Robert Breer – Screening Room 1976

Image taken from Recreation 1956

“Breer’s early work was influenced by the various European modern art movements of the early 20th century, ranging from the abstract forms of the Russian Constructivists and the structuralist formulas of the Bauhaus, to the nonsensible universe of the Dadaists. Through his association with the Denise René Gallery, which specialized in geometric art, he saw the abstract films of such pioneers as Hans Richter, Viking Eggeling, Walter Ruttman and Fernand Léger. Breer acknowledges his respect for this purist, “cubist” cinema, which uses geometric shapes moving in time and space.” Jackie Leger

“Breer has restlessly investigated the single frame technique….He has explored new perceptual threshholds with his rapid montage technique, pioneered in the collage film, and experimented with the dynamics of pure abstract animation.” Russett & Starr. 1976

In an early interview at the Screening Room, Robert Breer explains his evolution from painter to film maker. From his background in ‘cartooning’ as a kid and later as a commercial artist for the army, Breer moved to Paris in the 1950’s where his interest in film developed “as an extension of (his) painting”. This excerpt from the Screening Room also includes one of his early experimental films, ‘Recreation’, 1956

>>> Watch Here
>>> Watch more of Breer at UBU

 

Stan VanDerBeek (1927-1984)

Achooo Mr. Kerrooschev 1960, 1:43 min, b&w, sound

“Stan VanDerBeek is the Tom Swift of the underground, an inventor of processes and approaches. He is also a collagist, a collisionist and like Georges Méliès, whom he claims as godfather, an illusionist. His earliest films such as What Who How, are animated collages, his midway films such as Breathdeath are collages of film technique and his latest works including Environmental Movie-Drome, are collages of media.”
Sheldon Renan.

A La Mode 1959, 6:18 min, b&w, sound

UBUWeb have just put up 15 films by Stan VanDerBeek on their website. This is a wonderful collection of some of his most important works. VanDerBeek is often cited as one of the pioneers of computer animation and multimedia art and his musings can be watched here on the topic. I recently sat down for a viewing of some of his earlier works, Science Friction and A La Mode which are pertinent films in regards to the history of motion graphic technique. The use of collage and cut out, mixed with bold graphic elements, drawn animation and video are akin to the Beat Generation and Monty Python, indeed Terry Gilliam has been quoted to mention VanDerBeek as a huge inspiration. That inspiration remains strong to this day. There a hundreds of motion graphic pieces that draw from this technique, a good majority of which I’m sure have little conscious thought for this man’s achievements fifty years earlier. At the time of creating Science Friction, VanDerBeek was trying to evolve what he calles a “litera-graphic image, an international sign language of fantasy and satire. There is a social literature through filmic pantomime, that is, non-verbal comedy satire; a ‘comic-ominous’ image that pertains to our time and interests which Hollywood and the commercial cinema are ignoring.”

The graphic image has become an international sign. A system of signs that are being used for means of visual communication whether it be political, commercial, educational or cultural. Some more comedy satire though is in dire need for today’s serious matters. More satire please, more satire !

>>> 15 FIlms by Stan VanDerBeek
>>> Machine Art
>>> Exhibition & article

 

Norman McLaren’s Archives

© National Film Board of Canada

© National Film Board of Canada

© National Film Board of Canada

There’s an amazing amount of historical and technical information over at the National Film Board of Canada website. One of the most interesting links leads to an archive of writings, photos, objects and artwork by Norman McLaren. For those interested in his artistic as well as technical approach to animated film, you’ll be spoiled for choice. McLaren documented practically all his works and they make for revealing reading. He also embarked upon a little history hunting himself, writing a short piece on animated sound, entitled, A Brief Summary of the Early History of Animated Sound on Film. / by Norman McLaren. – 1952.


Other important texts include a booklet on cameraless animation. A statement written by McLaren commentating on key themes in his work. And a letter written by François Truffaut to McLaren.

Full Archive Here >>>

 

Alexandre Alexeieff : Cent Pour Cent 1957

More on Alexeieff and animated logos here >>>

 

And Now for a Commercial Break

Gitane Catch… 1961. Production La Comète. Dir. André Sarrut et Jacques Asséo

Where would the advertising world be without animation ? That is obviously a question to be turned around too, each having fed and nurtured their forms reciprocally throughout their long collaboration. The communication and advertising agencies of today are more or less tightly linked with design and animation studios. Their history is a fascinating perspective on how animation has developed and may help pinpoint a particular shift from what was initially pure character driven cartoon animation to the more graphic design informed domain of motion graphics which seems to have taken hold as the dominant force in the advertising world of today.
After a return visit to the exhibition in Paris, ‘La Pub s’anime’, (Animated Ads), I wanted to jot down a few key moments along with the people that paved the way towards our present day marketing world. This is obviously a focus on the history in France but the question begs : How did advertising and animation develop in other developing countries ?

