Happy Birthday Animation Podcast!

It was one year ago today that the first show was released. The site’s been around for a bit longer than that, and the idea is even older, but this seems like the right date to celebrate. Podcasting wasn’t even a hobby over two years ago so I could have never imagined that I would spend so much of my spare time doing it. When I started, there were about 3,000 registered podcasts on Podcast Alley. Today there are over 18,000. Many have come and some have gone, but The Animation Podcast is still going strong at the ripe old age of 1.


The Rewards of Podcasting
Over the last year I learned more than I ever cared to know about recording, web hosting, XML, audio formats, the list goes on and on. It’s been worth every bit of effort though, as the rewards have surpassed all my expectations. Sometimes I tell people that I started this because I just wanted my questions answered by the people I admire. A somewhat selfish start that has become so much more than that.

– When I stopped counting, I had listeners from over 60 different countries.
– The first show alone has been downloaded over 16,000 times.
– All shows combined top 110,000 downloads! (Any advertisers out there? 😀 )
– I’ve been contacted by so many people who say that their love for animation has been re-ignited by the show. Some of the things people have been inspired to do:

  • Create a short film they’ve always wanted to do.
  • Apply to their dream studio.
  • Learn Maya.
  • Go to the zoo and draw.
  • Go to animation school.
  • Change careers and learn animation.
  • Watch all their favorite films again.

And there are still the selfish rewards.
– Now I have the perfect excuse to bother all my heroes.
– I’ve met hundreds of people – online and in person – who I would have never known.
– I get just as inspired as anyone else when I hear what these great artists have to share – even after the 20th listen!
– I finally have a pretty good idea of how the last 30 years at Disney played out.
– I think my diction is actually improving!

Thanks Are in Order
I do the heavy lifting around here but there are plenty of people to thank.

Above all else, I must first thank my lovely wife, The Intro Voice. She’s put up with my schemes before, but here she’s been more supportive than I could have ever expected. From the beginning, she was on board with this ‘Podcast’ thing because she saw the potential in what we could provide to listeners the world over. She truly sees the value in this and enjoys the shows as much as anyone out there – a true patron of animation! I owe her big time for all those weekends lost to editing sound, tweaking components, and coding this site. She’s always there to listen to a rough cut and give her feedback, which makes every show better for you guys. If we had credits, she’d be my producer and my muse. She’s always saying, “Don’t you have a show you could work on?” AND she’s always willing to record her part when it’s way past both our bedtimes. What a gift she is! Without her, the show wouldn’t be what it is today.

This show would be nothing without the guests. These are people who’s lives are probably as full as any of ours, yet they offered us their time and knowledge. I never feel wierd saying that a show was great, because to me, it’s all about the guests and their voices speaking to you.
Andreas Deja
Nik Ranieri
Ron Clements & John Musker
Eamonn Butler
Glen Keane
(Plus a few more yet-to-be-released guests.)

I’ve said this before: After learning about podcasting, I tried to decide what I would podcast about. Two things sparked the idea in my mind. Jim Hull at Seward Street posted his Milt Kahl audio, and at the same time I was reading Didier Ghez’s first book Walt’s People, Volume 1. (Be sure to check out Volume 2, and more on the way!) I thought, “Well who is recording these interviews for our generation?” And it was as simple as that. Thanks Jim and Didier!

Podcast Inspirations: These are the first podcasts I listened to before starting this journey. I picked my favorite parts from all of these to develop my format.
Podcast 411
Daily Download
Dawn and Drew
Reel Reviews Radio
MacCast

I’ll thank my parents again for generously giving me a laptop which has become the control center of The Animation Podcast – my Batcave and utility belt all in one. (They’re also two of my most avid listeners. Who knew?)

Friends and Co-workers:
Although this is pretty much a one person operation (plus services provided by The Intro Voice), there are some people who have supported the podcast by helping me with technical issues beyond my grasp or just plain offered to help if I needed it.
Paul H.
Anne L.C.
Mark P.
Tenny C.
Joe W.
Mark S.
Chris S.
John P.

For the Theme Song: our own DJ Sweettooth, Joe Moshier.

The Listeners
I think I would still do this if only a handful of people listened, but I’ve got more than that. You’re the greatest audience in the podcast world! You’re the other half of this whole process and your feedback and support is always the boost I need to find the time and energy to work on the next show. Thanks to everyone who made talking in to a microphone feel a lot less lonesome. Pat yourself on the back and know that you’re an important part of The Animation Podcast if you ever:

I probably forgot to thank someone. If that’s the case, it’s only because of an oversite on my part and not a reflection of your worth, so I’ll say, “Sorry,” in advance.

