We’re fans of the rock group Wilco group. Possibly one of the best live bands on tour today, Wilco are constantly rocking our iPod. But there’s another reason we’re fans – why? Well they’re fans of Popeye! Just take a look at the awesome video below that Wilco just released:

Here it is – the first hand-drawn Popeye cartoon in more than 30 years. 

Roger Wilco
“Dawned on Me” is from the Grammy-nominated 2011 album, The Whole Love. For the music video, Wilco worked directly with King Features (the folks who own the Popeye franchise) to make the vintage black-and-white Popeye cartoon, directed by Darren Romanelli.

Wilco are an awesome live band and they obviously had a lot of fun and input making a music video like this. The video is hosted on wilcospinach.com and it’s worth checking out – even the webpage has been redesigned to look like a classic Popeye cartoon.

Click the image above for a Wilco desktop wallpaper.

The Origin of Popeye
Popeye, the spinach-eating sailor, made his first appearance in comics on January 17, 1929. He was one of several characters that appeared in the old King Features daily comic strip, Thimble Theatre. Popeye became so popular, the strip was renamed in his honor.

Popeye’s creator, E.C. Segar got the inspiration for Popeye when he and his assistant would  take afternoon fishing trips to the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California. At the pier they met a local fisherman named Olaf “Cap” Olsen, a squinty-eyed retired Norwegian sailor who operated a tiny fleet of fishing boats from the pier. The character of Popeye was born shortly after.

Olaf Olsen, a retired fisherman that took to visiting Santa Monica Pier is said to be the inspiration for Popeye. 

Neither Olsen or Seager would have probably never guessed the creation would become such as huge star – in fact, Popeye has become a huge animation franchise. Popeye has found his way into everything from toys, games, chicken restaurants and, of course, spinach. And he even has a connection with the king of video games, Popeye’s Nintendo Arcade Game was a huge hit a well. You can play Nintendo’s Popeye online.

Popeye has even done time on the big screen, with Robin Williams as crotchety seaman opposite of Shelly Duvall’s delicate Olive Oyl.

Hand Drawn Animation
Popeye’s creator, E.C. Segar is regarded as one of the most influential cartoonist in the history of cartooning. An award was even named in his honor by the National Cartoonists Society in 1971. Charles Schulz, Bil Keane, Al Capp, Bill Gallo and Mort Walker received the award before it was discontinued in 1999.

Popeye even had a popular cartoon series in the late 50′s.

Popeye is an animation superstar. He ranks with Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse in the cartoon hall of fame. Popeye comes from the hand-drawn age. Hand drawn animation is becoming a lost art, thankfully there are still young artist that want to learn how to make cartoons.

Today, Animation is a $950 billion plus industry, now Spongebob Squarepants and Pokemon rule the roost. New animators like Steven Hillenberg and Brad Bird are creating the future of cartoons but there’s still plenty of room on the playing field for new cartoonist and animators too – just like when Popeye’s creator E.C. Segar beat the odds against big studio animators like Walt Disney to introduce a cartoon sailor who ate spinach:

The classic 1956 Popeye cartoon “I Don’t Scare.”

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They’re just puppets right? How hard can it be to make a movie with them? Harder than you think. Check out this behind-the-scenes look from the latest muppet movie:

The muppet known as Walter is puppeteered by not two – but three virtual actors. Blue screen or green are used to insert visual effects.  

Making the Muppets
The Muppets were the brainchild of the late Jim Henson, the term comes from the combination of the words ”marionette” and “puppet,” Henson began using the term during a interview back in 1956 and it stuck.

To create a muppet, an artist uses a variety of materials, first craving the shape out of foam – then adding a skin for texture, for example a muppet may be covered with fleece, felt or even yak hair. Performers are hidden while puppeteering the character, although in the case of larger muppets, like Big Bird, a puppeteer could be inside a costume. The muppets are low-tech Hollywood visual effects that have been refined over time.

Muppets creator Jim Henson (middle) played Ernie and Frank Oz (right, the voice of Stars Wars’ Yoda) played Bert on the classic Sesame Street. 

