Animation Options has you covered from stem to stern at SIGGRAPH 2009 in Yokohama, with courses ranging from story development to production efficiencies…
What’s your story? Can you explain it in a sentence? If the central idea of your film is not clear to you, how can it be to your audience? Does your story pass the “who cares” test? And do you know that story is NOT king, but character IS?
This course examines the nuts and bolts of feature film storytelling in a straightforward, accessible manner for everyone seeking to improve the resonance of their movies on the international animation market. The way to the audience’s wallet is through the heart. Is your story stuck in the head?
The course explores story loglines, genres, hooks, and twists with an eye towards a compelling stage for an appealing hero. The story-outline section addresses the foundation of a strong and flexible story “spine” and then assembles the full skeleton. In the story-boarding section, the course reviews the process for laying out an entire feature film from beginning to end by applying tried-and-true structural beats. The course concludes with an interactive audience brainstorming session and a pitch of the resulting story by presenter Kevin Geiger.
The global animation industry is as competitive as ever, with merciless markets, unforgiving audiences and miniscule profit margins. Yet independent and major productions alike seem content to burn through money (and people) as though they have resources to spare. Amazingly, this waste is not only pervasive, it is accepted. Not only is this irresponsible, it is unsustainable. It is also easily addressed through clear-minded assessment and informed action.
This course squarely addresses common production motivations and pitfalls. It examines the human factors and organizational considerations that are the foundation of all production (dys)function. It proceeds to cover workflow considerations and strategies, the establishment (and erosion) of balance, common heuristic assumptions and errors, and the importance of clarity and adaptation within the studio environment. A series of “Golden Rules” for production segues into the characteristics of a balanced pipeline and an overview of a flexible and robust nonlinear production pipeline. Finally, asset management is reviewed with an eye towards organization, flexibility, and transparency.
The presentation concludes with a micro/macro view on the production paradigm and synergistic orchestration of these parts into a practical yet transcendent whole.
I’ll be at the fmx/09 conference this coming week in Stuttgart, hosting the “Focus on China” program and participating in the following presentations. Don’t miss the premiere of the “Road to Home” development teaser, in glorious HD resolution.
“CULTURAL REVOLUTION, TAKE TWO” - 3pm, Meidinger Saal
When is a nation of more than 1.3 billion people a scrappy underdog? When it is China seeking to reclaim the animation legacy pioneered by the Wan Brothers in the early 20th century. Shanghaied by Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution and then crushed by the juggernaut of Japanese anime, Chinese animation has been reeling for decades in a punch-drunk, outsource-fueled haze of stifled creativity. Until now. A new generation of Chinese animation filmmakers - versed in influences from Chuck Jones to Tarkovsky - has entered the world stage, eager to reclaim lost creative territory with films that are in turn thrilling, hilarious, gorgeous and thoughtful.
“A LONG MARCH ON THE ROAD TO HOME” - 4pm, Meidinger Saal
Currently in development, “Road to Home” is China’s first environmentally-themed animated feature film. Set on the Qinghai plateau, the film portrays the unique cultural characteristics of Western China while addressing universal themes of identity and co-existence, taking the friendship of a young girl and a wolf cub as its throughline. Directed by Lijun Sun with creator Wen Feng from a screenplay by Yi Yan, “Road to Home” features painterly landscapes and engaging characters, and is representative of the new wave of original Chinese animated feature films.
“THE BEIJING FILM ACADEMY PRESENTS…” - 2pm, Raum Mannheim
The Beijing Film Academy is a world-renowned institution of cinematic education with cutting-edge facilities, comprehensive specialties, distinguished faculty, and innovative research & production. The Animation School of the Academy was one of the first nationally-accredited Animation Teaching and Research Bases in mainland China, descending from an animation specialty program established in 1952. Animation School Associate Professor Wen Feng and Guest Professor Kevin Geiger will discuss the current focus and future directions of the school, with recent examples of student and faculty work.
Last but not least, here is excerpt #4 from my informal presentation on independent film business planning, delivered at the Griffith University Film School in Brisbane.
This clip includes partial coverage my take on the fundamentals of distribution pitches (teaser, comparative analysis, etc…) and the ins and outs of distributor feedback.
The AO Channel on YouTube now features excerpt #1 from my informal presentation on independent film business planning, delivered at the Griffith University Film School in Brisbane this past May, at the behest of my friend and colleague Craig Caldwell.
As you can see, the kangaroo burger I had for lunch was not doing me any favors.
I’ve always used humor in my lectures and presentations. Despite the cautionary notes from many books on public speaking regarding the risks of humor, I have found the rewards (in audience goodwill and attentiveness) to be worth putting yourself out on that limb. Plus, I just can’t help myself. Humor is a part of who I am (a part of who we all are), and to purposefully keep it out of a presentation would be unnatural.
I do a lot of speaking overseas, and in many cases these presentations are translated while I deliver them in English. I was once asked by a colleague, “I suppose you have to remove all of your jokes, huh?” “No,” I replied, “I simply make adjustments in the type of joke I tell.” One type of humor that rarely fails to translate across cultures: jokes about human nature.
For example, I once told a Chinese audience a story about how proud I was to show my mother a giant hole that I had dug in the backyard when I was five. In describing my mother’s reaction, I told the audience that “she looked at me as though I were a cat that had just brought her a dead mouse.” There was that odd silent pause as the translator converted my joke, and then a burst of laughter from the audience.
The humor in this observation hinged upon a funny concept - one which you didn’t need to own a cat to appreciate. There was no word play, and there were no clever pop cultural references. There was just a simple observation of life. It didn’t even matter how my exact words were translated, as long as the universal concept was conveyed.
The result was that a connection was made. We all felt closer in the room at that moment. We shared an understanding. And isn’t that ultimately what it’s all about?
"I have come to appreciate Kevin Geiger as one of the leading experts on the production and distribution of animated films. This is true of large-scale productions, but also of smaller productions with more difficult markets and leaner margins. Kevin understands the implications that technological developments carry, not just within a film's production pipeline, but in the exploitation and marketing as well." - David Maas, Creative Consultant, Filmakademie BW
