Channel Frederator Blog

It’s that time again! Time to announce our March Cartoon of the Month. We had a really great variety of films that were contenders this month - bears, cars, ghosts, goldfish, narwhals, cupcakes and more. Honestly, though, in the end we all know that cupcakes RULE! So it’s really no surprise that Kirsten Lepore is taking home the totally sweet $100 prize-pack of exclusive Cartoon of the Month Channel Frederator merchandise for her film, Sweet Dreams.
Kirsten was Channel Frederator’s first featured filmmaker in episode #166. Our very own Bailee DesRocher did an awesome two part interview with Kirsten where she tells all about this great film. Make sure you check it out here, and here.
I also asked Kirsten what kind of advice she has for any of you creative filmmakers out there that want to win the Cartoon of the Month prize yourself. She says:

Story is key. Oftentimes you have to [Read more…]

Animator, director, and teacher Randy Gossman shares his thoughts on animation education and his love/hate relationship with technology.

Channel Frederator: What have you learned about your craft through teaching and working with your students?

Randy Gossman: I’ve learned that it’s a cruel thing to force someone to do something they hate or can’t grasp, especially animation. I love it and have never considered it work when animating but if the student doesn’t fall in love with the medium then it’s time to consider another career.

CF: You received your MFA in ‘07. Why is it important to you to continue your education?

RG: If you don’t keep challenging yourself and breaking out of your normal ability then you’ll simply never grow in your craft. I find that this comes from more real-world experience and less from what you get out of the classroom. Funny thing is I was just getting my MFA so I could keep teaching [Read more…]

Mike Geiger

Uber-talented creator and animator of “County Ghost”, Mike Geiger, kicks it with Channel Frederator about skateboarding, top secret projects, and creepy stuff.

Channel Frederator: Where did you study animation?

Mike Geiger: I took a 2 month animation course at Capilano College in North Vancouver, B.C. and then a 12 month 2D program at Vancouver Film School in Vancouver.

[Read more…]

Neil Sanders

Neil Sanders is an illustrator, teacher, designer, and animator from Melbourne, Australia. Here he shares a little about teaching animation, his uncontrollable sketching habit, and his dancing pup.

Channel Frederator: Where did you study animation?

Neil Sanders: I haven’t ever officially studied animation. I studied illustration in 1998-1999 at NMIT in Melbourne, Australia and have always been interested in animation. I studied at home and with friends, reading through at least a dozen books by various animation heroes, so much so that I’ve noticed from their books that Shamus Culhane and Richard Williams really didn’t like each other. Mostly I have learned by listening to people, trying things and seeing what works for me and what doesn’t.

After working and traveling for a couple of years, I returned to the institute to show my folio, which led to some sessional teaching. A few years ago I looked at my new timetable and was told I was [Read more…]

Studio Lepore

Channel Frederator’s first featured filmmaker Kirsten Lepore’s artistic talents stretch across the arts (songwriting, directing, and animating to name a few). Her work was brought to our attention from different areas of the web - ranging from food websites to personal blogs. Despite the Internet explosion her work has undergone and being busy with new projects, she still found time to discuss this week’s films, neurotic narwhals, and her love affair with food.

(Click here for part one of our Kirsten interview.)

CF: What’s your favorite food?

Kirsten Lepore: Prosciutto di Parma with some crusty Tuscan bread and a glass of red wine.

CF: Have you ever entered a cook-off or other food based competition?

KL: I haven’t actually, but for a while I really wanted to have an iron chef style competition with my friends. I think that’d be amazing. Or maybe I’ll just stay out of the competition and be the tasting judge…

[Read more…]

Kirsten Lepore

Channel Frederator’s first featured filmmaker Kirsten Lepore’s artistic talents stretch across the arts (songwriting, directing, and animating to name a few). Her work was brought to our attention from different areas of the web - ranging from food websites to personal blogs. Despite the Internet explosion her work has undergone and being busy with new projects, she still found time to discuss this week’s films, neurotic narwhals, and her love affair with food.

Channel Frederator: Where did you study animation?

Kirsten Lepore: At the Maryland Institute College of Art – although I was toying around with animation as early as 5th grade when I tried to shoot stop-motion on an 8mm camcorder using jelly beans as my characters.

CF: Did you have any instructors that were particularly influential?

KL: My 2D animation professor, Laurence Arcadias, at MICA was a big help to me during my time at school. She even helped me get the studio space that [Read more…]

Frank Thomas, Floyd Bishop, and Ollie Johnston

Channel Frederator asks filmmaker and Channel Frederator blogger Floyd Bishop about his career and work.

Channel Frederator: Where did you study animation?

Floyd Bishop: My degree is actually in graphic design. I taught myself animation by reading lots of books, watching lots of films, working through tutorials, and seeking out people in the industry to help me learn more. The mentoring of others has really pushed me to learn as much as I have so far. Some of these people included Doug Sweetland who gave me lots of great feedback early on when I was still in college. I would send him my reel, and he would send me feedback. He was super patient and very helpful.

I met Jan Pinkava at the Ottawa International Animation Festival in 1998 and got to work on a stop motion film with him (“67”) during the festival. I picked his brain as much as I could [Read more…]

Joel Trussell has been a long-time contributor to Channel Frederator. In fact, Joel’s film War Photographer was in the second episode to ever air! Every time we show one of his shorts we get a great response. This month, you guys really did your duty!

Joel’s animated music video for Morcheeba’s “Enjoy the Ride” is the winner of our January Cartoon of the Month prize, which means that out of all of the cartoons to run in December, you guys voted his the very best. Because of you, Joel will receive a totally awesome $100 prize pack of extra special Cartoon of the Month Channel Frederator merchandise.

I asked Joel a few questions about the making of the video. Check it out after the jump, and don’t forget to get voting on next month’s Cartoon of the Month! [Read more…]

Art Grootfontein (photo by Stanley Portobello)

Animator (and Channel Frederator fan!) Art Grootfontein helps ring in ‘09 by glancing back at ‘08 through the eyes of bumbling spyparazzi Stanley Portobello in “Snap!shots of the Year”. Art is a busy cat who digs all kinds of animation… and thanks to us you won’t need a super-spy to tell you that.

Channel Frederator: Where did you study animation?

Art Grootfontein: I never studied animation… That’s why I only try to add a little move into illustrations! I studied at a French national school of design in Paris, but animation became a real passion a few years after I graduated. Actually, I learned animation watching how “real” animators and directors were doing it themselves.

CF: Who (or what) has influenced your work the most?

AG: There are many… but the biggest for me are John Sutherland, for his elegant fifties touch, Mary Blair for her extraordinary use of color, Saul Bass for his graphic rhythm, [Read more…]

Nick Bachman

Stop-motion whiz-kid Nick Bachman gushes about his favorite artists, his film “Chocolate and Mices”, and why he’d submit himself to death by cookies.

Channel Frederator: What was it like studying under Schell Hickel, a Will Vinton Studios alum?

Nick Bachman: It was really a great experience. Schell is a very talented sculptor and animator, plus he’s the perfect guy to joke with while waiting for clay to melt. I couldn’t have animated the piece without his teaching, so big thanks to him!

CF: Who has influenced your work the most?

NB: Jim Henson will always be my biggest influence. He had an unbelievable imagination and never stopped pushing forward with his creativity and venturing into new territory. I also always enjoy gawking at the work of Mary Blair, Basil Gogos, Brian Froud, and Sid & Marty Krofft. On a slightly more contemporary note, I’m a big fan of what I’ve seen from JG Quintel and Pendleton Ward as well.

CF: What [Read more…]