Mike Milo's Journal

Here's a set of cupcakes Becca did for a Chowder party! Cool huh?

My friend Becca and I go way back. She worked with me on Pinky and the Brain, Animaniacs, Histeria, Detention, The Critic, Swaroop and now Chowder. Becca has a little sideline business where she makes custom cupcakes. They’re really amazing too as she can print just about anything on the cupcakes. Photos, artwork, sayings… just about anything!

Anyway, check out Becca’s blog and see some of her wonderful creations. If you need some cupcakes or cakes for your next party then give her a ring! You won’t be disappointed! How do I know? She tests some out on me! Yum!

She also sells some nifty magnets and clocks on Etsy! Check that out too!

Three years ago I created a seven minute animated film called “Flavio” for Nickelodeon/Frederator Films, about an over-emotional goat who works as a dishwasher in a pizzeria and longs to be a famous inventor like his hero Leonardo DaVinci.

I have not been able to post it on my site because it had to air on telivision first to be eligible for Emmys and Annies and all that stuff that only animators care about. Anyway, I can finally show it. Please check it out and as always I love to here your thoughts!
You can see a production blog about the making of Flavio at Frederator.com and learn more about Flavio here.

If you’ve been reading my true Life Stories then you’ll remember I spoke about an old friend named Frank.

Frank and I have known each other for almost thirty years and in that time he’s always been a musician. He’s also been a close friend. We lost contact once I moved out to L.A. but in the last two years we’ve been trading emails again and he even did a song for my short Flavio which I wish I could have put in the film as it would’ve made it better for certain.

We got into quite a bit of trouble together as young fellas; most of which I can’t write about here and some that I can. We used to write and sing music together many years ago and I still have some of those tapes somewhere. Someday I will digitze them before they crumble into dust.

Recently Frank put up a website with some of his recent music which although is raw is pretty cool! MY favorite song is Someday I’m Gonna Find a Way which has a nice hook to it.

He’s doing a survey as to which three people like the most so post your comments here.

Also, if you know people in the music industry forward them his site!

Check out more of Frank James’ music here and check back often as he posts new music.

I just created a Flavio page where you can view artwork and other stuff from the film… If anybody’s interested, check it out.

Well I finally got my Flavio Blog on Frederator so I won’t be posting Flavio stuff here much anymore. For the next few months it’ll just be personal stuff from time to time. Check out the new blog and post a lot so they think I’m important over there! ;-)

One of the dynamics in the short is Mr. Frank and Flavio doing a sort of "Who’s on First" impression where Flavio, with his limited use of English uses a word incorrectly and Mr. Frank; trying to help, tells him the correct word. It always ends up irritating Flavio.

An example is in the short is here in the board:

Here’s another one:

Mr. Frank: Whatcha doin Flav?

Flavio: I just about to putta the finishing touch onna my latest invention. Wanna watch?

Mr Frank: Wouldn’t miss this display of genius for the world.

Flavio: Oh you a good guy Mr Frank I gonna putta you onna good guy list.

Mr Frank smiles.

Mr Frank: Looks important.

Flavio: Oh it is Mr. Frank, issa break over.

Mr Frank: Through.

Flavio: No Missa Frank I just getting started.

Mr Frank: It’s a break through. Flavio.

Flavio: I know that Missa Frank I just tella you that. Don’ta steal my lightning. Now can we getta back to the task atta hand? You borderline Bad Guy List.
Š

Still waiting for my Frederator blog. There seems to be some internet malfunction in getting me one but they’re working to get it going. They did give me a nice welcome and a shoutout though! In the mean time I will post here and then migrate over when the Flavio blog goes live.

Today I am working up some Mouth Charts for Flavio. For those of you that don’t know, we have a code system we use for Lip-syncing in the Animation Industry. I believe it was invented by either Joe Barbera or William Hanna when they started shipping animation overseas and the language barrier made it a problem for the animators to lipsync dialog correctly.

The letters under the mouths do not mean the mouth position that the character is speaking but rather a code to call to it on the exposure sheets (which is what we use to time the cartoon). Usually most mouth charts only go up to Pose G but with Flavio having an Italian accent I wanted to make his mouth poses more articulate so it will be that much more easier to understand him.

Actually that makes me think, I should post a synopsis of the short so it all makes better sense.

Next up I will be doing a model sheet for Mr. Frank, the chef at the Forget Aboutit restaurant and Flavio’s friend. Mr. Frank means well but he doesn’t have the good sense God gave a stump and has been known to confuse toilet paper and sand paper.

I should have something to post shortly on him. I am having more fun than I should probably be allowed to!