Ed Bell

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

What is your name and your current occupation?
Ed Bell. I’m an animation artist and currently an affiliate director with Special Agent Animation, in the Bay Area. I’m building a short film at the moment. I also teach character design and mentor aspiring animation artists at CCA. Recently, I’ve started painting, and developing a gallery show.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
None. My first real job was in animation.
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
“ Bring Me The Head Of Charlie Brown” was a short my classmate Jim Reardon made, that we took around to festivals with Spike & Mike. Awesome experience. Then there was the “Ed” trilogy by Richard Moore, also made at Cal Arts. I think of “Roger Rabbit” and “The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse” from the 80’s. But at Collosal Pictures, “The Big City” for Liquid Television because it was my first short as a director, and “King Tut,” with the great John Stevenson and Jerry Juehl with Quincy Jones helping us pitch, those are cherished memories, (even if Tut never made it to the screen). As a Warner Cartoons fan I’m amazed I got to contribute to some Warner Brothers cartoon shorts with animators I learned a great from.

How did you become interested in animation?
I’m a child of the “golden age” of T.V. or whatever, and grew up glued to the TV set, or glued to movie screens whenever and wherever I could. Every aspect of entertainment seemed to mesmerize me, nearly as much as it entertained me! Animation’s hand-crafted nature, and animation’s rich sense of Continue reading

Johnny Hartmann

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

 

What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Johnny Hartmann and I’m a screenwriter currently working on an episode of a new Hasbro show called Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation? 
There are crazier jobs than this?!

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of? 
I’m incredibly proud to be contributing to Kaijudo, the story editors Henry Gilroy and Andrew Robinson have created such a rich and unique world, it’s awesome to be writing one of the chapters for them.
How did you become interested in animation? 
I started in live-action. Then I wrote a spec called R-A-M: Rogue Alien Mutation. It was sort of a King Kong in space story and my agent at ICM at the time sent it to Shaun McLaughlin at the WB. Shaun suggested it could make a great animated feature. That’s when I realized that Continue reading

Roger Eschbacher

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 What is your name?
Roger Eschbacher
What would you say has been your primary job in animation?
I’ve primarily worked as a writer.
An outrageously fun side job I had was doing a voice on a cartoon (“Detention”). Unfortunately, with so many incredibly skilled voice actors and celebrities in the mix, that work is wicked difficult for an average Joe comedic actor (like me) to get.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Before coming out to Hollywood, I worked in the paint shop at a company that made those open refrigeration units you see at supermarkets. My job was to rub down sheet metal with solvent, hang it on racks, then wheel the racks into walk in ovens (which were always running) after the metal had been were painted. To say that job was a motivating factor in my move would be an understatement.
Since moving to Hollywood, most of my crazier jobs have been as an actor.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I presume you mean animation projects. Let’s see…Currently, I’m very much enjoying writing for “Scooby Doo, Mystery Incorporated”. The people there are great and they’re really putting a lot of thought into the series-wide arc and the whole re-invention of a classic series. Come on, it’s Scooby! What’s not to like?! In the past, I’ve enjoyed writing for “Histeria!” and Continue reading

Steve Schnier

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

 

What is your name and your current occupation?

My name is Steve Schnier. I’m an animation screenwriter and story editor, also a producer and director. I specialize in creating pitch bibles and pilot scripts – usually for animated programs, but some live action as well. I’m best known for creating the animated anthology series, “Freaky Stories”. We produced 3 seasons of the show which amounted to 140 4-minute short stories. Here are some links:

FREAKY STORIES: “The Suspect”

Continue reading

Will Meugniot

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

What is your name and your current occupation?
Will Meugniot animation director and comic book artist.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Reporter, census taker, fry cook.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
ExoSquad, X-Men, Jem, Captain Planet, SpyDogs

How did you become interested in animation?
From television when I was a child. One of my science fair projects in junior high school was a flip book demonstration of how animation worked.

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
My family lived in Washington State until I was 16 then moved to California. In my 20s I broke into the comic book business, and in 1978 that led to my discovery by Hanna Barbera and a chance to work on the Godzilla cartoon series with the great Continue reading

Rob Davies

 

What is your name?

Rob Davies

What would you say has been your primary job in animation?

I don’t know that I’ve had a ‘primary’ job in animation to be honest. My longest stint is as one of the founders/owners of Atomic Cartoons in Vancouver. However, I’ve worn many hats in and out of Atomic.
I started as a traditional animation layout artist. Anyone who’s been around for awhile (pre-digital) knows what that is…
Other titles include character designer, art director, storyboard artist, storyboard supervisor, director, producer, series creator, and presently VP of Development at Atomic Cartoons.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?

Before I broke into the ‘toon biz, I worked as a sign painter, dishwasher (lasted one night), construction laborer, duty-free store clerk, T-Shirt designer, political cartoonist, silk screen printer, art supplies store clerk, even worked the camera counter at Kmart…
Can’t say there was anything that was particularly ‘crazy’ (like juggling flaming chain saws at kids’ parties) although the duty-free store at the BC-Washington State boarder was strange. It required I run down the highway to just past the nearest exit to the boarder crossing and then hand customers their shopping bags. This was to prevent Canadians from loading up on smokes and rye whiskey at the duty-free and then hanging a quick right just before customs. I ran in all sorts of weather. It is Canada after all. Eventually they just closed off the street. Easier.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?

I’m grateful to have been a part of anything, to be honest. But I’m most proud of Beetlejuice the Animated Series, Asterix Conquers America, Eek The Cat, Pinky and The Brain, The Zeta Project, Captain Flamingo, and Atomic Betty.

How did you become interested in animation?

It was pretty obvious, especially in math class, that I was destined to do something with a Continue reading