Can you believe it? Ape Escape is finally debuting in the U.S. So, make sure you take a break this weekend from celebrating our nation’s independence by tuning in Nicktoons Network Sunday afternoon - 3:00 p.m. in the east; noon in the west - to watch the first of thirty-eight two-minute cartoons based on the very popular video game. While the series was produced by Frederator, Project 51, Hawaii Film Partners, and Showcase Entertainment, the big, special ape-like thanks goes to the shorts’ writers/board artists:

Mike Bell
Niki Yang
Adam Muto
Don Dougherty
Doug TenNapel
Karl Toerge
Andrew Dickman
Dave Cunningham
Mike Gray
Doug Gray
Chad Coyle
Sam Henderson
Chris McDonnell
Kenny Pittenger
Ross Kolde

An extra tip of the hat goes to Mr Toerge. Not just the supervising director, Karl pulled off the Herculean task of overseeing the show’s creative production from Day One, usually from his compound on the shores of Hawaii. Thanks for all the work, Karl.

[Read more…]]]>

Can you believe it? Ape Escape is finally debuting in the U.S. So, make sure you take a break this weekend from celebrating our nation’s independence by tuning in Nicktoons Network Sunday afternoon - 3:00 p.m. in the east; noon in the west - to watch the first of thirty-eight two-minute cartoons based on the very popular video game. While the series was produced by Frederator, Project 51, Hawaii Film Partners, and Showcase Entertainment, the big, special ape-like thanks goes to the shorts’ writers/board artists:

Mike Bell
Niki Yang
Adam Muto
Don Dougherty
Doug TenNapel
Karl Toerge
Andrew Dickman
Dave Cunningham
Mike Gray
Doug Gray
Chad Coyle
Sam Henderson
Chris McDonnell
Kenny Pittenger
Ross Kolde

An extra tip of the hat goes to Mr Toerge. Not just the supervising director, Karl pulled off the Herculean task of overseeing the show’s creative production from Day One, usually from his compound on the shores of Hawaii. Thanks for all the work, Karl.

– Eric

Ape Escape trailer from Fred Seibert on Vimeo.

No word, yet, from Nicktoons Network on when our 38 two-minute Ape Escape shorts - produced with Hawaii Film Partners and Project 51 Productions - will air, but here’s a quick sneak peak at what’s in store, just enough to whet your appetite.

– Eric

We’ve wrapped up and delivered all thirty-eight two-minute Ape Escape shorts to Nicktoons Network. They should let us know soon how they plan to air them. In the meantime, here’s a slick piece of fan art featuring Specter. Thanks, Claire.

– Eric

Here are some more animatic clips of current cartoons in production:

Niki Yang’s “Vampire Monkeys”
Specter has created an army of vampire monkeys who are in this clip stuck in an elevator (just trying to leave Specter’s hideout). A “hot cross bun” appears and tries to enter the elevator, terrifying all the vampires!

Dave Cunningham’s “Size Matters”
One of Specter’s monkeys messes with his machine and gets shrunk to a tiny size…in this scene, he is inside Specter’s brain bouncing around and causing Specter in involuntarily act out!

Andrew Dickman’s “Him Can’t Swim”
A Lifeguard Monkey believes he needs to give Specter mouth-to-mouth to save his life…Nuff Said!

Dave Cunningham’s “Clearing’ the Pipes”
Jimmy calls for plumbers and unfortunately gets monkeys to do to the job!

Don Dougherty’s “And A Side Order of Uki Uki”
Jimmy tries to order from what he believes to be a fast food sign!

Niki Yang’s “Belly’s Big Day”
The Professor [Read more…]]]>

Here are some more animatic clips of current cartoons in production:

Niki Yang’s “Vampire Monkeys”
Specter has created an army of vampire monkeys who are in this clip stuck in an elevator (just trying to leave Specter’s hideout). A “hot cross bun” appears and tries to enter the elevator, terrifying all the vampires!

Dave Cunningham’s “Size Matters”
One of Specter’s monkeys messes with his machine and gets shrunk to a tiny size…in this scene, he is inside Specter’s brain bouncing around and causing Specter in involuntarily act out!

Andrew Dickman’s “Him Can’t Swim”
A Lifeguard Monkey believes he needs to give Specter mouth-to-mouth to save his life…Nuff Said!

Dave Cunningham’s “Clearing’ the Pipes”
Jimmy calls for plumbers and unfortunately gets monkeys to do to the job!

Don Dougherty’s “And A Side Order of Uki Uki”
Jimmy tries to order from what he believes to be a fast food sign!

