Odyssey Productions
Encyclopedia
Odyssey Productions is the former name of a California-based photography and 3-D computer animation company founded in 1983 by Steven Churchill in partnership with Adrian Turcotte. It was the first San Diego company to produce 3-D computer animation and its clients have included Coca Cola, General Dynamics
, Union Oil, Southwestern Cable, Metrocast, Honda
, and a number of TV stations across the country.
While Odyssey focused primarily on 35mm back-lit motion graphics and special effects for the first 5 years of its existence, its award-winning release of the world's first home entertainment video of computer animation, State Of the Art Of Computer Animation in 1988 brought about a shift in focus to 3D computer animation. The accolades and sales successes achieved by State Of the Art Of Computer Animation prompted the 1990 release of The Mind's Eye: A Computer Animation Odyssey, a title that would become the first member of the successful The Mind's Eye
series. The next decade (1990–2000) would be taken up almost entirely with the production of 19 feature-length 3-D computer animated package films for home release.
The company's name became Odyssey Productions in 1995 and the last 12 3D computer animated films were released under this name. In 2003 the company again changed its name to AnimationTrip and broadened its focus to encompass photography to a greater extent. Under this new corporate name, the company added a business enterprise in 2004 focused primarily on photographic art and has launched a series of international art exhibitions in California called the Art of Photography Show and the Art of Digital Show.
s rendered using computer-generated imagery
of varying levels of sophistication. The main series consists of 4 titles that were released between 1990 and 1996. The series was released on VHS
(by BMG
) and LaserDisc
(by Image Entertainment
) and later re-released on DVD
(by the now-defunct Simitar Entertainment
).
A number of Odyssey's videos additionally contain oblique references to the Mind's Eye series in their titles. These references are found in the tagline portions of the title and take the form of either "From the Makers of the Mind's Eye" or "The Mind's Eye Presents." If these titles are considered a part of the series, this brings the total number of Mind's Eye series titles to 11.
The main series consists of:
package films. The main Computer Animation series was released between 1993 and 1996 and was distributed by Sony Music Video. The 1997 release of Computer Animation Classics - consisting of 27 shorts from early experimental years of CGI animation
- was regarded by reviewers as a collector's item of historical significance.
As before, a number of Odyssey's videos contain oblique references to the Computer Animation series in their titles. If these titles are considered a part of the series, this puts the total number of Computer Animation series titles at 11. This includes both State Of the Art Of Computer Animation (1988) and The Mind's Eye: A Computer Animation Odyssey (1990) which were produced prior to Computer Animation Festival Volume 1.0, the first member of the Computer Animation main series.
The main series consists of:
General Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
, Union Oil, Southwestern Cable, Metrocast, Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
, and a number of TV stations across the country.
While Odyssey focused primarily on 35mm back-lit motion graphics and special effects for the first 5 years of its existence, its award-winning release of the world's first home entertainment video of computer animation, State Of the Art Of Computer Animation in 1988 brought about a shift in focus to 3D computer animation. The accolades and sales successes achieved by State Of the Art Of Computer Animation prompted the 1990 release of The Mind's Eye: A Computer Animation Odyssey, a title that would become the first member of the successful The Mind's Eye
Mind's Eye (series)
The Mind's Eye series consists of several art films rendered using computer-generated imagery of varying levels of sophistication. The series began in 1990. It was produced by Steven Churchill of Odyssey Productions & Miramar Productions...
series. The next decade (1990–2000) would be taken up almost entirely with the production of 19 feature-length 3-D computer animated package films for home release.
The company's name became Odyssey Productions in 1995 and the last 12 3D computer animated films were released under this name. In 2003 the company again changed its name to AnimationTrip and broadened its focus to encompass photography to a greater extent. Under this new corporate name, the company added a business enterprise in 2004 focused primarily on photographic art and has launched a series of international art exhibitions in California called the Art of Photography Show and the Art of Digital Show.
The Mind's Eye series
The Mind's Eye series consists of several package art filmArt film
An art film is the result of filmmaking which is typically a serious, independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience...
s rendered using computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
of varying levels of sophistication. The main series consists of 4 titles that were released between 1990 and 1996. The series was released on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
(by BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
) and LaserDisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
(by Image Entertainment
Image Entertainment
Image Entertainment, Inc. is an independent licensee, producer and distributor of home entertainment programming and film & television productions in North America, with approximately 3,000 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 250 exclusive CD titles in domestic release, and approximately 450...
