Transcript:Nerdist interview with Bryke, August 19, 2014

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Interview

	Subject of interview is Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, and The Last Airbender movie.
Introduction	Creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino talk about bringing their adventure/action/comedy/coming-of-age animated series to the screen, finding a new process for producing animated television, their non-cancellation, the big screen adaptation, and lots more.
	The “Book 3” finale is available this Friday at nick.com and on many other platforms!
Aristotle Acevedo	Are there any other good shows on? What's left?
Michael DiMartino	Uhhh..
Bryan Konietzko	Oh, dude. My favorite show is High Maintenance. It's a vimeo show. It's like a web series and it's all about this pot dealer in New York. It's brilliant. It's kind of like Louie. You know never quite know what the tone is going to be. They just set up these ... people. It's like a new scenario in every episode. It's just some tense situation and at some point for some reason, someone orders pot.

0:00:01	do now entering
0:00:03	notice Starcom it's now
0:00:06	under his right arm and a leg is hosted by Blogger where he get some lunch
0:00:10	writers NTS atlanta back in time is running out this will be the end
0:00:13	the other any other good shows on looks like uploaded my favorite show is a
0:00:19	high maintenance the it will hit him your show
0:00:23	it's like a web series and it's all about this item
0:00:27	pot dealer in New York brilliant its
0:00:31	its kinda late Louis together but you never in no quite what the town's gonna
0:00:35	be
0:00:36	and like they just set up these a.m.
0:00:39	they set up these like I
0:00:43	people eases its a good news scenario every
0:00:46	up a certain and has some tense situation and then at some point for
0:00:50	some reason
0:00:51	someone orders pot and then this like ofis read about yes bicycle messenger
0:00:55	guy
0:00:56	shows up and he is the the co creator this white house like this
0:01:00	Micah professional casting director and and forget really good people in a
0:01:04	tissue tonight people's farms but it's really all that and then like
0:01:07	somehow the pot dealer resolve the situation but you never know
0:01:12	quite how is gonna do it ed or he sorta is a catalyst for light
0:01:17	changes to it it's brilliant oh my god
0:01:20	I just got into Nathan for you which I people keep telling you know I had
0:01:24	it its aloe wait for the what is it about this and I'm
0:01:29	I'm here with the what is your name Mike too much heat welded
0:01:33	and Brian connects go my same act was after
0:01:37	gonna I am was will drop in the correct behavior
0:01:41	like a speak n spell voices a backhanded SCA um
0:01:44	thank you guys for being here creators are avatar life member
0:01:48	Airbender and buttons Akara I'm but we usually end by talking about what you're
0:01:53	watching
0:01:53	but I hate him and I just like the star on TV recorder definitely a
0:01:57	what did we were quite like great yet the the pack the popular shows my fader
0:02:02	nickel and diming yet that for the most part I've been watching like
0:02:05	dramas and stuff but I just got into Nathan for you
0:02:09	which is cracking me up cuz its it's so uncomfortable but
0:02:13	the Nathan Africa's last name letting the host guy
0:02:17	his delivery is so dry and
0:02:20	the things he gets people to agree to do on a show your so
0:02:24	the pressure my had explained to me because even i'd seen the dumb Starbucks
0:02:28	think when she if you lived in LA yes you heard at that and then
0:02:31	and they're making fun at local that wasn't clever but
0:02:35	I'm sure in the context of the show with the I haven't seen that episode yet but
0:02:39	yeah it's basically
0:02:40	I mean it does change from time to time but it's basically like a parity in Lake
0:02:44	I'm gonna come in and help you improve your business which
0:02:47	is unclear in the average metadata I did it's making fun of the business
0:02:51	reality shows where they bolcom yeah her like a prank show
0:02:55	I mean it quite well I is but he carries he sincerely is like
0:02:59	here like the atlantis hours like he goes to like a
0:03:04	the like a pet store and they're like oh we need more businesses like you know
0:03:09	the great players Abkhaz
0:03:11	pet cemetery say go see this whole thing where he gets
0:03:15	he gets a pet fly takes care of that for a week
