Customer Reviews

Creating Animated Cartoons with Character: A Guide to Developing and Producing Your Own Series for TV, the Web, and Short Film

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Of course most of you reading this are interested in animation, and some of you may even dream of making your own animated television show someday. I know I do. I've had that dream since I was seven, and I've been working toward my goal by animating since I was ten. Unfortunately, even if you think you have a good concept for a show, you have no idea how to get it made, so your idea will probably just sit in your brain and you'll eventually take it with you to the grave.

Or at least, that's how it used to be. Luckily, the creator of Rocko's Modern Life and Camp Lazlo wrote a book that can help. Now you can know everything you ever wanted to, thanks to Joe Murray's Creating Animated Cartoons with Character: A Guide to Developing and Producing Your Own Series for TV, the Web and Short Film. (Goodness me, that's a long name for a book).

Creating Animated Cartoons with Character give readers the insight into what goes into creating an animated series from concept to bible to pitch to production, all using examples from Murray's own career as well as those of his friends, such as Stephen Hillenberg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants. Will you need an agent? Will they steal your ideas? The answers to questions every aspiring creator has are answered here. This book will force the reader to examine his or her motivation for attempting to make an animated series, as well as giving the reader a realistic idea of what to expect, or rather, what not to expect. Murray brilliantly explains how to create likeable characters and how to prepare a pitch. He also offers practical advice that can be used in just about any job, like not being a jerk and keeping your ego in check.

Murray packs Creating Animated Cartoons with Character full of fun and interesting anecdotes as well as old artwork and notebook sketches. There's also a chapter about other means of creating your series without pitching to a network or studio and using the web instead. It was researching for this very chapter that led Murray to create Frog in a Suit and KaboingTV. With cheap animation programs available to the public, anyone can theoretically create their own webtoon without selling the rights to some huge company.

It's impossible to read this book and not compare it to David B. Levy's Animation Development: From Pitch to Production. Both books cover similar ground, though Levy's book focuses more on pitching while Murray's book focuses more on creating the show and characters as well as working on the show assuming you're lucky enough to get a deal. The real difference though is the attitudes of the books. While Murray's book is very optimistic, David Levy's book makes you wonder whether or not you should even bother to attempt to create an animated series. Both of those attitudes are understandable, considering Murray was successful twice and Levy has yet to succeed after ten years of trying. I believe it's important to read both books, especially since Murray's book can give you the optimism you need to actually believe you have a chance. As Joseph A. Holmes said, "Never tell a young person that something cannot be done. God may have been waiting centuries for somebody ignorant enough of the impossible to do that thing."

Joe Murray's Creating Animated Cartoons with Character: A Guide to Developing and Producing Your Own Series for TV, the Web and Short Film is a book that has been long overdue. If you've ever been interested in creating your own show, or just want to know what goes into creating one, you should check this book out. It's occasionally funny, but most importantly of all its informative and encouraging. Creating Animated Cartoons with Character is a must-have, and belongs on the shelf of anyone who considers him or her self an animation enthusiast or a dreamer.

Animation is a woefully little-examined field, and while nowadays several animators often write or blog about their experiences and techniques, it's much more difficult to find a streamlined, straight-forward examination of the entire process. Joe Murray, creator of hit shows Rocko's Modern Life and Camp Lazlo, does exactly that.

With a clear, comprehensive style, visual record, and insightful Q&As with other big-name animation experts, Murray pretty much answers every possible question one may have along the lines of developing a cartoon from the ground up. Pitching, design, character, scheduling, working with networks - everything is explained in as much detail as possible. There are some moments early on where the details are skipped, like how he moved on from local comic-newspaper artist to a full-fledged studio, but the details are about the network cartoon business, not so much his life before then.

I would say that the only issue I have is that there's a heavy use of metaphors, and while I understand it has such a writing trope to help the younger or the unfamiliar understand the business better, Murray is clear and concise enough with his initial explanations of events that it makes such analogies moot.

If you are curious about the business, eager to pitch your own cartoon, or looking to work in animation in any format, I would highly recommend this. Very down-to-earth and approachable, informative without being condescending, and - well, let's be frank: it's the entire approach by the guy who created one of the best animated shows in mid-90s. That alone makes it a must read.

I LOVE this book! Almost every page is filled with illustrations and original artwork by Joe Murray. I am interested in animation myself, but I would highly recommend Creating Animated Cartoons with Character to anyone that is interested in cartoons or art in general. Fans of Rocko's Modern Life and Camp Lazlo will greatly enjoy this book because it includes neat things about the making of those shows. If you're interested in Joe himself, this is a great read as well. He does a wonderful job of making the book easy to follow while keeping it interesting. You can tell that Joe really put his whole heart into this book. The book even includes an interview with Stephen Hillenburg- the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants. I received this book as a gift, and I am very happy with it. It's definitely worth the price. The detail put into the book alone is worth the price. You will not be disappointed!

