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John "F" Fountain

@FountainCartoon • 30,656 subscribers

Veteran Cartoon Director Helped make Fairly Oddparents, MLaaTR & Invader Zim - CHECK OUT MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL! Link below! PG-13 🚫POLITICS IG: fountainspencomics

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I think We all know it shoulda been Vicky.

I think We all know it shoulda been Vicky.

13,364 views

Yet another scene that would make #AI bros cry… This one was entirely hand drawn with key frames and main in-betweens done by me. It was my first episode as a director and I wanted to show what could be done with the show in terms of dynamic action. This episode paved the way for all of the #FairlyOddParents movies and established that we COULD, in fact, have big action sequences. It also established me as the “action guy for comedy shows.”

Yet another scene that would make #AI bros cry… This one was entirely hand drawn with key frames and main in-betweens done by me. It was my first episode as a director and I wanted to show what could be done with the show in terms of dynamic action. This episode paved the way for all of the #FairlyOddParents movies and established that we COULD, in fact, have big action sequences. It also established me as the “action guy for comedy shows.”

32,887 views

Obviously this guy is just grasping at straws in a feeble attempt to defend #AI (as if he cares about people), but it does remind me of something important… Me and every director I knew made every effort possible to get to know our outsourcing studio animators (they were people… humans… artists… not an algorithm). I would say stuff like, “This scene’s got a fire monster… I’ll bet you have someone there who loves drawing fire, right?” and I’d hear them laugh and say (through the translator) “We’ve got three… we’ll let them fight over it!” They weren’t faceless drones… they were part of the team to me. Moreover, I was taught that the best way to ensure that they weren’t overworked was by making sure that everything we ever sent was clear, detailed and easy to understand. There were lots of “They’ll fix it in Korea” directors. We referred to them as “hacks.” And we shunned them. Because we cared.

Obviously this guy is just grasping at straws in a feeble attempt to defend #AI (as if he cares about people), but it does remind me of something important… Me and every director I knew made every effort possible to get to know our outsourcing studio animators (they were people… humans… artists… not an algorithm). I would say stuff like, “This scene’s got a fire monster… I’ll bet you have someone there who loves drawing fire, right?” and I’d hear them laugh and say (through the translator) “We’ve got three… we’ll let them fight over it!” They weren’t faceless drones… they were part of the team to me. Moreover, I was taught that the best way to ensure that they weren’t overworked was by making sure that everything we ever sent was clear, detailed and easy to understand. There were lots of “They’ll fix it in Korea” directors. We referred to them as “hacks.” And we shunned them. Because we cared.

16,264 views

Just to give you some context… There was no single “thing” that inspired the “infinite hat gag” other than a love for random absurdity. For instance… I consider this the funniest thing of all time.

Just to give you some context… There was no single “thing” that inspired the “infinite hat gag” other than a love for random absurdity. For instance… I consider this the funniest thing of all time.

32,093 views

PLEASE HELP! COSTS YOU NOTHING! Seriously, guys… if just ONE QUARTER of you watched one of my 1 hr. Videos (or just had it playing on your phone while you do other things) I would be able to monetize my channel and pay my crews! Link in replies - reposts appreciated!

PLEASE HELP! COSTS YOU NOTHING! Seriously, guys… if just ONE QUARTER of you watched one of my 1 hr. Videos (or just had it playing on your phone while you do other things) I would be able to monetize my channel and pay my crews! Link in replies - reposts appreciated!

32,277 views

At Fountain's Pen Cartoons we aspire to break this cycle. We’re not just creating #IndieAnimation as a vanity project with one style (nothing at all wrong with that, btw)… Nor are we a costly tutorial course that puts you through outdated, rote exercises that teach technique without applicable experience… We’re a volunteer, multi-tier mentorship program that aspires to customize our members’ experience based on their personal goals. We also teach networking, pipeline management, time management, leadership, apprenticeship and self discipline. We learn by doing. Are we perfect? Absolutely not. But we’re doing something different - because you can’t evoke change by doing things the way that they’ve always been done. Oh - and we have fun! It’s our number one mandate. If you’re not learning AND actively enjoying the experience, you’re free to leave with absolutely no pressure, guilt or hard feelings. We don’t offer guarantees, but we offer one thing with clarity, honesty and sincerity: Hope.

