Jim on JustinTV!

Watch live video from jlucartoons on Justin.tv
Check it out, kids- I did a little coloring demo on JustinTV. This is a free website where you can share your desktop or video from your webcam and make sort of a channel for it. This was my second round at broadcasting. Very fun. Thanks to everyone who tuned in. I'll let you know when I'm going to do it again. I'll be showing my animation method soon too.

Check out my channel here!

Ghettomation Episode 4- DrewToonz!

Kevin Cross and I interview Andrew Miller, indie animator and creator/master of the Northshore Cartoon scene! You can see more DrewToonz at DREWTOONZ.TV. Keep an eye out for his next film, DogFace...coming soon!

Mail Bag Time!

This week's email question comes from my good friend and sometimes bandmate GONZO BERRONES.... By the way, this is the Gonzo who's name I always tag somewhere in my cartoons.

Gonzo asks:

Who is your favorite character from your cartoons?

This answer changes for me month to month. Sometimes Securityman, sometimes John Henry Unicorn, sometimes it might even be a side character that has no name. It depends on my mood. Right now I'm on a Stoner Girl kick. She was one of my first characters shown at a film festival and is one of the most fun to do. Her real name is Renee and I named her after my cousin Renee from Tucson. Although I tend to do "one-off" cartoons, its fun to dip back into my bag of past characters and use again. I'm tinkering with the idea of another Stoner Girl cartoon. I've been getting some positive feedback on that idea from Drew over at drewtoonz.tv. Party on, Drew.

Seven Smiles Preview Poster

Still chipping away at the new film. It has a very New York City vibe. Its sort of a gangster tale, but not your typical action flick or mob flick. It takes place in 1982 NYC and is about a hitman who isn't very good at his job. The new cartoon will be out early 2010 and has been a really good way for me to learn some new things . I'm still refining my cartooning/animation methods. Never stop learning. Never stop making mistakes . Never surrender. Never mind the bollocks. Never say never. Never Neverland.

Gangstas Parlay

Mail Bag!

This week's email is from my buddy Raul Aguirre, Jr- creator, animator, artist, voice over guy, you name it. Raul is one talented dude and I thank him for his email.

Raul writes:

Where do you see yourself as an animation artist 5 years from now? I'm asking because as we all know the studio system is choking big time in the idea department and is about to go the way of the dodo. How many more cartoons can they make where a cute little thing does cute little things and then learns a lesson?, It seems that the only folks making animation that is different and interesting are the independents such as yourself., I guess what I'm saying is, what kind of long term planning should an indy animator start doing now in the face of the imminent demise of the large studios?

Five years from now? I would hope that my DVD sales are booming and I'm putting out really high quality movies. I joke about being the Ghetto Disney, but really- that would be the ultimate. I'd love to have a stable of characters and movies under my belt. I'm also really inspired to keep growing my "cult" audience. True blue followers of the cartoons. TV would be nice too. I think I could do something different with that medium. Something interesting. It would be great to finally get some serious compensation, too. I'm working on making that a reality...slowly, but surely. Five years from now I hope to still be inspired and having a good time with making my cartoons the way I envision them.

Long term planning for indie animators? That one is easy. Be self sustaining..at all costs. Get yourself into a position where no matter what- you can continue to create your output. Bottom line. Never be at the mercy of others 100% of the time. Keep a little fire for yourself somehow.

Now THAT's entertainment! Thanks for your email Raul!

Check out Raul's cool stuff HERE!

Smart Alec Hero Heights development scene. from Raul Aguirre Jr. on Vimeo.

More Seven Smiles art

Heres another image from SEVEN SMILES, my next cartoon. It takes place in NYC in 1982. I've decided that with the holidays, most likely it will come out in January. So rather than being my last cartoon of 2009, it will be my first cartoon of 2010. See how I did that? By the way, the guy in the foreground (right) is very Full Force. He's just a background character, though. Enjoy!

Mail Bag!

Welcome to the first ever Mail Bag posting on Jim Lujan.Com. Each week I'll pick an email and answer it to the best of my human ability. It can be a question, comment, request, etc. Whatever floats your boats. For our inaugural letter we have an email from Krishna Sadasivam (creator of PC Weenies).

Krishna asks:

How long does a typical animation project take for you? What is your process like? Do you start with a script? Or is it largely improvisational? How important are storyboards and animatics to your animations?

The simplest answer is I don't start with a script, I start with an idea, I'll take that idea and make a storyboard with notes. I use those notes and thumbnails to do the audio track. I edit the audio track and get it just right and then I import the mp3 into Flash.

Doing the thumbnails is helpful for me to decide what kind of voice to give the characters and what tone to use for different emotions. Doing the audio first helps me to assure the picture flows and works in a "rhythm" if that makes any sense. The dialogue is largely improvised, but I always have an idea of key things I want to say. I realize if I worked in a more traditional animation environment, I'd conform. For now, Im having fun doing what I do. I love the freedom and the spontaneity of my current method. Below is an example of a storyboard.

I hope that helps, Krishna. Hope to see your animation soon too!

