November 8, 2010 Comments Off
An accomplished director, artist, and animator, Joan Gratz pioneered the animation technique known as claypainting.Working with bits of clay she blends colors and etches fine lines to create a seamless flow of images.
Joan developed her animated painting when an architecture student, then shifted from paint to clay while working with Will Vinton Studios from 1977-1987. During that time her work included design and animation for Academy-Award Nominees Return to Oz, Rip Van Winkle, and The Creation. Her work is also featured in the Vinton film The Little Prince
November 5, 2010 Comments Off
Next Friday, Filmusik presents a live soundtrack performance that celebrates music and Oregon film. Presented in collaboration with Will Vinton, The Little Prince reunites the cast of the 1979 film who perform their voice overs live in the theatre for the acclaimed claymation short.
The Little Prince is both a charming and lyrical work of animation and a piece of Oregon film history. Made in 1979 by Will Vinton Studios, claymation innovator and creator of the California Raisins. Filmusik brings together the original artists including the voice of the Little Prince, Michele Mariana for a live performance that celebrates Portland film. With a live original score performed live in the theatre by Filmusik’s own chamber ensemble and live sound effects and Foley by sound artists David Ian and Dino De Aelfweald, These claymation stories are on the big screen again in a new way, brought to life by many of the same artists who created them in the 1970′s.
Vinton Studios were the pioneers of claymation and operated out of a humble two-story house in NW Portland. The Little Prince and Rip Van Winkle were among the earlier works of a studio that would go on to create the California Raisins, The Adventures of Mark Twain and the academy award winning Closed Mondays.
The performances feature
Michele Mariana – The Little Prince
Bob Griggs – The King/Mr. Vanderdonk
Todd Oleson – The Snake
Russ Fast – The Geographer
John Morrison – The Businessman
Tim Conner – The Conceited Man/Rip Van Winkle
Susan Shadburne – The Rose
Tobias Andersen – The Pilot
After Sunday’s performance, Filmusik hosts a Q&A with Will Vinton, the performers and animators including the entire animation team from the 1979 film. Barry Bruce, Don Merkt and Jon C. Gratz
The Little Prince This is the beautiful, simple story of a pilot who crash lands in a desert and meets an unusual little fellow, the Little Prince, who tells the tale of his own journey, trying to understand what love and friendship are. Using claymation and special effects techniques, this imaginative film received an Academy Award Nomination.
Rip Van Winkle Nominated for an Academy Award, this claymation classic is an imaginative retelling of Washington Irving’s famous legend. Rip is a man who doesn’t belong in his time. Set during the beginning of America, this tale illustrates the great changes in the world after Rip goes to the Catskill Mountains and falls asleep for 20 years. Rip dreams that there IS a place for him and when he wakes he discovers a new purpose.
November 5, 2010 Comments Off
Bob Collaborated with Vinton studios in the 70′s and 80′s producing The Little Prince in which he voiced the role of the King, Rip Van Winkle, as the cantankerous Mr. Vanderdonk and The Adventures of Mark Twain.
Bob Griggs served in the Korean War. He held important jobs at OMSI and Oregon Public Broadcasting. He’s done stints as an actor and voice artist — including voicing Mickey Mouse for some “Talking ViewMaster” reels. He’s a Linux-loving FreeGeek.org volunteer. And he used to don full vampire regalia to co-host a late-night monster-movie show on Portland’s KATU-TV.
But Griggs — still spry at 75 — will forever be remembered by kids of a certain age as the man behind “Bumpity.” “Bumpity” was a strange, mellow, no-budget kid’s show that ran on KATU from 1971-85. (You can read more about the genesis of the show right here.) Griggs built, operated and voiced the titular puppet — a talking lump of sod (often mistaken for a frog) who invited local librarians to “Bumpity Park” to read children’s books.
November 5, 2010 Comments Off
How did you originally get involved making these films? (The Little Prince and Rip Van Winkle)Will and I grew up together in a McMinnville. After high school we went our separate ways but when he made “Closed Mondays” he asked me to do the soundtrack for that. We both ended up in Portland and started working together on short films, these two films being among them.
What interested you about the work?
It was original. We had all the freedom to be great or foolish.
What do you remember most about the process of creating them?
Because Will and I grew up together, I think we had a different relationship than most. We had more history insight into each other. That was good and bad. We knew when one of us was full of shit and we had our differences, but it was also such fun to share a fantasy, to play together.
