Guys With Pencils

This week the boys discuss the overwhelming amount of work that has been piling up for the last little while.They talk about the pros and cons of taking on extra work when you're trying to manage everything and mantain some sort of social life. Grab some coffee, power up those cintiqs and enjoy your work week!

Colin Jack is a Toronto based story artist freelance designer. He has worked on a variety of projects ranging from TV, Childrens books and Feature films. Colin has been working for almost 10 years as a freelance artist, and during that time he has come across a variety of jobs and has great advice for anyone who thinks that they would like to enter the world of the commercial arts.Have a listen as we chat with Colin and he tells his story on finding his voice in this business.

The boys chat with fellow friend and animation freelancer, JAMIE METZGER! Jamie is a musical theatre major who went back to school to study Animation for 5 years. With her hard work and dedication, Jamie was able to work at Pixar Animation Studios during the summer of 2011. Since then she has gone on to work as a freelance animator in Whistler, BC. Jamie shares an interesting perspective on her experiences that have got her where she is today. Listen to her thoughts and advice for those looking to get into a place like Pixar, or for anyone who really wants to follow their passions. http://www.jamiemetzger.com/ http://www.tailfeathers.ca/

KELLY TURNBULL the Creator of the online sensation MANLY GUYS DOING MANLY THINGS is our guest this week! Kelly is from the frozen northern lands of Manitoba and she studied animation at Sheridan College. She now works in LA on some awesome adult cartoon shows and in her spare time when she's not admiring the Manly things that manly guys do, she write and draws for her online comic Manly Guys. Have a listen about Kelly's path in the animation business, and how she made it from the land of polar bears to the hot sunny side of California!

This week, Wayne Michael Lee joins Adam as co-host!  And you know that when Adam and Wayne get together they're going to talk about videogames! And if videogames are the topic, then it's obvious that they bring in their friend and video game art director, Adric Worley. Tune in as The Boys dive into the some of their favourite games, picking them apart from the perspective of guys who work in the industry and are also fans of the games.

This week we bring our animator friend Wayne Michael Lee close to the mic for our discussion on The Dark Knight!This week we're talking about BATMAN! With the upcoming Dark Knight Rises film in 2012, and the recent release of Batman: Arkham City, Wayne and The Boys try to understand why Batman has worked as a character for more than 70 years. Why has this property always been a huge success and been able to make profit?From the black and white serial films and the campy Adam West show of the 1960s to the Dark mind of comic writer Frank Miller and the recent work of director Christopher Nolan, Batman has been a success across the board. Listen to the thoughts of three artists and why they think it has worked for so many years.oh and HAPPY HALLOWEEN! mwahahaha!

Adam and his wife Rosemary have been married for one year, and this episode we bring her in closer to the mic to hear her share her thoughts, and Adams, on how they have managed their relationship while they both work in the same industry.They both have to deal with the good and the bad with what this business throws at them. Listen in on how they have not only made their working lives work but balance in some personal life in the mix too! ...Andrew is alone.

Edmund McMillen & Tommy Refenes  are chatting with the boys this week via skype! If you're not familiar with Team Meat, they are indie game creates who have struck it big with their game Super Meat Boy! Check out this amazing episode where you get to hear the early struggles of Edmund and Tommy as they make a name for themselves in the gaming universe! This is a story that is like no other, get ready to learn a shit load!!!  Grab some coffee, get your work ready for the week and have a listen! Follow us on twitter at @guyswithpencils

As promised, We have for you the exciting Conclusion to last week's episode with Jim Zubkavich!Jim gets down and dirty into the comics scene! He goes through his own process and experience when it comes to dealing with the conventions, the fans and the new digital era of comics.Jim shares his throughts on Comic book writing and what it REALLY takes to approach the medium of comic books! Enjoy!

Ok...So The boys get school'd by JIM ZUBKAVICH! Have a listen and prepare to learn a thing or two from an experiences pro in the animation industry! Jim shares his highs and lows from when he left school in the late 90's to his career in teaching and project management. It's a rollercoaster ride that you never want to end! So grab some paper! Sharpen your pencils! and get ready to learn a crap load! Check out JIM's work here at his site!http://zubkavich.livejournal.com/  

DISCLAIMER: The subject matter on this episode is based on the individiuals own experience and no one is claiming to know anything that would influence our listeners to make poor judgement. For the best answers talk to your family or doctor. The Boys Welcome back J. BONE to the show with a topic that is a bit more serious than usual. due to some recent events we thought it would be best if we shared some insight on our own persona experiences when it comes to the mood of an artist and how it can affect you long term. J. Bone being the upstanding guy and all around excellent guest that he is, shares with you his own personal experiences and life changing experiences he has had to deal with. For more information about mental health, follow the link!    