0:03:18	ahead when it dies natural he takes it in to be buried
0:03:21	anything says Jahan tombstone a
0:03:25	that says like you now here lies his beloved pet
0:03:28	go shopping for the Ceres I
0:03:31	and and these the them the
0:03:35	owners are the stories usually agree to these things Jefferson like my donor
0:03:39	sounds kinda weird but okay I'll try
0:03:41	little thing will have it as not often Mike world
0:03:44	bike heartily endorse I comedy yeah I mean I
0:03:49	I don't watch as much though it know early on these days that we're doing
0:03:52	retakes like we
0:03:53	we get crack grumpy cat this is a really tedious process
0:03:56	n n he's his dislike hitting me up on
0:04:00	into messenger like is via shock hazard I like come into his office
0:04:04	he's is he laughing out loud who is yeah there's a
0:04:07	placed is rare show that had actually makes me
0:04:10	fully lapaglia others like something I kinda wanted to ask you guys about cal
0:04:14	again i watch the koran and it feels like it's such
0:04:18	a like there's a great sense of humor to it three it's not a comedy show
0:04:22	Rep but there's the kind of company certainly that I enjoy I mean it's all
0:04:27	character comedy it's not joking yet and it's actually pretty sophisticated
0:04:31	I think for huge for just 200 here
0:04:35	I am be what it was how do you feel about blending a common EU
0:04:39	and the action and the drama and kinda this ongoing story to i mean this is
0:04:44	your gether juggling a lot
0:04:46	in this show yeah I mean that's always what we wanted to do was bland
0:04:50	the the total bland mean I think do I def I now feel like I'm a comedy writer
0:04:55	by any special medication but a you now do
0:04:58	we try to come up with characters and situations that can have
0:05:01	you know inherent humor in them um and then
0:05:05	yeah we're not we've just never been afraid I'd like but you can have a show
0:05:08	that mixes action
0:05:10	humor in really dramatic moments I mean I think we prolly
0:05:13	gravitate martyr the the epic dramatic stuff
0:05:17	nom but we always try to balance it out with with some humor
0:05:21	yeah I think calloway bebop was a big influence for that I mean I think I
0:05:24	think
0:05:26	what you're saying I quite like why did we try to do this is what fits
0:05:29	us and we just it feels natural to us this kinda balance and towns
0:05:33	on Mike and IR Lake
0:05:36	like I think if we tried to write like a Cormac McCarthy like just
0:05:40	hoover bleak thing we would be pretty porn your head and then if we tried to
0:05:44	do a pure comedy
0:05:45	justs just you know for for last like I don't think we'd
0:05:49	and is frankly neither funny enough they say happened and edges as in
0:05:53	appeal to us like I like stuff that there's a a bouncer at all and
0:05:57	like a leave very early on we got the support from
0:06:01	the who you think is Eric in the beginning was rese
0:06:05	air calm even and and user executive in charge
0:06:08	on avatar he was a guy he was actually headed development and how do we pitch
0:06:12	doing he really
0:06:14	champion their are showing yet using I mean he was a
0:06:18	Nick for a long time on tonight he 16 said lighting hears voices
0:06:21	you know like I've I feel he liked it only matters websites from that voices
0:06:25	as absolutely why he's this rare great
0:06:29	executive he he looks for good people and he's a size like Abby ideals will
0:06:33	follow if you get three people in place and and Om
0:06:36	so he is very early on told us make funny parts funnier
0:06:40	the sad part Satter scary parts carrier you know it in it was
0:06:44	that was perfect for us because we like on we had worked on sitcoms in
0:06:48	and I'm I remember we were to Mission Hill which is a cool show and we knew
0:06:52	the
0:06:53	the creators is also a strange town yeah has a very dry
0:06:57	yahoo.com yeah and and but that was a much more
0:07:01	I mean always thought when I would come step outside a bit like oh it's kind of
0:07:05	an indie comic
0:07:06	being animated more than it is like an animated sitcom
0:07:09	and some but I read her story boarding my tonight mike was a director and as
0:07:13	his assistant director in
0:07:15	her story bring the scenery jim got the job is the art director
0:07:19	at this fancy company like ad company in something like
0:07:23	icewine a dislike epic seein unlike
0:07:27	in sitting in his swivel chair in the high rise in like I wanted Mr
