I'm really excited this time!In my mission to increase my readership, I had to figure what content would fill my blog. I know some bloggers will put how they feel, short stories, jokes and such, but, I wanted to be somewhat different.
Diggin' deep, I realized that I've gone to school with some major players - actors, authors, athletes and such.Why not interview the ones I can catch?Well...
Earlier in the year, I rented the movie Barnyard.It was family movie night.We're having a good time watching the movie, my wife and I like to figure out the voice actor/actress in these types of flicks, and after the movie, I head for the Special Features area on the main menu ( hey, i like to get my money's worth, so, I watch EVERYTHING...even the commentary), and there he is, my old drawing opponent - TJ Sullivan.
After that, I couldn't stop bragging about how TJ and I belonged to the Cartoonist Club(fug you, what you laughin' at?).I caught up with TJ on Facebook.Here it goes:
Ink:What studio are you with?
TJ:Currently working @ Omation Studios in San Clemente, CA, directing the TV show “Back at the Barnyard”. Before that I’d worked as Animation Supervisor on the “Barnyard” movie for the same company.
Ink:What inspired Barnyard? Are you the creator?
TJ: Steve Oedekerk is the creator of “Barnyard”, as well as “Jimmy Neutron”. He’s written the movies: Ace Ventura, Bruce Almighty, Kung Pow, Patch Adams, Nothing to Lose and the Nutty Professor. Not sure what the inspiration was, other than he’d wondered what animals really do when we’re not around. Oh…and to answer the question regarding why a male cow has udders on Otis, the director just thought it was funnier.
Ink: How long have you been animating?How did you learn?
TJ: I’ve been animating for about 15 years now. My degree was in illustration, but I’d always wanted to get into animation. When I graduated from college, CG animation was becoming popular and I was lucky enough to get a job at a small animation studio in CT, doing medical videos for pharmaceutical companies. Being a small company, we had to wear a lot of different hats, and I learned a lot about all aspects of production from storyboarding through sound mixing.
Ink:How long does and average episode of Barnyard, the TV program take to complete? How long
did Barnyard , the movie, take?
TJ: It usually takes about 6 months to go from script through final sound mix on an episode. We get the script, note it, and then have the whole episode storyboarded. Once that’s complete, we take the storyboards and edit that into an animatic, where we put sound to the boards. It’s a very rough version of the episode in hand drawn form. We’ll then sit w/the studio execs and writers (up @ Nick in Burbank) and review the show, trying to find ways to punch up the story and make it funnier. After that, the show gets sent overseas to India to be animated. Overseas studios model, animate, texture and light the show (we review at each stage). Then it gets sent back to us for review, and then to sound mix. The movie itself took about 3-4 years from script to final sound. Animation probably took about 2 years. Everything was handled stateside in San Clemente rather than going overseas.
Ink: What is your official title and what does it mean?
TJ: Officially my title is Supervising Director, but I’m one of 3 directors on the show. We rotate through the shows, each taking an episode as the scripts come in. Our responsibilities include noting the scripts for the board artists on specific camera moves and gags, coming up with funny ideas we can add to the show (possibly sketching them out), editing the shows together through the animatic stage, reviewing modeling, texturing, animation and lighting, and helping to review the show during the sound mix stage.
Ink:What other projects have you worked on?
TJ: I’ve worked on some smaller projects before this, including the DVD movie “Godman”, as well as “Foodfight”. For about a year and a half, I co-owned a small animation studio in LA with my friend from college, Todd Grimes, who is also a director on “Barnyard”. We produced several children’s videos, and the book “St. Mulligan and the History of Golf”. I continue to do freelance works as well, and have been working on an online comic-strip, “Going Boldly”.
Ink:Any upcoming projects?
TJ:Nothing specific right now
Ink: Do animators make good money?
TJ: You can eventually make good money. Like any other job, you start out at the ground level and work your way up. Salaries vary depending on what type of job it is, whether it’s a TV show or a film, and whether it’s a big or small company. You could land a nice studio job which would last through several productions, but more likelly you’ll work on a project and then move onto something else once that project is completed.
Ink: Have you met the voices behind Barnyard, the movie and the TV show? If so,who?
TJ: Most of the voice recording is done up @ Nickeledeon in Burbank so we don’t get a lot of opportunity to see the actors much. If we happen to be up there for an animatic screening, we’ll sit in on the recording session. Usually though, we’ll just listen in to the record over the telephone from San Clemente. Always a funny time. They’re nice enough to try some ideas if we think of something top throw in there. I’ve met Otis, who is voiced by the very funny actor Chris Hardwick. Cam Clarke is Freddy the Ferret. Rob Paulson, who plays Peck, has also voiced the character “Yakko” Warner on “Animaniacs”. Tino Insana plays Pig and is a really nice guy, and Jeff Garcia who plays “Pip” is a hilarious stand up comedian. I haven’t been able to meet Wanda Sykes or Leigh Allyn Baker who play Bessy and Abby. I’ve been lucky enough to meet Dom Irrera (Duke), and Kevin James (Otis from the “Barnyard” film) as well. One of the charaters, Goat, is actually voiced by one of our editors on the TV show. I’m actually doing the voice of Snotty Boy’s father in an upcoming episode
Ink: I saw you in the Special Features area of the Barnyard DVD,when was that filmed?
TJ: That was pretty cool actually. A little intimidating but fun! We filmed that as we were finishing up on the film in 2006. We were also invited back to record the audio commentary along with the director, which was a lot of fun (which is on the DVD).
Ink: Any advice to aspiring cartoonist/animators?
TJ: Be prepared. This can be a fun and rewarding career, but it’s a difficult job and you’ve got to work very hard at it with often very long hours. Don’t expect to be handed anything, and always be open to ideas and criticism (which is the hardest part for an artist!). Try to learn about all aspects of production…it’ll give you a better appreciation of how every department is dependant upon the other. Draw, draw, draw…animate, animate, animate. It’s cliché, but the more you work at it, the better you’ll be and the more fun you’ll have with it.
Ink: Can I have your autograph?
TJ: HAH…sure! (or check your ’89 Prep yearbook!)
Ink:2010 resolutions?
TJ: Working to get my comic strip “Going Boldly” online in a weekly fashion, and to get it self published. Hoping to work on another animated feature. World peace...that might take awhile tho.
Thanks, TJ! I thank you for your time, my man. There ya have it, folks...my first interview! More coming up..I'm actually "courtin'" a rapper let's see what happens..Mo' to come!
Music:
Space Invaders Megamix For my "Yardies"..The Space Invaders Riddim, classic jeep joint
All For One - Brand Nubian
I Got A Man - Positive K Y'all remember this. I know one of the girls in the video...Crystal.
Happy New Year - Young Buck Young Buck going hard at 50 Cent...Looks like problems in 2010!
Stay Tuned, babies..Y'all so precious, babies
Yohooooooo!
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