I got to work on the Netflix series, StoryBots: Answer Time. I mostly wrote and storyboarded a bunch of the shorts that were included in the lineup. I also got to animate a few of them, which was a blast.
The show took home 2 Emmys:
Best Animated Preschool Series, and
Outstanding Writing – Animated Preschool Series
Below are some samples of that work.
StoryBots: Answer Time
ELEANOR SMARTYPANTS:
How Do Fans Work?
I wrote and storyboarded several of these Eleanor Smartypants shorts, which were voiced by Erin Fitzgerald, and animated beautifully by Henrique Barone.
Here’s a side-by-side, just for fun.
Produced by Netflix
Creative Direction: Evan Spiridellis
Head of Story: Nate Theis
Production: Jason Wyatt
Design: Romney Caswell
Writing/Boards: Chris Harding
Animation: Henrique Barone
FUN FACT MACHINE:
Space Drive
I designed and animated this short, written by my friend Scott Emmons. One of the fun things about this production was the way the shorts could have all kinds of styles.
Produced by Netflix
Creative Direction: Evan Spiridellis
Head of Story: Nate Theis
Production: Jason Wyatt
Writing: Scott Emmons
Design and Animation: Chris Harding
STORYBOTS NEWS:
Bears Bite
As fun as is was to work on this show, my FAVORITE part was making this short because they let me collaborate with my daughter Elise. She was a senior in high school when she did the key animation for this one. All I had to do was finish it up with some textures and stuff. Kids these days.
Produced by Netflix
Creative Direction: Evan Spiridellis
Head of Story: Nate Theis
Production: Jason Wyatt
Writing & Design: Chris Harding
Key Animation: Elise Harding
SUPER MEGA AWESOME ULTRA GUY PSAs:
Please and Thank You
Another highlight was getting to write and storyboard some PSA segments starring Kevin Smith as Super Mega Awesome Ultra Guy.
Produced by Netflix
Creative Direction: Evan Spiridellis
Head of Story: Nate Theis
Production: Jason Wyatt
Writing & Boards: Chris Harding
Design & Animation: Mike Chiechi
Super Mega Awesome Ultra PSAs
Early Sketches
THE ANSWER ORACLE:
Where do the stars go during the day?
The Answer Oracle was another series of shorts I wrote and storyboarded. I think this one is my favorite of the bunch.
Produced by Netflix
Creative Direction: Evan Spiridellis
Head of Story: Nate Theis
Production: Jason Wyatt
Writing & Boards: Chris Harding
Here’s the original animatic with my terrible voice acting.
GUY GLADLY:
How do you draw a cat?
Growing up, we LOVED watching Bob Ross. And I noticed our kids love him too. He’s still the man. I wrote a few of these, but we only wound up producing one. Cross your fingers for another season!
Produced by Netflix
Creative Direction: Evan Spiridellis
Head of Story: Nate Theis
Production: Jason Wyatt
Writing & Boards: Chris Harding
DR. BUTTERSTEIN:
This might be the weirdest set of shorts I wrote. I think Jim Meskimen did such a perfect job on the voice.
Produced by Netflix
Creative Direction: Evan Spiridellis
Head of Story: Nate Theis
Production: Jason Wyatt
Writing & Boards: Chris Harding
What is a platypus?
What is a porcupine?
What is a bat?
STORYBOTS NEWS:
Chicken Rex
This was probably the one I enjoyed animating the most.
Produced by Netflix
Creative Direction: Evan Spiridellis
Head of Story: Nate Theis
Production: Jason Wyatt
Writing & Boards: Chris Harding
Design & Animation: Chris Harding
EXTRA STUFF
Here are some odds and ends that didn’t make it into the final show, just for fun.
SPACEBOTS:
Hello
This one got cut from the final series. It was storyboarded by Dan Becker.
Produced by Netflix
Creative Direction: Evan Spiridellis
Head of Story: Nate Theis
Production: Jason Wyatt
Writing: Chris Harding
Storyboards/Animatic: Dan Becker
RIDICULOUS RAJ:
Vegetables
This one got rejected early in the process, which was a good decision. But here it is anyway.
Produced by Netflix
Creative Direction: Evan Spiridellis
Head of Story: Nate Theis
Production: Jason Wyatt
Writing & Storyboards: Chris Harding
DETECTIVE BOOP:
Carrots
Looking back, I seem to have written a lot of shorts about vegetables. I do love ‘em.
Produced by Netflix
Creative Direction: Evan Spiridellis
Head of Story: Nate Theis
Production: Jason Wyatt
Writing: Chris Harding
Storyboards: (Apologies. I don’t know who boarded this one!)