As part of the city’s 175th anniversary, a new laser light show will premiere this summer at High Falls.

Greg Winter of Wintek produced and designed the show, and Animatus contributed animation for the sports segments which pay tribute to Rochester athletes.

“Celebrate One City” includes a new recording by the Skycoasters. It features the marks Rochester-area residents have made on the world, from opera singer Rene Fleming and The Chesterfield Kings to Olympic track star Jennifer Stuczynski, George Eastman and Susan B. Anthony. The stories are told by area broadcasters.

Starting July 9, the 20-minute show will be every Thursday, Friday and Saturday through Labor Day weekend. The best viewing is from the Pont de Rennes pedestrian bridge. For information, call (585) 428-5990.

We’re proud to announce that the Animatus-produced interactive cartoon “Help Mikey Make It Out” has been named a Grand Winner in the 2009 APEX Annual Awards for Publication Excellence.

Animator Mike Boas worked with illustrator Jennifer Glanton and writer Carolyn Kourofsky of Prevention 1st Foundation to create this educational web adventure. The piece was designed to teach young children about what to do in case of fire.

One challenge in animating the game was allowing for variables, such as whether Mikey’s bedroom door would be hot or if there is smoke in the hallway. Because of this, kids and parents can play multiple times for a different experience.

The feedback we’ve received since last fall has been rewarding, and it’s an honor to be associated with this award-winning project.

Visit this site with your family!
http://homefiredrill.org/HelpMikeyMakeItOut.htm

More about the Apex Awards:
http://www.apexawards.com/apexawards.htm

Come one, come all!

In celebration of Animatus Studio’s 20th anniversary, we’re throwing a party for all workshop students, past, present, and future.   We’ll be screening some of the best student cartoons from past years, including entries in our FIRST EVER ANIMATION COMPETITION.

Thursday, July 16, 2009
7pm-9pm
At Animatus Studio, 34 Winthrop Street, Rochester NY

All attending students who entered something into competition (and  you know who you are) will receive a special gift.  Bring your friends and family!

What’s that?  You’ve never taken our workshops, but you’ve always wanted to see what we do?  You’re invited, too!

Maybe you’re part of the Animatus extended family — an intern we haven’t seen in years?  This is your chance to take a trip down memory lane!

If you’re planning on joining us, drop us a line so we know how many to expect!  (Your best guess will be helpful.)

FRED’S EMAIL: fred@animatusstudio.com

ANIMATION WORKSHOP RSVP HOTLINE: 585-232-3949

Visit the Animation Workshop website to see what our students have been up to this spring!

See Spyder Dude fight crime, a Dustbusters gag reel, the Bag of Cement saga, truck driving pencil tests, the conclusion of the Beast Wars adventure, and much much more!

Watch cartoons online or download to your iPod:
http://animatusstudio.com/workshops/student-work

Young Filmmakers Competition
Little Theatre - Little 5
Sunday, May 17, 2009 5:15 PM
Buy Tickets

One of our own Animation Workshop students, Adam Markajani, has a cartoon short playing in the Young Filmmakers Competition this Sunday, as part of the Rochester High Falls International Film Festival.  “How the Wheel Was Invented” depicts the unflappable Flappy Rabbit in prehistoric times, trying to (you guessed it) invent the wheel.  Adam produced the cartoon in our workshops, and we’re proud to see it play in this year’s festival!

Greetings!

It’s that time of year again, and Animatus is prepping for our involvement with the Rochester High Falls International Film Festival. We’ve been a sponsor since the festival’s beginning, and we’re happy to announce the events and films we’re involved with for 2009.

~~~

A Conversation with Pat Carroll

Animatus Studio and the Rochester High Falls International Film Festival are pleased to welcome Pat Carroll to this year’s program.

Thursday, May 14, 2009
5:30 PM
Memorial Art Gallery
Buy Tickets

Fred Armstrong of Animatus will conduct a conversation with Pat Carroll, actress of stage, television and the movies.

Carroll’s television work began as a regular on the sitcom Make Room for Daddy. She appeared on The Red Buttons Show, The Danny Kaye Show, The Red Skelton Show, and Caesar’s Hour, for which she won an Emmy in 1956. Carroll was also a favorite on game shows, including To Tell the Truth, Password, and I’ve Got a Secret.

Carrol later found an audience in animated roles. Her portrayal of Ursula the sea witch in The Little Mermaid is a favorite among Disney fans. Carroll portrayed Ursula in video games, theme park attractions, and The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea. Her other voice work includes A Pup Named Scooby Doo, A Goofy Movie, Pound Puppies, and two Garfield TV specials. She also voiced Granny in the re-release of Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro.

As a member of The Actors Studio, Carroll continues to work in theater. Past roles include off-Broadway productions, Kennedy Center and national tours, and an acclaimed performance as Falstaff in The Merry Wives of Windsor.

It is a pleasure to welcome this Emmy and Grammy winning actress to the festival.

