Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
I started in New York City animating cereal commercials and then moved to Los Angeles where I got a job as a Character Layout Artist on a show called Taz-Mania for Warner Bros. From there I worked on the original Animaniacs and then Pinky and the Brain. Between that I worked on The Critic as an Assistant Director. From there I went to Disney and worked as a Character Layout Artist on a show called The Shnookums & Meat Funny Cartoon Show. It was kind of Disney’s answer to Ren & Stimpy at the time. When I heard that Hanna-Barbera was taking pitches for something called What A Cartoon!, I made two cartoons with them: Bloo’s Gang and The Ignoramooses. I directed, co-wrote, storyboarded, designed, and key animated both of the shorts. I then directed the reboot of the Johnny Quest series. After that I moved back to Warner Bros. to direct Pinky and the Brain, where I won an Emmy award for directing.
After that, I directed and storyboarded on many projects. I was a Story Artist and Writer on Phineas and Ferb, which I loved being a part of. I was fortunate enough to work for WB directing the series Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?, and I recently directed the Woody Woodpecker series for Splash/Universal. My most recent credit was as a Harmony Sheet Timer on Krapopolis until they phased out the role.
I have had 13 development deals over the past 25 years with Hanna-Barbara, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, and Universal. I’ve also made my own personal shorts and am currently working on one called The Good, The Bad, and The Squishy. It’s about an orca who quits his job at Ocean World to become a cowboy and track down his hero, Cowboy Jeff—but as they say, never meet your heroes. I have been a Producer, Director, Writer, Storyboard Artist, Character Designer, Background Designer, and Animator for the last 35 years.
What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
The hardest part of staying in the animation industry is keeping money in your pockets and finding steady work. It’s feast or famine, and you don’t always find a job. I have been fortunate to work steadily for years at a time, only to then be unemployed for year.
I have learned to diversify myself and learn more than one skill so I can stay employed. You might ask how do you do that, and my answer is always make your own content. Animate those little funny ideas you have. Don’t know how to animate? Learn! There’s a skill added to your piggy bank. You need backgrounds for your idea? Bam! Learn how to do them. Same for character design and storyboarding. You’ll have a bigger portfolio, too. Can’t do it? Of course you can.
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
I am inspired by anyone with great draftsmanship, funny ideas, and a great execution of those ideas: Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng, Mort Drucker, Bill Watterson, Mike Kunkel, Mark Christiansen, Sean Bishop, Dave Álvarez, Chris Bailey, Bill Kopp, Brad Bird, Chris Meledandri, C.H. Greenblatt, Milt Kahl, Frank and Ollie, Genndy Tartakovsky, and Seth MacFarlane.
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
I hope to sell or independently produce my own series and one day buy toys and underwear of my ideas. I’d like to run a studio or be a development executive. I wouldn’t mind getting another Emmy so I have bookends for the fireplace!
What does being in the Union mean to you?
The Union is about protecting artists. Protection from predatory companies and producers that would try to pay you less than you are worth or work you into illness. It’s protection from disease and sickness through the health benefits. It’s protection from poverty through the 401k and pension. It’s not perfect, but it’s sorely needed.
.png)