Now I’m not saying this is the right way, or the only way to sketch the Hulk. This is just my way. The Man vs. Art way.  I am using a Wacom Graphire 3 Tablet and Autodesk Sketchbook Pro.

Again just like the last Demo, this is by no means  a finished piece.  Just a quick sketch with only the pencil tool and eraser tool. No fancy tools or filters or whatever. Just plain good old fashioned drawing and my thought process behind it. Enjoy!

Quick Wacom tablet Sketch of  Hulk.

1938 WALT DISNEY STUDIOS EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK!

I came a cross this old 18 PAGE Disney Studios Employee Handbook from 1938! It’s a brief outline of the Studio’s principal departments and an explanation to artists of its employment policies! The drawings are all  production drawings!

CLICK THE PIC FOR A PDF OF THE BOOKLET!

Get a load of the beautiful pencil sketches!  Look at the appeal and solid draftsmanship! The characters look alive and fun to draw don’t they!

I love this Mickey model! Right before they changed the proportions and eyes to look more “human”. To me this was the pinnacle of Mickey’s awesomeness!

Awesome with Awesome sauce!

This Goofy blows me away!  Everything in each drawing says dork! Look at how the hat follows the line of action!

The ultimate Goofy!

This is some very nice cartooning kids!  Inside the PDF of the booklet you’ll find mostly Snow White stuff and few pieces from their shorts and Silly Symphonies!  This is a great little collection of animation drawings from the Golden Age of Disney Animation!  I suggest you guys practice drawing these pics, and learn from them!

The last page is a flowchart that shows the pecking order at the studio and just how important Walt was to everyday operations! This is unreal!

If you’re hungry for more cartoon knowledge…..

Check out the right hand column under the blue Che’s Recommended  Books button for the official Man vs. Art must have book list! If you don’t have these books, you NEED to get them.

Ciao!

Raul

Dearest Minions!

Before we get going on today’s guest, I have a special cartoon my guest found a while ago,  and gave me.  This made me laugh so hard, milk came out my nose.  I wasn’t even drinking milk at the time!

Probably one of Funniest Cartoons I have ever seen!

Here is a film I mentioned at the beginning of the podcast that you guys HAVE to see.  The 1965 film The Agony and the Ecstasy directed by Carol Reed, starring Charlton Heston as Michelangelo and Rex Harrison as Pope Julius II.  A raging era of titans, popes and princes… of conspiracy and conflict… of turmoil and transgressions… of a man among men… of magnificence!

Pope Julius is eager to leave behind works by which he will be remembered. To this end he muscles Michelangelo into painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. When not on the battlefield, the Pope constantly nags the crap out of Michelangelo to speed up his painful work on the frescoes.

The main Course.

Today I am going to introduce to you a very special friend of mine from way back in my Disney days.  His name is Dana Reemes and he is the cat’s pajamas!

I used to stay late at the studio every night and work on my own animation projects.  You know me, I’m always trying to better myself.  I figured I wasn’t going to be at Disney forever and wanted to take full advantage of my time there.  Dana worked nights as well and we became friends.

Professor Dana Reemes.

This is Dana in his study.  Animator, Film maker, Egyptologist, Professor, Cartoonist, Published Writer, Explorer, and good buddy!

Earliest work.

Dana’s “Artism” manifested itself at age two. Check out the choo choo!

Comic Resume.

This is Dana’s clever as hell resume he used to get his first animation job at Filmation in 1979. He just walked in and showed them this.  He was hired on the spot! No portfolio or nuthin’!

Remember Atomic Sit ups in middle school?

Person 1 is conned into performing “the hardest sit-up ever” an Atomic sit up. Person 1 then lies on their back and are told to cross hands on their chest. Person 2 then holds a towel over the face of person 1 covering the eyes telling him sit up quickly with all his strength when he says to.  Meanwhile person 3 has removed their pants and is squatting over person 1′s face with out him knowing. Person 2 then tells person 1 to sit up and quickly  removes the towel as soon as the sit up begins. The result has person 1′s nose  planted into person 3′s ass.

Here Dana has drawn a gag cartoon showing off a automatic atomic sit-up machine!

Caricature of Dana Reemes by Michael Swafford.