At Fountain's Pen Cartoons we aspire to break this cycle. We’re not just creating #IndieAnimation as a vanity project with one style (nothing at all wrong with that, btw)… Nor are we a costly tutorial course that puts you through outdated, rote exercises that teach technique without applicable experience… We’re a volunteer, multi-tier mentorship program that aspires to customize our members’ experience based on their personal goals. We also teach networking, pipeline management, time management, leadership, apprenticeship and self discipline. We learn by doing. Are we perfect? Absolutely not. But we’re doing something different - because you can’t evoke change by doing things the way that they’ve always been done. Oh - and we have fun! It’s our number one mandate. If you’re not learning AND actively enjoying the experience, you’re free to leave with absolutely no pressure, guilt or hard feelings. We don’t offer guarantees, but we offer one thing with clarity, honesty and sincerity: Hope.

11,171 views

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HOT TAKE: I know “Channel Chasers” is everyone’s favorite, but without “Abra-Catastrophe,” there would be no “Channel Chasers.” #FairlyOddparents
0:22
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HOT TAKE: I know “Channel Chasers” is everyone’s favorite, but without “Abra-Catastrophe,” there would be no “Channel Chasers.” #FairlyOddparents

John "F" Fountain

38,295 views • 3 days ago

I just gotta say it: #FamilyGuy has the worst animation timing ever. Everything moves at exactly the same “mid-fast/slow” speed. The sad thing is, they couldn’t change it now if they wanted to. It’s their “style” 🤮 And that style has become the methadone drip to keep comedy-starved viewers from ripping their hair out from the horrors of modern life. Good timing would probably shock everyone into a seizure. I’m not ragging on anyone who enjoys the show or works on the show. I realize I’m a snob. But my god, this trailer makes my eyeballs hurt…
0:30
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I just gotta say it: #FamilyGuy has the worst animation timing ever. Everything moves at exactly the same “mid-fast/slow” speed. The sad thing is, they couldn’t change it now if they wanted to. It’s their “style” 🤮 And that style has become the methadone drip to keep comedy-starved viewers from ripping their hair out from the horrors of modern life. Good timing would probably shock everyone into a seizure. I’m not ragging on anyone who enjoys the show or works on the show. I realize I’m a snob. But my god, this trailer makes my eyeballs hurt…

John "F" Fountain

1,588,578 views • 5 months ago

I’m just gonna leave this here… Oh, and before you say “Hey! That’s CGI!” I’d like to point out that we weren’t sure if we were gonna have a CGI budget or not, so I animated this frame by frame myself. On paper. With pencils. By hand. Because that’s what animators do. 😊
0:45
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I’m just gonna leave this here… Oh, and before you say “Hey! That’s CGI!” I’d like to point out that we weren’t sure if we were gonna have a CGI budget or not, so I animated this frame by frame myself. On paper. With pencils. By hand. Because that’s what animators do. 😊

John "F" Fountain

5,403,718 views • 2 years ago

Can someone explain to me why you would call yourself an “AI artist” or an “AI filmmaker”? You’re giving the technology top billing! You’re either an artist or you’re not. You’re either a filmmaker or you’re not. You’re either a storyteller or you’re not. I storyboarded, keyframed and animated this scene by hand with paper and pencil. It was then translated into CGI… but I animated it. I’m an artist. I’m a filmmaker. I’m a storyteller. I’m the genuine article.
0:44
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Can someone explain to me why you would call yourself an “AI artist” or an “AI filmmaker”? You’re giving the technology top billing! You’re either an artist or you’re not. You’re either a filmmaker or you’re not. You’re either a storyteller or you’re not. I storyboarded, keyframed and animated this scene by hand with paper and pencil. It was then translated into CGI… but I animated it. I’m an artist. I’m a filmmaker. I’m a storyteller. I’m the genuine article.

John "F" Fountain

1,222,160 views • 1 year ago

I feel used. I’ve been a cheerleader for #AdobeAnimate Adobe Animate since its inception… when everyone else was saying “It looks cheap,” I was insisting, “No no no… it’s all in how you USE it!” And I was right. “Flash” (as I will always call it) has been an amazing tool. When everyone else decided that ToonBoom was the promised land, I stuck with Flash. For those who knew how to use it, you could make professional level animation with a minimal budget and a crew of one. I understand that things change, and I’ve always advised that we should never rely too heavily on any ONE program, but to abruptly and unceremoniously yank the plug this way is a slap in the face to everyone who made the software a success. There was a right way to do this and a wrong way to do it. Adobe picked the absolute worst way to do it.
0:54
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I feel used. I’ve been a cheerleader for #AdobeAnimate Adobe Animate since its inception… when everyone else was saying “It looks cheap,” I was insisting, “No no no… it’s all in how you USE it!” And I was right. “Flash” (as I will always call it) has been an amazing tool. When everyone else decided that ToonBoom was the promised land, I stuck with Flash. For those who knew how to use it, you could make professional level animation with a minimal budget and a crew of one. I understand that things change, and I’ve always advised that we should never rely too heavily on any ONE program, but to abruptly and unceremoniously yank the plug this way is a slap in the face to everyone who made the software a success. There was a right way to do this and a wrong way to do it. Adobe picked the absolute worst way to do it.

