Category Archives: Artists Interviews

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Craig Elliott

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Craig Elliott, I am a visual development artist and character designer, as well as an illustrator and fine artist
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I only had one job, as a paperboy, before I got a job at Disney. Not a very exiting or crazy job, unless you consider a glass perrier bottle blowing up and cutting my hands up with flying glass exciting… or being unable to carry the papers some Sundays and sitting crying on the driveway at 3 am alone! There was the occasional dog that chased me for several blocks, making me have to come back later on to do the deliveries in that area. That always made customers mad, and they would call to complain about late papers. What can you do? I didn’t want to get eaten alive! These occurrences seem less common in animation for some reason…
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I think Treasure Planet, and Enchanted are some of my favorites. There is something about any project that is a joy though. The challenge of turning a story into a visual is always rewarding no matter what the final outcome, or even if my work is used in the film. I always enjoy shows that require a greater amount of imagination- Treasure Planet definitely qualified in that sense. The movie wasn’t set in a specific place that is real, so anything goes! My mind and energy really get pumping in a situation like that. On Enchanted, Kevin Lima (the Director) asked us to come up with a Disney forest world, but with a twist. It was that twist that had us trying all sorts of creative things to help Kevin find what would satisfy his vision. I think it was my friend Christophe Vacher that thought to suggest we try using the Art Nouveau movement as a springboard. We all took off, working from that starting point. I put together a 30- something page style guide with Art Nouveau cues throughout, and even had a chance to speak with Alphonse Mucha’s Great Granddaughter on the phone at length as part of my research!
How did you become interested in animation?
I think I always was attracted to animation because of it’s limitless possibilities for Continue reading

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Jim Worthy

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Jim Worthy, background designer on Tuff Puppy/The Fairly Oddparents at Nickelodeon.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Heinz pickle factory, graveyard shift at a 7/11 in Kalamazoo.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Just celebrated the 10 year anniversary of The Fairly Oddparents, proud to be a part of the
new hit Tuff Puppy… Dexter’s Lab, The Powerpuff Girls, Danny Phantom, Robot Jones, My Gym Partner’s A Monkey…

How did you become interested in animation?
They offered me a job

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
Holland, Michigan. When I was an art director in Continue reading

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Mike Scott

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Mike Scott, director / animator.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?Waiter, DJ, promos, runner for a film crew.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of6 Goldfish animated music videos, working with David O’Reilly on some [adultswim] idents, my ‘MooseBox’ Nickelodeon project, music videos for my brother’s band ‘The Kiffness’.

How did you become interested in animation?
I’ve always been interested in animation, I’ve drawn since an early age and had tried various animation tests growing up. One of my mother’s friends gave me a book on animation as a birthday present, I guess that all helped.
Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, went to junior school there, high school in Natal, Fine Art in Grahamstown, business degree in Johannesburg, then moved to Plettenberg Bay and I currently commute between Plett and Cape Town. One of my friends from University was working for a comedian and she said Continue reading

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Laura Murray

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What is your name and your current occupation? 
My name is Laura Murray and I am currently looking for work.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I havent had much jobs in the past, most of my time would of been in college, I finished college in May 2012.
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I have worked on a colaborative student short film in college called 45 degrees.  I also worked on an individual film called Trapped.  It is a autobiographical 2d animated film.  I was also involved as a scene prep artist in Magpie 6 Media working on the Travels of Young Marco Polo.
Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business? 
I live in Ireland.  I unfortunately dont have much work experience regarding the animation business, but Continue reading
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Kat Llewellyn

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http://vimeo.com/57513740
What is your name and your current occupation?
Kat Llewellyn. I’m an independent animation director, designer, animator, compositor and I co-own Dumfun Productions a boutique creative development company.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
So many. The worst was a job as a glass etcher in an unheated warehouse on the west side of Chicago.  Another was Senior Editor for a comic book company. I hired artists and writers, set the direction for all titles and wrote several myself. It was extremely educational and I loved the work. The place was a zoo, totally dysfunctional and great fun, too.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I particularly enjoyed doing the animations for an American Museum of Natural History exhibit about Captain Robert Scott’s failed attempt to reach the South Pole. The animations were based on actual photos and newspaper illustrations from the time. Last summer I just released my first animated storybook app for kids called The Punky Dunk Project.  There are things I’d change, but overall I’m pretty proud of it.

How did you become interested in animation?
Like everyone who likes to draw and ever watched cartoons as a kid, it was a natural attraction. Continue reading