Academy Lecture Series Features Frank & Ollie

Discussion in 'Disney and Pixar Animated Films' started by See Post, Apr 8, 2003.

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  1. See Post

    See Post New Member

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    Originally Posted By Rebekah

    This was announced in our daily headlines last week but I thought I'd post it here, too. These events are usually rather popular but I've not seen anyway in the standby line turned away.

    (from the Academy Events Newsletter) The 8th Marc Davis Lecture On Animation Frank and Ollie: Drawn Together
    L E C T U R E
    Wednesday, April 9, 2003 at 8 p.m.

    Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, two of the legendary Disney animators among those referred to as Walt’s “Nine Old Men,†have been friends since their days as art school students in the early ‘30s. Together they have enjoyed collaborating on some of the most memorable moments in feature animation history and on several preeminent books on animation. They’ve also spent most of their lives as next door neighbors.
    Their reflections on their careers and the art of animation, yesterday and today, will be moderated by Leonard Maltin and illustrated with scenes from their work including the features "Snow White," "Pinocchio," "Peter Pan," "Sleeping Beauty," "101 Dalmations," "The Sword in the Stone" and "The Jungle Book" as well as the short subjects "Brave Little Tailor" and "Mickey’s Elephant."
    Their mentoring influence on contemporary animation will be reflected by personal commentary and analysis of Thomas and Johnston’s work by some of today’s most respected animators and historians including Brad Bird ("Iron Giant", 'The Simpsons'), John Canemaker ("Bottom’s Dream," "Street Freaks"), Ron Clements ("Treasure Planet," "Aladdin"), Andy Gaskill ("Hercules," "The Lion King"), John Lasseter ("Toy Story," "Monsters, Inc."), Glen Keane ("Tarzan," "Pocahontas") and Charles Solomon (animation critic for The Los Angeles Times). Guests subject to availability.
    The Marc Davis Lecture was established to provide a forum for film animators and other experts in the craft to share their experiences as well as to explore with colleagues the challenges of creating animation for the screen.
    WHEN:
    Wednesday, April 9, 2003 at 8 p.m.
    WHERE:
    In the Samuel Goldwyn Theater. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California.
    TICKET INFORMATION:
    Tickets are $5 for the general public and $3 for students with a current I.D. (limit 2).
    For additional program information, please call (310) 247-3600
     
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    See Post New Member

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    Originally Posted By actingforanimators

    Just a note to folks attending: In the past several years Frank and Ollie have made it a point of having it announced that they will not be signing anything at their appearances. This is for several reasons, not the least of which is that it's exhausting and both of them have some trouble signing these days due to physical limitations.
    While they have not announced this in advance, it is very likely that Leonard Maltin or an AMPAS host will announce from the stage this evening something along the lines of "Mr. Thomas and Mr. Johnston have asked us to ask that you please not request that they sign anything this evening, once again they will not be signing any books or other items so please don't request this of them." So if you attend and bring books or other things hoping they will sign them, please don't be dissapointed if you hear the above.
    And in the end, seeing and hearing them is FAR more important than any signature and worth every effort you can make to attend!!

    AFA
     
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    Originally Posted By narkspud

    >>I've not seen anyway in the standby line turned away.<<

    Bah. First time for everything, I guess, and I was one of the 30 or so who didn't get in. 'Twas a long drive back to Orange County. Had fun chatting with the folks in the line, though.

    Trip report, someone?
     
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    Originally Posted By actingforanimators

    It's 12:20. The evening concluded about 11:25.... Quick take: (perhaps more if I get some sleep and catch up with everything else I have to do)
    An inspiring, emotionally rich and thrilling evening beautifully moderated by Leonard Maltin who had a job roughly the equivalent of Steve Martin at the Oscars...only the subject was better and even the longest speeches were far from boring. A treat.

    highlights:
    Brad Bird's irreverent and poorly veiled recollection of Don Bluth's total lack of humility; Glen and Andreas doing an analysis of Ollie and Frank's individual drawing styles; Peter Behn (original voice of Thumper) flew in from Vermont to say a quick and shy best wishes to Frank and Ollie; Dickie Jones (voice of Pinocchio) was in the house along with Virginia Davis.

    Best of all: at 10:55 finally seeing Frank and Ollie wheel out on stage -- Frank with as much spitfire and spark as ever, and Ollie cutting to the quick and not mincing words as always. National treasures. Period.

    Conclusion of friends and colleagues as we staggered out into the night - "we stand on the shoulders of giants." Amen.
     
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    Originally Posted By maniac_disney

    LaughingPlace will have a column about the event?
     
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    Originally Posted By zenifrax

    Others in the audience included Alice Davis (widow of Marc Davis), Kathryn Beaumont (voice of Alice and Wendy), Lisa Davis (voice of Anita in "101 Dalmatians"), and Bruce Reitherman (son of Wolfgang Reitherman, voice of Mowgli in "The Jungle Book").

