Studying Animation with the 2-D Podcast

Rohan: Yeah, I’ll just, I’ll finish my thoughts by saying that sound is very important to like to the overall, you know, finished, finished product of it, you know, it really determines the mood and determines like, you know, what the audience feels at a given time. That’s why I didn’t do it. I actually, I actually gave my my uncle is both a musician and a sound engineer. So when I was talking to him about this project and asked him if he can do the sound, he was up for it

[Music]

Zeke:  I’d like to welcome everyone to another episode of the Let’s Gather Podcast. I’m your host Zeke. In this episode, I have the host of the 2-D Podcast to speak about podcasting, and studying animation. You can find the 2-D Podcast on all major podcasting platforms, including YouTube, or by clicking the link in the description below. I like to give a content warning for any strong language used in this episode. I hope you have a nice day and enjoy the show.

Zeke:  Stop recording. And cool. So I thank you guys for joining the podcasts again.

Rohan: Hi how’s it going? My name is Ronan.

Dave:  Yeah. My name is Dave, thanks for inviting us on

Zeke: No problem, and today I have the guest the 2-D Podcast. And the first question I would like to ask is, would you guys origin stories be and how would you like to represent it?

Dave:  I don’t know. Do you want to go first Rohan?

Rohan: Um, well, I’ll just start off by saying a little bit more about us. We are the 2-D Podcast, we have our own podcast we do on the side along with going to school for animation, we talk to other people who are least interested in animation, or like even like in like the general, even like the general realm of, of, of like fine arts or whatever, like fine arts can be. We try that we try to invite a lot of people in like business people, whatnot. But um, I’m gonna let Dave go first, because I’m like that.

Dave:  Alright. Well, I guess for my origin story, um, I mean, I, I guess how I got into animation and cartoons is that it was almost kind of selfish, because it was a way to get popular in grade school. Like, I remember copying and printing my own comics. And just, I mean, there were like, there were terrible comics, and you couldn’t even like read them, because the handwriting was so bad. But it you know, like, when you copy, make like 30 or 40 copies and hand them out, you become like popular. So then I found that I kind of I really did like doing comics. And that led to animation. And, and then I really decided that I wanted to do this for a job. So then I, I applied to a bunch of art schools, and I got into Pratt, which was awesome. And I went to Pratt, and then I met Ronan there, and I met a bunch of other people. And yeah, that’s my origin story. To be continued.

Rohan: Yeah, exactly. Like, like the end of an anime episode. By the end of a full game on episode is epic. Um, I feel like my, I guess you can say, origin story is pretty similar. I started off Well, not really being that even interested in drawing, but I was almost coerced into it from my parents, because both of my parents like, you know, had it was a work great as themselves, like musicians, but, um, they helped nurture my interest in drawing and just like in and just, you know, also painting as well. But, um, I was also, you know, conscious that, you know, like, you know, being like, being like that, you know, there isn’t that many what you call, there’s not that many, like, a, you know, workforce options when it comes to those skills. At least, that’s what I was under the impression Oh, but, um, when I got interested in automation, through, you know, just watching like cartoons, and I was lucky enough to, you know, live through I think, like, kind of like a, like a, almost like a renaissance of like a cartoon network shows, there was like, there was, um, there was Adventure Time, there was regular show, there was, you know, at least one or two other cartoons that I can’t really remember. But it was just like a surge of like, you know, people being interested in like, are these these networks being interested in like, what kind of creativity these like, you know, these people had, and I was, I was under the impression that, like, these whole shows were just done by one person. So I wasn’t entirely clear, because there was just like this one name. I wasn’t listening to the end credits. They’re just like this one name, where it’s like, created by a pen, pen, pen, more Ward or created by jg quintel. And it’s like, they did all of that. So it began with a fascination of trying to like find out what the animation industry is like. And from there, I just like, you know, nurtured You know, my own like, you know, my own interest in drawing and, and eventually, I knew that I wanted to get into you know, schoolfriend animation. I applied to a lot of schools like David did, I eventually ended up here because you know, of a number of factors also like it, being in New York, Kratos in New York and Brooklyn. It just kind of made more sense to stay here. And also they gave a lot more money in scholarships. So that was another place.

Dave:  Yeah, that was that was why I came by a big reason of why I came to Pratt to because of the the scholarships.

Rohan: Yeah, they’re very they’re very good on scholarships. Yeah. Nice nice and then get this as you guys are in the main as you guys know, use animations as your vehicle for your origin story? Yeah, yes. Yeah. I mean, like, I I want to say that I tried to be interested, I’m trying to like put myself in other fields as well. Like before I was even into art, like my parents also tried to get me into music. And I think that like it does. I mean, like, I think that like, generally speaking, because I had like, such a creative upbringing, I’d still like, you know, I’m a very creative person. I like, for a moment before this whole pandemic started, I try like, organized like music shows, and even like little what you call like pop ups, that’s what you call it, like, where you like, have people present there are even, like, sell little knickknacks that they have, I tried organizing those. So I guess it’s like, a kind of, like, trying like immersing myself in other disciplines. Even like, even trying to get into like the business of art. Because that’s like, what me and Dave do sometimes on our podcast, we talk about it. Um, but yeah, I think that like, just generally speaking, you know, it’s like, it provides such a like, you know, such a, you know, a wealth of like expression that and, and just happiness that most other professions don’t really provide.

Dave:  Yeah, and actually, I remember seeing, like, these signs all over prat, like, all over the tables in the cafeteria. You know, it was I forget exactly what they’re called, like, DIY, or whatever. That was, yeah, I know. I know, it was you. But I saw them all the time. And I saw like, different signs like, Whoa, what the hell is this? But then I knew you but I didn’t know you were doing it. So I was like, holy crap. That’s pretty cool. I actually, um, this I want us like, second run and on the, the music thing, because, um, you know, just for fun these past month. I know, like, like, Ezekiel and us recorded an episode a few months ago, but then it got lost, though. During that time, just for fun. I would like sit in the basement in my basement, at like, 3am and just record like stupid songs. And there was so dumb, but um, anyway, they were fun.

Rohan: Okay, um, I was funny. I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t have guessed you’ve done. We’re doing that three o’clock in the morning in your basement.

Dave:  I was I was working on a lot of stuff. So I was just like, I did them in the stupid voice. I did them in this like, character named Gorbachev’s voice needs like Tommy told me about garbage. Yeah, I know. And that but it’s like I showed it to my dad. And my like, I made a whole album in one night and I showed it to my dad and he hates that character. And like, every time he would like, start the song and five seconds in as soon as Gorbachev started talking, he would just turn it off.

Rohan: Oh, so like, this is music for the animation.

Dave:  No, this was just something I did for fun. So I don’t care. I mean, as I’m not like a great singers. I don’t even care.

Rohan: That’s totally legit, though. It’s It’s better than I don’t know. doing other things, I guess.

