TAY: When were you born?

DANNYS: I was born in Scarborough, Ontario.. Now a city, itself. But for most of my life was a larger suburb within the larger Metropolitan Toronto area. I was born on the longest day of the year.. The Winter Solstice: December 21st, 1962.

TAY: Could you describe your childhood?

DANNYS: I had a very happy childhood.. Some would say I'm still living it. Grew up as the older of 2 boys. Was artistically-minded from an early age.. Read tons of comic-books. Watched insane quantities of TV..And happily, my parents & schoolteachers indulged these activities. And my constant doodlings.. They were constantly supportive of the drawings & paintings that I created throughout grade school. But I didn't attend a single Art class, during my High School years for whatever abominable reason...

TAY: How did you first get into cartoons and animation?

DANNYS: Like many others.. I essentially sleepwalked my way through High School. And after graduation.. Had not a clue what I'd do with my life. In Canada, we had an "extra" year of High School you could attend; should you wish to attend a University. I took that "extra" year.. At a different High School.. With the idea of solely focussing on exactly WHAT vocation, I could possibly be useful at?
I took all of the slackest courses, I could think of. And spent a good chunk of time in the Guidance Office.. Taking tests, etc.. To find out where my interests/talents were, exactly.. They had every job imaginable.. Organized alphabetically, in these huge catalogs.!
Well, I never got beyond the "A" binder.. As I'd found "Animator" listed.. And big lightbulb over my head went off!

TAY: Where did you get educated about art and drawing and how did it affect you?

DANNYS: Very soon after that.. I applied & won entrance into Sheridan College's 'Classical Animation' program. It was just beginning to garner a Worldwide reputation as one of the finest Animation schools around. And it was still relatively "easy" to get into.. From what I understand, now.. It's very difficult to get accepted!
The course was okay, I guess.. But I really believe Sheridan's rep was attained by the fact that it was one of the only "complete" Animation programs around at that time! For myself.. Though the instructors seemed to like my work.. I found myself really struggling with my own meagre fundamental drawing skills..
Though I had what some would call "natural ability".. Which is really another way of saying that you'd been drawing from an early age!.. I found I had to spend a LOT of time just getting my drawings the way I wanted them. Rather than focussing on how to improve the "movement" in my animation exercises! I kinda had to make up for all the drawing that I DIDN'T do, while in High School!
The biggest plus, though.. Of attending a program like the one at Sheridan.. Was it puts you into contact with.. What I like to refer to, as: "My People". You've grown up thinking that you were the "freak" in your school, etc. The one obsessed with rare comic-books, and obscure films/TV shows.. And then your plunked down into a College program, where EVERYONE has the same identical interests. Where every kid was the one in the Art clique, etc.
It can be a bit overwhelming!

TAY: How did you first get into your career in animation?

DANNYS: Like most,-- I ended up not finishing the Animation Program at Sheridan College. And dropped out. After realizing just how much damn work was involved with Animation.. I returned to my first love: comic-books. And decided that I'd rather do THAT for a living!
While I continued to draw constantly.. I took jobs in/around comic-books in Toronto. Working at a number of comic-book shops. And also working at a comic-book distributor, too. By then, a few of my buddies had begun getting work in the Animation field.. And before long,-- one of them got me a Layout "test" at Nelvana; one of Toronto's biggest animation studios!
They seemed to like my work. And I think it was '90 or '91.. I began working as a Layout artist on the animated-version of "Beetlejuice". Which was one of Nelvana's earliest TV successes..

TAY: You've certainly worked on numerous shows during your career, would you be able to list them out?

DANNYS: Those were heady days for the younger artists.. And though we had it relatively "easy" workload-wise.. It was still quite a grind. I don't recall the exact order of the shows.. But I CAN recall "quitting" the company a few times.. On occasion I would just find myself so mentally/physically exhausted from the work. That I'd need a break. Leave, and do something else for awhile...
Before I left the first time.. I do recall doing Layout for quite a spell. That included another season of "Beetlejuice" and then some work on their "Babar" series. Layout is a very difficult job.. Involving a lot of different disciplines.. And I was eager to try my hand at Design!
So when I returned to Nelvana, again.. I began working on their first real action-adventure show: "Cadillacs & Dinosaurs". After that I went onto another similar show: Jim Lee's "WildC.A.T.S." And then, the final season of "Gargoyles", which was done for Disney through Nelvana.
After that, I bounced back-and-forth between Layout & Design on a freelance basis. I did "Bedtime Primetime Classics" and "Mumfie" at Phoenix Animation. And later I helped create the pilot episode of "Rescue Heroes" at Pictor Entertainment. I worked at George Elliott's studio on a large number of forgettable "service work" assignments. For both Nelvana.. And a number of U.S. studios. Shows included: "Robocop", "All Dogs Go To Heaven", "Ned's Newt", "Bob & Margaret", and "Elliot Moose".

