Check Out Bob Harper’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bob Harper.

Hi Bob, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
After hatching from a dinosaur egg, a schlock movie promoter and his mischievous wife stole me from the fossil park near Dallas, Texas. They raised me along with a few other strays they had gathered from various locales.

Surrounded by films and eccentric characters from my friends and family, I grew into an odd fellow. As a young man, I took a very nontraditional journey of self-discovery. I did a brief stint as a stand-up comedian and even tried incorporating magic into my act because I wanted to be “cool.”

After my misguided attempt at starring on stage, I migrated to the spectacle of professional wrestling, where I endured injuries to body and soul. As I was getting bashed by a steel chair during a battle royale, I had an epiphany. Why not draw cartoons instead?

So, I doodled some independent comics and began a freelance career, which led me to Los Angeles, California. It was there that I began an animation career, which spanned a couple of decades. I worked at Cartoon Network and created content for Disney TV and DreamWorks TV. I even collaborated with Davie Coulier from Full House on a kids’ brand called Grilled Cheese Media.

Now that I have clocked many hours creating for major studios, I am embarking on making my own content by forming One Upon A Farce with my writing partner, Tim Bennett. We are creating comedy content for a mature audience.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I did not follow the traditional path to becoming an animator. I fell into it after moving to Los Angeles in the late nineties. I didn’t have a degree or connections to find work. I just hustled and taught myself software and got out there to network.

I survived the turbulent times of the original dotcom boom and bust in the early 2000s to end up at Cartoon Network on the show Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends, working with the uber-talented Craig McCracken – creator of The Powerpuff Girls. During my stint at Cartoon Network, I sold a couple of shows and landed a manager. Things were going smoothly.

But when the show ended, so did my streak of sales, and thus I lost my management company. I struggled to find work, but the industry shifted to shorter seasons and fewer productions. I bounced from one small studio to another, and to top things off, my son was diagnosed with autism, which created a whole new perspective on life.

I have been taking care of him alone since COVID-19, while also doing freelance work and building my company. I currently have a steady gig, and my content is starting to get recognition, so things are going smoother now.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am primarily a cartoonist, having done gags, comics, illustrations, etc. But I am best known for my animation credentials, having worked at many places and in multiple roles. I’ve done everything from character design and backgrounds to storyboards, animation, and directing.

For the past decade, I have written a lot with my writing partner, Tim Bennett, whom I found on Craigslist.
We are now producing what I am most proud of – comedy content for a mature audience. Our short, The Fugly Duckling, is being selected and getting awards at various festivals.

I guess what sets me apart is that I am primarily self-taught and can create an animated piece on my own. That and I stubbornly refuse to follow industry trends.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I’m currently enrolled in the Jon Reiss Film Distribution Lab. This is giving me the focus to do an animated feature without waiting for a studio to greenlight me. I am also reading Guerrilla Film Marketing by Robert G. Barnwell.

Both of these things help me with the biz. I get continuous creative inspiration by watching films and shows, reading comics, and, of course, meeting and talking with unique and diverse people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bigbobharper.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatbigbobharper/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thatbigbobharper/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thatbigbobharper/
• Other: https://www.onceuponafarce.com/

Image Credits
The photo of me and another fellow – his name is Tim Bennett, my producing partner.