Dave:  Yeah. Anyway, sorry. I feel like we’re kind of getting off track. So sorry.

Rohan: Yeah, this is this is your podcast. We forget this isn’t this isn’t our podcast. This is your podcast and video. All right. So with that, I want to go back please say about like you said like I saw like cartoons I read some time. Essentially like a four year difference between us. The age? Yeah. That our own costumes are we say like plastics are different. Just because their own atomic is going up because I’m more of like a late 90s early 2000s because I was I was going out forming and they’re like just laboratory. And like do a manual stuff like that was like well, this is like a classic cartoon. And guess those like for the time? Like going up the time you’re going to stand? Yeah, so that goes okay, say better, but it is it is a different to like 2010 Yeah, for real cartoons. And it was 2000 cartoons. Yeah. I don’t know what Dave’s experience or least Dave’s perception of that difference is but from what I The reason why I was like really into it is because looking back on it, I think this is more of like a subconscious thing than me actually consciously thinking this way. But I also like when I was really young, like I do remember like watching those cartoons, maybe not like actual like, airing of it, but more like reruns, you know, whatever, whatever it was, it was just like that was mostly mostly what was in you know, the cartoon market I guess you can say, but, you know, by the time like Adventure Time came around, and I cite this as like my like biggest inspiration for cartoons like this day. It was it was like it felt like such like a stark you know, Stark juxtaposition that to everything that came before it, because I feel like what I was mentioning before about, like how networks were starting to, like, invest more and like, you know, these very creative people and they’re very, very out of their ideas, like really, like, you know, really putting a limb out there in the open and paid off and the end because it just felt like, it felt like, you know, something so different, something so new and something so like, you know, full of life, it was very different. And even looking back on it, it’s like, you know, some of the things that they did were like, you know, a little bit out there a little bit too, out there even, um, but like, I think like, it was just like, you know, encouraging for me, because it encouraged me to be like, okay, you know, every because everything that came before it was also like, you know, it is a little bit cookie cutter, like, I mean, all due respect, you know, it follows a certain kind of formula, a certain kind of, like, of like, you know, expectation of like how cartoons should look like, you know, really, like, you know, how can I say this, like when you said like, Dexter’s Laboratory, it’s like, even that, like cartoon it, like it adopted from the looks of like, you know, of 1960s cartoons. And then like, you know, it just had, like, it had and also had, like, a very, you know, predictable story structure, you know, but then, like, Adventure Time, like, brought something completely new, like both like, story wise, style wise, and just like, you know, and it just, like, had so many quirks in it that like, inspired me to, like, you know, you know, dig into myself and find out okay, you know, what, what kind of like, you know, what, what, what kind of like, what’s my cartoon? Like, what is my cartoon look like? So that’s what that’s really what? inspired that’s really why I consider like Adventure Time, like one of my biggest inspirations.

Dave:  Yeah, I, I guess what inspired me the most is, I remember when I was really little I liked why like Billy and Mandy, and and those shows, but my favorite things to watch were the like, the really, really old cartoons from the 40s, or even 30s, like, Tom and Jerry are Looney Tunes. And, you know, like, they would never show it’s like, the, the Cartoon Network. It was like a, like a gem to me when they would show the Looney Tunes from like the 1950s or 60s, which I wasn’t like a big fan of, but when I would see one from like the 30s, or the 40s, I’d be like, Oh, yes, great. And I would, you know, watch it a lot. And then I got into watching those really, really old cartoons, and especially the ones from the early 30s, where it was like, there was no story at all. And they were just doing like really weird stuff. I was I was actually really, when I probably when I was like 12 or 13. I got into cartoons from this studio called the Van Buren studio, which is like a really it was a pretty low budgets cartoon studio in New York in the early 30s. And the animation they did was so weird. They, they got sued by Disney because I don’t know if you noticed, but in the early 30s, every cartoon studio was trying to copy Disney. And they did it like, kind of stealthily like they had Mickey and Minnie as a fox or a peg like a you know, whatever. But Van Buren, they just made their own Mickey and Minnie Mouse cartoons. Like they just drew Mickey and Minnie Mouse and have them in their own cartoons. And so they got sued by Disney, but I love watching those cartoons because they’re so funny. And they’re so kind of like, they’re just really weird. They’re poorly animated. And, um, there’s a lot of just really weird gags in there and, and a lot of times they reuse animation from other cartoons. So a lot of it doesn’t even make sense. Like the motion doesn’t make sense. And I just thought that that was like crazy. And of course, like I you can’t like be too inspired by that because it’s not like nobody likes them. But um, that was one of my big inspirations I guess. And then also probably like Tom and Jerry and like run and Adventure Time and regular show were really really funny. I remember like, hearing ads for them when I was little and, and waiting Adventure Time. I think I waited like a few months and before the first episode came out on a regular show, it was like an ad came on for it in like 2010 or whatever. And I was like, Oh, I can’t wait to see this like thinking that was going to come out in a few weeks. And I waited like this show seems so regular. I can’t wait Yeah, no bye wait it like I was waiting I waited like a whole year or like a year and a half until the for because it came out in 2011. And another show that I love that only aired for 11 episodes was Secret Mountain Fort Awesome, which I also I believe also came out in 2011.

Rohan: That’s a very specific taste. That is a very specific taste.

Dave:  I was like I was probably the only person that liked it. It was I loved it. It was so funny. And that was what spawned Uncle Grandpa but Secret Mountain Fort Awesome was really funny. It got it got canceled after 11 episodes, but

Rohan: You don’t say I what were they thinking?

Dave:  Well, yeah, well, yeah, it was probably because the one character was like, made out of butts. And his name was the fart and like, farts would come out of every part of his body. And then, and then there was a commercial that was like, if you would like a million dollars fart out of your eyes right now. And it was just like, is like crazy. Oh, no. And everyone was like, everyone was obese. And they had there was one where like, someone’s nipples were doing something and I was crazy.

Rohan: This is uh, this. Like, what is this? Like a why, like, seven show? or something?

Dave:  Yeah, it was TV-Y7

Rohan: Oh my god.

Dave:  Yeah. Anyway, that’s that’s basically some of my inspirations.

Rohan: You’re hired?

Zeke: Yeah. It’s funny to think about like, cartoons and how even though they put children they can still have like an adult meaning Yeah, or like nope, these behind them of visually watching on wife class. The on terror, Courage, The Cowardly Dog now has like a lot of their own thinkers are like afraid of, if you like, once you get more strength from like, the use of thinking like, Oh, this is like a metaphor for like things that happen either like traumatic things happen to people with children, or things that you can see like, Oh, they were just saying this in a different way. Yeah.