I knew Michael Swafford while I was working on Disney’s Hercules in 1997.    Mike  supervised the animation of Hermes and was truly one of the most talented animators I had ever seen!  I mean look at this caricature of Dana he did!  EXCELLENT!

Robert Crumb!

Dana met Robert Crumb in 1969 in the flea bag Miramonte  Hotel on Mission Street where Robert was staying at the time.  Dana brought his sketchbook and Robert kindly went over it with him!  Not only that, Crumb gave some sage advice as well as a Crowquill Penpoint!  Believe it or not Dana still has it! Behold!

Minions! I got to hold a pen Crumb gave Dana in 1969!

Robert also handed Dana a gel capsule of high grade LSD called Owsley’s White Lightning.

One of the first underground chemists to mass produce high-quality LSD in the 1960′s was Owsley Stanley.  .

Owsley produced his LSD in Los Angeles and once he had a huge batch,  he drove to the bay area where he supplied LSD to Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters for their acid tests. Through them he also met the Grateful Dead in 1966 and began supporting them both financially and as a sound man.

Owsley’s best-known acid was “White Lightning” (300,000 doses) made in 1966-1967.

Robert Crumb’s  music!

Dana Also turned me on to Robert Crumb’s band “The Cheap Suit Serenaders”

They play covers of 1920′s Tin Pan Alley Jazz! Holy cow what find!  Highly recommended!  A new Man vs. Art favorite!

Here is one of my favorite songs “The Fine Artist Blues” from the album Chasin’ Rainbows.

I dedicate this song to all the Man vs. Art Minions out there!

Thanks Dana for turning me onto these jams!  And thanks Robert Crumb for your cartoons and now your music!!

Twinkle Toes Dana the Ballet Pirate!

Okay guys, here are two pics of Dana in a pirate costume from the Sacramento Junior Ballet’s 1962 all-ballet production of Peter Pan! This is how he  looked when the teen bathing-beauty nymphets threw his butt  in the deep end of the pool.  You’ve seen the pictures!  You CAN’T unsee them!

My doesn’t he look fierce and manly?  ARRRRRRRRR!!!!

Dana’s fave Comics.

Dana really enjoyed Curt Swan’s Lois Lane for it’s elegance and theatrical posing.

Dana Also dug the Italian artists who drew Turok! Son of Stone!

This is beautiful work!  Nothing fancy, just good solid drawing!  I love these!

Magnus Robot Fighter was another of Dana’s choices!

This is some really good stuff!  I love the way he draws the girls!  The panel flow is really smooth and each composition is tight!

Filmation!

This is a clean up pencil test of Skeletor from the 1980′s Filmation Cartoon He Man and the Masters of the Universe. My friend Dana Reemes provided the clean up assistant animation on this scene. I just took the photocopies he loaned me, scanned them, and put together this animation test.

Filmation’s early stuff!

Believe it or not Filmation’s first gigs were doing the opening credit sequences for  Italian Giallo  which were the first  sexual thrillers.

Although they did not do the titles for this particular Giallo film, I wanted to share it with you guys because it is just so insanely awesome! Blood and Black Lace Directed by the Great Mario Bava!

Check out the trailer! In bleeding COLOR!

Here are the opening Credits.

The 2010 Geeks Con!

Here is your Man vs. Art probably talking about art.  Probably!

Getting some sugar from my babe, The Lovely and Vivacious Hortencia.

Melissa admires the display Hortencia put together for Man vs. Art!

Hortencia did an exceptional job of putting together my display! She matted my prints, bagged the cards and books, and dug up the vertical display things!  My stuff looked rad!

Sherm Cohen and I hammed it up big time!  It was great to meet him and his wife! Sherm is quite a talented fellow!  The poor dude has a bone spur in his foot and hobbled in on crutches! What a trooper! The kids gushed their chonies with his Sponge Bob stuff which looked friggin’ awesome!  Get Well Sherm!

John Narcomey is a bigger ham than Sherm and I put together.

The super talented Rafael Navarro is always a stud!

Ted Seko buffed and talented!  Dig that sketch guys!

Geo Brawn IV and Nancy.  What a nice couple!  Love the jewelry Geo! The dark one Geo had the kids gushing their chonies as well, only out of fear!

