With computer animation as it is, there aren't many hand-animated shorts these days. Pixar was able to focus on depth of storytelling by adapting to computers and up until The Princess and the Frog and more recently, the new Winnie the Pooh film, it seemed hand animation was all but lost in this place. That is, except for the crazy and driven artists who animate on their own, for their own vision and viewpoint. Like Austin local, Eric Power, whose weapon of choice to animate his world is an x-acto blade and a deep well of patience. more ›

One of our favorite films at the 2008 Austin Film Festival, Sita Sings the Blues, returns to an Austin screen for a one night event this week. Cinema 41 will show the film and then hold a live Skype Q&A discussion with the film's composer Todd Michaelson and actress Reena Shah (the speaking voice of Sita). more ›

Animators, fine artists, and anyone who appreciates the human form in all of its nude glory will whip out their easels and lumps of charcoal on Saturday from 1 to 4 pm for the first Naked Lunch figure drawing session at the United States Art Authority. more ›

In what might be called Waking Life meets Rain Man, Bob Sabiston, the braintrust behind Linklater's two animated films (and those Charles Schwab commercials), brings beautiful backgrounds, and another insightful, revelatory use of filmic animation. The premise is the documenting of a road trip to Six Flags with Ryan Powell, who is autistic. This is the latest in a series of trips the pair has taken (along with a group of friends). more ›

Saturday used to mean getting up early, dragging your blanket into the living room and turning on the television for a rousing episode of Muppet Babies or The Tick. Well, your friends at the Alamo Downtown are giving you the best of both worlds with their Saturday Morning Cartoon Cereal Party this, er, Saturday... more ›

Think a giant, disembodied penis coming out of the sky to crush a frantic little animated cinnamon bun is funny? If you said "no", quit trying to act all genteel and get over to the Alamo Downtown for this year's edition of Spike and Mike's Sick & Twisted animation fest. more ›

Today, Governor Rick Perry officially recognized that when it comes to filmmaking, cash does indeed rule everything around us. After months of determined effort from the Texas Motion Picture Alliance, the Texas Film Commission, Rep. Dawnna Dukes and Sen. Bob Duell, Perry signed the dotted line on House Bill 1634, freeing up some $20 million in incentives to lure production crews--and the myriad jobs they generate--to the Lone Star State. The gaming industry also scores... more ›

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As you make those New Year's resolutions, you may wonder how to get more involved in the Austin community for 2007. January is National Mentoring Month, and one way to mentor here in Austin is through a volunteer teaching position at Citizen Schools. The Boston-based nonprofit arrived in Austin last year, and helps children in lower-income middle schools to prepare for the rigors of high school and college. They've already won 2006 and 2007 Fast... more ›

SXSW Click, the mobile media portion of everyone's favorite local festival, has announced its Jury and Popularity Contest Winners. Click focuses on content that can be provided to cellular devices and downloaded off of the web. It's all the rage, folks. more ›

WEDNESDAY [2] [music] Ghost of the Russian Empire, Lomita, Fire v. Extinguisher, Moth Fight at Beerland LINK [music] "Wax Wednesdays" at Ruta Maya (8pm) LINK [music] Rhett Butler at Cactus Café ($7, 8:30pm) LINK [music] Free Nugs & the Kickbaxx, The Hudsons at Threadgill's LINK [music] Abba Yo Yo's, End of the Year at Snake Eyes Vinyl (7pm) LINK [music] Teenage Symphony, The Shells, Economy at The Chain Drive (9pm) LINK [music] Band of Heathens... more ›

Monarch Breaks Ground [07.07 in Urban Development] Yarrr…Pirates' Oversell Shipping Screw-Up Stymies Excited Fans [07.07 in Movies] They Don't Call It Gastronomic fer Nuthin' [07.07 in Food] Back on Track: This Week in Theatre! [07.07 in Theatre] Stay Cool, Honeybunny [07.07 in Rankings] Best of the Austin Blogs: Week of July 3 [07.07 in Special] Austinist Interview: Loaded Gun Theory [07.07 in Interview] The Bikini Turns 60 (or, 3,607) [07.07 in Fashion+Style] Le Tour... more ›

Several weeks ago we told you about SXSWclick, the annual competition held by the SXSW-offshoot organization that seeks to showcase "short-form storytelling" on the web and on mobile devices. Entrants were invited to submit short films running under 10 minutes long in one of five different categories: "Old School Shorts" (narrative), "Really Real Shorts" (documentary), "Animate-It" (animation), "Sound Checks" (music video), and "What the F*#!?" (experimental/machinima). SXSWclick trimmed the hundreds of entries received down to three finalists for each category; a separate jury will convene later this month to decide which of each three deserves to be crowned king. This year's judging committee includes Margaret Brown (Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt), Danny Leiner (Dude Where's My Car?), Karina Longworth (Cinematical), Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking), and the fellow from Super Size Me. More interesting than what these critics ultimately decide, though, is what you, the internet public, collectively deem to be the best! Vote up to once daily until midnight on July 26th at the link below; the Popularity Contest Award winner will be announced with the others on July 28th. All winning shorts will be screened at next year's SXSW Film Festival. [Vote!] more ›

With this being National Bike Month and next week being Bike To Work Week, some of our friends have decided to organize a huge progressive bike party next Saturday, May 20th on the eastside. Participants in "Chain Gang Bang-a-Lang" will be biking from house to house (three houses total, all within a mile of one another) and participating in mock gang-related activities, which might or might not include: going to the Alamo Drafthouse Bike-In... more ›

MONDAY [27] [film] Soul Cinema Monday: "The Spook Who Sat By the Door" at Alamo Downtown ($1, 7pm) (link) [film] "Candy: Terry Southern Psychedelic Mindwarp" at Alamo Downtown ($1, 9:45pm) (link) [film] Spike & Mike? Twisted Animation Fest at Alamo South Lamar and Alamo Village (Through Thursday, 10:15 SL, 9:45 Vill) (link) [film] "Tank Girl" at Cafe Mundi (8pm) (link) [TV] Twin Peaks & Carnivale at Beerland (Free, 7pm) (link) [books] Karenna Gore Schiff, the... more ›

F R I D A Y [24] [music] Sweatbox Benefit with Poison 13, Knife in the Water, The Meat Purveyors, and Possessed by paul James at Emo's (link) [music] moe at Stubb's (link) [DJ] "It's a Wrap" with DJ Flywood and DJ Whoever at The Peacock (link) [in-store] Holland Hopson CD release at End of an Ear (Free, 7pm) (link) [cartoons] Spike & Mike's Twisted Animation Fest at Alamo Village (Midnight Friday & Saturday) (link)... more ›

Earlier this year, fans of the show were given a jolt when Fox announced that they were cutting the second season of AD down to just 18 episodes (22 episodes = a full season) to make room for the new animated series, "American Dad." more ›

We know its hard to get through the work week grind sometimes. Hopefully these new jams will make it more enjoyable. Here are our picks for the week... more ›

Ever noticed how 96.8% percent of songs you hear on the radio all sound alike? It's like there's one guy sitting around writing "hits" for whoever is popular at the moment. Cookie-cutter songs from one-hit wonders. The Austinist demands to know where have all the real musicians gone? Enter avant-rock supergroup Fantomas. more ›