David Simkins

Writer/Producer for Film and Television

animation

McKinley Whitehall, Inc. - David Simkins Writes for Television

In the background

06/06/10 10:45 AM Filed in: Play

After watching The Jungle Book for the millionth time with my kids, there’s only so much entertainment left that can be squeezed out of Baloo and King Louie’s jive. So, not surprisingly, my eye has been drawn to the backgrounds meant to serve as stage settings to the foreground hijinks. More than once I’ve been struck by how gorgeous those backgrounds are. The backgrounds to Lady and the Tramp and 101 Dalmatians are spectacular.

Wouldn’t it be nice, I thought, if only one could get those backgrounds scrubbed of all those offending major and minor characters? Leave it to the web. More specifically, to Bob Richards. His site, Animation Backgrounds is something to see. Go see it.

[Via Urlesque]

Tags: animation

Pixels

04/08/10 10:16 AM Filed in: Play

An incredible short film by Patrick Jean.

Tags: animation | Tech

Get lost

01/20/10 11:08 AM Filed in: Play

Tags: Movies | animation | special effects

The music of your childhood

01/19/10 04:10 PM Filed in: Play

The movie Funny Bones relied heavily on Raymond Scott’s music to salt the comedy-drama with just the right amount of wacky. Listening to it, you might be surprised to find it spiced up your childhood as well. From classic Warner Bros. cartoons up to Ren, Stimpy, Spongebob, Pee-Wee and beyond. The roots are Scott’s. Fun and funny.

Tags: Music | Childhood | animation

Kid stories

01/19/10 10:20 AM Filed in: Play

If you have kids, or even if you don’t, this article is worth a read. About three years ago, when our twins arrived, I wasn’t paying much attention to the artwork in the Little Golden Books what with feedings, diapers and lack of sleep crushing my very soul. But lately, now that they’re walking, talking, joking and hurling books at me with shouts of “Read this one,” I’ve come to appreciate the wonderful worlds depicted in my kids’ first published brush (pun intended) with art. The terrific site, The ASIFA Hollywood Animation Archive, is recent discovery (via BoingBoing) devoted to art and animation at its most whimsical and imaginative.