AWN Oscar Travelogue

Exclusive Oscar Day Pics

oscartour — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:48:06 +0000

Oscar winner Kunio Kato poses with Oscar nominee Anne Hathaway.

For Kunio Kato, the Oscars were a whirlwind experience. Here are some exclusive pics from his big night.

On the red carpet, Kunio (l-r), Robot president Shuji Abe, and La Maison writer Kenya Hirata.

Kunio and Abe-san arrive at the Vanity Fair party.

Animation's new Oscar winners Kunio Kato and WALL-E's Andrew Stanton.

Oscar winners Ed Catmull and Kunio pose for a pic with Hirata.

Presto director Doug Sweetland toasts Kunio.

Kunio gets close with Jennifer Aniston.

Kunio with Monty Python legend John Cleese.

Kunio shakes hands with Oscar winner Sean Penn.

Kunio with Ben Stiller.

Oscar tour host Ron Diamond celebrates with Kunio.

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Oscar Showcase 09 DreamWorks Brunch/Chocolate Foscas Photo Gallery

oscartour — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:06:46 +0000

Every year the day before the big event offers two annual events that allow the nominees to take a chance to relax with fellow members of the animation community. Check out this year’s pics.

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Oscar Showcase 09 DreamWorks Photo Gallery

oscartour — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:05:50 +0000

Oktapodi director Olivier Delabarre (r) meets DreamWorks' Jeffrey Katzenberg.

The last stop on the 2009 Oscar Showcase tour was DreamWorks. View the day in photos.

Monsters vs. Aliens animation supervisor Dave Burgess (2nd right) chats with tour host Ron Diamond (r), Academy board member Rick Farmiloe (l), and AWN senior editor Bill Desowitz (2nd left).

Oktapodi director Julien Bocabeille (l) and Oktapodi composer Kenny Wood.

Bill Desowitz (c) reconnects with This Way Up's Adam Foulkes (l-r), Alan Smith and writer/producer Chris O’Reilly.

Oktapodi PR rep Mary Reardon gets her own autographed copy of Oktapodi.

DreamWorks' John Tarnoff (front right) runs down the day's activities with the filmmakers.

Jeffrey Katzenberg gives an introduction to the screening.

Tour host Ron Diamond introduces the filmmakers.

This Way Up crew Chris (l-r), Adam, producer Charlotte Bavasso, and Alan enter their first tour Q&A.

The fullest panel of any tour stop.

The DreamWorks stand-room-only crowd.

Adam and Alan have a laugh during the Q&A.

Lavatory Lovestory's Konstan Bronzit listens to Oktapodi's Mokhberi.

Madagascar 2 director Tom McGrath (l-r) sits down at lunch with Kenny, Emud, and Julien.

DreamWorks animator Simon Otto (l-r) chats with Adam, Charlotte and Oktapodi's Olivier Delabarre at lunch.

Olivier gets ready for a 3-D sneak peek at Monsters vs. Aliens.

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Oscar Showcase 09 Acme/AWN Party Photo Gallery

oscartour — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:04:26 +0000

Olivier Delabarre (c) enjoys a piece of cake with fellow Oktapodi directors Francois-Xavier Chanioux (r) and Thierry Marchand.

Each year Acme Filmworks and AWN host a party, bringing the animation community together to meet the nominees. This year it was an intimate affair at tour host Ron Diamond’s home. Check out the festivities.

Animation legend Tom Sito sits with ASIFA-Hollywood head Antran Manoogian.

Oktapodi PR rep Mary Reardon chats with AWN senior editor Bill Desowitz.

This Way Up nominee Alan Smith (l) chats with Irene Kotlarz and LAIKA's Tom Knott.

Overtime director Oury Atlan (l) with DreamWorks' John Tarnoff.

Ron Diamond (l) shows his famous sketchbook to Alan and Oktapodi's Quentin Marmier.

La Maison's Kunio Kato meets June Foray.

Lavatory Lovestory's Konstan Bronzit (l) gives Milch director Igor Kovalyov a hug.

Animation vets Bob Kurtz (l) talks with Konstantin.

Mmmmmmm... cake!