Rohan: Well, yeah, sorry. We were you are, you’re saying,

Dave:  I was just gonna say real quick that. Um, my dad actually will not watch Courage the Cowardly Dog because there was an episode. I don’t know which one it was. But he always says like, you know, when I was little, I watched Courage the Cowardly Dog. And I was like, Dad, you want to watch it? And he’s like, No, no, and, and I was like, okay, whatever. And every time he’d walk in, he’d be like, turn it like, turn it off. I don’t I just don’t want that. You can watch it. But I don’t want that on when I’m in the room. And so recently, probably a few months ago, I asked him like, why don’t you like Courage the Cowardly Dog. And then he was he was really serious. And he was like, well, there was like, there was an episode that came on and it just disturbed me. It was disturbing, and I don’t want

Rohan: Wow, if it can disturb grandpa it can disturb anyone.

Dave:  No it was my dad. So? Nah, he’s like, 53.

Rohan: Okay. Um, yeah, I want to touch upon what was said about like, I don’t know, I think Ezekiel mentioned like about an adult audience, I think that a number of a number of cartoon shows that at least had, you know, originally like, a, like, supposed to be like, have, like a young audience base is actually ended up being like, you know, fairly, you know, older, I think I’m pretty sure that that is just an effect of like, of like, you know, kids growing up and like, you know, consuming a lot of this popular media and just like having like this almost like, you know, this greater than normal affection for cartoons, I think there’s like trying to relive, like, a really like childlike experience, which, unfortunately, for some people is like, one of the one of them, like, you know, the better experiences that they’ve had in their lives, which, admittedly, is tragic, but it’s like, I mean, like, I don’t know, grew up, but, um, I think I think that the best kind of cartoons are really like cartoons that are meant both for like, you know, the children and the adults of the family, like, you know, kind of a cartoon that can, like, you know, be like a really good show, just to watch together. So it’s like, you have like, a difficult thing to deal with where it’s like, it can be just so like, so crude. And so, like, so crazy that it can like that it can like, you know, trigger a kid’s curiosity like so much but can also like just disturbed the parents so much and like, I never seen anything like this before, what is this? But then you can also have like, something that like, you know, something that like is like appeals to like the child, a children’s mentality so much and it’s just so childish, that no parent could even like you know, start to get into it. So like,

Dave:  No I was just gonna say I think that like, a lot of that a lot of the cartoons that appeal to adults and and children are, like, if you watch shows like, I don’t know, SpongeBob or Courage the Cowardly Dog or or Adventure Time or Regular Show, I feel like those are cartoons that the the artists are making. They’re not, they’re just making to make something funny. And they’re trying to make each other laugh or whatever, but they’re doing it within the boundaries of, you know, you can’t do this. Because it’s inappropriate, like, like, they’ll try to get away with stuff. And then the, the executives or whoever will be like, you can’t do this, you can’t do that. So I feel like they’re those kinds of cartoons that everyone can enjoy are really cartoons that are made for, that the artists are making for themselves or to make themselves laugh, whereas really kid shows like, I don’t know, if you’ve ever heard of chi foo or, you know, a preschool show. I think they’re more. Yeah. They’re kind of like designed to, you know, talk to kids, like very young kids. But anyway, I’m sorry for interrupting.

Rohan: Yeah. Oh, I think that’s actually a good point. That’s kind of what I was trying to get on. And yeah, I think that’s, that’s good. Um, yeah, you know, Ezekiel I don’t know, if you are planning on asking anything after this, like, related, but I want to, I want to try asking you, if you were like to pitch animated show, like, what would it be about? Like, well, and also like, if, if you had the chance to actually make the reality like, what kind of audience would you you know, directed towards would you directed towards like a younger audience base or like, you know, like a teen audience base or like a much older audience base like, you know, what, what’s your What are your thoughts?

Zeke: Oh, me, as mostly something that’s like, action was like, fantasy, like, it’s not like everyday life. Because I’m sure like, a lot of people like some people watch like, and it shows about people in high school, because it’s like a is like a representation of what they can come to look to the future or like, what they’re going to buy now. And we’ll see how other people situation for me, I’m more of a person who wants to like, escape and watch something spectacular. Something in that pain, I would say like a teeny range. Because it’s more like in the middle between children adult where children can but they all kind of watch something that’s older. And they feel like they’re doing something that’s older, or, like adults can say, okay, they coin back, like you said before, like, like they said before they going back to their childhood and watching something that reminds them of their youth.

Dave:  Yeah, me. Oh, sorry. Go ahead.

Rohan: So they’re gonna visit this part, if that makes more sense.

Dave: Yeah. I think that, you know, I was always attracted to shows that were more, I guess, fantasy. I mean, not really like. I don’t know, like, I never watched Ben 10 or Teen Titans or anything. I’m not talking about Teen Titans Go. I’m talking about like the older one. I never really watched those. But I was into shows that were more like, more. They weren’t like, I wasn’t really into the kind of sitcoms where kids would just be in high school or whatever. Because it seemed to me a little bit boring. But I liked shows like, that’s why I like Secret Mountain Fort Awesome. Because it was just fun. It was like, it was just so much fun. It was like the guys made out of buds like, you know, and I liked shows like that. And I guess SpongeBob is kind of fantasy sort of. But anyway.

Rohan: Yeah, it’s about a sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea. With a squirrel that lives under the sea as well like in a layer tube. So yeah, it’s pretty fantastical.

Dave: Yeah. It would be more of a fantasy if she like didn’t have an air helmet, but whatever.

Rohan: If she had wings should have been a flying squirrel.

Dave:  Yeah, that’d be, Yeah, but I don’t know.

Zeke: With that on mind. So with you guys making, um animations, everything will kind of thought processes you guys um have when story boarding and creating ideas?

Rohan: Yeah, um, I went, well, I’ll say this when it comes to like student projects. I think that well, what me what my professor and I hope like David’s professor, as well says is that this is the opportunity to really like, express yourself personally through your work because you know Depending on your trajectory, you might, we might not get the chance to really do it again. Um, so, when I storyboard My, my, you know, whatever story that comes in my minds, you know, there’s like, a lot of there’s a mix, there’s a mixed, you know, is it mixed feelings of, like, you know, trying to be very, very passionate about it, knowing that, like, you know, this is a very sacred chance. Also, like being very, you know, just generally serious about it, it’s like, Okay, how can I make this story as effective as possible, and just generally, like, creativity, that is just it just like, vibing you know, I can put on some cool tunes in the background, you know, and just, you know, get get funky with it. It’s, it’s a very, it’s a very good experience. I feel like that I just, like, you know, that works well with me. Um, and yeah, I like, when it comes to the stories itself. I try to, like, you know, if you do something I’m, like, lingering on for a long time. Like, the stories I try to work out. And sometimes, you know, I think it can affect, like, the tone of the story itself, because it’s like, you know, can be really silly, really funny, or it can be very serious depends, or somewhere in the middle. But yeah, those that’s that’s how I approached like, you know, at least the beginning phases of animation. That’s what that’s what storyboarding is.

