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Smith singlehandedly transforms interviews of well-known figures into thought-provoking animation in 'Blank on Blank.'

Patrick Smith (not to be confused with indie animator Pat Smith) is an artist whose work tends to be constructed of colorful objects as if toy construction and geometric block sets have assembled into new beings and landscapes.

Patrick is the rare artist who is equally accomplished in the technical aspects of digital design and programming as he is working on paper. He built the interactive Vectorpark website early in the history of online Flash animation using self-taught ActionScript programming techniques to produce curious worlds for users to manipulate with mouse clicks (and now with fingers on updated mobile versions).

Above is a screenshot from one of the Vectorpark pieces, Feed the Head.

You can see a portfolio of drawings and paintings here and more drawings on his blog.

Patrick Smith has debuted his 2011 short Masks on the Internet. He called upon frequent collaborator, musician Karl von Kries, to work on the film’s music, but unlike their earlier collaborations, they inverted the workflow. On earlier films like Delivery and Drink, Smith created the animation before von Kries scored the film. With Masks, von Kries composed a score first, and Smith then drew what he heard.

Having known Pat for the past decade, I think I can say with some confidence that his greatest love is animation. The raison d’être of his films is a passion creating movement via the currently unfashionable ritual of flipping thousands of crinkly pieces of paper over a lightbox. And yes, Masks was animated on paper, not digitally. I’ve never asked him if he enjoys filling out timing charts and exposure sheets too, but I suspect he gets some perverse pleasure out of the entire process. He’s one of those rare independents who knows and loves Disney greats, past and present. He admires the hell out of Bill Tytla, Glen Keane and Sergio Pablos, and he filters that passion for dynamic, powerful character animation through a more personalized storytelling approach.

In earlier films, Pat has used basic visual analogies to express bigger themes: in Handshake, an entangled man and woman depict individual identities literally consumed by a relationship, while in Puppet, hand puppets with a life of their own become a vehicle the creative process taking control of its creator.

Masks is less conceptual and builds a more complex narrative, but the opportunity for masochistic character animation excesses still presents itself through the mysterious masked characters who chase, chomp and destroy multitudes of tiny, helpless figures. Relevant contemporary themes weave throughout the narrative, from our overuse and abuse of natural resources to the power of the masses against the exploitative classes. If not necessarily his most entertaining film, it qualifies as Pat’s most ambitious and effective work as a filmmaker to date.

The craft of hand-drawn animation, virtually absent from American bigscreens (Winnie the Pooh and The Illusionist being the notable exceptions), has a far stronger presence in TV series work, advertising, and especially amongst independent filmmakers. This Sunday in Brooklyn, animators Bill Plympton and Pat Smith catalog some of the recent hand-drawn achievements in the latter area with their first-ever Scribble Junkies Festival of Drawn Animation, which they aim to turn into an annual event. Depending on the reaction to this premier edition, Pat tells me that they want to expand to multiple screenings next year, as well as accept submissions.

The screening, which takes place at the Nitehawk Cinema (136 Metropolitan Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn), will present recent independent work by filmmakers Ryan Woodward, David Chai, Caleb Wood, Colleen Cox, Rebecca Sugar, Don Hertzfeldt, Brothers McLeod, and Fran Krause, as well as the two festival organizers. There’s a reception at 7:30pm, screening at 8:30pm, and an after-party and awards ceremony. Tickets are $11. Regular event updates can be found on Bill and Pat’s blog Scribble Junkies.

Cartoon Brew: Leading the Animation Conversation | Permalink | No comment | Post tags: Bill Plympton, Brooklyn, Brothers McLeod, Caleb Wood, Colleen Cox, David Chai, Don Hertzfeldt, Fran Krause, Patrick Smith, Rebecca Sugar, Ryan Woodward