JibJabbin’

New eCard – Hall of Beards

March 4, 2013 – 11:17 am

In our new Starring You birthday eCard, Hall of Beards, you can let that birthday someone know that THEY are the real piece of art on their birthday. To find out more about the many beards featured in this eCard, we spoke with the animator, Jeff Delgado.

1) Did you have anyone particular in mind when designing the portraits of bearded men?

I did a lot of research for hilarious and ridiculous beard shapes on the internet and in books. Some of them were inspired by men that compete in the World Beard and Mustache Championships while others were completely made up by me.

2) Do you have a beard?

I sadly do not have a beard. I’ve tried to grow one in the past but chickened out and shaved it off! Someday…someday.

3) What is your favorite type of beard?

Mutton chops that connect to a mustache leaving the chin exposed has to be one of my favorite beard styles. Only an extremely manly man can pull that look off.

4) What are your thoughts on having a beard but no mustache?

That look got Daniel Day-Lewis an Oscar and President Lincoln on the five dollar bill. Clearly, there is some magic associated with that style of beard.

5) How long did this card take to animate?

There was so much painting to complete for this eCard. Not only did I have to paint each bearded fellow but I also had to design the gallery background. It took about two weeks of nonstop work on my part.

Give your friend a beard of frosting for their birthday with this eCard!

By Team JibJab | Posted in Behind the Scenes, jibjab, New Content, Talent | Leave a Comment

The Sweet Sounds of JibJab

February 28, 2013 – 6:41 pm

You already know that at JibJab we are funny, artistic and technology savvy…but did you know we are amazing singers as well? We didn’t either, until our recent karaoke jam session! We gathered on a Friday afternoon to bond by belting out our favorite Celine Dion and Billy Joel songs. We had a great time singing, laughing and making memories.

Check out the photos below to see how we took to the stage.

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Let us know what your favorite karaoke song is, in the comments below.

By Team JibJab | Posted in Behind the Scenes, Events, Inside JibJab, jibjab, Team JibJab | Comments (2)

New eCard – Swearing Off Cake

February 25, 2013 – 4:08 pm

In our new eCard, Swearing Off Cake, you’ll see that while many people resist the temptation of birthday cake — there’s always someone willing to dig right in! We talked a little with Sagan Yee, artist and animator of this eCard and found out two fun facts:

1. Originally the entire card was black and white, but at some point she was inspired to add the blue background in there to make it more visually interesting. The cake already had pink icing, so she thought blue would make for a nice contrast. The color scheme fit the music too; light and kinda snappy.

2. As we chatted about cake, Sagan got to thinking about ice cream too. Turns out she no longer eats dairy, but finds that mashed frozen bananas make a really good substitute. Otherwise, she likes vanilla bean made with coconut milk, with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction. Pretty fancy! Black sesame, wasabi, ginger, red bean avocado and garlic are flavors she’s also enjoyed. According to Sagan, eating weird ice cream flavors is another way to ensure you don’t have to share. Although, she encourages everyone to try them at least once!

Send this eCard today to a cake loving friend!

By Team JibJab | Posted in Inside JibJab, jibjab, JibJab Around the World!, New Content, Production Art, Talent | Leave a Comment

New eCard-Silent Star

February 12, 2013 – 12:55 pm

What is better than a present on your birthday? A compliment! In our newest eCard, Silent Star, you can let that special birthday lady know how cute they are. We got to talk with Colby Bluth about his process in making this eCard.

Have you seen any silent films? Do you have a favorite?

-I’ve mostly seen bits and pieces of silent films over the years on television. One of the few features I’ve seen in its entirety is Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, which is incredible. The ending to the Phantom of the Opera was spectacular as well. There is something special about those early silent films.

What tricks did you use to make the mirror reflection?

-No tricks really, but it was a lot of hard work. Everything was drawn the old fashioned way on paper, including her reflection in the mirror. First I animated the character in the foreground, then I had to match her movements in the mirror. This was the most difficult piece of animation I’ve ever attempted.

How long did this card take to animate?

- I think I worked on it for about a week and a half. I was also fortunate to work from my own animatic and select the audio track.

Did you watch anything to inspire this animation?

