Jim Hill

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"The Art of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" details how DreamWorks Animation's latest came together

Jim Hill reviews Jerry Beck's new book, which takes a look at the artistic development at both "Madagascar" movies Read More...

Posted Wednesday, November 05, 2008 12:00 AM | 2 Comments

Filed under: animation, book, DreamWorks, DreamWorks Animation, Glendale, Jerry Beck, 2008, October, behind-the-scenes stories , animated feature, feature film , coffee table book, 2005, animated features, Insight Editions, lion, African savanna, design team, director , Development , Madagascar, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, behind-the-scenes , hippo, art of books, DW, art of book, feature-length cartoon, animation historian, artistic development, technological development, DWA, Little Golden Books, Henri Rousseau, stylization, Melman, Gloria, Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, Disney Photo Library, directors, Ben Stiller, Africa, artistic choices, storytelling, giraffe, zebra, Marty

Toon Tuesday : Will Disney Animation's latest "Rapunzel" rescue attempt have a negative impact on "Bolt" 's debut ?

Jim Hill wonders if Glen Keane's exit will result in more reporters asking about why Chris Sanders was taken off of "American Dog" Read More...

Posted Tuesday, October 14, 2008 12:00 AM | 10 Comments

Filed under: Disney, movies, DreamWorks, John Lasseter, Ratatouille, DreamWorks Animation, Walt Disney Animation Studios, marketing, WDAS, Ed Catmull, Bolt, Glen Keane, Rapunzel, Dean Wellins, film, movie, 2008, animated feature, Disney Feature Animation, The Fox and the Hound, The Emperor's New Groove, Kingdom of the Sun, American Dog, Chris Sanders, Jan Pinkava, Roger Allers, animated features, Disney Publicity , webmasters, webmaster, 2010, PR team , storyline , co-director, films, Byron Howard, Nathan Greno, Dean DeBlois, Crood Awakening, 2002, Woolie Reitherman, Wolfgang Reitherman, How to Train Your Dragon, Lilo & Stitch, story, head of story, story problems, plot, plotline, reporter, reporters, entertainment writer, entertainment writers, marketing staff, PR Department, Lilo and Stitch, jewelry, Lilo, Stitch

"Defying Gravity" details Stephen Schwartz's sometimes difficult dealings with the Walt Disney Company

Jim Hill reviews Carol de Gieve's career biography of this Academy Award-winning songwriter, which features some great behind-the-scenes stories about the five Disney projects that Schwartz worked on Read More...

Posted Wednesday, October 01, 2008 12:00 AM | 6 Comments

Filed under: book, Disney, DreamWorks, Broadway, musical, Michael Eisner, Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, DreamWorks Animation, Stephen Schwartz, Los Angeles, Walt Disney Studios, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Broadway musical, September, animated feature, 2007, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Disney Feature Animation, Peter Schneider, London, TV movie, show business , 1996 , 1986, Tony, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Academy Award-winning, world premiere, Walt Disney Company, musical theater, musical theater fan, Broadway credits, trio, long running hits, long running hit, hit, Godspell, Pippin, Wicked, Disneyana fan, resume, lyricist, 1990s, 1978, Working, Radiator Springs, Children of Eden, 1991, graduate school, NYU, therapist, Sir Tim Rice, A Whole New World, Kevin Bannerman, Carol de Giere, Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz from Godspell to Wicked, Applause Books, softcover, songwriter, career, lyrics, 1992, Shirley Jones, Colors of the Wind, John Smith, Native Americans, Romeo, Romeo & Juliet, Juliet, West Side Story, Something's Coming, creative process, 1994, The Prince of Egypt, China, Matthew Wilder, David Zippel, Written in Stone, Destiny, Geppetto, Academy Award-nominee, Enchanted, Gregory Maguire, middling reviews, rhyme, reviews

"Kung Fu Panda" 's opening weekend grosses really kicked butt ... but here comes "WALL-E"

Jim Hill shares what he's heard about this new Andrew Stanton film. Which looks ready to reverse the domestic box office trends that tripped up Pixar's last three pictures Read More...

