Interview: Rich Moore of Rough Draft Studios

I recently caught up with Rich Moore, Director and Sr. Vice President of Creative Affairs at Rough Draft Studios.

Rich was coming out of a table read for the third episode of the upcoming Fox prime-time series “Sit Down, Shut Up,” created by Mitch Hurwitz (Arrested Development). The new animated series stars Jason Batemen (Arrested Development), Will Arnett (Arrested Development, 30 Rock), Regina King (The Boondocks, 24), and Henry Winkler (Arrested Development).

Rough Draft recently released the second “Futurama” movie, “Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs,” on June 22 and is scheduled to release a third movie, “Futurama: Bender’s Game,” Nov 4, 2008.

In the interview below, we talk about “Futurama,” “Sit Down, Shut Up,” and the field of animation.

Congratulations on nearly 10 years of Futurama. I’m a big fan of the series, and looking forward to “Bender’s Game.” Are there any plans for a theatrical release of a “Futurama” like “The Simpsons?”

Rich Moore: There’s no talk of it right now, but I would think with the success of “Wall-E” and “The Simpsons” movie that there is money to be made there.

Futurama is a project that is very well suited for a theatrical feature. Personally, I would hope they (studio) would seriously consider that because I think it would make a really great movie.

Not from the standpoint of it would great to work on a movie just to work on it. I think it would have a lot of potential. The audiences would love it. It would be lucrative for the studio. There are a lot of animators who would love to put their heart and soul into a Futurama movie. So, I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I would love to be a part of a movie like that.

Tell to me about your work on your upcoming animated series for FOX, “Sit Down, Shut Up.”

Rich Moore: We had a table read for episode 3 this morning. The read was hysterical. Great characters and a great script. I just came out of meeting with Mitch (Hurwitz) and Josh Weinstein, who was a showrunner on the Simpsons. They’re sharing the showrunner responsibilities. It’s great to work with Josh again. This is going to be a really big show. The people working on it from top to bottom are fantastic. It’s a different type of show. It’s a situational comedy concept with high school teachers. It’s not family based like “The Simpsons” or “Family Guy.”

The humor is more like “Arrested Development.” A lot of the cast comes from “Arrested Development,” so everyone has an understanding of what Mitch is looking for. It’s different from a lot of stuff that is on TV right now, in prime time animation definitely. I have really high hopes for it. I’m having a great time working on this. It’s a great group of people to work with.

The table read was just the funniest table read I’ve ever heard. It was a killer. High hopes! High hopes, Bags!

When can we expect a trailer or teaser?

Rich Moore: I’m not sure what the timeline would be for them. Maybe in the fall, just to keep people reminded. We’re shooting for Spring 09 for the Pilot to air. I think April 09 is when the pilot will air. They’re going to try to get four episodes at the tail end of the spring season and just roll into the fall of 09. As for additional stuff for the audience to see, maybe there will be some kind of teaser in the fall or winter. I’m just speculating.

Today we’re having our first animatic meeting on the pilot with Mitch and Josh. An animatic is a rough cut of animation. The first time we’ll all get a chance to sit down together and watch a visual representation of the episode. Mike and I were late in the hours last night on it. It’s very exciting to see this thing going from Mitch’s concept to Josh coming on board to them shaping it. On the animation end, I’m supervision director on the project. We put together a really great group of animators and directors. And to see everyone’s work to a finish episode is very excited.

But as far as a trailer goes I’m not sure.

Awesome. Could you describe the project life cycle at Rough Draft? How often does Rough Draft come up with their own ideas or is it primarily other studios that approach Rough Draft?

Rich Moore: We’re always working on ideas of our own. The problem is that we’re still an independent studio. We’re always working on the fly. We’re probably the last independent studio working in LA, working on projects like “Futurama” and “Sit Down, Shut Up” which are major network projects. For us we really earn our keep. As far as producing our own stuff we’re still trying to figure out how that works. Not that we won’t do that in the future.

I hope that there is a point when we’ll have more of the means to say; now we’re going to do what we want. There’s nothing wrong with working with other people and collaborating on their vision. And ringing our vision to their vision and making a collective piece of high quality media that is enjoyable to an audience. That’s where we are in the growth of Rough Draft. Not saying that won’t change.

Do you have any advice for fledgling animators and entering the business right out of grad school?

Rich Moore: You’ll get on these big projects, where it feels like, “Am I wearing myself out.” Am I doing the things I want to do?” I literally got out of college 20 years ago. And I realize these are the things I want to do. Futurama is the type of thing I always dreamed about working on as a teenager. I’m working with people I respect. Their humor and sensibility in filmmaking, I love and I want to be a part of.

Remember the things you want to do and just keep those things focused. Even though it doesn’t feel like your doing them, you’re doing them. It’s possible to do those things you always dreamed about. It may not be the same way you thought. It may take a while, but you’ll realize if you take a moment that it happened. Keep doing it and it will happen.