CRAZY BALONEY
par BENJAMIN ARCAND
______ I'm Benjamin Arcand, a versatile creative professional from Montreal with a deep love for animation and filmmaking. With over 20 years of experience in the animation industry, I've worn multiple hats, including Storyboard Artist, Independent Filmmaker, and Supervising Director. I contribute my artistic vision to captivate audiences through short films, music videos, TV series, and feature films, consistently pushing the boundaries of my craft.My first independent short film, 'Wackatdooo' (2014), screened in over 30 film festivals worldwide and received excellent feedback from both the public and critics. It also won the Best Original Design award at Brooklyn's Animation Block Party. In 2016, I joined the animation scene in Los Angeles. After spending over two years working on the animated hit series 'SpongeBob SquarePants,' I returned to Montreal. Since then, I collaborated with various clients, playing a key role in the Netflix series 'The Cuphead Show' and directing a SpongeBob Christmas special, among other projects.In 2022, my dedication to storytelling and animation earned me an Emmy award for 'Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation - Storyboard' (for SpongeBob’s Road to Christmas). This prestigious recognition, determined by a panel of experts and peers within the animation industry, reaffirms my commitment to mastering this art form.Besides illustration, animation, and film, music holds a significant place in my life. I've been part of several garage and punk bands in the past and became a self-taught audio engineer along the way, producing and mixing my own records nowadays. I've released four mini-EPs since 2019 with my current musical project, Beer League Benny. Merging my two passions, I've also directed two music videos and am currently working on a third.I’m always looking forward to collaborating with like-minded creatives to elevate projects to new heights. I'm driven by the desire to continually refine and expand my skills, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in storytelling and animation. In essence, I am a passionate storyteller, animator and musician committed to bringing innovation, joy and inspiration to projects and audiences.
(click the LinkedIn button below to see my résumé or use the email icon to reach out)
Montréal Carnivores lp COVER ART
2019 - Graphics & font design
Eye Ghost (CUPHEAD)
2020 - Digital painting & FX animation
• UNDER CONSTRUCTION •
CLICK HERE to visit my OLD PORTFOLIO website in the meantime
Wackatdooo board excerpt
January 2014
(click the three vertical dots menu below to view in full-screen - swipe or use the arrows)
CUPHEAD
Storyboard Artist - 2020-21
I played a big role on the Cuphead Show: I storyboarded 10 episodes or so (with amazing board
partner: Ian Vasquez & Adam Paloian as our supervisor) and was also involved in the opening credits.
The first drop of The Cuphead Show just premiered on Netflix (Feb 2022). Here's some of my work on the show below:
Ribby & Croaks (Chase sequence)
Storyboards Excerpt - 2020
(PROPERTY OF NETFLIX)
This section is still UNDER CONSTRUCTION many more stuff to come!
• UNDER CONSTRUCTION •
Music Videos
I GOT NO HOME
ON FAIT UN FILM
music releases
Some releases from bands or musical projects I have been part of. I performed, produced & mixed those EPs and I also design the cover art.I will update shortly with more audio mixing & sound design work.
BEER LEAGUE BENNY - HOOLA LA OOH!