Dave:  Yeah, I, I basically do the same thing. Except for the way the, like, how I come up with a story is, I don’t know it feels weird, because sometimes I work on it forever. And it’s not even good. Like I’ve worked on like, I work on a story. And then I realize like, it’s not good. But then other times, like from the the final project I did, just now for animation one. I was really happy with the story. It was just like fighting over a pizza. And then like, yeah, it’s like a chain of events happen to the point where someone got killed. And it was like death by pizza. And

Rohan: It was a very comical death, though. Like, you know, it was a kind of death where, like, you know, the character can appear in the next episode, and they wouldn’t make a difference.

Dave:  Yeah, yeah. And, but like that story, I, you know, like I did, I remember, I had to have a storyboard by that day, it was like the class started at 9:30 um, I think, Wednesday. And I remember waking up and being like, Oh, my gosh, I don’t have a story. And then just like doing a real quick, like, maybe one or two page storyboard. And then, like, I didn’t make any changes. And I was like, and I’m like, like it. Like, why can I do that all the time? But I don’t know. I guess that like, but yeah, I just I do a storyboard. And then I do. I’ll do like an animatic. I know run and does animatics to where it’s basically just the storyboard set to the sound and the dialogue, the animation, and then the music is also really important.

Rohan: Yeah. Very important. Yeah. Yeah. Um, do you want to know like more about the the because we actually like, you know, actually finished a film like for the first time for our classes you want to know more about like our experience with the the animation process?

Zeke: Yeah, into that.

Rohan: Yeah. Um, yeah, I I I’ll know that I think that there was kind of a difference between me and Dave’s because Dave’s was more like yeah, I mean, I’m not exactly clear on what all of it but like I think it was a lot more practical. I feel like Yeah, I remember you said that. It’s like, you hand draw the animation first, scan it in and then digitally retrace it is that right?

Dave:  Well, no, I actually, I hand draw it and then I do the cleanup also on paper, so I’ll just like I’ll clean up I’ll trace it with I think most of it I traced with a pen not like a ballpoint pen but like a felt pen. And then I scanned it in and then I colored it digitally.

Rohan: Okay, I see. Yeah, that’s way to work it Yeah, I just Well, I don’t mean to brag at all, but I was lucky enough to work up some money over the over you know, over the semester and actually buy myself a tablet a Cintiq tablet, so that way it was much easier for me to draw everything digitally. I’m looking over things in my mind I would have done excuse me I would have done things differently the next time around. But what I did is that I you know whipped up an animatic I rushed everything in Toon Boom, the way I the way I like I organized the shots I was like it was it’s technically like one long shot with like a an insert shot at the end. So like I like I had to like rough everything I had to outline everything and then I had to I had to color everything which which took up more time. Then I thought it was honestly. And then it was, it was so bad I like I had, um, I had done all that the day before it was due. And then I had to. And then I had to still like, do everything, like all the backgrounds and all like, and also another character I forgot to put into it. So I really don’t like being rushed. But you know, then again, it just it just part of the hustle. So I feel like I was very lucky to be as flexible as I was with the programs I was working with were like, you know, I could still like wrap everything together in a neat bow and not like, you know, and not, you know, be embarrassed about it.

Dave:  That’s cool. Yeah, I, I guess with my animation. Some of it I did real quickly, like some of the animation when it got down to the wire, because I remember, like, I was working on another animation that was like, that was just for myself. And I was supposed to be working on the final. So I kind of just did little bits and pieces of it and emailed it to my professor to kind of like, throw him off the trail. And he’s like, Oh, that’s really like I would finish. I finished like, I bought like, six seconds of it. And like five of the six seconds were just camera movements. And like, you know, so it was, you know, and he but I did I did the backgrounds and watercolor like I painted it by hand and scanned it in. And so look nice. And he’s a goal looks really nice. And like, yeah, and he’s like, you have more that’s done. I’m like, Yeah, I do, but I just need to put the finishing touches on it. So I didn’t have anything done. And then it got to a point where

Rohan: I would just say you’re kind of like, it sounds like you’re like faking it until you make it.

Dave:  Yeah. Well, I got Yeah, I got to the point where it was like, I finished the project that I was working on independently. And then I realized that I had like two weeks to finish this. So I did like, I remember doing a few, like the really complex scenes I did. I there were like three really complex scenes. And I did two of them, or maybe just one and a half, you know, carefully two weeks before it was due. And then I had one complex scene and a bunch of little non complex scenes to do. And I had like a weekend to do it. So I just spent the entire weekend working on it. And then the sound was that was like pretty complicated. But all throughout the two weeks, I was kind of just looking around for free sounds and I got a good library of them. So then after I was finished, I was able to just you know, pluck some good sounds out of there and put them in the cartoon, but a lot of it some like a lot of the animation the complex parts I penciled it I did like a layout of rough the major poses first and then I did it like the usual way where you do the keyframes you you do the in betweens, and then you ink it and color it. But then for some really quick scenes, I just took the felt tip pen and just drew, like, drew it directly. You know, I didn’t even do any penciling or anything. So anyway, that’s the story, the adventurous story of the making of death by pizza.

Rohan: Yeah. Yeah. something great. That’s a great title. Um, yeah, I, I’ll just, I’ll finish my thoughts by saying that sound is very important to like to the overall, you know, finished, finished product of it, you know, it really determines the mood and determines, like, you know, what the audience feels at a given time. That’s why I didn’t do it. I actually, I actually gave my my uncle is both a musician and a sound engineer. So when I was talking to him about this project, and asked him if he can do the sound, he was up for it, which is great. And he composed this little thing together, where it’s like, you know, it’s this nice, like, little, like dream pop part at like the beginning of it. But as things started to get more suspenseful, it becomes like more, more grungy and more like, you know, more frantic and then it like, it’s very, like, it’s a very good composition that he put together and I was very happy to work on it with him together. Um, and the actual animation itself, it’s like, you know, when it comes down to the wire, it’s all like, you know, it’s all just putting metal, putting the pedal to the metal and just like, you know, really applying yourself and applying everything that you have learned by animation, you know, to the to, you know, to the tee.

Dave:  Yeah, what I like about animation Doing animated films is that, like, I did, I guess Ronan did one too, I did a final for my video editing class. And it was like, it was a live action film. And I had fun doing it. It was like, seven minutes long, it was really fun. But it was, you know, it was like constant going, not going places, but you know, having to get people to film and like having to like orchestrate all this stuff. And of course, when you’re editing, you have to be like focusing on the editing. But with animation, it’s really nice to just like, write the story, get the sound effects and whatever. And, you know, like, you really have to focus when you do the rough animation. But then, when it’s all said and done, and all that’s left is to just trace over it and color it in me, you can be listening to something while you’re doing it, you know, you can be maybe have maybe have a show on in the background or something. So it’s nice to kind of like

Rohan: Forget how painful it is.

