Sintel

“Sintel” is an independently produced short animation film, initiated by the Blender Foundation as a means to further improve and validate the free/open source 3D creation suite Blender. With initial funding provided by 1000s of donations via the internet community, it has again proven to be a viable development model for both open 3D technology as for independent animation film.

This 15 minute film has been realized in the studio of the Amsterdam Blender Institute, by an international team of artists and developers. In addition to that, several crucial technical and creative targets have been realized online, by developers and artists and teams all over the world. (Source: Note on Youtube by Blender Foundation)

Tragic Story with Happy Ending - Regina Pessoa - (2005)

Nine Nation Animation

A cat and a mouse carry on a dysfunctional relationship in a futuristic landscape. A Chinese monk sets out on foot with a tiger during the Tang dynasty and happens upon the giant Buddhas of Bamiyan. Two bluecollar workers dissect the meaning of "normal" life, as the world crumbles around them. A box of matches succumb, to their detriment, to the appeal of a cigarette. Four people recount their various encounters—triumphant or terrifying, euphoric or down-to-earth-- with an unforgettable rite of passage. The World According to Shorts presents a selection of recent award-winning animated short films from the world’s most renowned festivals, including Cannes, Berlin, Annecy, Clermont- Ferrand and others.

Courtesy : Pratheek George Thomas

WTF- Ok Go

Official music video of the song WTF? by the American Alternative/ Rock Band OK Go, followed by HTF?, the official making of WTF?

The Third & The Seventh

A very meditative CG piece focusing on architecture and photography.

Glow- Jo Lawrence

Produced by picassopictures this stop motion filmis based on the real story of Grace Freyer, one of the "radium girls" who worked at The Radium Dial Company in New Jersey in the 1920s, painting clock dials with radium. When "radium ghost" is reunited with all the other factory workers who died.

Year: 2007
Director: Jo Lawrence

Posthaste

Rob zywietz is an amazing animation director. His more recent work include music video for a Glasgow band Popup, 'Lucy what are you trying to say?' Here I post (pun intended) his incredibly funny and well timed, watercoloured 'Posthaste'.

Animation Blog - A Great Archive of Films!

I found this blog today: http://www.animationblog.org/

It's a British blog archiving lots of old and new animated shorts from around the world! This one will definitely be added to the links!

Enough animation, cookery time now!

ANIMATION & MUSIC & FOOD TV-SHOW (1997-2007) http://www.tastystories.com/

This entire show is authored and produced by one person. Roman Kanatnikov has been creating this animated TV show for the past 10 years and it has been airing on different TV networks in Russia from 1997. He has delivered 255 episodes of this culinary show and attracted major advertising partners. Running time for the episode varies from 3 minute if on a daily basis to 10 minutes, if weekly.

This is a fun tasty fairy tale where main characters are real fruits and vegetables, and kitchen appliances are supporting them. Fruits and vegetables tell stories about secrets of great chefs, explain culinary delights and they even cook while you watch. Simple but yet original recipes, healthy food tips and fun atmosphere – this is all part of this show. Only in this show vegetables are taking Jacuzzi baths in kitchen pots, read books made from dough, argue with Meat Grinders and Sugar Bowls, save Milk and Juice cartons and make friends with Kitchen Processors. No other animation TV show creates such an appetite for culinary adventures!

Bon Apetit

VIDEOGIOCO

Fantaisie in Bubblewrap (2007) by Arthus Metcalf

The final minutes of a society of vocal bubblewrap as it faces its apocalypse.

'Bubblewrap' was completed August 2007 and has since made the festival rounds picking up some awards on its way. It is Arthur Metcalf's debut film.

http://www.metcalflovesyou.com/

I Met the Walrus

The story goes that in the year 1969 (o yes...the famous 1969..what DIDN"T happen in 1969!), a 14-year-old Beatle fan..ahem..fanatic going by the name of Jerry Levitan snuck into John Lennon's hotel room in Toronoto and, armed with a reel to reel recorder, convinced him to do an impromptu interview. 38 years later, Levitan collaborated with director Josh Raskin and illustrator James Braithwaite to create an animated short film using the original interview recording as the soundtrack.

