Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

This is exactly what I like (assuming my plan works of course ;) ). In a way, this challenge is broad enough that people can do their own sort of make your own challenge and do all sorts of different variations while still falling under the animation group.

Worst case is it ends up a disaster and I turn it into something more strictly animation. My plan in the beginning was to do a strict animation challenge but at the same time, figure out some way to shoehorn in things like puppetry animation and be able to include something like Puppet Master. That's what I want to narrow it down to but then it would also include other forms of animation that I necessary wouldn't count but in the grand scheme of things could be argued as counting.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

I knew there would be differences of opinion on allowing the CGI-type stuff.

On one hand, it seems crazy that Star Wars and 300 and such would even be remotely considered to be appropriate for an Animation Challenge. Much of what seems to qualify in this "outlier" categories are perfect for the other Challenges, as much of it seems to be Fantasy or Sci-Fi or Horror.

On the other hand, I love inclusiveness.

Bottom line, I say embrace the options and ignore the ones that you don't agree with. Allowing so many options allows all types of film fans to participate.

For me, August will be a traditional animation Challenge, but if someone else wants to make it a live-action with touches of CGI Challenge, that's just as awesome.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

I understand the need for inclusiveness, but I feel the Animation Challenge will be treated as the Visual Effects Challenge by too many. In my opinion, only films/shows listed in the animation genre (with a few exceptions) should qualify, and anything else should use a wildcard slot. I think challenges should be focused (otherwise, what is the point?), and this one is broad enough to include almost anything that has visual effects.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

It doesn't seem crazy that Star Wars or 300 would count for the Animation Challenge. It outright is crazy.

I know ya do. But I'm reminded of that moment in Tombstone where Jason Priestly saddles up and leaves the Cowboys, declaring, "I'm sorry...but we got to have some kind of law!"

Here's the problem with the kind of inclusion that permits Star Wars or 300: it doesn't help define the nature of the challenge. For instance, when debating what would and would not count for the Historical Challenge, the arguments in favor of permitting period/costume dramas helped establish the parameters of the challenge. It was pretty clear what a period/costume drama was, and why they were appropriate to the Historical challenge. Now, you can go back and review the discussion thread and see where I wanted to fine tune the allowance, but the point is, that discussion helped define the scope of the challenge.

Where is the contribution that the inclusion of Star Wars or 300 makes for the Animation Challenge? That digital artists worked on them? At what point do we let this challenge be defined by its technical components and not its artistic ones? Artistically, it's nigh impossible to make a compelling argument that CGI effects are sufficient for inclusion in an Animation Challenge. I'm not the host, and I don't intend to make trouble about this; if they're allowed in, fine, but I felt compelled to lodge my formal protest.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

I'd also prefer it to be not as loose. I'd allow all the "mixed" films like Cool World, and stuff where stop-motion or puppetry was a key part of it. But since I'm too lazy to run a Challenge, let alone multiple ones like MP, I'm cool with whatever he wants to do.

I think that most people will stick to "pure" animation, a few will allow themselves stop motion and/or puppetry, and very few will include CGI.

But if that CGI allowance brings even one more person into a Challenge, then it's a very good thing imo. But for most of us I imagine, we'll just ignore all the CGI stuff.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

I'll do it

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

The original Star Wars was a landmark movie at the time for it's use of models, especially in the large outer space battles, and other techniques of animation. Combine that with the puppetry and I don't see why it shouldn't count unless one limits animation to cartoons.

Something like stop motion is animation. There's no reason not to allow it in an animation challenge since this isn't the Disney/anime challenge.

If I could find some magic phrase to disallow 300 while allowing other movies that are more deserving, I'd love to hear it. In theory, something like 300 would be at best a wild card or at least have someone asking about it.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

Maybe the term I'm looking for it not allowing movies whose only animation consist of scene enhancement?

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

Let me put on my hypocrite pants and ask this: Would the 1990s/2000s Godzilla movies count? I haven't seen them yet, but imagine they have a fair amount of CGI and puppet-like stuff.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

Hopefully someone else can help out. It's been years since I've seen any and I don't remember :(

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

no it's a combination of alot FX, including puppetry which is a valid form of animation - because it's vague, it's a perfect of a wildcard where it really doesn't fall into all out 'animation'

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

I watch quite a bit of animation, so I might do this. I haven't done one of these before. So by starting and completing a checklist, does that mean the checklist in post number 3 or our own checklist?

