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MONKEY BUSINESS: THE ADVENTURES OF CURIOUS GEORGE’S CREATORS | Official Trailer

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Monkey Business: The Adventures of Curious George’s Creators
Documentary
Release:  August 15, 2017
Directed by: Ema Ryan Yamazaki
Animation by: Jacob Kafka
Narrated by: Sam Waterston
Produced by: Ema Ryan Yamazaki, Emily Harrold
Executive Produced by: Marc Levin, Eric Nyari, Paul Davidson, Danielle DiGiacomo, Brad Navin
SYNOPSIS
Curious George is the most popular monkey in the world. Since his introduction in the first publication in 1941, the beloved series has sold over 75 million books in more than 25 languages. MONKEY BUSINESS explores the lesser-known tale of George’s creators, Hans and Margret Rey. Originally from Hamburg, Germany, the Reys first met when Hans was dating Margret’s older sister. Years later, having heard that Hans was wasting his artistic talents as a bookkeeper in Rio, Margret traveled to Brazil to persuade him to marry her and do something creative together. After their four-week honeymoon to Paris turned into a four-year residency, they accidentally became children’s book authors when a publisher suggested they create a book out of a cartoon Hans had drawn. Being German Jews, however, their life in Paris abruptly came to an end in June 1940 when the Reys were forced to escape from the Nazis by riding makeshift bicycles-a manuscript of the first Curious George book was one of the few possessions they could smuggle out with them. Arriving in New York as refugees, they started their life anew and over the next three decades they created a classic that continues to touch the hearts and minds of children around the world.
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Doug Wood

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Doug Wood – Head Writer on FLOOGALS, an upcoming Sprout/NBCUniversal live-action and CGI series for preschoolers.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I was an actor so many of those jobs were crazy. Playing an elf on a TV commercial stands out, as does a role as an anorexic Sumo wrestler on an NBC musical/comedy series with Smokey Robinson.
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I was the development exec on some great properties– IRON GIANT at Warner Bros., TINY TOONS and ANIMANIACS at Amblin. I’m also proud to have worked on a little film called BALTO– the first animated feature I developed while an executive for Spielberg.
Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I’m from Chicago. I acted there with Steppenwolf, Next Theatre Co., Second City and the Fine Line Comedy Duo. I came to L.A. to do the Fine Line on the Merv Griffin Show and at the Improv and Comedy Store, and wound up getting steady acting work for about a year. When that dried up, I found Continue reading

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Richard Epcar

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Richard Epcar and I am an actor / director.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I think doing animation is pretty crazy-especially if I’m voicing the Joker. I’ve been lucky-I pretty much became an actor and have been supporting myself doing that for many, many years.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
For me that’s covering a wide terrain. To start with-I’m happy to have been in the original Robotech-playing Ben Dixon, Lunk and Grel and now Capt Vince Grant in Shadow Chronicles and co-directing that. I’m very proud to have adapted and directed into English many Academy Award winning films such as Cinema Paradiso, Belle Epoque, Eat, Drink, Man, Woman-and many, many more and many adapting and directing many animated projects including Space Dogs 3D and Capt Schnauzer, Lupin the Third, Noein, Fighting Spirit to name a few. I’m proud to have done the voice of the Joker and Raiden in Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe and Raiden again in Mortal Kombat. I’m very proud to be part of Continue reading

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John Kafka

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What is your name and your current occupation?
John Kafka; Supervising Director, Action Dad TV Series at Toonzone Studios

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I worked on a seed corn farm in Wisconsin, which grew different varieties of corn for various locations around the world. The soil was engineered to match the soil of parts of Africa, South America, Russia…lots of places. I detasselled ears of corn, which involved cutting off cornsilks one at a time off thousands of cornstalks…blisteringly hot, lots of bugs, and cornstalk leaves are sharp-edged enough to be used as weapons. I also stood in the bottom of a grain silo as a conveyor belt fed thousands of pounds of corn kernels through a hole in the top, which poured down onto me. I directed the torrent with a big double-handled metal disc held over my head which I kept turning so that the entire silo was filled levelly. The trick was to step up onto the gradually rising pile of corn until the silo was full. Every ten minutes or so, somebody would look down into the silo to make sure I hadn’t been buried alive or choked on the dust. Hot, no air, the noise was deafening as the corn fell 44 feet at first… Worst. Job. EVER. Staying up all night animating is an absolute piece of cake by comparison.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I directed some of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, animated lots of pretty good commercials, animated on the Smurfs, produced music videos, directed a Disney Direct To DVD that did pretty well, co-directed a CG feature film out of Continue reading

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Alan Burnett

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9I-ICtgylw 
What is your name and your current occupation?
Alan Burnett, Producer, Warner Bros. Animation

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
As a teenager I somtimes worked the check-in desk at a motel my parents owned.  I’ve also sold vacuum cleaners.  I never thought would admit that.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Batman: The Animated Series.  The Ozzie and Drix series.  Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.  My Gizmo Duck” Ducktales” episodes.  A few others.

How did you become interested in animation?
I went to film school.  I was interested in film, not animation per se.

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I am originally from Cleveland, Ohio.   I came out to California to go to film school at USC.   I fell into animation.  I got a job as a page at NBC after college and became an intern within Children’s Programs under Margaret Loesch and Jean MacCurdy, 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