I think of Ray Harryhausen’s work – I knew his name before I knew any actor or director’s names. His films had an impact on me very early on, probably even more than Disney. I think that’s what made me interested in animation: His work.
It’s always an interesting challenge to see if you can create a character that’s got emotion.
Technology is technology and then art form and people’s creativity is another thing. Anything that helps an artist do anything – great! Technology for technology sake doesn’t mean much to me anyway.
I’m not a big fan of spiders, rats, especially if they’re like – I got up one morning on a holiday recently, and there was a centipede in the bed that big. I wasn’t very happy about that.
It’s great when you know somebody and they keep surprising you.
My kid is a product of the fast computer lifestyle.
The great thing about visual horror films is there’s real potential for strong, beautiful imagery. It’s the one genre that really lends itself to creating strong images. And I’ve always loved that idea of windmills – your mind aimlessly spinning.
The problem with film is you never know when you’re going to be able to make a film so you can’t have people waiting around for you. Sometimes it’s fun to work with the same people and work with new people and mix it up.
I’ve found that the people who play villains are the nicest people in the world and people who play heroes are jerks.
For me, fantasy has always been a means of exploring reality: it explores the fact that your internal life, your dreams and the weird images and the things that come to you are things that are actually important tools for dealing with real issues.
I’m going to put that on my gravestone. “He created such a category of unwanted pop culture – – Famous for directing unwanted cultural references”
First of all, you make a movie that you want to see and then you just hope for the best.
The good thing about animation is that you can affect it. If something is not working, then you just fix it.
I don’t have a dog, because I travel too much. I don’t want to just leave it abandoned.
Every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Not necessarily in that order.
Your mad, bonkers, completely off your head. But to tell you a secret. All the best people are.
I had seen other stop-motion animated features, and they were either not engaging or they’re just too bizarre. There was one I liked when I was a kid called Mad Monster Party. People thought Nightmare was the first stop-motion animated monster musical, but that was.
But then on meeting you, I felt I should be with you always.
My dearest friend, if you don’t mind, I’d like to join you by your side. Where we could gaze into the stars, and sit together, now and forever. For it is plain as anyone can see, we’re simply meant to be.
Disney and I were a bad mix. For a year I was probably more depressed than I have ever been in my life. I worked for a great animator, Glenn Kean. He was nice, he was good to me, he’s a really strong animator and he helped me. But he also kind of tortured me because I got all the cute fox scenes to draw, and I couldn’t draw all those four-legged Disney foxes. I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t even fake the Disney style. Mine looked like road kills.
Nice work, bone daddy.