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

It means the checklist in post #3, however...feel free to make up your own checklist if you'd like. That actually sounds like a cool idea. These challenges are all about having fun and exploring genres.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

Look up "animation" on Wikipedia, and then look up "visual effects". Yes, there are some blurs between the two, but there are also some differences in definitions.

Allowing Star Wars pretty much opens the door to Star Trek, Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, and thousands of other shows/films that used modeling VFX (Tora! Tora! Tora!, for example) but generally aren't considered to be animation films.

At this point, it's a bit too late to continue debating the issue, so I guess it's okay to leave it all-inclusive and let almost everything with VFX and CGI qualify as animation films.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

Yes, I'd say feel free to do your own checklist, but make sure it's marked as such. The checklist is an official part of the Challenge, adding chances for prizes from our sponsors, and any personal checklist doesn't qualify you for prizes obviously.

I personalize mine by adding a couple things to the checklist, but one should never delete anything from the "official" checklist.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

Personally I think that including CGI makes the challenge way too broad. If you asked someone what Spider-man, 300, and Star Wars had in common, they'd scratch their head rather than say "Oh! They're all movies with animation."

Having said that, Mister Peepers is doing a great job running this and the SF Challenge. (Thanks!) I say we see how it goes this year and tweek it next August. It's not like anyone looses anything if a member fills their list with GCI films.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

So for the checklist, if a show starts with an A and is also my oldest title, could I use it for both or just for one of them? Also, do I need to list the title of what I watched by each checklist item, or can I just put "checked"?

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

You can use the same title multiple times or just once. Your choice.

I add the title in the checklist just to I can go back and see what I used. After a few weeks, I'm not going to remember what was what, but once again, it's up to you.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

Incidentally, the Library of Congress has a digital collection called "Origins of American Animation." You can find it on their website, or you can download it (free) in iTunes here.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

Thanks for the info. Added it to the second post of online sources.

I know this is last minute but I thought I throw out the option to vote for the top 3 lists. I could be based on design, what was watch, etc. After the challenge is over, you'll have a week to finalize your lists, but be warned, participants will also be voting for their top three lists(can't vote for yourself). The top three people get an extra entry for prizes.

While the lists might not be finalized before voting occurs, after a month, it should already be pretty well laid out how it's going to end up looking.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

I'm not sure how much longer these things will be free, but iTunes has been offering a lot of free TV episodes this summer. There's an assortment of Kids' Shows that includes some animated fare and another collection of free anime episodes here. I didn't see anything really mandatory in any of it, but everyone's taste is different. Plus, I wouldn't know a "good" anime if it came with a label. For all I know, it's the giveaway of the century.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

I plan to focus on "real" animation for the majority of the month, but I have to admit that the CGI/VFX option does provide some nice breathing room in case I feel like a change-of-pace. I think it's a fun-sounding challenge either way, but personally I feel that a broader category is better. Those who want to restrict themselves to a certain type of animation can certainly still do so, while others can sample a wider array of films. Just my two cents.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

So I'm guessing (and I just popped it in) that Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow counts and also does a bang-up job of bridging the SF and Animation challenges....

And if that counts, doesn't the second Star Wars trilogy also count?

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

^^^^They count.

Start as of a few minutes ago.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

Pulling a second straight near all-nighter to finish off the Sci-Fi Challenge checklist, and was able to make most of this morning's selections work in this Challenge as well.

This is a nice sort of sub-Challenge in itself, making max scoring combos. Unfortunately, I think Criterion is Animation-less, so no way to do this next month.

As soon as Mad Monster Party? finishes I'm sleeping for 12 hours.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

Isn't there some floating brain with eyes movie, Equinox and Robocop, as they used models for some of ED-209's scenes?

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

Thanks, but what do those have to do with Animation?



;) Actually, for Sci-Fi checklist purchases I needed Star Wars and The Matrix, finished both after midnight, so hypocrite me will be listing those as the first two entries in my Animation list.

