CREATING ANIMATED CARTOONS WITH CHARACTER!

A while back I mentioned that sooperstar show creator Joe Murray was completely insane--

And I stick by that!

But I never said he couldn't write a darn good book.

For example, remember that e-book he did?
The one about making your own cartoon?
I talked about it way over HERE.

Well, this e-book was soooooo good that a publisher approached him about turning it into an honest-to-goodness, real live, hold-in-your-hands-and-turn-the-pages booky book!

Which was AWESOME---
except for the fact that Mr. Murray liked the
environmental bonuses of making e-books.
Here's a picture of him holding his nose at the idea:



But eventually Mr. Murray decided that you fine folks NEEDED this book and decided to go for it. And guess what?

IT'S AVAILABLE NOW!

Obviously, the book's success was maybe/possibly/kind of based on the fact that I was mentioned on a couple pages. I even got a three page Q and A interview with Mr. Murray which I'm shocked the critics haven't raved about more (if at all).
Or perhaps it's my blurb on the back of the book that makes it such a must have?

See?


Then again, it might just be that Mr. Murray wrote a brilliant book that gives you firsthand experience on what it's like to create an animated TV show from scratch. I mean, the guy created both Rocko's Modern Life AND Camp Lazlo... so you're not going to find too many more people with that kinda knowledge.

So why are you hanging around reading ridiculous blogs when you could be reading CREATING ANIMATED CARTOONS WITH CHARACTER?!

GO GET IT!

MASTERPIECE

A long time ago when ninjas ruled the Earth and giant robots only cost a dime, I had been working sooper triple crazy hours on back-to-back-to-back projects at J.J. Sedelmaier Productions and was pretty well burnt, fried, toasted, seared, blackened, poached, par-broiled and grumpy as all get out. I couldn't imagine jumping into another crazy-deadlined project and was seriously contemplating quitting animation and becoming a nun. Then my boss J.J. called me at home and told me I was starting a new project the next day.

I replied with a whole bunch of bad words I made up on the spot.

But being the curious little monkey I am, I ended the string of expletives with a suspicious, "What is it?"

J.J. patiently told me that I was going to be working on an animated opening for the ASIFA-EAST ANIMATION festival. And the way he said it made me even more suspicious.


So I asked him what the story was.
I asked him what the style was.
I asked him who was directing it.
Who was animating.
The schedule?

I could hear J.J. grin over the phone. "That your job. Come up with something. And I don't want to see it until it's done."

Exsqueeeeeeeeeze me?

See, J.J. had been chatting with ASIFA-EAST Sooper President Linda Simensky and asked how he could help the organization. She said that she had always wanted the ASIFA-EAST festival to have an animated opening. So J.J. volunteered to do one on his dime.

And he gave it to me.

This was a gift.
A thank you.
An olive branch.
An opportunity.
An ice cream sundae with all the trimmings.
And perhaps one of the events that got me to where I am today.
Because when J.J. said he was leaving it up to me, he really meant it.

I had to come up with a 1-2 minute concept.
I had to design it.
I had to storyboard it.
I had to hire a voice actor.
Organize a crew to animate it.
Supervise production.
Find music and sound effects.
Direct post production.

In short, I got to make my own film and get paid for it.

Um...

Dude.

It would take me months to describe all the things that happened during the production of what J.J. listed in the company's production schedule as MASTERPIECE-- a title I still, to this day, cringe at. But as I mentioned above, this project helped me to become a storyteller, a designer, a director, and a supervisor.

It made me realize how powerful it is to have a finished film.

It showed me the thrill of a theater full of people laughing at something you created!

And no, it's not the greatest film in the universe...

But it's mine.
(And it did get into a couple festivals!)

And while I'm pretty sure I thanked J.J. for this opportunity at some point, I highly doubt I did it properly. I was young and didn't know how.

So thanks, J.J. and Patrice.
For the gift.
The thank you.
The olive branch.
The opportunity.
And the ice cream sundae with all the trimmings.

But enough of that crap. You probably wanna see this thing, right?
Well, okay. It's right over HERE.

NOW THAT'S A WEEKEND!

So Mrs. Warburton went back to the Old Country (NYC) for a couple days to do a little work and see some friends. That meant it was just me and the two little vikings all on our own.

Good thing THIS showed up on Friday:


Uh huh... that there's a Disney Silver Pass.
It allows the owner and three guests to get into any Disney theme park free of charge at anytime (almost), with the added bonus of free parking and a generous discount off everything in the park.
And Disney rocks hard enough to give one to each of their employees.
That makes me say:



So yeah... me and the maniacs went to Disneyland on Saturday!
We rocked the Davy Crockett canoes, Autopia, Mickey's Toontown, and a bunch of other fun (and not too scary) rides.

So what could make the day even MORE rockin'?!
How's about getting a babysitter and going out on the town with Mo Willems?



He was in town to promote THIS:


It's the last book of the trilogy and if you don't cry at the end you're a horrible person.

Seriously.

So we got together for some root beers with Bob Boyle and Wilson Swain and then grabbed some dinner at Chez Jay (get the calamari steak FTW).

BUT WAIT!

As if Saturday wasn't rockin' enough... Sunday brought on the
Orange County Children's Book Festival!


Me and the wolf cubs went last year and had a blast so it was a MUST to go back!
Bouncy castles, train rides around the campus, a petting zoo, and all manner of sooper fun kid stuff and all FREE!

And you know we had to visit Dan Santat's booth while we were there! We even brought our copy of OH NO for him to sign... which made some folks jealous since Dan had sold out of them pretty quickly.

