Iwerks studio quickly began accumulating new talent, such as animators Fred Kopietz, Irv Spence, Grim Natwick, and Chuck Jones (who worked at the Iwerks studio as a cel-washer before going on to inbetweening and then animating at the Leon Schlesinger studio).
The legendary animation pioneer "Grim" Natwick, of Fleischers' Betty Boop history, appears to have contributed to the early images of Sonny & Gramps, according to then-contemporaries who collaborated with Natwick during his 100-year career.
Grim Natwick | The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy | The Gauntlet and Grim Hunt | Grim's Ditch | "Grim" Natwick | Grim Grinning Ghosts (The Screaming Song) | Grim Grinning Ghosts | GRIM | Grim | Emanuel Grim | Bruce "Grim" Rhodes |
The Festival presents animation by Grim Natwick, Betty Boop cartoons animated by Natwick and others, work by the Fleischer Studios and animation by Wisconsin animators across several screening venues.
Art and museum exhibitions also featured including lectures from film historian Stephen Worth and contributions from academic Dr Frances Aulds of the University Of Wisconsin Baraboo and relatives of both Grim Natwick and Max Fleischer.