More Events

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Free Speech Leadership Committee meets again

Past Events

Screening of Joe Berlingers's CRUDE
First PencilPALS event in Corona, Queens
Godfather IV Benefit
Talk Animation with Bill Plympton
TV and Film Writers Become ‘PencilPALS’
M*A*S*H Benefit

Past Events

Talk Animation with Bill Plympton

A discussion with the Oscar-nominated animator

On Monday night April 19^th, the Writers Guild of America, East and the WGAE Foundation jointly hosted “Talk Animation with Bill Plympton”, a conversation with the Oscar-nominated animator. The discussion was moderated by Craig Shemin, creator of the Disney show Lou and Lou: Safety Patrol and writer for the Jim Henson Company and Cartoon Network. Held at the JCC in Manhattan, the event included screenings of Plympton’s short films The Flower and the Fan and The Cow Who Wanted to be a Hamburger and was followed by a reception hosted by the WGAE Animation Caucus.

Plympton received his first Oscar-nomination for the animated short Your Face in 1988 and his second in 2005 for Guard Dog. He is animator of over thirty short films and numerous music videos for artists like Kanye West and Peter Himmelman. His six animated features have thrust Plympton into the pop culture canon. Mutant Aliens is now, though never released in theatres, a cult classic—perhaps for teaching us that “you can’t drag race with Jesus”—and Hair High, is widely regarded as one of his best works. His most recent film, Idiots and Angels, featuring the music of Tom Waits, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2008.

During the talk, this prolific animator spoke on the ways in which the industry had evolved from when he first began, fielded questions from the audience and gave advice to those wishing to enter the profession. As he spoke, he sketched, on a large white pad, some of his more well-known characters and attendees left with a free Plympton drawing. The event showcased the talent of a unique artist and shed light on the growing and increasingly recognized independent animation industry.