-Myself in the mirror channeling my inner flapper. Haha! I was also inspired by “The It Girl” Clara Bow and a little Louise Brooks maybe. I’m also a big fan of older cinema, so creating some traditional animation in black & white was a real pleasure.

Did you name the character?

-No, but I will now. Let’s call her Moxie.

Send this classy eCard to that special birthday lady today!

By Team JibJab | Posted in Behind the Scenes, jibjab, New Content, Production Art, Talent | Leave a Comment

COOLHAUS Wagon Wednesday!

February 7, 2013 – 5:37 pm

This Wagon Wednesday was super special for all of us JibJabbers because we received a visit from the amazing ice cream sandwich creators, COOLHAUS! We LOVE ice cream - it keeps us motivated while we create sweet eCards, like our Valentine’s Day collection.

Like some of our other fun wagons, we had a chance to sample some of their famous flavors including a couple Vegan options.

Check out the COOLHAUS calendar or follow them on Twitter to find out where and when they will be in your area!

By Team JibJab | Posted in Events, Freebies, Inside JibJab | Comments (3)

GIF OFF 5.0

February 6, 2013 – 4:45 pm

The time has come for our biannual GIF OFF to stir up a few inner office laughs! The GIF OFF is a week long animated GIF competition in which competitors create daily themed images. Each day we all vote to see which one is our favorite, and at the end of the week when all the points are tallied up, we have a winner who is dubbed the “King/Queen of GIF’s.” The winner will also receive a cake of their choosing by Ashlyn’s Cakes© and a trophy of some sort! Our themes this year are:

Monday: Poof!

Tuesday: Nic Cage

Wednesday: Love

Thursday: Misdirection

Friday: WILD CARD (anything goes!)

And though the competition just began…it is already heating up with hilarious GIFs! Stay tuned for next week’s blog entry to see the winners.

By Team JibJab | Posted in Behind the Scenes, Inside JibJab, jibjab, Meme, Team JibJab | Leave a Comment

New eCard – Classical Birthday

February 5, 2013 – 1:31 pm

In our newest eCard, Classical Birthday, you can help sing a sweet melody to that birthday someone who is getting OLD. Help remind them that getting old stinks and is a pain (in the back, knee and neck). We got to sit down with, Nate, an in house artist to find out a little about his fears of getting older.

1. How long did this card take to animate?

The card took about a week and a half to animate in Flash. I was working from an animatic by the incredible Sean Rhodes, and with all the funny/strange bodily things happening I figured it would be better to go the hand-drawn route over animating in After Effects. Drawing a dragging, bouncing butt is officially the strangest thing I’ve ever spent an entire day doing.

2. What is your biggest fear of growing older?

When I was a teenager I was terrified of going bald, but my dad and both grandfathers still have all their hair, so I’m probably doomed to be shaggy haired forever.

3. How old are you? Have you noticed any signs of aging in yourself yet?

I turned 31 last year (that was painful to write), and so far the biggest thing I’ve noticed is I need a lot more sleep. I used to be vehemently against naps, now I’m an addict. Also I’m not as good at pulling all-nighters as I used to be, but thankfully that’s nothing a few cups of coffee won’t fix.

4. Which is your favorite getting old stereotype? (mine is the driving slow, since I already do that)

The crankiness that you can get away with when you get older is pretty awesome. I secretly can’t wait until I become elderly just so I can say anything I want and not get called on it.

Send this eCard today to that someone who is yet another year older and creakier.

By Team JibJab | Posted in Behind the Scenes, Inside JibJab, jibjab, New Content, Talent, Team JibJab | Comments (1)

Philip Vose Wins Hollywood Loopdeloop!

February 1, 2013 – 2:01 pm

A couple weeks ago we asked you to submit your best loops for the first edition of the Loopdeloop animation challenge in the United States. We ended up receiving a whopping 58 submissions! Last night we held a screening of all the loops in the heart of Hollywood at Dim Mak Studios.

