The Animation Podcast

Category: News & Info

Updates about the site and things you may want to know

  • A simpler site

    Like the homepage update says, there aren’t any new podcasts coming. So sad. I’ve got bigger fish to fry. I decided, since my site was crippled last week by a cheesy exploit, that I would clean things up and do what I’ve wanted to do for a LONG time – put all the podcast episodes on the home page. So there they are! You can now get to them easily and play them all non-stop. Some things may still be out of order, but this was a quick fix. 🙂

  • I have a letter at The Animator Letters Project

    Yesterday I found an old notebook with a letter to myself that I never intended to share with anyone. It was written 13 years ago in 2000. It’s about me finding my process of hand-drawn animation – a collection of things I was finding to be true along my way and some pumped up advice on how to be courageous. I was going to post it here, but felt that it might better serve Willie Downs’ Animator Letters Project and he was gracious enough to post it there. I got a kick out of reading it all these years later and I hope someone else does too. If you have any comments, please leave them on the post on Willie’s site. I’ll be disabling the comments on this post.

  • @Animpodcast on Twitter and #Animtip Tuesdays

    I’ve been sorely absent from this site for a large part of the last year, but I haven’t dropped off the hairy back of the internet. Pinched with little time to spare, I’ve fallen for the ease and short form of the tweet. I make a point not to tweet my life, so you won’t hear that I’m out of milk. But I do tweet about animation, which leads me to the best part…

    I started a hashtag (a way to mark topics) on Twitter called #animtip.

    Click this search and you’ll see what it is.

    PLUS, every Tuesday is now Animtip Tuesday where tons of animation fanatics post their animation tips on animation. It’s fun and inspiring. Share an animtip on Twitter any day of the week, but especially on Animtip Tuesday.

    I’ve added an icon at the top of the site to find me on Twitter. My username is AnimPodcast. If you follow me, send me a tweet to let me know who you are.

  • Site Re-design – kicking the tires

    In case you check back once in a while, wondering if the site is falling apart from disuse, you’ll see that it has been dusted off and slapped with a brand new coat of paint! This isn’t just a tease, I am getting back into the podcasting business. (I never left, really, I was only stretching my legs for a bit.)

    I really wanted to get the shows into the spotlight. Now you’ll always find the latest show on the front page, above the fold.

    This isn’t just a cosmetic overhaul, I decided to make some tough choices, like changing my link structure to a much simpler format. SO… if you’ve got links out there pointing here, they may not reach their final destination. That’s OK. We’ll rebuild together.

    As with every revamp of the site – at least it’s been my experience – things will have broken, and may not work like before. I’ll be tinkering, discovering, and patching as I go. If you run into anything drastic, pitch me an email and let me know.

    Some features are drifting into the shadows, while others are lurching forward and begging for some love. It will all balance out as we get back into the swing together.

    I’m adding an image for when I tear it all apart next time and people wonder, what did it look like before?

  • Walt Stanchfield Books

    I’m going to take my time here, so I’ll put the summary first:
    BUY THESE WALT STANCHFIELD BOOKS!
    Walt Stanchfield, Volume 1Drawn to Life: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes, Volume 1: The Walt Stanchfield Lectures

    Walt Stanchfield, Volume 2Drawn to Life: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes, Volume 2: The Walt Stanchfield Lectures

    Ok, now for the long version…

    In 1994, during my first week as an intern at Disney, everything was magic to me. They had a shelf full of fresh (and expensive) animation paper for anyone to use. Draw through your stack? Take some more! Unfathomable. The pencil supply shelf was like a treasure chest. I figured that these must be the most popular pencil choices of hundreds of the greatest artists from over decades of use. I took one of each to figure out which one would be the key to unlocking my latent drawing virtuosity. (None of them worked.) There were drawing classes every lunch hour – with food provided! Was this heaven? I was so wide-eyed and for years I saved every scrap of paper that came across my desk because I just knew that when I am 87 years old, I’ll spend my hours going through dusty old boxes, reading memos reminiscing how great life was.
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  • Animation Timeline

    For many years I’ve kept my eyes open for fast and easy ways to create dynamic timelines and it appears it is a concept who’s time has finally come. There are now many websites that let you create your own custom timelines and after checking out a few, I decided to create an Animation Timeline on Dipity.

    Animation Timeline

    I’ve added all the Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks and Blue Sky feature films but I’m sure there are many more from years past that can be included. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t mind having anything related to animation on there. I started it, but I won’t claim it as my own – it’s for all of us! Any one can contribute since it is editable by anyone. Just create an account on Dipity and add away. You can even edit the information that’s there if you want. It took me a while to get all the films in there, so I’m putting a bit of trust in your hands that you won’t maul it in to a work of evil, but I know you’re a good bunch and animation types generally watch out for each other.

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  • Announcing The Animation Podcast Swag Shop!

    Swag Shop poster

    Now you can let the whole world know that the voices in your head are “The voices of animation” by wearing your Animation Podcast t-shirt and Animation Podcast hat while sipping your beverage of choice from your Animation Podcast coffee cup! You can even stick your Animation Podcast magnet to your favorite piece of metal. So don’t walk – RUN! Get to The Animation Podcast Swag Shop (TAPSS to those in the know) and show the love!
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  • Listen to The Animation Podcast on your iPod Touch or iPhone

    Get your fingers all over The Animation Podcast.
    If you’ve got an iPod Touch or an iPhone, direct Safari to:

    http://animationpodcast.com/iphone

    In case you haven’t subscribed in iTunes already and find yourself out on the road, needing some animation love, you’ll find a simple page there with all the shows laid out for you.

  • Under a little construction…

    I threw the switch and changed the layout of the site. As I expected, some things got pretty thrown out of whack! It all seems functional now, but I’ll be fiddling with it to get it the way I like.

    I should point out a few new things around here:
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  • I’m published in Walt’s People Volume 5!

    Walt's People Volume 5

    I just mentioned this in the latest show and I want to make sure no one misses it: Didier Ghez has just released his latest volume in his fantastic series Walt’s People. I’m especially excited about this one because he has included my interview with Ron Clements and John Musker. I’m published! How cool is that? I’m honored to be included in this project. I can’t wait to get my hands on this one. It’s like I’m living this scene from The Jerk:

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