Start Saying Yes

After 30 years at Disney the studio switched to a "what have you done for us lately?" policy and I found myself out in the real world.  Previously the policy was to find talented people and keep them.  The transition happened over years and I believe mine was the last term contract to play out.  A term contract signs you for a span of time as opposed to a show contract that signs you for a specific project.  These days, most artists don't have either contract; they're hired when there's work and fired when it's gone.  Actually Disney TV was one of the last hold outs.  Now, like all the studios, animation teams are treated like live action crews.  A director may hire the same crew for all his movies, but he doesn't pay them to hang around between films.  All studios make exceptions for specific individuals, of course.  If a studio wants you bad enough you can get whatever deal you wish...but they have to want you really, really bad.  

Anyway, in 2003 I found myself a free agent.  The downside of working for Disney for so long was that I wasn't well known outside the studio.  I never made all the outside connections that would make for a smooth jump to another studio.  Thank goodness I had all that vacation time saved up that my boss never let me take.  But although little money was made that year, I did find myself taking a variety of odd jobs.  This one was huge for me...psychologically.  I love hiring people much more talented than me to work on my projects.  So when someone asked me to do a piece of  pitch art, I started spinning my mental rolodex.  But then I realized that they were asking ME and that I had to learn to say "Yes, I can do that."

It was just two simple pitch cards that were made to look like comic pages.  I roughed them, got 'em okayed, broke out my "Kirby dots" and delivered on time.  I thing the overall feel is still good but the pages actually played right to a weakness of mine, perspective and mechanical objects.  But the cars were for a younger set than the usual transformers so a cartoonish look was acceptable. The toys,Phat Boyz, had a cool, low and wide, design.  If the project had taken off, I would've been connected in some way, perhaps running the show.  So I said yes.  And these are the results.  I don't think  I would have done them any differently if I tried it today.  I'd just draw them better.

 -- Tad

Comments

[maija]

I am going to say "Yes, I can do that" this week. Let's see how much trouble you get me into. ;)

[manoj a menon]

so its true.. what i've heard about the way disney works.
as a young animator ( im still young compared to veterans in the industry) there was always this dream to get into disney and work with andreas deja, henn and glen keane.
i used to literally open up those freshly ordered books ( art of tarzan, illusion of life) that arrived at our studio library.. where they would lie for months waiting for someone to touch them..
one deep sniff and i would close my eyes and imagine standing there in one of those disney animation rooms with paper flipping sounds all around.

i heard disney has got a revamp with lasseter onboard...and i saw some cool new plans for the themeparks.. and then 'princess and the frog' tradtional 2d.
its simply away from even a wild guess..whats disney upto ?

loved reading your article as usual and nice sketches.. you make me remember those old marvel comic days of 80's.. i used to get lucky sometimes to see these on the streets in second hand road stalls when i was a kid.( rocket racoon, etc)

thanks again for showing my works to mike. im so greatful to you.
im doing an 8 pager with some styles of my own...a fan book as you may say and i will be sending them to you and mike.
just a token of appreciation .. the least that i can do.

have a great day every day

manoj.

[manoj a menon]

tad..
thanks for telling me what 'kirby dots/krackles' are..
i just leant that theres a name for that technique...remember i used it around rasputin in my last sketch of hellboy ?
this is the what learning means ...thanks a ton

manoj