~~~

High Falls Children’s Workshop Film

Children’s Shorts From Around the World
Little Theatre - Little1
Saturday, May 16, 2009 11:00 AM

Women Who Fought For Change

In the summer of 2008, the Rochester High Falls International Film Festival partnered with the City of Rochester’s Recreation Bureau to co-produce an Animation Workshop for Youth. Working with long-time collaborators Animatus Studio, nine teens were taught to create a short animated piece about three famous women who fought for change: Sojourner Truth, Joan Baez and Helen Keller.

~~~

Rochester Roots: Let’s Dig In

Children’s Shorts From Around the World
Little Theatre - Little1
Saturday, May 16, 2009 11:00 AM

Enjoy a playful romp through the community gardens of Rochester Roots as told and animated by students. An exciting look at one of Rochester’s finest educational programs for kids.

Dave Puls of Animatus edited this piece, with animation contributed by students of the Animation Workshop.

~~~

Plan ahead for summer! Sign up for Animation Workshops in August.

We’re now accepting registrations for the Summer Animation Camp at Animatus Studio. If you’re making your summer plans, keep us in mind so you don’t miss out!

WHEN: Choose Wednesdays or Thursdays in August, 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM each day. See our Schedule for exact dates.

PRICE: $88.00 per week. Sign up for all four weeks and get a 20% discount, for a total of $284.

Visit our website for more info: http://animatusstudio.com/workshops/summer

The Animation Workshop Student Film Festival will be coming in July! The deadline for submission is June 1st, so contact Animatus if you still plan to enter!

~~~

Thanks for your support!

Sincerely,
Fred Armstrong
Animatus Studio

Rochester Short Film Screenings
Join us this week for the Rochester Int’l Film Fest, presented by Movies on a Shoestring. There are four screenings of shorts at the Eastman House, April 23-25.

Friday night at 8PM is the Rochester Premiere of “THANKS TO THE WHISTLEBLOWERS,” the latest Fresh Toone from Dave Puls.

Friend of Animatus, Matt Ehlers, will present the insane comedy short, “LUNCH,” on Thursday evening at 8PM.

For a full list of shorts playing, visit
http://www.rochesterfilmfest.org/page4/page4.html

The 51st Rochester International Film Festival
A Short Film Festival
Thursday-Saturday, April 23-April 25, 2009

All showings at Dryden Theater
George Eastman House
900 East Avenue
Rochester, New York 14607

Free admission, donations accepted

**********

New Fresh Toones on the Big Screen
Friday April 24th at 8:00 PM

Thanks to the Whistleblowers

Dave Puls/Animatus Studio
The latest musical short from Puls is an expression of appreciation to a special group of people who risk so much to disclose what is hidden from us.

Free Admission!

For more about Fresh Toones, visit
http://animatusstudio.com/freshtoones
and
http://youtube.com/davesfreshtoones

**********

Plan ahead for summer!
Sign up for Animation Workshops in August.

We’re now accepting registrations for the Summer Animation Camp at Animatus Studio. If you’re making your summer plans, keep us in mind so you don’t miss out!

WHEN: Choose Wednesdays or Thursdays in August, 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM each day. See our Schedule for exact dates.

PRICE: $88.00 per week. Sign up for all four weeks and get a 20% discount, for a total of $284.

Visit our website for more info:
http://animatusstudio.com/workshops/summer

**********

Thanks for your support!

Sincerely,
Fred Armstrong
Animatus Studio

What a fun time we had at our Winter Workshops! If you ordered a DVD, you can pick it up at the studio weekdays between 10:00 and 5:00. (Note: we’re not here on Saturdays except when classes are running.)

If you’d like to see the Winter 2009 videos from the comfort of your computer, they’re posted online, sharper and cleaner than ever before! (Who needs Youtube, we’re going with Blip now!) You can see the wonders of stop-motion, hand-drawn, and computer-colored animation right here:

http://animatusstudio.com/workshops/student-work

While you’re there, check out the rest of the Animation Workshop site. We’ve got a super-cool new design that makes you think of pencils, papers, and erasers. (Mostly because it includes pictures of pencils, papers, and erasers.) It’s even easier than ever to find the schedule and all our class details. And, as always, you can sign up online using your credit card or Paypal account.

The Animation Workshop Podcast? Unbelievable!

Animation Workshop students can now download their cartoons to play in iTunes or an iPod. Simply follow the subscribe link, which will take you to our podcast page in iTunes. It’s an amazing thing, and FREE.

Sign up for Spring Workshops

Morning and Afternoon slots are still available!

Saturdays
March 7, 14, 21, 28
$159

All supplies and equipment usage included. Each student’s animation will be showcased on the Animatus website. Tapes or DVDs are available for an additional $10.

Register online at
http://animatusstudio.com/workshops

Or call (585) 232-3949

What’s going on for the Animatus 20th Anniversary?

We’re planning The Animation Workshop Film Festival and Open House for Thursday, July 16 from 7pm to 9pm. Workshop students have until the end of our April classes to submit their completed shorts. The first place winner will receive a copy of Animation-ish, a program from the ToonBoom company. There will be many other prizes and gifts for festival participants.

Here’s some upcoming events for Rochester film fans! Renowned animator Emily Hubley will be coming to town for two screenings, and we’d love to see you there.