Released December 11, 2020Composé, réalisé, enregistré & mixé par Benjamin Arcand·Benjamin Arcand : Guitares (excepté sur "Au camion"), basse,
percussions & voix
·François Xavier Paquin : Drums (pistes 1, 2, 3),
percussions sur "Grandma's Booze",
échantillonné à son insu sur "Peut-être que ça me chante" (percussions additionnelles)
·David Chassé : Guitares sur "Au camion"
·Marc-André Arcand : Contrebasse sur "I Got No Home"Mastering : Jean-Philippe Villemure
Photo : François-Xavier Paquin
Graphisme : Benjamin Arcand
BEER LEAGUE BENNY - On fait un film avec des explosions
Released November 8, 2019Les restes d'une vie à Echo Park et le froid chaleureux de Montréal auront inspiré ce mini EP. Le 2e est déjà dans le four!Sons émis, enregistrés & mixés par Benjamin Arcand
Mastering: JP Villemure
Pochette: Benjamin Arcand
-
LINK FOR MUSIC VIDEO ~ On fait un film
The Fuzzy Pubes - The Echo Park Fizzle
Released February 28, 2019The Echo Park Fizzle is the first, last & only EP by the Echo Park acclaimed duo The Fuzzy Pubes!Geneviève Paré: Basse & voix
Benjamin Arcand: Guitare & voixLes drums sont une gracieuseté de François-Xavier PaquinEnregistré à Echo Park, Joshua Tree & Montréal
Paroles & musique: Geneviève Paré et Benjamin Arcand
Réalisation & mix: Benjamin Arcand
Mastering: JP VillemureGraphisme: Benjamin Arcand
Photo: François-Xavier Paquin
SpongeBob SquarePants
Caddy & Bert
The Cuphead Show
ToonMarty
Middlemost Post
Wackatdooo
Wackatdooo
Childhood
BREADWINNERS PROMO
Jo Minkus
Crazy Horse Power
Demo Reel
______ I am a passionate animation artist from Montréal. For the past seventeen years, I've been working on short films, TV series & features films. My first independent short film Wackatdooo (2014) has screened in more than 30 film festivals around the globe and received excellent reactions from the public & critics. It also won Best Original Design at Brookyln's Animation Block Party. In 2016, I joined the animation scene of Los Angeles. After working more than two years on animated hit series: SpongeBob SquarePants, I am now back in Montréal and working with different clients: I played a key role on the Netflix series The Cuphead Show and I directed a SpongeBob Xmas special among other things!Besides illustration, animation & film, music is a HUGE part of my life, I've played in multiple garage & punk bands in the past (Montréal Carnivores, The Fuzzy Pubes,...) and I am currently working on a 3rd release for my current project: Beer League Benny. I'm also a self-taught audio engineer and I am looking forward to take on more audio-related freelance work in the near future.
Rock On! 🤘🏿
(click the LinkedIn button below to see my résumé or use the email icon to reach out)
⬇ ANIMATION ⬇
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SpongeBob SquarePants
I started working on SpongeBob as a freelancer Storyboard Artist in 2016. During the summer of 2017 I moved in Los Angeles to join the SpongeBob crew full-time as a Storyboard Artist. I was in (what we call) the plussing team. We would plus the rough storyboard, add gags, better/tighter drawings, poses & expressions that would match the audio track better, anything we could do to improve the storyboard, really.In 2019 I moved back to Montréal, where I was providing them with Storyboard Director services (just a fancy title for rough storyboards from script). I did that for 8 months or so, then other contracts (The Cuphead Show mainly) kept me busy...Finally in 2020, I was given the Supervising Director role on a two-parter/special Xmas episode : SpongeBob Road to Christmas (released in 2021). In 2022, I am thrilled to be back on the show as a Storyboard Director, a position that suits perfectly my needs!
Here's some excerpts of my work on the show below:
SpongeBob - Dream Hoppers
Storyboard Director/Artist - 2020This one was not a regular board duty. I picked the music with Marc & Vince (Showrunners/Executive Producers) and storyboard this directly into a rough musical animatic.
Outline by Andy Goodman.
Plankton Paranoia
Storyboard Plussing - 2018Some of my stuff from Plankton Paranoia, based on John Trabbic III's rough board. Adam Paloian (my Board Supervisor) & I came up with new ideas, trying to punch up John's awesome rough board. We made the “freak-out” sequence play longer, push those transformations and more! John did a lot of crazy funny Krabs drawings! I really tried hard to maintain the charm of them and push’em even further when I could! [See the last few images] Looking back, John’s rough (Krabs near the sink especially) still have some things I didn’t capture/wish I had done differently.HUGE shout-out to Adam, John, Kristen Morrisson, Eddie Trigueros, Carey Yost, Luke Brookshier, Vince & Marc and everybody else involved!
(PROPERTY OF NICKELODEON)
This section is still in construction, in the meantime, more of my "plussing" work can be found on my old portfolio website HERE!
