Aardman News 11 - 'Tis The Season for Get Togethers

It's been far too long since we've had an Aardman News post and what better time to do it than Christmastime? You love Wallace and Gromit right? How about Chicken Run? And Creature Comforts and Shaun the Sheep too? Shame we never get to see them all together and interacting. Oh well, we can't have it all... What? What's that you say Aardman? We can have it all? Hooray! Thanks Aardman!

Check out this cool little semi-promo for Google+, showing Aardman's stop-mo pantheon video calling each other this festive season. It seems The Pirate Captain hasn't quite got round to web-cam just yet. We can only hope he's working on some For Your Consideration ads instead.

Check out the charming and fun video above and, UK readers, get ready to check out any and all Wallace and Gromit shorts on the BBC in the next couple of weeks!

Google Celebrates Winsor McCay with a Doodle

Google have had animation-themed Google Doodles before, but none quite as elaborate and impressive as this. To mark the 107th anniversary of the debut of Winsor McCay's Little Nemo comic strip, Google have launched an interactive HTML5 Doodle called "Little Nemo in Google-Land"!

McCay, a cartoonist and animator perhaps best-known for his acclaimed 1914 animated short film, Gertie the Dinosaur, is revered in the animation industry; often credited as the father of American animation, with even an Annie Award named after him.

Little Nemo in Slumberland, published by McCay under the pen name of Silas, debuted on this day in 1905. The comic follows the dreams of a young boy named Nemo, and captures the bright fantasy of child-like dreams. It's a fitting and wonderful tribute by Google, to such an influential and talented artist and animator.

Check out "Little Nemo in Google-Land" on Google's homepage right now!

Pixar Head Honcho John Lasseter on Vanity Fair New Establishment List

John Lasseter, the creative genius behind Pixar and Disney Animation Studios, has been honoured by Vanity Fair as one of the most influential people in the world. The Pixar CCO is ranked at number 8 on the Vanity Fair New Establishment List, one above Lady GaGa.

Sharing the top ten spots with Lasseter are Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerbeg (#1), Google co-founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin (#2) and representetives of Amazon (#3),  Apple (#4), Twitter (#5) and more.

Ranked above such huge public figures as J.K. Rowling and Tim Burton, this is certainly a huge honour for the director of Toy Story.

Via The Pixar Blog and The Pixar Times.