http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX4L1DGtdKU

Matt Groening is an American cartoonist best known for creating the TV series The Simpsons. The Simpsons first came on air in 1989 and continues producing new episodes to this day. The Simpsons were originally created while Groening was working on The Tracey Ullman Show. While the parents and siblings were named after Groening’s own family, the protagonist Bart was an anagram of the word brat. Groening has gone on to win 12 Emmy Awards for his work. In this video, Groening discusses his childhood and how his TV addiction helped him to identify the gaps he felt existed in TV programming, ultimately lending to his success later on.

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The Simpsons Creator On His Childhood Influences appeared first on Witnify.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkFQsYaddGM

Three successful professionals share the influence that Charles M. Schulz, creator of the “Peanuts” comics, has had on their lives and in the world in general. First is Kate DiCamillo, award-winning children’s book writer; next is cartoonist Stephan Pastis who co-wrote the first graphic novel containing Peanuts characters, titled “Happiness is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown!”; and Washington Post cartoonist and Comic Riffs blogger Michael Cana. Peanuts was created by Schultz on October 2, 1950 and still runs in syndication today. On January 3, 2000, the last original weekday Peanuts comic strip was published and the final Sunday strip was published on February 13, 2000.

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Cartoonists Inspired by Charles M. Schulz Discuss His Influence appeared first on Witnify.

“You were just about the World’s worst mag when you started, but you set yourself an ideal, and, by gumbo, you achieved it!”

The “Game of Thrones” author George R. R. Martin wrote to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, creators of Marvel, in 1963, raving about the the “Fantastic Four” comic book series. In this adorably enthusiastic letter from a teenage Martin, he is blown away by the plot twists and calls Marvel the “world’s greatest comic magazine”:

Dear Stan and Jack,

F.F. #17 was greater than great. Even now I sit in awe of it, trying to do the impossible–that is, describe it. It was absolutely stupendous, the ultimately, utmost! I cannot fathom how you could fit so much action into so few pages. It will live forever as one of the greatest F.F. comics ever printed, ergo, as one of the greatest of ALL comics. In what other comic mad could you see things like a hero falling down a manhole, a heroine mistaking a toy inventor for a criminal, and the President of the U.S.A. leaving a conference that may determine the fate of the world to put his daughter to bed. The epic story, spectacular and exciting as it is, is not all that made this mag so great. The letter column was top-notch, too. I nearly died when I saw Paul Gambaccini’s letter. You’ve really made him change his tune; that letter was a far cry from the one printed in F.F. #9. Then there’s your cover boast–THE WORLD’S GREATEST COMIC MAGAZINE! Brilliant! You were just about the World’s worst mag when you started, but you set yourself an ideal, and, by gumbo, you achieved it! More than achieved it, in fact–why, if you were only half as good as you are now, you’d still be the world’s best mag!!!

George R. Martin
35 East First St.
Bayonne, N.J.

Source: Marvel

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A Young George R. R. Martin Was a Marvel Fanboy appeared first on Witnify.

“To develop an individual style of writing and drawing, always go to yourself for criticsm. If you ask advice from too many other people, then you no longer are yourself…”

American cartoonist Dr. Seuss, born Theodor Geisel, was known for his popular illustrated children’s books like “The Cat in the Hat” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Despite Seuss’s fame and popularity, he found time to write back to his fans. Seuss wrote a letter full of advice to one fan, Howard Cruse, who wrote again to Seuss two years later and again in 26 years. Each time, Seuss responded–even illustrating his final response:

Dr. Seuss
THE TOWER
La Jolla, California

May 12, 1957

Dear Howard:
I am very sorry to have been so long in answering your very friendly letter of April 13th. But I’ve been East. And the letter’s been waiting me here in the West.

Your theatre productions sound wonderful. And I am very proud that you dedicated it to me.. and performed so many of my stories in it.

….

About giving you advice…pointers on how to properly write and illustrate a picture book…all I can say is this:

This is a field in which no one can give you pointers but yourself.

The big successes in this field all succeeded because they wrote and they wrote and they drew and they drew. They studied what they’d drawn and they studied what they’d written each time asking themselves one question: How can I do it better, next time?

To develop an individual style of writing and drawing, always go to yourself for criticsm. If you ask advice from too many other people, then you no longer are yourself.

The thing to do, and I am sure you will do it, is to keep up your enthusiasm! Every job is a lot of fun, no matter how much work it takes. If you’ll plug away and do exactly what you are doing, making it better and better every month and every year…that you CAN be successful.

The very best of luck to you!