Dave:  Yeah, I mean, it’s fun. It’s like it’s hard to sit down and and color in like 100 different drawings, but it’s easier when you know, you have like a podcast you really like to listen to

Rohan: 2-D Podcast. All right. Let’s Gather Podcast. It doesn’t matter.

Dave:  Yeah. Like the Let’s Gather Podcast. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway, that’s my that’s my harrowing tale of the creation story.

Rohan: The Genesis animations.

Zeke: Then stepping back, for me animating is very hard because it is very tedious. Doing frame by frame.

Rohan: Yeah.

Zeke: And then having to like, keep continuity, how can you guys deal with that?

Rohan: Um, so I think that a lot of animators, you know, if they’re not blessed with a good paint a good temper, and a good patience, then they’re really gonna have to, like, you know, struggle through that. I’m lucky enough to actually, like, have done animated films in the past and like, kind of build up that tolerance towards like, you know, the much more menial side of animation. And, of course, Dave has to he did, he’s done his fair share of short films. And, you know, I’ll just say like, regardless of your, you know, well, I, I don’t mean to exclude some people, but like, I do think that like, you know, good drawing chops does matter. Because, like, you know, it can really help with overall drafting process. Like, you know, if you don’t know how to properly draw a hand, for example, you know, you’re gonna have some trouble, but you’re and like, you know, it just helps him like, not only like, you know, for the keyframes also the in betweens, and that’s not to say that you can take some shortcuts, you know, you know, to help out that whole overall process, you know, help if you’re not like the best draftsman. But, um, I think that like, you know, just like, having a good drawing practice, and having a good like, you know, creative outlet practice outside of animation also helps because it just builds up tolerance, you know, it’s the same reason why, like, you know, why, like, you know, boxers also like to buy it, why boxers take up running, you know, it’s because it’s the build up cardio and like, and just like, you know, get better at, you know, that their sport. So, I would suggest that as well like keeping a sketchbook. And like, just just remember, like, every time that you just you go to the drawing board or drawing, you know, tablet, however, whatever which way you work, that, you know, you need, it’s like, it’s a problem solving thing. It’s not like, it’s not meant to be easy. There are like many problems that we’ll won’t face, much like, you know, a mathematician, or, like, you know, I don’t know, like a stock broker in like the stock market would face they need to, like, use the skills that they have used the knowledge that they have of their, of their medium, and work around the best way that they can. And whether they work around it, the better that they eventually get at facing future problems.

Dave:  Yeah, that’s, I think that’s really good advice. I would say that, um, I think by like, by its nature, its animating anything is really, really tedious. But it’s kind of something where I find myself like I can sympathize with the Ezekiel because I find myself sometimes really, really not wanting to sit down and animate something. But I feel like if you just, um, you know, you kind of have to get in the zone. But once you’re in the zone, it’s really I mean, it’s not easy, but it’s it’s fun and you can have fun doing it and I you know, I think if you if you if you can’t deal with a lot of tediousness, then Maybe you want to go into like voice acting or something. Because animation is really like any kind of animation 3d animation 2d. Like we talked to Mustafa, our classmate Mustafa who’s in 3d and that sounds 3d sounds tedious.

Rohan: Yeah, you think duty is bad, just like you know.

Dave:  And even even a live action, when you edit something, it’s, it can get tedious with all the different things you have to edit. But, you know, I like if you really want to do it, then it’s, it’s just not a problem because you just you love it. And it’s really fun. And I remember, when I was younger, maybe like 14 or 15, I would make these films where I didn’t know how to use software. So oh my gosh, it was so tedious, I would draw the animation on paper, and then trace over it in ink, and color it with markers, each drawing and then cut each drawing out with an exacto knife, and like, photograph it over a background and I would be in the basement for hours and hours and hours and hours and my knees would like hurt like hell and because I’d be kneeling down to take the photos and stuff. And but, um, I remember after every one of those films I did, I was like, I’m never doing this again, this is horrible. But then after two weeks, I’m like, like, after I got done those films, I would be like, I’m free. I don’t have to worry about it anymore. I’m done. I’m never doing this again. And then two weeks later, I’d be like, I have a good idea for a film. I’m gonna do it. And but you know, it’s I, I was really interested in and I love doing it. So it is hard. But I would say like, if I were to give someone advice, like I’m not the main the main guy, but I would say that, you know, with anything, if you really like doing it, it doesn’t, it doesn’t really matter that it’s hard. I remember like watching this one Looney Tunes cartoon where, um, I think Porky Pig drew his own animation. And he was showing it in a theater. And he’s like, like, literally, like, what does he say? He’s like, you know, I this is a Yeah, my own cartoon. I drew it all by myself. But it wasn’t hard, because I’m an artist. And, you know, I kind of think that that’s true in some ways, because, like, it’s not drudgery. If you’re if you’re really into it, and you like doing it.

Rohan: So yeah. Yeah, that’s like, that’s like what like the feeling that I strive for when animating just like, or even like any, like, you know, any any, like, extreme form of expression in general. Just like, like full and complete control and just like the ability to just like express my, my feelings. That’s like, you know, that’s the best feeling of any feeling you can do well animating, I feel like Yeah.

Zeke: Nice. Cuz, first of the podcast wanted to animate everybody’s origin stories, and then I realized I hate animating, so I wasn’t gonna do that. Okay. Got it guys going to school for animation. How is that kind of (inaudible)l in business, I’m pretty good at marketing stuff that I majored in. And then like, what, like the financial business classes? I’ve got very bad at those. So how is it going to school to animate?

Rohan: Yeah, I think that, you know, we I was very lucky enough to talk to a person named ob ob Anya jetway. Unfortunately, they wasn’t in that recording for other reasons. But, um, so what we are into, we’re into, like, you know, the creative side, like, you know, our minds are, like, kind of wired a certain way, where, you know, we were a little bit more apt at expressing ourselves through drawing than most people, which is fine, you know, a people have their speciality. Um, and I think that, you know, there is a misconception, like in other art schools, that, you know, that when you actually put yourself out in the real world, and you try to apply your trade, whatever your trade is, it’s that it’s all about, you know, your creativity. It’s not, there’s a very, very much more tactical, much more, I don’t know how you put it less ethereal, you know, round to the real world, and also to the real world economy, then just like, you know, than the arts. It is, I think, I would argue that it is a more important aspect than we all take it to be. But there are some basic skills that people should know before that before they really embark on whatever journey that they do and that’s like, you know, basic finance. is a, you know, learning how to like work with employers, I say employees in quotation marks because they’re not really your employers, they’re your contractors, that’s a different realm, you know, you’re with a contractor, your, your, your pay status is a lot more vulnerable. So you have to keep, you have to, like keep up appearances, you know, um, but, um, I, when it comes to actually what we learn in school, you know, what we learn, we learn to apply ourselves, essentially, we learn to like, okay, you know, what to do? You know, once we have an idea, we learn how to, you know, make it into reality, essentially, you know, in the most efficient and in the most, like, you know, a, you know, I guess, in our, in our realm, the most aesthetically pleasing way as possible as well. In that way, you know, we’ve talked to people who’ve made like, you know, fully realized films, and fully realized personal conceptions, and of like, you know, really, like, you know, boosted their career and their career interest because of that, you know, so I think that really, what we, like we get a chance to do at this school is to do is like, you know, make our dreams a reality, essentially.

