Channel Frederator Blog

Former CalArts student and storyboard artist Derek Evanick’s film “Los Estrandados” is a hysterical take on a crappy situation (being stranded on a desert island - tell me that’s not crap).

Channel Frederator: What was the most important thing you learned at CalArts?

Derek Evanick: I think listening and working with other people. There are so many amazing teachers and students at CalArts. I came into CalArts thinking that I knew more than I actually did. I wouldn’t always take advice or criticism very well. Once I shut my mouth and started listening things went a lot better. I also found a group of friends that had the same style and humor that I did. It was a lot of fun throwing story ideas at each other and finding out what worked.

CF: Most useless?

DE: I think if you ask a lot of CalArts students they would say critical studies… So yeah, I’m going to say critical studies. I think the problem is film making requires so much work and students are throwing everything they have into it, you really don’t want to stop and take a three hour break to learn about the history of interpretive dance. I understand that it is important to learn about things outside of character animation. It’s just time is so precious and you’re trying to do everything you can to make a good film… Sorry CalArts critical studies.

CF: What has influenced your style the most?

DE: I think most of my influence comes from old comics and illustrators. I really like looking at Punch,which has a lot of amazing artists in it like Norman Thelwell, Jean-Jacques Sempe, Ralph Steadman, and Gerald Scarfe. I also really like the classics like Hank Ketcham and Charles Schultz.

CF: What gave you the idea for “Los Estrandados”?

DE: I’ve gotten this question a lot and I really wish I had a better answer. I was basically lying in bed about year ago freaking out because I wanted to have a good senior film. I guess it kind of came to me when I was half asleep and out of it.

CF: Do you have any upcoming projects you can tell us about?

DE: Well right now I’m working as a storyboard artist at Illumination Entertainment which is a part of Universal Studios.
As for my own projects nothing too concrete, but I’d like to keep making shorts and writing.

Thanks, Derek! You can watch “Los Estrandados” right here on Channel Frederator, just click here!

-Bailee DesRocher