Peter & the Wolf Producer on NPR

Turning 'Peter and the Wolf' into an Oscar winner.

The producer of Peter & the Wolf was interviewed on NPR's All Things Considered. I can only imagine doing a stop motion film; moving the tangible elements, branches, hands, leaves, ducks, etc., 2 centimeters at a time, take a picture, move it 2 cm, take a picture 24 times for every second. These people really are incredible artists.

My very good friend Coho (it's a nick name, don't ask) did this fun stop motion movie of me, with still pictures taken in 2001 on a motorcycle trip to Las Vegas, at a stop somewhere in the middle of DEATH VALLEY, going through DEATH VALLEY was a supposedly fun thing that I'll never do again. This is just to show you what kind of fun you can have with stop motion.

I now present to you:
jump, thom, jump
or Capering Like an Idiot

Oscar Winners; Animation and Best Score

Ratatouille won for Animated Feature, but my heartfelt favorites are the stop motion folks who put together the animation short Peter & the Wolf, and director Suzie Templeton.
I adore your film, and thank you for creating it.


Peter & the Wolf




Best Original Score; Dario Marianelli, Atonement

NPR Movie Music 2008: Oscar-Nominated Scores

Every year Weekend Edition Sunday (WE Sun) does a Best Original Score roundup and it is one of my favorite stories of the year. Film-music specialist Andy Trudeau really digs into the music and describes, in depth, the different styles, instrumentation, and other touches that composers use. It always draws me in and instills in me the desire to listen to music and not just hear it.

I Love My Name


This is only the second station that has let me use my given name. I am proud of my name, and I know that when people hear it they will remember it.

Now, I will admit that not only is my last name unusual and unusually spelled but I also spell my first name with an 'h'. Here's the deal; I use the 'h' because my given fist name is Thomas. Not Tomas. Ego, to wit, and whateva, I go by Thom short for Thomas. To screw up people even MORE I'm on the radio so it's not too often that listeners will see my name spelled out. If you are listening you will only hear: "Thank you for listening to North West Public Radio, I'm Tom Cocaine."

Thank you listener person, I love ya!


From: An obviously smart listener
Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 8:40 AM
To: nwpr@wsu.edu
Subject: Tom Kokain

Tom is a GREAT host! I really enjoy his weekend time on the air.
He's humorous and insightful without going over the top with his comments.

Animation Is Cool

I am lucky. I grew up watching Saturday cartoons and going to see animated Disney movies. To me there is an allure to all things animated. What fascinates me is the dedication, insane amount of meticulousness, and attention to detail animators must have. To think that it takes an entire days work (12 to 16 hours mind you) to get only a few seconds of "real time movement", and it will take years to create an entire movie short. Sounds to me like self flagellation, but I am happy to relish in the accomplishments of those who create these wondrous works of art.

I recently surfed into a blog that had a post about the 2008 Academy Awards Animated Shorts Nominees, and those shorts made me giddy. I hope these make you giddy too. (Oh boy! I got to use giddy twice. Okay, three times.)

I Met The Walrus
Based on an interview with John Lennon done by a 14 year old boy who snuck into his hotel room.



Madame Tutli Putli


Even Pigeons Go To Heaven



Peter and the Wolf



My Love (Moya Lyubov)
Oil painting animation.