Feel free to email your questions to: jimlujan@earthlink.net

Sometimes....a man DOESNT Have to know his limitations

I'd just like to take this opportunity to say that there are still true mavericks in Hollywood (now that the McCain/Palin campaign is over I can say maverick). I'd like to point out one maverick in particular. CLINT EASTWOOD (May 31, 1930 San Francisco). What an amazing career. Remember in the late 70's/early 80's when it looked like he might be type-cast as the brooding hero in big action films? He broke out of that, playing a variety of parts in smaller films (Bridges of Madison County, anyone?) . In the 90's when Hollywood seemed to have forgotten him as a power player, he came back with the Unforgiven and swept them off of their feet (won the Oscar, too). Now, its the 2000's and Mr. Eastwood is blazing along like a teenager with an incredible amount of output. Amazing. Just look at the variety. Some he stars in, some he just directs. Writing, acting, doing it all....and not slowing down. Its so cool to see him go at it like he does. Shows you that no matter your age- you can be relevant and you can be at the top of your game....you just have to ADJUST the game you play....like Clint did!.

Check out his list of films he directed (not even counting just starred in or produced) in the 2000's:

Hereafter (2010- currently filming)

Invictus (2009)

Gran Torino (2008)

Changeling (2008)

Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)

Flags of Our Fathers (2006)

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Bloodwork (2002)

Space Cowboys (2000)

SEVEN SMILES preview art

My next movie takes place in New York City. If I can make it there....Here's a little preview image. The title of the next movie is: SEVEN SMILES. You won't guess the plot. Why try? This will be my last film of 2009. Wait till' you hear the theme song. Thanks to my brother Bob for doing the vocals on that.

Camp Ronald McDonald Event Pics

Two of my Cartoonista buddies, Javier Hernandez and Luis Escobar, and I attended the Camp Ronald McDonald event at the Warner Bros Ranch (Burbank) last weekend. It was probably the most fulfilling art event I have ever been involved in. The organization does such important and good work for sick kids and their families. They really deserve as much support as they can get. We were there to draw cartoon requests for the kids, and boy did we. The lines never ceased. We were glad to do it. Those kids deserve the world! They are all special and they are all beautiful.

There were at least 40 other artists there. Many of the volunteers work on TV shows on Fox, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, and other networks I was glad they let the "Ghetto-Disney"(me) participate. It meant a lot on a personal level.

(R-L) Luis Escobar, Art Leonardi, me, and Jav Hernandez. Art Leonardi was the man who got me (and Jav) on the list. Art is the animator behind the Pink Panther cartoons. Such a nice man. So funny. Full of crazy stories. I could talk to that guy for hours. Very kind and he really cares deeply about those kids. A sweet man, very talented!

Thanks to Luis Escobar for telling me about the event in the first place. I hope to participate in (and organize some more) events in the future.

Here are a bunch of the artists posed at the end. Art is playing possum. If you look close, you can spot me 7th from top left. Thanks Camp Ronald McDonald, thanks Art Leonardi, thanks Warner Bros, and most of all..thanks to all the kids who helped brighten my day. I hope you liked your drawings! See you all next time!

Press Release: Cartoon Pawnshop on Blastro!

READ IT, CLICK HERE!

Basically, it's this:

 Blastro.com has resurrected its partnership with animator and cartoonist Jim Lujan once again in support of his “ghettomation” series, “Jim Lujan’s Cartoon Pawn Shop.”  Depicting real life characters in Southern California whose personalities are often blown up to the point of absurdity, Lujan is a one-man animation studio, creating the artwork, voices and music for his series.    “Jim Lujan’s Cartoon Pawn Shop” found its first online home on Blastro in the late nineties, and as Jim says, “It’s good to be back.”   
 Currently, Blastro is showcasing episodes from the series that feature  characters like insincere strippers, sinister cult leaders, disrespected DJ's, gangster rappers, wanna-be thugs, wasteoid parents and a security man who calls himself the gatekeeper of his “24-hour nightmare fest.”  Viewers can expect many additions to the catalog though because Lujan has more stories and animations on tap than he can crank out in an entire lifetime.   Blastro’s president, Rob Campanell, says, “Jim is back in his groove and more prolific than ever.  Jim’s an old friend, and we couldn’t be more excited to have him as a permanent fixture on Blastro – this time around.”

Freakin' Ad

Jim by Luis

This is artist (and fellow Cartoonista) Luis Escobar's rendition of me. Hey...Yo...its New York Jimmy! Firget-aboud-it! Y'know what I'm sayin'? Y'Hear? I like this pic because he makes me look Fonz-esque. Good job Luis!

And this is me and Luis hanging out at a Cartoonistas get-together (tonight). Luis, besides being such a nice dude, is an artist on the Simpson's TV show (16 years!). He also worked on the movie. One of the coolest guys you could ever meet. He has Christ-like good looks, too!

Monkey Mod is Go!

Ghettomation at its FINEST. Check out my buddy Ghettomation co-host Kevin Cross' cool new trailer for his Monkey Mod character! Its the toppermost of the poppermost, lads! Created by Boss Cross himself and voiced by his wife Laura and Kevin. Righteous!

Question of Character(s)

I'm thinking of doing some cartoons featuring some familiar faces. Stoner Girl, Securityman, Rage Dogg, Fraudtographer, Alphanerd, Brian (Mama Im a Thug), Rev. Unicorn, and many more of my past characters. I still have a ton of new characters to introduce, but are you guys interested in seeing some recurring characters? Am I the Ghetto-Disney?

Thoughts? Feel free to leave a comment....thanks!