Channel Frederator Blog

Guilherme Ghilardi’s sweet and simple student film, “Step by Step”, has generated a lot buzz on Channel Frederator! Here he tells us a little about his style and why he thinks less is more.

Channel Frederator: Is there a particular teacher who really helped you with your work?

Guilherme Ghilardi: Yes, I created all the story, ideas and characters but I had problem, I have never used flash as an animation tool before. So Edwin Poon helped me to learn the basic steps of the software.

CF: What has influenced your style the most?

GG: I think everything you watch influences you one way or another, so it´s hard to pick a specific artist or movie. But guys like Paul Driessen and others; I like them because they use only the essential to tell a story. I always try to make things as simple as I can.

I believe that what has most influenced my style, is the fact that [Read more…]

Prepare for an animation education, punks!

This week’s episode features tons of amazing student films! That’s right. Tons.
Plus all of your burning questions are answered by The Robot. That’s right. All.

Thank you for all of the great submissions, and remember, Channel Frederator loves you!

That’s right. You.

“Popped”, submitted by Bianca Beneduci – A little kid tries to protect is balloons from pointy adults!

“The Dog and the Butcher”, submitted by Jonathan Holt – Man’s best friend deserves better than Alpo – and he knows it.

“Step by Step”, submitted by Guilherme Ghilardi – Ah, love. So complicated. So animated.

“Egg Scramble”, submitted by Andrew Sanchez – A hungry dinosaur can’t seem to get his breakfast to hold still.

WARNING: Channel Frederator is rated EXPLICIT. Spring has sprung, people. You don’t know what you’re gonna see. Just promise us you’ll get permission from a parent or guardian prior to viewing.

-Bailee DesRocher

Animator of strange and hilarious things Steve Stark brings us more strangeness and hilarity in this week’s episode with his short “Goat Away”. Here is a strange and hilarious interview with him.

Channel Frederator: Where did you study animation?

Steve Stark: I took a small course at Quickdraw Animation Society in 2001 or so and then went to VFS in 2004. My grad film was “Super Dee Dooper Giraffe”. (Which was lucky enough to end up on good old episode 19 of Channel Frederator. Yay Frederator! Woohoo!)

CF: What has influenced your work the most?

SS: Back in the day, I used to lie like a whale on the couch watching tons of the The Simpsons, Ren & Stimpy, Beavis and Butthead and the Spike and Mike Sick and Twisted Shorts. I still love those cartoons. They’re gold I tells ya!

CF: Can you tell us about any upcoming projects?

SS: I sure can!

CF: Hooray!

I just finished up a 7 [Read more…]

A new genre of musical pain will be unleashed upon the world this week.
No, it’s not Emo.
Nor is it from the Delta. Or Chicago.

Brace your sad, sad, self for the Red Robot Blues.

This week’s episode features some down-on-their-luck ‘toons from four different artists, plus all the fan written blues riffs about depressed robots that you can handle.

If you don’t watch it, it’ll be a low-down, dirty shame.
Whether you do or don’t, we’ll love you just the same.

Mercy! Take it home!

“Summer Heist”, submitted by Anton Bogaty – A bank heist goes bad in this darkly funny music video for Seattle based band Denelian

“Message in a Bottle”, submitted by Louis Hudson – Short, painful, and hilarious. ‘Nuff said.

“Goat Away”, submitted by Steve Stark – Barnyard animals giving you the blues? Here’s a cure all with heinous consequences.

“Barfy the Pig: Episode 7!”, submitted by Joel & Ryan – Even this cute lil’ guy can’t catch [Read more…]

Bouman Studios‘ “La Mañana Maldita” is a hilarious horror story… without a happy ending. The film’s director, José Martínez, chats with us about what inspires his work, what freaks him out, and what’s next.

Channel Frederator: Where did you study animation?

Bouman (José Martínez): From when I was small I liked to draw and did my little things. I learned how to [draw on my own]. I did a couple of shorts before entering a school where I did Bang! but I think self-taught after the experience.

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

B: My brother, who is two years older than me, we started to draw, and the Japanese animation series that I saw on TV. Once I grew up, I saw Bill Plympton’s films and it is thanks to him that I was encouraged.

CF: What gave you the idea for this film?

[Read more…]

Animator/creator Jon Izen’s “Black & White Episode 44: Bearly Worth Watching” is some of the fastest, funniest animation around.

Channel Frederator: Where did you get your animation education?

Jon Izen: University of Manitoba and Vancouver Film School

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

JI: Two things -

1. People that push themselves to create fantastic and unique work . To name a few - Marv Newland, Danny Antonucci, Scotty Underwood, Todd Ramsay, Alex Dron, Hobo Divine, and the killer talented Mike Geiger.

2. The desire to produce work and make a living, that is fueled by nothing more than the ability to express myself in any way I choose…

CF: “Black & White” is so random! How did you come up with it?

JI: I thought they made sense…I”ll have to get back to you on that.

CF: Are you working on any new projects you can tell us about?

JI: I am not sure if I can leak [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…]

Funkadillo CEOs

Funkadillo: Hey there, Channel Frederator!

Barfy just informed us that you wanted to know a little more about the two of us. He does all of our emailing and what not, but since he has hooves at the moment, he wasn’t able to write you back himself. He was so excited you’d taken an interest in him, we had to hose him down in the backyard till he was calm. Ah, that pig sure does love the hose. The neighbors think we can’t see them peeking through their blinds.

Channel Frederator: How long have you two been animating?

Joel: I think we’ve both been at it pretty much all day. We took a lunch break, then there was the laser tag, the trip to the aquarium, the deep fryer incident, and building the squirrel-a-pult, but yeah, other than that, it’s been nothing but animating.

Ryan: I don’t think that’s what they meant. We’ve been animating professionally [Read more…]