~~~

Emily Hubley in Person! The Toe Tactic
Saturday, February 7th 2009, 8:00 pm

“A kind of free-associative, good-humored surrealism informs The Toe Tactic, a feature by Emily Hubley that combines her squiggly, playful animation (most widely seen in Hedwig and the Angry Inch) with an oblique story about the serendipities of urban life” -A.O. Scott, The New York Times.

About the film: In her feature film debut, writer/director/animator Emily Hubley brings her distinctive hand-drawn style and an entire artistic community to this mischievous and melancholy cinematic meditation on themes of time, memory, loss and yearning.

Including performances by Lily Rabe, Kevin Corrigan, Daniel London, Hillary Hubley, Sakina Jaffrey, Sean J. Moran, Novella Nelson, Mary Kay Place, Jane Lynch and John Sayles with the voices of Eli Wallach, Don Byron, Marian Seldes, David Cross and Andrea Martin. Original score by Yo La Tengo. Animator and director Hubley will introduce her feature film debut and answer questions in a post-screening discussion. Co-presented by George Eastman House and the Rochester High Falls International Film Festival.

The Toe Tactic (Emily Hubley, US 2008, 84 min., Digital Projection)
Visit the website at www.thetoetactic.com

~~~

Emily Hubley in Person!
A Hubley Family Animation Celebration
Sunday, February 8th 2009, 2:00 pm

Pioneering animators John Hubley (1914-1977) and wife Faith Hubley (1924-2001) were known for their experimental styles and tendency to evoke genuine human emotions. The Hubleys frequently cast their own children as voice actors for their films. One of their daughters, Emily Hubley, became a celebrated animator and filmmaker herself.

This entertaining retrospective highlights several short works of animation by John, Faith, and Emily, including: THE TENDER GAME (1958); the Oscar®-winning MOONBIRD (1958); THE TOWER (1984); TALL TIME TALES (1992); HER GRANDMOTHER’S GIFT (1995); ONE SELF: FISH/GIRL (1997); PIGEON WITHIN (2000); BEYOND THE SHADOW PLACE (2000); SET SET SPIKE (2002); and OCTAVE (2006).

Emily Hubley will introduce the program and answer questions in a post-screening discussion. Co-presented by George Eastman House and the Rochester High Falls International Film Festival.

(Program running time approx. 90 min.)

