See The PIctures,Read The Story And If You Like, VOTE!

My first attempt at writing for a magazine. Last week I was at the peace march in Bombay in regards to the terror attacks on 26/11.
Took a few pics and have put together a photo essay.Check it out, and if u like it please VOTE a "Yes".
Thanks!

In Print!

Excited excited excited! I never thought i would end up being a published photographer when i bought my first DSLR camera a year ago! Could be beginner's luck, but here I am with my first ever picture to be printed in a photography magazine.

Am printed in Issue 19 of JPG Mag,under the theme of Faith.You can browse the entire issue online by clicking on the page showing my pic ("Holy Shiv",the hermit with the Shiva frames in the background).
My pic appears on page#35.

You will also find there the links to see all the dazzling pics printed in the issue along with how u can purchase a hard copy or subscribe to this awesome visual publication.

(All the pics look even more spectacular in print)

The picture by itself is....

Sneak Peak Featurette for "Coraline"

Teaser For Disney's "The Princess & The Frog"

This was a pleasant surprise! The movie is more than a year away, and they have a teaser out already! Needless to say...am totally excited about this return to hand drawn animation.Fingers crossed for its commercial success..as for the teaser..i love it!

"Kung Fu Panda" 2D Opening Sequence

Gotta love this! Even the end credits were so much fun!

'Kung Fu Panda' Exclusive Video: Opening Dream Sequence

Chasing Thunderstorms

Last Sunday,I went on a little adventure chasing a thunderstorm.I was hoping to catch a lightning, unfortunately, that did not happen.However i did end up with some sights that i had never before seen, and will probably never seen again.
A rainbow...and how!





Another panorama i shot.However does not stitch up too well...but does give a complete picture of the view in front of me!

A "Wall-E" Sneak Peak

Animator's Survival Kit Trailer

I guess this is trailer for the DVD version of Richard William's book maybe. I LOVE it!
I would get the DVD too, it was really interesting attending the class in school.
Now if only get the DVD signed like the book!:)

Pic Of The Day: "Clandestine Conclave"

My First Ever HDR Image

Been meaning to try out HDR (High Dynamic Range) for the longest time.At first i had no idea why what made an HDR image look so surreal. When i found out, it seemed like insane amount of work and time for just ONE picture.
Anyways...here i am..with my First HDR. It's kinda scary, it might be difficult going back to the normal single exposure photography!

Sunset Romance

Sunset Romance
Originally uploaded by the_anim8r

Taken last weekend from the Toronto Island.

UV: "Eggspression"

I just realized i have quite a few unposted clips of my animation from Urban Vermin...so here is one more...

The End Of An Era: RIP Ollie Johnston (1912-2008)

"The Jungle Book" was a landmark movie in many ways. It was the last movie that was in production under Walt, and was finished and released after his death.The future of Disney Animation rested on the success or failure of that movie.

It was also the pinnacle of Ollie Johnston's and Frank Thomas' work as character animators.They took Mowgli and Balloo where no animated character had gone before.
And one more thing...it was the first movie I remember seeing in the theaters as a child at the age of around 5-6.

You would understand when I say that the world has a little less magic today.

Very rarely am I so inspired by people whom i don't really know personally.Who are not my family & friends.There are very few exceptions, and Ollie Johnston was one of them.
To say he was a legend, is an understatement.It's like growing up in the times of Picasso /Da Vinchi or Michaelangelo...who's works and lives would give birth to an art-form that you spend your inspire you to pursue their arts to begin with.

So how does one express the feeling of passing away of such a master/pioneer.This isn't a new feeling for me because in the last decade we have witnessed the demise of some of the greatest minds and pioneers in the art of animation (arguably the last TRUE art form to be born).But the passing of Ollie is a lot worse.Why? Because he was the last one.We are done here. The dinosaurs are finally extinct.He was last of the legendary Nine Old Men.There are simply no more.

Don't get me wrong, there are geniuses out there..but everyone at the end of the are just students of the generation that Ollie represented.
Walt Disney along with his brilliant animators created the animation and elevated it to the art form that it is today.

Here is a 3 part "Disney Family Album" featuring Ollie Johnston.






Ollie's personal contributions are not limited to the work he did for the big screen. He with his equal partner in crime ,Frank Thomas (who expired a few years earlier), found ways to share their wealth of knowledge and wisdom through various formats.A must for any fan/admirer of the arts in general and animation in particular.

One of the best documentaries ever, something that inspires me every time I see it ( I see it at least 2-3 times a year), Frank & Ollie
The bible of animation.If there is only ONE book you ever need to understand animation , it would be this one. Aptly titled, The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation

Though I never had the opportunity to meet him or any of them personally, I feel honored to have lived in the same day and age as these masters.
Am very sad today , but I feel very thankful too because I JUST don't know what would I do without animation in my life. So,thanks Ollie for giving me my passion. You will be missed!

SNAP:"Through The Looking Glass"

Through The Looking Glass
Originally uploaded by the_anim8r

Taken this week from Skypod, the very top of the CN Tower

WDCC:"Malevolent Magistrate"

Frollo from makes his WDCC debut this year .Featured in his chair from the Festival of Fools as he sits and watches with condescension, the gypsy Esmeralda and the other festivities.This would have been a very challenging character to sculpt, with his bony face and wrinkled skin, but Patrick Romandy-Simmons , the sculptor has done commendable job!

