ARL: ANIMATION RESEARCH LIBRARY

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       If you are an artist.. no let me say that again, If you are Disney Fiend AND an artist the animation research library is the place for you. What is it this you ask?

       Every piece of art made by the Walt Disney Animation Studios goes to this place and is stored. I'm talking about original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs concept art, original animation cells from peter pan and more! This is our in-house resource to a wealth of art that almost spans a century. They are entrusted with the responsibility to conserve all this cool art!

 

This is where decades of magic are stored. Imagine all the art that never see's the light of day!! 

         With millions of pieces of art at their finger tips they use their access to create great books and projects like the one below. The animation Research library are responsible for installations all around the world such as Walt Disney world and cruise lines everywhere. If you guys have not checked out the new Ipad app DO IT. This is a must have and here's a video of a guy going through it if you aren't familiar with it. This app is a gold mine with hours upon hours (nay, i say MONTHS!)  of fun! the video shows off the app better than I can ever do. So enjoy!

All The art from this book is from the ARL

       The ARL is located in Glendale California. I do not know the status and conditions about visiting the ARL if you are not a cast member. but I don't see any reason why you can't look them up and call! The ARL tries to make itself very accessible. They have their own Facebook page that they update frequently with cool facts and images! Here is the link DISNEY_ARL_ FACEBOOK. Here is a sample of knowledge they like to drop from time to time! They also have a twitter: ARL Twitter URL and a YoutTubeChannel: ARL Youtube Channel Check them all out! 

 Did you know, that one of the early songs of The Beatles had something of a Disney connection? John Lennon explained:

"My mother was always... she was a comedienne and a singer. Not professional, but, you know, she used to get up in pubs and things like that. She had a good voice... She used to do this little tune when I was just a one- or two-year-old... The tune was from the Disney movie - 'Want to know a secret? Promise not to tell. You are standing by a wishing well.' So, I had this sort of thing in my head and I wrote it and just gave it to George [Harrison] to sing."

That was how "Do You Want To Know A Secret?" came to be written.

"Gawrsh!" Remembering performer Vance DeBar Colvig (though we know him better by his childhood nickname, "Pinto"), born the 11th of September 1892.

Best known as one of the actors who performed the voice of 'Goofy' (a role currently performed by Bill Farmer), Colvig did voices and sounds for other characters in the Studio's animated productions, including both 'Dopey' and 'Grumpy' in SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, the 'Practical Pig' in "The Three Little Pigs," and 'Pluto.' Pinto was honored posthumously as a Disney Legend, in 1993.

Outside of the Studio, he worked for studios such as Warner Bros. and M-G-M (which included the voice of a 'Munchkin' in "The Wizard of Oz"), and he was the first 'Bozo the Clown' for television.

In this photo, Pinto (left) is shown with director Jack Kinney, along with the storyboard from the 1945 short, "African Diary." (Story is credited to Bill Peed [Peet].)

I did this post because a lot of people don't know that these places and people exist and their efforts to preserve and keep the Disney Heritage going is remarkable. 

GREAT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES 2013

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QUICK SIDE NOTE: I will be teaching an online workshop on visual story telling starting MARCH 19th If you are interested and want to know how to sign up for it click the link :)

     I'm teaching on this site called SKILL SHARE. There's a lot of things being taught on that sight but not much art, so the site reached out to me and I agreed to host a class for 3 weeks. ITs not crazy expensive at all, you pay $15 bucks or less for the class you want and then you're given access to the class online and you get to hear lectures from me and participate on assignments. Its really straight forward and fun.

     So here's the link for those who would like to learn about VISUAL STORYTELLING. I'm sharing everything I've learned since I started to work at Pixar and Disney. It's going to be dense with a lot of juicy info that I won't share on this blog :)  I strongly strongly suggest you check it out. It might actually blow our mind.