0:07:32	silhouetted in like
0:07:33	that's just not the type to show it was in mag and
0:07:36	and I don't a given period and made that up so did knowing that
0:07:40	nah not really allow it but I would that shown a volatile a
0:07:43	Georgia the time yeah director Family Guy thinking that Albert Lea Michele
0:07:47	prior the most like
0:07:49	freedom as far as explore a little bit more like different things your shit
0:07:52	this %ah like
0:07:53	like Run Lola Run yeah like time-lapse thing month
0:07:58	%uh any standing outside the building as he's going in for this job you it was
0:08:02	is super fun but it wasn't something I scripted out think it was just like in
0:08:06	shows up for work and I was like
0:08:08	this would be awesome in it luckily everyone liked it yeah I mean that's
0:08:12	is an unusual to be given that kinda love latitude when you're directing
0:08:16	an animated show that leaders any I am yeah
0:08:19	yeah I mean on Family Guy then came the hell was
0:08:22	rare that any if you got a no- like a tiny visual gag
0:08:27	capital y neighbor ever had a look-alike I mean king in Hells
0:08:31	such a specific yet own pay only be done that show
0:08:34	doctor Greg Daniels amount they had a binder
0:08:37	a rules other things you as the artists you aren't allowed to do
0:08:41	oh wow lighted stuff it they
0:08:45	in their minds it was ure it was with the show us to be realistic
0:08:49	should be like live-action but they would limit more than live action does
0:08:53	they would say you can have a camera angle from somewhere you could not
0:08:56	physically fit
0:08:58	Cameron but I'm like but in live action images removed the wall or they would
0:09:02	like
0:09:02	have like at three wall design editor and they would put a camera
0:09:07	on the kitchen counter the producers who are you know all the writers
0:09:11	just know now now and I eventually I was like man
0:09:16	isolate watching that show a hey did working on it
0:09:19	are known dead I didn't even feel like an artist on Asher so I just executing
0:09:23	yeah I just I wanted I mean I almost quit TV animation after shy Tyler Wright
0:09:29	in da middle lamina try to get in in the pics are something because I was a psych
0:09:33	I was article I wanted to be an artist I don't know what this job is
0:09:37	your first TV job as my 31
0:09:40	with my mike got me a job on that was your
0:09:43	first other a King originally and very first season

Mike moving to LA

0:09:47	had moved LA got a job as a storyboard artist I like the first season the
0:09:51	king of the hill and then I was when family guy started
0:09:55	couple years later I gotta job directing sidon
0:09:59	assistant director its assistant directed on K mellon and got a job done
0:10:03	purses & Family Guy drafted on their kinda my had a bounce back and forth
0:10:07	between family thanking
0:10:08	I like to brag for Mike user 24 years old he was directing on
0:10:12	that's ridiculous am in her nose which is a major network
0:10:15	you know prime time to come yeah how I mean were you
0:10:19	were you ready for this I mean what had you history you an art school
0:10:22	your email the area Metro downs close-in
0:10:26	Tom side and said my junior year at work in
0:10:30	MPB animation on the head miss don't have to remember that showed Phillips I
0:10:35	learned like
0:10:36	like the layout prior to up things in Canada got Cliq production is Ron
0:10:41	and then yeah when I got outta matter is the I just moved out tell a
0:10:46	with some friends in had one contact from my time in MTV
0:10:50	who turned out to be the director on king of the hill but I ended up working
0:10:53	for sale
0:10:54	Atlanta and red you just never know that anyone can and pollute my pay off
0:10:59	we are mean you know when we talk to you especially like
0:11:02	comic book artists but certainly you know
0:11:06	people who Goa tour is Deanne you know have have
0:11:10	a visual arts ban
0:11:13	sometimes have trouble with the storytelling aspects I love
0:11:16	TV yen since I'm not to be the case but was a learning curve like for you
0:11:21	yeah I mean honestly like cuz I i listen your basket
0:11:24	podcast listeners different you know writers who've
0:11:27	slogged through the system map dunno listener and Micah
0:11:32	I mean you know my version that was like directing on on the shows and stuff but
0:11:36	I'd always wanted you know get into the writings and things and