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Sarah @ One Night Live

Been lazy about putting these up...here are a few of them...

World On Fire


Fallen


Ice Cream

One Night Live Concert

Now that was a concert. I went primarily for my fav artist, Sarah McLachlan, but the presence of Bryan Adams, Jann Arden & Josh Groban did not hurt either.
Sarah sang TEN songs, including duets with Jann, Josh and Bryan!
Here r some pics i took:

My 2008 Oscars Predictions

Its Oscar time! Here are my predictions.
In some cases, what i think SHOULD win, probably wont, but i will mention it anyws. If it does, i would be happy to loose the point!:)

1.Performance by an actor in a leading role
Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood"

2.Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men"

3.Performance by an actress in a leading role
Julie Christie in "Away from Her"

4.Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Cate Blanchett in "I'm Not There"

5.Best animated feature film of the year
"Ratatouille" (Walt Disney): Brad Bird

6.Achievement in art direction
"Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"

7.Achievement in cinematography
"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" : Roger Deakins

8.Achievement in costume design
"Elizabeth: The Golden Age" (Universal) Alexandra Byrne

9.Achievement in directing
WILL WIN:"No Country for Old Men" , Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
SHOULD WIN:"There Will Be Blood" , Paul Thomas Anderson

10.Best documentary feature
"No End in Sight" Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs

11.Best documentary short subject
"Sari's Mother" (Cinema Guild) A Daylight Factory Production: James Longley

12.Achievement in film editing
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage) Roderick Jaynes

13.Best foreign language film of the year
"The Counterfeiters" Austria

14.Achievement in makeup
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" (Walt Disney): Ve Neill and Martin Samuel

15.Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
Cant decide between Atonement and Ratatouille...i would be happy with either.
But i think i will put my money on Atonement.Just because this will work as a consolation prize for the movie which wont really win anything else.

"Atonement" (Focus Features) Dario Marianelli

16.Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
It better be one of the 3 Alan menken/Stephen Schwrtz song. Which one? i dont think it matters but here it is:

SHOULD WIN:"Happy Working Song" from "Enchanted" (Walt Disney): Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
WIll WIN:"That's How You Know" from "Enchanted" (Walt Disney): Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz

17.Best motion picture of the year
Rataouille seriously deserved to be in this category this year. Its not the best unanimously best reviewed movie of the year for nothing.Specially if mediocre movies like Atonement and Juno can land a Best Pic Nomination.

So since Ratatouille or Sweeney Todd are not nominated...i think Blood was the best i saw...No Country lost my vote cause of the ending. But it has more "BUZZ"..so i think No country is more likely to win, but i am again put my money where my heart is...

"There Will Be Blood" A JoAnne Sellar/Ghoulardi Film Company Production: JoAnne Sellar, Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Lupi, Producers

18.Best animated short film
"Madame Tutli-Putli" (National Film Board of Canada) A National Film Board of Canada Production Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski


19.Best live action short film
“At Night”

20.Achievement in sound editing
"Transformers" (DreamWorks and Paramount in association with Hasbro): Ethan Van der Ryn and Mike Hopkins

21.Achievement in sound mixing
"Ratatouille" (Walt Disney): Randy Thom, Michael Semanick and Doc Kane

22.Achievement in visual effects
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" (Walt Disney): John Knoll, Hal Hickel, Charles Gibson and John Frazier

23.Adapted screenplay
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage), Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen

24.Original screenplay
WILL WIN:"Juno" (A Mandate Pictures/Mr. Mudd Production), Written by Diablo Cody
SHOULD WIN:"Ratatouille" (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Brad Bird; Story by Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco, Brad Bird

Another Year,Another Birthday!

Its my blog's 2nd, my niece's 7th, and mine....umm...30!! hehe

Thnx for visiting my blog for all these years:)

Will be back tomorrow with my Oscar predictions!:)

Buy-n-Large Corporation's "Wall-E"

WDCC: "Bewitching Beauty"

Esmeralda has the honor of the first Leading Lady to be a part of my WDCC collection!Also in my humble opinions the most gorgeous Disney heroines..and thankfully not a "Princess"!
Kent Melton has done an amazing job with her face.She was so difficult to keep on model in the movie too..but this is awesome!

The piece is very aptly titled "Bewitching Beauty"...tough to do it justice in pics!

Times Square

TimesSquare,NYC (Explore:#258)
Originally uploaded by the_anim8r

Shot this last week in NYC!

First Production Still From Disney's "The Princess And The Frog"

December 2009 cannot come fast enough!

WDCC: "Tangled Up Romance"

With this piece Roger and Anita make their WDCC debut.The piece by the Kent Melton captures their first meeting orchestrated by Pongo.Leading to a splash in the pond and a marriage!
This is my 3rd piece from 101 Dalmations, and after 2 amazing Cruella (1,2)pieces, am excited to have the other cast members represented in such a cool piece!

"Urban Vermin" Opening Credits

Swarovski Tree

Swarovski Tree
Originally uploaded by the_anim8r

"Urban Vermin" Debut Tomorrow

Urban Vermin makes its debut on YTV tomorrow .
I did not work on tomorrow's episode (i started ep.03 onwards). Click on the logo above to see a clip!:-)