Dogpatch Press

Fluff Pieces Every Week

Category: animation

October 6, 2014

Q&A with master animator Michel Gagne, part 2. Another in a series for fans and Furries.

by Patch O'Furr

TSOR_cover_700hgtDogpatch Press interview series:  Artists, animation directors, DJ’s and event organizers, superfans, and more…

Animator Michel Gagne talked about his movie, The Saga of Rex, in Part 1.  In Part 2, he says more about the movie and his overall career.  He also says that his 2004 Anthrocon Guest of Honor experience is the only Furry experience he’s had.  But there’s plenty of reasons to consider him a fan and inspiration to things we also love…

Michel Gagne Q&A, Part 2

 

(Patch) – Will the movie stick closely to the Saga of Rex graphic novel, or are you playing with adaptation?  

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October 3, 2014

Fox cartoons that make you tingly. Furry Newsdump (10-3-14)

by Patch O'Furr

Here’s links, headlines and little bites of news to make your tail wag.  Story tips are always welcome.

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In the Media and around Furry Fandom…

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berionWhen people become stuffed animals (Wenn Menschen zu Plüschtieren werden)

Furrymedia has the German news article.  It covers Eurofurence, gives a very nice description of what Furries are – and interviews some really cute ones.

Furries! Hack takes you inside the furry community…

“… to find out why people love dressing up as furry animals. Is it a sex thing? A creative outlet? Or, just a way to belong?”  This radio/podcast for young Australians covers their con, FurJam.

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September 30, 2014

Q&A with master animator Michel Gagne, part 1. Another in a series for fans and Furries.

by Patch O'Furr

Dogpatch Press interview series:  Artists, animation directors, DJ’s and event organizers, superfans, and more…

This week, animator Michel Gagne gets a two-part interview.  (Part 2 here.)  You may have seen his work on movies for Don Bluth, Warner, or Pixar.  He was Guest of Honor at Anthrocon 2004. In 2012, Kickstarter backers pledged $57,875 towards his own animated movie, The Saga of Rex. The result was a 4:00 teaser, released in 2013 as progress towards the Rex movie.  

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September 17, 2014

A slightly naughty Furry News Dump (9-17-14)

by Patch O'Furr

Here’s links, headlines and little bites of news to make your tail wag.  Tips are always welcome.

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In the Media…

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What Is a Furry? Beyond the Masks at Furry Migration 2014.

A refreshingly positive article in the Minneapolis Citypages has a three minute video. It has heavy focus on fursuiters, but quotes literary-furries too.

Symbicort’s cartoon wolves.
symbicort-wolf-large-4
A :60 commercial spot for the pharma company was made to air nationally, using drawn 2D animation to beautiful effect you don’t see enough these days. (I’m interested to know what agency/studio made it… it looks like illustrator/animator Barry Bruner helped pitch it.

Road Raging Russian Beaten By Furries.

(Really, it’s non-furry mascots – but it makes a good headline.)

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September 5, 2014

Interview series: Movie directors, animators, artists, event builders, superfans, and more.

by Patch O'Furr

Creators and Doers make a subculture thrive. Whether they build it from grassroots – or feed it from outside with stuff that furries like – they have valuable words to say.  I didn’t plan to build a collection of interviews – it grew naturally from one. It will get updated often.  Let’s start with a great top example:

Michel Gagne is one of the giants of the animation world. You may have seen his work on movies for Don Bluth, Warner, Pixar, and more. He was Guest of Honor at Anthrocon 2004. In 2012, Kickstarter backers pledged $57,875 towards his own animated movie, The Saga of Rex. The result was a 4:00 teaser video, released in 2013 as progress towards producing the Rex movie.  What’s he up to since then?

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August 31, 2014

The news is full of fursuiters and animation: Furry news dump (8-31-14)

by Patch O'Furr

Here’s some news curated from a Furry view.  Enjoy a big sloppy bowl of news bites, scoops, and Snausage links.  Tips welcome- I’d love to post yours!

brony2

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Media attention is very active recently…

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– Fursuiter in San Francisco magazine. 

This feature page about bronies has local furry “Quinnton Fox” in pony suit.

– Bronies in San Francisco’s The Bold Italic.  

A photo project documents Bronies, and what being one means.

– Wall Street Journal’s furry Photo of the Day.