0:11:40	did more like creative writing stuff to college in and afterwards but
0:11:44	and really at you know avatar was the first time we were writing
0:11:48	with scripts a.m. like on for for television so we were
0:11:52	very much learning on the job that side of things like
0:11:55	we had experience in all the other yes i'd the production so we kind of
0:11:59	new for the most part what we're doing on on those
0:12:02	and that wins which is important to point out i mean we
0:12:06	Lake Mike had been working in an ATV animation for six years i'd working for
0:12:10	four years by the time we pitched
0:12:12	and and got avatar going so and in that time
0:12:16	we had both like warn pretty much every hat
0:12:20	you could wear and TV animation production aside from
0:12:23	writing or producing or something like that cell and if we didn't have that
0:12:27	specific job we work directly with
0:12:29	that part nasa we had a like and awareness and understanding I that sell
0:12:34	on so between the two of us we we had a lot of bases covered n
0:12:39	its you know it's important to note in the context this podcast that
0:12:43	a lot of our bike motivation inspiration for Avatar wasn't just the creative
0:12:48	it was about running in an animation production differently
0:12:51	so it wasn't just like how so we have a story to tell and
0:12:55	you know we want do this it was like
0:12:58	50 percent like we're on our own show and we wanna make up stories and
0:13:01	characters and Artin
0:13:03	animation the other half was man we don't like the way the shows are on
0:13:07	and we don't like the way they use the overseas Animation Studios we don't
0:13:11	think they're using those artists
0:13:13	like artists kinda like I felt on hang in the hill
0:13:16	on when i i'd I we're gonna bidders M
0:13:19	which should point out was a show where E we were given in an immense amount of
0:13:23	creative freedom and down sometimes to our own detriment to hit
0:13:28	but for such a fun show it was cool it was it was
0:13:32	that and that was the first time I got to work where the writers are in the
0:13:35	same
0:13:36	wooden area as ice on my call in sick on shows like Mad worked on their on
0:13:40	another site out there.
0:13:41	around the other unlike traditional live-action yeah
0:13:44	yeah and when you're on those shows the bike the
0:13:47	the the writers are the are the Canes and then down
0:13:52	Eunos on in the valley are a doll is
0:13:55	like pre-production animation people and they are
0:13:58	subordinate and then on the other side the ocean
0:14:02	is is the overseas animation studio and they are like
0:14:06	way support and that's just the hierarchy and I mean you you know
0:14:10	document you need a hierarchy on and and you need
0:14:14	people making decisions for the stuff to work but
0:14:17	like I got for Invader Zim I got to go over to korea
0:14:20	and for three weeks by myself and and two to help train them
0:14:25	the animation crews like how to draw Jones
0:14:28	style n anti got see firsthand and you know I'd worked on these
0:14:32	film roman shows and everybody would be like army in Crean's like this creating
0:14:37	goodnight my drawings perfect and they came back and good crap in I'm
0:14:41	bike they suck you know there is that prep this added him on C everyone had
0:14:46	that but there was just this kinda liked
0:14:48	and it did happen a lot you know stuff for his comeback not great
0:14:52	n everywhere you always blame them but
0:14:55	I got the chance to go over really see Howell
0:14:58	like constricted they were in the in the like
0:15:02	they they weren't allowed to actually be animators and and stuff like that
0:15:06	anyways are so short week from that experience in just
0:15:09	how we had rain showers and then our friend Chris from ASCII hood
0:15:12	on who had done MTV's downtown
0:15:17	needed it really differently so it be picked his brain
0:15:20	we had our own ideas so that was a ballot after to motivation and
0:15:24	was and edit it it work it paid off play so we we changed
0:15:28	the system that's unbelievable I wanna hear
0:15:31	I do wanna hear about that I mean how do you empower really about writing but
0:15:35	ahead know now i mean this this is all process for how do you how do you
0:15:38	empower
0:15:39	artists while still maintaining in a consistent quality in a consistent
0:15:44	everything yeah that the main difference a change we made was that