Javier Hernandez and Jim Lujan, now this is what I call studs!

Geeks Con 2010 was a blast and I can’t wait until next year!

That’s enough for now!

Ciao!

R

Free swag!

Citizen Sanchez Mini Comic and Official Man Vs. Art Minion Pin!

Attention all Minions!  ManvsArt.com announces the first officially licensed swag!  That’s right, you get one copy of Raul Aguirre Jr’s first mini comic book “Citizen Sanchez!” An eight page trip into the origin of the Citizen Sanchez Saga! You’ll laugh! You’ll cry! You’ll demand your money back even though it was free!  Each book comes signed,numbered, and sealed in a mini bag and board that my wife, the Lovely and Vivacious Hortencia Aguirre put together!

As an added bonus each book comes with an official ManvsArt.com Minion Pin!  Be the envy of your friends by publicly declaring  you are a fearless Man vs. Art Minion and damned proud of it!  All you need to do is subscribe to the Man vs. Art podcast through I-tunes,  email, or any of the other options in the right hand column AND then send Che and me an email containing your mailing address to manvsart@manvsart.com.

Please write SWAG in the subject line.  If you can, please  throw out a review on Itunes for us.  Karma folks!

You guys have really been a wonderful group of listeners and readers that I felt it was time to hook you guys up with something sweet.  Supplies are limited, so act now kiddos!

What have you got to lose? Besides, it's free!

Man vs. Art gets busy!

I recently appeared on the Art&Story podcast in a round table discussion with Jerzy Drozd, Mark Rudolph and Kevin Cross.  These dudes are Comic Fu masters as well as funny as hell.  It was a great show! We talked about writing in the thumbnail stage for comics and storyboarding. Give it a listen you’ll find it MEATY!

Also Jim Lujan and Kevin Cross have invited me to become a co-host on the Ghettomation podcast! The podcast for DIY animators by DIY animators! Wanna hear 3 animators talk about the orgasmic heaven and infernal hell that making animation is? Check out Ghettomation kiddos! In this latest episode we talk about music and the importance it plays in animated cartoons!

You guys have to check out Jim Lujan’s latest film.

New Wave Dentist.

And now the episode 21 podcast notes!

The three types of art.

In a nutshell all art can be placed into three distinct categories.

• Bad Art

  will prompt zero emotional response in the viewer. Like a song you hear in an elevator that goes in one ear and out the other, a picture on a wall that stimulates you the same way as if the wall had been blank, a movie on a plane you force yourself to watch just to kill time. Usually starring Rob Schneider incidentally.

  

  It's going to be a long flight.

• Good Art

Art that produces an emotion that you have felt before; a painting of a lake that reminds you of fishing with your grandpa, a love song that takes you back to the first time you saw your babe.

• Great Art

Art that produces an emotion that you have NEVER felt before. Take for example  Michelangelo’s La Pieta. His depiction of the Virgin Mary cradling the body of her son is so powerful and heart wrenching.  You can really feel the pain and sadness that a parent feels at the loss of a child.

La Pieta by Michelangelo. Agony in marble.

Passion Ration

As many of you know, I am very passionate about art. In fact it gets pointed out to me quite often.  I guess a majority of it stems from my refusal to completely grow up. I may be a big burly manly man.  To which  my friend Javier Hernandez adds Bombastic. I don’t know whether to punch him or hug him for that one.  Which come to think of it, that is probably what he means! But I still have a deep connection to the little punk inside of me that marvels at all things art related that are RAD, and BAD ASS.  Most cartoonists I think have this similar affliction to a certain degree, I mean look at how 99.9% of us have toys and action figures on our desks.

Nothing says "Hey ladies come and get it!" like a good set of desk toys!

Man vs. Art almost becomes Man vs. Ice Tomb!

Here is a series of pics from my trip to Europe in 2005.  I just barely avoided falling through the ice atop a glacier on Mt. Titlis in Switzerland.  Truly a near death experience.  I managed to bang up my leg and I suffered a severe nut crunch as a result. Luckily one of my fellow travelers, a kind Australian Gentleman happened to be a Surgeon. He examined me and made sure I hadn’t done any real damage to my boys.

