Anyone here familiar with David Mack's comic series 'Kabuki'? Utterly gorgeous and totally stylized, remarkably innovative -- the movie version is in production now. It is going to be live action, but originally it was to be animated -- now wouldn't it have been cool if Peter Chung had a hand in it? Hmmm?

-- Lee (red_halcyon@hotmail.com), January 11, 2002

Answers

What I find is strange is that at least a year ago I had a conversation with a guy about Aeon Flux and he told me he was now totally into this new comic called Kabuki. Also I wondered what had become of Catherine Winder, I did see her name on something else but I forget what.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo9@cs.com), January 14, 2002.

Thanks Peter. This is a nice reference, although I prob admire your ability to reference to a 'link' more right now. I too hope they don't mess it up. Too bad you weren't involved to make sure that didn't happen though. Too similiar to Aeon Flux? Deep sigh.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo9@cs.com), January 17, 2002.

AWN Magazine has a feature about Catherine Winder this month. In it is an article by her that has a description of the 3D Computer Generated Imagery process, start to finish. It mentions that she has come out with a book called Producing Animation. In this book they quote experts in the field asking them what makes a good producer, one of which is Peter Chung, "Acting as a producer puts you in a very delicate position. On the one hand, the artists see you as someone enacting the studio's agenda to deliver the project quickly and cheaply. On the other hand, the studio executives may view you as the person spending money liberally to indulge the whims of the creative staff. In my experience, a good producer knows how to handle the production needs so that he or she is not perceived as an instrument for either camp. Most importantly, he or she must remember that the meaning of the title of producer is someone whose job is to produce a film, not to produce money". Wise words from an artist-for artists are remembered not for the house they live in but the art they made. I found her credits interesting, which include the original animated pilots for the Cartoon Network's Dexter's Lab, Johnny Bravo and The Power Puff Girls, (not to mention Aeon Flux). It happens last night I saw my first episode of Power Puff Girls, (ok so I walk on the wild side.) Kinda cute.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo9@cs.com), January 20, 2002.

Lee,

Strange you would bring this up, but the project was actually offered to me when it was being planned for animation. Fox was going to do it, and Catherine Winder, the producer I worked with on Aeon Flux was the head of the Fox Feature Animation. Catherine was particularly keen on getting the project made, and the plan was to use overseas animation studios (Madhouse was approached also) in order to avoid repeating the disaster of Titan A.E. (made in Phoenix at Don Bluth's studio).

Fox has since abandoned any further production of 2D animated features and are planning to do any animated features using 3D cgi. Ice Age will be their first.

I declined involvement with Kabuki mostly because I'd already begun development on my own independent feature project and also because I felt that the Kabuki character-- a female assassin with heavy psychological baggage-- was too similar to Aeon Flux. (Also I found the comic book totally lacking in humor.)

I hadn't heard it was being done in live-action. Let's hope they don't screw this one up.

-- Peter Chung (cretep@earthlink.net), January 12, 2002.

Barb: Have you used the IMDB search? You can get information on credits for all types of personnel in the film and T.V. business. Also reviews, viewer comments and images.

Catherine Winder

-- Peter Chung (cretep@earthlink.net), January 16, 2002.