Muppets develop their character over time, or “organically,” according to writer Michael Davis. Puppeteers may pass a character around, sharing and exchanging ideas for characters with others in the Henson puppeteering troupe, said Davis, the muppet is ”test-driven, passed around from one member to another in the hope of finding the perfect human-Muppet match.”

In 2004, The Walt Disney Company bought the Muppets (they do not however own the Sesame Street characters), and The Muppets Studio. And thanks to that purchase, The Muppets (who were a television staple in the 1980′s), are making a comeback – a recent big-screen production led by Jason Segal (How I Met Your Mother) was a hit with fans and critics.

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Courses: Graphic Design, Beginning & Advanced Photoshop, 2D & 3D Video Game Creation

DMA Instructor: Marcus Duvoisin

Education: San Francisco State University; San Francisco, CA (Marketing Major, focus on New Media Design)

Professional Portrait: Web designer. Marcus started early – learning web design while still in middle school. By the time he was in high school, he already had a huge slate of professional clients Marcus owns his own web design firm, Genuine Web Design and provides design services for a variety of different companies, including www.extremenewzealand.net. A skilled and in-demand instructor, he teaches Adobe Dreamweaver, Flash, Photoshop, HTML and CSS.

DMA Campus: Stanford University

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Spinning Webs Since Childhood
Every artist has a favorite medium for their style and talent. For DMA Instructor Marcus Duvoisin, his canvas is a web page. He’s been building his own web sites since he was fourteen years old. Marcus and his friends designed web sites related to their hobbies and interests at the time, which included skateboarding, music and video games. Back then, programming and designing software were less intuitive than today. And there were no computer camps to guide budding web designers.

“We coded in HTML/CSS and used applications like Adobe Dreamweaver, Photoshop and Flash,” he remembers. “It was hard to learn on our own and we spent a lot of long nights troubleshooting. Having a teacher by our side would have definitely helped! But technology camps like Digital Media Academy didn’t really exist back then…so we had to spend the extra hours trying to figure out solutions on our own.”

At that time, creative teens with an interest in web design often had to make their own way. Luckily, Marcus didn’t have to look any further than his own father, a technologically advanced dad who had mastered the fundamentals of online design around the same time. “My dad taught me web design basics and with constant practice, I have developed a strong base of skills.” Marcus has also developed his professional skills by working side-by-side with professional experienced designers.

Kids love Marcus’ energy and excitement.

Marcus continued learning and building sites. By the time he was in high school, a local start-up company asked him to design a simple company web site.

Taking it to The Next Level
“I remember being really nervous about whether or not I could accomplish the task,” he says, “It turned out it wasn’t all that different than designing web sites with my friends.” The site he designed was a huge hit with the company and the client then recommended Marcus to other businesses. Soon he was designing enough web sites to pay his way through college, and he credits the experience for opening up career opportunities.

Now Marcus is running his own company – Genuine Web Design, which includes a roster of great clients that count on his expertise to establish their online presence. Marcus also maintains those web sites, refreshes the content and provide periodic redesign. In 2010 Marcus was selected to work with Google to help improve Google rankings for his client Demandforce. “This experience provided me with many tools and techniques for expanding my knowledge about Internet marketing.”

In addition to his successful career in web design, Marcus also teaches for Digital Media Academy during the summer at DMA’s Stanford University campus location. This year he’ll be teaching Graphic Design & Arts, as well as 2D & 3D Video Game Creation.

“DMA’s hands-on training provides the building blocks for a career in technology.”

“I enjoy everything about DMA’s summer camp experience: the kids, the fun, the cafeteria cuisine, and (especially) teaching kids design skills that they show their parents at the end of the program. If I could make DMA summer camp my full-time job for the rest of my life, I would.”

Marcus also teaches 2D & 3D Video Game Creation. Like all DMA instructors Marcus’s has professional credentials and real-world experience. To learn more about DMA’s programs and instructors visit Digital Media Academy.

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Game: Frisbee Forever
Developer: Kiloo Games
Rating: 4 out 5 stars
Cost: Free

Summer is here and if you can’t get to your local park to toss the Frisbee around, you can still enjoy the sport from the comfort of your couch, thanks to Wham-O’s new game and app: “Frisbee Forever.” Developed by Kiloo Games, the colorful, arcade-style game plays a lot like a Wii game. The object is simple: Navigate a mini-golf-like obstacle course with a Frisbee for coins. Coins can then be used in a Frisbee shop to buy better flying discs or special upgrades.