As payment for the  emergency medical exam he wanted one of my watercolors I had painted of the Greek Isle of Hydros a few days before.

The Man vs. Art Pantheon of Awesomeness welcomes it’s newest inductee…..William Shatner!

Have you studied for your Kobayashi Maru?

William Shatner is the epitome of the artist who never says die!  For over four decades this guy has failed as much as he has  succeeded. He has put out as many stinkers as he has brilliant gems!  What’s more William Shatner has even humiliated himself a few times. But he always bounces back and we still love him!

What makes Shatner awesome is this.  Despite the  failures he has never given up.  Ever since I can remember Shatner has been working!

• bit parts on the Twilight Zone
• commanding the Enterprise in the OG Star Trek series,
• his brilliant musical career. Mr Tambourine man anyone? How about  Lucy in the sky with diamonds?
• TJ HOOKER,
• Rescue 911,
• the Star Trek Movies,
• Tek World,
• Spy Hard
• Over a decade as the priceline.com shill,
• Comedy Central’s Celebrity Roast
• History channel specials
• Critically acclaimed performances on The practice, Boston legal,
• His own talk show for crying out loud!

Some folks like me, admire him, other folks hate him.  You can’t argue with the fact that yes William Shatner is a joke.  But you know what?  I think he is laughing the hardest.  All the way to the friggin’ bank.

William Shatner I welcome you to the Man Vs. Art Pantheon of Awesomeness!

For you are Awesome in every sense of the word.  Or as my friend Luis Escobar puts it, “You are Awesome with Awesome sauce!”

Full of Shatner!

A musical tribute to William Shatner by who else? William Shatner!

Rocketman! Here William Shatner is the first person  to not just sing a song nor act a song but to overact a song!  If that’s at all possible!

William Shatner and Ricardo Montalban?!  Holy crap! That’s like adding chili and cheese to fries!

Phew! That’ll suffice for now!

Ciao!

R.

Sherm by Sherm

Sherm  is a storyboard artist with 16 years experience on many hit cartoons including The Ren & Stimpy Show, Hey Arnold, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Mighty B, Phineas and Ferb, and “Kick Buttowski, Suburban Daredevil.” In addition to his storyboard work, Sherm has written and directed episodes of Hey Arnold, SpongeBob and Phineas and Ferb, and has written songs for various cartoons including “The FUN Song” for SpongeBob. Sherm is currently working as Director and Storyboard Supervisor on Kick Buttowski, a new series for Disney TV Animation. His latest book, “Cartooning: Character Design” is published by Walter Foster Publications. He also publishes the KICK ASS cartoon blog www.cartoonsnap.com!

a fine example of Sherm's comics work! POW!

Contemporary Storyboarding

During the course of the interview Sherm gave us some insight into what can make or break a storyboard, as well as his thoughts on the digital storyboard process.  Always think story first.  Keep in mind how the sequence you are about to storyboard fits into the big picture.

Here you can find some samples of the digital storyboard software Sherm was talking about.  It’s called Toonboom Storyboard Pro.

check it out!

The program is used in conjunction with a Cintiq by Wacom.  A wonderfully expensive hi tech tablet that allows you to draw on the screen with a stylus.

Ren and Stimpy

best episode….EVER!

Below is the first episode of Ren and Stimpy that both Sherm and I ever saw.  This insane cartoon blew me away and made me a John K. and Ren and Stimpy fan for life. The quality is so so, but I still suggest you check it out!

http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/animation/watch/v14085830Cq24yFjf

One of the reasons Sherm refuses to attend the San Diego Comic Con is because he ends up spending too much money at places like Bud Plant.  Who incidentally has the most massive art and cartoon book catalog ever!

Check out the Ditko book!

HARVEY KURTZMAN

When asked who his greatest cartoon idol was,  Sherm was all about Harvey Kurtzman, who is without a doubt one of the most influential cartoonists of the 20th century.  In 1952 Kurtzman talked EC comic book publisher Bill Gaines into launching a new comic book title  totally unique in  concept and style from anything that was ever published — Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad! That’s right kids! He was the guy that came up with the idea that is  Mad magazine. The first publication that was dedicated to ripping on pop culture!  Other famous Cartoonists like Art Spiegelman , Bill Griffith  and Robert Crumb credit  early Mad as heavily influencing  their own styles .  In later years  Kurtzman sometimes referred to himself as the “brother-in-law of underground comix”.