0:15:48	traditionally there's these things called exposure sheets which which is
0:15:51	where the
0:15:52	the timers not necessarily an animator dis writes down based on the storyboard
0:15:57	like
0:15:58	a you know if someone's moving arm from here to here is gonna take this many
0:16:02	frames in a
0:16:03	ticket of unanswered that's what brands referring to that like they were it's
0:16:07	very limiting surf like
0:16:08	if the animators solace and said and I think a bit cooler for
0:16:12	they are moved like you know differently led internet chance did
0:16:16	to try it out am so we basically got rid of the exposure sheets
0:16:20	we didn't do this um but what we do is
0:16:23	on Avatar and and core as well as
0:16:27	you know very detailed story boards and Adam at X where we ate
0:16:30	you know are basically planning out the entire show
0:16:33	planning out you know all the main poses
0:16:37	whether you know acting poser for action
0:16:40	sequences 'em you know Diana it's almost
0:16:43	like very rough animation William chance its papers outsell
0:16:48	that's basically the template nom the visual template along with all the
0:16:52	designs and
0:16:54	and to things like that so yeah helps us
0:16:57	look at the show make sure everything's working also have to get it
0:17:01	down to the track time cuz you can have the man-made lake
0:17:04	30 minutes for $20 here but then they are given the freedom to kind and then
0:17:09	you're with them at yeah I like
0:17:11	like the same seen links are basically said but within that
0:17:14	there you know a given the freedom to to kind of
0:17:18	figure out the best way to execute it but soon yes and sometimes
0:17:21	it's not like I remember runs them seeing an exposure she when I was over
0:17:26	in
0:17:27	Korea where you know it is so easy when you're tired too distraught
0:17:32	listeners pose a and that way down on the she pose be
0:17:37	you draw this line and tick tick tick tick tick tick tick everyone has tix
0:17:40	is a is a drawing is a few is a POS you know it's a time frame
0:17:44	the animation and this is for an explosion and the
0:17:47	had just like I you know dry like like
0:17:50	25 24 frames up this
0:17:54	crazy complicated explosion but there's
0:17:57	you know you watch I made a Japanese animation it's like
0:18:00	there's ways to be a fish in about that stuff because you don't wanna
0:18:04	spend all your energy like if you're an animator and you have
0:18:07	40 scenes and you might be like II these are the ones I'm gonna put more energy
0:18:12	into an anime
0:18:13	I can like cut corners on the is and it'll be fine and we have tricks for
0:18:16	that
0:18:17	I or even just as an artist here she might say
0:18:21	I really want to like put some extra love into the scene
0:18:25	but in the in the the standard system there was never a room
0:18:28	for the artist to inject their own enthusiasm and creativity
0:18:32	and within that you know within the the primers and what the shot needed
0:18:35	I am so we just did our best to like he said in power
0:18:39	and power the artist to do that ed you know
0:18:42	it it pretty much work from the get go i mean but the funny thing was
0:18:46	because we wanted them to be a apart above the system that and that
0:18:50	we wanted them to augment the art so that it when it came back it was
0:18:54	stupidly better than what we gave them and down
0:18:57	she didn't have that I knew me and we're art reproductions green dress so it was
0:19:01	like
0:19:02	wow I hear these visas in alarm better them
0:19:06	then all you know and they're amazing not say they're better than ours though
0:19:09	me reading this stuff
0:19:10	even here adding to it and add true collaboration leonard
0:19:13	it so we try to do with our pre-production example we always like to
0:19:16	give his
0:19:17	in the very first season about are there is a scene where and shows up at
0:19:21	kyoshi island in you know someone who's it sees a mes excited any faints
0:19:25	that was the structures like timber just so you could have ended
0:19:28	and then and an animator named
0:19:31	give her nephew who is sense he's a 10 supervising producers on a
0:19:36	cora am but use animator at their mercy studio at the time
0:19:40	am he he took that scene and Mike
0:19:43	he it is now a famous character in the
0:19:46	can be rather have avatar it's the farming mouth guy who's like
0:19:50	is like freaking out jumping down literally has an out as farming and many
0:19:54	faiths