“Frisbee Forever” runs on the iPhone and iPad and uses those iDevices’ accelerometer to control the Frisbee (players tilt the device left or right to guide the flying disc through the course).

A gameplay trailer of “Frisbee Forever.”

Frisbee Flicking Fun
It’s as easy as flicking your finger across the touchscreen to send the disc on its way. Gameplay is super-responsive and the graphics rival anything you’ve seen on the Wii. “Frisbee Forever” includes 10 different worlds, and each world (or area) features 10 levels…for a total of 100 challenges. The courses and environments are inventive and fun, and while, at times, some of the obstacles seem impossible, patience and a well-practiced tilting technique will get you through. Flying through hoops and triangle checkpoints on the course maintain the Frisbee’s momentum, and as you fly through each course, you’ll collect stars along the course. The medal you are eventually awarded is based on how many stars you collect.

Purchase “Frisbee Forever” through the Apple App Store.

As mentioned, as players advance through the game, they earn coins for clearing each level and receive a trophy rank of silver, bronze or gold. Be warned that patience is necessary, however, because even for the best player it will take a while to collect enough coins for the better discs. But you can also buy coins to purchase items through the App Store.

Overall, “Forever Frisbee” is an extremely well-made app and will provide you with hours of fun – all for free.

Make Your Own Mobile App – at Summer Camp
Want to make your app or game for the iPhone or iPad? You can, this summer at Digital Media Academy computer and digital arts summer camps. Spend an exciting week learning 3D Game Development for the iPhone or App Development for Apple iDevices. Before you know it, you’ ll be on your way to making your dream app a reality…and that’s how careers get started. Find out more about Digital Media Academy app development summer camps and how they can help you create the future. DMA – where video-game dreams get transformed into reality.

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It wasn’t a movie that overwhelmed you with its plot: a popular teen tries to outwit his high school principal, ducking class and other responsibilities for a glorious, what-the-heck day with his best friends. Nonetheless, John Hughes’ 1986 teen classic “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” had so much offbeat charm that nobody ever seemed to mind its simplicity.

Hughes, the director of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, made a career out of 80′s teen-angst comedies.

The film’s many, many fans are now celebrating Ferris Bueller turns 25. Released on June 11, 1986 the movie influenced countless films with its wit and character. For fans of the film, Ferris is not only teacher of life’s lesson but a student as well. In the end the film isn’t so much about skipping out on life and responsibility but to take a chance every once and while and enjoy it.

10. Location, Location, Location Part of the fun of “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is its whirlwind tour of Chicago. Actual locations included Wrigley Field, the Sears Tower and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The parade that Ferris single-handedly takes over is the town’s Von Steuben Day Parade.

Meet Abe Froman, the sausage king of Chicago.

9. Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? While the movie starred Matthew Broderick a nasally nerd named Ben Stein nearly stole the show, Stein played the Economics teacher with the personality of a sleepwalker. Stein voiced the movie’s most quoted line, turning a class roll call into numbing torture. Stein has since been a recognizable presence in movies and television commercials, as well as being a political pundit – a role that makes total sense. Why? His first job was writing speeches for President Richard Nixon back in the early 1970s.

8. Famous Fans Fans of the film include filmmaker Kevin “Clerks” Smith, Simon “American Idol” Cowell and Justin Timberlake, each of whom has listed the movie as their favorite film of all time. Another fan, Charlie Sheen, also made a brief appearance in the film as bad boy. Funny how life imitates art.

7. Home Alone In the film, Ferris’ pal, Cameron, lives in an modernist house. Later, in a jaw-dropping scene, a vintage 1961 Ferrari GT250 (really a modified MG sports car) is driven directly into the iconic residence. It’s not a set but a real house. Use Google’s street view to see how it looks today: 370 Beech Street, Highland Park, IL 60035. Ferris’ house isn’t actually in Chicago, it’s in California: 4160 Country Club Drive, Long Beach, CA.

