A Classic "WIZARD OF ID" by Parker & Hart

 

Clip from "The Premiere of Platypus Duck"

Here's a clip from the first cartoon I made -- "The Premiere of Platypus Duck."   Made it in college.  The music is composed and performed by Parker MacDonell, and that's Parker singing as well.   The entire cartoon is 11 minutes long.  

This 50-second clip was drawn mainly in colored pencil, with some inked lines on paper.  This sequence covers evolution from the dawn of time to the present day, as we see the platypus evolve.

The clip is below these images.  

 

BACKGROUND FROM MY FIRST CARTOON

Here's the original background from the first cartoon I made in college along with classmate Sarah Hobel.   

The story:  a stray dog finds a magic lamp in a big pile of rubbish and gives it a lick.  Then all his wishes come true.   

The deli pictured in the background is named after my professor and mentor Maury Rapf (screenwriter for Disney, among other studios).  This animated film was made for Maury's "Filmmaking 101" class.  

Some Backgrounds For A New Animated Series

Paul Dini and I have been developing a new animated series!  Here's a sneak peek of a few B.G.s...

 

How to Write Funny Scripts for Disney's "The 7D"

In our never-ending goal to demonstrate the art of animation production, Cartoonatics is proud to present a step-by-step analysis of the script-writing process used for the upcoming animated television series, Disney's "The 7D."


Step One

To create stories for "The 7D," assemble a team of top-notch animation writers.  Since your budget is limited, offer these writers relatively low salaries but throw in attractive perqs like free bowls of breakfast cereal and unlimited elevator rides to and from the workplace lobby.

Back row:  Paul Rugg, Randy Rogel, Tom Ruegger, Roger Eschbacher.  Front row:  Sherri Stoner, Deanna Oliver, Shea Fontana

                                                                ************

Step Two

Once you have hired seven writers, one for each of the lead 7D characters, gather those writers together into a "think tank" (AKA "cubicle").

Each work day, the writers meet to think up funny story ideas.   This process could take quite a bit of time, anything from a few minutes to more than 26 months, depending on various factors, including budget, burned-out brain cells and distracting YouTube videos.   

                                                                ************ 



Step Three 

Once a writer comes up with an idea, he shares it with the writing team.  Whether the idea is brilliant or lame, the rest of the team is supportive and embraces the idea with enthusiasm. 

                                                                ************


Step Four

The story editor quietly informs the writer that the proposed story idea is unfeasible, hackneyed, unfunny, already-been-done and rejected months ago by the network.  Other than that, it's a keeper.

                                                                ************

Step Five 

The writers resume the process of thinking up funny story ideas. 

                                                                ************  

Step Six

11 am:  Lunch Time!

                                                               ************

Step Seven 

2 pm:  The arduous story-breaking process resumes.  

                                                                ************ 

Step Eight  

Inspiration strikes!  

Unable to come up with an original idea, the team decides to do a parody of a  popular TV show or movie...but with a "7D twist!"

                                                                ************

Step Nine

The writers decide that each story will be character-driven and will feature the unique, charming, lovable, funny and friendly personalities of our seven stars:   the 7D.  

                                                                ************

Step Ten   

It's the job of the writers to make sure every story includes not only comedy and adventure, but also a warm, gentle moment that will touch the hearts of our audience. 

                                                                ************ 

Step Eleven

And if the script comes in short -- add a song.   A peppy song. 

If it's really short -- add two songs! 

                                                                ************

Step Twelve   

After an exhausting day of profound pondering and crafting fairy tales for the 21st century,  it's quitting time!  

                                                                ************  

And that's just a peek at the fast-paced process of writing cartoon comedy for the new animated TV series, Disney's "The 7D!"

The Premiere of Platypus Duck -- Part 7

A thirty-five-year-old pencil sketch of the title character, Platypus Duck, reflecting on the beach at sunset.  

More to come...

The Premiere of Platypus Duck -- Part 6

More artwork from "The Premiere of Platypus Duck."  Preliminary design for the platypus home and pond.  Pen and ink and watercolor.

More to come...

The Premiere of Platypus Duck -- Part 2

In "The Premier of Platypus Duck" cartoon, after the duck-billed platypus family is established, a flood comes along and carries off the platypus mom.  Thus begins the search for the missing "platypus duchess" by the dad and two sons.  

 

The image above is taken from the POV of a drain pipe which proves to be the method by which the three platypi find a path to the big city.  This particular scene was one of the most complicated to execute and shoot.  The circle matte moved across the screen from right to left, while the platypi walked through the wooded scenery from left to right.  

I particularly like the woodcut look of this background.  

The Premiere of Platypus Duck -- Part 1

Back in 1974, I received a grant from my college's film department to make an animated film.   The result was an eleven minute cartoon called...

The story follows the evolution of the duck-billed platypus from pre-history to modern day.  

The cartoon took almost two years to complete...and I sure learned a lot about the labor-intensive process of animation.  While I drew all the animation and hand-inked the cels, I managed to persuade many friends and relatives to pitch in on coloring some of the animation-on-paper, and talked others into painting some of the hundreds of cels.  

My best pal Parker MacDonell, an extraordinary singer/songwriter and musician, composed, performed and recorded the score -- which was wall-to-wall!  Eleven minutes of music!  Much of the animation moves to the score, and the edits are hooked into the rhythm of the evocative music.   

The two cell set-ups re-produced here are from the opening scene.  

As we hear the strains of an orchestra tuning up, we find the duck-billed platypus floating in the pond next to his burrow.  (The burrow has a shape similar to the Sydney Opera House, which is a motif throughout the film.)  The platypus looks up at the stars as the music begins, and a fanfare accompanies the sudden appearance of a marquee up in the sky.  The platypus seems slightly impressed with himself, since his name is on the marquee.

MORE TO COME... 

Platypus Duck

I have been drawing cartoon versions of duck-billed platypi since 1975, when I started working on my first animated film.  It was called "The Premiere of Platypus Duck."  

The playtpi pictured below are among the absentminded "Platypus Duck" doodles that I've drawn over the years.  

"Tiny Toon Adventures" Quiz #1

This cel set-up of Buster and Babs comes from what segment in which episode?

                                                                                                Tiny Toon Adventures (c) Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

The Animator and the Assistant

Drawing from 1978:  Working as an assistant animator at Hanna-Barbera.  Ahh, those were the days!

Yolko Reacts

                                         From "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Loons"  

The Premiere of "Pinky and the Brain"

Original cell set-up and background from Pinky and the Brain's first appearance:  "Win Big," from  "Animaniacs," Episode #2.

The Histeria Family Portrait

It's seriously funny,
The baby's nose is runny,
The show cost lots of money,
It's called Histeria!

It's filled with jokes and humor,
And this is just a rumor,
The baby made a boomer,
On Histeria!

The cast is pretty goony,
And every afternoony,
It's history that's looney,
On Histeria!

Pouch Sweet Pouch

Patience Possum and her son Poochy

Much to the dismay of the put-upon opossum mom, her son Poochy simply refuses to leave the pouch. 

Two Loons on the Loose