Dave:  Yeah, yeah. I think that that’s true. And, um, as I think about it more, you know, the business aspect really is important, because, I mean, it’s not just, it’s not even, like, I wouldn’t even called the business aspect, I would call it Well, I mean, it is the business aspect, but it really is, you know, how do you get your art to appeal to other people to the point where that will, where they will spend money or kind of, like, in some way, go out of their way to get what you’re making. And, you know, it kind of involves having to compromise in some ways, or like, like, having to, to make your art and be commercially viable, where you, you know, you look at what people and that doesn’t mean, you have to do something you don’t want to make, but, you know, you got to like ask what’s your audience? Or who am I marketing this to? You know, and I think what’s really helpful is to show it to random people, people who aren’t do don’t know you, especially people that don’t like you, and who want to tell you that it’s bad. Like, show it to them, and if they think it’s funny, then or they have the response that you want, then that’s, that’s good, I think, um, you know, it’s important to try to try to get reactions from just the average person, because that’s who you’re trying to sell it to, or offer it to, and, and also have that knowledge that, like, Ronan was talking about that, that business knowledge and the knowledge of finance, finances where, you know, like, know, how you can or how to basically break into the business or know how, what are the first steps that I take to get a job and wherever or, you know, what I do, because I feel like, um, a lot of people are really talented. I was thinking about singers recently. And there’s, like, so many people who are really good singers. And, you know, but to become a successful singer, you, you need to have more of a or like nine times out of 10 you need to have more of a business mind or some kind of like, business savvy behind you. So yeah. You

Zeke: Now, then come back with more animation. So, a lot of our other people say like a starving artist that has I have a question guys, mine. Oh, you guys keep pushing towards pushing through it. And just like I love this. I’m gonna keep doing this?

Rohan: I have I have my thoughts. But I don’t know. I don’t. I don’t relate to it that well. I think that like I try to I try to like keep myself as healthy as possible. Well, I don’t know. Let me sit on that day. What do you think?

Dave:  Well, actually, what was the question? I didn’t hear it.

Zeke: As well, as more about starving artist how people say, art isn’t a real thing because it’s hard to do. And I wonder you guys ever thought about it you guys just had like, almost never like not like saying never mind it but like, yeah, like tunnel vision. I might do this. And this is I’m gonna do,

Dave:  Yeah, I think about that a lot. And I feel like since I want to go into a bit Like animation is a really big business. So I never had, like, if I were going into painting or printmaking, I think I might, I mean, I don’t know what the opportunities for painters or print makers are. But I feel like since animation is is kind of more business oriented, that it’s not that much of a problem, we’re at, like, in the sense that, you know, it’s not a huge gamble, going to college for animation, because you can, you know, there are animation jobs, and you know, studios need animators, and they, they hire, like, if you’re an animator, you’re, you’re nine times out of 10 working for someone or, you know, in some kind of business situation, whereas if you’re a painter, or I don’t know, some other kind of artists, it’s more like, a, I don’t know, I mean, of course, there’s jobs, but I don’t think there’s as many for animation. So I guess those are my thoughts on that.

Rohan: Yeah. I also want to I also want to comment what you said Ezekiel about art being a viable or like, reliable industry to go into, I think that this is probably like, it’s just not talked about enough. It is, it is, like, you know, it has more opportunity than one would think, at least, I would, I’ll admit, it’s tricky to get into. And it’s not like, you know, it’s not, it’s not like, you know, it’s not like, you know, it’s not even like you, it’s guaranteed once you get a degree, you’d like you saw to put yourself in there, but I really think that like the the opportunities, like you know, the job, financial opportunities, and the creative realm is very understated. You know, I mean, like Disney, for example. I mean, that’s, like, you know, one of the biggest companies on the stock market, you have, you know, all these other related other fields that you can get into whether it be graphic design, illustration, you know, video editing, especially for, like, you know, a very emerging market that, you know, I don’t think people are really talking about enough is that just like, you know, content, creating, creating, like, you know, social media campaigns, creating, you know, just creating like, video content on whether it’d be like YouTube, you know, even like tik tok, or like, whatever other like, you know, platforms of arrival out there, like Instagram, or Snapchat, there are a lot of, there are a lot of opportunities that, you know, there’s very interconnected world, you know, with, with, with respect to like, you know, all the, all the the social media platforms that we have out there, I think that there’s like a plethora of opportunities that, you know, I don’t believe that is being investigated enough, like, or at least taken seriously enough?

Dave:  Yeah. Yeah, I think that, um, you know, before I applied to any colleges, we, we looked up, like, what the, what I wanted to do, or what my degree would allow me to do, and then, you know, how much money a year like, what’s the mean, income, yearly income for that position, and it was pretty good. So, you know, I think that if you’re going into college for anything, I would encourage you to, probably, like, look at what’s going to happen on the other side, and kind of look at, you know, how, like, Okay, what kind of job can I get with this degree? And how much could I like, support a family with it, or, you know, I remember my dad, he went to college to be some kind of like, therapist, he’s a, he’s a hand therapist now, which is, like, everyone makes fun of him, because he has like, he has a hand job put up. But anyway, he went to college for something else. But then halfway through his college, or like three quarters of the way he realized that, it like he wouldn’t be able to make enough money to support a family and he was already married. And so he had to, like, quick switch majors or whatever. And I think he went to college for like three more years or something. So it is really important to I mean, like, unless you’re in a position where you’re just going to college to learn something, which is awesome. But if you’re in a position, like most people are where you’re going to college, and you gotta like make some money off the degree, then I would definitely check out what you can do with the degree.