Edward Hopper’s 1942 masterpiece, “Nighthawks,” co-starred in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

6. Classic Art Ferris made taking in a museum cool. The famous paintings shown in the movie’s Art Institute of Chicago scene included the iconic diner painting “Nighthawks” by Edward Hopper and Picasso’s “The Old Guitarist,” as well as works by Matisse, Jackson Pollock and Marc Chagall.

5. Music Makes A Movie “Ferris Bueller” contained a mixed bag of offbeat tunes, from the Beatles’ manic “Twist and Shout” to Wayne Newton’s lounge classic, “Danke Schoen” to New Wave cuts from the 80s, like Yello’s “Oh Yeah.” The blend of songs was so offbeat (and probably a licensing nightmare) that no official soundtrack album was ever released. Why? Sadly, Director John Hughes said he felt it would have had no commercial appeal and didn’t work as an album.

4. Big Screen Blockbusters Make Good TV After the movie’s surprising success, NBC rushed a television series based on the concept into production. Only thirteen episodes aired. A young actress named Jennifer “Friends” Aniston played Ferris’ TV sister. (In the film, the same role was played by Jennifer Gray, she would later become a star in another 80s classic: “Dirty Dancing.”)

Ben Stein shot to stardom on the basis of one line.

3. Script Supervisor At the time “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” was nearing shooting, a looming writer’s strike threatened to halt production. So Director Hughes, eager to get his script finished before the strike began, hammered out the script – in less than one week.

2. Connect With The Audience Part of what made “Ferris” unique is the way Ferris speaks directly to the audience. Although certainly not the first movie to employ this technique, it’s probably one of the most memorable. (Way back in1966, Michael Caine became a star in the original “Alfie” by doing the same thing. Ray Liotta also talks directly to the audience in “GoodFellas”.) Even today, this technique (called “breaking the fourth wall“) is only used rarely in film, although it’s been turning up in plays since theater’s early origins.

“Life moves pretty fast…”

1. Ferris Makes Bank Instantly beloved upon its release, “Ferris” has become even more respected over time. “Entertainment Weekly” magazine named it number 10 among “the 50 best high-school movies,” while film channel Bravo listed it as number 54 among “the 100 funniest movies.” In 2000, readers of “Total Film” magazine voted the movie the 23rd greatest comedy film of all time. And “Ferris” delivered big-time at the box office: Made for around $6 million, the movie earned more than $70 million in its domestic release. Not too shabby for cutting class.

When John Hughes passed away in 2010, he left behind a personal body of film work that defined “teen” movies, with a filmography that included hits like “Pretty in Pink,” “The Breakfast Club,” “Sixteen Candles,” and “Weird Science,” as well as “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” A multi-talented writer and director, Hughes coupled his passion for filmmaking with an unbeatable set film production skills. Are you an aspiring filmmaker looking to sharpen or develop your movie-making skills?

This summer, Digital Media Academy will be teaching Digital Filmmaking Summer Camps and courses using Final Cut Pro, the industry standard among editing software. Take a week-long or three-day certification course or a film & video production course and start your career as a filmmaker.

Cover Final Cut Pro from all the angles – everything from an overview of the software all the way through advanced editing courses that put you in the editor’s chair. See for yourself why legendary filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola, Walter Murch and the Coen brothers use Final Cut Pro – John Hughes may have even used it if Final Cut were available when he was shooting “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

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Walt Disney was someone way ahead of his time. He defied critics and conventional wisdom by making a cartoon over an hour in length into a feature film (“Snow White”). In 1937, he was again ahead of the curve by making 3D cartoons.

Walt explaining the Multiplane Camera. The original Multiplane Camera used to shoot such classics as “Bambi,” “Snow White” and “Pinocchio” is now on display at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, CA.

The Most Advanced Animation Tool Before The Computer
Using a technology that wasn’t surpassed in animation until the introduction and use of computers, the Multiplane Camera was the most advanced piece of technology of its day for making animated movies. We found this great piece of video of Walt introducing audiences to the new technology through his weekly television show, “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color.”

Animators today use Maya to create jaw-dropping 3D landscapes and make 3D characters come to life on movie screens. In fact, Maya is the entertainment industry standard in computer animation – used to render everything from Woody in “Toy Story” to that little dancing bar of soap on television. Video-game developers also use Maya to create landscapes and characters, just like their counterparts do in the movies. Do you want to know how to become a Maya expert? Becoming an animation wiz using Maya could put you on a path to becoming the next Walt Disney.