) and later re-released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
(by the now-defunct Simitar Entertainment
Simitar Entertainment
Simitar Entertainment, Inc. was a media company that sold music, videos, DVDs, and computer software. They specialized in compilation albums, special interest video, and urban. Simitar distributed its own label. They were affiliated with Beast, Beast Retro, Pickwick, Plum, and Revival...
).
A number of Odyssey's videos additionally contain oblique references to the Mind's Eye series in their titles. These references are found in the tagline portions of the title and take the form of either "From the Makers of the Mind's Eye" or "The Mind's Eye Presents." If these titles are considered a part of the series, this brings the total number of Mind's Eye series titles to 11.
The main series consists of:
- The Mind's Eye: A Computer Animation Odyssey (1990)
- Beyond the Mind's Eye (1992)
- The Gate to the Mind's Eye (1994)
- Odyssey Into The Mind's Eye (1996)
The Computer Animation series
Like the Mind's Eye series, the Computer Animation series consists of a main series of 3 computer-generatedComputer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
package films. The main Computer Animation series was released between 1993 and 1996 and was distributed by Sony Music Video. The 1997 release of Computer Animation Classics - consisting of 27 shorts from early experimental years of CGI animation
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
- was regarded by reviewers as a collector's item of historical significance.
As before, a number of Odyssey's videos contain oblique references to the Computer Animation series in their titles. If these titles are considered a part of the series, this puts the total number of Computer Animation series titles at 11. This includes both State Of the Art Of Computer Animation (1988) and The Mind's Eye: A Computer Animation Odyssey (1990) which were produced prior to Computer Animation Festival Volume 1.0, the first member of the Computer Animation main series.
The main series consists of:
- Computer Animation Festival Volume 1.0 (1993)
- Computer Animation Festival Volume 2.0 (1994)
- Computer Animation Festival Volume 3.0 (1996)
Odyssey Visual Design
- 1988 - State Of the Art Of Computer Animation
- 1990 - The Mind's Eye: A Computer Animation Odyssey
- 1992 - Beyond the Mind's Eye
- 1993 - Virtual Nature: A Computer Generated Visual Odyssey From the Makers of the Mind's Eye
- 1993 - Computer Animation Festival Volume 1.0
- 1994 - The Gate to the Mind's Eye
- 1994 - Imaginaria (co-produced with BMG VideoBMGBertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
) - 1994 - Computer Animation Festival Volume 2.0
Odyssey Productions
- 1996 - Odyssey Into The Mind's Eye (distributed by Sony Music Video) - A series of CGI shorts exploring themes of space and alien life. The collection features a score composed by Kerry LivgrenKerry LivgrenKerry Allen Livgren is an American musician and songwriter, best known as one of the founding members and primary songwriters for the 1970s progressive rock band, Kansas.-Biography:...
- 1996 - Computer Animation Festival Volume 3.0
- 1997 - Turbulence (distributed by SMV) - A series of CGI shorts designed to explore the concepts of perceptionPerceptionPerception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of the environment by organizing and interpreting sensory information. All perception involves signals in the nervous system, which in turn result from physical stimulation of the sense organs...
and hallucinationHallucinationA hallucination, in the broadest sense of the word, is a perception in the absence of a stimulus. In a stricter sense, hallucinations are defined as perceptions in a conscious and awake state in the absence of external stimuli which have qualities of real perception, in that they are vivid,...
. - 1997 - Cyberscape: A Computer Animation Vision
- 1997 - The Mind's Eye Presents Computer Animation Classics (distributed by SMV) - A collection of 27 shorts from the early experimental days of CGI.
- 1997 - The Mind's Eye Presents Computer Animation Showcase
- 1998 - The Mind's Eye Presents Luminous Visions
- 1998 - The Mind's Eye Presents Computer Animation Celebration
- 1998 - The Mind's Eye Presents Ancient Alien (distributed by SMV) - A series of CGI shorts dealing with the concept of the timeless nature of myth. The soundtrack is scored by indie label Waveform RecordsWaveform RecordsWaveform Records is an American record label founded in 1994. It specializes in a "sensual and stimulating genre of chill and ambient music" that the label calls "exotic electronica"....
. - 1999 - Computer Animation Marvels
- 2000 - The Mind's Eye Presents Little Byte!
- 2000 - Computer Animation Extravaganza
- 2004 - Computer Animation Journeys