#go! cartoons

[fredfilmsblog]

We got such a good reaction to last week’s “The Summoning” postcard teasing a graphic novel series that I thought it was a good bet you hadn’t read the interview with creator Elyse Castro that was done in 2017 by the Frederator development group.

frederator-studios:

Frederator Studios’ Cooper Nelson checked in with Elyse Castro, creator of “The Summoning,” the newly released GO! Cartoons short on Cartoon Hangover, to ask a few burning questions. Let’s see if her answers are equally on fire.

Elyse Castro created “The Summoning,” about Claire, a witch, and her cat Edgar, on a quest for a missing spell ingredient. When I asked her our usual opening question—“Where did you study animation?”—Elyse just chuckled.

“Can’t answer that one,” she explained, “I didn’t!”

Rebellious against the ‘usual,’ Castro, of Brisbane, Australia, is a prolific creative, with experience ranging from playwriting to comics to taxidermy—she recently gave blacksmithing a go. Below, she doles out the deets on “The Summoning,” and leads us down her windy path to cartoon-creating.

So what did you study in school?

I went to uni for theater and visual art, but halfway through got really into the culture of tattooing, and became a tattoo apprentice. My Catholic parents were horrified. I was a tattoo artist for several years, then cooled off it—partly because of a hurt wrist, partly because I was tired of people’s shit tattoo ideas.

I can imagine. So then what’d you get up to?

I was doing freelance comics, some fine art, but also studied to become a drama teacher. I was frustrated about the neglect of arts and theater education in Australia, and decided to quit harping about the problems and lend a hand to the solutions.

Do you enjoy teaching?

I love connecting with the kids. And it’s creative—I teach at an all boys school, so I often write us alternative plays to fit them better, like our own version of “Robin Hood”. It’s a lot of laughs—I love making people laugh.

Is that why you wanna make cartoons?

Oh yeah – it’s always been a big motivation for me. My biggest goal in life all through growing up, and even now, is to make my sister laugh. It isn’t too hard, she’s thinks I’m a riot. She ended up becoming a research scientist, while I’m an adult entertained by Yo Gabba Gabba.

I respect that. So then what inspired “The Summoning”?

Certainly my maniac cats [see Winston below]. And actually, a lot of experiences with my sister. Voices we’d use, stupid things we’d do. And some gross stuff. Like, the whole bit with the dandruff in “The Summoning” was based on a time that I picked a big flake of the stuff off her head. I remember it now, a nice, sunny day…

Aha, gross! Gotcha. What mattered to you while developing your own short?

I thought about what I wanted to see in a cartoon—I’m drawn to the macabre, odd stuff, like my taxidermy. I’m very crafty, always making things, which lends itself to a witch character. And tone-wise, I wanted to keep it real, even have nuggets of education. Like in “The Summoning,” I tucked in a great factoid about poo consumption in the animal kingdom.

Sounds about as educational as a Frederator show gets!

I still can’t believe I have a project with Frederator. It was my childhood dream to make a cartoon, and I’m a huge fan of Pendleton Ward and Natasha Allegri. I even got to work with Natasha, who directed “The Summoning”! I was fangirling, it was so hard to act cool.

What’re your favorite cartoons?

Definitely Daria, Ren and Stimpy, South Park, and Adventure Time.

So about the witchcraft stuff – dabble in witchcraft yourself?

Not really, but I’m very interested in paganism and witchcraft. I study it, love the history behind it. My friends and I mess around with tarot cards sometimes, but I haven’t gone farther than that… yet.

– Cooper

Watch Elyse’s “The Summoning” on Cartoon Hangover!

For the 1 year anniversary of “The Summoning” and Go! Cartoons, bumping @elysecastro‘s interview non-US fans link here!

(this was also my first interview! We’re at ~50 a year later, with video and probs audio ones too on the way. Anthology post forthcoming! ?)

– stillcooper

[fredseibertdotcom]

Illustration of Eric Homan + Fred Seibert by Natasha Allegri.

Eric Homan.

Soon after I got to Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, my Fred/Alan colleague, Tom Barreca, joined up, running the Enterprises group (he developed our characters into award winning partnerships), and he introduced me to a recent hire in his group, Eric Homan.