Harvey Kurtzman one of the greats!

Roy Crane

Roy Crane is one of the inventors of Adventure strips and was a big influence on Kurtzman as well as Sherm!

ROY CRANE

Look at this awesome page by Crane!

Here is a link where you can find old comic scan to check out and be inspired!

http://goldenagecomicbookstories.blogspot.com/

To open up and read digital comics get yourself

• comic rack for PC
• comicbooklover for Mac

Sherm also mentioned this great book on story you may want to check out.

Directing the story by Frances Glebas.

All Hail Bakshi!

And lastly we talked about the highly inspirational video from the 2008 Comic Con featuring Ralph Bakshi.  In this video Ralph scolds us youngsters for not taking advantage of the technology available to us and for being wimps.  I’ve mentioned this before, but I for one can never get sick of this.  This is like red bull for animators man! Get your Bakshi ON!

• Tough Times are a Chance to Reinvent the Cartoon biz.
• Don’t Work for the Big Studios or Corporations, Work For Yourself.
• The Digital Revolution Allows You To create professional stuff equal if not better to the studios!
• We must  develop New Markets for our Work
• Creatively fly When Everyone is Still walking.

Because of his wisdom and overall testicular fortitude, Ralph Bakshi is hereby inducted into the Man vs. Art Pantheon of Awesomeness!

Man Vs. Art Pantheon of Awesomeness.

Ciao!

R

Share and Enjoy:

]]> http://manvsart.com/man-vs-art-episode-20-sherm-cohen-from-cartoonsnap-com-talks-about-the-essentials-storyboards-comics-and-cartoons/feed/ 6 2D traditional animation,an,animation drawings,art theory,cartoon network,cartoonist,cartoonsnap,comic book,comics,disney,DRAWING,help artists. Sherm is a storyboard artist with 16 years experience on many hit cartoons including The Ren & Stimpy Show, Hey Arnold, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Mighty B, Phineas and Ferb, and "Kick Buttowski, Suburban Daredevil." In addition to his storyboard work, It is my  pleasure to introduce to the Man Vs Art Minions the talented and very funny Sherm Cohen. Sherm  is a storyboard artist with 16 years experience on many hit cartoons including The Ren & Stimpy Show (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101178/), Hey Arnold (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115200/), SpongeBob SquarePants (http://spongebob.nick.com/backstage/characters/spongebob/), The Mighty B (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0917551/), Phineas and Ferb, (http://tv.disney.go.com/disneychannel/phineasandferb/) and "Kick Buttowski, Suburban Daredevil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kick_Buttowski)." In addition to his storyboard work, Sherm has written and directed episodes of Hey Arnold, SpongeBob and Phineas and Ferb, and has written songs for various cartoons including “The FUN Song” for SpongeBob. Sherm is currently working as Director and Storyboard Supervisor on Kick Buttowski, a new series for Disney TV Animation. His latest book, "Cartooning: Character Design" is published by Walter Foster Publications. He also publishes the KICK ASS cartoon blog www.cartoonsnap.com! (http://cartoonsnap.blogspot.com/) Contemporary Storyboarding During the course of the interview Sherm gave us some insight into what can make or break a storyboard, as well as his thoughts on the digital storyboard process.  Always think story first.  Keep in mind how the sequence you are about to storyboard fits into the big picture. Here you can find some samples of the digital storyboard software Sherm was talking about.  It's called Toonboom Storyboard Pro. check it out! [youtube P2dAY5l5M0w 480 385] The program is used in conjunction with a Cintiq by Wacom.  A wonderfully expensive hi tech tablet that allows you to draw on the screen with a stylus. [youtube Inrl7JgnYK4 480 385] Ren and Stimpy best episode....EVER! Below is the first episode of Ren and Stimpy that both Sherm and I ever saw.  This insane cartoon blew me away and made me a John K. (http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/) and Ren and Stimpy fan for life. The quality is so so, but I still suggest you check it out! http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/animation/watch/v14085830Cq24yFjf (http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/animation/watch/v14085830Cq24yFjf) One of the reasons Sherm refuses to attend the San Diego Comic Con is because he ends up spending too much money at places like Bud Plant (http://www.budplant.com/).  Who incidentally has the most massive art and cartoon book catalog ever! Check out the Ditko book! (http://manvsart.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/STV01-231x300.jpg) HARVEY KURTZMAN When asked who his greatest cartoon idol was,  Sherm was all about Harvey Kurtzman, who is without a doubt one of the most influential cartoonists of the 20th century.  In 1952 Kurtzman talked EC comic book publisher Bill Gaines into launching a new comic book title  totally unique in  concept and style from anything that was ever published — Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad! That's right kids! He was the guy that came up with the idea that is  Mad magazine. The first publication that was dedicated to ripping on pop culture!  Other famous Cartoonists like Art Spiegelman , Bill Griffith  and Robert Crumb credit  early Mad as heavily influencing  their own styles .  In later years  Kurtzman sometimes referred to himself as the "brother-in-law of underground comix". Roy Crane Roy Crane is one of the inventors of Adventure strips and was a big influence on Kurtzman as well as Sherm! Look at this awesome page by Crane! (http://manvsart.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Captain_Easy_first_Sunday_1933-424x600.jpg) Here is a link where you can find old comic scan to check out and be inspired! http://goldenagecomicbookstories.blogspot.com/ (http://goldenagecomicbookstories.blogspot.com/) To open up and read digital comics get yourself * comic rack (http://comicrack.cyolito.com/) for PC * comicbooklover Raul clean 1:05:20 http://manvsart.com/man-vs-art-episode-19-cartoons-agents-comics-pitching-demo-and-other-such-nonsense-with-ghettomation-net-guys-jim-lujan-and-kevin-cross/ http://manvsart.com/man-vs-art-episode-19-cartoons-agents-comics-pitching-demo-and-other-such-nonsense-with-ghettomation-net-guys-jim-lujan-and-kevin-cross/#comments Sat, 10 Apr 2010 11:44:07 +0000 Raul http://manvsart.com/?p=865 A very special Man Vs. Art….

