Flashback Friday with Victoria Ying

The twins are crazy busy this week so we dive back to the archives for a Flashback Friday episode with Disney Legend Floyd Norman!  Hear him recount stories of meeting Walt Disney himself and being one of the first black Disney artists back in the 60s!  Enjoy!

The long awaited “AI discussion” episode is here!  The Bancroft’s talk all things artificial intelligence and animation with special effects guru and YouTuber Niko Pueringer of the Corridor Crew channel!  They discuss the ins and outs of the issues behind the technology that is potentially changing the animation industry. Is there a way to use it as a tool, is there a hopeful future living in the new AI world, or are we all doomed?  Let’s start the discussion! 

Today we go back in time to rediscover Mitchels VS the Machines. the brothers interview Mike Rianda (director), Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Producers). If you missed it the first time around, you won't want to miss this. 

Many of our listeners are experiencing hard times or will be sometime soon. We brought in former Pixar intern Meridian Gray Culpepper, storyboard artist and YouTuber.  Meridian had created a popular video about “Surviving a Layoff in the Animation Industry”.  Let’s get into it! 

Tony and Tom recorded LIVE from Dublin, Ireland on the state of the Irish animation industry!  You've heard of @cartoonsaloon and the amazing feature films being made at that studio, but the Brothers dig deeper, into the wealth of production studios in Dublin, Kelkinney and further out that are making many of your favorite TV series and films!  We spotlight three Irish animation industry pros: Claire Finn, Managing Director, Lighthouse studios, Paul O'Flanagan, Creative Director, Boulder...

Tom and Tony get together to answer YOUR questions about the animation industry in this fun, casual episode!  There's a lot of stress and layoffs in the industry right now and we want to talk it through with our listeners!  Also, the Bancroft Bros are going to Ireland next week so they put out a call to do a meet up in Dublin!  Come one, come all!  

In a heartfelt episode, Tom and Tony talk to their Disney animation mentor, Mark Henn, who has retired from Disney Feature Animation after 43 years of service!  Hear Disney stories from the legendary creator of classic characters like Jasmine, Young Simba, Mulan, Tatiana and more!  

In this episode, the Bancrofts speak with Olan Rogers, indy series creator of "Final Space" as well as the new short, "Godspeed"!  Olan has a lot to say about the pitfalls and joys of making your dream TV project in the studio system of Hollywood.  From being one of the OG Youtubers, to a showrunner/creator, having a clothing line, to owning an ice cream shop- Olan has done it all- simultaneously!  Listen and learn!  

Tom and Tony have a great discussion about the innovative new animated series, "Wingfeather Saga" with Keith Lango (Head of CG Animation) and Garrett Taylor (Art Director).  AND WE MEAN INNOVATIVE: The whole project is crowd funded to the tune of $5M, they are using Unreal Engine for instantaneous rendering, it has 2D sets and CG characters with painterly textures, it's based on a popular book series, and it's all being created by a small team in NASHVILLE, Tennessee?  This podcast has it all!  

Welcome to Disney’s Mulan 25th anniversary podcast! This was recorded LIVE  at Lightbox Expo 2023 and includes Armand Serrano (layout artist), Chris Sanders (Head of Story), Tony Bancroft (co-director), and  Tom Bancroft (supervising Animator of Mushu)! At the last minute, Disney legend Floyd Norman (Mulan story artist) showed up and joined us as a surprise guest!  Here some great BTS stories from old people that were much younger 25 years ago!

The Bancroft Bros Save the Studio System!  What is going on with Hollywood? Layoffs, union strikes, prices are rising, and work is being outsourced!  What happened?  The Bancroft twins sit with their good friend, Director/Producer/ Entertainment expert John Schafer to figure out what's wrong with the studio system and even suggest- a solution?  Yep, we're fixing the big studios in this episode!  Listen and tell us if you agree! 

Through  a mini miracle, Disney gave us quick access to interview “Once Upon A Studio” directors Trent Correy and Dan Abraham!  We had a ball talking BTS stories of making this short that celebrates 100 years of Disney animation! 

Engage Your Career - The Bancroft Brothers look at the current events in the industry and discuss some of the hot topics. They apply that to how their listeners need to view their careers during hard times. 

Welcome to an interview with Yashar Kassai, production designer of the new TMNT: Mutant Mayhem film!  Additionally, he was a  production designer on both Spiderverse films and The Murphy’s Vs the Machines! Hear Yashar’s wisdom of the ages about style, the difference between a production designer and an art director, and how AI can be used in the production process- all while Tony and Tom make juvenile swipes about his working on the Emoji movie!  Enjoy! 

This is a special podcast for the Bancroft Brothers- they talk with old CalArts roommate and former Pixar storyboard artist Jim Capobianco on the eve of the release of his new indy animated feature film release called "The Inventor"!  We dig into all the behind the scenes stories about how it started years ago as a 2D animated short and evolved into a stop motion feature film with celebrity actors like Daisy Ridley! 

The Bancroft’s interview long- sought after superstar #animation #characterdesigner and The New Yorker cover artist, Peter de Séve !  He influenced all your fav films- from Hunchback to Finding Nemo to Mulan to creating Scrat in Ice Age!  

Who would have thought a trip to France would end with the Bancroft Bros interviewing Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, the creators of "Phineas and Ferb"?  Yep, when you go to the Annecy Animation film festival, you never know who you'll bump into!  Dan and Swampy were there with Disney TV to promote their new season of Phineas and Ferb and we grabbed them for a juicy interview full of behind the scenes and fun!  Enjoy!

How to make a career in Anime! - In the most unexpected podcast ever- the Bancroft brothers talk anime!  We got together with anime pro, Jarrett Martin, and American who has started an anime animation studio in Japan!  Jarrett has some amazing information on how YOU could break into the anime animation business right now!  Enjoy!

Tom and Tony are still yawning from jet lag as they discuss their FIRST time going to the Annecy Animation Film Festival in France!  They talk about all the things they did and the people they saw, and even some mini-reviews of some of the sneak peeks that were screened there!  Lastly, they debate the topic: "What are the PROS and CONS of the Annecy Film Festival?  Should you go? "  Find out in this episode!  

Nimona

In a well-timed #FlashbackFriday Bancroft Bros #animation #podcast - we represent our interview with actress @mingna_wen ! Just today, a Variety article dropped that she is the narrator to our own Tom’s live action documentary about 2d animation, as well as earlier this week, she received her own STAR on the @hollywoodwalkoffame !  Listen to the one and only trifecta- a Disney Princess (sort of), a Marvel character and a Star Wars character- Ming Na Wen!!  \\

In this RETRO rerelease of classic episodes of the Bancroft Brothers Animation podcast, we go back to one of are biggest "gets", director BRAD BIRD, from Episode #19!  We interviewed him on the cusp of his first live action film, "Tomorrowland"!  Hear the genuine fear he had about how it would be received as well as his love for 2D animation in this amazing podcast!