The New Stuff
Marc Morrell · Other Cartoons
Jon Schnepp talks about making Grimm Fairy Tales Animated Pilot at Wizard World Philly
OK, Jon Schnepp and I want to take a few moments to talk to the "Over-15" crowd of people who love cartoons and animation. If you don't know who Jon Schnepp is, Number 1: I feel sorry for you, 'cause he's pretty awesome, Number 2: you are about to meet him in our one-on-one interview, and Number 3: I have to explain to you WHY you want to know him before you meet him.
If you are like me, you saw the original animated Heavy Metal movie from 1981, and liked it so much, you hoped to see something else like it soon after that. I remember seeing this collection of animated short stories that were shown as vignettes within a larger story that tied together the beginning and end of the movie. These stories were adapted from the graphic comic stories in Heavy Metal Magazine. It was definitely something fresh and new because it had nudity, blood, adult themes and violence unlike anything I had seen before in cartoons and animation. And the music soundtrack was freakin' fantastic, with songs from Cheap Trick, Don Felder, Black Sabbath and Nazareth.
Heavy Metal Movie Poster from 1981
Even though a sequel for Heavy Metal was released in 2000, it didn't quite live up to the expectations of the original film. So there we were, wondering if we'd ever recapture the same magic in an animated feature made for adults.
I am here to tell you that the magic has been recaptured by Jon Schnepp and his talented team. We saw an amazing panel from Zenescope Entertainment and Titmouse Animation Studio at Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con which showed the entire Grimm Fairy Tales Animated Series Pilot Episode. This pilot episode brought out all those same core feelings that Heavy Metal did when I was 15.
Before you see the interview, here's a little background on Jon and the work he has done that you might recognize. Jon has been a producer, director, actor, editor, writer and cinematographer. He has produced and directed many episodes of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim cartoons like Metalocalypse and Venture Brothers. His most current work is with Metalocalypse, an animated series about Dethklok. He designed and created the look of the five band members, directs many episodes, and works with the show's co-creators/writers, Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha. He directed the 2009 Dethklok Tour with Mastodon, providing a heavy metal movie of the fully animated music videos played to every song of this sold-out tour. Jon has co-produced and directed on the three seasons of "Metalocalypse", and is currently working on the fourth season. Jon has done variant cover arts and helped write all four Dethklok comic books.
Jon Schnepp recently produced and ran a very successful Kickstarter Campaign, raising over $188,000 to make the animated pilot episode for Zenescope's "Grimm Fairy Tales", of which he executive produced, wrote and directed. That's where our interview begins…
Would you like to see the first 3 minutes of this Pilot Episode for Grimm Fairy Tales Animated Series? While attendees at Wizard World Philly were able to see the entire episode, 3 minutes is all we can show you here. Enjoy!
So, now that we've seen this tremendous pilot episode, we want to see the rest of the series. In order for that to happen, you guys have to send emails and tweets to Jon Schnepp and the folks at Zenescope Entertainment. To follow Jon Schnepp on Twitter, use: @JonSchnepp, and to send emails to Zenescope, tell them you want to see more of the Grimm Fairy Tales Animated Series at info@zenescope.com.
Marc Morrell
I am a Big Fan of all types of animation. Like a lot of things, the cream always rises to the top. My favorites have included Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Rebels, anything Pixar, Phineas and Ferb, Voltron Legendary Defender, and the DC/WB Animated Films. I have a lot of Old School favorites as well, such as Star Blazers, Voltron, Looney Toons, Tom & Jerry, and Scooby Doo.
Grimm Fairy Tales Animated Pilot Panel at Wizard… ToonBarn's Marc Morrell Interviews Zenescope Entertainment's Stephen Haberman (Director of Marketing) and Co-Founder Ralph Tedesco…
Exclusive Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con… Here it is. ToonBarn's Exclusive Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con Video Compilation. Enjoy this look…
Metalocalypse's Dethklok to Rock San Diego… Fans of the world's most brutal death metal band, Dethklok, may want to include Friday,…
Robert Rodriguez Preps Heavy Metal Director Robert Rodriguez is planning to get into animation with the formation of a new…
Metalocalypse Returns to Adult Swim on April Titmouse's legendary animated comedy show Metalocalypse is scheduled for a triumphant and hard rocking return…
Barbie: Princess Adventures brings movie series back
Mattel's Barbie franchise first inspired a CG-animated ...
Cartoon Network quietly debuts first ThunderCats Roar episodes
Nearly two years after its controversial unveiling, Cartoon Network ...
Jerry Jones and Adventure Time: The reasons why fans feel off about Cartoons the last several years…
What does Jerry Jones, the owner of The Dallas Cowboys, one of the ...
Netflix launches new Pucca: Love Recipe animated series
Streaming giant Netflix added the new CG-animated Pucca: Love Recipe ...
Toys reveal first look at new Chinese Transformers animated series
These Autobots have definitely been hiding, though not necessarily in ...
Spookley the Square Pumpkin returns with new TV special after 15 years
The 2004 CG-animated movie Spookley the Square Pumpkin is getting a ...
Bakugan Battle Planet brawls into second season
Bakugan is standing tall, like an awesome one. Spin Master's ...
Cartoon Network Asia adds Time Bokan 24
WarnerMedia's Cartoon Network channels in Asia are adding a ...
Fast & Furious Franchise Gets a Cartoon Spin-Off
Vin Diesel's massively successful Fast & Furious franchise ...
Name:* Email:* Website:
Grimm Fairy Tales Animated Pilot Panel at Wizard…
Exclusive Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con…
Metalocalypse's Dethklok to Rock San Diego…
Robert Rodriguez Preps Heavy Metal
Metalocalypse Returns to Adult Swim on April
Jon Schnepp
Philly Comic Con