Winter Links

We haven't done a linkfest in a while, so it's time to get cracking. Here is, I think, what the world has been waiting for:

... "Corpse Bride" co-director Mike Johnson will make the CG/stop-motion "Oz Wars" ...

And there's a new feature from Japan.

Studio Ghibli announces new animated feature

... Called Kokuriko-Zaka Kara, the movie will be overseen by Goro Miyazaki, the son of Hayao. ... [T]he film is set in 1963, and relates the story of a schoolgirl living in Yokohama. ...

The Mouse's theme parks have become a franchise.

Shanghai plans to build China's first Disneyland

... The Shanghai government has sent out word that its Disneyland will be the biggest in the world at 4 square kilometers ...

The French climb on board the dimensional animated feature locomotive:

3D fuels French animation boom

... The box office success of stereoscopic 3D has had the unexpected side effect of causing a boom in animation in Gaul.

With 3D boosting toon grosses, not only are more animated features being made -- at wildly varying budgets -- but more companies, including post houses, digital labs and vfx and TV animation vendors, are becoming producers to get into the toon game. ...

Tron Legacy happened this weekend, but there is also the "motion comics" version.

... A flick of the finger on the screen of an iPhone or iPad moves the comic panels from left to right, guiding the viewer through the stark lighting and harsh blacks that are synonymous with the “Tron” universe.

... Jeff Krelitz, chief executive of Double Barrel Motion Labs, explained: ... “What you see will be an animated, younger version of the film with the actual voice track that goes into the animation,” ....

TZ interviews Chris Meledandri:

... [With Despicable Me] we were creating a networked approach to building the film as opposed to starting from the outset with a complete studio. The initial part of the process was really casting each individual who we felt would be right for the film, starting obviously with writers and directors, but also designers -- like character designer Carter Goodrich -- and environment designers and storyboard artists. All of the previous films had been made with a studio first with virtually all the artistic talent drawn from that studio. ...

No cute, furry bunnies in this animated feature:

Stay warm and dry.