Joe Murray has created a very amazing book that is at once entertaining but also insightful into the creation of many of our favorite animated shows. I discovered Rocko's Modern Life by accident when my two children were growing up in the 90's. At the end of the first episode, I was hooked at how different the show was and how entertaining for children AND adults.

The book, "Creating Animated Cartoons with Character" draws you into the world of creating characters and developing them into a series. It is amazing to read the process from inception to fruition and seems almost impossible the steps that the creators of a successful series must take to realize their dreams.

This is one of the few books where I am not skimming and pulling out what I need from the page and moving on to the next. I am thoroughly enjoying reading each and every word and coming along on the journey. Joe brings you into his world and you feel his passion and devotion to his art. It is also an amazing "Do It Yourself" guide to budding animators, cartoonists and artists.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone that wants an enjoyable look at the world of animation today. It is also a terrific coffee table book that sits out in the living room next to the autographed picture of "Rocko" that Joe was generous enough to provide. Everyone, young and old, thinks it is way cool!

Great Fun!

Bryan B.

Let me just start off by saying this book is flippin' awesome!

A friend bought it for me a while back. My first impression in seeing this book was- despite it's rather appealing cover- that it might just be another cheap animation how to book filled with oversize pictures and no content.

...and to my surprise, this book is anything but what i thought it would be. It is comprehensive, enjoyable and appealing guide with just the right amount of text and pictures. It contains invaluable inside information from Mr Murray who has ample experience in the industry.

The book covers many aspects:

-inspiration and aspiration ( reality check)
-history of golden age of cartoon and Murray's own journey
-character development
-design and originality
-pitching your series idea and hiring a lawyer
-rejection and revision
-production team and process
-schedule and budgeting
- the role of the network studio
-film and global syndication
-interviews with creators ( of spongebob, powerpuff girls, dex's laboratory , etc)

This book gives the reader insights into the industry as well as some wordly advice for anyone wanting to create their own animated cartoon series. Highly recommended.

For those who haven't caught on yet, this book was written (brilliantly, I feel) by the great Joe Murray, creator of the hit shows "Rocko's Modern Life" and "Camp Lazlo". I got my copy of this book the other day and was shocked at how thick it actually was! My immediate thought was that it would be filled with big pictures and sparse text; a pleasant surprise awaited me as I flipped through it. It's much more dense and thorough than I expected. The book is actually very well thought-out, entertaining, and informative. The pictures that are included (which are sized just right, not just filler) pertain to the text and are really quite inspiring.

A bit on the content: Mr. Murray starts with a brief Bio that includes some great illustrations from earlier in his career, followed by a very brief animation history lesson. This is a great way to start the book, since you can't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been. He commences to plow forward by picking his brain about his own process in creating characters and stories, following them from initial kernel of an idea in your head to getting them on paper to creating personalities to pitching your idea, preparing a mini-bible for the pilot, producing the pilot, taking it to series, maintaining your sanity when this is your life day in and day out for years, etc. He does a fantastic job of illustrating the realities of the business while still infusing plenty of his creativity. His thorough commentary provides a step-by-step insight into what to expect (and prepare yourself for) in the creation of a television animation series. The icing on the cake? Mr. Murray also includes several interviews with other series creators and talents, picking their brains about their own process and insights on the industry.

I cannot recommend this book enough for both creatives and fans of cartoons! :^)

Disclosure: I worked for Joe on one of his shows, and this book reminds me how great that time was.
First, this book is an amazing snapshot of the industry, and all the mechanics running deep below the surface-- Things not evident to the staff, even.
This book is also a precise and lucid step-by-step guide to one of the most harrowing situations in entertainment. Having struck gold twice, Murray has a sober understanding of what happens, what never happens, and how you need to understand and re-tool yourself as things inevitably change. I'm going into this process now, and it's making all the difference that having the lights on would make if I was in a strange building, with dogs chasing me.
It's also a passionate treatise on retaining your artistic passion, and your courage-- Which is really really hard in this industry. He gives advice on how to avoid being crushed by the network juggernauts, or where to go if you'd rather have nothing to do with them.
This book does the astounding trick of granting the reader years of experience, like some sort of magic wand. Joe Murray has the understanding and clear writing ability to make it all seem relatively simple.

This book is a very insightful read for all aspiring animators, or anybody who is just interested in the field of cartoons. It includes very detailed and in depth stories and tips from well known animators, and lets you know what to expect if you're going into the animation career. I'd highly recommend it!

great book with great advices for everybody in hte bussines already or not. The chapter about "reality check" make you think if you really are made for this kind of career. The interviews are very interesting too. And makes the book more original and entertaing. Learn from the real experiences of the author. highly recommended.

This book is a really good read for anyone interested in animation. It gives insight from someone who actually went thru the process to get his cartoons on TV. It also has lots of anecdotes and interviews by other cartoon creators and people in the industry. Even if you arent' planning on trying to produce a cartoon on your own it's a good read for the stories and history.