As the presenting sponsor of the 27th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival, lynda.com is pleased to take you inside the festival’s entertainment industry panels featuring some of Hollywood’s top directors and producers.

Directors’ Panel
Moderated by Peter Bart (vice president and editorial director of Variety) the Directors on Directing panel features a who’s who of Oscar^®-nominated directors speaking candidly about the importance of great casting, a strong story, and the ability to listen to their audience through pre-release testing. Gore Verbinski (Rango) explains how he arranged for the ensemble cast of his animated film to record their voiceovers together, in order to take full advantage of their comedic interactions. Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) talks about the challenges of getting a black-and-white silent film made in the 21st century. Terry George (The Shore) describes how he found humor in the otherwise serious conflict in Northern Ireland. Chris Miller (Puss in Boots) talks about leaving room in his script for improvisation. Jennifer Yuh Nelson (Kung Fu Panda 2) shares her darker moments during production, assuring a nervous studio that everything would work out. Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) talks about rewriting parts of the script to take advantage of actress Melissa McCarthy’s comedic genius.

Directors on Directing panel discussing the importance of the script.

Directors on Directing panel discussing Silent Movies.

Directors on Directing panel discussing The Man Speech.

Producers’ Panel
Moderated by Patrick Goldstein (Los Angeles Times columnist), Movers and Shakers was a panel of top-of-their-career producers with Oscar^®-nominated films ranging from big-budget effects movies to smaller, ensemble-cast dramas. Graham King (Hugo), describes how he worked with Martin Scorsese to shoot their first 3D film together—and their first with kids and animals. Michael De Luca (Moneyball) explains how he developed a working relationship with Major League Baseball, which had final cut on his film. Bill Pohlad (The Tree of Life) talks about the 10 years of obstacles he faced on the way to getting his film greenlit. Jim Burke (The Descendants) talks about shooting on location in expensive Hawaii. Letty Aronson (Midnight in Paris) discusses the unique working relationship she has with director Woody Allen—who’s also her brother.

Movers & Shakers panel discussing how a great film doesn’t have to cost much.

Movers & Shakers panel discussing how to keep the studio happy.

Movers & Shakers panel: Letty Aronson (Midnight in Paris) discussing the unique working relationship she had has with director Woody Allen, who is also her brother.

Interested in more?
• All 2012 Santa Barbara Internationl Film Festival Directors’Panel—Directors on Directing movies on lynda.com
• All 2012 Santa Barbara Internationl Film Festival Producers’ Panel—Movers and Shakers movies on lynda.com
• All lynda.com documentaries

Suggested courses to watch next:
• 2012 SBIFF Screenwriter’s Panel – It Starts with the Script
• 2012 SBIFF Women’s Panel – Women in the Biz
• 2011 SBIFF Director’s Panel: Directors On Directing
• 2011 SBIFF Producer’s Panel: Movers and Shakers

We are very pleased to announce that two of our Creative Inspirations documentaries, Stefan Bucher, Designer, Illustrator and Writer and Marian Bantjes, Graphic Artist, have been selected for screening at the 2012 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

The first film, Stefan Bucher, Designer, Illustrator and Writer, follows the journey of Stefan Bucher, a prolific artist who is seemingly obsessed with finding impressive new ways to put ink on paper, from his first illustrations for The Donaldist (a magazine dedicated to the exploration of Donald Duck comics), through Art Center College, Portland agency Wieden+Kennedy, Madonna’s Maverick Records, and finally his own company, 344 Design.

In the second selection, Marian Bantjes, Graphic Artist, graphic designer Marian Bantjes discusses her creative process and shares her views on design and designers with the lynda.com documentary team on location in Toronto, New York, Los Angeles, and in Marian’s home and workspace near Vancouver.

The documentary team at lynda.com is honored by the recognition that our films have received, and we’ll continue to strive to deliver excellent, compelling, and inspiring stories.

Members of the lynda.com documentary team will be in attendance at the screenings to answer questions. For more information on the 2012 Santa Barbara International Film Festival, which runs January 26th through February 5th, visit http://sbiff.org. Hope to see you there!

Interested in more?
• The entire Marian Bantjes, Graphic Artist documentary
• The entire Stefan Bucher, Designer, Illustrator and Writer documentary
• All lynda.com documentaries

Suggested courses to watch next:
• tokidoki, Character Illustrator
• Ron Crabb, Digital Illustrator
• Big Spaceship, Digital Creative Agency
• Bert Monroy, Digital Painter and Illustrator

Tags: Bantjes, Bucher, Creative Inspirations, documentary

At the final lynda.com employee quarterly meeting of 2011, Creative Inspirations subject Stefan Bucher made a surprise appearance. And he brought a friend. . . well, about 300 of them.