As if the recordingly itself isn't remarkable enough, the animation used in this film is simply breathtaking. Listening to Lennon's straightforward and clear reason reminds us of his timeless message: a call for peace by non-violent - albeit creative - means. To each his own, says Lennon, and frees us to see the world and react to it in whichever way we feel like: as squares, as revolutionaries or as quiet peaceniks. He takes on Levitan's innocent questions with wit and humor, even kindness and compassion, as you can almost hear the curiosity in his voice bounce off the awe in Levitan's who can't quite believe he's actually getting all this gloroius wisdom down on tape.

The visuals themselves are a treat of hand drawn pen illustrations that explode into ink blots before resolving into computer aided camera trickery that takes a singular point of view, turns it on its head, zooms out of it, twists it, turns it and eventually guides you on the way to imagining the world and its contents as John himself may have seen them

All in all, a delightful film whose message we might all do well to take to heart even today. Nominated for the 2008 Academy Award for Animated Short, you can find out more about it at http://www.imetthewalrus.com/

HUNGU from NFB

Through a wordless audio-visual narrative, Hungu explores how a mother’s soul is resurrected and transformed in the form of the Hungu, an African musical instrument. This moving animated film presents the tale of a young son who must leave behind his mother as she lies dying in the barren African desert during a drought. Using the style of African rock paintings as his inspiration, Nicholas Brault has elegantly crafted this tale with a combination of 2D animation on a graphics tablet and sand animation. It is particularly impressive that Brault has created an emotionally powerful film using these visually simple images. The soundtrack is equally sparse, using only the sounds of sand and the bare, repetitive tones of the hungu to produce a hypnotic rhythm. As a result, the film feels like a meditation, a visual poem about family, memory and moving forward from experiences of death and trauma.

In addition, the DVD includes two behind-the-scenes vignettes. These are also accessible on the NFB website. Both are of good use for teachers wanting to extend the study of this film, and they provide excellent supplements to the film itself. The first vignette is a “meet the director” segment that illustrates how the animation process was implemented and addresses how decisions were made in the production and design process. In addition, a short vignette explores how the hungu has evolved into the Brazilian berimbau used in the martial art/dance capoeira originally performed by African slaves predominantly from Angola and the Congo. It documents a discussion of the history of capoeira with an articulate capoeira leader as well as a presentation of the key moves and techniques of capoeira by a group of participants, including the director.

Although younger viewers will enjoy viewing this film, I think that there is also great potential to use this film and its behind-the-scene vignettes in a secondary school setting. I highly recommend this film and its supplementary features for viewers of all ages.

Hungu won first place for the Best Animated Short Jury Award and an Honourable Mention Award for Future Film Maker at the 2008 Palm Springs International ShortFest & Short Film market. Hungu was also screened at the Toronto Film Festival.

Nicholas Brault, an award-winning short film director, produced his first films using a graphics tablet during his BA in graphic design at the University du Quebec a Montreal including L’Oeill (1999) and Vermino (2000). In 2000. he won the NFB Cineaste recherche(e) contest which allowed him to make Antagonia (2002) which screened at the Festival de Clermont-Ferrand and won an award at Portugal’s CINANIMA. He also directedIlot (2003) a film about Inuit culture that won first prize at VIDFEST, Vancouver (2004).

I'll go crazy If I don't go crazy tonight - David OReilly

U2 - I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight from David OReilly on Vimeo.

David OReilly's directed music video for U2 - I'll go crazy if I dont go crazy tonight. David OReilly is more known for his short film Please Say Something. Lovely storytelling and very good aesthetics!!

Hikikomori

"Hikikomori" is a social condition prevalent in Japan, where young people, unable to cope with social and academic pressures, shut themselves in their rooms for months, even years on end.
Yasuo Yamamoto hasn't emerged in almost a year. Yet even as his condition worsens, someone still cares for him...

Jonathan Harris, a wonderful animator and the creator of this short can be found here, here and here.