Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Exclusive Jessica Rabbit Artist Interview - Tracy M Lee



I'm very excited to have as the second EXCLUSIVE ImNotBad.com interview, Tracy M Lee. Interning at Disney MGM Studios, Tracy worked on Roger Rabbit short films Rollercoaster Rabbit and Trail Mix-Up. He then went on to form Electric Tiki Design, which has amassed an impressive selection of statues and maquettes with such characters as Elvira, Betty Boop, Tron, The Munsters, Underdog, and even original creations.




ImNotBad.com:
Thank you so much for this opportunity, it truly means a lot. First I would like our readers to learn a little more about you.


Tracy M Lee:
I was born in a little town called Hartsville, SC. I have always wanted to be an artist, at least since I could hold a pencil. I went to high school at Thomas Hart Academy, and then attended the Columbus College of Art and Design.



INB:
Do you remember what inspired you to become an artist?


Tracy:
Watching cartoons as a kid. There is a fast food chain on the East Coast called Hardees (they are owned by Carl's Jr I think) and when I was a kid they offered drinking glasses with Looney Tunes characters on them. I remember copying the characters. Of course I don't think I was considering a future in it at that point. Illustration was my main career goal, Hallmark cards and Mattel toys were the top on my wish list at the time.



INB:
Were there any particular Disney films that inspired you as a child?


Tracy:
I wasn't really a Disney kid. I was more into the Looney Tunes cartoons, and other Saturday morning fare like Scooby Doo, Fang Face and Sid and Marty Krofft.





INB:
How did you start working for Disney?


Tracy:
I was lucky enough to land an internship when Disney started recruiting from my college in hopes of staffing the animation facility at the new Disney/MGM studios theme park in Orlando.





INB:
Many people found themselves taken back by Who Framed Roger Rabbit, claiming that it was the start of a new age of animated movies for Disney. What was your reaction to the film and its characters?


Tracy:
I loved that movie. Ironically that film came out during the time Disney was recruiting from my college for interns at their new Orlando studio. That film is what made me try for the internship. My thinking changed, dramatically. My efforts suddenly shifted to more figure drawing, more gesture classes, less technique-more focus on loose, less focus on tight.



INB:
What was your role at Disney involving Roger Rabbit?


Tracy:
I wasn't involved in the film at all. The very first production work I did was on the short "Roller Coaster Rabbit" towards the end of my internship. Part of our training involved helping the clean up department. This is when I found my niche, the thing I felt most comfortable with, something that combined my animation experience and my illustration training. Taking loose or ruff drawings and adding to what the animator has given you, and it is the clean up drawings that make it to the screen.

During my tenure at Disney I also worked on "Trail Mix Up" which was released with a film called "A Far Off Place". There were a couple more shorts with minimal development that I worked on, but they never went anywhere. One was called "Hare in My Soup" where Roger was a waiter and another one that placed Roger at the Opera. I recently worked on Dr. Facilier in "The Princess and the Frog" and am currently drawing Piglet, Kanga and Roo for a new "Winnie the Pooh" movie that's coming out next summer.






INB:
How did Electric Tiki come about?


Tracy:
I was a big statue collector during the late 90's and I just wanted to fill a void. I wanted to see characters that weren't being done and do them as uniquely as possible.






INB:
What are some of your favorite pieces?


Tracy:
My friend Ruben Procopio's work on classic cartoon characters took my designs to a different level. His Popeyes, Mighty Mouse, Underdog, Mr. Magoo, etc. are some of the best representations of those characters on the market. One of my current favorites is The Fred Moore girl as sculpted by Kent Melton. Some others that are special for personal reasons are the Married with Children characters by Tony Cipriano and Schu and Richie Rich and Spooky by Jim McPherson.









INB:
What was some of your very first created works?


Tracy:
Our first release, wow, I can't remember the first "official" release. The first few we released were Samantha from "Bewitched" and Jeannie as part of our "Tooned Up" series. Also, early on was Richie Rich, Gloria Glad and Spooky form Harvey Comics. We also released a personal creation of mine called Holly Starlite. She was kind of a pin up superhero character.









INB:
What were some toys/figures/statues that you liked the most as a kid - and now?


Tracy:
Like most kids during my youth, I was obsessed with Star Wars figures. I remember having a choice between Star Wars figures and a new motorcycle, and choosing the Star Wars figures. I had very little knowledge of value back then. Other lines I went crazy for were the Ninja Turtles, Super Powers and Thundercats (which I collected during college). I don't collect much of anything now. I was a big statue collector for a while, but after starting my business they started taking over the house so I had to thin out my collection dramatically. I still get a few, but I'm definitely not a completist.





INB:
How did the option to create Jessica Rabbit statues come about?


Tracy:
That was easy. When I got a license with Disney I wanted to create some pieces to commemorate my time at the Florida studio and the projects I worked on. I always saw Jessica portrayed in the red dress, but never from the shorts. We wanted to do her as the nurse from "Tummy Trouble" as well, but were told that was off the table. We hope to add a classic version in our "Animated Ladies" line, but that is a ways off.





INB:
In these past years, Jessica Rabbit gained in popularity through the pin collecting market. What do you think caused this new found popularity and do you have any idea on how it may have started?


Tracy:
I just think her whole look/ persona plays on people's nostalgia for classic pin up girls. The same way Bettie Page is timeless, I think Jessica is as well.


The Park Ranger Jessica Rabbit statue will be available in the coming months through Sideshow Collectibles and will be in Diamond's Previews in Feb/March. The Rollercoaster Rabbit Jessica statue is now available.




INB:
Do you think Jessica started the movement/popularity for more female collectable related merchandise - action figures, statues, etc - and leading to more sexy characters becoming the star of the show?


Tracy:
I guess it depends on who you ask. It seems we've always been more successful with girls than any other thing. I enjoy designing the girls as well.


Rollercoaster Rabbit concept art for an unused gag between Jessica Rabbit and Droopy Dog by animator Mark Kausler, cleanu-up by Tracy M Lee, and painted by Tracy's friend Lisa.




INB:
WFRR director, Robert Zemeckis, seems set on creating a sequel - what do you think of this?


Tracy:
I've been hearing this for 20 years. I'm not sure if Disney ending their relationship with him and closing down his motion capture studio will help matters. If they ever do, I'd be the first in line to work on it. I really had fun drawing those characters.



INB:
What do you see in the future for the Jessica Rabbit character, especially if there is a sequel?


Tracy:
More Jessica merchandise....that's never bad.


To learn more, please visit Electric Tiki and Tracy M Lee.


Jessica Rabbit Artist Interviews