Upon being asked by Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City to create a Yeti plush toy for sale during the holiday season, Stefan came up with dozens of Yeti options to present to Saks, who ultimately left the final decision up to him. The complete Yeti-plush package included a Yeti hangtag book created by Stefan (complete with proper care and feeding instructions for the Yeti) and a customized bag designed by Stefan and dotted with snowflakes created by another Creative Inspirations subject, Marian Bantjes, with which to properly carry the Yeti (since the Yeti doesn’t fit in any of Saks’ standard holiday bags).

Stefan finished his December presentation by revealing the Yeti from his snowflake bag before handing the spotlight over to lynda.com co-founder Bruce Heavin. Bruce then revealed that as a special holiday gift, each lynda.com employee would receive their very own Yeti. Stefan was kind enough to autograph Yeti paws for employees after the presentation.

To purchase a Saks Fifth Avenue Yeti of your own while they are still in stock, visit www.saksfifthavenue.com.

Interested in more?
• Stefan G. Bucher, Designer, Illustrator, and Writer
• Marian Bantjes, Graphic Artist

Suggested courses to watch next:
• tokidoki, Character Illustrator
• Ron Crabb, Digital Illustrator
• Big Spaceship, Digital Creative Agency
• Bert Monroy, Digital Painter and Illustrator

Tags: Stefan Bucher, Yeti

The lynda.com documentary team is pleased to share with you our newest Creative Inspirations installment on children’s book writer and illustrator, Ed Emberley. Earlier this year, we spent time with three generations of talented Emberleys in their 17th century home in beautiful Ipswich, Massachusetts. We filmed as he gave a drawing class to local second graders and traveled with him to Portland, Oregon to meet with his iPad/iPhone app developers, all not long after his 80th birthday (see a demo of Ed’s “Shake and Make” iPhone app). Many of the artists in Portland had never met Ed, but a number of them learned to draw with his books in grade school. Ed is truly a lifelong learner, continuing to absorb new technologies and apply them to his craft. Whether you have children or you still feel the spark of youth, you’ll enjoy this look into the mind, and heart, of this gifted artist.

Director Scott Erickson and Cameraperson/Editor Tracy Clarke setting up a shot with Ed Emberley on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.

Cinematographer Mia Shimabuku at the Notre Dame Academy in Ipswich, Massachusetts, where Ed Emberley taught a drawing course.

Suggested courses to watch next:
• The full Creative Inspirations installment on Ed Emberley
• tokidoki, Character Illustrator
• Ron Crabb, Digital Illustrator
• Big Spaceship, Digital Creative Agency
• Bert Monroy, Digital Painter and Illustrator

This week and last we’ve released two great Creative Inspirations bonus features—one with hyper realist Bert Monroy and the other with graphic artist Marian Bantjes.

We filmed Bert speaking at St. Mary’s College of California, located in Moraga, California. He speaks to an attentive audience about the difference between Photorealism and his style that he terms Hyperrealism. He tells us that it’s his obsessive attention to detail that breaths life into his images.

Creative Inspirations guest Marian Bantjes is interviewed by designer Michael Bierut from Pentagram in NYC during AIGA's Pivot Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

Then, we went to “Pivot,” the 2011 AIGA Design Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, to screen our latest film in the Creative Inspirations series featuring graphic artist Marian Bantjes. When the lights came up, Marian took to the stage surrounded by thunderous applause to be interviewed by design legend Michael Bierut from Pentagram in New York City. Following their candid discussion, they took questions from the audience. And of course, our cameras were there.

Marian Bantjes’ entire Creative Inspirations segment, including our footage of Marian’s interview with Michael Bierut at the 2011 AIGA Design Conference, can be viewed in the lynda.com Online Training Library®.

Interested in more?
• Movies from Marian Bantjes in the Online Training Library®
• Movies from Bert Monroy in the Online Training Library®
•  All design courses in the Online Training Library®

The recently released Marian Bantjes, Graphic Artist installment of our flagship documentary series, Creative Inspirations, had the documentary team racking up some serious mileage. We followed Marian to her one-woman show in Toronto, filmed her at her home on secluded Bowen Island (off the coast of Vancouver), and filmed segments in New York and Los Angeles. Marian is a delightful travel companion and always gave us her best whether the camera was on or off. This Creative Inspirations also features an original score written and produced by composer Reg Powell. We’re looking forward to a screening of the film at Phoenix Symphony Hall on October 14th as part of AIGA’s Pivot Conference. Marian will be in Phoenix and will be interviewed by design legend Michael Bierut after the screening—and of course, our cameras will be there.
 

