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

Gordon Bressack

What is your name and your current occupation?
Gordon Bressack.  Writer.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation? 
I was an actor with an underground theater group.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of? 
Pinky & The Brain and Captain Simian & The Space Monkeys are my two favorite animated projects.

How did you become interested in animation? 
 My then wife was a voice over actress and I figured hey, Continue reading

Kevin Petrilak

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WHAT IS YOUR NAME AND CURRENT OCCUPATION?
My name is Kevin Petrilak and I am an animation director…I detest the title “sheettimer” because it is the studios’ way of diminishing the importance of what we do.

 

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CRAZIER JOBS YOU HAD BEFORE GETTING INTO ANIMATION?
I guess the two that come to mind would be in my high school years. I worked for a garden nursery where I moved bags of manure from one place to another ( some things never change).  The other would be working in super market meat locker, bagging frozen chicken ( some things stay the same).

 

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOU FAVORITE PROJECTS YOU’RE PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF?
ZIGGYS GIFT and BACK IN ACTION come to mind as being a combination of enjoying the work and the crew.  Although I get a lot of mention for animating the opening credits to  THE SIMPSONS (original versions) .

 

WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE ANIMATION BUSINESS?
I was born in New York and I had the bug since I was a little boy.  While visiting my Uncle Gerry, who was Continue reading

Tom Ruegger

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Name:  Tom Ruegger.   Current occupation:  various animation jobs.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I ran the film society at my school.  I worked for Twyman Films, a company that rented movies to colleges.  And I worked for my brother Jim Ruegger at Hillside Construction Company where I painted houses — interiors and exteriors — and did roofing.   After I fell off the roof a couple of times –  my mind was busy with cartoon scenarios –  my constructions career came to an end.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I’m proud of most of the shows I’ve worked on, especially “Animaniacs,”  “Tiny Toons,” “Pinky and the Brain,” “Histeria,” “Freakazoid,” “Road Rovers,” “A Pup Named Scooby Doo,” and individual episodes of lots of other shows.

How did you become interested in animation?
I loved cartoons ever since I saw them for the first time.  As a little kid, I drew my versions of the cartoon characters I saw on TV –  Yogi, Fred, Popeye, Bugs, Daffy, Porky, Mickey, Donald — – and my interest in Continue reading

Luis Escobar

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What is your name and your occupation?

My name is Luis Escobar and I’m a Storyboard artist on THE SIMPSONS tv show.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation? 
Before I got into the animation industry I used to milk squirrels for a living.  It’s surprising how few people know how high the demand for squirrel milk is. Especially in countries like Vanuatu, Uzbekistan, and Liechtenstein. Okay, I made all that up.  I didn’t really have any jobs before I got into the animation industry.  Especially not  involving milking squirrels. That’s sick, SICK I tell ya.  On the other hand, hamsters…

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of? 
I’m definitely proud of having worked on THE SIMPSONS movie. It was my first storyboard job AND my first movie.  It was also one of the most difficult jobs I’ve ever had.  There are some SIMPSONS episodes I’m very proud to have worked on too. LISA’S WEDDING episode, I liked working on (directed by Jim Reardon) and Continue reading

Rick Farmiloe

What is your name and your current occupation?
Rick Farmiloe, I am a traditional (2D) animator and storyboard artist.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Hmmm…..crazy….? Didn’t really have any ‘crazy’ jobs……I worked in my dad’s warehouse, unloading trucks, stacking boxes, and trying not to go crazy from boredom When I moved to LA from the Bay Area, I got a job in a record store, Music Plus in Pasadena. ….home of Van Halen!! It was a lot of fun….but just minimum wage!

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I think the films I animated on at Disney in the 80’s, early 90’s are the projects I’m most proud of. The Little Mermaid, Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin were all great films, and I enjoyed doing the sidekicks in each one! They have seemed to stand the test of time…..which is very gratifying.

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I was born and raised in the Bay Area, Santa Rosa to be exact. Charles Schulz also lived in Santa Rosa, and was a lifelong inspiration to me!! We actually Continue reading