Ken Pontac

 

What is your name and your current occupation?
Ken Pontac, animation writer.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?I was a bartender in a place called Roxanne’s in Arcadia, California.  The guzzlery had gone through several incarnations before I worked there, when the new owner decided to make it a “New Wave” bar (whatever the hell that means). He had a big screen that played an Abba laserdisc on endless rotation and he made me dress as a clown while I poured beer and wine.  Roxanne’s had been a motercycle bar in its previous life and on opening day a pack of bikers came in, happy to see that their old watering hole was back in business.  They were the funniest bikers I’d ever seen, right out of Central Casting: furry vests and Prussian helmets and studded leather everywhere.  They were like Get Smart bikers, and they came to the place every night. On New Years Eve I was dancing on the hood of my Gremlin in a jester suit, holding a sign that said “DRINK HERE!” A couple of cute girls pulled up and decided that they’d get the jester drunk, and they escorted me to the bar (somebody else was pouring that night).  As midnight approached I had a babe on each arm, both holding a bottle of bubbly that they were pouring down my throat. Continue reading

Scott Sackett

What is your name and your current occupation?
Scott Sackett: Freelance Illustrator/Storyboard Artist

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Restaurant Deep Fryer Hood Cleaner, Security Guard, Fotomat Sale Associate (yes those little shacks!)

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
WB TV Animation: Pinky & the Brain and Ozzie & Drix TV shows.

How did you become interested in animation?
Probably my earliest influences were Terry Gilliam’s animated segments in “Monty Python’s Flying Circus.” Later I was really into Ralph Bakashi’s “Wizards” and 1980 animated feature “Heavy Metal”. Probably because Continue reading

Lenord Robinson

http://www.animationinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/lenordreel.mov
How did you become interested in animation?
I’d always seen animation as a kid and somehow knew it was done with drawings but didn’t know how. One Sunday, when I was watching Disney’s Wonderful World of Color, they explained how animation was done and my interested started!

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I’m originally from Atlanta, GA. I was discovered and given my first job by Ralph Bakshi on the Lord of the Rings. 

What’s a typical day like for you with regards to your job?
Currently, I’m doing traditional animation on the Smurfs and loving it.

What part of your job do you like best? Why?
Drawing the roughs and acting out the scene in my head. It’s the most rewarding to

Paul Scarlata

What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Paul Scarlata and I’m currently a storyboard revisionist working on Regular Show at Cartoon Network.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
In high school I worked at a hobby/computer game software shop and in college I worked at a music/comic book store in Boston called Newbury Comics.  So nothing too crazy, but perfect for a young nerd like myself, priming me for my future career.  I was fortunate in that the first job I got after college was an animation job, on King of the Hill as a character designer.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I’ve been part of some great shows, and am proud and honored to have had the opportunity to be a part of them.  I worked on King of the Hill for over 7 years, which was also my first job in animation, doing character design, then character layout, and finally storyboards.  I was at Family Guy for the better part of a year before moving to American Dad, which I worked on for about three years.  I had fun and learned a lot on those shows, having worked with some really cool and amazingly talented people, but I must say I’m most proud to be involved with Continue reading

Shawn Patterson

http://www.animationinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/RC504-BUZZ-WOODY.mov
What is your name and your current occupation?
Shawn Patterson – Composer / Song Writer / Music Producer

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I was a security guard when I first got to Los Angeles in the 9000 building on Sunset Blvd. It was a trip being able to watch the LA cops go across the street and clear out the drunk club goers when they poured out onto Sunset after the Rainbow and Roxy closed.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I would have to say Titan Maximum and El Tigre are my top for episodic animation. Fun stories and well developed characters especially El Tigre. Also, Robot Chicken because although the skits are generally very short there is massive variety needed in the music and that is not only a challenge but really fun.

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I’m originally from Athol, Massachusetts. I drove to Los Angeles to find composing and playing work and started bringing my music around to everyone who would listen. I sold some music to a few trailer houses pretty quickly. But the real challenge was Continue reading

Robert Anderson

What is your name and your current occupation?

I am Robert Anderson. My current occupation is Producer. I can’t tell you where and on what as I will have to shoot you all.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Sadly I have only a few jobs that are outside of the film business. I started working on live action films at the age of 16. I did work at McDonald’s for a time and I am a firm believer that this job alone prepared me for the world of Project Management. Try doing the Quarter Pounder counter for a bus load of senior citizens and you will understand.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I am proud of many but the ones that stick out the most are Untalkative bunny & Three Delivery. I was Line Producer on the first and Producer on the second. Both were hell and awesome at the same time. A perfect storm of a collection of amazing talent and Force Major to the extreme. I am sure I have written about some of it somewhere…

How did you become interested in animation?

I have always loved animation. As a child my Grandfather would sit with me to watch Continue reading