Last Dance

Back To Escuella is the last El Tigre episode I directed.

The experience of the series was the high point of my career. I consider myself fortunate to have worked along side so many talented people. And we were lucky to work for a creator who trusted and encouraged us all to add our personalities to the production - to take risks, challenge ourselves, question how things were done, try something new, fail, learn from our mistakes, grow, and ultimately do the best work we could do.

It was a great time.

SDCC 2010!

For those of you willing to brave the San Diego Comic Con on Saturday - I'll be on a panel:

11:30-12:30 Nickelodeon: Hartman’s Heroes: The Fairly OddParents and T.U.F.F. Puppy— Butch Hartman, creator of The Fairly OddParents and Danny Phantom, and his all-star team — story editor Ray DeLaurentis(Shaggy and Scooby-Doo: Get a Clue!), art director George Goodchild (Danny Phantom), and producer Dave Thomas (El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera) — present Nickelodeon’s new animated action/comedyT.U.F.F. Puppy, starring iCarly‘s Jerry Trainor. Plus, you’ll get a sneak peek at what’s in store for Fairly OddParents as they prepare for the show’s 10th anniversary! Then, be the first to view never-before-seen footage of T.U.F.F. Puppy. Moderated by Stacey Kim, executive in charge for Nickelodeon. Room 24ABC

We'll also be doing a signing afterwards down at the Nickelodeon booth. Stop by and say "hi!"

Emmys!

Last Friday night was a big night!

They pile up all the trophies on stage, like pirate booty!

This was the sign on my chair. I read it less as a seating assignment than an affirmational message. I'm going to start putting them on my friends chair's too.

This is the category I won:

It's the one category that you know you've won ahead of time, so I practiced my speech over and over and over again... For a week! - But the second I stepped on stage, my mind went blank! Thank goodness I made a cheat sheet with everybody's name on it. I'd post a picture of the notes to show you that they actually said, "WIFE," because I knew I'd forget. (I have in the past!) I swear, those stage lights take away 50 IQ points as soon as they hit you.

This is me, hugely relieved that I remembered to thank everybody. Whew!

Mustache Love

The episodes featuring Raul The Mustache were good sweaty fun to make. Raul couldn't talk - he would change his shape to pantomime out his intent, and this forced the artists to be extremely creative. Luckily we had no shortage of creative board artists! Ricky Garduno was the first artist to try his hand at it, and did an amazing job with The Mustache Kid. Eddie Trigueros took it as a personal challenge to top him in Miracle City Undercover, and did some of his most clever and interesting work. Super artist Sean Szeles was up for the third one, Mustache Love, and did not disappoint either.

My main goal with the beat board was just to do a little of the heavy lifting ( crowd shots and location design.) and then to get out of Sean's way.

I still have regret fueled, guilt-nightmares over the was the massive multi-plane pan I drew - and made poor Roman Laney paint... Only to cut out of the finished cartoon.

If you're reading this Roman, I'm still sorry.

The Cuervo Project

Episode 24. About this time, I felt like I was starting to hit my stride on El Tigre. Composing in depth, which I hadn't really done before, was starting to feel more natural. The visual structure was becoming more instinctive and less cerebral. And I also had developed a real love for the characters, espeically Zoe Avez.

I never really thought of her as evil. I though of her as tragic. Here was a girl with a crush on on a boy who didn't like her back - and who often took advantage of her. Her father was long gone, driven off by her evil and abusive mother, or perhaps done in my her Grandmother. Who wouldn't feel sorry for her? I was always rooting for her, and glad that in the end, she finally got a win.

Lightning strikes twice

Holy Cow! I won a second Emmy!

What's super rewarding about this win is that, since my son was born, I've been trying hard to balance being a good artist and a good father. I've given up working late nights, to make sure I'm there every night to give my son his bath, tuck him in and read him stories. This award makes me feel that I can have my cake and eat it too!

Here are a few images from the board. In the story Timmy wishes his Dad's lame magic act was real.

Crocker tricks his Way into becoming Dad's agent:

Dad plays goes on the road, and plays bigger and bigger venues:
Dad gives up fame for the love of his son:

Denzel Crocker becomes a fairy:

Silverwolf

This episode was not only storyboarded by the Emmy winning Eddie Trigueros, he wrote the story as well! And what a story he wrote- full of love, betrayal and jealousy! Juicy stuff!

Jealousy is the funniest emotion as far as I'm concerned - and it's certainly my favorite to draw.

It's so shameful and socially unacceptable - and everyone tries so hard to pretend that they don't feel it - but everyone does.

But my favorite thing about jealousy makes sane people lose their minds in ways that are both terrifying and hilarious. Like the Astronaut that put on diapers to cross state lines and kidnap that woman. Terrifying and hilarious. She said she did it for love, but that was jealousy, pure 100% uncut, crazy jealousy. So once you establish that a character is jealous, they can do the craziest stuff, things that would normally be unthinkable, and it will ring true with an audience.

People do the same kind of thing when they're in love - which is why Frida acts like she does. They crap on their friends, turn their back on their family... All good stuff too.