Talk to the Snail

This, year five, is the first season Frederator’s had nothing to do with the Nicktoons Network Animation Festival (other than Fred’s creator credit, course). I’m not sure, but maybe that could be why no one showed up for tonight’s live event at the Nick studio in Burbank (see above).

Ha ha ha. Actually, the event was more crowded than in that misleading picture - that shot was taken after the other six people went home.

Ha ha ha, again. Really, the event was fine and well-attended. Nick’s Brown Johnson interviewed Stan Lee, the highlight of highlights for an audience full of animators. Food, drinks, host Chris Hardwick, a live band, and - oh!- cartoons made for an all-around fun night. Thanks for the invitation.

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Click here to see a Washington Post review of the recently published book, Not just Cartoons: Nicktoons! by the ubiquitous Jerry Beck. The article mentions a couple of what Scott Moore calls the book’s highlights, including “A history of Oh Yeah, Cartoons! The series’ 120 shorts included the first appearances of future hits Chalk Zone, Fairly OddParents and My Life as a Teenage Robot” and “title pages of the first five years of Fairly OddParents.” It’s a Washington Post Book of the Week!

(Scott, Scott, Scott. They’re called title cards, not title pages. Sheesh.)

– Eric

Artist/filmmaker Miles Thompson has been in and out of the Frederator world for more years than I want to add. I first met Miles last century at Hanna-Barbera where I think he was working on 2 Stupid Dogs. Since then he’s created a WAC! short and a pair of Oh Yeah! cartoons. If you’re one of the fortunate few to be on the mailing list, you’ll know we’ve used a couple of his paintings for postcard art. He’s now pretty much an artiste, and you can see his work in galleries and on the covers of kids books. However, he’s probaby most famous for his painting of Louise Brooks that’s hanging in my office. Well, now, along with his Website, he’s got his own blog. He’s a good guy to check up on frequently, because you never know what he’ll be into next; I guarantee you it’ll be something different and fantastic.

While the short she created, “Mind the Kitty”, is the 13th Oh Yeah! cartoon to go into production this season, Anne Walker is the 1st OY! creator to jump into the merchandise shop Fred has set up for us over at Cafe Press. Go here now to be the among the first to buy OY!4 buttons, stickers, and shirts (oh my). And be the envy of your friend(s).

So due to intense pressure from family, friends, and employers, I’m beginning my very own Frederator development blog right now. However, I’m fickle, and I may choose to pack it in at any moment. Just warning.

I reckoned my first art post would be an original cel set-up I stole — I mean, was awarded — from the second season of Oh Yeah! Cartoons! from way back in the last century, a time when such a thing as cels were used in cartooning. It’s from the Rob Renzetti short called “My Neighbor was a Teenage Robot” and shows XJ-9 as she looked so many years ago. Melissa scanned this for me so those are her fingerprints all over the art.