The Bancroft Brothers Animation Podcast

In this episode, the Bancrofts speak with Olan Rogers, indy series creator of "Final Space" as well as the new short, "Godspeed"!  Olan has a lot to say about the pitfalls and joys of making your dream TV project in the studio system of Hollywood.  From being one of the OG Youtubers, to a showrunner/creator, having a clothing line, to owning an ice cream shop- Olan has done it all- simultaneously!  Listen and learn!  

Direct download: BBPod__Olan_Rogers_mixdown.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 3:01pm PDT

Tom and Tony have a great discussion about the innovative new animated series, "Wingfeather Saga" with Keith Lango (Head of CG Animation) and Garrett Taylor (Art Director).  AND WE MEAN INNOVATIVE: The whole project is crowd funded to the tune of $5M, they are using Unreal Engine for instantaneous rendering, it has 2D sets and CG characters with painterly textures, it's based on a popular book series, and it's all being created by a small team in NASHVILLE, Tennessee?  This podcast has it all!  

Direct download: BBPod_Wingfeather_Saga_2_mixdown.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 10:03pm PDT

Welcome to Disney’s Mulan 25th anniversary podcast! This was recorded LIVE  at Lightbox Expo 2023 and includes Armand Serrano (layout artist), Chris Sanders (Head of Story), Tony Bancroft (co-director), and  Tom Bancroft (supervising Animator of Mushu)! At the last minute, Disney legend Floyd Norman (Mulan story artist) showed up and joined us as a surprise guest!  Here some great BTS stories from old people that were much younger 25 years ago!

Direct download: BBPod_Mulan_25th_Anniversary_mixdown_FINAL.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 5:59am PDT

The Bancroft Bros Save the Studio System!  What is going on with Hollywood? Layoffs, union strikes, prices are rising, and work is being outsourced!  What happened?  The Bancroft twins sit with their good friend, Director/Producer/ Entertainment expert John Schafer to figure out what's wrong with the studio system and even suggest- a solution?  Yep, we're fixing the big studios in this episode!  Listen and tell us if you agree! 
Direct download: BBPod_Fixing_the_Studio_System_w_John_Schafer_FINAL.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 1:05pm PDT

Through  a mini miracle, Disney gave us quick access to interview “Once Upon A Studio” directors Trent Correy and Dan Abraham!  We had a ball talking BTS stories of making this short that celebrates 100 years of Disney animation! 


Engage Your Career - The Bancroft Brothers look at the current events in the industry and discuss some of the hot topics. They apply that to how their listeners need to view their careers during hard times. 

Direct download: BBPod_Engage_Your_Career_FINAL.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 2:55pm PDT

Welcome to an interview with Yashar Kassai, production designer of the new TMNT: Mutant Mayhem film!  Additionally, he was a  production designer on both Spiderverse films and The Murphy’s Vs the Machines! Hear Yashar’s wisdom of the ages about style, the difference between a production designer and an art director, and how AI can be used in the production process- all while Tony and Tom make juvenile swipes about his working on the Emoji movie!  Enjoy! 

Direct download: TMNT_Production_Design_with_Yashar_Kassai_mixdown.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 4:47pm PDT

This is a special podcast for the Bancroft Brothers- they talk with old CalArts roommate and former Pixar storyboard artist Jim Capobianco on the eve of the release of his new indy animated feature film release called "The Inventor"!  We dig into all the behind the scenes stories about how it started years ago as a 2D animated short and evolved into a stop motion feature film with celebrity actors like Daisy Ridley! 

Direct download: The_Inventor_w_Jim_Capobianco_mixdown.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 9:37pm PDT

The Bancroft’s interview long- sought after superstar #animation #characterdesigner and The New Yorker cover artist, Peter de Séve !  He influenced all your fav films- from Hunchback to Finding Nemo to Mulan to creating Scrat in Ice Age!  

Direct download: BBPod_Peter_de_Sve_mixdown_Final.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 7:36am PDT

Who would have thought a trip to France would end with the Bancroft Bros interviewing Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, the creators of "Phineas and Ferb"?  Yep, when you go to the Annecy Animation film festival, you never know who you'll bump into!  Dan and Swampy were there with Disney TV to promote their new season of Phineas and Ferb and we grabbed them for a juicy interview full of behind the scenes and fun!  Enjoy!

Direct download: BBPod_Phineas_and_Ferb_mixdown.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 2:00am PDT

How to make a career in Anime! - In the most unexpected podcast ever- the Bancroft brothers talk anime!  We got together with anime pro, Jarrett Martin, and American who has started an anime animation studio in Japan!  Jarrett has some amazing information on how YOU could break into the anime animation business right now!  Enjoy!

Direct download: BBPOD_How_to_make_a_career_in_Anime_mixdown.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 4:46pm PDT

Tom and Tony are still yawning from jet lag as they discuss their FIRST time going to the Annecy Animation Film Festival in France!  They talk about all the things they did and the people they saw, and even some mini-reviews of some of the sneak peeks that were screened there!  Lastly, they debate the topic: "What are the PROS and CONS of the Annecy Film Festival?  Should you go? "  Find out in this episode!  

