Sunday, October 29, 2006

Specific Acting-Scribner, Clampett, Blanc, Foster


It took 4 wonderful talents to do this great scene.

Warren Foster wrote the rhythmic dialogue. (Very important to voice actors. Bad stilted cartoon writing , written in "writer-speak" is very hard for an actor to read naturally. This might be partly why so much voice acting is so dry and monotone now. You can't read the awkward dialogue any other way.)

Clampett directed the cartoon and gave it context and emotion.

Mel Blanc read the dialogue with verve and rhythm and a huge variety of contrasts and accents. (no one does this any more)

Rod Scribner animated it perfectly and in context to Mel's voice and created expressions and poses that gave even more meaning to the dialogue and delivery.


Drawing specific acting is my favorite thing to do and more than anything else is why Ren and Stimpy was so successful. They had rhythmic dialogue and tons of unique expressions which made them seem real no matter what crazy situations I would plop them into. Of all the innovations that came from that show this is the biggest one and the one that wasn't carried on by anyone else. People would copy certain specific Stimpy expressions and use them out of context in their own cartoons, but I've yet to see anyone make their characters have an inner life which can only be achieved by doing what I've been talking about here.

You have to be willing to turn over your model sheets too. And do layouts in the country.


"I can hardly wait to see..."





(crazy laugh)




"I love that man!"







"He drew a knife on him..."





"AUGH!"






"..whew..."




"They're at it again!"



"...I hate to look..."






This is so Clampett. He himself was a big cartoon and comics fan so the whole gag itself is based on how he feels about getting the latest edition of one of his favorite comics.

Everything Clampett did, even his dirty jokes are presented from the point of view of a kid. It's a kid's eye view of the world.

I really identify with this scene because when I was kid I couldn't wait for Tuesdays and Thursdays, the 2 days when all the new comic books would arrive at the local drugstore.

I would walk the mile and a half to Paul's Sundries and pace until they would place the new issues in the racks and then I'd spend an hour or two molesting all the comics, deciding and stressing over which 4 or 5 issues I could spread my allowance out to grab.

Ditko's Spiderman and Kirby's Fantastic 4 were always on top of the list, then I'd have to take turns on Deadman, The Hulk, The Avengers, Hot Stuff, World's Finest and a zillion others.

I always snapped up Betty and Veronica's Giant Size Summer fun issues to gawk at the sexy drawings Harry Lucey did of the girls frolicking on the beach in their skimpy suits.



Wanna freeze frame through this amazing cartoon yourself?

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