Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja Rough Animation Using Toon Boom Storyboard Pro

I was working on a scene the other day that had quite a bit of animation in various stages.  I thought it would be fun to share the process. Some of the poses started out extremely rough, almost indiscernible. Movement comes first. You can see how I clarified things and also use the software to reuse or repurpose bits of drawings to make life easier.

Pete Venkman Ghostbusters Collboration

Hi folks!  Long time no post I know.  The pace over at Randy Cunningham has been relentless. Not much time or energy for outside projects.  I did squeeze out some time the other day for a drawing I signed up to do.  It's for a Ghostbusters collaboration that @patrickfedo threw a call out for.  He's a big Ghostbusters nut and I couldn't pass up throwing my pencil in the ring.  I thought I might have had to pass but I had a little extra free time the other night.  I took a few screencaps on my ipad, did the initial sketch on paper, scanned it in and finished it up in Storyboard Pro.

The Summer Ghostbusters came out you couldn't go anywhere without hearing the Ghostbusters song or seeing something about the movie.  I must have played the cassette of the soundtrack hundreds of times. Watched the movie dozens of times when it came on HBO, then VHS, then DVD.  Now it's on Netflix streaming. Back then there wasn't the internet and mobile devices to barrage us with an over saturation of entertainment.  You didn't have the next best thing at your fingertips to distract you from the experience you just had. A movie stayed in the theatre for a few months if it was popular, and Ghostbusters was. Films that were big permeated society for weeks.  Only one or two big movies were out at a time.  

It definitely was something that shaped my view on entertainment and film. Saying it was a big deal to me as a kid would be an understatement.  Few things hold up from childhood and THE BOYS IN GREY more than hold up. They are timeless.

Here's the transcript of the scene from Ghostbusters:

(Carnegie Hall - Outside) 

(Dana and a male Violinist exit the Hall.) 

Dana: I don't know where they get these guest conductors. Someone should tell him that it's not going to do much good to scream at us in German. 

Violinist: Well, I don't think the man is competent to conduct a major symphony orchestra. 

(Dana looks up and spots Peter.) 

Dana: Um, could you wait here a minute? 

Violinist: Uh, sure. 

(Dana walks over to Peter.) 

Dana: Dr. Venkman, this is a surprise. 

Peter: That was a wonderful rehearsal. 

Dana: You heard that? 

Peter: Yes. You're the best one in your row. 

Dana: Oh, thank you. You're good. Most people can't hear me with the whole orchestra playing. 

Peter: Hey, I don't have to take this abuse from you. I've got hundreds of people dying to abuse me. 

Dana: I know. You're a big celebrity now. Do you have some information on my case? 

Peter: (indicating the Violinist) Who's the stiff? 

Dana: The stiff happens to be one of the finest musicians in the world! Now do you have some information for me, please? 

Peter: Sure, but I'd prefer to give it to you in private. 

Dana: Why don't you tell me now? 

Peter: Well, okay. I found the name Zuul for you. (reading off a piece of paper) The name Zuul refers to a demi-god worshipped around 6000 BC by theÖwhat's that word? 

Dana: Hittites. 

Peter: Hittites, the Mesopotamians and the Sumerians. 

Dana: (reading) Zuul was the minion of Gozer. What's Gozer? 

Peter: Gozer was very big in Sumeria. Big guy. 

Dana: Well, what's he doing in my icebox? 

Peter: I'm working on that. If we could get together Thursday night, I'm thinking nine-ish, you know, we could exchange information. 

Dana: I can't see you Thursday, I'm busy! 

Peter: Miss Barrett, you seem to think there is something wrong up here in your mind that says: he enjoys taking his evenings off and spending them with his clients. No. I'm making a special exception in your case. Because... I respect you. It's corny but I respect you as artist. And as a dresser, too! This is a magnificent coordination you have going here today. 

Dana: All right. I'll see you Thursday. 

Peter: I'll bring The Roylance Guide and we'll eat and read! 

(Dana goes back over to the Violinist and they begin to walk off.) 