Rohan: Yeah, I’ll say respects to an animator. Like if one decides to go the freelance route, or like even work at a studio, you know, well, I’ll say being a freelancer is much easier than working at a studio because like freelancers like you know, a freelancer is like open to like any, like opportunities that comes your way. But more studio is more like, okay, you MIT you meet these people specific wants and like stylistic needs. I think that it’s a lot harder for a person, like in the beginning phases of it. And also, I don’t mean to be a little cynical here. But like, even like a degree, like an actual degree is not really that necessary. Even if you want to get into like, animation or maybe even other related arts field, it’s more like a portfolio, you know, um, I think that they’re like, but still, that’s not to say that there are certain opportunities that you could reap from, like, you know, attending an animation college, like what we’re saying, like connections, you know, it gives you the, both the time, you know, possibly the, the facilities and also like, the mentorship that comes with that comes with, you know, yeah, that kind of that will, whether that helps facilitate a good portfolio. And I think that, like, you know, if you decide to go, like, you know, the full four years of a degree, like, you know, like, maybe, like, attend an internship, like, you know, somewhere in the middle, or at least at least at the very end, you know, so that way, it’s like, once you actually, once you actually graduate, you know, maybe like they’ll call you back like right when, right when you’re like walking up the white right? When you’re like walking up the whatever your graduation ceremony happens and like, they’ll say, hey, you open, and then like, you know, and then you know, it’ll, it’ll go from there. But yeah, it’s like, I remember Zico you were mentioning before about, like, the the struggling artists. I really like, I think that like, there is it’s not as a linear path, as most industries might have. But I really think what I’m trying to say is that I really think that if one like applies themselves enough, if they believe in themselves enough, then they will get their way, you know, one way or another.

Dave:  Yeah, I totally agree with that. I think, I think the portfolio is really, really important. Like I remember, um, to get into art college, it was really a lot of emphasis was put on your portfolio, at least for most colleges. And, like, you would have portfolio reviews and stuff and they were so nerve racking, like, you’d have to sit there, you have to open up your portfolio. First of all, you have to wait in line forever. And then you’d open up your portfolio and you’d be like sweating bullets. And the professor would be like, like, What’s this? What’s that? And, you know, it’d be nervous, but a lot of like, my portfolio reviews went went pretty well. So you know, that was good. I don’t know running Did you go to any portfolio reviews?

Rohan: I did, but I actually like did not attend the Pratt review because I did not actually have that school in mind when I was it was not one of my top choices I’ll put it like that. Only because like I had these other schools actually on the west coast in mind that I think it’s a you know, honestly, like even though it really did not exactly go my ideal way. I think that going to Pratt was probably one of the better options in the long run. Because one thing

Dave:  Sorry, that’s my computer.

Rohan: Yeah, it’s it’s actually like, you know, um, it’s actually like, you know, during this whole pandemic thing if I was on the west coast, and I had to take like an airplane back here, I probably would have gotten the the Coronavirus, and like effect like my entire family. So I don’t mean to be grim. But like, I’m very glad that I can just be as stationary as I am. Right now.

Dave:  Yeah, I I’m glad I went to Pratt to I think Pratt Pratt was one of my top choices. So I’m lucky about that. And I ended up choosing it because it was so close, like I got into other schools, but they were pretty far away. Like I like I got into SAIC, I think but that was in Chicago. And I remember like I remember not caring about if anybody’s thinking about applying to colleges or looking at colleges. I would say that. Like the location matters more than you think when I was, you know, a year away or two years away from college and I was looking at colleges. I was kind of like, and it doesn’t matter where the location is. But then when it got down to the wire where it was like a decision day was like, a few weeks away I was like, Oh my gosh, like I don’t want to live 12 hours away because you know what if I get sick or something and I just have to be in my dorm, like throwing up or whatever.

Rohan: Throwing up what?

Dave:  Why don’t know like if you if you get sick or if you know,

Rohan: I thought you meant like you’d like party too hard or something.

Dave:  Yeah, or that.

Rohan: I I hope to be an RA when I get back to Pratt, um, but I don’t know what we’ll see how that goes. I that’s like, you know, that’ll make things a little bit more cozy for me. So especially when it comes to my classes. Yeah.

Dave:  Yeah, living living on campus is definitely awesome. Because it’s easy to get your classes.

Zeke: Cool, talked about an hour

Rohan: Yeah, we reached, the one hour mark.

Zeke: Few more questions then we will be done.

Rohan: Cool. I had no rush, no rush at all. Well, we’re into this. Yay. I like that. I love all my guests. And I know that like our last conversation, we talked about MMA in depth. Now you guys put a lot? Yeah, we did. So we can like we can, we can talk we can talk like for a good hour more about how we just have no idea what it is.

Zeke: And like I said, I like the way back was I like how, like, people watch shows, like, because I dislike like anime was about like the high school kids in high school. And I was like, I I personally don’t like that. Because it just I want to escape reality. And just like, I want to go to a different world. See if I can do in that world.

Rohan: Yeah, I mean, from what I understand about the appeal of anime, I guess as like, you know, any other life form of most other forms of illustrated media? That Yeah, it just it is a form of escapism, and some, some forms of it are more popular than others. Because it’s like, it’s all about, like world building, you know, usually, it’s like, I don’t know, from what I understand is different genres. I guess there’s like, there’s like, fantasy slice of life for you and sci fi. But, um, it’s all about, like, you know, building up like a huge world. What should I you know, in respects, like all other I guess, you know, at least when it comes to American cartoons, it’s not that dissimilar. Although I always say like, for American cartoons, it’s more about like, building up character. And, and, and like, you know, and like, very comical scenarios. Well, no, that’s just my take on it. But yeah, I guess it just when it comes to the base appeal, it’s pretty much the same as any other like I said, illustrated media.

Dave:  Yeah, I would actually, I kind of learn more about anime since our last episode, because our animation history did this film festival, this mock film festival that we did at the end of the semester that, you know, we all had to write an essay on a film and show it. And there was a lot of animais. And well, first of all, I I grew up really liking Speed Racer, which I didn’t realize was a foreign cartoon until much later. And I watched Speed Racer, though, a few years ago, and I what I realized was the stories were really good. And it was really well written and, um, so I hadn’t watched much anime at all in my life. But then I saw some of the anime in this film festival and I was just like, really impressed with the it was a lot of a lot of it was escapism like there was this one. I don’t know if you know about it was like a train and Interstellar train traveling to different planets, like Dino that

Zeke: Off the top of my head. Not sure.

Dave:  Okay, well, it’s from the 70s. But somebody showed an episode of it. And it was I thought it was awesome. And, uh, they went to like this planet of, of death. And everybody, it was kind of funny, because like, everybody was like, having funerals all day. And they were like mourning all day, every single day. And it turned out they were doing that because they were just bored. And they have nothing else that I think nobody dies. They have nothing else to do. So they’re just bored. So they have, I think anybody who comes to the planet they kill, because they’re so bored that they just want to have a funeral to spice things up. I don’t know. But it was really interesting. And what I like about those shows are I feel like some of the shows on I guess, Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network. And really, they’re kind of sitcoms, they’re more live action. But they’re like the show the thundermans I don’t know if you guys watched that. But it’s kind of like some people do this escapism where they’re, you know, it’s a show about superheroes. Heroes are aliens or whatever. But I feel like a lot of the time they just take a sitcom and then they turn it into like a sitcom on another planet or a sitcom with superheroes, but I feel like in that anime, and a lot of anime, I think they go beyond that, and, you know, do stories that are actually escapism. I mean, there’s a lot of American escapism shows that I like, but I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know. Maybe I’m just ranting about sitcoms, I don’t really like sitcoms.