Caddy & Bert
Concept, development, design & animatic - 2016I created this concept of a short film for Nickelodeon Shorts Program. I pitched this thing twice (2016 & 2017) without any luck. That being said, the fine folks at Nick had good words about it all and this piece made me grow as an artist, especially as a board artist & director. Ultimately, this (amongst other things) helped me land a storyboard artist position on SpongeBob Squarepants.After it was "rejected", I almost made this into an independent animated short film, but life events chose differently... Eventually this project was shelved, became "old" and wasn't important enough for me to fully invest myself into it (financially & time-wise). Some stuff I still like in it, some stuff I really hate now. Please bear with my funky 2016 accent and questionable voice acting, ha!
animatic:
2016 - mini-pitch bible, initial board & animatic
2016 - aimless Crazy Baloney intro
2017 - additional development/concept art
2018 - animatic tweaks (mostly minor timing adjustments)
2021 - glued the whole thing together and finally released it online
Development & script/outline: Benjamin Arcand & Geneviève Paré
Design, storyboard & animatic: Benjamin Arcand
Sound design: Benjamin Arcand
*temporary music for proof-of-concept only
Questionable voice acting: Benjamin Arcand
Huge thanks to: Jenny Donovan, Geneviève Paré, Patrick Désilets, Sean Scott, Patrick McEown, Meghan Lands, Raphaele Bard, Phil Rynda, Thomas Chrétien, Lluis Sanchez, Mourad Seddiki, Marc-André Arcand, François-Xavier Paquin for their input and/or potential involvement.
mini pitch bible:
more concept art:
Middlemost Post
Opening Credits Animatic - 2020John Trabbic III (show creator) asked me if I was interested in boarding the main titles for his new TV series. I was thrilled by the challenge and excited to contribute to this awesome show! John & his team gave me a lot of room to play with, we bounce ideas off each other and in the end, this is the animatic I delivered:
**See fully animated version below:
**
ToonMarty
Opening Credits Animatic - 2015I was asked to create the intro for ToonMarty (TV series on Teletoon/Nickelodeon) on which I was also the character designer, music supervisor (for a bit) & storyboarded on 3-4 episodes. I pretty much had "carte blanche" from the director & producers. I did everything from concept, storyboard to animatic. I also (co) art-directed the opening afterwards and also helped with the music supervision of the theme song & its final mix.
**See fully animated version below:
**
I Got No Home (music video)
November 2021
Music video for music project Beer League Benny
Music, collage & editing: Benjamin Arcand
Filmed on the road between LA and Montréal with a cheap cell phone, fabricated during two years of spare time DYI, I present you the "I Got No Home" music video. A colorful road trip full of collage art, nostalgia and rock'n'roll.
On fait un film (music video)
November 2019
Music video for music project Beer League Benny
Music & editing: Benjamin Arcand
Footage: Famous features films (for documentation purpose only - évidemment)
Childhood
September 2014
Animation created for LoopdeLoop
Concept, design, direction & animation by Benjamin Arcand
Music & sound by François-Xavier Paquin
Crazy Horse Power
September 2017
Submission for LoopdeLoop (Theme: Power)
Concept, design, animation, voice acting & sound design
Breadwinners Vine
May 2016
Vine created for the 25th anniversary of Nickelodeon
Concept, direction & animation by Benjamin Arcand
Music & sound by Jonathan Hylander
Demo Reel
Old Animation Demo Reel - 2016Animation: Benjamin Arcand
Main Tune: "Crazy Chase" composed and arranged by François-Xavier PaquinAfter 2016, I kind of reoriented my career towards, design, storyboard & direction. That being said, I still animate and I believe animation & timing is one of my greatest strength. I believe those skills are a huge asset no matter which position you have in the animation pipeline, especially for storyboarding & directing. In short, this old demo is still relevant, even though I will update with my latest work sooner than later.
