"Hopscotch Girl"
This excerpt shows a chalkboard effect, from "The Communication Systems" commercial, in which children speak on a can-and-string telephone. The lines morph from the children’s phone system into the hopscotch scene shown here.

Lively, organic hand-drawn elements expressed the simplicity of the high tech system being advertised. Written, produced, designed and animated by Diane Heller.

Traditional hand-drawn animation produced with next wave technology, for the new animation, Dianimation.

"Nerds"
Title sequence for "Revenge of the Nerds" for Fox TV. Each print or plaid shirt had to be animated separately! Not only does this sequence include the only crowd-scene-wearing-plaid ever animated, but is an excellent example of "portrait animation", a specialty of Diane Heller.

The animated characters precisely portray the actual actors in manner, movement, speech and appearance. You may recognize actors Robby Rist and Richard Gant. Even the background characters represented real people; all the producers appear in animated form! Produced, designed and animated by Diane Heller./P>

Traditional hand-drawn animation produced with next wave technology, for the new animation, Dianimation.

"Bouncing Ball"
Cigna HealthCare’s foray into animated video "The Foote Family" tied in print and billboard characters with animation. This excerpt shows two of the main characters, as well as a water effect. In this 10 minute animated educational video, the boy is always bouncing that ball, and the dog is always trying to get someone in the family to read the important letters from Cigna HealthCare regarding customer enrollment. Using scanned drawings and a matte system for the air-brushed paint effect, this long format project was created for about the same cost as a color print brochure! Produced and animated by Diane Heller.

Traditional hand-drawn animation produced with next wave technology, for the new animation, Dianimation.

"A Genuine All-Feathered Chorus Line"
This sequence is from Mattel’s SEE AND SAY VIDEOPHONE. This was an interactive toy based on the Mattel pull-string toy from the classic "See and Say" series. Dancing characters are a specialty of Dianimation! Diane Heller was the colorist for the entire series, as well as background artist and animator.

Traditional hand-drawn animation produced with next wave technology, for the new animation, Dianimation.

"Dancing Sheep" Here are a few shots from the award-winning short, "The Director". Written, produced, designed and animated by Diane Heller. "The Director" is about the hilarious career of a first-time director, Jane. She must get the three sheep to dance... a metaphor for the extremes of show business!...

Jane also starred in "The Painter", a previous short film by Diane Heller, which premiered at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Awards and festival participation include:

ASIFA San Francisco and Los Angeles; Filmhaus Stubergasse, Vienna, Austria; Austin, Texas; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Cleveland, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia; Los Angeles Animation Celebration, World Filmfest, Houston, Texas - GOLD PRIZE.

Traditional hand-drawn animation produced with next wave technology, for the new animation, Dianimation.

"Don't Be Just a Piece of Paper"
"Los Especialistas Legales" is the first animated personal injury lawyer commercial. The animated character precisely represents the actual actor in manner, movement, speech and appearance. The premise: A nice, conscientious driver is in an accident, and is treated like a flat piece of paper when he goes for legal help at the Wrong Law Firm. Once he opens the door to The Legal Experts, he turns into a live-action man, and finds winning guidance. Both the live action and animation scenes were entirely produced and created by Diane Heller.

Translation:
It could happen to you. If you are injured in an accident, don’t be just another piece of paper. Come to "The Legal Specialists", where you are not just paper, you are an important person!

Traditional hand-drawn animation produced with next wave technology, for the new animation, Dianimation.

"Don't Be Just Another Note on a Legal Pad"
"Legal Pad" is the second animated personal injury lawyer commercial. Combining live action and animation, with animation and real props accentuating the theme: "Don’t be just another note on a legal pad."

Note: the animation background yellow legal pad is computer generated. Written, produced, designed and animated by Diane Heller.

Traditional hand-drawn animation produced with next wave technology, for the new animation, Dianimation.

"The Grass is Greener"
Depicting growing grass and flowers, this animation is from title sequence of the feature film "Life Without Dick", starring Harry Connick Jr. and Sarah Jessica Parker.

his sequence is hand-drawn with a twist: vector painting. After-effects vector painting combines the discipline of line and motion in traditional drawing, tracked by computer, to play back in real time.
Note: this sequence was created for theatrical distribution, at film resolution. Designed and animated by Diane Heller.

Traditional hand-drawn animation produced with REALLY next wave technology, for the new animation, Dianimation.

"Cat in the Hat"
The well-known print character "The Cat in the Hat" is the master of ceremonies for a CD-Rom interactive game. Traditional lip-sync skills bring the character to life. A library of mouth shapes were designed and arranged according to the text, a decade before the same concept was written into Flash technology. All new media can benefit from the vast traditional animation arts legacy of the past century.