Gitanes La logique de Toto 1926. Robert Lortac & André Payen

** 1918 – 35 **

Robert Collard (1884 – 1973),often named Robert Lortac, sets up Europe’s first animation studio in Montrouge in 1919. The studio is reputed to have created quantitatively the greatest number of animated films in France and remained active up until 1945. Amongst the first 15 employees, a certain Raymond Savignac who was already a well known poster artist of the era. To begin with, animated ads were informed by graphic design and the poster format. Illustration and typographic elements were often taken from existing poster ads and animated, finishing off with a fitting slogan and the name of the product.

Gitanes La logique de Toto 1926. Robert Lortac & André Payen

** 1936 **

Animated ads were first screened as intervals for the cinema, however ad agencies wanted to keep people in the cinema during the breaks. Enter the cartoon character and storytelling. From this point on commercials become closely tied to
traditional cartoons and develop into saga long commercials that entice as entertain the public.

Paul Grimault (1905 – 1994) and André Sarrut ( ) set up Les Gemeaux production house. However….

** 1950 – 68 **

….in 1952, after misunderstandings, the two associates split and Paul Grimault opens, Les Films Paul Grimault and André Sarrut starts his own studio, La Comète, with animator Jacques Asséo.

In the fifties, France develops as a consumer society and the budget for ad agencies doubles. Consequently their is a mushrooming of production houses, some of which dedicate their activities purely to creating commercials. This is the case for Sarrut’s La Comète which made more than 2000 commercial films exporting 80% of their output and became the most important film company for animated commercials in Europe at the time.

Air Wick Pour ceux qui ont du nez 1955. André Sarrut & Jacques Asséo

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>>>Watch Gitane Bleue

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Gitane Bleue 1958. André Sarrut & Jacques Asséo

Total Oil 1958. André Sarrut

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In 1953, Jacques Forgeot (1923-1969) opens Les Cinéastres Associaciés and employs some of France’s and indeed Europe’s leading animators : Raoul Franco, Etienne Rajk (1904-1976), Paul Casalini (1933 – ) and the Bettiol brothers. Not forgetting Alexandre Alexeieff (1901-1982) who had just come back from a passage in Amercia and had already a rich and innovative background in working for commercials.

Le Parisien Concourt 1960. Production Jean Mineur. Dir. Raoul Franco

EDF/GDF. Eau Chaude 1961. Production Jean Mineur. Dir. Raoul Franco

** 1970 **

Remains a minor period with struggling output due to high costs, competition from television ads and a return to live action.

** 1980 **

This is a major period of technological change – the arrival of digital imaging and the development of 3D. Exmachina becomes the third largest production house in special effects in the World. The likes of Pierre Coffin (1967..), Pascal Vuong (1960..) and the H5 Collective push forward the form and major production houses such as TBWA and Buf set up business specializing in CGI visual effects and animation.

Restore L’homme moteur synthétique 1984. Agence Hautefeuille. Dir. Jerzy Kular

>>> Watch a selection of French animated ads
>>> 1950’s Commercials
>>> Animated Logos

 

Pierre Hébert – The Science of Moving Images

Pierre Hébert © NFB

The Science of the Moving Image. DVD Boxset

This beautifully designed dvd collection presents 19 films by Pierre Hébert, a cutting edge artist and film maker continuing in Norman McLaren’s & Len Lye ’s footsteps. A journey through five decades of film presented by the National Film Board of Canada. Yet another stunning retrospective on rare and often forgotten artists.

>>> Further Information on the DVD
>>> A brief introduction to Pierre Hébert
>>> http://www.pierrehebert.com/

 

The Little Island by Richard Williams

My first introduction to Williams’s work. “The Little Island” is quite an extraordinary piece of animation dating from 1958. Apparently animated by Richard Williams alone over a period of a year. The designs are exceptional and immediately evoked contemporary designers such as Joel Trussell.

Muches Merci to the wonderful Cartoon Brew for spotting this !
>>> Watch the full 30 minutes here

 

Steven Heller & Paul Rand

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There are 7 parts to the interview. Click on the video to watch the remaining.

 

Imaginary Forces – Paul Rand

Still. Paul Rand Video © Imaginary Forces 2007

Born Peretz Rosenbaum in Brooklyn, 1914, Paul Rand started his first job as an illustrator before subscribing to the European aesthetics and principles of modernist design. A man of great conviction to clear communicative graphic design, his visual language conjured some of the best work of the Amercian modernist era.
Imaginary Forces have put in to motion some of Rand’s better known pieces, narrated by Rand himself, creating a charming four minute video that gives you a brief insight in to the essence of his working principles.

>>> Watch Paul Rand Video

 

Who is Pablo Ferro ?

