Candy Kugel is an icon of the New York animation scene whose body of work over the last forty years includes everything from classic Sesame Street segments like It’s Hip to Be a Square…
…to memorable spots that established the visual identity of MTV in its earliest days:
In this new episode of Frenzer Foreman Animation Forum, Candy Kugel talks about what it was like to work as a woman animator in New York’s commercial animation scene in the 1970s, at a time when women animators in commercial studios were few and far between. She also brings us up to date on her latest projects, including the TED-Ed short Sex Determination: More Complicated Than You Thought, which is one of the most viewed TED-Ed shorts to date.
LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE
Buzzco Associates, Inc.
Teen Wolf opening titles
Strawberry Shortcake in Big Apple City
(This episode contains strong language.)
Over the last fourteen years, Aaron Augenblick has built up Augenblick Studios into one of New York City’s most respected production studios. The studio has produced animation—in Brooklyn!—for series such as Wonder Showzen (MTV2), Ugly Americans (Comedy Central), Superjail! (first season, Adult Swim), as well as the festival circuit hit Golden Age. The studio’s current major project is an animated feature based on the Ben Stiller live-action pic Zoolander.
In the latest episode of Frenzer Foreman Animation Forum, Augenblick talks about creating a studio from the ashes of bad advice, how a young studio finds work, the challenges of being a studio owner and artist at the same time, tips for building an artistic community and fostering studio pride, why he refuses to expand his studio beyond a set number of employees, and the importance of submitting animated shorts to festivals even if you’re producing commercial work.
LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE
Augenblick Studios: WEBSITE and FACEBOOK PAGE
Cain’s Tavern: WEBSITE and FACEBOOK PAGE
Golden Age series
Ramblin’ Man:
Filmmaker Leah Shore drops by Cartoon Brew’s Frenzer Foreman Animation Forum to discuss her career path from cleaning Rachel Weisz’s hands to making the controversial festival-circuit-hit-animated-short, Old Man, featuring the voice of Charles Manson. Inbetween, she explains why she needs to get revenge on Golden Girls actress Betty White.
LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE
Leah Shore’s website
Old Man film site
Filmmaker Leah Shore drops by Cartoon Brew’s Frenzer Foreman Animation Forum to discuss her career path from cleaning Rachel Weisz’s hands to making the controversial festival-circuit-hit-animated-short, Old Man, featuring the voice of Charles Manson. Inbetween, she explains why she needs to get revenge on Golden Girls actress Betty White.
LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE
Leah Shore’s website
Old Man film site
Today on the Frenzer Foreman Animation Forum, New York studio owner Richard O’Connor drops by to talk animation. O’Connor started his career at R.O. Blechman’s studio The Ink Tank in the 1990s before launching his own studio Asterisk Pix. Today, he runs the commercial house Ace & Son Moving Picture Co. He discusses the challenges of working on ‘grim’ animated projects, the connection between Chelsea Clinton and animation pioneer J.R. Bray, and what makes a successful animation festival signal film.
LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE
Ace & Son Moving Picture Co.
Ace & Son Vimeo page
Sympathy For The Fish: A Holiday Story
Today on the Frenzer Foreman Animation Forum, Bill Plympton’s producer Desiree Stavracos visits the program. She talks about what it takes to produce cartoons for America’s King of Indie Animation, shares the genesis of Plympton’s upcoming animated feature Cheatin’, reveals Bill’s favorite kind of pencil, and teaches the proper way to communicate with artists.
LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE
DesireeStavracos.com
Bill Plympton’s Website
Bill Plympton’s Tumblr
Ticonderoga Pencils
You’ve read Cartoon Brew for years, but starting next week, you’ll be able to hear it, too.
Welcome Joel Frenzer and Alan Foreman, the rowdy bad boys of the animation podcasting world and hosts of the interview series Frenzer Foreman Animation Forum.
Frenzer and Foreman launched their show in 2010 and have recorded thirty-five episodes to date. Beginning with the next episode of Frenzer Foreman Animation Forum, the show will introduce a new fast-paced HALF-HOUR format with episodes debuting exclusively on CartoonBrew.com every two weeks.
In each episode, Joel and Alan invite movers and shakers of the animation community on their comedy hot-seat for casual chit-chat about animation, art, culture, filmmaking, life, and Joel’s dog.
The Frenzer Foreman Animation Forum is recorded and produced in Brooklyn, New York, but we’re hatching plans to send our adventurous duo on the road to far-flung locales like Los Angeles and perhaps even a major international animation festival or two.
Here’s a little bit about your new hosts:
Joel Frenzer is an independent filmmaker whose films have screened at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. He is also a professional animator with numerous industry credits, voice actor, puppeteer, exhibiting fine artist and sound designer. He has taught and assisted animation classes at Harvard University, Massachusetts College of Art & Design, Pratt Institute, and is currently the full-time professor of animation at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
Alan Foreman has worked on numerous TV and web series including Home Movies, Hey, Monie, Time Warp Trio, Word Girl, Speed Racer: The Next Generation and Cat Slap, the latter which he created for Mondo Media. He is currently working as a freelance animator for clients that include Buck, Hornet Inc, TED Ed, Nick Jr, The Electric Company, Six Point Harness, and Michel Gondry.
The weekend is almost over, but it’s not too late to check out these quality animated music videos that have recently come to my attention.
“Katachi” directed by Kijek/Adamski (Poland)
Music video for Shugo Tokumaru. Watch the making-of video.
“the light that died in my arms” directed by Alan Foreman (US)
Music video for Ten Minute Turns. Song written and recorded by Alan Foreman and Roger Paul Mason
Music video for Mat Zo and Porter Robinson. Credits:
Directed By Louis & McCourt
Art Direction by Bjorn Aschim
Animators: Jonathan ‘Djob’ Nkondo, James Duveen, Sam Taylor, Wesley Louis, Tim McCourt
Backgrounds and Layouts: Bjorn Aschim, Mike Shorten
Compositing: Sam Taylor, Jonathan Topf
3D VFX Directing by Jonathan Topf
Graphic Design by Hisako Nakagawa
Producers: Jack Newman, Drew O’Neill
Produced by Bullion
“Time to Go” directed by Darcy Prendergast and Seamus Spilsbury (Australia)
Music video for Wax Tailor produced by Oh Yeah Wow. Credits:
Animators: Sam Lewis, Mike Greaney, Seamus Spilsbury, Darcy Prendergast
VFX supervisor: Josh Thomas
Assistant animators: Alexandra Calisto de Carvalho, Joel Williams
Compositors: Josh Thomas, Jeremy Blode, James Bailey, Alexandra Calisto de Carvalho, Keith Crawford, Dan Steen
Crotchet sculptor: Julie Ramsden
Colour grade: Dan Stonehouse, Crayon
I have rarely—if ever—participated in any podcasts, which is why I have to point out that I recently put in an appearance on the Frenzer Foreman Animation Forum podcast. In the show, we talk about the time I attended an animation high school, how I got into blogging, where Cartoon Brew is headed, and, of course, what’s happening with the Ward Kimball biography.
