Animator Patrick Smith has had many accomplishments within the short time he has been in the industry. Of course, you probably don't recognize the name, but I swear you'll recognize his work. Not too much is known about Pat, so it was a might difficult to research him for this interview, but after speaking with him, he showed what true love for the art is about.

He seems to keep in the shadows, with his art supplies in hand and a quick wit about him. While laying 'dormant', he has animated some of the most well-known icons of my generation. I was not aware of this until I spoke with him...

Like all journalists, I had a few questions in mind, but while speaking with him, a whole new explosion of interrogation erupted from my mind. Almost in a chid-like way.

Here is what he had to say-

JS: What made you want to pursue a career in film?

PATRICK: Right after college, I found a book called “Illusion of Life”, it's an in depth look at the mechanics behind Disney animation, written by two of the “nine old men”. This book just blew me away, the idea of your drawings taking roles on film still drives me. Back then I had just finished school with a painting degree, with no experience with film or animation, so I had to catch up pretty quick.

JS: Who/What were your inspirations?

PATRICK: Early on, I studied all the Disney masters, then I got into Dutch animators like Borge Ring, This led me to other animators like Ralph Bakshi and Bill Plympton. Currently, my biggest influences are Bakshi, Jamie Hewlett (tankgirl, gorillaz), Hisko Hulsing (another dutch animator). I still hold Disney guys above everyone else, Milt Kahl, Ollie Johnston, Frank Thomas, as well as contemporary Disney guys like Glenn Keane, and Sergio Pablos.

JS: At what point in your life did you begin to really take film seriously?

PATRICK: I started making films around 1999, after about five years working within the industry, trying to learn as much as I could. I think I first started to take it seriously when I committed to making my first independent short. From there, I became a film-maker, and stopped being just an animation director who worked on television shows.

JS: What was your first project, and how did you go about getting it and doing it?

PATRICK: My first animation project ever was a station ID for MTV Networks. This was in 1995, back when MTV used to commission 10 second spots from animators. I literally just sent one of my pencil tests (rough animation) to MTV, and they called me up and told me to produce it. It hooked me up with the New York animation world, and it put $10k into my pocket, not too shabby for a guy that was working at a skateboard shop at the time.

JS: Hell, no. How did that open doors for your following films?

PATRICK: Well, that station ID led to my first jobs within the animation industry in New York. The ID also won a number of awards that helped out as well. After the ID, I got a job drawing “Beavis and Butthead”. I did some episodes in the later seasons. Like season 6 and 7. I was actually called back to help in a scene for 'Beavis and Butthead Do America'. I animated the hallucination scene when they were in the desert eating the cactus. That was a real fun thing to do!

After that I skipped around the small number of studios in New York, until I got a chance to work as a storyboard artist (a very important job in animation, and one that leads to directing). Then after a while, MTV offered me a job assistant directing, which led to several directing gigs.

JS: I am a huge fan of Beavis and Butthead! I loved that scene in the movie. I understand you worked on the Emmy-nominated series Down-Town, how did that make you feel?

PATRICK: I loved that show because it shared my own style of drawing, a rare thing in the animation world. As a director, you usually have to learn a style different than your own.

JS: Daria. I am a big fan of that show. How does it make you feel to have been a part of such a well-known animated series?

PATRICK: Daria was a lot of fun. Also, since it wasn't the most challenging show to work on artistically, it allowed me to begin working on my first independent short “Drink”. Daria also taught me how important a script can be. I mean, that show was practically talking heads reading a script, but it worked! It was also the last show done by MTV Animation, so it was kind of an end to an era.

JS: Of course, anyone who watches television has seen some of the commercials you've done. Tell us of some of them.

PATRICK: The most famous commercial series I've done was probably the Zoloft blob character. I still get requests from people to draw him. I did that campaign for years, and loved every moment. I think it proved how effective a simple, iconic drawing can be when it comes to illustrating emotions. There's several other commercials I'm proud of, like the Donors Choose.org campaign. I was able to work with really famous actors for the narration (Morgan freeman, Sidney Poitier, Bette Midler), and animate cool looking designs, all for a good cause. The others, like Burger King, LOL, all had their moments.

JS: Well, you gotta love Burger King. Tell us about Puppet.

PATRICK: “Puppet” is my latest short film that premiered at Tribeca Film Festival, and is currently slated to appear at over 50 other festivals world wide. It's my favorite film yet because I got to draw a hand puppet beating up it's creator, a kind of irony I've always wanted to illustrate and bring to life. It's my fifth independent short, which made it possible to put a DVD compilation together, called “Liquid Tales” which has sold well (available on Amazon)

JS: What is your next project?

PATRICK: I have several short films on the burner, the next, most likely, will be a film called “Masks” (working title) that will feature phone messages left on a machine by the public, which can often be disturbing. Outside of that, I've been working on a feature for a while, but, since it's animation, it won't be ready for another 200 years.

JS: Would you ever step outside of animation and like to work with live film?

PATRICK: I'm not really inclined to work with live action. I like to sit and draw.

I also have no experience with live action, and I'm a firm believer of learning the skills of a trade before attempting it professionally, that's why it took me so long to make my first film. There's so many animators that sit down at their computers and crank a film out using flash or something, ignoring that there's over 100 years of animation and film history to learn about first.

JS: Do you have any advice to give to any inspiring filmmakers or animators?

PATRICK: For animators that want to go the traditional route, there's nothing more important than being able to draw. So learn that with all the enthusiasm you can humanly muster! I would also recommend obsessive study of artists and filmmakers that you respect. For other animators, like CG (techno-puppets I like to call them) or the like, I have no idea. Get a really fast computer? Don't get carpal tunnel? At the end of the day, it's the people that can draw that get the chicks.

JS: Thank you for sharing this with us, Patrick. Good luck in all you do. We really look forward to seeing what else you have to offer. KEEP ON CREATING!

PATRICK: Not a problem at all. Thank you for having me.

What an artist!