    Leonard Maltin joked that if he named all of the notable people in attendance, he would have to introduce half the audience. Some who were present but not named during the program included Joe Grant (who will turn 95 next month), Bill Justice, Sam McKim, Tony Baxter, Richard M. Sherman, John Musker, and David R. Smith.
     
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    Originally Posted By fabdisbabe

    I'm working on an article as I type, uploading the best of the 250 plus photos I took last night onto the LP.com server. Expect part 1 to be light on text, heavy on photos. I'll get into the meat of it in my next column.

    And a4a, you are SO right about Brad Bird.

    Fab
     
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    Originally Posted By zenifrax

    It should be noted that Brad Bird did not actually mention Don Bluth's name, while making no efforts to muffle his contempt for the man's expression of satisfaction with his own animation skills, especially in light of the fact that Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston professed that they were rarely pleased by their personal efforts over their long and distinguished careers.

    Another Brad Bird highlight was his response to Leonard Maltin's question as to whether the four panelists had favorite moments of animation by Frank and Ollie. Bird treated it like a lightning round on a quiz show and named a handful of moments before exclaiming that there were thousands of them. Then, when Ron Clements named another good scene, he received an exuberant index finger from Brad Bird, signifying whole-hearted agreement with the selection. Moments later, the mere name "Milt Kahl" got a similar exclamation point of a gesture.

    Going from memory alone, some of the scenes listed included the spaghetti scene from "Lady and the Tramp," the squirrel scene from "The Sword in the Stone," and "I've Got No Strings" from "Pinocchio" (all of which happen to display the work of Frank Thomas).
     
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    Originally Posted By linemileage

    I agree with everyone that it was a lovely event, and everyone who sat on the various panels was a perfect guest. Or near perfect in the case of Brad Bird...who I want to make clear I think is an incredible director (no pun intended) and one of the brightest people working in animation...but he went too far. I wouldn't call his >>irreverent and poorly veiled recollection of Don Bluth's total lack of humility<< a "highlight." I think Mr. Bird embarrassed himself and gave the impression of being as arrogant and clueless as the subject of his derision. I was seated with several VIP guests and they were all embarrassed for him. The middle of the house wasn't laughing.
    I don't disagree with his basic point, but he needs to learn that discretion is the better part of valor. There is a time and place, and an Academy event is not the place, and an event to honor someone else is not the time. There were a lot of people in the house who counted on Don Bluth Studios for their livelihood for many long years and who learned a lot as artists when working there. They and many other professionals in the film community have the grace to show some compassion when considering the poor health Don is in, irregardless of their personal feelings. Having a captive audience in the first four rows and the last ten rows who were eating out of his hand with each finger-pointing antic did not excuse Mr. Bird's behavior. For those of us who came down from The Bay Area just for this evening it didn't make it easy for us to assure people in Hollywood that it is wonderful to work with Mr. Bird and that he should work more often. It is, and he should. But he's a leading professional in animation now, not a novice, and he should have honored his place on the panel by stepping into his role like an adult.
     
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    Originally Posted By actingforanimators

    Wow. OK, well I don't want to debate the experience and I guess I can see why someone would think Brad was a little full of himself, but he's a very animated and type A kinda' guy who thrives with an audience. Just because I called it a highlight doesn't mean that I would rank it as the most sophisticated and urbane moment of the whole night. I'm sure there's a good lesson about being more sensitive or more discreet but it was a very inside kind of remark to an almost exclusively inside crowd. I can respect your view of it but it was probably more indiscreet of me to even point out who he was talking about since he didn't mention any names, and in that sense I'm more at fault than he.
     
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    Originally Posted By fabdisbabe

    I thought he was well within the boundaries of decorum for the event - it fit right in and the audience, at least in the front section, thought it was funny.

    Fab
     
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    Originally Posted By zenifrax

    Here are some links to two recaps of this event:

    Los Angeles Times:
    <a href="http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/cl-et-lynn11apr11" target="_blank">http://www.calendarlive.com/mo
    vies/cl-et-lynn11apr11</a>,0,7854852.story?coll=cl%2Dcalendar

    Animation World Network:
    <a href="http://news.awn.com/index.php3?newsitem_no=8339" target="_blank">http://news.awn.com/index.php3
    ?newsitem_no=8339</a>

    In the AWN article, the story about Fred Moore drawing noses pointing slightly to the left is credited to Frank Thomas, but I can hear Ollie Johnston's voice in my mind. Does anyone recall which is correct?

    Another error: Margaret Kerry (who was not introduced during the program) served as the live-action model for Tinker Bell in "Peter Pan," in addition to providing the voice of a mermaid. I have never heard that she had any role in the production of "Cinderella" three years earlier.

    One more thing: The reference to "Milt Kahn" is obviously a typographical error for Milt Kahl.
     
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    Originally Posted By zenifrax

    Try this link for the Los Angeles Times article:

    <a href="http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/cl-et-lynn11apr11" target="_blank">http://www.calendarlive.com/mo
    vies/cl-et-lynn11apr11</a>,0,7854852.story?coll=cl%2Dcalendar
     
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    Originally Posted By zenifrax

    Oh, well, I give up.
     

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