Presented with limited 2D computer animation, the film demonstrates a type of drawn filmmaking, more like a colored animatic than a cartoon, that need not be elaborately animated to tell a great story. The Blue Shoe by Peter Reynolds of Boston-based studio FableVision is a charming tale of unexpected love between a blue shoe and a green boot. A lot of smoke and mirrors covers up where good animation and story would have done the trick. While the film's depiction of atmospheric effects and facial expressions is quite realistic, its failings are also symptomatic of a visual effects artist. Next up is Tightrope, a computer-animated short from effects house Digital Domain and director Daniel Robichaud. But soon enough the thin plot thickens to include one of the animator's favorite storytelling tools: malice. The film is at first cute, almost too cute, with roly poly baby penguins bouncing around. Taking it from the top, this year's festival opens with Pings by Pierre Coffin of Ex Machina, a French CGI studio known for its commercial work. And if the current demand for "creator-driven" animation keeps up, we may be seeing more of the Spike and Mike brand, now that Mellow Manor is represented by agent Jim Strader, whose client roster also includes Celebrity Death Match creator Eric Fogel. Spike, who has managed the festivals since the death of his partner Mike Gribble in 1995, said, "We have been receiving more films than ever," citing the proliferation of animation schools and the widespread use of computer animation as fueling factors. Spike and Mike's 1999 Classic Festival of Animation is 79 minutes of evidence that the genre is alive and well.
With the disappearance of Expanded Entertainment's Tournees of Animation and Manga Entertainment's General Chaos, the short-lived touring theatrical compilations of animated shorts, Spike and Mike, aka Mellow Manor Productions, has an opportunity to choose from the best animated shorts.