And a wonderful 30+ year cartoon relationship began.

"The World of Hanna-Barbera" edited by Eric Homan

Eric and I played a lot of roles together, from animation art to Frederator-on-the-internet (he critical to the founding of Channel Frederator and Cartoon Hangover). But, really it’s the cartoons.

Eric is most known and successful because of his development of the entire Frederator slate from 2004 on, starting with the Nicktoons Film Festival, and on through Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!, Random! Cartoons, Too Cool! Cartoons, and GO! Cartoons. And, not for nothing, Eric and Kevin Kolde double handedly ran Frederator Studios when I lived on the East coast and was starting up our YouTube channels, among other things.

But he’s rightly most revered for his roles in Pendleton Ward’s Adventure Time and Natasha Allegri’s Bee and PuppyCat. Networks and streamers like Netflix, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Max, Amazon Prime, Cartoon Hangover, and Channel Frederator owe a lot to Eric Homan.

(And lest you be skeptical about the work that goes into the “development” of cartoons led by such stellar creators, remember that Eric personally sifted through at least 5000 shorts pitches for our 60+ creator led shorts and honed in on the creators that created the series that spun off. I might have founded the studio, but Eric carried the weight.)

By the way, I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you the crucial role Mr. Homan played in Adventure Time’s life. As part of his constant search for special talent at Frederator, Eric visited end-of-semester student film showcases at CalArts outside of Los Angeles. In the early aughts, he caught a film of junior Pen Ward’s and introduced himself; the next year, they bumped into each other again and a month after graduation, Pen pitched his AT board. A few weeks later, Pen pitched me. 

And I turned it down.

At the end of a long day of not-so-great presentations, Eric, Kevin Kolde and I retreated to my office to review. I made the classic executive mistake of thinking I knew what was right.

“He doesn’t have any professional experience. His drawing is primitive. We don’t make student films here.“

Eric and Kevin were surprised, they loved Pen and his idea. They pushed. I pushed back. And then Eric delivered the zinger.

“You try to be polite, you usually have a fake laugh in our pitches. But you actually laughed with Adventure Time.”

Busted. Eric knew me better than I did, and he knew a great piece of work when he saw it. The rest is history.

There are more stories that I can tell you. It comes down to the fact that’s Eric’s role in the modern history in cartoons is unique. Bottom line, it’s been an honor to work with Eric Homan, and not for nothing, we continue to collaborate in the wide world of cartoons. Thanks bud.

PS: Eric doesn’t love having his picture taken, hence Natasha’s illustration up above. But, I thought I’d share this snap of Eric, Pen Ward and me from 2008.

I’ve posted often about my mentors, the people I’ve learned the most from. And I’ve noted how often how many of them beg to differ as to whether or not I should credit them as such. So, I’ve calmed down in my titling. But still...

[retrogamingblog2]

Pokemon Artwork made by Miyaulait

[nortsauce]

i am compiling a list of Freaknix wright moments bc. i see absolutely no one talking about his. preferences.

[nikswonderland]

[dieselocelot]

monsieur maison's big day. you get both because im indecisive (x)

[egophiliac]

ENG PLAYERS I BESEECH YOU

I have been informed that you guys are getting part 4 of episode 7 tomorrow, which means we are FINALLY going to get the official romanization of Revaan's name, somebody please tell me because I need to know what it is.

like, yes, it's probably just Revan/Levan, but look, I'm sitting here with my finger over the button of all these Laverne and Shirley jokes and just waiting for the opportunity to deploy them --

[gingerpines]

they’re still together in my head :,)

[beeclops]

Shaggy and Scooby-Doo are going to Japan, and they're getting an anime!

[chromolumen]

phouse beckons!

