Media Art: Character Development

In Media Art class we are currently developing characters that we will be working with in animation.  we begin by sketching out ideas then create a character sheet like the one above of Kent Brockman from The Simpsons.  Next we will create a short pencil test animation of our character moving, below are a few examples of pencil test animations from The Simpsons and independent animator Bill Plympton's.

Bill Plympton's CHEATIN' Animated Feature Film

We looked at a number of Bill Plympton's short animated films in Media Art class this year and even had a chance to speak to director Alexia Anastasio who created the documentary on him Adventures in Plymptoons! but now Bill is at work on his new feature film and he's going to Kickstarter to raise funds so take a look!

Special Guest: Alexia Anastasio

Wednesday we had special guest speaker actress and director Alexia Anastasio visit the media arts classes and the Media Art Honor Society and talk about her work on projects such as Boardwalk Empire and Bored To Death as well as her feature length documentary on Oscar winning animator Bill Plympton titled Adventures in Plymptoons.

Special Guest: Alexia Anastasio

Today in media art class and in the Media Art Honor Society we are welcoming a special guest speaker, artist and director Alexia Anastasio.  Alexia most recently released a documentary on the Oscar-winning animator Bill Plympton titled Adventures in Plymptoons! which was a Tribeca Film Institute Recipient and recently screened at The Museum of Modern Art and Savannah International Animation Festival.  Alexia will speak a bit about her film and how she because a director as well as taking questions from the class so come prepared!

Happy Birthday to animator Bill Plympton

Today is animator Bill Plympton's Birthday and to commemorate the occasion they are releasing a new documentary film about his life and work titled Adventures in Plymptoons! by local Northport filmmaker Alexia Anastasio. The Simpson recently paid homage to Plympton in the opening couch scene of the recent episode “Beware My Cheating Bart” which is included below.