Category: General (Page 1 of 3)

Disney’s Mickey Mouse Debut ‘Steamboat Willie’ Now Public Domain

January 3, 2024 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Disney’s Steamboat Willie, released in 1928, introduced the world to Minnie and Mickey Mouse. And now, as of January 1, 2024, that short film is public domain.

When books, movies, music, artwork, and photographs enter the public domain, it means that their copyrights have expired. This allows anyone to access, use, modify, or build upon that work without needing permission or paying fees.

Artists and filmmakers should note that only the 1928 version of Steamboat Willie has entered the public domain. If you’re working on a commercial project, it’s best to consult with a copyright lawyer to avoid legal issues such as cease and desist letters or copyright infringement lawsuits.

2017 Academy Award Animation Nominees

January 27, 2017 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Here are the animation nominees for the 89th Academy Awards, airing Sunday, February 26, 2017.

Animated Feature Film
Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
My Life as a Zucchini
The Red Turtle
Zootopia

Animated Short Film
Blind Vaysha
Borrowed Time
Pear Cider and Cigarettes
Pearl
Piper

NBCUniversal Acquires DreamWorks Animation

April 28, 2016 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

NBCUniversal today announced the acquisition of DreamWorks Animation. The studio will become part of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, which includes Universal Pictures, Fandango, and NBCUniversal Brand Development. Under the terms of the agreement, DreamWorks Animation has an equity value of approximately $3.8 billion. DreamWorks Animation stockholders will receive $41 in cash for each share of DreamWorks Animation common stock.

The acquisition includes popular DreamWorks Animation film franchises, such as Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon. It also includes hundreds of hours of original animated content distributed across linear and SVOD platforms in more than 130 countries. Additionally, DreamWorks Classics, a large library of classic characters, including Where’s Waldo, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, will become part of the NBCUniversal portfolio.

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Thank You For Your Contributions

January 22, 2016 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Just wanted to say thanks to the three readers (C.Y., S.M., and M.L.) who contributed financially through the PayPal Tip Jar. Because of them, The Animation Blog’s back-owed fees have been paid and hosting is now paid up till May 14th.

If you too would like to contribute, simply click the PayPal Donate button at the bottom of this page. All contributions go toward paying the hosting and domain fees. Thanks.

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2016 Academy Award Animation Nominees

January 14, 2016 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

The nominees for the upcoming Oscars (Feb. 28) have been announced.

For Best Animated Feature, the nominees are: Anomalisa, Boy & The World, Inside Out, Shaun the Sheep Movie, and When Marnie Was There.

For Best Animated Short, the nominees are: Bear Story, Prologue, Sanjay’s Super Team, We Can’t Live Without Cosmos, and World of Tomorrow.

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‘Peter Pan’ Live Action Reference Photographs

February 1, 2013 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

In anticipation of the February 5th release of the 60th Anniversary Edition of Peter Pan, Disney has released the following slideshow featuring 1950s live action reference photographs.

Mel Blanc: The Man of a Thousand Voices

December 27, 2012 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

John Lasseter Honored with Hollywood Walk of Fame Star

November 2, 2011 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Two-time Academy Award-winning director and CEO of Walt Disney/Pixar Animation Studios John Lasseter today received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Joining the celebration were Bonnie Hunt, Owen Wilson, Brad Paisley, Emily Mortimer, John Ratzenberger, Patton Oswalt, Don Rickles, Randy Newman and Cheech Marin whom have worked with Lasseter on various Pixar projects. Lasseterâ€™s star is the 2,453rd on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is located in front of the El Capitan Theatre.

Behind the Gates at Dreamworks Animation

June 6, 2011 / The Animation Blog / 1 Comment

Vanity Fair Pixar Image

May 23, 2011 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Check out this image Pixar recently created for Vanity Fair magazine.

Via @leeunkrich, director of Toy Story 3.

Video: Toy Story 3 Director Lee Unkrich on ‘Win, Lose or Draw’

May 18, 2011 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Before Pixar Director Lee Unkrich made it big, he was just like you and I… a regular 20-year-old kid wearing an awful sweater, trying to earn some cash to pay for school.

The difference being he decided to earn money by dominating an episode of the game show “Win, Lose or Draw” in 1987. According to Mr. Unkrich, he was “coerced into buying that sweater by the show’s producers.”

And in case you’re wondering, he used his winnings to pay for his USC housing fees. This video was posted by Mr. Unkrich, as promised, once he reached the 100,000 followers threshold on twitter.

Giveaway: ‘Lost & Found’ Book by Shaun Tan

February 25, 2011 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

To celebrate The Animation Blog’s upcoming 4th birthday, we’re giving away three copies of Shaun Tan‘s Lost & Found. The book includes three stories: The Red Tree, The Lost Thing, and The Rabbits. These stories have never been widely available in the U.S., until now. All three stories are presented in their entirety with new artwork and author’s notes. The book goes on sale March 1, 2011 (the same day as TAB’s birthday).

How to Enter: The book is very imaginative and evokes feelings of wonder. So, if you’d like to win one of the three copies, you’re going to have to use your imagination. To enter, email theanimationblog at gmail.com with the subject heading “Lost & Found” and in the body of the email write a short story or poem of 300 words or less. I will then pick the three best entries on March 8, 2011. Good luck! Note: Open to United States residents only.

Looney Tunes Tweety Bird Prize Pack Giveaway

February 4, 2011 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

To celebrate the recently launched Looney Tunes YouTube and Twitter pages, we’re giving away a Tweety Bird prize pack.

The YouTube channel showcases some of the best moments from the series featuring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Speedy Gonzales, and many others.

In addition, the Looney Tunes Twitter page features Looney Tunes trivia, games, fun facts, and giveaways.

Here’s what the Tweety Bird Prize Pack includes:

– Makeup Bag
– 3D Glasses
– USB Flash Drive
– Child’s T-Shirt
– Makeup Compact
– Ring
– DVD
– Havaianas Flip Flops

To enter, email theanimationblog at gmail.com with the subject Tweety Bird Giveaway and you will be automatically entered.

Note: This giveaway is open to residents of the United States only.

This giveaway will end and a winner will be randomly chosen on Valentine’s Day, Monday, February 14, 2011. The winner will then have 48 hours to respond with mailing address. Failure to do so will result in a second random drawing until a winner is confirmed.

Video: Pixar’s ‘It Get’s Better’

November 22, 2010 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

A message of hope from employees at Pixar Animation Studios. Part of the It Get’s Better campaign.

Giveaway: The Klutz Book of Animation

October 4, 2010 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

The Klutz Book of Animation: Anybody with a computer, camera, internet connection and a little bit of creativity can create animated films for the masses. The Klutz Book of Animation is a how-to-guide for this art form. Step-by-step instructions show you how to create a variety of different classic stop motion special effects.

The Animation Blog is giving away three copies of the book to three lucky readers. All you have to do is email theanimationblog at gmail.com with the subject line “Klutz Book Giveaway” and we’ll randomly select three winners. You have until October 11, 2010 at 11:59PM Eastern time to enter. The winners will then have 48 hours to reply with their mailing address. If a winner does not respond on time, another winner will be randomly chosen.

Note: Giveaway is only open to United States residents.

Check out some sample animations after the break.