Author Archives: Laura

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Carlos Ramos

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What is your name and your current occupation? 
Carlos Ramos. I’m currently freelancing as a storyboard artist, character designer, writer. I just got done storyboarding on all the Madagascar trailers and ads and a bit on Dreamwork’s Rise of the Guardians.  And as always pitching, pitching.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Thankfully I only had one job before getting into animation. In high school through my freshman year at college I was a Show Controller at Universal Studios Hollywood. Basically crowd control and making all the park announcements. That place is a real dump and I can’t imagine why people would pay money to go there but it was a really fun job.


What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Well, I haveto say the show I created at Nickelodeon: The X’s where I served as art director as well. The design theory was “No lines” so everything was colored shapes. AND it wasn’t in Flash. All hand drawn and animated by the amazing crew at Rough Draft, Korea. An extremely tough series we all bled on. I just recently rewatched a few episodes and it still holds-up.

How did you become interested in animation?
My earliest memory was attending a screening of a pencil test of The Black Couldron at the Disney Burbank lot when I was a kid. I was forever changed by the experience and actually seeing the bungalows where the animation happened intrigued me for sure. I was obsessed with Mad Magazine growing-up and always assumed that’s where I’d work when I “grew up”. But after the original editor William Gaines died the magazine’s quality did too so I had to think of another plan. I was going to Fairfax High School in the magnet arts program and one Saturday took an animation class and the instructor said that Cal Arts was the only school for people seriously contemplating a life in cartoons. I took those words to heart and was determined to get in even after being rejected and having to re-apply the following year. Looking back it was funny because I never visited the campus before the day of registration. And it was just a short drive from my house. I just knew it’s what I wanted.

 

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I’m from L.A. born in Burbank. Attended Cal Arts and got a job at DIC as a development artist the summer of my freshman year. My plan was to graduate college with a BFA with 3 years of experience under my belt. It was a balsy plan that worked out. I did the full four years and worked the summers and freelanced for Disney Television and DIC. Looking back I got really lucky. DIC was the funnest job I’ve ever had and at Disney I was a character designer on Nightmare Ned – a show I doubt anyone remembers but had the most hardcore bad ass crew ever assembled. Seriously everyone on that show went on to Continue reading
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Chris Deboda

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Chris Deboda. I’m currently a freelance concept artist/illustrator for the film and gaming industry.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
None really. I’ve been a sales associate at a department store where the only crazy things there were a few of the customers on occasion. The real craziness didn’t begin until once I got into the industry.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I’m proud of almost all the projects I’ve been a part of in some form or another as long as I was able to learn and grow from each one. The most notable project I’ve been a part of to date would probably have to be the video game called “Red Dead Redemption” which has won an award or two.

How did you become interested in animation?
Growing up on 80’s cartoons, I’ve always been interested in animation ever since I could remember. I was also a huge fan of the old Warner Bros. Chuck Jones and Tex Avery shorts. And of course classic Disney Animation as well. It wasn’t until the 1990’s era of Disney Animation when Continue reading

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Chris Sherrod

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Chris Sherrod. I am a 3D Story Artist at Lucasfilm Animation on an as-yet-to-be-named feature film.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
My prior life after college was Advertising Art and Design Manager for the Interactive Channel in Dallas,TX.  Before that i was doing print work and mowing lawns and McDonalds for a summer so i could buy a car.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I was very proud of working at DNA Productions in Dallas on Jimmy Neutron. This was a dream come true being able to walk into an animation studio not knowing how to draw a stick figure but understanding the principles design and composition and applying them to a completely different field surrounded by tons of creative people.  This was my Film 101 on the Movie, the TV series and the followup, The Ant Bully. A very under-rated film in my opinion.  Ken Mitchroney and Johann Klingler get all my props.

How did you become interested in animation?
I’ve been interested in Animation since birth. Seriously, I re-created Continue reading

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Stephanie Pyren-Fortel

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Stephanie Pyren-Fortel, bg painter, character painter.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
When I was HS I was working as a  cashier for a dept store after that it was art jobs, I was hired at 19 to work as a fashion illustrator.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
So many to really say from Fat Albert, they were all fun in the old days now it is more client based whereas before artist ruled!

How did you become interested in animation?
I loved the satire and puns with all theBullwinkle shows ,rocky and his friends and Continue reading

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Ron Brewer

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Ron Brewer. Director.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation? 
I was a drug runner. Or should I say a delivery boy and stock clerk in a class 1 drug vault for a completely legitimate pharmaceutical warehouse. We supplied all the pharmacies and hospitals in the San Diego area. I was involved in two armed robberies there. The first was a gang from LA that wore Halloween masks. They had shotguns and AR15s. We were made to lie on the floor and then locked in the vault. The second time was a gang from East LA. I was chased down the street by a guy with a handgun. There was no where to run to. We were tied up with duct tape. Curious that I would find the nerves needed to get through these trials to be a good tension test, to be a good prerequisite to my animation career. Cartoons is war!

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of? 
I would have to say the Pink Panthers I was a part of. I directed 28 shorts for Pink Panther and Pals at Rubicon Studios LA. One of which won four 2011 KidScreen Awards including Best series, Best Series Viewers Choice, and viewers choice for Best Music –David Ricard and Best Directing –Me. Kerry Valentine produced, Ceci Aranovich did the design, Ryan Green and I did boards, Rob Sanders the sfx. Have a look!


The entire crew for the whole series was just awesome. The Pink Panthers are pure cartoons because of the absence of dialogue. Such a challenge to get the message across, stay true to the originals and hopefully be funny. You can find them on youtube or itunes.  Then I got to direct “A Very Pink Christmas” a Pink Panther special in the classic style. It’s the best thing I’ve done to date. Kerry Valentine producing, Ceci Aranovich design, David Ricard music, Rob Sanders sfx. A story that really came together thanks to so many talented people who I am very proud to have worked with. If you’re a Pink Panther fan or could just use a smile, go see it here.  I had the pleasure of traveling to the Philippines to meet the animation crew. Incredible the small army one of these things takes to complete. This show was also for Rubicon Studios LA., Manila and Amman. Unfortunately not many people saw it when it aired last year 2011. No publicity. You my insider friends know how that can go. But it really is a good little show and maybe it will pick up speed as the Christmas’s roll by. Look out Rudolph. 😉
How did you become interested in animation? 
I loved watching Saturday morning cartoons like the rest of you did. When I was a kid I had this idea to make Continue reading

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Olu Alemoru

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What is your name and your current occupation? 
Olu Alemoru — Snr Staff Writer Wave Publications and Director of Nutmeg Animations Ltd.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Well, I’m not working in animation per se, but I do have a couple of animation projects that I am developing.  One is called “Nutmeg,” an adventure story with contemporary and imaginary elements that follows the life and times of gender-breaking Afro-Latina soccer star Louise Sage.  The other is entitled “The Adventures of Ant Dog,”  a satirical concept about a lovable loser (a black Homer Simpson, if you will) who wins a million dollar ride on the first commercial space flight and gets zapped into another world where he will battle a great evil.  In terms of crazy jobs, the Ant Dog character is based on a crazy cat I met while working as a roller skating stock clerk in a warehouse.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of? 
The above two.

How did you become interested in animation? 
I’ve been a long-time fan of cartoon characters like Bugs Bunny and the wonderful fourth-wall imagery of Tex Avery. Back in the day my favorite cartoons were Continue reading