Your friend,
(Signed, ‘Dr. Seuss’)

Second Letter

January 3, 1985

Theodore Geisel/Dr. Seuss
The Tower
La Jolla, CA

Dear Mr. Geisel/Dr. Seuss,

If you peer at the two Xerox copies which are attached to this letter, you’ll recognize them as your gracious responses to a thirteen/fifteen-year-old Alabama boy who wrote to you in 1957 and 1959. I told you about the puppet-show adaptations of Bartholomew and the Oobleck, and McElligot’s Pool which I wrote and performed for neighborhood kids in my basement, and I confided that I hoped to grow up and write and illustrate children’s books myself. As you can see, you gave me a valuable gift: you took me seriously.

It’s been twenty-five years since the second of your two letters to me was written. During that time, I’ve often thought that I should write and thank you for the encouraging words which you offered me. On my fortieth birthday last May, I was given (at my request) The Butter Battle Book. I enjoyed seeing the world through your eyes again as much as I did when I was very young, and I appreciate your willingness to engage a truly serious and important subject within the children’s book format.

I have not illustrated any children’s books yet, but I have grown-up to be a cartoonist and humorous illustrator. My principal interest is in comic strips for adults, and I fill out my extra time doing spot drawings for magazines. My first book–a trade paperback collection of my comic strip Wendel–will be published at the end of 1985.

Although I couldn’t claim to enjoy a hundredth of your own stature as an artist, I occasionally receive letters from youngsters not unlike the letters I wrote to you. And remembering the strength of the childhood dreams which are represented by such letters, I try very hard to do as you did and treat the young artist as a person with dignity. Thanks for showing me, in your work all through the years as well as in the particular letters you wrote to me, both how to be a wonderful artist and how to be a kind and supportive human being.

Yours sincerely,
Howard Cruse

Third Letter

Dear Howard……
It sure made me feel GOOD, reading your letter and seeing what you’ve been accomplishing during the past 25 years! It makes me especially happy to have played a small part in it.

May your first book, WENDEL, sell a billion copies. And may your next 25 years be even better than the 25 you’ve just conquered!

All the best
Dr. Seuss

Source: Letters of Note

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[Text] Dr. Seuss Gives Advice to a Fan appeared first on Witnify.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7c5EZwZLFA

Walt Disney explains how the television industry can be a competition to the movie industry. Disney describes how he “diversified” his wheelhouse of movie-making because of the excess talent he worked with–he went from cartoons into making nature films, then to putting humans such as “Mary Poppins” into his animation projects.

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‘Not Labeling Anything as Educational. It’s All Entertainment.’ appeared first on Witnify.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC0Mi5jXg88

Jim Davis, creator of the “Garfield” comic strip, reveals how he brings its starring orange tabby cat to life on the page from conception to illustration. Since its debut in 1978, “Garfield” has become a pop culture sensation and currently holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s most widely syndicated comic strip.

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Creator Jim Davis Demonstrates How He Draws Garfield appeared first on Witnify.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHquRFccyCg

Disney legends Marty Sklar, Xavier Atencio, Alice Estes Davis, and Bob Gurr discuss the first time they ever met Walt Disney and what it was like to work for him at the Walt Disney Company. This special panel came together on August 11, 2013 for the D23 Expo Imagineering Panel.

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‘He’d Pay Us for 5 Days & Expect Us to Work for 6′ appeared first on Witnify.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKNFge-8dX4

Alice Davis, American costume designer, discusses what it was like to help develop costumes for Walt Disney during the time when Disney was moving his animation industry into technicolor. Davis talks about what Disney was like as a boss: “He was always very kind as long as you were trying.” Xavier Atencio expresses appreciation for being able to work with such talented people as an animator for the Walt Disney Company. Watch the full interview here.

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What Walt Disney Was Like As a Boss appeared first on Witnify.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDAvRJVDRTY

Hear Walt Disney as the voice of Mickey Mouse in this historic behind the scenes footage of the beloved cartoon creator. Disney records several scenes with Mickey’s arch nemesis Black Pete, voiced by actor Billy Bletcher. Mickey Mouse premiered in the cartoon “Plane Crazy” on May 15, 1928.

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Footage of Walt Disney as the Voice of Mickey Mouse appeared first on Witnify.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGiJOHDJEss

Voice actor Dan Castellaneta describes how he creates the perfect ‘D’oh!’ sound for Homer Simpson and explains how the catchphrase originated.

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Dan Castellaneta on Homer Simpson’s ‘D’oh!’ appeared first on Witnify.