Channel Frederator Blog

Episode 71

What are rich, spoiled, low- talent pop stars to do when they want to look hot? “Live natty”, of course! Dan Meth isn’t just the filmmaker behind “Live Natty”, he’s also bonified Frederator co-worker, a Blogger Supreme, a “6 Monsters” Random! Cartoons short artist/writer, and an overall swell guy who doesn’t point, stare and laugh at me like others usually do. His past Channel Frederator films can be found on: Episode 3 with “Kosher.com”, and Episode 8 with his appropriately titled “Shake That Ass”.

MELISSA: How did you come up with the idea for “Live Natty”?

DAN: I came up with the idea soon after the National Jeans Company hired me to create a one-minute animated ad for them. They told me that their customers read celebrity gossip magazines for the dual purpose of laughing at tawdry celebrity exploits while also admiring their clothes. I put that together with the company slogan “Live Natty” and the cartoon fell into place pretty fast.

MELISSA: How long did it take you to complete something so natty?

DAN: The animation itself took a little over four weeks. It would normally go faster but I used some slow techniques like rotoscoping for certain shots.

MELISSA: How do you usually go about creating a short?

DAN: My usual process involves a lot of doodling in my sketchbook in combination with taking walks around NYC. The cartoon grows in my mind while I’m out on the sidewalk or on a subway. Also, I like to sit back and “watch” the unfinished cartoon in my brain… I often think of new gags and camera angles in this manner. If it’s a musical piece like “Live Natty” I get a lot of ideas by listening to the soundtrack over and over.

MELISSA: Is there anything you wish you’d done differently in this short?

DAN: If I did this again I’d have a scene where one Natty Girl shaves her head bald.

MELISSA: What was the best part of working on this?

DAN: The best part of this film was working on the song with my friend, music whiz Micah Frank. He made the music and I wrote the lyrics, all in one afternoon. Then we had a young singer named Jean Rohe stop by and lay her amazing vocals on top of it. It came out to be such a catchy and spot-on spoof of bubblegum top 40 music. Actually it’s no spoof… it’s a real song now.

MELISSA: What was the worst part?

DAN: Having my co-workers yell at me because they couldn’t get the song out of their head.

Dan, your name rhymes with “The Man”–and it also rhymes with tan (which you may have got on your last trip out to LA.) I don’t know. At any rate, you’re special to us Frederinos, and we’re very fortunate to have you working with us! Thanks!!

Melissa

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