Joel Veitch

Joel Veitch is an English web animator and member of the humor website B3ta. Veitch is owner of the web site [http://www.rathergood.com/ rathergood.com] , where he showcases many of his animations. He is most famous for the use of singing kittens both on his website and on televisionFact|date=December 2007. Joel has also created the Mr. Stabby animations in collaboration with Jonti Picking, and his early work includes several instalments of Tales of the Blode.

Joel's working pseudonyms include "Crab Bloke" (which is the name of his user account on B3ta), "The Crab of Ineffable Wisdom" (used on his website), and Stallion Explosion (as lead singer of the band 7 Seconds of Love which he promotes heavily on his site by making music videos for them).

Veitch was once threatened with legal action by Gullane Entertainment Inc. for uploading a flash cartoon which was parodying Thomas the Tank Engine. As a result, Veitch removed the animation from the site. Although the link is still present, it now points to an explanation of why the animation was removed.

Several of Veitch's movies, including one featuring a mostly instrumental remake of Destiny Child's Independent Woman by Elbow, are played and sung by kittens, practically identical to the ones in the Crusha adverts.

Some of Veitch's other movies feature actual songs by artists such as Madonna, with either slightly edited lyrics, and/ or with modified subtitles, and always with fitting, and sometimes mildly disturbing, animations.

In December 2006, Veitch and his band 7 Seconds of Love produced their own version of the "12 Days of Christmas" song, in support of Tommys the Baby Charity.

In January 2007, Veitch reached a settlement with Coca-Cola after they used music and video very similar to7 Seconds of Love's song 'Ninja' on one of their adverts in Argentina without permission. cite web | title = Ninja kitten band win Coke battle | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6289933.stm
accessdate = 2007-01-23 ]

Commercial work

Veitch is responsible for many adverts and other spots on both British and US TV.

* Switch/Maestro adverts featuring singing penguins.
* Crusha adverts featuring singing kittens.
* Quizno's Subs advertised by the Spongmonkeys (through the song "We love the subs", based upon "We like tha Moon").
* Virgin Trains viral online ads at www.littlerbritain.co.uk, featuring only-barely double entendres about large things wreaking havoc on a "Smaller Britain"
* VH1 promo spots featuring singing kittens with songs such as "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses and "I Love Rock 'N Roll" by Joan Jett.
* The television programme Rathergood Videos featuring his own and others music videos, which aired early in the morning on Channel 4.
* Various animations of his were featured on the Channel 4 music programme Born Sloppy.
* Written and composed songs for the CiTV series "Jim Jam & Sunny".
* Joel now regularly appears as the "Internet go-to guy" for Nuts TV, and appears on Sky News and BBC News as an internet savvy guest.

Charity work

* [http://www.rathergood.com/tommys/ "12 Days of Christmas" fundraising song and animation for Tommys the Baby Charity]

Awards

Veitch has received 3 Webby Awards, a Webbys People's Choice Award and a further Webby nomination for rathergood.com

References

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/blast/tipsandtools/digitaltoolbox/joel_veitch.shtml Watch Joel offer his advice on viral marketing with BBC Blast]
* [http://www.b3ta.com/interview/joel/ B3ta interview and making animations with Joel] – prior to his worldwide kitten success.