Posted Monday, June 09, 2008 12:00 AM | 21 Comments

Filed under: Disney, DreamWorks, CG, Walt Disney Pictures, Cars, Ratatouille, Shrek the Third, DreamWorks Animation, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Labor Day, Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Shrek 2, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, box office, 2008, Disney / Pixar, animated feature, opening weekend grosses, opening weekend, TV show, franchise, Andrew Stanton, Cloverfield, animated features, animated series , CG feature, Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both World Concert, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Kung Fu Panda, John Stevenson , Mark Osborne , WALL-E, Iron Man, Kung Fu Panda TV series, Kung Fu Panda animated series, Sex and the City, Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who, You Don't Mess with the Zohan, Madagascar, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Ice Age: The Meltdown , Ice Age , box office projections, box office estimates, research, Camp Rock 2: Final Jam, 2004, Summer

Toon Thursday: "Kung Fu Panda" is one fun summer flick

Jim Hill reviews this new DreamWorks Animation release, which opens in theaters nationwide tomorrow Read More...

Posted Thursday, June 05, 2008 12:00 AM | 22 Comments

Filed under: animation, DreamWorks, CG, DreamWorks Animation, Brad Bird, James Baxter, James Baxter Animation, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, animated feature, screenplay, lush visuals, fight scenes, Kung Fu Panda, action film , genre, PDI, Pacific Data Image, visually stunning , chopsocky , John Stevenson , Mark Osborne , traditionally animated , stylized opening , Po , panda, Kung Fu, Kung Fu master, martial arts, warrior , Furious Five, Valley of Peace, noodle shop, throwing stars , breakfast soup, Jade Palace , Oogway, turtle, Tai Lung, student, lust for power, Anhora, Dragon Warrior, Shifu, master , Kung Fu students, Kung Fu student, townspeople, Viper, Mantis, Tigress, Monkey, Crane, There are no accidents, plot description , serious, mystical, Jonathan Aibel , Glenn Berger, balance , character-driven , rope bridge, Pool of Sacred Tears, snow leopard , drawing classes, action sequence, Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom , transcends, plane of existence , flurry , cherry blossoms, fortune cookie , message, secret ingredient, third act , run-for-the-curtain, mis-step , Jack Black , Dustin Hoffman , Ian McShane , Speed Racer , WALL-E, Curly Sue, summer flick

Jerry Beck to be honored at this year's Annie Awards

Jim Hill pays tribute to this noted author & historian, who will receive the June Foray Award next week for the positive impact that he's had on the animation industry Read More...

Posted Wednesday, January 30, 2008 12:00 AM | 5 Comments

Filed under: animation, book, DreamWorks, CG, DreamWorks Animation, Nickelodeon, television, Jerry Seinfeld, ASIFA-Hollywood, animated character, Jerry Beck, The Hanna-Barbera Treasury, October, comedian , animated feature, 2007, feature film , Chronicle Books, cartoons, coffee table book, hardcover, animated short, short, animated features, animators , books, article, articles, magazine article, magazine articles , Cartoon Brew , Amid Amidi , writer , historian , animation community, animation industry, June Foray award, June Foray, spotlight , November, Insight Editions, Saturday morning cartoons , Saturday morning cartoon, HB, Hanna-Barbera, William Hanna, Joseph Barbera, model sheets, model sheet, comic book, comic books , tchotchke , high profile project, movers , shakers , jaded, animation fan, Viacom International, Viacom, DK Adult, DK, Nickelodeon Studios, animated series , SpongeBob SquarePants, Rugrats, Not Just Cartoons: Nicktoons!, process , production phases, ironic , detail , character , show business , household name, Hollywood history, library, James Brown, the hardest working man in show business, hardest working man in show business , store shelves, 20th, State Road 429, The Art of Bee Movie , production history , CG feature, feature films, shorts, gaming, UCLA, Royce Hall , Western Way, Annie Awards

Animation fans prematurely shoot off their mouths about "Bolt"

Jim Hill points out the parallels between what WDAS's next release is now going through and "Beauty & the Beast" & "The Lion King" 's troubled productions Read More...

Posted Wednesday, January 02, 2008 12:00 AM | 18 Comments