Jim Lujan
Encyclopedia
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
that are primarily featured online and in film festivals. One of Jim's films, "Mama, I'm a Thug", was featured in the Spike and Mike's Sick n twisted film festival in 2006. Jim does the art, voices, and music for all of his films.
He also created a local public access TV show that was broadcast in Los Angeles in the 1990s (Jim Lujan Cartoons). His animated shorts have been seen at such festivals as Conduit, NoDance, and Media City. Jim began showcasing his animated shorts on local Public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cable TV show "Illegal Interns TV",and LATV
LATV
LATV is a bilingual music and entertainment network. LATV has been on the air in the Los Angeles market as KJLA since 2001 and is distributed through mostly digital television subchannels throughout the United States and Puerto Rico....
, before starting his own local Public-access television show. His work includes animated interstitials for local TV, music videos, and show credits. Jim has also been featured as a Live Art
Live Art
Live Art is the fifth album released by Béla Fleck and the Flecktones and their first non-studio album. It was recorded live at various concerts between 1992 and 1996 and features ten guest musicians....
guest at the 2006 CAPE comic book festival (Dallas, TX) and other shows in the Los Angeles area. Jim's artwork has appeared in comic book ads, movie posters, webcomics,and clothing.He has also been featured as an artist on Blastro, where his work is showcased online (Jim Lujan's Cartoon Pawn Shop"). In 2008, Jim co-founded the CARTOONISTAS, a local live-art collective, with fellow creator Javier Hernandez (El Muerto
El Muerto
El Muerto , also known as El Muerto: The Aztec Zombie, is a fictional character and comic book superhero created by American comics creator Javier Hernandez and published through his own imprint Los Comex...
comic book and later movie adaptation
El Muerto (film)
El Muerto is a live-action independent film adaptation of the comic book series, El Muerto: The Aztec Zombie created by Javier Hernandez...
). Jim has been instrumental in founding several animation shows in southern California including "The Animation Getdown", "Ghettomation-Fest", "Animation Alley", and the "We Don't Need No Stinkin' Badges" animation fests. Jim has also animated several music videos for bands such as Kounterclockwise and the Loveless.
Jim created "GHETTOMATION
Ghettomation
Ghettomation is the brand/company of animation created by animator/creator Jim Lujan. The term was coined by Lujan to described the "low budget" and "whatever it takes" simplified form of stylized animation that he creates. Emphasis is placed on character, story, dialogue, audio, and art design...
", a name that would come to represent his minimal and simple style of animation and also serve as Jim's company name, with many of his titles housed under that umbrella. Jim has also co-hosted the Ghettomation podcast, with fellow creators Kevin Cross and Raul Aguirre, jr.
Indie animation legend Bill Plympton
Bill Plympton
William "Bill" Calvin Plympton is an American animator, former cartoonist, director, screenwriter and producer best known for his 1987 Academy Award-nominated animated short Your Face. and his series of shorts Guard Dog, Guide Dog, Hot Dog and Horn Dog.- Biography :Bill Plympton was born in...
has been quoted as saying "I love Jim Lujan's shorts. Great soundtrack and character design and wicked humor...and you can quote me."
Jim's cartoons often depict real life characters exaggerated to the point of ridiculousness. Writer David Hopkins wrote
David Hopkins (writer)
David Hopkins is an American comic book writer and essayist. His works include Karma Incorporated and Emily Edison from publisher Viper Comics, Astronaut Dad, and a comic book adaptation of Antigone with frequent collaborator artist Tom Kurzanski. He writes a regular comic feature for D Magazine...
of Jim: "Jim Lujan is one of the great hidden talents within short film animation. His humor is fresh and playful with an honest bite of satire. He looks at the California that he knows, and shows his audience its absurdity and quirky appeal."
Writer Coyote Duran has said of Jim: "Lujan’s minimalist style, which brings to mind the uniqueness of Mike Judge or Jim Mahfood...an all-over minimalist approach to voices and music. It’s that mentality that makes intelligent humor work, from the stand-up stylings of Patton Oswalt and Eddie Izzard to Lujan’s fellow animators like Bill Plympton (who also happens to be a fan of Lujan’s).... It’s a “Golden Rule” approach that also serves as the absolute symbol of respect for his viewers"
Jim resides in Southern California with his family, where he continues to make cartoons. In 2011, at the suggestion of Bill Plympton
Bill Plympton
William "Bill" Calvin Plympton is an American animator, former cartoonist, director, screenwriter and producer best known for his 1987 Academy Award-nominated animated short Your Face. and his series of shorts Guard Dog, Guide Dog, Hot Dog and Horn Dog.- Biography :Bill Plympton was born in...
to director Ken Mora
Ken Mora
Kenneth Oscar "Ken" Mora is an American screenplay writer, director, producer, editor, and voice actor. He is best known for creating the computer-animated short films Magnum Farce: A Shot in the Park and Magnum Farce: Along Came a Sniper...
, Jim was cast on the feature film animation Magnum Farce (IMDb), | (web), as the voice of the character Detective Foote.
Films include
Mama, I'm a Thug!Freakdaddy
The Legend of Bobby Churro
The Cougar and the Cub
Up in my Grill
Securityman
Three Little Homies
Come to Daddy
Stoner Girl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptV7wJQwtsA Alphanerd
Related links
Jim Lujan.ComJim Lujan Cartoons on YouTube
Fanboy Lounge Jim's artwork animated titles
The Bullet Angelica-Jim Lujan co-founded comic jam
TV
Los Angeles Public-access televisionPublic-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
- Jim Lujan's Cartoons (Buenavision TV)
LATV - interstitial animations
Illegal Interns TV - interstitial and animated shorts
Music video
Lazybones (the Loveless) Jim's art animatedRadio
THE GHETTOMATION PODCASTFanboy Radio Interview
CindyCenter interview
Planet Comic Book Radio interview
DoubleDorkmeter interview
Text interviews
Max Boxing: Bobby Churro article by Coyote DuranDot Com Dish
NewMoanYeh
Planet Comic Book Radio video
Affiliations
Velvet Goat (Co-Founder w/ Justin Stewart).Cartoonistas Local San Gabriel Valley
San Gabriel Valley
The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, United States. It lies to the east of Los Angeles, to the north of the Puente Hills, to the south of the San Gabriel Mountains, and west of the Inland Empire. It derives its name from the San Gabriel River that flows...
creators group (co-founded w/ Javier Hernandez).