Interview: John K
We get to catch up with John K...
As Encounters Film Festival rolls into Bristol we have been lucky enough to catch up with animator John Kricfalusi known to most as 'John K'. The man behind the infamous Ren & Stimpy cartoons.
What Animators/Cartoons did you find inspiring before you created Ren & Stimpy?
Most of the classic animators and directors: Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Carlo Vinci, Ed Love, Ed Benedict and especially Bob Clampett.
I also love old live action movies and TV shows. Everything retro. I am inspired by the modern age of progress – from the 1920s to the early 1960s – before the hippies ruined everything.
Haha, those damn hippies! Are there any cartoons you still find inspiring then?
Beavis and Butthead makes me laugh out loud.
Did drugs have a role in inspiring Ren & Stimpy?
Maybe flashbacks from trips 40 years ago. But I never really took to drugs well and stopped after my teens.
What outside the world of art inspires you?
Humans. I like to absorb people’s quirks and facial ticks and put them in my characters. My Dad is all over my cartoons. Nature shows are hilarious too. God is the funniest cartoonist.
Has technology affected the writing process when creating concepts?
Maybe during the outline process. I like using the “outline” mode in Microsoft Word to organize my ideas. But I still draw my storyboards with ball point pen on lined note paper.
So do you think the use of computers have helped or hindered animation and cartoons?
Both. I animate directly on the cyntiq using Toonboom. But Flash has allowed TV shows to drop their budgets to practically nothing and the result is moving paper cutouts instead of custom animation.
What are your thoughts on censorship?
I understand some censorship. If you are making kids’ cartoons you shouldn’t use curse words or do R-rated material obviously. It’s executive interfering that bothers me. Notes like: “I don’t understand this joke. Take it out.” Or when they want everything to be politically correct.
Which character represents you more? Ren or Stimpy?
Ren, I’m ashamed to say.
We read you were self taught, how important do you think it is to be professionally trained?
If they had good training somewhere I’d be all for it. I train my own crews all the time. The schools I’m familiar with don’t teach fundamentals – like good cartoon drawing, or clean up - they instead foster trendy styles.
How was it working with Frank Zappa and does ‘humour belong in music’?
It was fun. I recorded him doing the voice of the pope at his home studio. Then we watch cartoons all afternoon with his family. He is a huge influence on me. I like all kinds of emotion in music, including humor. Raymond Scott was a genius like Zappa who made brilliant jazz/Swiss melodies and arrangements in the 1930s and 1940s.
Do you plan on a return to music videos? Did you find it engaging working to music?
I do all my animation to music. I always cut the music right after I draw the storyboard. Then I animate to it and it gives everything a rhythm and fun pace, even between the jokes.
Cats or Dogs?
They both make me sneeze and swell up, but I am currently feeding a bunch of stray kittens in my backyard and racoons and squirrels too. And a couple Possums.
I like all animals and even save bees from drowing in the pool.
What a hero! Thank you for letting us catch up with you John. You can catch John K in Bristol this week (16 - 20 November) as part of the Bristol Encounters Film Festival.
For further information on the Encounters Film Festival head here - Encounters Film Festival
Also check out John K's blog here - John K Stuff
I like all animals and even save bees from drowing in the pool.Animators/Cartoons did you find inspiring before you created Ren & Stimpy?
Most of the classic animators and directors: Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Carlo Vinci, Ed Love,
Ed Benedict and especially Bob Clampett.
I also love old live action movies and TV shows. Everything retro. I am inspired by the
modern age of progress – from the 1920s to the early 1960s – before the hippies ruined
everything.
Are there any cartoons you still find inspiring?
Beavis and Butthead makes me laugh out loud.
Did drugs have a role in inspiring Ren & Stimpy?
Maybe flashbacks from trips 40 years ago. But I never really took to drugs well and stopped
after my teens.
What outside the world of Art inspires you?
Humans. I like to absorb people’s quirks and facial ticks and put them in my characters. My
Dad is all over my cartoons. Nature shows are hilarious too. God is the funniest cartoonist.
Has technology affected the writing process when creating concepts?
Maybe during the outline process. I like using the “outline” mode in Microsoft Word to
organize my ideas. But I still draw my storyboards with ball point pen on lined note paper.
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2010/12/slabs-first-fist-all-in-one-ez-to-read.html
Do you think the use of computers have helped or hindered animation and cartoons?
Both. I animate directly on the cyntiq using Toonboom. But Flash has allowed TV shows to
drop their budgets to practically nothing and the result is moving paper cutouts instead of
custom animation.
What are your thoughts on censorship?
I understand some censorship. If you are making kids’ cartoons you shouldn’t use curse
words or do r rated material obviously. It’s executive interfering that bothers me. Notes
like: “I don’t understand this joke. Take it out.” Or when they want everything to be politically
correct.
Which character represents you more? Ren or Stimpy?
Ren, I’m ashamed to say.
We read you were self taught, how important do you think it is to be professionally trained?
If they had good training somewhere I’d be all for it. I train my own crews all the time. The
schools I’m familiar with don’t teach fundamentals – like good cartoon drawing, or clean up.
They instead foster trendy styles.
How was it working with Frank Zappa and does ‘humour belong in music’?
It was fun. I recorded him doing the voice of the pope at his home studio. Then we watc
cartoons all afternoon with his family. He is a huge influence on me. I like all kinds of
emotion in music, including humor. Raymond Scott was a genius like Zappa who made
brilliant jazz/Swiss melodies and arrangements in the 1930s and 1940s.
Do you plan on a return to Music Videos? Did you find it engaging working to music?
I do all my animation to music. I always cut the music right after I draw the storyboard. Then
I animate to it and it gives everything a rhythm and fun pace, even between the jokes.
Cats or Dogs?
They both make me sneeze and swell up, but I am currently feeding a bunch of stray kittens
in my backyard and racoons and squirrels too. And a couple Possums.
I like all animals and even save bees from drowing in the pool.
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