Volume 29, No.24
June 20, 2004

Keeping the Church Animated

  These guys were Looney Tunes.  

   Even if you don’t know their names, you’ve seen their work.  Chuck Jones, Michael Maltese, Maurice Noble, Carl Stalling and Mel Blanc were the creative genius behind the world’s finest cartoons, made by Warner Brothers.

   Head of the innovative team was director Chuck Jones whose quirky imagination gave us such characters as the Roadrunner, Marvin the Martian and Pepe LePew.  >From the 1940s to the 60s, it was Jones who gave the likes of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck their fast and funny pace while perfecting the look and feel of the cartoons. Not bad for a guy who started as a cel washer, cleaning paint off the clear sheets animators drew on so they could be reused.

   Though Jones was the visionary, it was writer Michael Maltese who came up with all the gags, blending the broad comedy and biting wit that defined the classic ‘toons.  Largely unknown and unappreciated, Maltese never wanted to be a writer.  He was content to be an in-betweener, an artist who sketched the frames of animation between the lead artist’s main drawings.  Still, he blossomed in his new role, bringing laughter to an entire generation.

   But while Michael Maltese laboured in the background, Maurice Noble worked on the background.  As the layout artist, he was responsible for all the scenery, everything from the impressionistic design to the peaks and precarious pathways on which the Roadrunner zoomed along.  By making the settings seamlessly subtle, Noble greatly enhanced the impact of the main characters.

   Adding to that effect was the incredible skill of composer Carl Stalling who put the tunes in the ‘toons.  Combining his own work with selections from the huge Warner Brothers music library, Stalling brought pacing, personality and pinache to the productions, introducing kids and adults alike to classical and contemporary music that brought the characters to life.  Though he was one of the most widely
listened-to composers of modern times, he was virtually anonymous.

   Most of the credit went to Mel Blanc who voiced every major figure, except Elmer Fudd — and he did him when the original artist died. Until Blanc, animators made up their own voices, including Walt Disney who did Mickey Mouse.  But Blanc showed amazing versatility, giving a unique sound to characters like Bugs, Daffy, Porky and, later, Barney Rubble.  When Blanc died in 1989, WB took out a huge ad in Variety showing all of Blanc’s characters, their heads bowed in mourning.

   But just as Mel Blanc would’ve been nothing without his creative coworkers, we who play the more public roles in the church owe much to many who serve quietly and contentedly away from the limelight.  Yes, the cause of Christ needs the visionaries who set the direction and the pace and put a face on faith.  But those servant- leaders must begin their development in churches that recognize and respect everyone’s work, no matter how seemingly minor.  Animation in the church begins when we wash, not  the sheet but the feet of those we hope to learn from.

   All of us must start as in-betweeners, content to fill in the gaps left by those responsible for the big picture.  When the Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts, our success-ability is determined by our accessibility.  God may nudge us into a bigger role than we see for ourselves, but that rarely happens to people more interested in credit than in Christ.  Be humble.  Be open.  You may be surprised.

   Chances are, if you find your passion, you’ll find your place.  Search your heart and experience for what matters to you most, then let God lead you.  Maybe you’ll serve in the background, creating a warm, effective setting for the main players in a specific ministry.  Maybe the harmony and rhythm of your life will add a richness and fullness to the story of Jesus.  Or maybe you’ll give voice to the many facets of God’s love in ways that free up other Christians to do their own work.
  Regardless, the Lord just wants us to serve wherever He puts us.  That’s all, folks.

By Rick Gamble, published in Cross Current, the weekly newsletter of the Followers of Christ congregation in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.  Reprint at will in not-for-profit publications.  To subscribe, contact sgamble@bfree.on.ca