LINK to class
link to site

PS. If you email me and say you are interested in the class I can give you a discount, it use to be a 10 dollar discount, I think now I can just get you a 50% discount, which is still a pretty sweat deal!
UPDATE (March 16th): I have gotten more emails than expected so I have asked the owners of the site if they'd let me give out more discounts, and they said yes! So email me if you would like a discount code. it is now available until that day the class strts WHICH IS THE 19th.
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ANIM SQUAD

LINK TO SCHOOL HOMEPAGE

     I have never been more excited over something in a long time than I am over this (Well thats a lie, I was excited the other day over this ginormous burrito that was soooo good!.. but thats besides the point)  

     Theres a new animation school in Los Angeles. Most if not all the teachers are animators at Walt Disney Animation Studios. This is a tremendous opportunity to learn the tricks and skills of animation from real professionals. Not only are you learning from animators who work at the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios but you are also learning from the traditions and skills of animators that passed on their knowledge from generation to generation. ANIMATION was out on the map by Disney Animation. forget about if they're movies are timeless or flop from time to time because if you are worried about story take a story-telling class! I'm talking about animation! If you want to learn animation the way Glen Keane, Eric Goldberg and Milt Kahl do it, then you go learn from a Disney Animator.

     There are other animation schools out there but this is the first time ever that Disney Animators are coming together for you! They want to teach and to pass on the knowledge and the ways of animation that have been pioneered since the days of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in 1937. This is a priceless opportunity for those in southern california wishing to learn how to animate.


Where is this school Danny?? How can I find out more??
One of the many amazing things about this school is it's location. It's in the heart of hollywood (Hollywood blvd and Highland Ave., Los Angeles, CA.) Whats more inspirational than being where all the movies are made and being in the middle of everything?

HOLLYWOOD CALIFORNIA

What can I expect from this Animation School, will I like it, what's it going to be like??
     You expect top notch quality. Every single one of our teachers is a supervising animator at Walt Disney Animation Studios. So you will be learning from the best. It's not a hassle to get to the school since its right on the red line METRO subway station in los angeles. You can expect a very intimate student teacher experience bc the class sizes are tiny (8 people) You can expect an experience tailored to you. you can bring in work you are already working, or  to improve your portfolio reel, or start from scratch and learn something new. Its up to you! There will be lectures, Demos, critiques, assignments and much much more! so expect awesomeness.

WHO ARE THE TEACHERS DANNY????
Meet them yourself! HERE, these animators a great and I can not think of a more friendlier bunch of people than these four guys. This school is just getting started, expect new teachers rotating in and out! the site will also be updated soon with videos and all sorts of fun things! The four teachers are:

Nathan Engelhardt;
Focus: Expert level students who want to take their work to a professional level and learn to polish like a boss

Adam Greene; Focus: Beginner students that want a running start on beginning their education in animation

Brent Homman: Focus will be those who are struggling in the middle. Past beginner but not quite expert level. 

Michael Franceschi: for those too far to come to LA but still want to learn!

Wait WAIT WAIT!!! Did I just read an ONLINE CLASS will be available Danny?
     I did indeed. There will be ONE class offered as an online class. they will try it out and see how it works. If your in San Francisco or Utah or the butt crack of no where with no animation school insight? THIS IS YOUR CHANCE to get a first class, 101, professional: "This is how to F***ing animate" can of whoop ass and learn something! :)  I'm kidding about the ass kicking. 

The latest these guys have animated on were Disney's Oscar winning Paperman and Oscar nominated Wreck-it Ralph!

 


THE ANIMATION EXPERIENCE continued:
     You show up and bring your laptop (There's nothing like working with something comfortable and familiar. ) All classes will take place at night. Whats around the school besides everything? (music schools, acting schools, stores, restaurants and everything else you could think of. There's lots of energy around! There are all kinds of artist here in hollywood and you'll get to meet a lot of them too! The walk of fame is literally in front of the building. Since all the studios are in LA and around Hollywood, do you know what that means? NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES.


COMPARE AND CONTRAST
-Animation mentor, a lot of students fall through the cracks and dont attain the skills the need to be hired.
-Cal Arts and other schools (except CCA bc that school kicks ass) Who wants to spend 4 years and close to 50,000 bucks?
-Anim Colab is also a good school and just as good as Anim Squad. you can think of the Anim Squad as southern california's answer to Anim Squad.. but its up north where its cold, and they have like.. nature and shit. Who wants to go see a bear when you could see this accross the street from the Anim Squad location in Hollywood, California.

Last word:
     This is a something you will learn from. your mind will be blown. you will improve, you most likely will be at your highest potential artistically by the time you are done with this school. also take my class I'm teaching on skillshare.com here's the link to my class! CLASS

Also if you do take a class at Anim Squad, mention that you heard it from me and something great should happen :)