Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1475854
The Simpsons ™ & © 20th Television WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES THE SIMPSONS UNIQUE? Our amazingly long run would obviously be my first answer! I think one of the things that really makes us unique is the way that the show has evolved over the decades. From the original shorts to the series to the feature, it has continually grown and changed. However, if you look at it, its core has stayed constant. It's about a family of five who love each other, living in a town of generally well-meaning, good-natured, goofy people. Our characters often do things that are wrong, but it's never from a mean-spirited place. We're a show with a really big heart, which I think makes The Simpsons unique. We're also one of the few shows that still does not only [do] storyboards but key animation and back- grounds, as well, for all of the scenes in every episode. This allows us to get a depth of performance from our characters, while also letting us do some elaborate physical comedy not typically found in television ani- mation. From my standpoint as a director/animator, that really sets us apart. We're still doing the show the way we did it back in 1989! (Well, with the addition of a lot more technology these days.) WHAT WAS THE BEST PART ABOUT WORKING ON THE NOMINATED EPISODE, AND WHY DO YOU THINK IT RESONATED WITH VIEWERS? I think it's an episode that really resonates with people because it shows us a different side of the Marge and Homer we know. They are this amazing team together, beyond just being the "mom and dad" we're used to seeing. We set them up initially in a ridiculously lazy rut, parked on the couch, binging TV and eating junk food (which I think a lot of couples can relate to these past few years). Shortly after that, we drop them straight into this crazy life and death survival adventure, lost deep in the woods. It's full of great comedy moments as they try to survive, particularly when they lose all of their clothing in a fire thanks to Homer (which was a hilarious challenge to animate in a way that worked for television). But then there are also wonderful dramatic moments between them that feel really authentic: breaking down missing the kids, trying to protect each other from the wolverine attack, walking out of the woods together and encountering beautiful vistas in nature. One of my favorite parts of the episode are the closing scenes. There's a point early on when we see Marge and Homer on the couch and he's feeding her chips as she cuts his hair while they both stare lazily at a reality TV show. The episode ends with a great callback to that, Marge again sitting with Homer as he feeds her chips, this time smiling and silently watching their new "favorite show," which is the sun setting after everything they've endured. It really ties up the story with a nice little bow. WHAT ANIMATED SHOWS INSPIRED YOUR CAREER? The classic Warner Bros.' Looney Tunes would have to be up there as one of my biggest inspirations. The incredible timing and animation are second to none. Everything from the designs to the animation to the backgrounds is just amazing. You can take almost any still from them, and they'd look great framed on your wall. Whenever we get to animate broad physical comedy on The Simpsons (generally involving Homer), I think about those classic shorts. It's some of the best comedy ever produced. When in doubt, what would Chuck Jones or Tex Avery do? WHAT DO YOU THINK THE SIMPSONS' LEGACY WILL BE? When it started, primetime television animation was almost unheard of. The show paved the way for so many other great series that came after it. It changed the way a lot of people looked at animation. It also has launched a lot of amazing careers. If you look around the animation industry, so many people who got their start on The Simpsons have gone on to work in key positions all over the business. Aside from being a great show in and of itself, it's been a training ground for many talented people in anima- tion, and it continues to be that to this day. We have crew starting up all the time who literally weren't even born when The Simpsons premiered, and they are so excited to join the team and be a part of creating Springfield. CHRIS CLEMENTS DIRECTOR The Simpsons "Pixelated and Afraid" 20th Television Animation 28 KEYFRAME F E AT U R E