TAY: Who are your influences that changed your life? (art or otherwise)

DANNYS: I grew up fascinated by comic-books, first. While I enjoyed animated cartoons.. It's comic-books that stuck with me. I loved all the different genres/titles.. But particularly the DC Mystery books.. "Weird" anything, etc.. Just a TON of fave artists in there.. Berni Wrightson, Mike Kaluta, Neal Adams, Alex Toth, Alex Nino and the other great Filipino artists. Arthur Suydam. And even the odd Wally Wood bit.
I didn't begin to RE-BUY comic-books, 'til I got to Sheridan. 'Heavy Metal' magazine was my obsession at that time. And while I was being introduced to a lot of fantastic European artists like Moebius and Enki Bilal, etc.. I found a new book being reviewed, entitled: 'The Studio'. Which featured Wrightson, Kaluta, Jeff Jones, and Barry Smith. ALL the guys whose work I'd recognized as my faves, from childhood!
So that got me back onto a buying binge for all of those old books that they'd done, way back when.. And my artistic journeys, continued from there!
I realized from that book, just how profound the influence of Frazetta was. And recognized his paintings from the Burroughs/Howard books that I'd gotten out of the library, without EVER reading the contents. Simply staring slack-jawed at all the fabulous covers on them!
I very soon found myself collecting EVERYTHING that I could on him. All the Ballantine books. And later, all the obscure comic-books/fanzines that I could find. His fabulous "Squeeze Play" story, was my introduction to the old EC comic-books. And all of the greats that influenced all of the great artists that I was enjoying in the DC Mystery books of my own generation!
To this day, I still enjoy Frazetta.. And any artist who's acting as a kind of prism, of his work. I'm thinking obviously of folks like: Dave Stevens, Sandy Plunkett, Arthur Suydam, Kevin Nowlan, Mike Mignola, etc.

TAY: You worked as a layout artist on Ripping Friends. How did you get into working on that show?

DANNYS: I tell folks that I got in on that show, through "the Back Door".. It was a surprise to me, certainly!.. I'm a huge fan of the Spümco animation material. And of John K on a "politics" level, re: the Animation industry.. And I'd imagine that my portfolio sampler was probably one of the first that they'd received, re: possible work on the Ripping Friends.
So I was more than a bit disappointed, when I failed to hear anything from them at all! After 3 months of waiting.. I phoned their offices, only to find that I "wasn't being considered.." And even though it didn't look like it was gonna work out. I appreciated the clarity that that phonecall gave me.. And pursued other work.
While I was just beginning to finish up a project at another small Toronto studio.. I got a phonecall from Randi Yaffa at the 'Red Rover' studio.. Asking me if I was available to work on Ripping. The timing worked out good. And I spent the next 6 months working out of that studio, on the Ripping Friends cartoon.

TAY: From working on Ripping Friends, what did you gain or learn from that experience?

DANNYS: Part of the reason that I wanted to work on the show.. Was to get a better appreciation of just how Kricfalusi & company, put together an animated cartoon. And it was QUITE an eye-opener, to say the least! The material itself was VERY funny. And was certainly a refreshing change working on a project, that could actually make you laugh out loud...
But whether he'd admit it or not.. He was ill-prepared for this production. Surprising,-- as it's common knowledge that the idea had been sitting on his shelf for many years! We began the first Episode without ANY model sheets. No turnarounds of the characters, at all. And very little BG Design.
Those problems persisted, throughout. We'd get the odd character design, etc. But the Location Designs dropped off to nil. All of the artists were constantly "flying-by-the-seats-of-their-pants", trying to come up with workable solutions.
Originally,-- we'd even heard rumours that John didn't "believe" in Design sheets.. That they somehow presented artificial constructs upon the show.. That the look/design of the show should somehow "flow" from the artists, themselves.. Without being dictated by an outside source.
A nice idea.. But the problem is, that in that situation everyone kinda goes off on their own merry directions.. Flying off on their own flights of fancy! As a result,-- there was no "continuity" to the show. Another concept that I'd heard firsthand.. That John didn't believe was important, at all!
So while the material was exhilirating.. The experience of actually working on the show, was more than a little exasperating!

