Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1493292
14 KEYFRAME O N T H E J O B BILL MOTZ AND BOB ROTH THE GHOST AND MOLLY MCGEE Bill Motz and Bob Roth began their writing career in 1991 on Darkwing Duck and have worked together ever since. With producing credits that include LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures and The Ghost and Molly McGee, they have worked on more than 20 animated series and 12 movies. They have an Emmy for writing on Penguins of Madagascar. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR JOB? Our job is to look at every last detail on the production, while also keeping an eye on the big picture, both artistically and practically. We evaluate everything by asking, "Does this fit creatively within the show we're trying to make? " Presuming the answer is "yes," the next question is, "Can we afford it? " It's a constant balancing act. WHAT DOES YOUR WORK DAY LOOK LIKE? One of the best aspects of this job is there is no typical day. Some days we start by recording the actors, then meet with the writers to go over upcoming stories, followed by an art review and animatic screening. The next day might start with a music spot session, followed by retakes and a meeting with our vendor studio. Production is a thrilling whirlwind. WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES OF SHOWRUNNING AS A TEAM? Like any relationship, early on we had to learn to communicate with each other. But we've been working together so long, we now know what the other guy is going to say before he even says it. There's a deep trust between us that we've earned over the years. WHAT ARE THE BEST PARTS OF SHOWRUNNING AS A TEAM? We balance each other nicely. When one of us is convinced we've messed everything up, the other guy is usually seeing the silver linings and solid, practical solutions. It's so helpful to have that constant second opinion to keep you from catastrophizing. [In addition], creatively, we feed on each other's ideas, melding them until we can't remember who contributed what. When a project starts to boil, brainstorming together is a ton of fun. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ASPIRING SHOWRUNNERS? It's important to have a vision, but also remember TV animation is a collaborative artform, so be open to your team's ideas and inspirations. Invite and encourage them to contribute their own flourishes and expertise, and your show [will wind] up being more amazing than you ever could have imagined on your own. RUNNING THE SHOW SHOWRUNNERS DRIVE THEIR SERIES' VISION AND ENSURE EVERY PART OF THE SHOW COLLABORATES SEAMLESSLY. HERE, FOUR TAG SHOWRUNNERS SHARE TYPICAL WORKDAYS, ON-THE-JOB CHALLENGES, AND WORDS OF ADVICE.