animation

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Pitch

I’m currently working on a new cartoon pitch with Gus Hughes, so what better time to take a look at somebody else’s pitching skillz? No better time, that’s what better time.

So here’s John K (of Ren and Stimpy infamy) pitching a new show, George Liquor’s Cartoony Type Variety Show.

 He outlines the idea, includes artwork, sample dialogue,  plot ideas and gags and he does it using a friendly, amusing tone.

He also underlines a Very Important Selling Point:

John K's sexy girls

Don’t forget how good we are at animating sexy girls! Hopefully this would be a ratings grabbing ingredient in the George Liquor Variety Program.

It’s a good template for a pitch I think, and one which I’ll try and emulate:

Don’t forget how good we are at animating people’s heads exploding!

I mean, boobs are all well and good, but c’mon! Heads! Exploding!

I think we’re onto a winner.

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I Got a Badge

 

the kitteniest badge on this blog

the kitteniest badge on this blog

I feel very special.

And tonight I’ve been working up some new animation ideas with Mr Gus. I like being an animator, even though I’m not really an animator at all. Best make lots of cartoons before somebody notices and makes me give my kitteny badge back.

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Stick a Fork in Him…

Reassurance With Chad Banger
Chad, relaxing by a vortex yesterday

He’s done! Well, subject to approval anyway.

We’ve finished four episodes of Reassurance with Chad Banger for 4mations, and we’re well chuffed with them. Chuff chuff chuff, like a happy train. Gus’s art is gorgeous, and I raised my animation game just ever so slightly. I managed to make people talk and walk. I mean, not at the same time, but still. Awesome.

They should start turning up on the 4mations website before too long. I can’t wait to see what people think of ’em. We’d love to make more.

Our modest hope is that Chadmania sweeps the nation, with t-shirts, mugs and branded lunchable sausages filling the shelves of emporia everywhere. I want to see knock-off plush made-in-China Chads filling fairground claw-machines the length and breadth of the nation.

And that’s probably what will happen. Yeah.

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Familiar faces

I’m currently working with the immensely talented Gus Hughes on an animated doo-dah for 4mations, and it’s been a treat every time a new piece of art lands in my inbox.

The stuff looks gorgeous, and then I noticed that some of the background characters seemed… familiar.

Who are these handsome chaps?

Who are these handsome chaps?

 

If you’re a… I hesitate to say fan, but if you’ve seen a few Shameless Films, then Reassurance with Chad Banger will be a veritable parade of in-jokes. He drew my spacesuit. I love him, in a wrong way.

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The Prophecies of Nostradamus: Part 1

A short, stupid cartoon about a tall, clever man.

People sometimes ask how I got the “cardboard” effect. Um… it’s cardboard. All filmed live, with just a bit of animation added (the flame, the eyes). The opening involved building a little lego carriage for my camera, and pushing it across a table hoping the extremely flimsy trees wouldn’t flop over this time.

I’m pretty sure that’s how they did the Saruman’s tower bits in Lord of the Rings, too.