TAY: Do you find it hard to keep to your own drawing style as opposed to someone else when working on a show?

DANNYS: I think that most animation artists don't have any trouble acting as kind of ciphers, to different styles.. It's really part of the job description. And necessary, if you want to work in the business for any length of time.
Drawing is drawing. And I actually enjoy "wearing" different styles, from job-to-job. It's like an actor dressing in different costumes to help him play a specific role! My own personal style tends to be more illustrative and "classical" in approach. And though I can do the cartoony, when I have to... (And enjoy doing so).. My own work leans more towards Frazetta or Kirby.. Then it does to, say.. Robert Crumb.

TAY: What's your favourite project or cartoon that you have worked on?

DANNYS: Despite my constant complaining/whining.. Which goes on with EVERY job, pretty much. I think that "The Ripping Friends" is probably my favorite. I have a soft spot in my heart for "Cads & Dinos", too. Only because I'm a big fan of Mark Schultz, the creator of the comic-book (Xenozoic Tales) that inspired the cartoon. Plus it had a good budget and a solid overseas studio behind it.

TAY: Do you have any of interests other than cartoons? If so what are they?

DANNYS: Apart from comic-books.. I do have my eccentricities..
For years, I've been collecting 50's-era Burlesque/Striptease material.. Vintage men's magazines. The occasional photo set, etc. I'm hoping to someday convert all that stuff into some kind of book project. Possibly a comic-book project. I really LOVE classic "Good Girl Art". And Pin-Up material, etc.
And every year.. From Spring to Fall.. Myself, and a bunch of other guys from the Animation biz.. Like to get together and play a game called "Burby". (Why it's called that, I dunno) It's very organized (but abbreviated) form of Baseball. Kind of what 3-on-3 is, to Basketball. We've been playing for around 10 years now. And we recorded statistics for every one of those games. And actual Baseball Cards, etc. The whole 9 yards.. It's a fun time. And a terrific stress reliever..

TAY: What do you intend to do in the immediate future?

DANNYS: I thought I was gonna have some time off... So I'd been planning to put together some new drawings, to post on Shane Glines' fantastic website. But I'm supposed to start another 3-week job, in a couple days.. So I don't know if I'll be able to pull it off?
I'm also eager to get more of this comic-book project that I've mentioned, off the ground. Maybe get some stuff together, to take with me to San Diego Comic-Con.. See if I can get a few folks interested in doing it.

TAY: Do you feel that you've accomplished a lot of things you've wanted to accomplish, or are more things you wish to do?

DANNYS: There's always too many things to do, actually. That's the hard part.. Making the next creative choice. The actual drawing, is the easier problem to solve... I'd like to get a website together sometime. And possibly do a Flash cartoon with a few good friends!

TAY: If you could work with anyone, who would you chose?

DANNYS: In Animation.. I'd really love to work on something with Jim Smith, again.. I think he's absolutely incredible. He worked with us in the 'Red Rover' studio, for a bit. And did a fantastic storyboard for the "Stinky Butt" episode of The Ripping Friends.
On the comic-book front.. I'd kill to do a project with Dave Stevens. He's really my favorite artist.. Though calling him a comic-book artist,-- doesn't really best describe his limitless talents. I'm a sucker for his stuff. He's a Frazetta fiend. He draws in a very "classical" style. And the subject matter is more-often-than-not.. A beautiful woman, with next to no clothes on!..
Why does that SURPRISE some people?! hehehe

TAY: If you weren't working in animation, what would you be doing?

DANNYS: In an art job of some kind, I'd imagine. If comic-books paid any kind of reasonable wage, maybe I would be doing that. If my drawing skills weren't up to snuff.. I'd like to think that I could still manage to do some kind of 3-d computer animation. Maybe some kind of Web Design job? I dunno...

TAY: What's your favourite food?

DANNYS: I AM partial to a big charbroiled steak. A nice Prime Rib, aint shabby neither. Served with fries. Maybe a Greek salad to start. And a Bloody Caesar to wash it all down! YUMMY!!