[chocostrwberry]

[ezlo-x]

Some Ganondorf pose practice

(under cut is me rambling I should actually go to bed)

helloooo it is time for the lovely late night posting from meee

lately ive been feeling frustrated on how i draw anatomy. i want it to be simplistic like idk 2000s MTV or Adult Swim cartoon show art style I'm very tired and sleepy but just know its part of that era of art that I've been searching inspo for. but honestly i feel like i havent done proper body drawings in a while and I love doing it. idk why i just felt motivated to practice drawing ganondorf, I've also been feeling frustrated that the way i draw characters posing has gotten really stiff. so ig the perfect storm was created and a combination of things happened when drawing and i gotta say im pretty proud of it

i took pose refs cause i havent done that in a long while. I took the way i draw totk ganondorf and used certain traits and give em to LF ganondorf and i really love how it turned out. Im also trying to figure out still on how to use my new tablet cause this is actually the first time I'm properly using it (classes didn't gave me much time with it). my mind just went blank i was gonna say more anywayz uhhhhhh imma let this be rebloggable cause i liked how it turned out, IM very shy abt sharing stuff like this but i will share it to you all

enjoy topless ganondorf <3

[fredseibertdotcom]

Larry Huber, official Oh Yeah! Cartoons portrait, 1998

Larry Huber.

Starting out in the cartoon business at 40 years old was pretty daunting. I had worked on some very short form animation in my previous lives, but cartoons? Completely different. Characters, layouts, storyboards, voice acting... A whole new world. When I first met with Hanna-Barbera’s senior staff –veterans all– I told them the truth. 

“I watched, and loved, cartoons as a kid. I don’t know much about making them. But, the good news is that you do. So I’ll listen to you about what we ought to do.”

At least, I thought it was good news. But honestly, pretty much only Larry Huber stepped up to help. And he’s been stepping up in my cartoon life ever since.

Larry’s a complete pro. He came to Los Angeles and studio art and animation, started in the business in the early 70s. He knows everything about the actual making of cartoons, which is great. But, better yet, he’s got great judgement, and though he would like to convince some people that he’s a curmudgeon, he’s one of the most caring and generous professional a newby, or a professional, could have as a colleague.

And that’s what he’s been for me. Actually, and more importantly, it’s what Larry has been for dozens of folks who made short films and series at my productions. Starting as the supervising producer on What A Cartoon! (he even designed the opening titles), coming on as my co-executive producer on Oh Yeah! Cartoons and Random! Cartoons, and continuing to help filmmakers on individual shorts at Too Cool! Cartoons and GO! Cartoons, and series spin-offs like Bravest Warriors and Bee and PuppyCat.

Larry’s got the obvious skill set –art, animation, storyboarding, directing, producing– but, I have to say what’s always blown me away is his instinct for filmmaking story. Obviously, there are a lot of ways to tell a story, whether it’s a short story or a novel. But, a film story has it’s own logic. And honestly, Larry is one of the few people I’ve met over the years that really gets it. I’m jealous, because I don’t really. At least, not like Larry.

And wow, what a mentor. My instinct for years has been that if you can pair a veteran professional, with the right first time wanna-be, usually young, professional, the results could be spectacular. Larry is the absolute proof. From Donovan Cook/2 Stupid Dogs, Genndy Tartakovsky/Dexter’s Laboratory, Craig McCraken/The Powerpuff Girls, Butch Hartman on all the shorts he did that led to The Fairly OddParents, Rob Renzetti/My Life as a Teenage Robot, Pendleton Ward/Adventure Time... I could write a whole post on just the young’uns he’s mentored. Including me (though I’m only a few minutes younger than him), I didn’t even know what a layout was before Larry filled me in.

With all the help he’s given others, it would remiss of me not to mention Larry’s co-creation, with Bill Burnett, of the fantastic ChalkZone, his series that ran on Nickelodeon for 40 episodes in the 2000s.

OK, I’ll spare you on the warm person that Larry is, a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, collector of HO trains and a cowboy and Civil War fan/scholar.

To me, Larry Huber made my professional life worth it. Thanks bud!

I’ve posted often about my mentors, the people I’ve learned the most from. And I’ve noted how often how many of them beg to differ as to whether or not I should credit them as such. So, I’ve calmed down in my titling. But still…

Larry Huber illustration by David Feiss

[retrogamingblog2]

[thes-hitoverlord]

art by STUPIDDEAD SKULLHEAD

[wigglybunfish]

What if i drew grown up Little Einsteins. If i drew Big Einsteins what then