In this CD-Rom, Mr. Cat shows new character traits never before animated. Heretofore, he had not yet twiddled his thumbs.

This "Cat in the Hat" represents the first venture by the family of the late Theodor Seuss Geisel in the commercial use of a Dr. Seuss character. Animation and game design by Diane Heller.

Traditional hand-drawn animation produced with next wave technology, for the new animation, Dianimation.

Credits:

editor: David Winter, WinterWorks
engineer: Kenneth Tentarelli
media: Todd Brunelle, Corruptive Media
host: Webryders
quality assurance: Grace Chang

Cat in the Hat VO: Arthur Roberts
Music by Freeway Philharmonic:
Scott Jackson, Novi Novog, Robert Stanton, Larry Tuttle

Animation: To depict that which otherwise would remain only in the imagination.

Animation is a terrific story-telling medium, with no message too subtle or too complex. True animation has charm and intrigue, lives up to repeated viewings, and combines with music and sound for tremendous impact and appeal.

Dianimation: Traditional animated expression with unlimited applications in modern media.

Diane Heller, the artist behind Dianimation, brings her extensive traditional animation experience to new uses. Dianimation offers real animation, full of life, not just motion. Quality draftsmanship and cinematic ability elevate Dianimation from common motion graphics.

Dianimation designs sequences and characters as representational as a portrait, or abstract, minimalist or collage-like. Any style painting or design can be done for backgrounds. Diane Heller is an expert in the new areas of real-time vector painting and lip-sync libraries.

You need animation for your website, title sequence, promo, industrial film, animatic, game design, music video, commercial, feature film sequences and all new media. Dianimation offers supporting graphics for logo design, signs, portraits or caricatures. Fine arts plus practical experience guarantee excellent production value with a quick turnaround.

Diane Heller, the artist behind Dianimation, has trained in many areas of traditional animation and film, with an MFA in film from UCLA and USC. Her influences are not restricted to the US animation titans, Hanna Barbera, Warner Brothers and Disney, but the animation and puppetry from the Czech Republic, other former Eastern Bloc countries, and beyond. Ms. Heller’s background includes fine arts, cinematography, theater and dance.

Dianimation offers 2-D traditional cel animation, for all digital media. Advances in "ink and paint" technology have made high production value 2D animation accessible and affordable. The charm, intrigue, and depth of real animation lives up to repeated viewings, and combines with music and sound for tremendous impact and appeal. Ms. Heller animates in any graphic or fine arts style - chalk on a blackboard, child-like crayon, Renaissance charcoal or in the style of French Impressionists. Talking, emotive characters, all types of lip-sync and portrait animation are specialties of Dianimation, bringing to life that which would otherwise remain only in your imagination.

Dianimation offers 2-D traditional hand-drawn cel animation, for all digital platforms. Advances in "ink and paint" technology have made high production value 2D animation accessible and affordable. Any style of art or design can be yours!

Dianimation can produce projects as short as a 5 frame GIF to entire animated sequences for feature films. There is no budget too small, nor frame count too great. Projects are geared to your editor or engineer’s requirements, with quick turnaround.

Talking, emotive characters, all types of lip-sync and portrait animation are specialties of Dianimation. To create an animated character as a spokesperson or host, the character can be designed with a library of mouth positions which can be programmed in infinitely varied dialogue.

Technologies such as Flash or Quicktime or vector painting are enhanced by a master’s hand. In vector painting, the actual speed and weight of the drawing becomes part of the animated movement. An illusion of liveliness comes from a choreographed speed, not a steady, robot-like pace and trajectory. The legacy of one hundred years of film animation does not come as part of these software packages.

A website with animation receives 50% more hits. Animation will highlight your company name and logo; lend a rhythm to your message; and convey subtleties such as “thinking outside the box” or "we offer the best service". No talking heads live-action can match this. You need animation.

Since 1905, when Winsor McKay's animated Gertie the Dinosaur shone from the silver screen, animation has carried us to other worlds and times. From video games to TV and film animation, special effects and the internet, today's animation, with all it's advantages of computers and well-tested industry standards can offer no more than the first animated movie:

To depict that which otherwise would remain only in the imagination.

Animation is a terrific story-telling medium, with no message too subtle or too complex. Dianimation creates real animation, full of life, not just movement. Whether a well-timed animatic storyboard, simple pencil test or finished project, quality depends on cinematic experience, and quality animation drawings.

Animation is not just for Saturday morning!

Click on buttons for background and details for each animated sequence.

Click on the knob for credits for this website.

The one minute video has nine scenes, with music and dialogue.   Dial-up internet service may cause a short delay while the video loads.   Thank you for your patience.