Chuck Jones

Chuck Jones, possibly the greatest animation director, died in 2002. I had the privilege of attending a seminar given on September 18, 1998 by Mr. Jones when I was an Art Director at Industrial Light + Magic. Not only did he influence me through his cartoons, but also with a great talk. Here are six thoughtful highlights:

• Groucho Marx once said that humor must have limitations; it is not what you do, it’s what you choose not to do.
• Comedy always needs to make sense, it needs to be believable.
• Rules are worth following, no matter how stupid they seem. For instance, you can squash and stretch a character’s head to extremes, but it must maintain the same volume. That rule makes the most absurd cartoon gesture real.
• “Economy for Clarity” is something Mr. Jones learned from Hitchcock. You must choose what you’re interested in and focus on it. And yes, showing everything is overrated.
• As you learn your craft, remember, young animals play what they need to know when they grow up. So play and learn. Have fun.
• There are two keys to success, love and willingness. You have to love what you do and you have to be willing to put in the effort. And when you’re finished, only the love should show.

I weave these ideas into my work everyday. But these tips aren’t just smart advice for animation and cartooning, I think these apply just as appropriately for life.

Originally published at www.jantze.com.