Violinist: So! Who the hell was that? 

Dana: Just a friend. 

Violinist: A friend? 

Dana: An old friend. 

Peter: (yelling) Right, I'll see you Thursday! I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you, sir! And I'm glad you're feeling much better. You're still very pale, though! A little sun... 

Violinist: What's he do? 

Dana: Oh, he's a scientist. 

Tombstone Warm Ups - August 2013 update

What's this?  The first post in months?  And with an actual fresh drawing?  Yeah yeah I know.  Hey, it happens.  First I was actually doing animation for something that I can't show anyone yet, BUT I did learn how to use Toon Boom Harmony to do traditional animation.  Then/now I'm working on a new show that hasn't aired yet so I can't show anything from that. BUT I learned a good way to animate traditionally in Photoshop.  Both are great projects that I'm excited to see come to fruition.

I'm also fielding some Q & A stuff over at Animator Island.  Check out the initial post at  http://www.animatorisland.com/animator-qa-ask-now/ . So when I actually have time to just Draw for Drawing's sake, I've been working on finishing up a small comic I'm doing and that's the backgrounds.  Even though I'm enjoying doing the backgrounds - I found a cool retro style that I really like - I am really jonesing DRAWING.  So last night after working on both of those, I had some time left before bedtime but I couldn't think of something so I pulled up stuff on youtube and found Tombstone.

I did a warm up drawing of the two guys shaking hands (at bottom).  Then I wanted to do a fun character face and exaggerate it.  Not really caricature, but just have fun.  So I snapped the pic of Kurt Russell and his mustache and had at it

I started with just some basics to get the cobwebs out.

Then I threw a blue sketch layer over it and did some cleaner work on it.  Again I wasn't trying to reproduce the photo, just let my eye tell my hand what's going on and to HAVE FUN.

Here's one of the backgrounds (or BGs as we call them) from the short comic I'm doing.  You can see why it' taking a while.  I HAD to set it in a comic book shop.  Those of you Burbank locals might recognize the place a little.

Another Double Header of The Ninja! TONIGHT!

TONIGHT! Monday, March 25


Original Series - Episode Premiere. Another NEW episode!!

Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja

"Der Monster Klub/Grave Puncher: The Movie!"

Both episodes directed by Good ol' me

... (7:00 PM - 7:30 PM ET/PT)

"Der Monster Klub" - When Randy and Howard are forced to share a lunch table with the outcast group -Der Monster Klub,' they realize these oddballs are playing a dangerous game that could destroy the whole school.

"Grave Puncher: The Movie!" - During the premiere a new 6D film, the movie's title character comes to life and threatens to destroy Norrisville.

TV-Y7-FV

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja: New 2013 Episodes!

It's a Taback double feature tonight.  Both of the episodes are ones I directed! 

Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja "Stank'd to the Future/Wave Slayers"
(7:00 PM - 7:30 PM ET/PT)


"Stank'd to the Future" - When Dickie, a frozen student from the 1980s is turned into a crazy monster by the Sorcerer, Randy and Howard must reunite Dickie with his lost love, Ms. Ringwald, before the school is destroyed.
Guest Starring Bobcat Goldthwait as Dickie and Annie Potts as Ms. Ringwald.


"Wave Slayers" - Randy and Howard join their school's "Wave Slayer" team but as jet ski waxers. When Randy accidently damages the jet ski belonging to the team captain, Buttermaker, moments before their biggest race, he and Howard must step up and find a way to save the race.
Guest Starring Sterling Knight as Buttermaker.
TV-Y7-FV

Disney XD Randy Page

FEET IN ANIMATION - Part 2

Part 2 of FEET IN ANIMATION is posted over at Animator Island.

From my last post:

JK Riki over at ANIMATOR ISLAND posted part 1 of a Drawniversity Lesson I did on cartoon characters' feet placement.  The question was posed by a reader:

"How do you decide which way a character's feet should face?  Is it just a stylistic choice or does it in some way help the process or convey something in the character performance?"