They boys  have something AWESOME to share with you! It involves Creators and Fans interacting on a new level with TV animation! New shows like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and Adventure Time are pushing the way to what could be the awesome future of how viewers will engage their shows! Check out RocketBoom for more info on this. ANDAdam slaps Andrew in the face with a cool gamer documentary about the growing indie gamer scene. INDIE GAME: The Movie trailer can be viewed...HERE!

 Just the boys this week on GWP. In this episode Andrew talks to Adam about the recent Toronto FAN EXPO show. His thoughts and opinions lead in to a discussion about the future of MARVEL COMICS and its new parent compant DISNEY. They talk about the possibilities and the problems that could happen with attaching a name like Disney to Marvel properties. PLUS!!Stay tuned after the end of the show to hear a painful accident that happened during the recording...Adam thought it was real fun to see me hurt. Check out the website www.guyswithpencils.com for links to the things we touched on in this episode!

MARK MAYERSON, The animation pro who has been working and teaching for the last 29 years, shares his stories on the business side of things. It's not your typical show...we get down and dirty talking about stories on how to avoid getting screwed over when it comes to freelancing yourself in this field.Mark provides a wide range of knowledge. From his early days working in TV animation to his current position as Sheridan College's Animation program co ordinator; Mark knows a thing or two, about a thing or two!So turn up the speakers. Settle in and Get comfy. And prepare to learn some valuable advice from our friend and guest, Mark Mayerson!    

This week we had the pleasure of having STEVE STARK on our show. If you're not familiar with Steve's work, he is the owner of STARKTOONS.  A studio he started on his own and has gained much attention with his amazing series of shorts known as SMODIMATIONS. Steve has an awesome outlook on working in the animation industry and provides an entertaining conversation that not only inspires but also encourages others to go after their own personal dreams. CHECK OUT:SMODIMATIONS Youtube Channel

Question: Who Is Leisha Riddel? Answer: Animator, Illustrator, Board Artist. Pixel Artist and overall friendly Freelance artist. We talk to Leisha since she has been land work as an artist through the promotion of her own work using her blog/twitter/ and facebook. By trying to stay on top of her bills and enjoy living her life, she must work as hard as possible to survive while managing her business at home. Listen to her thoughts and her struggles as she works in this animation business. ALSO. Adam and Andrew don't know how to pronounce last names...Sorry Leisha and Dei. 

In this episode The Boys take on the challenge of the 24 hour film! From Monday to Sunady the goal is to spend atleast 24 hours working on making a short film. Listen to find out if they suceed or fail...and by fail I mean let's go see Captain America at the cinema.PLUS! the saga continues with knowing the job is over in Nov. AND! A special movie review on CAPTAIN AMERICA This is Cora's Breakfast incase anyone is wondering..

WARNING THIS EPISODE IS ABOUT TO GET NEEEEEEEEEERRRRDY!So In this episode, The boys bring on the nerd rage. They talk about the new DCU Reboot and what it means for readers and artists alike. Is it another marking fad like COKE II? Or will this have some kind of impact on future generations on the mainstream comics?Adam and Andrew give their thoughts from the perspective as an artist and being a fan as well.

The boys are joined by special guest James Caswell! James is an old school pro who has been working as a freelance board artist for over 30 years! James shares his personal experience on getting to where he is at with his career. From comics to painting to storyboards. James provides an interesting perspective on his work and provides his thought on the up and comers entering this industry.    

The Boys are joined this week with a friend and former animation student. Chris Thompson was an animation student who stuck it out until the near end of his 4 years. with only 3 months left in the program, he dropped out. Chris gives tells his side of the story when it comes to what he learned in school and why it didn't work for him. If anyone out there is interested in attending school for animation, have a listen. Chris has some insightful thoughts on the do's and dont's that he would suggest for potentional students. Enjoy!