Oh, what a cute couple.

Konstantin (l-r) and Igor with The Simpsons director David Silverman.

Ferngully director Bill Kroyer (l) and 9 helmer Shane Acker.

The animation community having a good time.

Oscar nominee Emud Mokhberi (l-r) chats with 9 animation supervisor Ken Duncan and past Oscar nominee Shane Acker.

Quentin plays a tune.

A cat burglar crashes the party.

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Oscar Showcase Tour 09 Sony Gallery

oscartour — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:03:50 +0000

A group shot in front of the doors of Sony.

Sony was the second stop on the L.A. leg of the Oscar Showcase tour this year. See the day in pics.

The nominees meet with Sony execs before the morning screening.

The tour swings by concept art from Sony's Oscar-nominated Surf's Up.

Lavatory Lovestory's Konstantin Bronzit (l-r) with Robot Communications' Taki Tsuyoshi and La Maison's Kunio Kato at the Sony Q&A.

The nominees answer the questions of the Sony crowd.

Kunio talks about his inspiration for La Maison en Petits Cubes.

The men of Oktapodi.

Oktapodi's Olivier Delabarre explains how Gobelins works with its students to Kunio and Taki.

Tour host Ron Diamond (r) makes a call to the Academy on behalf of Konstantin.

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Oscar Showcase Tour 09 Academy Screenings Gallery

oscartour — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:02:04 +0000

This Way Up's producer Charlotte Bavasso, writer/producer Chris O’Reilly, director Adam Foulkes, and director Alan Smith.

One of the highlights of the tour is always the public screening at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences. This year the Academy not only hosted a night highlighting the shorts, but also the animated features. Check out the pics for both events.

Animation vets Bob Kurtz and Jane Baer.

Voice over talents June Foray and Will Ryan.

Beauty and the Beast director Gary Trousdale and DreamWorks exec John Tarnoff.

Lavatory Lovestory's Konstan Bronzit fields questions from the press.

Oktapodi directors Thierry Marchand (l-r), Emud Mokhberi, and Quentin Marmier conduct multiple interviews at the same time.

Robot Communications' Taki Tsuyoshi translates La Maison director Kunio Kato's answer.

The directors of the Oscar nominated animated short films.

The Oscar nominees for Best Animated Short Film.

WALL-E helmer Andrew Stanton lays a big one on The Simpsons Movie director David Silverman.

Silverman gets some love from animation vet Bob Kurtz.

Everyone loves David Silverman. Night's panel moderator Tom Sito gives him a kiss as well.

Kung Fu Panda director Mark Osbourne and John Stevenson strike a kung fu pose.

All the feature directors - Osbourne, Stevenson, Stanton, Bolt's Chris Williams and Bolt's Byron Howard - touch some gold.

Sito poses the must know questions to the nominees.

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Oscar Showcase Tour 09 Disney Gallery

oscartour — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:01:57 +0000

The Oktapodi crew poses for a pic with their fan, legendary animator Eric Goldberg.

The tour’s stop at Disney has an exciting day. This gallery shares some of the highlights.

Konstantin Bronzit and Mickey's giant hat.

The group takes a quick tour of the studio grounds during the screening.

Kunio Kato at the corner of Mickey Ave. and Dopey Drive.

Three paw prints? Bad Pluto!

Entering the original Animation Building.

Konstantin and Oktapodi director Quentin Marmier.

Oktapodi director Thierry Marchand sits down with Roy Disney and Minnie Mouse.

The dwarves hold up the studio.

Oktapodi's Julien Bocabeille takes a picture of the multiplane camera.

The Disney Q&A session.

Tour host Ron Diamond provokes more questions from the crowd.

Konstantin has a good time meeting the Disney artists at lunch.

Oktapodi's Quentin Marmier (r-l), Gobelins' Eric Riewer, Eric Goldberg, and Princess and the Frog producer Peter Del Vecho chat while waiting in the buffet line.

Oktapodi's Francois-Xavier Chanioux between two Erics.

Julien at lunch with How to Hook Up Your Home Theater director Kevin Deters.