Hal & Pablo. © Kihou Productions 2007

Pablo Ferro’s film titles have adorned our cinema screens for over half a century, his creative force conjuring an influence amidst some of our greatest film directors of modern times. From the quintessential opener for Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove to the colourful and graphical treatment in The Thomas Crown Affair, Pablo Ferro made his mark in a lesser known art, that of film title sequences. His brilliant work may well today be a better known fact of film and graphic history, but the intriguing question still begs : Who is Pablo Ferro?

Back in March of this year, a short teaser popped up on the Web promoting the production of a feature length animated documentary on Pablo Ferro. What really draws you in to begin with in this short introductory film, is the intelligent use of mixed media techniques as a means to emphasize the narrative as well as create a visually rich and informative image. Everything from split screens to Pablo’s signature typography is used with wit to accompany a mix of both live action and character driven full animation, incorporating also a vast array of archival footage. Beyond this intriguing presentation however, another question remained to be asked before resolving the enigma of Pablo. Who was behind this film ?

Grand Royale. © Kihou Productions 2007

Director, Richard Goldgewicht has acquired a portfolio of award winning short films as well as documentaries for The Goldman Foundation, BBC, and MTV. He is listed in Filmmaker Magazine as “one of the 25 faces of Hollywood to watch out for”. Back in 2002, Richard shot a short film with Pablo. The experience brought him close to a unique character and a legend with an untold story. From this point on, the intention to develop a film became clear and Richard, along with producer Jeremy Goldscheider with whom he formed Kihou productions in 1999, has been working on ‘Pablo’ since 2005. To date, they have already completed shooting, the voice over with Jeff Bridges and will soon be finishing off the animation, directed by JJ Walker, character designed by Antony Hare. All will be in the bag for a release in 2008. As well as it’s distribution in cinemas, an exhibition will be launched in major cities around the World to accompany the film. There are also talks of publishing a book that will showcase production designs from the film along with Pablo’s work.

Pablo’s Loft. © Kihou Productions 2007

The film is based on interviews with forty of Pablo’s friends and creative collaborators: Angelica Huston, Andy Garcia, Beau Bridges, Stan Lee and Norman Lear, to name but a few. Each adding anecdote to fact to help build a biographical picture of an enigmatic character who at times had little to say and all to show. To accompany the more historical accounts, we are taken back into a very stylized, fifties looking animated World. Indeed, from the very beginning of the film, we are thrown in to an animated rendering of a young Pablo arriving barefoot with his parents in Grand Central Station, New York, with hope of living the American Dream. From here, the film takes you through his formative years as a commercial artist working with the likes of Stan Lee until his famous meeting with Stanley Kubrick and the making of Dr. Strangelove, which safely sees his rise to Hollywood stardom. With instant success and back in New York as an icon of sixties underground counter culture, it is from this point Richard Goldgewicht has concentrated on Pablo’s most creative yet perhaps also most unstable era. We are in the sixties, New York has its Warhol Factory scene, but nothing would compare to Pablo’s East Village Loft – a place of freedom, creation and of course abundant drugs. Pablo is at his peak; professionally, socially and spiritually. Yet, all will come to a depressive, and almost tragic end with a number of events that culminate with the mysterious shooting of Pablo at his famous party pad.

Poolside. © Kihou Productions 2007

What happens next? Well, that would be letting on a little too much. The story-line, which was originally developed with Neil Katcher, is well thought out and the unique approach to documentary film that Richard has taken on board fits perfectly with the subject. Animation within a documentary context is perhaps a contradiction in terms. The necessity for ‘real’ live action footage within a formal interviewing, one shot style has always been the major undercurrent to any documentary film. Reality drawing us closer to a certain valued truth rather than diverting and entertaining the spectator through contrived story-telling. However, animation and indeed motiongraphics has been increasingly used over the past years in the documentary genre as a means to add visual ideas and guide the spectator in the understanding of the subject. On that level, we are still perhaps within the realm of pure documentary, however beyond this level, animation is also capable of heightening the narrative and indeed driving it forward. Richard Goldgewicht does shy a little away from the term ‘documentary’ and accepts a fictional undercurrent to the story-line. ‘Pablo’ is in that perspective a hybrid film – part anecdotal, part fiction, part live footage, part animated, part fact, part story. A unique amalgamation that replies to a single question: Who is Pablo Ferro ? Well then, who is he ? One of the writers for the film, Adam Trunell encapsulates his answer in one short poetic phrase : “ Pablo Ferro is the paper airplane that sails hurricane winds”.

>>> www.kihou.com
>>> Further Information
>>> Pablo Ferro’s Filmography
>>> Watch the Teaser (The look of the film has changed a lot since then).

NB. The above production stills, kindly forwarded by Richard Goldgewicht and Kihou Productions can be viewed at a better resolution by clicking on each. Many thanks to Richard and the team for all the information and the time kindly given to accord an interview.

Original Film Logo. © Kihou Productions