Skip Battaglia
Encyclopedia
Carl F. "Skip" Battaglia has been an American
experimental filmmaker and animator
for 30+ years.
where he states his introduction to Circle Art in High School changed his life. In 1966 he graduated from St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute
. He received his Bachelor of Arts
degree in English and Philosophy from Boston College
, graduating in 1970. He returned to St. Joseph's Collegiate, and from 1971 to 1973 taught high school
English. He received his Master of Arts
degree from Syracuse University
Newhouse School of Public Communications
, graduating in 1974. From 1977 through 1981, he was Adjunct Faculty for the University of Rochester
Department of Fine Arts. From 1981 through 1987, he served as Associate Professor in the Department of Communications and Journalism at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York
. He currently serves as Professor
at the Rochester Institute of Technology
, where he teaches courses on film language, and other related film and film production courses.
Battaglia's animations range from pencil, and pastel on paper, as well as paint on film. He has won various awards from film festivals around the world, such as in New York
, Canada
, Taiwan
, New Zealand
, and London
. His film Parataxis is taught as part of courses on American Expressionism. He is known for his 1980 short film Parataxis and his 1997 music video for the song Taki Dom. He is best known for his experimental and abstract animation, Crossing the Stream. In 2008, the Ottawa International Animation Festival
featured a retrospective of Battaglia's work, and also in 2008 his name was added to the St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute Fine Arts Wall of Honor in recognition of his accomplishments.
Of How the Frog's Eye Sees, The New York Times
called it a "witty look at the flies, fish and plant life that pass through the title creature's field vision".
Of The Animated Star-Spangled Banner, Philadelphia Inquirer wrote "The Animated StarSpangled Banner is just that, the national anthem sung by a chorus of fifth graders" and "given a highly literal cartoon expression", and Pittsburgh Press
called it "hip and original", while Washington Times noted the film "takes punning license with the words of the national anthem as they're spoken by a group of fifth-graders." Variety
wrote that the film was "inventively animated," with such imagery as the rocket's red glare becoming a line
of Rockettes and then changing into an angry Karl Marx
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
experimental filmmaker and animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
for 30+ years.
Education
Battaglia was raised in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
where he states his introduction to Circle Art in High School changed his life. In 1966 he graduated from St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute
St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute
St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute, founded in 1861, is an independent Roman Catholic college preparatory school for young men. Established by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, SJCI is chartered by the Board of Regents of New York State and accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges...
. He received his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in English and Philosophy from Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
, graduating in 1970. He returned to St. Joseph's Collegiate, and from 1971 to 1973 taught high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
English. He received his Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree from Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
Newhouse School of Public Communications
S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications is the communications school at Syracuse University. It has programs in print and broadcast journalism; advertising; public relations; and television and film....
, graduating in 1974. From 1977 through 1981, he was Adjunct Faculty for the University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
Department of Fine Arts. From 1981 through 1987, he served as Associate Professor in the Department of Communications and Journalism at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. He currently serves as Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at the Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
The Rochester Institute of Technology is a private university, located within the town of Henrietta in metropolitan Rochester, New York, United States...
, where he teaches courses on film language, and other related film and film production courses.
Battaglia's animations range from pencil, and pastel on paper, as well as paint on film. He has won various awards from film festivals around the world, such as in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. His film Parataxis is taught as part of courses on American Expressionism. He is known for his 1980 short film Parataxis and his 1997 music video for the song Taki Dom. He is best known for his experimental and abstract animation, Crossing the Stream. In 2008, the Ottawa International Animation Festival
Ottawa International Animation Festival
-History:In 1976, the Canadian Film Institute founded the biennial Ottawa International Animation Festival . First held August 10 to 15, 1976, the OIAF created a gathering place for North American animation professionals and enthusiasts to ponder the craft and business of animation...
featured a retrospective of Battaglia's work, and also in 2008 his name was added to the St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute Fine Arts Wall of Honor in recognition of his accomplishments.
Select filmography
- Parataxis (1980)
- Boccioni's Bike (1982)
- How the Frog's Eye Sees (1985)
- Pigment Forest (1985)
- Brainstormers (1986)
- Academy Leader Variations (1987)
- Geologic Time (1989)
- The Animated Star-Spangled Banner (1990)
- Restlessness (1994)
- Los ángeles del fin de milenium (1996)
- Taki Dom (1997).
- Second Nature (2000)
- I Would Always Slow the Ocean Down (2001)
- More True Shit (2003)
- Crossing the Stream (2006)
Recognition
Of Boccioni's Bike, Boston Globe wrote the film "offers the most successful union of imagery and music.Of How the Frog's Eye Sees, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called it a "witty look at the flies, fish and plant life that pass through the title creature's field vision".
Of The Animated Star-Spangled Banner, Philadelphia Inquirer wrote "The Animated StarSpangled Banner is just that, the national anthem sung by a chorus of fifth graders" and "given a highly literal cartoon expression", and Pittsburgh Press
Pittsburgh Press
The Pittsburgh Press is an online newspaper in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, currently owned and operated by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Historically, it was a major afternoon paper...
called it "hip and original", while Washington Times noted the film "takes punning license with the words of the national anthem as they're spoken by a group of fifth-graders." Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
wrote that the film was "inventively animated," with such imagery as the rocket's red glare becoming a line
Chorus line
A chorus line is a substantial group of dancers who together perform synchronized routines, usually in musical theatre. Sometimes, singing is also performed. Chorus line dancers in Broadway musicals and revues have been referred to by slang terms such as ponies, gypsies and twirlies...
of Rockettes and then changing into an angry Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
.
Awards and nominations
- 1982, Won CINE Golden EagleCINECINE is a consortium formulated to depict American life and thought realistically for a global audience. CINE recognizes and fosters the highest quality of non-theatrical film and video production through its semi-annual film competitions....
for Boccioni's Bike - 1984, Won American Film and Video FestivalAFIAFI, the three letter acronym, may refer to:*AFI , an American alternative rock band**AFI , an album by AFI released in 2004*Air Force Instruction, documented instructions for members of the United States Air Force...
Blue Ribbon for How the Frog's Eyes See - 1986, Won Animafest World Festival of Animated Films Best Soundtrack for How the Frog's Eyes See
- 1987, Won Cannes Film FestivalCannes Film FestivalThe Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
Prix du JuryJury Prize (Cannes Film Festival)The Jury Prize is an award presented at the Cannes Film Festival. It is chosen by the jury from the 'official section' of movies at the festival. It is considered the third most prestigious prize at the film festival, after the Palme d'Or and the Grand Prix....
for Best Short Film Academy Leader Variations - 1989, Won New York Exposition of Independent Film Best animation for Geologic Time
- 1989, Won Ann Arbor Film FestivalAnn Arbor Film FestivalThe Ann Arbor Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Ann Arbor in the U.S. state of Michigan. Established in 1963, it is the third-oldest film festival in North America ; and the oldest experimental film festival...
Best animation for Geologic Time - 2000, Won International Animated Film AssociationInternational Animated Film AssociationThe International Animated Film Association or ASIFA is an international non-profit organization founded in 1960 in Annecy, France by the best known animation artists of the time such as the Canadian animator, Norman McLaren...
Charles Samu Award for Second Nature - 2006, Won International Animated Film Association ASIFA award for Best Animation for Crossing the Stream
- 2007, Won Black Maria Film Festival Director's Citation for Crossing the Stream
External links
- Animatus Studio
- Skip Battaglia at Rochester Institute of Technology
- Skip Battaglia at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...