Animation

Stop-Motion Animator Turns Despair into Joy

Apple-produced “Fuzzy Feelings” tell a classic feel-good Christmas story of compassion overcoming nastiness. The project artfully combines stop-motion scenes with live action performances. George Harrison’s “Isn’t It a Pity” provides the music score. Swedish animator Anna Mantzaris reveals some of her secrets in a making-of video (following the main attraction). The four-minute movie was shot…

read more →

Adding Drawings to Live Videos

The current Mobile Movie of the Week—”Ninna Nanna“—features animated drawings superimposed on realistic nature shots. For those interested in adding drawings to video either recorded or streaming, check out Norman Chan’s fast-paced, very informative tutorial “How to Draw and Annotate on Live Video.”  Chan describes the tutorial this way: “If you have a webcam, a…

read more →

Mixed Media Short Film Scores at MFF

Filippo Ronca has won the screenwriting prize for “Ninna nanna” (“Lullaby”) at this year’s Mobile Film Festival. The theme of this year’s Festival was Making Peace with Nature. Ronca’s one-minute movie takes the form of a lullaby filled with gentle, wise advice about the environment. Cinematically, the film is a combination of smartphone video and…

read more →

Seeking Liberty in the Lockdown Era

“Take a Breath” is a short animation about a man named Murat who takes a walk in Paris while dreaming of nature and freedom. The film was directed by Turkish journalist Beraat Gokkus and shot on an iPhone 11 using the FiLMiCPro camera app. The director provides a brief note about the production following the film…

read more →

Animated Music Video Puts the Lyrics on Stage

Four centuries ago Shakespeare observed that “All the world’s a stage.” Now, the Los Angeles-based band Somersault Queen updates Shakespeare’s observation. In their new music video “In the Midst of Conversation,” the band treats the world as a stage for its song lyrics. This clever animated music video spotlights words in all sorts of locations…

read more →

Zoetrope Music Video Flattens LA

People either love or hate Los Angeles. It’s not the kind of city that evokes a neutral response. But whichever camp you’re in, you are likely to be enchanted by “Leaving LA,” a zoetrope music video starring the music of Tim Minchin and the animation wizardry of Tee Ken Ng. If, like most viewers, you…

read more →