THE LIFE OF A BORDER DWELLER
Animator Turned Creativity Mentor, DAVE ZABOSKI
Speaks to CTN About
the Endless Possibilities for Artists to Shape the 21st Century.

Creative Consultant and Writer, Rhett Wickham Reports.

DAVE ZABOSKI speaks with an enthusiastic confidence that is infectious and hypnotic - an ideal demeanor for an artist whose personal vision of the future is ablaze with the endless creative wealth yet to be mined across the globe. Of the many hats Zaboski has worn since he started working in animation nearly twenty years ago, he has spent most of the past decade inspiring creativity in others; helping them “navigate” creation and “clarifying their direction to being even more creative.”

It doesn’t seem so unusual if you think about it, for a former Disney animator to turn his attention to opening up the creative potential of others. After all, what is an animator if not someone who finds endless possibilities where anyone else would have seen nothing more than a blank white sheet of paper.

Given one of his earliest experiences at Disney Animation, the fates seemed to have been preparing Dave for his mentoring role from the outset.

Dave Zaboski at work in his studio

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Producers vs Animators 1980
The Challenge!!

(Original Challenge Memo)

Words and Images care of Darrel Van Citters:

A number of animators would play volleyball almost every day at lunch and often at the 3 PM break on the court just north of the old Animation building. It’s now a parking lot at the side entrance to the studio. I forget what prompted it but I decided to challenge Ron Miller to a volleyball match, probably since he was sports minded and competitive. I sent the challenge via inter-office mail and amazingly, he took us up on it and got together his team from the third floor, all producers. Ron had the studio provide his team with uniforms from the costume department, we all wore our delightful seventies clothes. Tom Wilhite was even enlisted and was provided a uniform but he declined. (more…)

“I’ve Never Eaten Dog Food”

Words and Images by Dan Jeup
This post care of Steve Moore at Flip Magazine

My first animation assignment at CalArts back in 1981 was to learn how to “in-between”. A large table stacked with xeroxed scenes from the Disney classic features was there for the class to pick from. I chose a scene from Peter and the Wolf featuring the star character sitting down in a huff, kicking the snow. I loved the appeal of his design, the rhythm in his poses, the elasticity of his action and the way his face squashed and stretched.

As I carefully in-betweened the scene, a waft of tobacco smoke blew over my shoulder,……Read More

Producers vs Animators 1980

(Video care of Randy Cartwright)