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MillimeterGabor Csupo: Animator
Nov 1, 1998 12:00 PM, Matt Cheplic
Gabor Csupo is the founder and co-owner of Klasky Csupo, the animation studio that launched The Simpsons, Duckman, and Rugrats. He is also a musician who formed two experiment-friendly record labels and the co-owner of L.A.'s Lumpy Gravy restaurant, "where art, food, and music collide." This month, he becomes Gabor Csupo, moviemaker, with the theatrical release of Rugrats.
"Disney is not the only style that can make hundreds of millions at the box office," asserts Csupo. "There's an audience that's hungry for an alternative style. Disney does a wonderful job with story and production values, so no one is going to out-Disney Disney without the resources or experience. The alternative is to do something daring but with good production values," he says, citing the recent Renaissance of 2-D. "I believe 2-D was always cool," he says. "Maybe fewer people realized it. Good 2-D animation can have a lot of heat, warmth, and good acting. And it feels a bit closer to the human soul than machine-made movements."
Like many artists, Csupo is quick to emphasize human aspects. "Good animation needs to be driven by a human-it has to start with the heart," he notes. But he also recognizes the benefits of technology. "Technology is great. It opens up alternative ways of making moving pictures. Computers help the same way with music-giving the tools to people who can create but who might not have proper training."
He sees a future full of opportunity for animation. "Cable is drastically changing. It's giving more freedom to animators to do more inventive shows. You see shows on cable now that you wouldn't dream of any network putting on, like Dr. Katz or South Park. It's not network, but they have something fresh and daring to say.
"The Internet will sooner or later do the same thing," he continues. "It will become its own network. It still takes too long to download, but once the speed is there, I would be a very scared person if I ran a network."
