Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1538315
28 KEYFRAME and make an actual show?" he says. "That was Primal. That was the spark." On paper, Primal seems improbable: an animated prehistoric action/horror/fantasy buddy show about a Neanderthal and a Tyrannosaurus rex … with not one single conversation. But by this point it was clear that Tartakovsky was driven by creating his own artistic challenges. "Working with Genndy over the years, I love that he wants a different look for every project," says Scott Wills, the Art Director on Fixed who also worked with him on Samurai Jack, Primal, and Hotel Transylvania 3. "He loves art and bold design. Artistically, he's not afraid to take risks, especially if it increases the impact of the story." In the case of Primal, Tartakovsky asked himself: "Without dialogue, can the emotionality and the characters stand out more than the violence and the sexy action?" he says. "Let me see if I can get people to really care." In fact, he could. Winning both Annie and Emmy awards, Primal debuted in 2019 and is still running, evidence once again that being very opinionated—Tartakovsky's own words—pays off. While Tartakovsky has a reputation for knowing what he wants to accomplish and standing his ground to do so, he also learned from his early career experience how to express his goals without discounting the creativity around him. "I often sat in on Genndy's animation review sessions," says Wills. "It's absolutely fascinating to watch him adjust the timing or movement to improve a joke or just get more energy into a scene." Robert Alvarez, who directed on Dexter's Laboratory and worked on most of Tartakovksy's other shows including Samurai Jack, says one of Tartakovsky's rare qualities is the ability to provide candid yet respectful guidance. "He would explain to you why he changed your direction, and you would see what he wanted," says Alvarez, adding that he also organized crew lunches to bring everyone together. "He made working on any of his shows seem like you belonged to a family, Genndy's family." Tartakovsky has five Emmys, three Annies, and a Winsor McKay Award under his belt, but he's hardly ready to rest on these laurels. So, what's next? "A true action drama," he says. "A Gladiator or something like that. That's the barrier I want to break—a big theatrical, cinematic experience, but animation." Primal images courtesy of Cartoon Network Studios. Now he just needs to sell it. The people he's pitched it to so far haven't been able to figure out the audience—or as Tartakovsky says: "They can't do the math on the widgets." But if there's been one constant in his career, it's finding people who know that his unconventional vision is well worth the risk. "I'm looking for a champion who can believe in what I do," he says. Given Tartakovsky's tenacity when it comes to a challenge, and the success that has brought, no doubt that champion is right around the corner. 28 KEYFRAME Without dialogue, Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal used a dramatic art style to push storytelling and connect with viewers. F E AT U R E "WoRKiNG WiTH GeNNDY oVeR THe YeARS, i loVe THAT He WANTS A DiFFeReNT looK FoR eVeRY PRoJeCT. " –Scott Wills