The Future
Here’s to many more shows for a long time to come! I hope you’ll be a part of it.

28 Comments on “Happy Birthday Animation Podcast!

  1. Awe, Animation Podcast looks so cute on its first birthday! Look it got chocolate cake all over its face!

    Congrats Clay & thanks again for the wonderful interviews!!

  2. That’s awesome Clay 😉 And you are also Featured at AMO 😀 Congrats are in order all around (:

  3. Congratulations! I’ve been a happy listener since day 1 and I’m sure the coming year will be as great as the first.

  4. Congrats, Clay! Long Live the Animation Podcast!

  5. Congratulations for a job very well done!
    It’s emblematic of the very best of the internet and new technology put to great use by creative people. All too rare!

  6. Congratulations isn’t enough. C’mon everyone , GROUP HUG!Keep doin what your doin Clay!

  7. Happy Birthday. I’ve been a happy listener ever since my friend turned me onto this podcast. Thanks for all the inspiration.

  8. O tanjoubi Omedettou! Selamat Ulang tahun! Bon Anniversaire!! Happy burff day!!!

    Here’s a virtual cake with the most expensive ingredient you can imagine:D

  9. oh yeah, thanks A LOT for the podcast, it what keeps me stay awake at night working on my stuff. And kept me going!

  10. Happy Birthday ! I only just found your podcast last week and been catching up, this is some fantastic stuff you got going here, hope it keeps going for years to come 🙂

  11. Congrats Clay. I’ve enjoyed all the podcasts and look forward to each one as they come out.
    Thanks for all the hard work. It’s a real treat to hear all these great people from the industry talking in a personal setting about the medium we all love.
    Onwards and upwards!

    Art

  12. Happy Birthday and congratulations Clay! It’s always a pleasure visiting this site!

  13. Congrats Clay.
    Thanks for a great show, and thanks for having such a benficial hobie.
    andy

  14. Happy Birthday, although from where I sit it looks like we’re the ones who have been getting the presents over the last year. Thanks doesn’t begin to cover it, but…Thanks!

  15. Damn, it has been a year, hasn’t it? Well, I’M GETTING CAKE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANICAST! =D

  16. Happy one year Clay. I think its safe to say you’ve really affected the animation world in that year and I thank you for it. Here’s to another year of AP!
    J

  17. Well, in honor of TAP’s b-day, I’ve just left a glowing review on iTunes. I guess it has to be approved by the iTunes censors first, so it hasn’t posted yet. When it does, it will be the one written by “El Arrr” (that’s me).

    😀

  18. Happy Birthday. Thank you for bring this much needed and extremely informative tool to the web. I have learned so much from your pod cast and appreciate all your hard work and look forward to many more years of great animation pod cast.

  19. Happy Birthday animationpodcast!!! Hey Clay thanks so much for keeping me inspired, the podcasts help remind me why i love to animate even; when its project crunch time. Please keep them coming :o)

    Cheers

    Ross

  20. Congrats on the one year marker. I really enjoy your show and I’ve listened to every show at least twice. Its grate having these little insights into the minds of some of the greatest animations in the business. Thanks for bringing us such an awesome and helpful show.

  21. A year! Jeez, I seriously thought this all started back in *maybe* July, at the earliest. Well, Clay, I’ve been on board since show number one, and to this day obsessively check the site for updates (read: post a new show soon!). I’ve left a couple voice mails over the past year, and combined with a board reply or two, I’ll ask again…. when are we hearing from the great Chris Sanders! 😀

    Congrats, Clay. And of course, keep your day job going strong. It’s a day job I wish to call my own one day, and as much as I love these podcasts, they shouldn’t replace the real work at hand!

    Best regards,

    Rob S.

  22. Congratulations Clay for getting this thing started. What an incredible resource Animation Podcast has become.

    No doubt you’ll be included in animation History books.

  23. Happy Birthday. Any many, many happy returns.

    BEST PODCAST EVER!

  24. Thanks for a SUPER year of podcasts.
    All the very best!

  25. Hey C-dawg! Congrats and Happy Birthday to you and your PodBaby. You’ve turned it into an amazing beast! I was wondering if you are just going to interview the Disney peeps or get out and interview other greats from other studios (Cartoon Network, Dreamworks, Pixar, etc.). Or how about a group of people maybe from Disney like a story crew or even the behind the scenes person? I know you have a ton of people you need to get to so I’m not hatin’. Just wondering out loud. Keep up the krunk work!!

  26. Congratulations to ya, man. Thank you very much for getting this thing started. It’s been a great resource for all of us. Much appreciated.

  27. ^ some people just dont appreaciate the work that you do clay!

    i know that this is a little late… but HAPPY BIRTHDAY!