From all of us here at Animation Insider to all of you across the world, we wish you a VERY merry Christmas!
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Author Archives: Mike
News-Behind-the-scenes look at Halo 4 Spartan Ops
Check out this awesome look at the new Halo series Spartan Ops! As a huge fan of the Halo franchise I’ve waited a long time to see more than just the game. At one time you might remember that Peter Jackson was slated to make a full feature film which went bust after Microsoft and his company couldn’t come to an agreement. Eventually the team headed by Neil Blompkamp did District 9 using the R and D they had done for Halo.
Well now Microsoft has funded a series of 10 short films that follow a team of Spartans on the mysterious Forerunner world. It’s pretty well done and feeds my Halo habit nicely. You can read more about the series below.
From CG Society:
Through a weekly series of cinematic episodes, Spartan Ops tells the continuing story of the UNSC Infinity, following the events of ‘Halo 4’. Ten animated episodes, featuring over 1200 CGI animated shots, are being released throughout the series, which began on Nov 6th with the launch of ‘Halo 4’. These cinematic episodes provide the backdrop for the weekly Spartan Ops gameplay missions, where players can take part in five new missions each week that explore the corners of Requiem and help uncover the secrets of the mysterious Forerunner world.
The series is being directed by Axis co-founder Stuart Aitken, on the heels of other recent high-profile game-related projects, including the much-acclaimed and award-winning Dead Island announcement trailer.
http://www.cgsociety.org/index.php/CGSFeatures/CGSFeatureSpecial/halo_4_spartan_ops
News- Rusty Mills Memorial- 2:00 pm, Tuesday, December 11
All are welcome according to Andrea, Rusty’s wife.
From Andrea:
I want you to know how much Rusty loved and respected all of you. So many of you have faced cancer – watching loved ones endure and fight and even enduring it yourselves. So many of you have faced economic hardships and struggles of every other kind. Rusty genuinely cared about your stories, your lives, your dreams. This outpouring of love and kindness has been overwhelming and words fail me how to express our deep gratitude. Some of you don’t know Rusty or us and have shown so much love. God bless all of you.
Andrea and Evan MillsWe are having a graveside service to honor Rusty at 2:00 pm, Tuesday, December 11.
Everyone is welcome to attend.Glen Haven and Sholom Memorial Park
Glen Haven Mortuary
13017 N. Lopez Canyon Road
Sylmar, California 91342
Phone:Â (818) 899-5211
Click to be taken to Map:
News- Rest in Peace, Rusty Mills 1962-2012
Rusty teaching as he was often found doing- picture by Jim Mitchell
I am so deeply saddened by this news. I honestly thought he would beat it… That by some miracle I’d check this page and we’d hear he was in remission. Early on every time I spoke to him he seemed strong and when I read his updates I truly believed he was the one. He was the one through sheer will and belief that would finally beat this disease and tell it to go away. His name will go on clearly in the minds and hearts and thoughts of all of us here . While that may be of little condolence he did truly make difference; something not every person will be able to say and that I believe does matter. Rusty, I thank you for the insight, the opportunity and the wisdom you shared with me and I can only pray the good Lord will comfort your family during this heart breaking time. God speed my friend.
If you’d like to give to the Rust Mills Cancer Fund you can do so here.
Lastly, get your colon checked, Rusty died of colon cancer that spred to his liver before it was detected. Don’t let this vicious desease do the same to you.
News- L.A. Times Animation Roundtable
We’re gonna start doing a new feature here from time to time in the form of news. Today’s first one is a plethora of talent in the form of all the directors from the current animation films today! Half of who i know and none of which I have yet to interview! Fingers crossed! Anyway, the piece is a great little nugget of what goes into selling an idea in the animation film business. Click the pic below to see more insight! If anyone has any great unique news out there fel free to send it my way!
Los Angeles Times reporter Rebecca Keegan talks to animation directors Mark Andrews, Peter Ramsey, Chris Butler, Rich Moore and Genndy Tartakovsky on the challenges of making feature animated movies and the future of animation.
Rusty Mills Cancer Fund
It is with a sad heart that I post this but it may help a good friend in need.
Rusty Mills the producer of Pinky and the Brain, Animaniacs who is a good friend  has been diagnosed with stage IV Colon Cancer and his down to his last days and his wife’s best friend has set up a fund for his family. I can only imagine the pain suffering and cost of such a disease and I would urge you to give generously to a man that gave of himself his whole life. Rather than try and be eloquent about such a tough thing, I will take the message from the site itself:
Rusty has been fighting this Cancer with the most positive attitude that I’ve ever seen. He is a passionate animator and loves to teach. Rusty was even teaching while receiving chemotherapy.
Rusty’s wife, Andrea, and Evan, their 15 year old son have been taking care of Rusty. However, things have gotten very tough lately, and they need our help! Rusty has just started a new kind of chemotherapy and the medical bills are accumulating rapidly. Rusty is not able to work right now and he was the main source of income for his family. Andrea is now caring for Rusty full time. Together this family is strong, but it’s also been very tough financially and emotionally.
If you would like to contribute any amount, all funds will go directly to the Mills family to help them pay for Rusty’s Cancer treatment, groceries and utilities. Prayers are also requested for the Mills family. With much gratitude and love.
Many years ago when I started working on Animaniacs as a character layout artist I met a young man named Rusty Mills who was a fantastic draftsman and teacher. He was a  good animator as well and over the years our paths would cross occasionally. When they green lit Pinky and the Brain as it’s own series he asked me to direct my first true animation series. That was of course before the modern age of computers and tests and the internet. I came in met with him and Tom Ruegger and I had the job. INo scrutiny or judgement just “welcome”.  I truly enjoyed my time working with him. He led me to my first Emmy award and I learned so much I thought my mind would explode. I took all of that knowledge to every job since then and even in the far reaches of Europe when I’d mention I had directed Pinky and the Brain people’s eyes would widen. Even if their primary language was not English. Rusty’s influence was far-reaching there is no doubt. In years following the great fall and restructuring of WB, Rusty began teaching the digital arts and has taught hundreds of people about computers, and particularly Storyboard Pro and Mirage where he was instrumental in a storyboarding package add on for that software. Rusty showed me the first tablet PC I’ve ever seen and I went out that day and bought one based on his recommendation. He was a good and caring man, and the animation world will be a little less brighter without him.
We never did an interview with Rusty as he was always so busy, but I really wish I had.
You can learn more about Rusty and his amazing talent by going to his site Rusty Mills Animation.
