John Canemaker
History
John Canemaker has won an Academy Award, an Emmy and a Peabody Award for his animation and is an internationally-renowned animation historian and teacher. A key figure in American independent animation, Canemaker’s work has a distinctive personal style emphasizing emotion, personality and dynamic visual expression.
His film, The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation, won an Oscar in 2005 for Best Animated Short, as well as an Emmy. A 28-minute autobiographical essay about a troubled father/son relationship, The Moon and the Son marked a personal and professional breakthrough in animation storytelling. Canemaker is also a noted author who has written nine books on animation, as well as numerous essays, articles and monographs for The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, among other publications.
Self
Cartoon Carnival tells the story of the pioneering early days of the animated art-form and chronicles one film preservationist's quest to rescue pre-sound cartoons from obscurity and screen them to new, appreciative audiences.
Cartoon Carnival tells the story of the pioneering early days of the animated art-form and chronicles one film preservationist's quest to rescue pre-sound cartoons from obscurity and screen them to new, appreciative audiences.
Director
The film follows Wing Biddlebaum, a lonely former schoolteacher whose “hands” led to a scandal that drove him from his previous town and life’s calling.
Himself
The unlikely story of 106-year old Chinese American artist Tyrus Wong, and how he overcame poverty and racism in America to become a celebrated modernist painter, Hollywood sketch artist, and “Disney Legend” for his groundbreaking work on the classic animated film, Bambi.
Self
The making of Dumbo (1941).
Himself
A documentary on the making of Walt Disney's Lady and the Tramp created for the 2006 Platinum DVD.
Self
The making of Cinderella (1950).
Self
Short Documentary on the art of Mary Blair: An extraordinary talented artist.
Director
An animated documentary that explores the terrain of father/son relationships, as seen through Canemaker's own turbulent relationship with his father.
The people who did this movie had a talk about Dumbo.
Self
Released as a Bonus Feature for Disney's Platinum DVD Edition of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" this short documentary shows how this classic film came to life.
Creative Consultant
Documentary on the making of Walt Disney’s Fantasia.
Himself
Documentary on the making of Walt Disney’s Fantasia.
Self
Before computer graphics, special effects wizardry, and out-of-this world technology, the magic of animation flowed from the pencils of two of the greatest animators The Walt Disney Company ever produced -- Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. Frank and Ollie, the talent behind BAMBI, PINOCCHIO, LADY AND THE TRAMP, THE JUNGLE BOOK, and others, set the standard for such modern-day hits as THE LION KING. It was their creative genius that helped make Disney synonymous with brilliant animation, magnificent music, and emotional storytelling. Take a journey with these extraordinary artists as they share secrets, insights, and the inspiration behind some of the greatest animated movies the world has ever known!
(voice)
After learning about pollution a group of creatures called Zwibble Dibbles, decide to throw a party for the Earth to raise awareness.
Animation
The Primm family moves into an old brownstone house on East 88th Street, where they find a crocodile named Lyle in their bathtub.
Director
In 1986, seventeen years after Yoko Ono and John Lennon’s animated conversation about love and six years after the beloved Beatle’s assassination, Ono commissioned independent animator John Canemaker to create a short animated film based on Lennon’s drawings, music, and interviews. Given her penchant for the intersection of art and philosophy, Lennon’s own quirky illustrations, and the odd fact that the couple’s love began in visual poetry long before they met, it was the perfect medium for commemoration.
Director
The short takes as its inspiration Bottom's contemplation on the "dream" he has experienced in the middle acts of Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream", in which his head is transformed into that of an ass and the Fairy Queen Titania is made to fall in love with him. Shakespeare's "Dream" has long been the most visually attractive play to adapt, and the transfer to animation opens up possibilities set designers could only dream of. Canemaker's mastery of the art and his immense creativity make this short quite a ride, exploring a few of the darker undertones in Shakespeare's text that are often excised or simply ignored.
(voice)
This educational science program features the story of Dr. Alfred Clothear and his discovery of how bears know when to sleep for the winter.
Narrator
Documentary short on cartoonist Otto Messmer, co-creator of Felix the Cat
Producer
Documentary short on cartoonist Otto Messmer, co-creator of Felix the Cat
Writer
Documentary short on cartoonist Otto Messmer, co-creator of Felix the Cat
Director
Documentary short on cartoonist Otto Messmer, co-creator of Felix the Cat
Director
The life and career of the great cartoonist Winsor McCay is warmly recalled by his former film assistant, John Fitzsimmons, with clips of classic McCay animated films.
self
Documentary short from Felix the Cat Collector’s Edition DVD