Direct download: Annecy_2023_Wrap_up_BBPod_mixdown.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 7:12am PDT

On the fortnight before the release, Tom and Tony discuss the rollercoaster ride that was the making of the new Netflix animated film, "Nimona".  The Bancrofts interview the film's directors, Nick Bruno and Troy Quane, about their film that rose from the ashes of the demise of Blue Sky and became a fiery phoenix on Netflix!  We also talk about the Annecy film Festival, drop names, and discuss Nick's problem with Disney.  Tune in on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all the others!

Direct download: Nimona_BBPod_mixdown_ToApprove.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 3:28pm PDT

In a well-timed #FlashbackFriday Bancroft Bros #animation #podcast - we represent our interview with actress @mingna_wen ! Just today, a Variety article dropped that she is the narrator to our own Tom’s live action documentary about 2d animation, as well as earlier this week, she received her own STAR on the @hollywoodwalkoffame !  Listen to the one and only trifecta- a Disney Princess (sort of), a Marvel character and a Star Wars character- Ming Na Wen!! 

\\

Direct download: BBPod_MingNaWen_Retro_mixdown.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 11:54am PDT

In this RETRO rerelease of classic episodes of the Bancroft Brothers Animation podcast, we go back to one of are biggest "gets", director BRAD BIRD, from Episode #19!  We interviewed him on the cusp of his first live action film, "Tomorrowland"!  Hear the genuine fear he had about how it would be received as well as his love for 2D animation in this amazing podcast! 

Direct download: BBPod_Flashback_Friday_Brad_Bird_mixdown.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 11:37am PDT

In another Retro BBros Podcast- we go back OVER 200 episodes to another listener favorite: Podcast #25- “Failures, Flubs, Frustrations”.  In this classic, the Bancroft Twins open up about mistakes and failures in their careers and how they grew from them.  Listen again and share with a friend!

Direct download: BBPod_Failures_Flubs_and_Frustrations_mixdown_ToApprove.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 6:56am PDT

By popular request!  The Bancroft Brothers are opening our archives to some of our most popular and hard to find classic episodes!  Our first “retro” release is Podcast 8- our first Glen Keane interview!  Enjoy hearing us geek out about Glen and his amazing career!

Direct download: Retro_Glen_Keane_mixdown.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 9:45am PDT

In this fun episode, the twins take a break from interviews and talk about some of their favorite animated animators, movies, TV shows, all-time artists and “the film that got away”.  Enjoy!  

Direct download: BBPod_Favorite_Things_Final.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 3:00am PDT

In this episode, Tom and Tony discuss their thoughts on Artificial Intelligence and its effects on art and animation.  They also dig into their thoughts on the popular Corridor Crew video that they were featured in and the story behind how that video was created.  AI is here to stay, so let's talk about what we need to be thinking about as artists and where things are headed!

Direct download: AI_Art_and_Animation_BancroftBros_mixdown.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 9:29am PDT

“Moving Pixels” Animators Talk about Animation

Anna Gopin (“Lightyear”, “The Mitchells vs the Machines”), Toniko Pantoja (“The Croods: A New Age”, “Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts”), and Andrew Gordon (“Ron’s Gone Wrong”, “Incredibles 2”, “Finding Dory”)  

Direct download: Animators_talking_about_Animating_FINAL.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 8:55pm PDT

As part of the  Bancroft Bros Oscar 2023 series, we talk to the creators of the first A24 animated film, “Marcel The Shell with Shoes On “. We interview Dean Fleischer Camp (Director of the film) and Kirsten Lepore (Animation Director) and SNL star/actress Jenny Slate (co-creator and voice of Marcel)!  Some amazing Oscar- specific stories are shared that will surprise you about this intimate and beloved film! 

Direct download: Marcel_the_Shell_BBPod_Final_mixdown.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 6:18am PDT

Here is our interview with the co-directors and producer of the nominated animated short, The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and the Horse. Based upon the award-winning book by Charley Mackesy and directed by him and co-director Peter Baynton and produced by Cara Speller

Direct download: The_Boy_the_Mole_the_Fox_and_the_horse_Creators_ToApprove.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 8:36am PDT

Disney TV show Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur! We interviewed the show’s Producer’s Rodney Clouden and Steve Loter.


In this epic podcast, Tony flies solo as moderator for an amazing panel of Animation Directors that was originally a live event at LightBox Expo 2022!  So few made it into the room that this will be BRAND NEW for our listeners!  Listen as Tony speaks with directors Chris Sanders (Lilo and Stitch), Brenda Chapman (Brave), Chris Williams (The Sea Beast), and Jill Culton (Abominable).  Learn from the best how they craft a story into a blockbuster feature film!  

Direct download: BBPod_Lightbox_Expo_FINALFINAL.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 3:20pm PDT

"How to Get Your "Geek" idea sold!" - The Bros that Knows take a different path in this interview with Brian Volk-Weiss, the producer of many comedy specials and the well known docu-series "The Toys That Made Us" and "Icons: Unearthed" spotlighting the making of the Simpsons! Find out how Hollywood works behind the scenes with this ICON-ic producer!  

Direct download: Brian_Volk-Weiss_mixdown.mp3
Category:animation -- posted at: 10:05am PDT

1