Sunday, January 27, 2008

Storyboards



1990 pilot for Ren & Stimpy.

56 comments:

jose hosel [old raffin] said...

looking good, Jim Bob. You know, can't wait on that new Chestacles comic coming soon.

Eric Noble said...

Awesome storyboards. Even your storyboard drawings are beautiful. I am so jealous of you, Mr. Smith.

Jimbo said...

Jealousy can be destructive, weirdo but I'll take it. Is that icon from Wizards?

Vincent Waller said...

Mammories...Ah the salad days, when the world was filled with love and purpose.

Eric Noble said...

Yeah Jim, this icon is from "Wizards". It was the first Bakshi movie I saw. I love Bakshi's films. Did you see the post John K. did on the upcoming Bakshi book?

Ryan G. said...

Hey Jim. Why are some of the panels rough and others look more finished? Some of the finished ones look like layouts with the key poses. How thorough do you usually get with the storyboards?

Anonymous said...

Hey Jim, I just paid for my drawing on Paypal. It's not under Josh Heisie, it's under Lorna Heisie, just in case you don't recognize the name. I'm excited.
Josh Heisie

Jimbo said...

Vincent those were the good old salad tossing days. John K. says they are doing a Spumco coffee table book. It would melt the table if we told what really happened in that building. The tunnel, the fighting, the orgies...We should go down to Small's someday for old bad times sake.

Jimbo said...

Weirdo, I have not seen that post yet but will give her a look. The commentary by Ralph on the Wizards dvd is on of the best I've seen. He is quite knowledgeable about cartoons and their history. I really like the story of how he promoted himself from assistant to director.

Jimbo said...

Weirdo, correction: From assistant to animator.

Jimbo said...

Ryan, the storyboards are only as finished as time allows. In tv today animation usually goes overseas so it behooves the board artist to do tight drawings. To save money studios take advantage and persuade them to do the layouts on the boards; essentially two jobs at once. In the golden age boards were often done by the same guy who did the animation, like Rod Scribner on Coal Black and De Sebbin'Dwarves. They could be a little rougher.

Anonymous said...

I wish you guys would tell the gruesome stories of what went on in Spumco! Why is it shrouded in secrecy?

Jimbo said...

Josh they are doing a Spumco book and it will have a few stories. You'll have to get me drunk to divulge the more juicy tales.

jose hosel [old raffin] said...

Jim, is that Small's, as in New York Small's, or another?

jose hosel [old raffin] said...

Also, who's up for getting Jim drunk and tell stories? I'm buying...

jose hosel [old raffin] said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
jose hosel [old raffin] said...

...the first round of beers. (forgot to finish that sentence. maybe i'm drunk.)

Vincent Waller said...

Jose,
No this was "Smalls" (Its now known as Forty Deuce 5574 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA)in Los Angeles.
At Gower and Melrose. A lovely little venue in which was written many a Ren and Stimpy episode.(Meaning gagged out on napkins, and yellow pads.)

Uncle Phil said...

wow beautiful boards. thanks for posting them.

jose hosel [old raffin] said...

ah, right. i knew Smalls was some Ren & Stimpy think-tank headquaters thing, but couldn't imagine in a New York jazz club

Uncle Phil said...

Scribner did boards for Coal Black! Man, I don't think i've ever seen a Scribner board for anything.

Shit, I'll buy you lunch if you could bring photocopies of whatever you have.

Jimbo said...

Phil I don't have those but ask someone like John K., Jerry Beck, Mark Kausler or Steve Worth at ASIFA. But I will take that lunch.

Vincent Waller said...

Phil you and Jim should hit the Buchanan Arms or Chili Johns then hit the ASIFA archive. Im sure Mr.Worth would be glad to share whatever he has of Scribbner.

Jimbo said...

Vincent, good idea but stay away from Chili John's, Steve gave them an "F".If anyone know dogs it's Steve Worth.
I've seen those Scribner board xeroxes but forgot who had them. Steve would know for sure.

Anonymous said...

Who's making this Spumco book and when is it going to come out?

Jimbo said...

Josh, all I know is they are doing it with John K. and Steve Worth will be helping with his archives. Nobody tells me nothing.

Uncle Phil said...

I think I'll write Steve to see what he has at the archive.

Uncle Phil said...

Steve wrote me back. He said that the Clampett family has the Coal Black boards, and that they were done by Warren Foster. Hmm.. I wonder if they were boards for something else.

Jimbo said...

Phil there are some pages by Scribner himself - I just wish I could remember where I saw them. It was the scene where the Prince is trying to wake Coal Black with his dynomite kiss. They are definitely Scribner. I think John K. was showing them to me. The Clampetts would have them for sure.

crsP said...

Greetings and salutations, noble prince of the woods. Or 'hello', as is common for your earth kind.

I was just wondering who wrote the notes on these storyboards [I would say 'boards, like the cool kids do, but I fear I may not be seen as classy enough to do so, and subsequently ostracised]?

In the spirit of full disclosure, I will confess that I plan to do a rather salacious post on the content contained therein.

Ricardo Cantoral said...

JIM: A Spumco coffee table book ? You just gave me a toongasm.

Jimbo said...

Crsp, the notes were by john K. who directed the show and the drawings are John's and Lynne Naylor's. See if you can tell who did which panels. The winner gets a free copy of the pages. No gift is too much for my people.
PC, it's true I know because it was told to me by a Canadian.

Jimbo said...

One more clue: A couple of the panels are by yours truly.

crsP said...

