Tag Archives: Disney

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Larry MacDougall

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Hello. My name is Larry MacDougall and I am currently illustrating several children’s books although I have also recently been doing some visual development work and character design with Disney designer Harald Siepermann for Zipfelmutzen Film in Germany. They are working on a 3D animated feature.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Well, I’ve certainly had a few odd jobs in my time. I’ve cleaned buses and I’ve worked in a steel mill. The steel mill gig was pretty horrible at the time but the memories of working in that extreme environment and some of the nutty people that worked there have been fueling my imagination ever since. I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
A couple of recent book projects I’m rather proud of are The Secret History of Giants and The Secret History of Hobgoblins, both of which were written by Ari Berk. The Secret History of Hobgoblins is finally due out this fall after a rather long delay.

How did you become interested in animation?
Like most people in the animation business I grew up watching cartoons and always enjoyed drawing. I was a big fan of comic books and Mad Magazine as well – you know, Mort Drucker, Jack Davis etc.. Anyway, one day during my stint at the steel mill, just after I’d finished high school, I was introduced to Continue reading

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Jennifer Harlow

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Jennifer Harlow and I’m an animator at DreamWorks Animation SKG, where I’m currently working on “The Croods” which is due out March 2013.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Prior jobs have included working at Subway with the job title of “Sandwich Artist”—a fancy name for the not-so fancy job of making the customer’s order. I was also an assistant manager on Sundays, so I kept the business running from 6 a.m. until almost 9 at night when the other manager would take over. I also worked for 2 years at Target as a cashier, but I also spent time in the photo lab and behind the customer service desk. I have a lot of wild stories from my time there, ranging from encountering a homeless woman who was convinced Target employees like myself were stealing her freshly purchased toilet paper, the chaos that is Black Friday, to random strangers pulling my curly ringlet-like hair because they thought I was wearing a wig. A slightly crazier job was during the summer after my second year at CalArts, while staying at my home in Oregon I worked as a freelance caricature artist and this led to one memorable event where I was hired for a wedding. Nothing stranger than drawing tons of already self-conscious strangers for about 4 hours. Everything went very well though, the crowd was extremely nice, and I had a fun time—though I made it a point to make the caricatures a little more flattering than my usual style.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
It’s still pretty early on in my career to be able to state a specific project. I’m really enjoying working on my first feature project, “The Croods.” It’s been a really wonderful experience, and the crew is very supportive and awesome. But I’m proud of everything I accomplished during my time at CalArts and while my students films are less than perfect, I’m glad I have them. They were each a huge learning experience.

 

How did you become interested in animation?
I always drew as a kid, even before I can really remember, my Mom likes to tell this story about how she found me in the living room drawing with a big red crayon on Continue reading

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Thomas E. Richner

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Thomas E. Richner, Associate Professor of Animation at the Columbus College of Art and Design

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Its not too crazy, but I worked at McDonalds the summer before I started graduate school at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television where I studied animation.  I’m not sure why I decided on McDonalds, but I’m glad I did it.  I learned that I really wanted and needed to ‘make it’ in animation after that experience.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I’m very proud of episodes of ‘The Simpsons’ that I worked on.  Working on a high profile show is fun because you know a lot of eyes are on your work.  However, I’m also very proud of the smaller projects I’ve done, like a commercial I created a couple years back here in Columbus, Ohio.  Directing your own work is very rewarding as well.

 

How did you become interested in animation?
I started off as a biology major in college, but half way through college I switched my major to art.  There were actually a number of us that migrated from the sciences to art that year.  I think there is definitely a connection between Continue reading

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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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Download Storyboard Pro 5.1 update

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Toon Boom
Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 Now Available!
Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 Now Available!We are pleased to offer you an update to Storyboard Pro 5. As a benefit of subscription/support you can download Storyboard Pro 5.1 for free today!

Storyboard Pro 5.1 provides Storyboard Pro in both simplified Chinese and Japanese and continues to streamline the workflow with enhanced creative tools for artists, and better handling of project files.

What’s New

CheckStoryboard Pro provided in Simplified Chinese and Japanese.
CheckNew packed project formats – Stores the files in your Storyboard project inside a container, making it easier to handle and share project files, as well as faster transfer times.
CheckAnimation keyframes in the timeline – Provides a more intuitive way to work with layer animations.
CheckSelect tool improvements – Makes it easier to select and move drawings on the stage.

Update Storyboard Pro 5.1 today!