Just watched Robocop yesterday, and Equinox four times this year, but perhaps I'll find some other Criterions with extensive effect work for August 31st nighttime.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

This is Trevor's personal checklist

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

Well, I am assuming The Neverending Story counts since it is one of the prizes. :) I'll probably watch that some time this month. I hope if I win something it isn't that one. I got some UK DVDs that I've been meaning to watch on my region free player that I'll probably be going through (already started some on Inhumanoids).

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

I didn't think of it when I started watching 101 Dalmatians to satisfy the "First item alphabetically in your collection," but I assume that it qualifies even though it's a number title? I went with it since it shows up first on my Google Docs List and DVDAficionado. Anyone think it shouldn't count?

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

Definitely should count. Titles beginning with a number are listed at the top of my collection as well (DVD Profiler).

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

It counts depending on where you file it.

I spell out my numbers, so 101 Dalmatians is in the Os for me.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

Thanks for the input guys. I'll count it as the first animated title alphabetically, since according to both of my lists it is. Also, I was more in a mood for 101 Dalmatians than Aladdin anyway.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

What happened to the checklist? It looks like the one from the unwatched movie pile thread.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

It's always been that here. I'm adding at least the decades and format options to mine.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

Well, what I meant is "why is the checklist like that?"

There were a whole bunch of good ideas in the past few weeks that I guess I just assumed were going to be put on the checklist (I never looked until this morning.) I guess I'm a little confused why the checklist wouldn't look similar to all the other challenges.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

Definitely a weird checklist for this challenge.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

I've just been really busy and there was some argument for a more general checklist, feel free to add on decades and other ideas. At the very minimum, try to do the more general one which shouldn't be that hard.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

eh, ignore the last post. If nobody minds I'll expand upon the checklist some and have it up today.

Re: August Animation Challenge 2010 - Discussion Thread
 

How does this look? I'm not sure how easy the earlier decades will be and I'm also drugged up from medicine since I caught a 24 hour bug.

--- Title from your favorite genre(out of what's in your collection)
--- Title from your least favorite genre(out of what's in your collection)
--- Title with a favorite character - length doesn't matter
--- Title with a loathed character - length doesn't matter
--- Special feature
--- Commentary track
--- Title from the hardest to reach part of your collection - length doesn't matter
--- Title starting with ABC
--- Title starting with DEF
--- Title starting with GHI
--- Title starting with JKLM
--- Title starting with NOP
--- Title starting with QRS
--- Title starting with TUV
--- Title starting with WXYZ
--- First item alphabetically in your collection - length doesn't matter
--- Last item alphabetically in your collection - length doesn't matter
--- Oldest title(as in year made) - length doesn't matter
--- Oldest qualifying title you've bought. If you have old VHS tapes, don't forget to look there too. Format doesn't matter. - length doesn't matter
--- Newest title(as in year made) - length doesn't matter
--- Newest title you've bought - length doesn't matter
--- Finish a season or volume of a series - length doesn't matter
--- Pick an item at random. Make sure those crappy ones get an equal chance to get picked
--- Have a friend/spouse/child/dog/fish pick an item for you. No helping - length doesn't matter

Watch one item from every decade, starting with the 1900s.
--- 1900 (optional)-
--- 1910 (optional) -
--- 1920 (optional) -
--- 1930 -
--- 1940 -
--- 1950 -
--- 1960 -
--- 1970 -
--- 1980 -
--- 1990 -
--- 2000 -
--- 2010 -

Watch films in at least two languages other than English.
--- First language -
--- Second language -

Watch a film for each rating (optional):
--- G -
--- PG -
--- PG-13 -
--- R -
--- NC-17 -
--- X -
--- Unrated -

--- Watch and anime movie or series -
--- Watch a US kid's show that originally aired on Sat mornings -
--- Puppet show -
--- Mostly or all CGI -
--- Watch 90+ minutes worth of shorts (i.e Tom and Jerry, Bugs Bunny) -
--- Cartoon based on a newspaper comic strip -

These genres:
--- Superhero cartoon -
--- Comedy -
--- Adventure -
--- Fantasy -
--- SF -

Watch a movie/show made by:
--- Walt Disney -
--- Chuck Jones -
--- Ub Iwerks -
--- Ralph Bakshi -
--- Fleischer Brothers -
--- Paul Dini -
--- Tex Avery -
--- Hayao Miyazaki -