I wanted to get a pic of his booth since he had it decorated with lots of awesome drawings but totally forgot to snap one while we were there. So while I watched one son by the trains:


I sent the other to snap a picture. And here's what he came back with:



Hmmmmmmmmmm...

Works for me.

Anyway... I hope ya'll had awesome weekends as well!

CEASE AND DESIST, YO!

KND spies have reported seeing these in a couple stores:


And while Rainbow Monkey bandages would be pretty awesome--

Those aren't REAL officially licensed Rainbow Monkeys!

Cartoon Network might have to get their cease and desist letters on!
Or at least put out some REAL Rainbow Monkey products, right?

PREMIERE DAY

So Mr. Warburton, you just joined a production a month before it premieres!
What are you going to do?

I'm going to Disneyland!


Yup... The House of Mouse was kind enough to give us the day off to go to The Happiest Place on Earth before watching the sooper exciting world premiere of Fish Hooks!

And while it was a pretty exciting day for me, it was WAY more exciting for show creator Noah Z. Jones. I mean, just look at the guy:


Well, either he's excited or just got goosed by Donald Duck. It's hard to tell.

And see that medal he's wearing? We all wore one of those. I got Mr. Baldwin:


It was cool to see how many kids actually recognized the show when they saw these things, especially because there were only a couple sneak peeks on the air before the big premiere.

I mostly hung out with Mr. Jones, head writer Tim McKeon, and storyboard artist Carl Faruolo:


While we were waiting in line for rides, we played a game called
"YOUR NEW FAMILY".
That's where you pick someone, like Noah, and say,
"Your new family is the next one that walks by with someone wearing Crocs."

Or...

"The next family that walks by with someone eating ice cream is your new family."

Sometimes we were very happy with our new family.
Sometimes we were very, very scared of our new family.
But it was always fun.

Anyway... we did lots of awesome stuff all day. Usually we'd run into another group of Fish Folk and we'd cross pollinate into new groups.


It was a good day for not-so-long lines, too!
I went on:

Pirates of the Caribbean
Space Mountain
Captain Eo
Indiana Jones (aaaaaaaawesome!)
And I ALMOST went on Splash Mountain but bailed when I saw how wet people were getting.
I mean, I didn't wanna go to the premiere party soaking wet!

Speaking of which, after going out to a nice, if not hurried dinner, we all gathered in a conference room in the Grand Californian Hotel for the premiere!


See that?
See that guy with the poo-poo face?
Yes, you are correct.
It is HE.
My former Evil Apprentice on Codename: Kids Next Door.
Blake Lemons.
aka Numbuh 8675309.
He thought he could escape me by running away to Los Angeles and drawing storyboards.
But I found him.
And that's why he's making that face.

Regardless, we all had an awesome time hanging out, snacking, drinking root beers, and of course...

Watching Fish Hooks go on the air FOR REALS.

Sooper triple massive congrats to Mr. Jones, Executive Producer/Samurai Executioner Maxwell Atoms and EVERYONE who made this thing happen!


First season is always a killer and you guys busted your butts to make a rockin' show!

Now let's hope I don't ruin it!

FISH HOOKS PREMIERE!

Don't forget to check out the sooper giant huge premiere of Disney Channel's latest original series:

FISH HOOKS

I don't know about you guys, but me and the FH crew are taking the day off and going to Disneyland to celebrate!

Whoooo Hooooooooo!

NEW YORK AND NORTHAMPTON

A little while back, Mr. Willems and I were on the phone discussing our usual plethora of important topics:

How he's a bad person for preferring dark chocolate over milk chocolate.

How I'm a bad person for not reading books detailing the criticisms of the criticisms of the fabric of hats worn on the Great Silk Road of China during the Late Crustaceous Period of Boredom.

Arguing whether Vikings or Conquistadores would win
in a game of jeu de boule.
(Vikings, duh!)

And/or about who's getting better looking as they get older.
(Again... Vikings.)

Inbetween all that fascinating rot, Mo brought up a sooper secret project that he asked if I wanted to contribute to.

Well...

YEAH!


I mean, it's been eleventy eight years since we sat around making up stupid stuff together!

(For work, that is)

It was also a good excuse to hit NYC for some meetings I needed to have with some publishers. So I booked up a flight and hit the road (er... air).


Once there, I made my way up to Northampton, MA where I was graciously received at stately Knuffle Manor by Mo and his family. I hadn't been up to visit since they moved there two years ago so a tour was in order and, of course, the house rocks like a hurricane. Especially the chalkboard walls in the dining room.

What? You don't remember reading about those over HERE?

Uh huh.
Like a hurricane.

And those walls got put to good use during the party Mo was awesome enough to throw while I was in town. See, there are a LOT of writers and artists who live in Northampton. You can't throw a rock without hitting at least three.
(Personally, I can't throw a rock without hitting Mo.)
(Mainly because I'm aiming for him.)

Anyway... check out some of the chalky goodness that went down:

Sooper pal Jarrrett K. Krosoczka made good use of a light switch:


Norton Juster, he of The Phantom Tollbooth and The Dot and the Line, made this self portrait:


Unbelievable painter Scott M. Fisher added his as well:


But there weren't just artists and writers there. An AI specialist named Lee wrote this formula on the wall. I think it's the key to happiness.
Or potato chips:


And Rebecca Guay showed us all how to draw the ladies:





I myself, was framed:


And I have no idea who did these delightful doodles:




And what's a party without Cherry Man?


So after all this fun, I went to bed very happy (and very late). Old friends, new friends, yummy food, lots of root beer and many, many laughs of all sizes.
It was almost a shame to have to work the next day.
But when work involves as many laughs as a party...
Who can call it work?

Thanks, Mo!
I miss you guys already!