Thank you [Mr.] Jim [Smith]. I sort of figured it was that Canadian that did the notes but I just wanted to make sure, just in case. The walls have ears. So do the corn.

I accept your challenge. Bearing in mind that I don't claim to be an authority in such matters, but I would stake my reputation [as C.E.O of the internet] that the last three panels on their own at the bottom of the first set are definitely John K, that the second set of three on the top right of the second scan where Ren jumps into Stimpy, are definitely Jim Smith, and the last ones on the bottom of the second scan are definitely Lynne Naylor.

Not being an expert, I deduced it with some unorthodox [some might say unnatural] manner. I will withhold my reasons why I came to those conclusions until you reveal whether I'm correct or incorrect.

Eric Noble said...

There's a book coming about Spumco, and the don't tell you anything about it? You helped found Spumco, they should at least tell you what they're including in it. Anyway, are you going to update us when it comes out?

Jimbo said...

Oh crsp, you were so close! Vanna what do we have as a consolation. Or would you like to go to next round? Another clue: My drawings are not always next to each other.

Jimbo said...

Weirdo,just calm down - you're going to get me all worked up again. Seriously, to be fair, I could find out more if I ask John K. I was just happy to hear they are doing a book. We have been talking about it for years but the time wasn't quite right yet. Many of the illustrations will come from my collection since I saved everything I could get. I know John has some good stuff and Steve Worth at asifa has archived a lot. It will be interesting to see what's out there.

david said...

awesome. thanks for posting.

crsP said...

I, er...I, I... failed? I can't believe this is happening to me?! WHY ME?!

*sobs uncontrollably*

Here's my [failed] reasoning for any interested third party [the other two parties just didn't have that swing] :~

1) The shaded eyelids on Ren and his head shape makes him look more like Peter Lorre. Especially the way Bob Clampet had him in his cartoons. So I figured that was John K's

2) The three with Ren jumping onto Stimpy had a darker line. You draw comics, so I assumed you would use a softer lead. 2b's are the bees knees, as was [never] said by comic book artists.

3) In the last ones they are drawn quite cute and effeminate, so I attributed that to Lynne Naylor

I have disappointed my fans and stalkers. My odd logic has this time let me down.

*whimper*

Jimbo said...

Oh, Crsp, your effort is admirable my friend. One last clue: The first 4 panels are mine. Panel 3 was from a thumbnail by John. The rest are up for grabs. I just love knowing something you don't. This is about the only time it ever happens for me. Hee, hee hee!

crsP said...

Hmm...

I think I was correct about the bottom three of the first scan being John K's, so with that in mind, I would say the first three of the second scan are also his. And employing what I call 'Stimpy Nose Theory' [SNT], I would include the last set where Ren has the rude awakening [yes, the ones I previously referred to as effeminate...] as John K. SNT works on the basis that the drawings with Stimpy having the largest nose are all related to the same artist.

So the rest must be Lynne Naylor. Although...

*rocks back and forth in foetal position*

Jimbo said...

Crsp, Getting warmer mah brutha. Actually there are only three or four Lynne drawings in the whole lot. If you don't get it now you will owe me a prize! Hah hah!

crsP said...

After a visit to Lynne Naylor's website [the gloves fall of in dramatic slow motion...], there does seem to be some favour towards a darker line. Having said that though, her examples show a variety of line quality and styles. BUT I do seem to see a reoccurrence in a tilted lead stroke. So, with that observation, I would come to the conclusion that the group at bottom left on the second scan belong to her.

Check...and mate.

Or stale mate.

Or some other situation wherein I can somehow walk away from this with my dignity intact.

Mike Nassar said...

damn jim. you're the man. thanks for posting these boards.

Jimbo said...

Thanks Mike, I am the man or I used to be until I went to hernia city.
Crsp, our judges say you did give the correct answer but time had expired. Oh,I'm sorry. However you will get the home version of our game - a stack of blank drawing paper and a pencil. Thanks for playing "Reliving the Past!" I'm your host Dink Lightningrod. Just funnin' you. You were the only one to even try. The rest of you make me sick!

jose hosel [old raffin] said...

jim, is this the LONGEST bunch of comments on js blog post. ever?

success.

also, come on... hernia, two hernias, no hernia. you the man, man.

Jimbo said...

Good one Jose. What are you implying? That my blog is barren? Seriously, yes it may be the most comments so far but most of them are mine. That give me an idea... I'll make a shitload of comments to make it look like I'm popular.

Jimbo said...

And one more thing... Thanks for the comment.

Trevour said...

Here's another comment just to keep the record alive!

Charlie said...

Very nice work. Hope you had fun at the annies. Are you still selling Freehead CD's?

Jimbo said...

Thanks Trevour and the tally is moving up.
Charlie, the Annies were a heck of a lot of fun. I think you will see pictures on Eddie Fitzgerald's blog and some stuff on Kali's or John K.'s blog too. I haven't looked yet. Yes the cd is still for sale, there are a few left.

Cheesy said...

If I may be so bold, you sir, looked quite fetching at them awards

Jimbo said...

Broad, you are a saucy wench. I am the most powerful artist in the land - you are the boldest wench, lets make history together.

Jimbo said...

Broad, I know only one person who's favorite movie is Martin.

Dave MH said...

thanks jim!! any way we could see the boards for a whole episode? would be so cool to be able to see how things match up (or don't match up) with a finished product. lemme know if i'm being greedy. :)thanks, dave.

Jimbo said...

Dave, I can only post what I have. It would take forever to post a whole episode. The only whole episode in my possession is the Ralph Bakshi story.