John "F" Fountain

143,462 views • 4 months ago

This ISN’T the greatest animated tv show intro of all time BECAUSE it was drawn by hand on paper… This ISN’T the greatest animated tv show intro of all time BECAUSE it was inked and painted with in and paint… This is the greatest animated tv show intro of all time BECAUSE IT WAS MADE BY PEOPLE! #NoToGenerativeAI
1:14
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This ISN’T the greatest animated tv show intro of all time BECAUSE it was drawn by hand on paper… This ISN’T the greatest animated tv show intro of all time BECAUSE it was inked and painted with in and paint… This is the greatest animated tv show intro of all time BECAUSE IT WAS MADE BY PEOPLE! #NoToGenerativeAI

John "F" Fountain

129,631 views • 4 months ago

Watch me flex on the #AI bros just for funsies.
0:40
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Watch me flex on the #AI bros just for funsies.

John "F" Fountain

44,893 views • 2 months ago

ANIMATION TIMING a Thread 🧵 by “F” #Animation timing is an EXTREMELY tricky, specialized art form all its own, and VERY few people are actually, truly “great” at it. The scene below from the first #FairlyOddParents movie “Abra-Catastrophe” was storyboarded, designed, directed, written and TIMED by me. It looks like shit. Why? Because someone other than me who was in a role of authority to do so went in and changed my original timing. This scene was supposed to be frantic, kinetic, exciting and energized. Instead, it’s klunky, slow and awkward. (FUN FACT: I intended it to be a nod to the Yoda/Dooku duel in “Attack of the Clones”) This was a stylistic choice somebody who wasn’t me made. Choices like this are usually made out of a fear that the audience won’t be able to follow along if it moves too quickly, so what often happens is they will call for three times as many in betweens as necessary to “play it safe” and then speed it up in post production. The result is always ugly and jarring. It winds up looking like it doesn’t belong. Animation timing is a precise and delicate art form, and to do it well you need to have CONFIDENCE in your choices. This has none of that. By contrast… (Continued in replies)
0:22
FountainCartoon's profile picture

ANIMATION TIMING a Thread 🧵 by “F” #Animation timing is an EXTREMELY tricky, specialized art form all its own, and VERY few people are actually, truly “great” at it. The scene below from the first #FairlyOddParents movie “Abra-Catastrophe” was storyboarded, designed, directed, written and TIMED by me. It looks like shit. Why? Because someone other than me who was in a role of authority to do so went in and changed my original timing. This scene was supposed to be frantic, kinetic, exciting and energized. Instead, it’s klunky, slow and awkward. (FUN FACT: I intended it to be a nod to the Yoda/Dooku duel in “Attack of the Clones”) This was a stylistic choice somebody who wasn’t me made. Choices like this are usually made out of a fear that the audience won’t be able to follow along if it moves too quickly, so what often happens is they will call for three times as many in betweens as necessary to “play it safe” and then speed it up in post production. The result is always ugly and jarring. It winds up looking like it doesn’t belong. Animation timing is a precise and delicate art form, and to do it well you need to have CONFIDENCE in your choices. This has none of that. By contrast… (Continued in replies)

John "F" Fountain

58,632 views • 5 months ago

#Cartoons WHAT’S A CARTOON THAT YOU’RE CONVINCED WOULD BE A HIT IF IT CAME OUT NOW? I’ll start:
0:54
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#Cartoons WHAT’S A CARTOON THAT YOU’RE CONVINCED WOULD BE A HIT IF IT CAME OUT NOW? I’ll start:

John "F" Fountain

42,959 views • 7 months ago

In case you’re keeping score, this is the SECOND greatest animated tv show intro of all time. Crafted by the amazing Peter Chung. A human. Not #AI
0:46
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In case you’re keeping score, this is the SECOND greatest animated tv show intro of all time. Crafted by the amazing Peter Chung. A human. Not #AI

John "F" Fountain

14,254 views • 4 months ago

#animation #cartoons THANK YOU!!!
2:15
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#animation #cartoons THANK YOU!!!

John "F" Fountain

12,676 views • 3 years ago

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