Author Archives: Laura

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Shaun Cashman

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGLLHuG-b38

What is your name and your current occupation?

Shaun Cashman and currently I’m the Supervising Director on a new Disney series being produced at Titmouse, Inc. called “Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja”!

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation? Before animation I was a working artist back East in Connecticut, working at a newspaper in the advertising and marketing department designing ads, campaigns and marketing materials and doing some freelance illustrations as well. But right out of art school I was a construction laborer for a few years, short-order cook, worked in a retail and also ran lights and the sound board for a couple of local, hometown bands on the weekends. I did have a brush with the world of film production when I was an Associate Producer, sound man, 2nd unit photographer, set builder and driver for a small live-action company.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Right off the bat, my first gig in the business was on “The Simpson’s” and I was lucky enough at that time to have been at Film Roman when Phil Roman still ran the place and it was a place where you had opportunity to learn, advance and grow, especially on that show. I came on 5th Season in 1993 with NO actual animation production experience and eventually worked my way up through the ranks of being able to direct my first episode and from that point I was offered to direct fulltime on “King Of The Hill”, also being produced at Film Roman. So my time on “The Simpson’s” will always hold a special place in Continue reading

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Debbie Bonzon

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Debbie Bonzon and I am currently working as a free-lance timer, storyboard artist, illustrator.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I’ve worked as a bread deliverer to stores and restaurants, landscaper, farmer, drywaller, caterer, bicycle and running gear salesperson, advertising sales, and as an illustrator for demonstrative evidence in the courtroom.What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Most recently I am very proud to have worked as a timer on the “Curious George”  tv series, 2nd movie and Christmas Special.  Also, the Rugrat feature movies were a blast.  At Warner Bros.  I really enjoyed storyboarding on “Pinky and the Brain” and timing on “Freakazoid”.    At Nickelodeon, I really liked timing on “Cat Scratch” and directing on “Oswald”.   Also, storyboarding on the “Tick” was a kick!  As an animator, many years ago, I really enjoyed working on the first “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” series in Dublin. 

http://www.animationinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Debbie-reel.mov

How did you become interested in animation?
In high school, I wanted to work at Disney.  I loved animation, mostly the Warner Bros. shorts!
Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I was born in Albuquerque NM and grew up in Los Alamos, NM (the atomic city).   After attending a few different universities trying to find a major that could land me a “real job” and I realized, like it or not, that I was an art enthusiast, I completed my BFA at the University of NM.  I had looked at the brochures from Cal-Arts, but, was intimidated by the photographs of other students, who were way cooler than I ever was or wanted to be, I began to look for something here in Albuquerque after I graduated.  There was a small studio that produced commercials for clients around the world and after 2 weeks of graduating, I put on my best outfit and “stopped by” to see if they needed any help.    When I entered the front office, I noticed they didn’t have a receptionist and thought I could do that.  As I waited for someone to come to the front, the owner of the company passed by, stopped, and asked if he could help me.  I told him I had just graduated and would love to work for them doing whatever they needed.    He said I could work in the paint dept. (cell painting!)  They paid minimum wage, at that time $3.35/hour!  I didn’t care, I actually felt I Continue reading

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Mike Collins

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What is your name and your current occupation?

Mike Collins.  I’m a digital clean-up artist.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?I don’t know about crazy but I worked at the swing shift at Kinko’s to put myself through college.  I was also an assistant inker to Sean Parsons of Roughhouse Ink.  It was unpaid and I got no credit in the comics but the experience was invaluable.  It was a lot of fun working with someone who became one of my best friends.  And it helped prepare me for clean up work.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?I’ve really enjoyed working on all of them.  But I’d have to geek-out and say The Powerpuff Girls 10th Anniversary Special and Sym-Bionic Titan due to being able to work with my animation idols Craig McCracken and Genndy Tartakovsky.  So cool!

How did you become interested in animation?When I was 10 years old, I remember walking out of a movie theater in Colorado Springs, CO after seeing Who Framed Roger Rabbit and thinking Continue reading

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Keith Baxter

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Keith Baxter. Story Artist for Reel Fx

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Janitor at a department store and lead guitarist for an 80’s power pop band.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Songs for Flushed Away. Theme song for The Mask TV series. Story for Greedy Grizzly section of Scrambled Ink, Sidekick Shorts project for Dreamworks which was never completed, especially the Over The Hedge Love Story mashup.

How did you become interested in animation?
Looney Tunes and Disney movies from when I was a kid and the Continue reading
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Davide Spada

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What is your name and current occupation?
Davide Spada.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I have always worked to the visual art as catoonist and graphic design.

 

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
My first storyboard for italian horror movie and characters for a big animation project. Unfortunately the second project failed for economic reasons by the producer.

 

 

How did you become interested in animation?
Well, I have seen so many animation by Tim Burton, Pixar, Aardman, since that I start to think if I can to work animation business.

 

 

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I was born and grew up in Turin, Italy. I drew storyboards for adv for a big agency in Turin, then storyboards for movie and animation. I like to work in the pre-production creating characters, storyboards, backgrounds etc…

 

 

What’s a typical day like for you with regards to your job?
I working from my office. In the morning hours to check email, look at planning jobs and then with my creative staff establish what to do.

 

 

What part of your job do you like best? Why?
personally experience new graphic styles for giving works the right atmosphere.

 

 

What part of your job do you like least? Why?
race against time!

 

 

What kind of technology do you work with on a daily basis?
Wacom, Photoshop, Illustrator but I love HB pencil and sketch book.

 

 

What is the most difficult part for you about being in the business?
It has to be finding work every day. In Italy is most difficult working for the cinema because there isn’t culture for the storyboard.

 

 

In your travels, have you had any brushes with animation greatness?
Of corse, but the creativity arises watching all forms of art, I met G. Fontana (photographer), G. Cavazzano (cartoonist), R. Garofalo (author) and more…

 

 

Describe a tough situation you had in life.
I’ve had it pretty good so far.

 

 

Any side projects you’re working on that you’d like to share details of?
I usually start thinking new ideas and then I will do some doodle. Oh Well, I realized an horror animation movie for teenagers!

 

 

Any unusual talents or hobbies like tying a cherry stem with your tongue or metallurgy?
Play the electric guitar in high voltage.

 

 

Is there any advice you can give for an aspiring animation student or artist trying to break into the business?
work work work so hard. Don’t be afraid to meet people and compare with them.

 

http://dspada.altervista.org