Niki Yang’s “Belly’s Big Day”
The Professor gets a Personal Trainer Monkey to help him lose his belly!

Hope you like them as much as we do!

–Mike Gray

Here are some clips from the first animatics from Round 01, featuring the recorded dialogue:

Doug TenNapel’s “Ape Date”

Adam Muto’s “Blubber is Blubber”

Mike Bell’s “I Scream”

Doug TenNapel’s “Laser Eyes”

Adam Muto’s “Monkey to the Nth”

Mike Bell’s “Knock, Knock”

—Mike Gray

We had our first record on October 5th, recording an amazing 9 (2-minute) Episodes in 4 hours! From left to right featuring our extremely talented voice talent: Annie Mumulo (voice of Jimmy and Natalie!), Greg Ellis (voice of the villian, Specter!), Mike Gray (Story Editor/Head Writer), Eric Bauza (Monkeys, Professor, and the creepy Hot Cross Bun!). The record went fantastic, with everyone turing in hilarious performances!

[Read more…]]]>

We had our first record on October 5th, recording an amazing 9 (2-minute) Episodes in 4 hours! From left to right featuring our extremely talented voice talent: Annie Mumulo (voice of Jimmy and Natalie!), Greg Ellis (voice of the villian, Specter!), Mike Gray (Story Editor/Head Writer), Eric Bauza (Monkeys, Professor, and the creepy Hot Cross Bun!). The record went fantastic, with everyone turing in hilarious performances!

We were lucky enough to get Ginny McSwain to be our voice director for the shorts! Left to right: Ginny McSwain, Mike Gray. Also present for the record was Karl Toerge (Storyboard Supervisor), Eric Homan (VP of Development at Frederator), and Kevin Kolde (Producer & Head of Project 51 Productions)…but were all to wiley to be caught on film!

The record took place (above) at Salami Studios , a terrific studio!

We also finished Round 02 of storyboards on Thursdaym Oct 4th, and hopefully I will have some images to post from those soon as well, they all turned out great!

I hope to post audio clips soon!

–Mike Gray

A monkey cracks his helmut after a swing-set crash landing and ends up with LASER EYES! in Doug TenNapel’s terrific board entitled…”LASER EYES!”

[Read more…]]]>

A monkey cracks his helmut after a swing-set crash landing and ends up with LASER EYES! in Doug TenNapel’s terrific board entitled…”LASER EYES!”

Monkeys are in charge of painting Jimmy’s house, with disastrous results in Don Dougherty’s board, “Paint Brush Off!”

“Ape Date”: Natalie wants to make Rocky Jerkmeyer jealous by going to the dance with a Monkey! Board by Doug TenNapel!

More soon!

– Mike Gray

Mike Bell’s “I Scream” produced this classic line by Specter after the Monkeys begin making music with the cash register, “You’re bewitching me with your rhythms!”

[Read more…]]]>

Mike Bell’s “I Scream” produced this classic line by Specter after the Monkeys begin making music with the cash register, “You’re bewitching me with your rhythms!”

Adam Muto’s Blubber is Blubber cartoon produced this hilarious sight gag, after Sailor Monkey jumps all the way into Ahab Monkey’s ear to tell him a shipis approaching!

Niki Yang’s Vampire Monkeys produced this hilarious scene of a “Hot Cross Bun” trying to enter the elevator full of terrified Vampire Monkeys!

More to come when I have some scans of Don Dougherty’s and Karl Toerge’s first boards also from Round 01!

–Mike Gray

Left to Right: Andrew Dickman , Mike Gray , Doug Tennapel, Rann Watumull (Executive Producer for Hawaii Film Partners), Niki Yang , and Karl Toerge !

On Sept 5th we reviewed the first wave of cartoon boards from Don Dougherty , Niki Yang, Mike Bell , and Adam Muto (and they were all terrific)! And Sept 6th, we began with our second group of artists which include Doug Tennapel, Niki Yang, Dave Cunningham , , Andrew Dickman, and Doug Gray !

[Read more…]]]>

Left to Right: Andrew Dickman , Mike Gray , Doug Tennapel, Rann Watumull (Executive Producer for Hawaii Film Partners), Niki Yang , and Karl Toerge !

On Sept 5th we reviewed the first wave of cartoon boards from Don Dougherty , Niki Yang, Mike Bell , and Adam Muto (and they were all terrific)! And Sept 6th, we began with our second group of artists which include Doug Tennapel, Niki Yang, Dave Cunningham , , Andrew Dickman, and Doug Gray !

Niki Yang pitches her boards for review.

Don Dougherty pitches his boards for review.

It’s going to be a great show!

–Mike Gray