A police officer halts traffic as delegates arrive to Eurofurence in Berlin.

– Meetup.com’s Furry group made the cover of San Diego Reader.

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August 31, 2014

USAGI YOJIMBO gets a successful pitch for a feature film

by Patch O'Furr

The indie comic by Furry favorite artist Stan Sakai is a “funny animal series set in 17th century feudal Japan”. The rabbit samurai has never appeared in animation, except for brief appearance in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV cartoon. (A TV show pilot from 1995, Space Usagi, never aired because of lack of toy company backing and bad business involving the Bucky O-Hare comic; “anything with a rabbit in space was considered off limits”.)

Now, Usagi is in a short film that was made to present to Stan Sakai, the TMNT-affiliated creator who’s been guest of honor at a number of Furry cons. It earned his approval for feature film rights.

… And it’s intended to be stop-motion animation!

Lintika Film Studio made the pitch video.  They’re a shoestring-budget collaboration of local San Francisco Bay Area animators.  Executive production is from Fon Davis. Fon gave me a tour of his local studio (Fonco), and showed me the original, iconic spiral hill from Nightmare Before Christmas that he animated.  He’s an incredibly generous supporter of indie productions, known for hosting panels at San Diego Comic Con.  Lead animator on the pitch is Justin Kohn, known for working on all of Henry Selick’s features and supporting the Bay Area animation community.

The short’s director from Lintika says:

It’s still a work-in-progress and about 90% complete. We’re currently working on the sound mix and refining the film for the DVD release which will include behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, deleted scenes, and interesting details regarding the making of the featurette.

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August 11, 2014

Update on DAWGTOWN, 2D animated feature film in production

by Patch O'Furr

DAWGTOWN is a rare breed in indie movies: a hand-drawn, 2D animated project – with as much promising talent as ambition backing it.

Director Justin Murphy gave me an interview about it’s use of anthropomorphic animals, and voices by George Foreman. (Part one, part two.)

Since then, DAWGTOWN has shared a new website, and spirited character designs for Athena (love interest of movie protagonist Max, a pit bull forced to fight for freedom in the cruel dog-fighting underground.)

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August 8, 2014

The San Francisco Furry Film Festival

by Patch O'Furr

… only exists in my imagination. BOO…

BUT WAIT. This isn’t so far-fetched. Many festivals thrive on weirdly specific subjects. I submit:
The Internet Cat Video Festival, the International Moustache Film Festival, and 9 more of “the world’s weirdest.”

The idea perks up my ears. Now, I say with love, many furries will watch ANYTHING with furries in it… no matter how bad. There’s no harm in that! I love me some bad low budget movies. (By reputation, we could name Alpha and Omega.) Lovingly compiled programming dedicated to furries seems likely to attract a core audience. And for curiosity and weirdness sake, probably nerdy movie lovers too.

Start with fantasy programming. Obviously, screening rights to many fan favorites aren’t even in the same world as us. Disney would sooner let random furries screen the X-rated Mickey Mouse cartoon (that I just totally made up), before letting them charge admission to the Lion King. But after making a fantasy list, actual choices would be left for a practical, lets-do-this film festival, with deliciously one-of-a-kind flavor.

Imaginary programs (AND WHAT CAN YOU ADD?)

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June 12, 2014

DAWGTOWN interview part 2: Director talks about casting George Foreman

by Patch O'Furr

Interview series:  Artists, animation directors, DJ’s and event organizers, superfans, and more…

Continued from Part 1, here’s more from Justin Murphy, director and producer of Dawgtown. It’s an ambitious 2D animated, indie feature film in pre-production that just announced casting George Foreman as voice actor. Here’s part 2 of his thoughts about movie making and more.

DAWGTOWN’S CASTING:
Casting choices so far indicate confident directing. IMDB shows:
Mauler (voice) – Jason Beghe – “Trademark: Deep, gravelly voice”.
George Foreman is “Vicious Vic”- a dog with a warm personality behind the name. Foreman’s bio promises depth for such a character. He grew up from childhood poverty and constant trouble with the law, making a monumental rise to heavyweight boxing champion of the world and olympic gold medal winner. His retirement led to preaching for 10 years (not a bad credit for a voice actor). An unlikely boxing comeback re-captured a World Heavyweight Champion title at age 45, bringing a real underdog to the acting part.

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