The bonus feature release shows Marian’s presentation to a packed auditorium at the Ontario College of Art & Design in Toronto. She speaks extensively about her creative process, including why rest and relaxation plays an important part in generating new ideas.

Tags: bonus feature, Creative Inspirations, documentaries, marian bantjes

This spring, lynda.com had a special screening of Richard Koci Hernandez: Multimedia Journalist at the Pacific Film Archive Theatre on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley. Since we filmed this documentary, Koci has been granted a full time teaching position in the Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. After the screening, Koci was interviewed by Jeremy Rue, a colleague in the graduate school, to talk about the film, his career, and to answer questions that have been posed to us since the film’s release. Many photographers had asked about the need to secure releases from his subjects when shooting his unique style of street photography. This answer and an update on Koci’s current projects are here as part of the Creative Inspirations bonus features.

Tags: bonus feature, Creative Inspirations Series, Richard Koci Hernandez

MAD magazine cartoonist Sergio Aragones and Jorge Gutirrez.

During the filming of the Creative Inspirations:Mexopolis, Animation Studio, artist Jorge Gutierrez told us a compelling story about one of his most important influences as a child, MAD magazine cartoonist Sergio Aragones. Not being able to speak English, Jorge fell in love with Sergio’s wordless cartoons and told his father that this is what he wanted to do when he grew up.

As fate would have it, Jorge’s father went to architecture school with Sergio. His father drove him from Tijuana to ComicCon in San Diego to have Sergio explain to the young Jorge the importance of attending college. And there the story begins.

Twenty-three years had elapsed since they had seen each other, but we were able to arrange an emotional reunion at a quiet spot near the lynda.com studios. Join us in this latest bonus feature as Sergio reflects on some of the life experiences that have made him one of the most beloved cartoonists of our time.

Tags: Creative Inspirations Series

lynda.com’s documentary team is pleased to announce an addition to the Creative Inspirations series: bonus features. Starting this week, we’ll begin to roll out a series of extras that were produced to enhance the viewing experience of our flagship documentary series.

After release, we often screen our films for a theatre audience and bring the person featured in the documentary to the screening to be interviewed on camera. The topics discussed are frequently derived from feedback we receive from our members. These bonus features put you in the front row, and let you become inspired all over again.

After the screening, Stefan G. Bucher answered audience questions during his interview with Terry Lee Stone.

This summer, lynda.com had a special screening of Stefan G. Bucher, Designer, Illustrator, and Writer in the Ahmanson Theatre at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. After the lights came up, Stefan came up on stage to enthusiastic applause to be interviewed by Terry Lee Stone, a writer and creative strategist who teaches the business of design at Art Center. This lively discussion (which included audience Q&A) covers a wide range of topics and brings us up to date on Stefan’s most recent endeavors. Highlights include Stefan’s thoughts on choosing projects and (the question that’s on everyone’s mind) what’s next for the monsters! As usual, Stefan brought along his sharp wit and wonderful sense of humor.

The bonus feature can be found at the end of the table of contents on the documentary page: Stefan G. Bucher, Designer, Illustrator, and Writer.

Tags: bonus feature, Creative Inspirations, monsters, Stefan G. Bucher

On Thursday, July 28, join lynda.com and Art Center College of Design as we present a screening of the new film from the lynda.com Creative Inspirations series, Stefan G. Bucher, Designer, Illustrator, and Writer. Follow Stefan from his first illustrations, through Art Center College of Design, Portland agency Wieden+Kennedy, Madonna’s Maverick Records, and finally his own company, 344 Design. If you’re in the Pasadena, CA area, it’s a great opportunity to check out our latest documentary on the big screen, meet other lynda.com members, and attend a Q&A with Stefan Bucher.

Admission is free, as space permits.

Event details:

Stefan G. Bucher, Designer, Illustrator, and Writer
Art Center College of Design, Hillside Campus, Pasadena
Ahmanson Auditorium

Thursday, July 28

7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Screening
8:00 – 8:30 p.m. Q&A with Stefan

RSVP to alumni@artcenter.edu by July 25.

We hope to see you there!

Tags: Art Center College of Design, Creative Inspirations, Stefan Bucher