Thurop was one of THE first persons in Animation I Know I wanted to Interview upon first receiving this awesome Channel Frederator gig. He was also one of the first persons who welcomed me to the Character Animation School when I first transferred in. We shared a cubicle together, and it was there I first saw glimpses into his great character design work, humorous tittering inducing stories, and an early version of his soon to blow up Flapjack Series. The time spent there with him, was one of my favorite memories I have of CalArts.
Thanks for taking the time to answer a few Channel Fred Q’s Buddy!

CH.FRED: Where were you born?
T: Norfolk Virginia. But I only lived there a month. Then I moved to Florida.

Who are some of your influences?
My brother Jonny, E.H. Shepherd, Richard Scarry, Maurice Sendak, Mercer Meyer, Ronald Searle, Crumb, Gary Larsen, Sergio Aragones, Jim Henson, Steve Hillenburg and Craig McCracken.

How long have you been animating or drawing?
I’ve been drawing forever, and started animating for a video game company in ‘99.

What was your first job in the Animation field?
Gameboy games at Xantera, and then Powerpuff girls.

What companies have you worked for?
Cartoon Network. Its been real good to me. I’ve also done a little work with a stopmotion company called “Screen Novelties”. They are some of the best animators and film makers around.

who were your best cube-mates?
Jeaux AND Nate Cash!

What are you working on currently in the animation industry?
I have been developing a show called “the Misadventures of Flapjack” at Cartoon Network for the last couple of years. It’s been the time of my life.

So, what’s Flapjack all about?
Its about a kid who lives in a whale (Flapjack), and is corrupted by a salty old sea dog (captain K’nuckles). Together they search for the legendary “Candied Island “.

Very cool. How was it working on your own project?
Amazing! I never want to do anything else!

What were some of the hurdles and obstacles you had in your way, and how did you deal with them?
I don’t know, its been pretty smooth sailing, except all of the waiting. Oh, and poverty. Development doesn’t pay much.

When can we expect to see some Salty Sea Adventures with Flapjack on the air?
Hopefully fall 2007…
*(Update! I just got word from Thurop via Myspace that Cartoon Network just Greenlit Flapjack for Series!!! Way to go Buddy!)

What do you think makes for a great cartoon?
If a cartoon can make me uncomfortable, then I’ll be tuning in again. If it can make me uncomfortable while I’m laughing my ass off then I’ll never miss it.
If I get misty eyed, because it’s so sweet or heartfelt, I get uncomfortable. Because it’s a cartoon. If while I’m uncomfortable about the irony of crying during a cartoon, they hit me with the hilarious kind of irony, well I reckon thats hollywood gold.

Do you have any advice for someone wanting to break in or just beginning in the industry?
Well, maybe just one. The most reaccuring theme I see from people who aren’t getting work, is that they don’t specialize. They have portfolio’s with storyboards, and character designs and paintings and all kinds of junk that says “I don’t know what I’m doing”. If you want to do character designs for instance, ONLY have character designs, and be able to draw in a bunch of different styles. If you are really versatile within one job title, you will surely get a job.

What are some of your hobbies outside the world of animation?
Adventure.

You are a father now, has that changed your perspective on animation or art in anyway?
I think that my main character (Flapjack) has stolen a lot of expressions from my son (Leif).

See any resemblance?

If you could have any super-power, what would it be?
Holding my breath.

Is there anything you want to say to the people out there in Channel Frederator Land reading this?
Well, not really. They’ve probably been on the internet long enough already…

Portrait of the Artist w/ the Tiny Tina
And on that note, let’s all take a break from computer land, walk outside and get a deep punch of refreshing air to the face and lungs. Enjoy a little bit of sunlight people! Anyone wanna go out to the beach with me? All this salty sea talk is getting me pumped! Thanks again T-Bone! Congrats on the Greenlight my friend!
Keep those eyes peeled on Channel Frederator, Yr #1 SOURCE for Animation News & Interviews!
It’s good to be BACK. Be on the lookout for a few great interviews I’ve got lined up… You won’t be disappointed.
-JX!

