One of the many projects I’m chipping away is a new animated story about the goings on at a weird nightclub called The Foggy Bog. I’ve recorded audio with some collaborators and I’m coming up with character designs, backgrounds etc. Much of this pre-vis type stuff will end up on this blog.
For now, check out a couple of my most loved inspirations for this project. The first is a…..documentary(?) I guess it is. I mean, literally everything going on in this 1984 UK nightclub during the course of a night is documented. Nothing made it to the cutting room floor. And that’s one of many reasons I love The Height of Goth: 1984 A Night at the Xclusiv Nightclub. When I first happened upon this video I must have looked like Richard Dreyfuss hunched over his mashed potatoes, “THIS MEANS SOMETHING!!”
Another inspiration for Welcome to the Foggy Bog is Dr. Katz Professional Therapist. Dr. Katz was a (barely) animated show from Jonathan Katz and Tom Snyder that aired on Comedy Central in the 90s. And like most everybody in their early 20s at that time, I watched my share.
When my son was born five years ago, I had to suddenly change my sleep habits. I couldn’t keep the light on to read or even watch something on a screen in order to unwind and turn my brain off. So I started listening to old episodes of Dr. Katz in bed. Ever since, I’ve been kinda obsessed. There’s something about listening to Jonathan Katz, H. Jon Benjamin and Laura Silverman talking (off the cuff by the way, aside from the comedians basically doing their sets from a therapy couch, this show was improvised and edited into something worth viewing, not unlike Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, etc.) that I find funny of course, but also incredibly relaxing, even comforting.
The visual aspect of Dr. Katz, I find inspiring too. I’m really more of an illustrator/cartoonist than an Animator so I’m always looking for ways to have an animated show without spending my life “animating” it. Plus listening to episodes is a great exercise in “storyboarding” mentally.
Did you know I once had the chance to work for Tom Snyder productions? Of course not, why would you know that? About 15 years ago I had the opportunity to join a small production team working on Tom Snyder’s newest project. I turned it down because I didn’t want a long commute. Quick question: What the hell’s wrong with me?
Anyway, for your enjoyment, check out this and every other episode of Dr. Katz. Professional Therapist.
-Ben