Chatting after lunch - Eric Goldberg (l-r) and Oktapodi directors Emud Mokhberi, Quentin and Francois-Xavier Chanioux.

Academy member Bob Degus gives advice to the Oktapodi crew on the Oscar experience.

Ron shows Kunio his legendary artist's stechbook.

Konstantin adds a drawing to Ron's sketchbook.

Short film directors sit on Disney's short couch.

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Oscar Showcase Tour 09 ILM Gallery

oscartour — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 23:47:46 +0000

Boba Fett and Darth Vader join the filmmakers in the ILM lobby for a photo op.

ILM had a photographer follow the Oscar tour around their facilities and we’d like to share some of the great pics.

Robot's Taki Tsuyoshi translates Kunio Kato's answer for the ILM crowd.

Presto composer Scot Stafford has a lightsaber duel with Oktapodi director Olivier Delabarre.

Kunio checks out some matte paintings.

The group gets a look at an elaborate matte painting from Die Hard 2.

ILM's bronze statue of special effects master Ray Harryhausen.

The filmmakers enjoy the many wonders on display in the ILM halls.

Lavatory Lovestory's Konstan Bronzit (l-r), E.T. and Oktapodi's Francois-Xavier Chanioux.

Konstantin snaps a shot of some Pirates of the Caribbean sculpts.

Oktapodi's Emud Mokhberi and his trusty camera.

Models, models everywhere.

A stop by the large Lemony Snicket house model.

ILM - a Model Lover's Dream

Checking out the various crew photos from past ILM projects.

FX and Oktapodi's Quentin Marmier gaze upon T2 models.

Can't miss photo op - Konstantin with the Star Wars stars.

Scot Stafford as C-3P0.

Quentin leans on R2.

Kunio and Taki flank a stormtrooper.

Konstantin gets some wise advice.

Konstantin strikes a pose.

Konstantin takes a pic of a prop from Jurassic Park.

The tour swings by the original Kerner Optical door.

Presto director Doug Sweetland takes a closer look at some of ILM's work.

Konstantin sits at the feet of Who Framed Roger Rabbit's Judge Doom.

Emud takes a pic of Oktapodi director Olivier Delabarre with the Judge Doom prop.

Scot reads more about the granddaddy of visual effects - the optical printer.

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Oscar Showcase Tour 09 PDI/DreamWorks Gallery

oscartour — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:34:47 +0000

The tour members are welcomed to PDI by Eric Darnell and Gail Curry and some champagne.

Check a few shots from the stop at PDI/DreamWorks in Northern California.

The tour members pose for pic with Madagascar - Escape 2 Africa director Tom McGrath.

The Oktapodi contingent sit for a moment in the PDI lunchroom.

The filmmakers get a tour of the studio.

Gobelins' Eric Riewer and Oktapodi director Emud Mokhberi relax.

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Oscar Showcase Tour 09 Animation Resource Library Gallery

oscartour — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 18:34:02 +0000

The nominees check out Jungle Book and Alice in Wonderland art selected by Oktapodi director Julien Bocabeille (m) to view.

More amazing pics from the nominees experience at Disney’s Animation Resource Library, where the history of Disney animation art is housed.

Oktapodi's Francois-Xavier Chanioux takes a closer look at some art.

Julien also takes a closer look.

More wonders to see.

A vault full of maquettes.

Gobelins' Eric Riewer kneels down to get a better look at maquettes from Fantasia.

Lavatory Lovestory director Konstantin Bronzit marvels at some goreous background artwork that was once on display at Chiaba University in Japan.

Eric, Konstantin, and Robot's Taki Tsuyoshi check out production puppets from Nightmare Before Christmas.

Eric and Oktapodi director Quentin Marmier look upon original pencil drawings from Snow White.

The filmmakers gaze upon rare paint-on-glass backgrounds.

Julien gets a close look at one of the beautifully painted backgrounds.

A look at how the backgrounds are stored.

Taking a peek inside the giant scanner room at the Animation Resource Library.

Yep, that's original Steamboat Willie art we're looking at.

Julien can't believe his eyes.

The filmmakers check out the model for an upcoming art exhibit in New Orleans.

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