Augenblick Studios
Augenblick Studios is an independent animation studio founded in 1999 by Aaron Augenblick, and located in Brooklyn, New York City.[1] The company has created a wide array of animated shorts for television, film, and the Internet, with a target audience typically being adults. Their clients include Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, Adult Swim, the TED conference, PBS, MTV, and Nickelodeon. The studio is responsible for much of the animated content on MTV2's Wonder Showzen.
Private | |
Industry | Animation, motion pictures, television |
Founded | 1999 |
Founders | Aaron Augenblick |
Headquarters | Brooklyn, New York City, United States |
Key people | Aaron Augenblick |
Website | www |
History
Aaron Augenblick studied animation at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. After graduating in 1997, Augenblick worked at MTV Animation on shows such as Daria, Downtown, and Cartoon Sushi.
In 1999, Augenblick opened Augenblick Studios in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn.[2] The first cartoon produced at Augenblick Studios was "Ramblin' Man", an independent short film based on the Hank Williams song. Ramblin' Man was released to critical acclaim and was a 2001 SXSW award winner.[3] Several other independent shorts followed, including Drunky (2001) and Plugs McGinniss (2003).
The first television production from Augenblick Studios was Shorties Watchin' Shorties on Comedy Central in 2004.[4] The show featured animated interpretations of stand up comedy segments from comedians including Denis Leary, Patton Oswalt, Louis C.K., Dane Cook, and Mitch Hedberg. In 2004, Augenblick Studios produced the animated content for two seasons of PFFR's Wonder Showzen on MTV2.[5] Augenblick created short segments, motion graphics, and illustrations for the show.
In 2006, they created the faux-documentary Golden Age for Comedy Central, which was an official selection of the Sundance Film Festival.[6] In 2007, Augenblick Studios animated the short "Lying Rhino" for the feature film comedy The Ten.[7] In 2008, the studio completed 11 episodes of Superjail! for the Adult Swim programming block on Cartoon Network.[8] They also created several short cartoons for Yo Gabba Gabba on Nickelodeon.
Augenblick Studios created 31 episodes of the Comedy Central series Ugly Americans which aired between 2010 and 2012.[9] In 2011, the studio also created a video for the track "Another Tattoo" on Weird Al Yankovic's album Alpocalypse.[10] In 2013, they worked on a cartoon short for Saturday Night Live, with SNL writer Zach Kanin. In 2015, Augenblick Studios collaborated with Animation Domination High Def on Golan the Insatiable, a primetime half-hour series for Fox.[11] In 2015, Augenblick Studios animated a new TV series written and created by Tyler, the Creator called The Jellies! which premiered in 2017.[12] Augenblick Studios also did additional animation for the Cartoon Network animated series MAD. The Netflix series Losers, released in March 2019, features animated segments created by Augenblick Studios. [13]
In January 2016, Augenblick Studios announced it is producing its first animated feature film, "The Adventures of Drunky". The R-rated comedy stars Sam Rockwell, Jeffrey Tambor, Steve Coogan, and Nina Arianda.[14] Its release date was slated to be 2018, but has since been stalled due to Jeffrey Tambor's sexual harassment allegations.
References
- Holloway, Daniel (2008). "Superjail". Geek monthly. CFQ Media. 17-22: 310.
- Amidi, Amid (8 July 2013). "The Aaron Augenblick Interview". Cartoon Brew.
- "Film Awards Past Winners". South by Southwest.
- Baisley, Sarah (28 October 2004). "Shorties Watchin' Shorties Returns on Comedy Central Oct. 28". Animation World Network.
- Simpson, Aaron (25 May 2005). "Aaron Augenblick, Part 1". Cold Hard Flash.
- Simpson, Aaron (18 May 2006). "Augenblick Releases Golden Age". Cold Hard Flash.
- Baisley, Sarah (3 August 2007). "Augenblick Studios Animates Short for The Ten Theatrical Release". Animation World Network.
- Simpson, Aaron (26 September 2008). "Superjail Interview". Cold Hard Flash.
- Lamar, Cyriaque (17 March 2010). "In "Ugly Americans," New York Is Full Of Monsters". Gizmodo.
- Beck, Jerry (1 July 2011). "Weird Al's Latest". Cartoon Brew.
- Robinson, Chris (12 June 2015). "Aaron Augenblick Talks 'Golan the Insatiable'". Animation World Network.
- Hughes, William (30 September 2015). "Tyler, The Creator has a new cartoon about violent, foul-mouthed jellyfish". The A.V. Club.
- Schwarz, John (24 February 2019). "Netflix to release "Losers" docuseries featuring animated retellings of sports stories". Bubbleblabber.
- Busch, Anita (14 January 2016). "God v. Devil v. 'Drunky' In New R-Rated Animated Feature". Deadline Hollywood.