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New York City is a place of constant change, invention and chaos; Avoid Eye Contact sums up these urban qualities in animated terms.
Avoid Eye Contact Volume 2 continues to explore the thriving contemporary independent scene going on in New York City. The films on this volume span the last five years, young animators join seasoned masters in a program that is surely to become an important part of any animation enthusiast's library. All films are international award winners, each with a distinct look, united only by genre and the gritty soul of New York City.
All films in a printable format
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The Man Who Yelled
directed by Moe Willems
USA,
Animation,
1999,
Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:00:00
A comic, animated short that follows the career of a man who yells in
public, and the career of the man who makes that man's career. Anyone
out there have a synonym for "career" that I can borrow?... more info
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Life
directed by Moe Willems
USA,
Animation,
1999,
Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:00:00
A list of animators longer than your forearm was brought together by
Mo Willems for something that might be termed the Lollapalooza of
animation. Look closely and see if you can spot Bill Plympton's wor... more info
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Eat
directed by Bill Plympton
USA,
Animation,
2001,
Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:09:00
A quaint, charming French restaurant, with elegant guests and soft
music slowly evolves into a scene of culinary mayhem.... more info
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Push Comes to Shove
directed by Bill Plympton
USA,
Animation,
1991,
Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:06:30
A quaint, charming French restaurant, with elegant guests and soft
music slowly evolves into a scene of culinary mayhem.... more info
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Handshake
directed by Patrick Smith
USA,
Animation,
2004,
Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:04:40
An innocent greeting between two people is quickly transformed into a
tangled struggle, illustrating the twists and turns of a full-fledged
relationship.
... more info
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Dentist
directed by Signe Baumane
USA,
Animation,
2005,
Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:10:00
An enthusiastic dentist, a reluctant patient , and a strange picture on the wall...... more info
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Atlas gets a drink
directed by Michael Overbeck
USA,
Animation,
1999,
Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:03:34
A hodgepodge of crazy cartoon imagery where fish walk on land and
buildings uproot themselves, ultimately giving Atlas the break he was
waiting for.... more info
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Frog
directed by Chris Conforti
USA,
Animation,
2004,
Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:03:52
In an attempt to escape the heat, a frog finds himself in more
trouble than he bargained for.... more info
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Coffee
directed by Rohitash Rao
USA,
Animation,
2003,
Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:01:32
A man sees Jesus in his coffee.... more info
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Fetch
directed by Nina Paley
USA,
Animation,
2001,
Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:04:32
A play on perspective and optical illusions.... more info
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Moonraker
directed by Fran Krause
USA,
Animation,
2004,
Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:03:00
An astronaut explores a planet of ghosts, sending letters back to
base. When a package arrives from home, the astronaut's empty
spacesuit causes trouble.
... more info
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Space War
directed by Christy Karacas
USA,
Animation,
1997,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:03:15
Strange beings battle it out in an intergalactic... more info
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Bar Fight
directed by Christy Karacas
USA,
Animation,
2001,
Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:04:13
It's every man for himself!... and a few other creatures, too.... more info
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Peenut
directed by Pes
USA,
Animation,
2004,
Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:03:00
A peeing peanut... more info
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This DVD has never been screened
Reviews and Other Info:
2006-09-26 animatorsunite.com
By Brad Chmielewski
Last October 2003, eleven independent animators met in a large Chelsea loft. Eleven went in, “Avoid Eye Contact” came out and sold an impressive 2000 copies worldwide. This was only the beginning for the urban animation movement. Talks of volume 2 were in the works as soon as volume 1 came out. Now the new DVD is out and Avoid Eye Contact Volume 2 is sure to follow in the same path exploring the thriving contemporary independent animation scene going on in New York City. The DVD offers a new program of films from animators spanning the last five years. “Avoid Eye Contact Volume 2” contains an overwhelming number of independent animated shorts and many of the same animators that made “Avoid Eye Contact” a great DVD. Returning in volume two is Bill Plympton, PES, Michael Overback, and Patrick Smith, as well as nine other outstanding independent animators. None of the Artists on the DVD seem to follow any trends and, although savvy, are not beholden to any technology. Each film on the DVD is an international award-winner, each with a distinct look, united only by genre and the gritty soul of New York City.
