Hello! I’m the Owner, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Cartoon Brew.
Animation has been a passion of mine for the longest time. Looking back at what sparked this lifelong love for the art form, it wasn’t any particular character or cartoon, but rather a fascination with the craft and artistry of animated films and a curiosity about how animation was produced during the Golden Age of theatrical animation. Over the years, I’ve had the good fortune enough to learn firsthand about the production of those films from legends of the art form.
This interest in uncovering the techniques and history of the craft led to founding a print zine in the late-’90s called Animation Blast, and subsequently a career as an author and historian. As a historian, I was the youngest recipient of the Theatre Library Association Award which I received for the book Cartoon Modern: Style and Design in 1950s Animation
I’ve also been a consultant/advisor on a wide variety of projects in the animation industry, and on multiple occasions, have served as an expert witness on character and production design for DreamWorks Animation.
Books
- Upcoming: If It Ain’t Fun, To Hell With It! Ward Kimball’s Adventures in Disney, Jazz, Trains, and the Avant-Garde
- 2011: The Art of Pixar: The Complete Color Scripts and Select Art from 25 Years of Animation
- 2010: A Sketchy Past: The Art of Peter de Sève
- 2009: The Art of Pixar Short Films
- 2007: Inside UPA
- 2006: Cartoon Modern: Style and Design in 1950s Animation
- 2005: The Art of Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox’s Robots
Animation Projects
- 2019: Substance (dir. Jamaal Bradley) [Role: Associate producer]
- 2017: Ugly (dir. Nikita Diakur) [Role: Associate producer]
- 2014: Sidewalk (dir. Celia Bullwinkel) [Role: Story consultant]
- 2003: Ren & Stimpy: Adult Party Cartoon (Spike TV) [Role: Production coordinator]
Lectures, Panels, and/or Film Program Curation
- Annecy (2018, France)
- GLAS Animation Festival (2018, USA)
- Sommets du cinéma d’animation (2017, Canada)
- Anibar (2016, Kosovo)
- Sorbonne symposium: Full or Limited? (2014, France)
- Festival by Pixelatl (2014, Mexico)
- Klik! Amsterdam Animation Festival (2013, The Netherlands)
- Ottawa International Animation Festival (2012, 2004, 2002, Canada)
- Elektra: International Digital Arts Festival (2010, Canada)
- Anima Mundi (2009, Brazil)
- Fredrikstad Animation Festival (2008, Norway)
- Platform International Animation Festival (2007, USA)
- Projector Festival (2006, Scotland)
- Walt Disney Animation Studios (USA)
- Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (2006, USA)
- Comic-Con International: San Diego (2000-’03, USA)
Film Jury Member
- Odense Int’l Film Festival (2019, Denmark)
- Cinekid Festival (2018, Netherlands)
- Animafest Zagreb (2017, Croatia)
- 3D Wire (2016, Spain)
- New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival (2015, Japan)
- Anim’est (2014, Romania)
- Festival by Pixelatl (2014, Mexico)
- Anifilm (2013, Czech Republic)
- Center for Urban Pedagogy’s Public Access Design Grants (2013, USA)
- Vimeo Festival (2012, USA)
- Animation Block Party (2010, USA)
- Ottawa International Animation Festival (2009, Canada)
- Fredrikstad Animation Festival (2008, Norway)
For business partnerships with Cartoon Brew, consulting inquiries, festival and speaking engagements, and interview requests, please use the form below.
IMPORTANT: I receive many emails (far too many to be able to reply to everyone), but I do read everything that is sent and will try my best to respond if a response is necessary. If you wish to suggest a film or story idea to Cartoon Brew, DO NOT use this form. Use the News Suggestion Form. Any submissions sent through this form will not be considered.
Contact me
Please use this form for technical support questions/comments.
