All images are from Producing Independent 2D Character Animation: Making and Selling a Short Film, by Mark Simon. Reprinted with permission.

This is the last in a series of 12 excerpts from Mark Simon’s book, Producing Independent 2D Character Animation: Making and Selling a Short Film. This book is a full-color, concept-to-pitch guide that teaches animators, students and small studios the art and business of producing short, cel animated films. Animation producer Mark Simon has detailed the process in an accessible how-to manner using his award-winning series, Timmy’s Lessons in Nature, as a guide. This 432-page book contains more than 600 full-color images, interviews and a CD-ROM containing sample animation, animatics and sample software described in the text.

Back in 2001, I interviewed Rachelle Lewis, who was the director of recruitment for Klasky Csupo where she oversaw all of the artist recruiting.

Since they started the studio in a spare bedroom in 1982, graphic designer Arlene Klasky and animator Gabor Csupo, both passionate advocates of artistic experimentation, have built a company housing more than 300 employees. The studio’s signature style embraces the wit and eccentricity of life through boldly imaginative uses of the animation arts. Winner of five Emmy awards, two Cable Ace awards, and numerous commercial, art and production honors, Klasky Csupo has created hit television series including The Simpsons, Rugrats (along with Paul Germain), AAHHH!!! Real Monsters, Duckman, Santo Bugito, The Wild Thornberrys, Rocket Power, As Told by Ginger and two Edith Ann specials. It is also the home for the UK’s Stressed Eric, Class-Key Chew-Po Commercials, and the record labels Tone Casualties and Casual Tonalities, as well as Klasky Csupo Publishing.

Rachelle Lewis

Klasky Csupo initially distinguished itself with its work on logo designs, feature film trailers, TV show titles, promos, and spot IDs for a wide variety of clients, earning a reputation, in the process, as the industry’s most imaginative and innovative studio. Building on its success, the studio opened its first facility in Hollywood in 1988 at the corner of Fountain and Highland Avenues. The studio soon grew to include six buildings that have become well known in Hollywood — in true Klasky Csupo style, the exterior walls of the buildings are decorated with large murals of its characters.

In 1999, however, due to Klasky Csupo’s exponential growth and after an exhaustive regional search for an appropriate facility to consolidate its operations, the studio relocated to 6353 Sunset Blvd. Committed to remaining in the district, Klasky Csupo chose a building on the corner of Vine Avenue in the heart of old Hollywood. With this move, the much-heralded “new” Hollywood now boasts one of the industry’s major animation studios.

Mark Simon: What do you look for in portfolios for both animators and directors?

Rachell Lewis: Well, the bottom line is talent, obviously. For directors we look for strong composition and staging. We like directors who can see things with more of a “cinematic” sensibility. Acting is of course extremely important for directors as well.