Digital Media Academy offers courses in Maya taught by industry professionals. DMA’s Maya 2012 Pro Series Courses like Maya 2012: Introduction, Maya 2012: Character Modeling & Rigging, Maya 2012: Animation & Visual Effects, or Maya 2012: Texture & Lighting are all great ways to create, build on or enhance your animation skills. DMA’s one-week- and two-week-long computer and digital arts summer camps will inspire you to create the future of animation.

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“Hop” has just bunny-hopped into theaters. Universal’s film blends live action with computer-animated characters and features the voices of Russell Brand (Brand plays E.B., a bunny with an attitude, who’s also the Easter Bunny’s son) and James Marsden as comical rabbits. David Hasselhoff also stars, as himself. The movie follows E.B. as he searches for stardom on the streets of Hollywood.

Don’t confuse this bunny with the regular chocolate variety. This guy has dreams of stardom!

“Hop” comes from the same creative team that brought us “Despicable Me,” and like that critically acclaimed animated feature, the computer-generated characters in “Hop” really pop off the screen. The characters are beautifully animated and reasonably believable, as talking rabbits go.

Of course, you could avoid holiday crowds at the Cineplex by staying home to celebrate Easter this year. Why not break out the family size Orville Redenbacher and curl up on the couch with family and friends to enjoy a classic Easter movie? Here are three great films that span the spectrum of wholesome Easter entertainment:

Easter Parade (1948)

Entertainment legend Gene Kelly (“Singin’ in the Rain”) was originally set to star in this 1948 classic, but after breaking his ankle, Kelly suggested a replacement: Fred Astaire. The rest is musical history. In “Easter Parade,” Astaire is down on his luck when dance partner and love interest Ann Miller decides to split from their toe-tapping duo for a solo shot. Plucky chorus girl Judy Garland helps put pep back in Fred’s step and together they attempt to dance their way to stardom before the next Easter Parade. If you’re a fan of “Glee” or “High School Musical,” you’ll more than enjoy this one. Fred Astaire is still generally considered the greatest dancer in the entire history of film. “Easter Parade” shows why.

King of Kings (1961)

Hollywood’s last two major films about Jesus Christ (“The Last Temptation of Christ” and “The Passion of the Christ”) were both controversial and contained elements not particularly suited to family viewing. For something the entire family can enjoy together, Jeffrey Hunter stars in the lead role of “King of Kings,” a 1961 biography that sticks pretty close to its New Testament script. You’ll see a moving Sermon on the Mount, a sleek Salome dance for King Herod, and a gripping account of the crucifixion. Photographed magnificently in 70mm Super Technirama, this movie should look great on your flat screen.

It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974)

Follow the ever-lovable “Peanuts” gang as they prepare for Easter. Watch Sally go shoe shopping for her Sunday finest while Peppermint Patty gets crafty with colored eggs. Then tag along as Snoopy and the rest of the gang goes on a hunt for eggs and a search for the Easter Bunny. Let’s be honest: Holidays are like baseball games; they’re just not the same without Peanuts.

Make your own Easter Classic
Maybe you have a young filmmaker of your own at home? Send them outside with a video camera to capture those magical moments on Easter Sunday. Or send them to Digital Media Academy this summer, DMA’s Summer Camp courses may not fit into a colorful plastic egg, but they’ll sure make for a great Easter morning surprise. Whether you’re looking to become certified in Final Cut Pro or learn the secrets of the movie-making industry, Digital Media Academy has a course for you. Register for a summer camp today.

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It’s almost time to get back to school, but you can get a jump on everyone by continuing your education year round. And while you’re at it, why not take courses you WANT to take, not what you’re REQUIRED to take. Digital Media Academy offers several ways to grow your brain with courses from Digital Filmmaking to Robotics. Start a career in game design or become the next George Lucas… It’s easy when you grow your brain.

Take for example Megamind, he knows people dig a guy with a large cranium.

Speaking of growing your brain, follow our resident Brain on Twitter for great tips and technological tricks. Need a new computer to finish a project or start a new one? We’ve got great deals on gently used Apple Computer’s, check them out.