A. Film L.A. test

...or so it would seem, with the Harman-Ising sheets up on the ASIFA Archive blog . I love looking at bar-sheets, as I have had the pleasure of working with them with great joy. Here is part of sheet 3 (of 4) of UM-2, Trader Mickey. Done by the director, Dave Hand, this shows his thought process as he would sit in front of the boards, armed only with a pencil and a metronome. Oh, and an eraser! This bit is all [2-12]: each measure has 2 beats of 12 frames each. NOTE: this is the kind of paper that Dave Hand has in his hand in the scene where he acts out some action in the film about the studio that was done for RKO, and which is on the Treasures DVD "Inside the Disney Studio!" < Click on it! Read more on timing to music here and then have a look at the intro to our showreel !

...on the same stat as the previous VIP post. Another drawing that didn't make it into The Good Book... < Click on it!

From a stat that a friend of mine has, of one of the boards that Frank and Ollie used in the making of THE Book (The Illusion of Life), this sketch by then assistant animator, later cartoon master Virgil 'VIP' Partch shows himself and his animator Ollie Johnston... < Click on it!

Directed by Jack King, and written by Carl Barks, Jack Hannah and Harry Reeves, it premiered on 1/13/1939. This draft 5/2/1938. Animators include Johnny Cannon, Paul Allen, Al Eugster and Don Towsley. Why have we not heard more of Paul Allen? Find the film on Treasures DVD 'The Chronological Donald' Vol.1...

The first Mickey Mouse cartoon in color (and available on the Treasures DVD MM in Living Color Vol.1), animation on this short, directed by Wilfred Jackson, was begun 9/17/1934. This draft 12/7/1934, release 2/23/1935. Layout by Hugh Hennessy and Terrell Stapp, with music score and adaptation by Leigh Harline. Returned from Oakland. The exhibition was interesting, with the original World's Fair Lincoln AA figure as an amazing highlight. And it was amazing to finally see Herb Ryman's original sketch for the Disneyland investors - it is HUGE! Still, it in itself wasn't worth the trip. But I am very glad I did it! And now I'm in Glendale...

That is the title on the 7/30/1951 draft, for this film directed by Jack Hannah, layout Yale Gracey, backgrounds Thelma Witmer. The animator's names may be a bit unclear in this copy, but except for the first scene by Dan MacManus and a scene by Blaine Gibson, all credits are for George Kreisl, Fred Moore, Bill Justice and Volus Jones. Story by Bill Berg & Milt Schaffer, music Joseph S. Dubin. The film premiered Nov. 21st, 1952. Off to see the Disney exhibit in Oakland, CA - back on Thursday!

Requested by Mark Mayerson: "Plutopia is one of the most off-the-wall Disney cartoons ever. I'm amazed that Walt and that the MPAA let it go through. I can only assume that they didn't understand it." Featuring late animation by Norm Ferguson and Fred Moore, complimented by Les Clark, Marvin Woodward and George Nicholas. Effects by Jack Boyd and Dan MacManus. Story by Ralph Wright and Al Bertino. Layout Lance Nolley, music by Joseph S. Dubin. Directed by Charles Nichols, this draft 12/14/1949, released 5/18/1951!

This is the kind of pink memos one didn't mind getting... < Click on it!

Mickey and Pluto go to meet Minnie: much ado about tickets. The animation can be said to be more stylized and even more crude than previously, though this is obviously a matter of taste. Personally I prefer earlier Mickey shorts - especially the very early ones. After WWII, a new group of people animated the shorts. Though generally considered the second-string animators, not capable of feature work, they were often top artists in their craft, as in this film with Bob Youngquist (1905-1996), George Kreisl (1913-1988), Harry Holt (1911-2004), George Nicholas (1910-1996), Jerry Hathcock (1911-1997) and Marvin Woodward (1905-1971), most of whom had been at it for many years at this time. Effects by Andy Engman (1911-2004) and Jack Boyd (1916-1998). Layouts Karl Karpe (1899-1984), backgrounds Art Landy. Music by Ollie Wallace (1887-1963). By the way: of those mentioned, the only artists still at the studio in 1967 after Walt's passing were Bob Youngquist and the effects animators--and