ASIFA SF EVENT: April 1st GUMBY TRIBUTE at THE BALBOA

Thurs. April 1, COME OUT AND CELEBRATE APRIL FOOLS DAY WITH A GUMBY TRIBUTE AT THE BALBOA featuring The Emmy award winning feature Gumby Dharma by Tim Hittle, Robina Marchesi and Karla Gunning-Harris plus see shorts and some of the artists in-person talking about working with Art Clokey (Gumby’s creator) who died in January, 2010. Check the Balboa’s website and local movie listings for details in late March.

Gumby Dharma explores why a man would spend his 85 years on earth playing with lumps of colored clay. His world famous characters, Gumby and Pokey, and Davy and Goliath, echo the spiritual path of their creator. Art's journey takes us from the orphanage to inspiring adopted father, from the Seminary to the Hollywood movie business, and from traditional Episcopalian church values to Buddhism and Indian guru Sai Baba. It is a fascinating life and career in it's own right but also in how it gently influenced his characters and story lines for over 40 years. Clokey’s work is one of the few animation characters that have survived the test of time to become a true American Icon. Interviews with contemporary leaders in animation, including Director Henry Selick (Coraline, Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach) and special effects legend Ray Harryhausen (Jason and the Argonauts, Adventures of Sinbad), place Clokey’s work in perspective with the history of animation and explore stop motion’s future in a computer graphics world. THIS IS ALSO A DVD RELEASE PARTY OF “GUMBY DHARMA” Details at www.gumbydharma.com

Don’t forget April 1 is the annual St. Stupid’s Day Parade at noon.

Another Great guest lecture and more on the way

Thanks for coming out to JD's lecture last Friday!

It was a great lecture and another huge turn out. There will be no guest speaker this Friday, as school is out for Spring Break this week. Watch for updates for the next guest lecture, coming soon.

AAU Coming Events: Alumni Comic Book Panel

April 1st, Morgan Auditorium 7pm!

Guest Speaker, Jean-Denis Hass, THIS Friday! 8:30pm in room 140B at the 180 Building.

This Friday we have Jean-Denis Hass, "JD" coming to talk to tell us a bit about himself and about animation. JD is a former AAU student, instructor and is an Animator at ILM. The lecture will start at 8:30pm. Room 140B.

We're all excited for this Friday's lecture and expect this to be a well attended event. Show up early & on time to be sure you get a seat or a good standing space.

JD Lecture Postponed, Robert Steele talk this Friday!

Sorry guys, due to some family concerns JD can't make it out this Friday. We will be rescheduling with JD, likely for next week. Just stay tuned for the update.

However we're in luck, our very own Robert Steele has graciously offered to drop in and give us a talking to. Join the Club for an eye opening talk this Friday at 8:30pm in the 79 Theater.

Bob Steele is a current full time faculty at the Academy and a great guy to ask questions to about story, storyboarding, layout, camera, preproduction and portfolio concerns, among other things. Come with questions and a sense of humor. He'll give you some straight answers and very likely some good stories.

Robert Steele's professional background includes: Working as Art Director and Computer Animator for various video game companies such as Sega Technical Institute, Captivation Digital Laboratories, Full-On Amusement Company Blizzard Entertainment, and Virgin Entertainment.

Project credits include Diablo 2, Diehard Arcade, ComicZone, Robocop vs. Terminator, and Disney’s The Jungle Book video games.

He also produced Commercial Animatics and Storyboards at Jim Keeshen Studios in Los Angeles, California and was a Storyboard Artist for the Widget and Mr. Bogus animated television series for Calico Creations.

He was Producer on animated short, “Monkey Love " at Jim Keeshen Studios which was a Nominee for Animated Short Film ASIFA 1996 and recipient of the Golden Gate Award, San Francisco Independent Film Festival, 1997.

UPDATE: Gest Lecture NEXT Friday, the 12th.

Hey Club,

We will be doing the next guest speaker event NEXT Friday instead of this Friday. Update your calendars!

Next Friday we will have Jean-Denis Hass, "JD" coming to talk to tell us a bit about himself and about animation. JD is a former AAU student, instructor and is an Animator at ILM. The lecture will start at 8:30pm. Room 140B.

Thanks again go out to Brian Shirmer in the Anim & VFX dept for securing the room!

And thanks to you guys and gals in the club for tuning in to the blog posts and turning out for the speakers. We're looking forward to next Friday's event.