~~~

Smoking Laws NYC Screenings

Know someone in New York City? We recommend checking out the hilarious Smoking Laws, featuring the one and only Fred Armstrong as the belligerent pan-handler.

Monday - 2/9/09 - 7:30pm
at The Gallery Players
BROOKLYN | 199 14th street
Between 4th & 5th Aves.

Wednesday - 2/11/09 - 8:00pm
at CSV Center
MANHATTAN | 107 Suffolk St.
Between Rivington & Delancey

FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WITH RESERVATIONS
$5 Suggested donation | DVDs for sale
Reception with filmmakers and cast before and after

For more info & to see the trailer visit the official site: www.smokinglawsmovie.com To reserve your seat E-mail: info@eggwork.com

Smoking Laws (2008 | 83 min. | dir. Matthew Ehlers)
There’s a smoky new perimeter in the barfly subculture. Across the globe, more and more tobacco users are being forced outside of their favorite haunts. Smoking Laws takes you inside the curious conversations and confrontations that last the length of a cigarette. The film provides a voyeuristic look at the random strangers brought together by addiction. Smoldering in the haze of dirty secrets, dirty habits, beginnings, endings, even life-and-death, it’s smoking good fun. The first feature film from Eggwork Productions. Official Selection 2008 High Falls Film Festival.

~~~

Spring Animation Workshops

Our Winter workshops just finished up, so now’s the time to think about March!
Sign up today to experience the joys of animation.

Spring 2009
Saturdays
March 7, 14, 21, 28
$159

All supplies and equipment usage included. Each student’s animation will be showcased on the Animatus website. Tapes or DVDs are available for an additional $10.

Call (585) 232-3949

Or register online at
http://animatusstudio.com/workshops

~~~

Thanks for your support!

Sincerely,
Fred Armstrong
Animatus Studio

Animatus Alumni Update

Former Animatus Studio artist Brian Menz has hit the big time, working most recently on the Disney feature “Bolt.” Brian was our lead Derf animator on “The Quest for Happy Hour,” and for good reason. Even then, we could see his talent for character animation.

Read a recent article on Brian from the Irondequoit Post here.

Not to be outdone, we also heard from Animatus alumnus Aharon Charnov, who is now a digital texture artist at the Henson Company, working on Sid The Science Kid. Before that he was briefly doing pre-vis The Pixel Liberation Front. He worked a bit on some sequences for Hulk, Speed Racer and T4.

Congrats to you both!

—

Winter Workshops make a great gift!

At a loss for what to give your aspiring animator this season? Give the gift of life! See their ideas come to fruition at The Animation Workshop.

Saturdays
January 10, 17, 24, 31
$159

All supplies and equipment usage included. Each student’s animation will be showcased on the Animatus website. Tapes or DVDs are available for an additional $10.

Register online at
http://animatusstudio.com/workshops

Or call (585) 232-3949

What’s going on for the Animatus 20th Anniversary?

We’re planning The Animation Workshop Film Festival and Open House for Thursday, July 16 from 7pm to 9pm. Workshop students have until the end of our April classes to submit their completed shorts. The first place winner will receive a copy of Animation-ish, a program from the ToonBoom company. There will be many other prizes and gifts for festival participants.

—

An Award for Fresh Toones

Dave Puls’ latest short, “Thanks to the Whistleblowers” won 2nd Place in the music video category for the MY HERO SHORT FILM FESTIVAL in Laguna, California.

Congratulations, Dave!

To see the video online, CLICK HERE

For more about Fresh Toones, visit http://animatusstudio.com/freshtoones

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123’s Gets a Grammy Nomination

They Might Be Giants’ “Here Come the 123s” is up for a GRAMMY as Best Children’s Album for 2008!

What does this have to do with Animatus? We had the pleasure of editing a music video for the song “The Number 2.” Director David Cowles and cinematographer Timothy Brown shot the live action puppets, and then David Puls edited the piece at Animatus.

Since then, the album has set the world on fire. Many of the videos can be seen by subscribing to the TMBG Friday Night Video Podcast, or you can see “The Number Two” right here:

Watch “The Number Two.”