What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Sam Agro, and right now I’m working primarily as a storyboard artist and illustrator for live-action film and TV. I also sometimes write and draw for the comic book industry. My writing partner Jerry Schaefer and I are currently pitching live-action and animation shows to various networks and production companies. No takers yet, but we live in hope.What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I grew up in Canada, in southwestern Ontario, where tobacco growing used to be big business. When I was in high school, I worked a few summers as a kiln-hanger during the tobacco harvest. Â I also spent some time as a sign-writer’s assistant. This was during the seventies when signs were still painted by hand. You used special brushes, and taped off the letters with this thin green tape. You really needed a steady hand to eyeball the curvy bits of the letters. I treasure that experience, because it’s all done with computers now, and the craft of signwriting is becoming a lost art.
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
In terms of the animation business, I’m afraid I can’t claim any projects of which I’m truly proud. I mostly worked on a lot of “toy shows” like Strawberry Shortcake, Ninja Turtles, Care Bears, that sort of thing. Nothing wrong with those shows, certainly, but they don’t aim terribly high. Working on Ewoks and Droids was somewhat better, but they ultimately fell short of their true potential. I did have a few ‘close calls’ with quality. I worked for one week on The Land Before Time at Bluth-Sullivan in Ireland. Unfortunately, I left for all the wrong reasons. (Mostly for a girlfriend, that later dumped me.) I ALMOST worked on the original Bruce Timm designed Batman show. I was all set to supervise storyboards for the Toronto unit at Lightbox studios. Sadly, Lightbox and Warner Bros. weren’t able to work out a deal. I might have had a very different career if that had panned out. Â On the live action side, I am very proud to have storyboarded on the film Fly Away Home, and five installments of the SAW horror franchise. Even though the SAW movies aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, I got to work with some great producers, directors and crews during that time. Â As a writer, I was fortunate enough to work on the Looney Tunes comic at DC for about 5 years. It was amazing working on Bugs and Daffy and all the classic WB characters, and I’m very proud of some of the stories I did for that comic. Â As a comedy writer and performer, some of the work I’ve done with various improv and sketch troupes has been great. Terrific groups like Dangerous Poultry, Big City Improv, The Wrecking Crew and The Canadian Space Opera Company. The Canadian Space Opera Company does staged parodies of old science fiction movie serials and 1930’s style horror radio shows. I am extremely proud of those shows.How did you become interested in animation?
Like most kids I loved all kinds of cartoons. Later, when I was a teenager, I was really into two things: Drawing and acting. One night I took a date to see Continue reading
No comments