The question referenced some Looney Tunes Bugs Bunny stills where his feet were pointing in very opposite directions compared to facing forward.  This plus a few drawing tips on BALANCE can be found in Part 1 over at  www.animatorisland.com.  Part 2 will be up next week and soon after that the whole lesson will be in one post over at the Drawniversity Blog, along with the other sample lessons.

Part 1  ~~~~  Part 2 

LINKS

Drawniversity Home Page

Drawniversity Blog

Animator Island

@cackphrase

FEET IN ANIMATION – PART 1

Hey Guys,

JK Riki over at ANIMATOR ISLAND posted part 1 of a Drawniversity Lesson I did on cartoon characters' feet placement.  The question was posed by a reader:

"How do you decide which way a character's feet should face?  Is it just a stylistic choice or does it in some way help the process or convey something in the character performance?"

The question referenced some Looney Tunes Bugs Bunny stills where his feet were pointing in very opposite directions compared to facing forward.  This plus a few drawing tips on BALANCE can be found in Part 1 over at  www.animatorisland.com.  Part 2 will be up next week and soon after that the whole lesson will be in one post over at the Drawniversity Blog, along with the other sample lessons.

LINKS

Drawniversity Home Page

Drawniversity Blog

Animator Island

@cackphrase

Drawing Hands 103 - Nailed It!

Hey everyone.  I received a comment from one of my last drawing hands posts over at Animator Island:

"Catplanet wrote:
I always get screwed up on fingernails because the make my hands look like claws and I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

Here's a lesson I did over at Drawniversity covering how to put the nails on fingers.

For the full 7 pg. lesson click over to Animator Island's Nov 19 1012 Post

Drawing Hands 102

Hey Guys.  I got a lot of good feedback about HAND DRAWING 101.  So, I'm going to keep it going.  

There's a new Hand Drawing Lesson up:

HAND DRAWING 102.  

Check it out!

Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja MONSTER DRILL

Hey Randy Fans!  

Tomorrow on THURSDAY OCTOBER 18 two 11min. episodes of Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja that air at 7pm on DISNEY XD to make one 1/2 hour show! (well, 22 min w/ commercials)  The first episode is MONSTER DRILL: Directed by Yours Truly (that's me) and storyboarded by Alex Almaguer and Dan O'Conner. In this episode, Randy and Howard have a falling out during the schools "Monster Drill" (like a fire drill) The second episode ATTACK OF THE KILLER POTATOES is Directed by Mike Milo. Ninja has to fight the mutated science projects. 

Animatic Editor (Monster Drill) Nico Colaleo

Art Direction by Otto Tang.

Supervising Director Shaun Cashman

Written by (Monster Drill) David Shayne

Created by Jed Elinoff & Scott Thomas

Voice cast

Ben Schwartz (Randy)

Andrew Caldwell (Howard)

Tim Curry (The Sorcerer)

John Di Maggio (McFist)

Megan Mullally (Mrs. Driscol)

John Oliver (Coach Green)

Jim Rash (Principal Slimovitz)

Kevin Micheal Richardson (Viceroy)

Cassie Scerbo (Heidi)

Dave Wittenberg (Bash)

Storyboard Revisions by Tom Mazzocco, Bronwen Barry & Kevin Thresher

We're all located at Titmouse Inc 

Final Animation by Boulder Media

Click here for All Upcoming Times for Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja

You can also get the show on iTunes for anytime viewin'. 

Here are some of my production drawings from MONSTER DRILL

 

 

Here's a couple posters by Randy Background Designer Jack Cusumano for the episodes

Drawniversity - Drawing Hands 2

I've added 4 more pages to the Drawing Hands Sample Lesson over at Drawniversity.  It was in response to a comment left on the article I did over at Animator Island.  Here's the comment, and below is one of the new pages.

Draw up!

Don't forget to watch more new episodes of Randy Cunningham:9th Grade Ninja on Disney XD and iTunes

Randy Cunningham:9th Grade Ninja - Halloween Episodes

Hey Randy Fans!  