Everyone had an amazing time and laughed along to each loop. There were plenty of crazy variations on the theme ‘Hollywood’, and a wonderful mix of animation styles! Our panel of celebrity judges (Weird Al Yankovic, Dane Boedigheimer, Alex Hirsch and Jerry Beck) were in attendance and named the winner of the competition as Phillip Vose. Here is his loop:

We also voted for an audience favorite which was received by Peter Michail. Both were awarded a brand new iPad mini!

The next theme is SPORTS – submit your animation today!

By Team JibJab | Posted in Contests, Events, jibjab | Comments (2)

New eCard – Smiling Streaker

January 28, 2013 – 1:56 pm

In our newest eCard, Smiling Streaker, you can say Happy Birthday to that special someone and help to put a smile on their face, or wherever. We got to talk more with the animator, Marty Cooper, about this naughty eCard.

What kind of shoes do you imagine the streaker is wearing?

-This streaker is wearing a fly pair of baby blue hightop converse all-stars for optimal maneuverability when fleeing the scene.

Have you ever been streaking?

- I have never streaked myself. I worry about dogs chasing after me and biting my sensitive areas.

Have you ever seen a streaker out in the wild?

-I cannot remember ever seeing a streaker in the wild. I think they are pretty rare these days with all the tasers and pepper spray. I think it should be encouraged not enforced, sporting events would be much more exciting!

How long did this card take to animate?

- In total approximately 3 weeks. 1 week for designing the backgrounds and characters, 1 week of animation, and another week for tweaking the timing and finalizing it. It was hoot!! I hope the card puts a smile on your face… or wherever. Thanks JIBJAB!! I am going to go streak now.

Send this eCard to that frisky birthday someone today!

By Team JibJab | Posted in jibjab, Production Art, Talent | Comments (2)

Beauty is Embarrassing

January 25, 2013 – 5:15 pm

Our team of artists, technologists and business people strive to be creative and innovative. Recently, to gain inspiration we watched the documentary, Beauty is Embarrassing, a film about the creative path that Wayne White and his wife, Mimi Pond, have chosen to take in life. The documentary follows Wayne through his trials and tribulations of doing what he loves for a living, art.

After viewing the film, Wayne and Mimi stopped by the office to have lunch and to talk with us. Wayne taught us that life is about doing what you love and that in return you will go where you want. We laughed, ate pizza and were in awe at the brilliant mind that brought us the set design for Pee Wee’s Playhouse and Beakman’s World. It was incredible to hear from the horses mouth that art can be a 24/7 lifestyle and that we aren’t (too) crazy to create for a living.

Check out the Wayne’s documentary either on Amazon or via his site to be inspired today.

By Team JibJab | Posted in Behind the Scenes, Events, Inside JibJab, jibjab, Talent | Leave a Comment

New eCard-A Little Birdie Told Me

January 21, 2013 – 5:18 pm

In our newest eCard, A Little Birdie Told Me, we see what happens when one little bird gets a little too excited about a birthday. We spoke more with the director of eCards, Jeff, to find out about the artist and idea behind the card.

1) How did you come up with the concept for A Little Birdie Told Me?

This was an idea that was pitched by our writer Scott. I loved the idea of a card that used minimal SFX to help set the tone of the environment

2) What kind of drink do you imagine the man is drinking in the video?

Long Island Ice Tea.

3) Have you ever cooked anything on a rotisserie?

Haha, no! But now that you mention it, I should definitely add that to my list of things to do!

4) How do you feel about celebrating birthdays? Do you celebrate birth week or treat it as another day?

I know some people prefer to have other folks surprise them on their birthday with plans of things to do, but I personally like doing my own thing to make sure I spend the day doing exactly what I want. Sometimes it’s as simple as walking barefoot in the park, other times it’s a monthlong trip to Europe… guess it just depends on the year!

Say happy birthday to that special someone today and just blame it on the birds.

By Team JibJab | Posted in jibjab, Production Art, Talent | Leave a Comment

Calling All Animators & Fans Alike – LoopdeLoop!

January 9, 2013 – 2:45 pm

This January JibJab has teamed up with LoopdeLoop, a monthly animation challenge originating in Australia, to bring the competition to the U.S., specifically to Los Angeles!

