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.

And The Winner is...

El Tigre!!! Four times!!!!

Our crew made a sweep, bringing home four Emmys for the little tiger that could

Jorge Gutierrez for Character Design

Jerry De Jesus for Production Design

Eddie Trigueros for his EL TIGRE board - Frida's Brain

And The Director's won for Best Directing!!!

The winning episode was "The Good The Bad And El Tigre."

Check out the beat boards below!!

Big Night This Saturday

Hey Everybody,

Wish the El Tigre Directing crew luck on Saturday night. We're nominated for an Emmy!

Jorge and Jerry DeJesus have already won in their Individual Achievement categories, for Character Design and Production Design. Tigre alumnus Eddie Trigueros also won for Storyboard on The Mighty B! Hopefully we directors can keep up with out super talented colleagues!

Here are the beat boards for Chupacabros. There are only four more Tigre beatboards after this. Then I'll start posting beatboards from my current job - The Fairly Oddparents.

Mech Daddy

I'm a huge giant robot nerd. Working in Los Angeles, you don't get a chance to direct many shows about giant robots. So when Jorge gave me a chance, I really wanted to do a good job.

One thing I tried to do was push the contrasts - between close ups and wide shots:
Contrasts of small objects and large objects
Between wanton destruction and suburban life




Three dimensional character movement and two dimensional character movement.
Contrast between dark interiors and bright interiors
The rockets not starting was a little experiment in adding tension...

There's a killer shot missing here of Giant Robot Sanchez flying above the clouds with his children in his hand - and the bright sun at his back. It was put in after the pitch because of a suggestion by Audrey Diehl -one of our Network Executives, who always had really good ideas.

I think the shot worked so well because it nicely contrasted all of the tension built up at the end of the sequence.

Contrast between fast cuts and long cuts. This last shot ended up over 20 seconds long. The previous 20 shots were all shorter than three.

It was an experiment, and I think it came off. And if we had more episodes, I definitely would have tried to do more.