On today’s podcast I had the pleasure of speaking with Indy animators Jim Lujan and Kevin Cross from ghettomation.net.  What is Ghettomation you ask?
By Ghetto they don’t mean bad or poorly made. Au contraire! They mean underground/indie/creator owned. Gorilla style! Ghetto compared to the big corporate animation…..Ghetto is good!

The Mighty Jim Lujan!

One of L.A’s Finest.

Jim is a genuine talent with a unique vision.

Citizen Sanchez Tribute By Jim Lujan

Jim Lujan scathingly observant master of satire.

Check out these two most recent animated shorts by Jim.  Set your asses to laughed off!

First up is AlphaNerd: DEN of the BEER THIEVES!  Batman ain’t got nuthin’ on AlphaNerd!

Next up is the sordid and tragic tale of the rise and fall of the greatest club DJ who ever spun a record! Of course I’m talking about  FreakDaddy! You can almost smell the  coconut scented fog man!

If you pay attention you will notice  a very Kubrickesque feel to Jim’s films.

• Kubrick favored symmetrical compositions which he  mechanically repeated to both unify and dehumanize.

• Kubrick used a lot of extreme closeups of faces that were darkly lit  and full of emotion.

• Kubrick loved wide and slow pan shots, which more often than not produced an eerie and surreal vibe.

• Let’s not forget the ever present and very effective “KUBRICK STARE.”

If you want to see more of Jim’s cartoons check out his youtube channel and subscribe! You won’t be disappointed.

The Uncanny Kevin Cross

Straight outta Portland!

Kevin Cross and his Lady taking care of business.

Kevin Cross capering with his creation Monkey Mod.

Monkey Mod by Kevin Cross

Kevin Cross is a Portland Oregon based Illustrator/Comic Book Artist/Animator/ Punk Rocker! His Webcomic Monkey Mod is delightfully fun and expertly crafted.  This guy can DRAW folks and he knows art comics and animation Like yours truly Kevin is into UPA and 60′s Hanna Barbera animation big time.  What can I say? The guy has good taste!