Who Do YOU want to see On Channel Frederator?
Click here to subscribe to Channel Frederator or go to iTunes. Please send your suggestions to promotecartoons@gmail.com.

Here is a video that was made by Samantha A Behrooj. While I’m not a huge fan of Machinima, this piece stood out for me.

While most Machinima seems to be comedic or spoofs of something else, this piece works very well as a serious music video for a song. It’s actually more fitting than the actual video the band released, in my opinion. What do you think?

-Floyd Bishop

“Channel Frederator was, from the start, the essence of what make and continues to make Web 2.0 special.”

Here’s the rest of Profy’s post. Thanks Paul.

–Fred

Last week I kept stumbling across weird and interesting cartoon-like objects as if all of California was in a Frederator state of mind. Here’s some photos:

A very threatening rubber mask of Moe from “The Simpsons” on Hollyweird Blvd.

An insipid Wolverine shaped popsicle

I’m surprised the owners of the snack bar where this mural stands haven’t been sued yet.

An awesome 80’s arcade game.

-DAN METH

Yesterday we showed scenes from Popeye’s first screen appearance — today we’ve zoomed ahead to screen a slick 1950’s incarnation of you know who in “Private Eye Popeye.” Seymour Kneitel directs, and everything just keeps moving along at such a fast clip, before the cartoon is half over we’ve covered something like three continents! One memorable running gag has to do with introducing a limited color pallet (no, really!) and another bit features, far and away, Popeye’s most successful episode of cross dressing!

It’s Popeye-a-thon Week all over here at ReFrederator.

For your free subscription to ReFrederator, click
here, or visit iTunes!

Dave Kirwan

When Gregory Gallant asked me to subway over to Brooklyn to be on his Venture Voice podcast I forgot to ask him what we’d be talking about that day. When I got there he let me know he’d done over 40 interviews on entrepeneurship. Then I asked him whether it was my entrepeneurship in cartoons or advertising or media. I confused him entirely and I never quite got an answer. We talked about everything and I think I proved my favorite quote (written by William Goldman).

A few more photos from last Wednesday’s Channel Frederator Awards party at Cinespace in Hollywood.

Above: The man behind Frederator, Fred Seibert, the man behind DoogToons, Doug Bressler, and the man behind Cinespace, Kene G. Clearly, to be a man behind you need rectangle glasses.

Blur’s Tim Miller flanked by his guest and Frederator’s Melissa Wolfe. Tim, Blur, and their film, “Rockfish”, picked up three Freddies last week: Best Cartoon, Best CG Film, and Largest File Size.

Winner of the “So Cute it Hurts” Award, Amanda Spalinski, being interviewed by Channel Frederator host, Justin Johnson. Amanda took home the Freddie for her short, “Skippy”.

Joanna Ramos and Alex Hirsch. It’s safe to say Alex will have at least one nominee in next year’s Channel Frederator Awards.

Photography by Andrew Taylor of TAO Productions.

– Eric

Click here to subscribe to Channel Frederator or go to iTunes. Please send your suggestions to promotecartoons@gmail.com.

I’m not sure what the best part of “Golden Age” is: the fast-paced humor, or the smart jabs at cartoon history. Between anime, World War II-propoganda and breakfast cereals, Augenblick studios hits the nail on the head with these witty examples of the wide spectrum of pulp cartoons.

Recently seen at the Sundance Film Festival, these short films can now be seen by you on your very own computer! Check them ALL out HERE.

Enjoy!
-Jake

Have a swingin’ time in the pool! Sturdy enough to even jump from!

Only from Flaviothon Industries

Weebl’s Stuff has a new catchy looped animation out called Mango. Check it out and annoy the people around you.

-Hadley