Channel Frederator Blog

Sam Niemann

“Ruby Rocket: Private Detective” co-creator/director/animator Sam Niemann gives Channel Frederator the lowdown on why he’s got no problem with being a “late bloomer” to animation and why his arch-nemesis shall not be named…

Channel Frederator: Where did you study animation?

Sam Niemann: I came to animation later in life. I studied painting at the Kansas City Art Institute and graduated with a BFA in 1991. About 7 years after graduating, I got a job doing digital cell painting at a software company, and within the year I was a lead animator there. Though it wasn’t actually an animation program, my training at art school seems to have prepared me well for animation.

CF: Who or what has influenced your work the most?

SN: Growing up, I loved Warner Bros cartoons and Disney features. Chuck Jones was probably the first name in animation I could identify by just seeing some of the cartoon. The Jungle Book was always my favorite Disney film. [Read more…]

Are the holidays just too darn chipper for you? Think you’re a little noir at heart? Fear not! Channel Frederator comes bearing gifts of alcoholism, commercialism, and gloom… ism - just in time for you to kick off the crueltide season.

— Ruby Rocket, Private Detective, submitted by Sam Niemann - It was a dark and stormy night when he waltzed in. Ruby needed a drink. Actually, she needed to pay attention to his case. She wanted a drink.

— The Bunjee Jump Skeleton Man, submitted by Tanjetsfilms - Holiday exploitation got you down? Hey, could be worse…

— Death by Dying, submitted by Anton Bogaty - A girl is haunted by violence - onscreen and off.

To rate the films in this week’s episode, visit Channel Frederator. (Once there, you can also subscribe through iTunes, My Yahoo!, Tivo, Miro, YouTube, MySpace, AOL, Google, Veoh, Pando, and Bloglines.)