***This text initially appeared within the April ’23 problem of Animation Journal (No. 329)***
Animation followers know David Horvath and Solar-Min Kim because the gifted husband-and-wife inventive crew behind the favored plush toys UglyDolls, which had been initially launched in 2001 and impressed the 2019 CG-animated film. This month, the duo is again with Bossy Bear, a pleasant new animated sequence primarily based on Horvath’s e-book sequence for Nickelodeon. With animation produced by Renegade, the brightly-colored 2D present follows the adventures of two finest friends — Bossy Bear (voiced by Jayden Ham), a really enthusiastic extrovert, and Turtle (Jaba Keh), a considerate introvert. The voice forged additionally options real-life couple Lance Bass and Michael Turchin as Tyler and Greg, dad and mom to Ginger (Beahlen Deacon), Bossy’s squirrel pal.
Eryk Casemiro, Nickelodeon’s government VP of worldwide sequence content material, remembers when Think about Youngsters + Household’s producers Stephanie Sperber and Elly Kramer Posner pitched the mission to him again in the summertime of 2019. “We immediately fell in love with the property,” he says. “At its core is a basic buddy comedy through which we noticed an important alternative to redefine the phrase ‘bossy’ in a extra optimistic mild.”
Opposites Appeal to
Posner notes, “It was actually clear to us that this was a chance to showcase two besties — one an extrovert and one an introvert and to have a good time how each qualities will be optimistic and must be celebrated. The event got here collectively unusually rapidly and we pitched the sequence to Nickelodeon in late June/early July of 2019.”
Once they created Bossy Bear and his colourful world, Horvath and his spouse had been impressed by their lives in Seoul, their household in Korea and their house away from house in Los Angeles. “A lot of our time is spent between Korea City and Sawtelle Blvd in L.A.,” says the writer-producer. “We hope audiences will really feel at house with Bossy and Turtle, maybe study one thing new, snicker and — nicely, largely snicker!”
Horvath says he loves every little thing in regards to the new present, from what audiences can see on the display screen to the way it was crafted behind the scenes. “Solar-Min and I had been so lucky to have the ability to collaborate with the unbelievable groups at Think about and Nickelodeon and may’t wait for everybody to expertise Bossy Bear,” he tells Animation Journal. “That is the absolute best model of what we envisioned with our unique books and restricted run toys produced so a few years in the past, and the expertise has been a real present.”
The present creators love the dynamic between Bossy and Turtle, and the present’s tackle extroversion and introversion, from Bossy leaping head first to Turtle pondering issues via. “I’m not so positive being much less loud compared to Bossy’s large ‘on the market’-ness is introversion,” says Horvath. “however I can actually establish with needing to be alone to recharge. If that’s introversion, I transfer between each characters modes all day. We’re additionally very excited for everyone to expertise Gran Gran and her excellent kimchi mandu!”
Casemiro believes there are two vital qualities that make Bossy Bear stand out within the busy kids’s animation panorama. “One is the Korean affect that celebrates cultural touchpoints that Korean households will acknowledge,” he says. “One other is the daring coloration palette that evokes a Okay-pop sensibility.”
Posner provides, “The sequence is extremely eye-catching with its distinctive design language and shiny coloration palette. These are additionally seven-minute episodes, which you don’t typically see within the U.S. The tales are so extremely humorous and heartwarming, and the music is simply wonderful! I apologize prematurely for the earworms. The animation was produced with Renegade Animation, and we couldn’t have requested for higher companions. They did an unbelievable job of bringing the characters to life and we’re so fortunate to be working with them.”
The present’s visible model carefully follows Horvath’s immediately recognizable e-book illustrations. “Adapting e-book illustration into animation is rarely straightforward, however the design crew has executed a unbelievable job of translating David Horvath’s distinctive illustrations,” says Casemiro. “Each body emulates Horvath’s line model, form language and daring coloration decisions. And as I discussed, the colour palette is absolutely daring and thrilling.”
He factors out, “It’s typically a lot more durable to develop a brand new sequence from an present IP than it’s to develop an unique. And it’s even more durable to develop a kids’s e-book right into a sequence as there’s a lot extra character and worldbuilding wanted for 100-plus episodes than can probably be contained in a 32-page e-book. All this worldbuilding should emulate the DNA of the supply materials and keep on a sure pitch. Within the case of Bossy Bear, we had been so lucky to have David and Solar-Min concerned so we didn’t need to guess at creator’s intentions.”
Horvath says he’s very grateful of the crew at NHK Japan who put his first animated present on the air 15 years in the past. “They’re my heroes now that I notice how unlikely any of that was to ever happen within the first place,” he says. “Stephanie Sperber and Elly Kramer are my main animation heroes and have been unbelievable collaborators. A lot of what’s splendidly grounded about our mission was because of Think about and the crew at Nickelodeon. Chris Meledandri was additionally a serious affect on me throughout our adolescence with UglyDolls regarding the significance of relatable characters, compelling tales and imaginative and prescient.”
Something Is Potential!
Horvath provides, “Given how troublesome it’s to even get one pitch with a serious studio throughout one’s lifetime, I notice what a miracle it’s to have had an opportunity to fail at any of it, and respect the time I’m able to function inside it with excessive regard. I feel it’s an thrilling time, each for creators like Odd1sOut, doing all of it on their very own, and for giant studios. It seems like, for the primary time in a very long time, the principles are out the window and we are able to accomplish something once more!”
Casemiro, whose lengthy listing of credit contains Rugrats, Poppy Cat, Olivia and The Wild Thornberrys, additionally believes that there have by no means been extra gifted, various attention-grabbing voices within the children’ animation panorama, whether or not it’s for giant theatrical releases or Instagram posts. “With so many various artists comes various storytelling that helps to push the boundaries of visible storytelling,” he notes. “Nevertheless it’s additionally a troublesome time for our trade as the standard broadcast, cable and streaming platforms battle to command a lion’s share of an viewers to create new hits and earn income that historically have funded extra dangerous and modern tasks.”
Hopefully, Bossy Bear and his buddies will open the door to the following technology of enjoyable and modern exhibits for household audiences all around the world.
Bossy Bear premieres on Nickelodeon on March 6 at 11 a.m. Try a sneak peek under:
