A trailer for the film will be released tomorrow. The sequel will hit theatres on September 27, 2013. Check out the full size poster here:

Nick app plays games (and TV shows if you’re into that)

The New York Times looks into Nickelodeon’s attempt to win the hearts of the young with their new app. After research showed their target audience was more interested in fun and games than watching TV, the company that makes TV shows had some work to do. But outside the entertainment value, the app “has serious […]

Jim Hill and directors get Crood

Jim Hill discusses DreamWorks’ upcoming film The Croods which recently had it’s premiere in a somewhat unlikely place. “You’d think — given the sophisticated sorts of folks who annually attend the Berlin Film Festival — that this wouldn’t be the sort of crowd which would enthusiastically embrace something as crass-sounding as The Croods. But that’s […]

The art and technology of Paperman

Fast Company delves into the art and technology behind Paperman with legendary 2D animator Glen Keane and 3D animator John Kahrs. Inspired by watching Keane sketch on top of CG animations, Kahrs combined “new aesthetics with standing traditions” and married “the tangibility of CG with the human grit of a pen on paper” to bring […]

Powell and Mendes going back to Rio

John Powell and Sergio Mendes will be back to provide the music for Rio 2, according to Film Music Reporter. The movie will also include “new Brazilian artists and original music by Janelle Monáe and The Wondaland Arts Society”. Look for the Rio to return next spring.

Lasseter talks Disney Infinity

Disney recently announced a major new video game called Disney Infinity. Like Activision’s Skylanders, the game will use toys you buy as your onscreen character. The more toys you collect the more characters you have to choose from — and the more money the company rakes in on a game you already bought. John Lasseter […]

Tiana a top moment in recent black history

In their coverage of the “Top Moments in Black History” from 2000-2012, NewsOne has listed Disney introducing the first African-American princess. Voiced by Anika Noni Rose in the 2009 film The Princess and the Frog, “Tiana’s plucky character and the film’s New Orleans backdrop gave the typical tale with an original twist”.

VFX issues bubble over

After a pre-Oscar protest by Rhythm & Hues visual effects employees and supporters, and the winner of the visual effects Oscar having his mic cut off just as he was about to mention their issues, VFX Soldier has an open letter to Life of Pi director Ang Lee who mentioned after winning the directing trophy […]

Paperman producer (temporary) kicked out of Oscars

After Paperman director John Kahrs accepted the Oscar for Best Animated Short at the Oscars last night, producer Kristina Reed threw several paper airplanes over the mezzanine in celebration, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “It went largely unnoticed by the crowd, but security didn’t think the act was very sweet, kicking her out of the […]

Brave, Paperman, Pi win Oscars

Brave kept Pixar’s winning streak going and Disney won an Oscar for Paperman. Life of Pi was the Visual Effects Academy Award winner. Acceptance speeches, baackstage interviews, and thank you videos from the Oscar website can be seen here:

Designing the imperfect world of ParaNorman

Wired has a look behind the scenes at the creation of the unique look in ParaNorman. Nelson Lowry, the film’s production designer, “had a goal: Nothing should be perfect. Lines didn’t have to be straight, inspiration would be found in mistakes, and the final product should looks as much like the ‘beautiful, expressive napkin sketch’ […]

Countdown to Cloudy 2 trailer

A trailer for Cloudy with a Chance for Meatballs 2 will be released on February 27th. To build the anticipation, Sony Pictures Animation is posting a new image from the film everyday until then on their Facebook page. The film itself is slated to open on September 27, 2013.

With animated Oscar up for grabs, nominees in the spotlight

USA Today says in a ceremony not likely to feature many surprises, the animation category is the place to look for drama. “Animated feature films, having shed some of their slapstick reputation by adopting more sophisticated themes and technology and a keener competitive spirit, are creating compelling storylines for Sunday night’s Academy Awards”. With the […]

Never before seen sketches by Walt

In preparation for the Oscars, Disney says they needed some pointers on their red carpet strut. Corny? Yes! But a good excuse to post some never before seen sketches by Walt Disney that were used in the 1933 short Mickey’s Gala Premier.

Oscar’s Snow White speaks

One of the most infamous musical numbers in Oscar history occurred in 1989 at the 61st Academy Awards when Rob Lowe and an unauthorized-by-Disney Snow White performed an excruciating 15 minute song and dance number with several uncomfortable stars in the audience as props. The producer behind the segment never worked in Hollywood again, Disney […]

Taking animation seriously

Contactmusic and the AP say it’s time to take the animation category at the oscar seriously. Brave director Mark Andrews says, “I think this year with these films — and so many more — the envelope for animation is being pushed. We keep seeing more risky, deep films that we wouldn’t have seen 10 years […]

Simpsons director talks The Longest Daycare

Unfortunately, Fox has pulled The Longest Daycare, the final film nominated for the Best Animated Short Oscar, off the web [update: it’s back online!], so hopefully you caught it when it aired this past Sunday. But The Hollywood Reporter has something almost as good for Simpsons fans: a 25 minute video interview with director David […]

Saturn Award nominees

The 39th Annual Saturn Awards, honoring the best in science fiction, fantasy, and horror films, have announced their nominees. Brave, Frankenweenie, ParaNorman, and Wreck-It Ralph are up for Best Animated Film. And Danny Elfman was nominated for Best Music for Frankenweenie. The Avengers, Battleship, The Hobbit, John Carter, Life of Pi, and Snow White and […]

Recreating New York for The Avengers

Visual effects house ILM has posted a video feature titled “Behind the Magic: Building a Digital New York for The Avengers“. According to their post at YouTube: “Although roughly a third of The Avengers is set in New York City precious little was actually filmed there… [The crew] digitally recreated roughly 20 square blocks of […]

Deja blog educates and inspires

If you’re not checking out former Disney animator Andreas Deja’s blog Deja View you need to bookmark it now. A supervising animator on such classic films as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, Deja’s last entry includes an historic photo of some of the Nine Old Men working on […]

Beck to score Frozen

Christophe Beck has been hired to score Disney’s upcoming film Frozen, according to Film Music Reporter. Beck previously scored The Hangover, Percy Jackson & the Olympians, The Muppets, and Paperman among many others.