On MONDAY OCTOBER 15 the HALLOWEEN episodes of Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja air at 7pm on DISNEY XD.  There are two 11 min episodes to make one Hallow-riff-ic 1/2 hour show! (well, 22 min w/ commercials)  The first episode is DAWN OF THE DRISCOLL: (Directed by Mike Milo / Storyboarded by Scott Bern and Fred Cline) Randy accidentally brings the mad scientist back to life. The second episode NIGHT OF THE LIVING MCFIZZLES is Directed by Yours Truly (that's me) and storyboarded by Alex Almaguer and Dan O'Conner. In this episode, Randy and Howard wonder why everyone in town is turning into zombies. Hopefully these episodes will stand the test of time and be a recurring and remembered Halloween treat.  Look out Grinch! (okay, that was blasphemy)

Animatic Editor Nico Colaleo

Art Direction by Otto Tang.

Supervising Director Shaun Cashman

Written by David Shayne

Created by Jed Elinoff & Scott Thomas

Storyboard Revisions by Tom Mazzocco, Bronwen Barry & Kevin Thresher

We're all located at Titmouse Inc 

Final Animation by Boulder Media

Click here for All Upcoming Times for Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja

You can also get the show on iTunes for anytime viewin'. 

Here are some of my production drawings from NIGHT OF THE LIVING MCFIZZLES

Here's a couple posters by Randy Background Designer Jack Cusumano for the episodes

How To Draw Howard Weinerman

A little something I put together at the beginning of production to figure out how to get the character down quickly and consistently.

Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja TV Schedule

Drawniversity

Hi everyone!  I want to let you all know about something I'm very excited about, - DRAWNIVERSITY! Personalized drawing instruction geared toward your talent and skill set.  

 ~ ~ Click here to take a look. ~ ~

Send in your drawing and recieve drawn and written notes specific to that drawing and you.

• FILMMAKERS: Want to storyboard your film, but have a hard time getting your ideas down on paper?  Drawniversity can help you get the basics without getting bogged down in specifics that can clog up your creative flow.  See how you can get the essentials of what you need to tell a story in the frame.
• BEGINNERS: Learn the basics and grow from there.  Find out what things you are naturally good at and nurture them while broadening your knowledge.
• ACCOMPLISHED ARTISTS: If you are an experienced artist, trouble spots can creep in and can get the best of us. Do you have a drawing you're working on that just needs some help in a few spots?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's an example of what you'll find here:

Artist and fellow Blogger J.K. Riki knew I was starting Drawniversity soon.  He emailed me recently:

"... I'm having a heck of a time with capturing these hands I'm trying to draw from a photo. I imagine you're as busy as always, but if you happen to have two minutes to tell me how you might approach it, I'd be really grateful. I've tried to capture them a dozen times but they just don't look right on paper for me. They keep flattening out and looking more like an alien camel than a hand. :P

Any thoughts would be appreciated! If you can't fit it into your schedule, no worries, I'll keep at it. Thanks."

Well, it took me longer than two minutes, but I wanted to put out a tutorial on hands for a while, There are a lot of great Hand How To's online that I have seen, but if you aren't familiar with drawing hands, there is a lot going on and it can get cluttered up.  This is a technique I "came across" a long time ago and it always guides me when I get a little lost or keeps me on track if I start with it from the get go.

Here's a sample page.  
Click on over to Animator Island for the full tutorial.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Friend Matt Brailey, an animatic Editor here on Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja, was trying to do some storyboards for a short film he is doing.  He asked if I could help him with his drawing because he has never had any sort of training.  He ended up doing a much better drawing than I anticipated.  I kept things very simple and recognized how much his brain would be able to deal with.  That is what I find is going to be special about Drawniversity.  It's not "draw like me / do what I do."  It's "Okay, where are you at, and what do you need to know and understand to put what is in your head down on paper?"

Here's a couple of samples of what I did for Matt:

Click over to Drawniversty to see the whole "Lesson."