Q: Where do your ideas for animations originate?

T.G.: I get most my ideas from people watching. I sit and say to myself- why on Earth is that fat woman wearing such tight clothes. I come from a long line of judgmental people. It's not my fault. Really. 

Q: What did your parents want you to be when you grew up? What did you want to be? 

T.G.: My parents wanted me to be... OUT OF THE HOUSE. 

Q: As a child, with the Internet/computer yet to be born, what was the medium for your early animation attempts (sock puppets, stuffed animals, action figures)? 

T.G.: My only stint in animation before the computer was a stop action claymation film I tried to make in 8th grade. I say "tried" because upon completion of the project I came to find there was NO FILM IN THE CAMERA! 

Q: Do you ever get the urge to animate your personal life (family memories, relatives you hate, ex-girlfriends, etc.)? If not, why? 

T.G.: If any of MY family appear in a cartoon it would be my last. They would kill me for such an offense. My wife Shannon and brother Daron have done a voice or two for me. 

Q: The animation industry and the Internet are quickly converging.What is your future vision of the industry, say 10 years from today? 

T.G.: I've said the web is the animator's medium. It will change everything. Writers and artists will be able to work closely to fill the Internet with better content than T.V. 

Q: The sound/voices and the visual depiction of your characters perfectly complement each other. Which comes first when you are creating an animation? Does the picture give rise to the voice? Or does the voice give rise to the picture? 

T.G.: script, animation, voice over. 

Q: What is your favorite breakfast food? 

T.G.: O.K. now you're speaking my language.... CEREAL! The BEST is this new stuff called Cinnamon Crunch Pebbles (with Fred and Barney on the box). After that it is Life, Grapenut flakes, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Quisp, Peanut Butter Crunch... oh man I could go on forever. I love sweet cereal. I obsess about cereal. I try to get other adults to try them to no avail. "I don't eat kids cereal" they say. If cereal was good when you were a kid, then it should be good now, right? COME ON PEOPLE! 

Q: I find people have a tendency to laugh more frequently when watching animated cartoon characters vs. human actors. What are your thoughts on this? Why do you think this is? 

T.G,: I think I agree. 

Q: Who are your artistic influences? 

T.G.:I like Jack Kirby, Charles Burns and Coop to name a few. 

Q: How do you spend your time when you aren't animating? 

T.G.: I obsess about cereal. 

Q: What can we expect in the future from Todd Gallina animations? Could you give us a small preview? 

T.G.: I'm working on a project featuring Godzilla. 

For the complete archive of Todd's animations,check out www.toddgallina.com