One time I  asked him how he liked living in Portland.  Without missing a beat  Kevin replied “It’s great except for one thing.  The Mexican food sucks!”  I can’t stand to see people suffer such deprivation! I think I’ll Fed-Ex  him  some King Taco.

Enjoy a taste of Kevin’s killer animation.

In the podcast I performed a pitch of one of my latest creations the Penalizer.

Below is a recent development sketch that I think really captures the Magnificent Bastard that is the Penalizer!

Damn! I should have brought the big gun!

The Man Vs. Art Agent Primer.

Why would you need one?

Well if you have a great idea for an animated TV show, Movie, or book and want to pitch it to the major studios and networks, you’ll have a tough time getting a meeting without an agent.

Disclaimer!!

If the following seems a bit harsh and discouraging don’t worry.  The mere fact that you are here reading this means you are not one of the chowder heads .  After all you are doing research on agents and reps right?  You want to be informed and prepared to put your best foot forward right?  Good!  I’m ripping on those that think they have it all figured out without bothering to learn the rules of the game. If you want to succeed in this field you need to know what’s going on.  A great man once said, “This isn’t ‘Nam.  There are rules!”

Let us proceed, shall we?

Ahem.

We  artists dream of being represented  by an agent who will market our work,  set up pitch meetings, score us an in-house or freelance gig,  and do all that boring  non-art stuff like marketing, negotiating, and selling.

The stark truth is that it’s extremely tough to find a good agent.

For artists it’s best if you’re already known enough in your field to have  agents seeking you instead of you going to them. Sadly few artists get this privilege. The rest of us must submit material to many agents and agencies and choke down the pile of rejection slips before eventually hooking up with an agent willing to take a chance on us.

Here’s the deal.

In a nutshell, it comes down to  who you know people.  Agents are busy.  They don’t have time to deal with deluded dumb asses who lack what it takes in terms of credits, talent, and ideas.  Believe it or not, there are a lot of posers out there that think they have the next big hit.  99.9% of these knuckleheads are out of their minds and their creations are terrible.  Agents can’t be wasting time dealing with every mouth breather who walks in off the street with a half baked idea about talking cats.

Think about it.  Everyone knows that guy who thinks he’s Alan Moore the master storyteller right?  But  in reality this moron can’t even tell a  knock knock joke.  At one time or another we’ve all been cornered by Kurt Busiek Jr. and  subjected  to a forty seven minute barrage of  incomprehensible nonsense! A story so convoluted and absurd that it makes  you want to  run away screaming and jump through the nearest plate glass window!   These days I carry a cyanide capsule just in case.

Now imagine how many of these clueless wonders agents have to deal with.  Every day!

The Circle of Trust.

One of the few ways you can get a agent to even give you the time of day is if you are recommended by someone in the agent’s circle of trust.  It is equally important that you have  the professional credits and polished marketable work to back you up.  If you do, then  an agent will be way more likely to take the time to meet with you or at least check out what you have to offer.

This circle of trust extends beyond the agent and goes all the way to the studios and networks.  Studio and network executives are also busy people and they can’t be meeting with every dork that comes at them with a Naruto ripoff.  You must be recommended to them from someone in their circle of trust which in most  cases is an agent.

Case in point.  Someone I know once told me his foolproof series pitch.  He was absolutely convinced his idea was as good as greenlit. He said, “Well my show is a bout a giraffe, and as you  know there’s never been a show where the main character is  giraffe! I can’t lose!”    The mere fact that it has never been done,  does not make it a good idea.   There has also never been a show where the main character is bucket of  platypus snot either!
Get it?  The whole agent thing is meant as a filter to keep  their time and that of studio brass from being wasted by idiots.   A good agent with a solid reputation would never send a dork to a pitch meeting at Disney.

You need to network.  Meet people who know agents. Directors, Producers, Art Directors, Lawyers, and Bartenders.  Maybe, just maybe if your pitch isn’t completely retarded you might get your foot in the door.

Oh yeah and one last thing.

If you meet an agent who wants to rep you but wants  ANY sort of upfront fee, throw your coffee in his face and run.  It’s a scam. Real agents are only  paid from gigs or deals they hooked up for you. Period. Usually it’s anywhere between 10% to 15% of what you earn.

Good luck!