Avoid Eye Contact features sixteen animations from twelve animators; Bill Plympton, Mo Willems, Patrick Smith, John Dilworth, Signe Baumane, Michael Overbeck, Chris Conforti, Rohitash Rao, Nina Paley, Fran Krause, Christy Karacas, and PES. Each of these animators and their animations bring their own style to the DVD.
Upon first putting the DVD into the player the viewer is treated to a great animation intro. The intro on volume two is much more in-depth then the previous volumes intro. Each animator again has created a custom menu for the DVD.
Patricks Smith’s “Handshake” recently took home "Best Animation" at the Temecula Valley Film Festival. I recently reviewed “Handshake” not too long ago and it is always great to see it again. Along with the animation “Handshake” Patrick Smith has a few extras added in there. Viewers are able to see full pencil test and a home video of the music being recorded. Patrick without a doubt delivered again with some of the best extras on the DVD, definitely keep and eye out for more of his work.
Another great on the DVD is Bill Plmpton, who some have called, New York's animation godfather. Both of Plympton’s shorts are worth seeing if you haven’t seen them yet. But don’t let Plympton be the only reason you pick up this DVD. Bill gives the viewers a great commentary track for the 2001 film “Eat.” The viewers are treated to an insight into what he was thinking when making the animation and some of the things that he had to change during production.
My favorite shorts were by Rohitash Rao.. I may have enjoyed both of these the most since I have been in a stop-motion phase these days myself. Rohitash Rao’s stop motion animation of a man seeing Jesus in his coffee entitled “Coffee” is in my top five animation shorts I have seen this year. The second short by Rohitash Rao, “MTV vs. CNN” didn’t get listed on the DVD box art and it now listed when you view the animations by film title. If you want to take a look at “MTV vs. CNN” either do a play all or visit Rohitash Rao custom menu. The animation short “MTV vs CNN” deals with a man watching MTV just because it’s on. Both of these shorts have a great punch line; they will definitely give you a good laugh. Rohitash is now busy working on his first professional animation project for an upcoming concert in New York City. I hope to see more of this work in the future.
Although I found that some of the animations ran a little long I would still recommend this DVD to the devoted animation fan, it is worth adding to your collection. For the average viewer of mainstream animation this may be a bit of a change from what you are used to seeing, so if you do not wish to venture out into the weird or eccentric you may not want to pick this DVD up. However, there are no other places I know of where you are going to find some of New York’s best underground animations all together in one place. These New York artists seem to be tapping every ounce of their creativity and they are sharing it with their viewers, and personally I find it great. After watching “Avoid Eye Contact Volume 2,” viewers are reminded that there are still single individuals out there on an independent level, producing outstanding work and a giant studio isn’t always needed for a quality animation.
| 2006-09-26 Educational Media Reviews Online
By Linda Frederiksen
Animation – the creation of moving images from still drawings or objects – has been part of motion picture history since the beginning of filmmaking. From short two-dimensional cartoon sketches to full-length feature films to 3D computer-generated video games, animation involves both complex technical process and creative story-telling ideas. The variety of techniques used in production is as varied and innovative as the subject matter.
Ranging in length from two to ten minutes, the fifteen short films in this compilation are among the finest examples of both the process and the product of current animation. In addition to a sophisticated use of color, sound, theme, cinematography, and editing, each of the films displays a unique type of stop-motion, cel-shading or computer-generation technique. Produced by an independent group of New York City authors and illustrators, this second volume of contemporary animated shorts will delight both students and general audiences alike. Several of the animators - Bill Plympton, John Dilworth, and Fran Krause - and their featured shorts have won international film awards. Others are students and newcomers to the field. While most of the films are funny, utilizing adolescent humor, physical humor or social commentary in ingenious ways, a few are more serious and take on larger, more adult themes. Each, in its own way however, is exceptional. This DVD, as well as the first one in a series by the same name, is recommended for film studies programs and for anyone who enjoys animation technique and story.
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Avoid Eye Contact Volume II Best of NYC Independent Animation
SYNOPSIS
