Tuesday, December 3, 2024

The Real Roger Rabbit

 


Each time a character is drawn by several animators, different looking versions will appear on the screen. Even after clean up artists try to bring that character "on model" by re-drawing him. 

For example, in The Jungle Book I can tell a a Frank Thomas Mowgli from Milt Kahl or Ollie Johnston. I am sure many of you can do the same.

James Baxter was a young animator when he realized this very phenomenon. James drew this comparison sheet with a variety of Roger Rabbits. I dare you to tell me what animator is behind each version!!

OK...here goes, from left to right: Richard Williams, Simon Wells, Phil Nibbelink, me, and the last one by Matt O'Callaghan (who worked in the LA unit). To tell you the truth, James nailed all of our different versions.


5 comments:

  1. at least he was kind to your version! It's cute.
    did you read the new Richard Williams biography? I guess you might have heard a lot of those stories first hand anyway

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  2. That's wild! I've never been too precious about staying on-model as long as the acting is entertaining. In fact, I geek out when I spot a three-second variation on a character that still works.
    The O'Callaghan one looks very off (and not flattering to the LA crew, who animated some of the funniest acting in the film IMO), but then I've never seen his roughs.

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  3. During the old days of Disney, how often did the supervising animators (other than Milt Kahl) key the scenes that they didn't animate?

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    Replies
    1. scenes that they supervised, of course.

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    2. I never keyed any of the scenes given to other animators. I felt that they needed to come up with their own acting/action. Be creative. But I helped everyone with the drawing of the character afterwards.
      I think Dale Baer keyed scenes for others.
      And way back I think Frank and also Ollie might do a drawing, but not more.

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