Rohan: We should call this a podcast rant, or rant cast is something I want to ask you. Ezekiel so like when it comes to the production process of anime and American cartoons, like where does the main difference like?

Zeke: I’m not sure what the anime is, or I’m not sure. Okay, I can allow him to show like either but like, honestly, like I animate mostly weekly. Someone’s like how the um manga are weekly. And that’s why I and I may have for the arts, like their episodes where they’re trying to just make up things or waste time into the manga, like the source material catches up. And it’s very demanding. I see a hair like that. Oh, man, it was like working like grueling hours. Especially if it’s like a really popular anime. Make it into like American cartoons. I think it’s like a seminar or like, the least have like, they do a lot episodes in the beginning. Like you have a South Park cool does theirs. And like six days with us because they practice it. And they got it down to the tee. Like, if we could do this in six days. It’s not like they’re working harder. Isn’t that? That’s their natural pace. Wow,

Rohan: That’s Yeah, I guess there’s just like, a different, like, different expectation of craft, overseas. Um, from what I can tell about, you know, me in general, it’s in also manga. It’s like, it’s kind of like the Japanese yen itself. It’s like, it’s like it’s really inflated. You know, isn’t there? Like, isn’t there like a sea of like, you know, of anime out there that only lasts like, you know, what, two episodes? Like, you know, for its run? Yeah, seems like all animates, which are probably like, their first season is I told episodes, give us like Americans like he was like, he like six episodes and see how it goes from there. Yeah.

Zeke: And it really depends on where it is depends on where it where it catches fire, because, like one show them in Wonderland. It generally catches Japan, like to the anime, but it really caught popular like the United States was so got canceled because it may catch fire in Japan. And then you have like Barbuto where the manga is doing better in Japan than the enemy is doing better in the United States.

Rohan: Okay. Um, but it’s like, I What I’m saying is I don’t think that the United States at least like for, like the popular, you know, broadcast stations that there is not nearly as many many like new, like, new new, like, you know, shows that come out as that there is like, you know, over here I mean, like, or what I mean by expandable is that, like, every like, you know, you can find like, like how much anime is out there is when I’m asking pretty much.

Zeke: Oh, that’s a large number I can’t count to because there’s all the different genres and different studios. And like things you said about the American production. I know, like a lot of like, American adoption is very VRC driven. And then like, a lot of things are on the 11th floor even before it comes out. So it can be like a lot more, but it doesn’t seem like a day. And then you have other enemies more of like, some animals. Some animals are just more arcs like, nothing one day is only like 13 episodes, something like that. Like volcanoes, like another app and like 16 episodes. So there’s like, it’s like a huge sea. And it’s there’s something was missing? Because there’s something for everybody.

Rohan: Yeah, I guess when it comes to like, you know, like, I don’t know, whether it’s Cartoon Network Fox, whatever, like other stations like has their own little animated thing that they, you know, they really like put their money on. Also Netflix is one thing but they put their money on like a very select few amount of shows. And the end, you know, and usually like, you know, one really pays off big time more than the others and they focus on that I was like, what, like, you know, Adult Swim is like, it’s, I guess, like a subset of, of Cartoon Network. And there’s also, there’s also, I forgot that other thing, but it’s basically it’s like, it’s not as, um, you know, it’s just like, you know, because it’s like, because it’s more expensive, therefore, because of all the money invested in it, like not as much product goes out in the market. In Japan, it sounds like, they like spread things out a whole lot more. And, you know, and they, and they reach like a much wider, you know, audience because of it.

Zeke: Then it’s also like, Japan’s like the studio because like One Punch Man, it was like a great animation studio that did it for the first season. But when it came to the second season, the animation studio was busy, so it was gonna take a long time for the show to come out. So what the people did was, would tend to have less to the shutdown and quality of the show, because animation wasn’t as crisp. Oh, and it really held it back.

Rohan: Do you know, what does like the animation studio in Japan look like? What is the average animation studio in Japan look like when compared to the United States? is it like? Like, I don’t know, is it more of like,

Zeke: I don’t know,

Rohan: What was it look like? And what is it like, you know, what are the main differences? You know, could you tell?

Zeke: I’m not sure I play shows to be similar. Now. It’s not like, it depends. Do you have like Studio Ghibli where it’s more of like, on can john is still like an old school style animation is doing by hand. To me. I cannot say his name right now. Like people live in a straight away, it’s more like classical. And like that homey feeling animation, but like, current animation and also going towards like truly, like typifies, like naturally, like, 2d and 3d animation put together so that we like a lot of computer work. But that that’s where animation is like, well, at least anime is falling into, like, on duty backgrounds with 2d characters. And almost seamlessly like that. Yeah.

Rohan: Yeah, I don’t know. It just seems like it seems like a very, very niche market that like, it’s hard for me to wrap my head around because it just it just like it’s, you know, it’s a world of animation. And then I’m just not that familiar with. So I don’t know if I ever get the chance to like, visit a Japanese animation studio then. These are things that we want to investigate, you know? Yeah. One thing we go home, calling a day. Got one more question. All right, great.

Zeke: So in the beginning of the episode we talked about your origin story what would you guys name your origin stories?

Rohan: Oh, like if we were like, make a comic book out of it. Yeah.

Dave:  Um, I think I would name mine. A drawn to life.

Rohan: I would name mine drawn to death.

Dave:  No, actually, I wouldn’t named mine drawn live because that’s a video game. No, I would name mine. Uh, I would name mine. I think the greatest story ever told.

Rohan: Yeah. Like the greatest artists that has ever lived.

Dave:  Know the greatest person that has ever lived. Here.

Rohan: Yeah. Okay. Um, that’s Wow, I didn’t I wasn’t ready for that. Diving that deep. Um, uh, like the title is like, the last thing you should like, come up with in a story, honestly. But I don’t know it would. Mine, I guess would be called. Almost something along the lines of I don’t know. He drew he drew his way out of the out of the city or something like that. He drew his way into his dreams. Or like, something like that.

Dave:  That’s a good name. Yeah, I think I’m gonna stick with the the greatest. The Greatest Story of the greatest person ever.

Rohan: Yeah. Totally. not pretentious at all. Yeah. All right. So thank you so much for having us, Ezekiel. Yeah,

Zeke: No problem anytime.

Rohan: Yeah, we really appreciate it. Um, it’s things that we have to be separated because of all these circumstances, but um, you know, we really appreciate it. We really appreciate you being on our podcast. And you know, if you want to collaborate anytime in the future, just just let us know.

Zeke: That brings another episode of the Let’s Gather Podcast to a close. Again, you can find a 2-D Podcast on all major podcasting platforms, or by clicking the link in the description below. For next week, I have Alex to speak about his journey into the creative field. I hope you continue to have a nice day and I hope to see you there.

[Music]