Who Created Jim Keeshen's DangerWorld?

According to the information for Jim Keeshen Productions, Inc., found online at AWN's Animation Industry Database, Jim Keeshen takes credit for the DangerWorld 3D animated feature. This is under the guise of "self-promotion." The profile was last updated on February 2, 2004. Here's the screenshot I made:



Between the years of 1997 to 2002, inclusive, Keeshen maintained a website for Jim Keeshen Productions. Here's the screenshots I made which refer to DangerWorld:







Although Jim Keeshen's biography and resume (included in the Executive Summary section of his "Day of the Dead" promotional package) lists the Colgate 3D commercial for Rhythm and Hughes, the ID's for Nickelodeon, the Family Guy pilot, and Day of the Dead, it fails to mention DangerWorld. Why does Keeshen keep this information out of his biography?

Perhaps the answer is found in the brochure for NIC Entertainment. John Petrovitz shows two images for DangerWorld, one of which is an illustration of a robot while the other is a wire frame for the 3D model of the same character. Nowhere does Petrovitz credit Jim Keeshen for the DangerWorld project. Here's the two screenshots I made from Petrovitz's promotional brochure:



Remember that Petrovitz credits himself in 2004 as Director of Overseas Productions for Keeshen's "Day of the Dead." I remember Keeshen telling me that he's been a friend with Petrovitz for about two decades. I also remember him informing me when he gave me a copy of the DangerWorld promotional packet that it was written by a friend of his.

I recently reviewed this thirteen-page DangerWorld promotional packet. On the front page it states "DangerWorld" in machine font. There's a glossy color illustration. Under this illustration, it states: "Jim Keeshen Productions, Inc. Copyright 2003." I searched the Library of Congress database of records and found no copyrights for DangerWorld, Danger World (alternate spelling), Jim Keeshen, or Jim Keeshen Productions.



The promotional packet has 11 pages of text with black-and-white illustrations that give an overview of the story. There is no authorship given for the story or the artwork. The last page provides the following contact information:

Jim Keeshen Productions
Jim Keeshen
310-478-7230
animatics@aol.com

In addition to the promotional packet, I have obtained approximately 73 pages of storyboards for the DangerWorld project. These storyboards appear to have no credits listed anywhere.

So, did Keeshen go behind his friend's back and appropriate the DangerWorld project as his own self-promotional work? If this is not the case, then why doesn't Keeshen credit Petrovitz or anyone else on his Jim Keeshen Productions' webpages for DangerWorld? With friends like these, who needs enemies?!

Here's a photograph of John Petrovitz and Jim Keeshen in Korea on or about January 5, 2005, five days before Keeshen's 56th birthday. This was Keeshen's third trip to Korea.



Petrovitz is the second person to the left while Keeshen is shown on the far right. The woman in the middle may be Petrovitz's business partner for his Korean animation studio. Notice the Tutenstein banner in the background. Perhaps the email I received from Keeshen on this same date sheds some light on the photograph. Here's the email:

From : James Keeshen anihist@yahoo.com
Sent : Wednesday, January 5, 2005 7:57 PM
To : Phoenix Genesis
Subject : Re: IDA Advertising Rates Info

Thanks, Des,

School was interesting but too much political bs (sound familiar?). I ended up being on national TV along with the studio heads from NIC. Somehow I was given the title of Head director for their Tutenstien TV show. The upshot is this: the chairman of the ministry of cultural wants to make his city Quan-Ju the cultural capitol of Korea. He's willing to give office space, cheap labor and equippment in exchange for NIC hanging their studio sign in Quan-Ju and producing animation there. Gee, what to move to Korea?

The only thing I got out of this affair is a cold and one day lost on my project.

Back to work!

Jim

(Spelling errors retained in original email). The "political bs" Keeshen was referring to was at Santa Monica Community College's Academy of Entertainment and Technology. The project he was referring to was his "Day of the Dead." NIC refers to Petrovitz's NIC Entertainment, Inc.

It is becoming increasingly apparent to me that Keeshen has a long history of having talented people work for him who, in the end, receive no credit whatsoever for their work. A highly respected professor at SMC emailed me the following that her friend wrote: "LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE." Perhaps Keeshen would benefit from taking this advice to heart.

Des Manttari,
Editor-in-Chief,
Phoenix Genesis

(c) 2006: Phoenix Genesis/MBS LP

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