Talk to the Snail

Vonnegut self portrait

I tried real hard to find a link between animation and Kurt Vonnegut, who has died at the age of 84. But I failed. However, I did pull up his Creative Writing 101 list. Maybe these could apply to cartoons, too?

“Now lend me your ears. Here is Creative Writing 101:

1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.
2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
3. Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.
4. Every sentence must do one of two things—reveal character or advance the action.
5. Start as close to the end as possible.
6. Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them—in order that the reader may see what they are made of.
7. Write [Read more…]

We just got word that Pen Ward’s Random! Cartoon, Adventure Time, has been selected to screen in this summer’s Platform International Animation Festival up in Portland, OR. Congratulations to Pen, his co-directors, Larry Leichleiter and Hugo Morales, and the cast and crew.

When Amanda Visell has a gallery show, you need to go. This Saturday, 4/7, starting at 8:00 p.m., at CoproNason Gallery in Santa Monica. See her preview online. You can be the envy of me by buying the art above, Country Showbiz.

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