Jo Minkus
Animation - 2015Created and directed by Benjamin Anders
(ANDERS, not me: Arcand, I know it's confusing, see my involvement below)
Animation by Benjamin Anders, Benjamin Arcand & Sandra RivasFull Credits:
Jo Minkus, created by Benjamin Anders for the Nickelodeon Int'l Animated Shorts Program 2014-15
Created and Directed by Benjamin Anders
Written by Benjamin Anders & Robert Frimston
Additional Writing by Merriwether Williams
Background Design by Gyimah Gariba
Animation by Benjamin Anders, Benjamin Arcand & Sandra Rivas
Compositing by W. Scott Forbes
Editing by Nico Colaleo
Voice cast:
Jo - Elaine Carroll
Foxtrot - Will Friedle
Gleek - Thurop van Orman
Lola - Elaine Carroll
Casting Director - Gene Vassilaros CSA
Casting Manager - Shiondre Austin
Casting Coordinator - Morgann Franson
Casting Assistant - Courtney Moon
Music by Dave Newby
Sound Design by Adele Cutting
Mix by Goetz Botzenhardt
Consulting Producer for Nickelodeon - Suzanne Lang
Production Coordinator for Nickelodeon - Matt Kilroy
Executive in Charge of Production for Nickelodeon - Alexi Wheeler
Special Thanks To - Nina Hahn & Jules Borkent
Wackatdooo
Independent Short Film by yours truly - 2013-14Direction & animation : Benjamin Arcand
Music & sound: François-Xavier Paquin
Color design/background painter: Edith Lebel
Special guests animators: Sarah Baril & Patrick Désilets
Consultant: Geneviève ParéMusic performed by:
David Meunier-Roy (Bass)
Dylan Perron (Banjo)
François-Xavier Paquin (Drums)
Jean-Sébastien Leblanc (Clarinet)
Jérôme Dupuis-Cloutier (Trompette)
Olivier Hébert (Trombone)Festivals Selections:
Athens Animfest - Athens/Greece - March 2014
Animation Torrent - Chicago/USA - April 2014
Animatricks Festival - Helsinki/Finland - April 2014 - Honorary mention in the int'l competition
Golden Kuker-Sofia International Animation Film Festival - Sofia/Bulgaria - May 2014
MIAFF - Melbourne/Australia - June 2014
Fest Anca - Žilina/Slovakia - June 2014
SIGGRAPH (via Animation Torrent best hand-drawn films selection) - Vancouver/Canada - August 2014
Encounters Film Festival - Bristol/UK - September 2014
Ottawa International Animation Festival - Ottawa/Canada - September 2014
Festimation - Missoula, MT/USA - October 2014
Animalada Festival de Animación de Sevilla - Seville/Spain - October 2014 -
London International Animation Festival - London/UK - October 2014
The World Animation Celebration - Los Angeles/USA - November 2014 - Top3 finalist
PRIMANIMA, World Festival of First Animations - Budaörs/Hungary - November 2014
Leeds International Film Festival - Leeds/UK - November 2014
Short Short Story Film Festival - Providence, RI/USA - November 2014
Sommets du cinéma d’animation - Montréal/Canada - November 2014
Animac - Lleida/Spain - February 2015
Regard sur le court métrage - Chicoutimi/Canada - March 2015
International Motion Festival - Cyprus - March 2015
Festival International du court métrage d’animation - Roanne/France - Mars 2015
Festival Fenêtre sur court - Côtes d'Armor/France - Avril 2015
Northwest Animation Festival -Portland/USA - May 2015
Louisiana International Film Festival (LIFF) - Baton Rouge/USA - May 2015
Syfy Movies With A View, Brooklyn/USA - July 2015
Animation Block Party - Brooklyn/USA - July 2015 - Best Original Design Award
Anti-Tube cinéma plein-air - Québec/Canada - Août 2015
Festival Internacional de Jóvenes Realizadores de Granada - Granada/Spain - October 2015
Anim'est Animation International Film Festival - Bucharest/Romania - October 2015
Manchester Animation Festival - Manchester/UK - November 2015Part of the exposition stop.look.listen #3 at La Gaité Lyrique - Paris/France - Oct. 7th - Dec. 31st 2014