Jackson Murphy – Page 3 – Animation Scoop

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INTERVIEW: All About Intriguing “A Kind Of Testament”

Director Stephen Vuillemin’s A Kind of Testament is on the 96th Annual Oscars Best Animated Short Film shortlist. One day, a woman discovers online that someone has taken some of her social media posts and turned them into animated video clips. It gets wilder from there. Vuillemin takes me through the thought process behind it […]

INTERVIEWS: The Bear Is Back With “Ted” Event Series

Seth MacFarlane’s foul-mouthed teddy bear Ted took movie theaters by storm in 2012 and returned with hilarious sequel Ted 2 in 2015. Now MacFarlane is taking us to the ’90s for the new, outrageous Ted prequel series, with the title character and a teen version of Mark Wahlberg’s John Bennett (played by Max Burkholder) navigating […]

INTERVIEW: Examining “Our Uniform”

Director Yegane Moghaddam’s Annecy-winning Our Uniform is now one of the 15 finalists for the 2024 Best Animated Short Film Academy Award. It’s about an Iranian girl who recalls her school days and, specifically, what she had to wear. Clothing is a major component of the story and the unique look of Our Uniform, as […]

INTERVIEW: Grand Slam Experience Making “Pete”

Set in 1975, Pete tells the story of a kid who wants to play baseball and enjoy it, but there are obstacles that stand in the way. However, if supportive people are on your side, hopefully they help make everything a little better. Director Bret Parker shares the meaning and depth of this 2024 Academy […]

INTERVIEW: Animation Domination Welcomes You To “Grimsburg”

I’ve screened four episodes of one of the most anticipated new shows of 2024. It’s FOX’s latest animated comedy series Grimsburg. Detective Marvin Flute (voiced by Jon Hamm) returns to a quirky small town to solve murder after murder — hoping to avoid it himself — with lots of laughs and surprises along the way. […]

INTERVIEW: “I’m Hip” A Whole New Short From John Musker

John Musker is the director of some of the most beloved Disney animated movies of all-time, including The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Princess and the Frog and Moana. Those collaborations with co-director Ron Clements have brought joy to generations around the world. Musker left The Mouse House in 2018 with a goal in mind: to […]

INTERVIEW: Dive In For “Wild Summon”

One of the 15 selections on this year’s Best Animated Short Film Oscars shortlist is Wild Summon, a fascinating *tail* of the life cycle of salmon, shown to us in human form. It’s an instantly captivating live-action / animation hybrid that screened at Cannes in May to rave reviews. The directing duo Karni & Saul […]

INTERVIEW: Benjamin Renner On High-Flying “Migration”

The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales director Benjamin Renner takes to the sky with Illumination’s new animated comedy Migration. It opens in theaters next Friday December 22nd. In this Animation Scoop Q&A, Renner talks about his love of hand-drawn and CG animation, ducky research and working with one of the most star-studded voice acting […]

INTERVIEW: Get A Good Sense Of “Ninety-Five Senses”

Jared and Jerusha Hess, the duo behind Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, present their first-ever animated short film. The excellent Ninety-Five Senses stars Tim Blake Nelson as the voice of Coy, a man reflecting on all facets of his life and body. The Hesses give me a taste of how this short came to be […]

INTERVIEW: “Kung Fu Panda 4” Preview With The Directors And Producer

DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 4 is one of the most highly anticipated movies of 2024. It’s been eight years since Po’s last big screen adventure. Director Mike Mitchell (of Shrek Forever After and Trolls), co-director Stephanie Ma Stine (art director on How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World) and producer Rebecca Huntley (The […]

INTERVIEW: A New Beginning With “Awakening: The First Day”

Santiago Carrasquilla and Jos Diaz Contreras are the directors of the visionary new animated short film Awakening: The First Day. It’s a cool, gripping look at the planet. The talented duo shares how this presentation has gone from stage to screen. (This Animation Scoop Q&A was conducted as an Email Interview and was edited for […]

INTERVIEW With “Humo” Director Rita Basulto

Humo is about Daniel, a boy who witnesses and experiences the horrors of The Holocaust. Director Rita Basulto describes the powerful story and some of the short’s unforgettable visual moments in this Animation Scoop Q&A. (This was conducted as an Email Interview and was edited for length and clarity.) Jackson Murphy: How did the book […]

INTERVIEW: Detailing “The Day I Became a Bird”

Oscar and Emmy winner Andrew Ruhemann (of The Lost Thing and Love, Death + Robots) has adapted the book The Day I Became a Bird — about a boy’s first love — into a sweet and tender new animated short. We take flight for this Animation Scoop Q&A. (This was conducted as an Email Interview […]

INTERVIEW: Ready To Unwrap “Merry Little Batman”

The Caped Crusader’s eight year old son Damian is on a Christmas Eve mission to save Gotham City in the heartwarming and hilarious new animated comedy feature Merry Little Batman. It debuts this Friday December 8th on Prime Video. Writers Morgan Evans and Jase Ricci describe the fa-la-la-la-fun of crafting an entertaining and exciting story […]

INTERVIEW: “Starling” Shines Brightly

Animation Scoop first profiled Starling as part of a 2023 Tribeca Film Festival preview piece earlier this year. It ended-up winning at the fest, sending it on a major trajectory for this awards season. Director Mitra Shahidi describes the emotion and power behind this short about parents remembering their daughter on her birthday. (This Animation […]