The Following
is an interview I conducted with animator David Feiss last year.
Keith Jones:
When were you born?
David Feiss:
April 16th, 1959. I'm 42 years old.
KJ: What
do you remember from your childhood?
DF: Cartoons
dominate my childhood mostly.
KJ: How did
you first get into cartoons and animation?
DF: When
I was around 13 I started getting into animation.
KJ: What
obstacles did you face when first trying to get a job in animation?
DF: Well
there weren't really many obstacles at all. Luckly I was hired right out
of high school to Hanna Barberra.
KJ: Did you
receive any education in art/drawing/animation?
DF: No, I
was hired right out of High School.
KJ: You've
made a few comic appearances such as Mumbler, Maxx #30 and various Cow
and Chicken covers, would you ever consider working in comics more often?
DF: Sure
I would, if I had the opportunity.
KJ: What
do you enjoy most out of making cartoons?
DF: I really
like seeing people laugh and making people laugh.
KJ: Can you
name some of your influences?
DF: Well,
as far as cartoons go, the Warner Bros cartoons of the 1940s; chuck jones,
bob clampett, tex avery.
KJ: When
do you get your ideas for shows and stories
DF: I get
a lot of ideas from my childhood, and also from my kids, and abstract
ideas I just think of.
KJ: Of all
the projects you've worked on, which of those are you most proud of?
DF: Cow and
Chicken and I am Weasel
KJ: What
is your opinion on the recent degrading in animation?
DF: Well
its hard to say, I saw Shrek the other day and I thought it was dynamite,
with the computer animation.
KJ: When
working for a big network like Cartoon Network, Do you find it hard to
bring out your own ideas?
DF: No, they
were pretty cool about letting me use my own ideas.
KJ: What
are your current projects?
DF: Well
I have 3 shows in development, but I'm not working on a series right now,
I'm doing freelance work. But I do have a commercial deal with Wild Brain,
two of which are out. Frito-lay was really pleased with how the commercials
turned out and they would like to do more.
KJ: What
would you be doing had you not ventured into animation?
DF: I really
don't know. I would probably be doing illustration. I don't see myself
working outside of the art field.
KJ: If you
could be President for a day, what would you do?
DF: I don't
know. I'd really like to say something witty and intelligent here but
theres just so many problems. I would clean up the beuacracy and red tape
and garbage in Washington though.
|
 |