LoopdeLoop L.A. is now accepting submissions of short animated loops based on the most appropriate theme for Los Angeles: HOLLYWOOD. An exception panel of celebrities will be judging the loops and the winner will receive an iPad mini! Judges include:

- Weird Al Yankovic

- Dane Boedigheimer (Creator of Annoying Orange)

- Alex Hirsch (Creator of Gravity Falls)

- Jerry Beck (Co-founder of Cartoon Brew)

Do you think you have what it takes to create the winning loop? Click here to find out more about the rules and how to submit your work. The deadline is January 26th.

At the end of the month we will also be holding a screening of all the loops that made the cut. Click here to join our Facebook event & find out all the details.

Let’s have fun and support creativity & animation by submitting your art to the competition, attending the screening or both!

By Team JibJab | Posted in Contests, Team JibJab | Leave a Comment

New eCard – Sign Spinner Birthday

January 7, 2013 – 11:27 am

Have you ever seen a person flipping and spinning signs advertising things like ‘We Buy Gold’ or ‘$5 Pizza’ on busy street corners? In our new birthday eCard, Sign Spinner Birthday, the spin artist let’s everyone know it’s their birthday! We got to talk with SurfMonkey a bit about filming this new Starring You eCard.

1) Where did you shoot?

We shot in Commerce, CA.

2) How did you find the perfect sign spinner?

We went through an agency called AArrow Ads. We told them what we were looking for and they gave us a few options. Much easier than a regular casting session!

3) What did the actual sign say that he was spinning?

Aarrowads actually made all of the signs to the exact specifications that we wanted for the video!

4) How did you pick the music?

The music just fit so well for the card. It made sense for the quick spot, a lot of energy in not much time!

5) How long did this take to shoot?

We shot about five cards in one day with ONE sign spinner. He was a trooper!

Start spinning today and let that birthday person advertise it’s their birthday.

By Team JibJab | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (2)

Behind the Scenes – 2012: The End is Here!

December 21, 2012 – 10:17 pm

We’re proud to present the ultimate breakdown of how we made our 2012 Year in Review animated short. Click here for photos, videos and stories of the process!

By Team JibJab | Posted in Behind the Scenes | Comments (9)

Behind the Scenes – Sled Race

December 14, 2012 – 12:24 pm

For years we’ve done all sorts of different types of Holiday cards, from dancing mariachi bands, to rocking head bangers, to singing elves. One of our older eCards, SnowBall Fight, remains a favorite, so to help bring that element back we figured what better winter-way to compete again your loved ones than with a good ole fashion sled race?!

As with many of our cards, one of the most important choices is figuring out what song to use. It not only sets the pacing but also the overall tone of the short. The Hall Of The Mountain King seemed like the PERFECT overly-epic track to depict the intensity of a high-speed race and with such a strong musical backing the animatic practically made itself!

After Jeff created the animatic, Alex, did a great job designing the color script, which sets the visual tone of the piece…

In addition to knowing that this card should be some sort of ”team vs. team type” card, we wanted to do something stop motion. We had so much fun with last year’s first attempt, ‘The Buttcracker,’ that we wanted to try it again, but this time the card would need to be modular to allow for multiple castings (1-5 people). The first step was to make sure it was even possible, so Jeff made some quick color-tests using 2D and 3D mock-ups to make sure that the specific color regions would be easy enough to manipulate in After Effects.

Once we proved that the technique would work, Jeff proceeded to sculpt and create both characters and props. The character was made using a process of foam-laytex, which involved sculpting a clay version that resulted in a mold that was injected with the foam. The sled was just a series of coffee stirrers that were twisted and glued together, snow was sheets of styrofoam and trees were bought at a local train shop.

Once everything was built we ran some quick tests then it was time to get animatin’!

Each character was filmed on blue using just one rig, so that we could later composite and color correct to make scenes bigger/smaller as needed. In total, Jeff ended up taking 2157 photos in all that were pieced together into the final short. (That’s a LOT of photos!) You can check out some behind the scenes footage here…

And if you want to see the finished product, put your family & friends in Sled Race today!

By Team JibJab | Posted in Behind the Scenes, Holiday, Inside JibJab, jibjab, New Content, Production Art, Team JibJab | Comments (3)