Cinemagic #23 (1983)

Effects-Starbu

"Zyzak Is King" On Location With An Adventure Game Fantasy Guide to CINEMAGIC Back Issues, page 26

SPECIAL FEATURE Animation With Your Home Com

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CONTENTS Editor's Bench _ _ __

4

On Location

Issue #23

18

Producers' Bulletin

Microcomp uter Animation _

6

Latest news of our readers'

productions. A special feature on how to create dazzling animation with your home computer. By James Leatham.

Filmmakers'12 Forum

ClNEMAGIC goes on lOC8tion for the making of an adventure game fantasy film, Zyzak ls King. By John Cleyton.

Stopmotion Studio

CINEMAGIC Back Issue Guide

_ 26

At last, a comprehensive guide to every subject ever covered in the pages of ClNEMAGIC.

Success Story _ __

30

A regular department devoted to readers' comments and cor·

respondence about fantasy filmmaking .

Cinemagic MarketPlace _ _

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13

Classified advertising and

announcements.

Easy Effects

_ 15

Make your own cross-s tar fitter and create super starburst flares. By JlIck Imes, Jr.

Armatures for Less, CINEMAGIC veteran Ken Walker builds an armature for a model AlloslIurus from a design by Kenneth Brilliant. By John Dods.

A CINEMAGIC success story: Mark Sullivan rises f rom basement fil m · maker to Hollywood SFX artist with his fantastic short f i lm, Highrise. By John Dods.

Editor's Issue "'23

BENCH

Publishers

Guest Editorial:

Norman J acobs/Kerry O'Quinn

Associate Publisher

Lucky You!

Rita Eisenstein

Circulation Director Richard Browne

Assl'tant Publisher Milburn Smith

Editor David Hutchison

Art Director W.R. Mohlilley

Managing Editor John Clayton

Assodate Art Director Neil Holmes

Senior Designer Denise Lewis

Designers Daniel Abello Sook Han

Editorial Contributors John Dods Jo!Imes Lelltham Hugh Stegman Mark Sullivan

Spedal Projects linda Loias Damon SlIntostefano

Production Assistants Ed Bergenza Richerd Cebek El izabeth DeJesus Eileen Dempsey Norma Garda Shawn Hodes Chris Kwlath Andrea Passes

Flnandal Manager Joan BlIetz

Founder of CINEMAGIC Don Oohler

Published by

hen I wa,a kid. I would have killed to find a magazine like CINEMAGIc' I wanted to meke movie, more then enything else. and there wes no publication to tell me how to do mln leture se ts. ti tles and cobwebs-no publication to put me in touch wi th other filmmekers In my area-no publication to teach me about ,cripu end sloryboards. Above all. there wa, no publication that sponsored e contest where I could strut my sluff. There was no Short Film Search. Lucky you-you have e wonderful opportunity to learn from this magazine lind then to put your learning Into practice by making II ntm (or tape) that might be a prize winner. By the time you read th is we will hllve jus t staged th e 5th Anniversary awards night for Ihe Short Film Search Uointly sponsored by the School of Visual Arts~ and It was a glit· tering event. Our Lincoln Center lIuditorlum was packed to overflowing with both profes· sionals and students.. We screened all the winning films to a cheering audience. and we • presented trophies and specitll prizes to the thr illed winners. II was II mllglcal night! Look for II complete report In the next issue. If you were flol there. you aIR ,UII gel In on the fun when some o f the winning films are shown o n Nighl flIght . Friday and Saturday. November 25th lind 26th. beginning at 11 :00 PM Eastern (8:00 PM Pa cific) on USA cable Network. Nlghl flight Is a four·hour. fllst· paced. youthful variety shOll/lind Is the hIghest· rated cable series in the wortd. The exposure for our winning filmmakers will be sensa tlonll1. And if viewers respond positively. Nighl flight will schedule regular CINEMAGIC segments for the future. and we'lI supply them with past winners from the Short Film Search as well as other original films. But that's not all-we are making deflnlle plans to televi,e the entire awards night In 1984-the 61h yellr for th is non·proflt event. We' ll show the world what kind of electrlcl· ty Is generated when fans tlnd c:elebrlties come together to discover. and honor. young talent on the WlIy up. We'lI show 'em th e ffitlgicl As II result. next year's winners will heve II national ~howcase for their work that will give them an incredible career boost. If you lire an aspiring producer. director. writer. actor. cinemlilographer. special ef· fects crea tor or Interested in any branc h of movies or TV. you owe It to yourself 10 start-righf flow-TODAY-planning and organizing a film production for next yeer's contest. Don', try to ffitlke Gone With The Wind. Just do a lillie film thllt shows how clever and creative you are. Make It the best work you're capable of-In concept and in execution. This is your chance; 90 {oril! Then. milybe. just maybe. you'lI be Judged as one o f the best films-and you'lI have you r work , hown to an impommt audienc:e: ilt a big New York theater-and maybe one of the professionals In the audienc:e: wilt see it and SlIy. " Hey. that kid has tlilent!" Sounds corny. but it could happen! Still. you' lI never know unless you put out the effort. Breaks like thllt don't hilppen to people who sit around and WlIit for the phone to ring. Get up off your butt lind stop daydreaming! When! was II k id, I would have killed to find a contest like this-an opportuni ty to show off my talent. If the Short Film Search had existed when I wes In school. I might be directing films todey. Of course. that would mean that I neY(!r would have become II magazine publisher. lind the CI NEM ....GIC Short Film Sellrch wouldn't el