0:19:55	yeah at and at all when we got a badly are you sure I can image that's what I
0:19:59	think that was the first moment we're like
0:20:01	us this this new system at work where he got this crazy they met with various
0:20:06	Fratelli you never know ahead of where their brother even we weren't even
0:20:09	thinking about it
0:20:10	yeah that was the fourth episode and that same artist
0:20:14	from he did a lotta key animation for the first two episodes
0:20:18	that Iran and you even a lot opposes and a flow niece poses were in there i mean
0:20:23	he embellished a min
0:20:25	at you and Mike made the mic feature quality yeah like my said years later
0:20:29	here to move out here and we we hired him and
0:20:33	is he was one of our top but so top
0:20:36	art artistic supervisors on the show was this
0:20:40	I you know im in it seems like it came together pretty fast you guys
0:20:44	had no idea how you wanted to run things but this must have been
0:20:48	once the show sold a conversation with Nickelodeon
0:20:51	no we we had these ideas can it from the get-go
0:20:54	an and but it's not how they traditionally do
0:20:57	and yeah he had to kind of pitch them I cares our gonna do it there is in
0:21:01	a little questioning other but for the most part
0:21:05	I am then they let us do our thing was gonna cut mark taylor
0:21:10	Mike Taylor whose Anna for many many years in
0:21:13	I had worked at them when I was on Zeman
0:21:16	he is just this amazing mentor
0:21:19	for making me and always like we would tell Mr
0:21:23	crazy idea for how we want to do things differently and he in a wreck and
0:21:27	and cloudy other people like mike in long are
0:21:31	our producer on they're just support us you know and
0:21:35	I should I should be really clear we it our ideas did not always for your
0:21:39	up at the timing thing worked and that was the most important liane
0:21:43	um so we tried to do some other things that didn't work but that
0:21:46	it's an important anyone out there who's on
0:21:50	running a show-me for seasonal anything as hell
0:21:53	here hell it could be a little preschool show
0:21:58	it can be you know an HBO show a live-action show
0:22:01	for season anything is its I always say it's like you're in
0:22:05	like Cannonball Run your in the race but you're building the car while you're
0:22:10	racing maii views in what many times but
0:22:13	it's the best way I can describe where you're like trying to like attached the
0:22:17	alternator endured moving down you know it's so
0:22:21	on but the the main thing at like if I have any advice to give its just that
0:22:27	if you have an idea to try it if it's not working
0:22:30	change it you know we Mike tonight
0:22:33	aren't we we always are like changing the production as we go
0:22:37	on not just alike mess with people who were you know just because let's a
0:22:41	constant yeah I'm tuning yellow is
0:22:43	yeah always to what what were some of the things that you discovered in the
0:22:46	first season that
0:22:47	didn't work i mean one other things is
0:22:51	is that we train layout which is I was
0:22:55	use do on my king of the hill in mimicking the hell we not into idea for
0:22:59	america
0:23:00	yeah where where you're taking the storyboards and then doing basically
0:23:03	like
0:23:03	key poses Nana larger size am
0:23:07	so we can I wanted do that on our show so we had a little more control over the
0:23:11	that thing but we just there are
0:23:15	that's the reason a lot of the stuff is done overseas is just like
0:23:18	there's not that skill set here anymore because it's been
0:23:22	done overseas for so long so home um
0:23:26	it was hard to find the right now is a good excuse that style there's no
0:23:29	apprenticeship area or
0:23:30	for that stuff well the Film Roman we did you know it's did
0:23:34	King Helen family guy in the early days in
0:23:38	a sensations in did they do lay out in house but
0:23:42	to the Korean and Japanese animators
0:23:45	what we call a out they cokie animation zell
0:23:48	it's really like they're separating arms on different levels in
0:23:52	you know I get its it's much more like kinda
0:23:55	key animation so what we were trying to do was
0:23:58	we learn this like we've been expose this more like Korean style layout which
0:24:02	was
0:24:03	I am it's easier it's quicker
0:24:06	did but it was so hard to we got a bunch of people who work on experiencing
0:24:11	like film romance LA likes mmm sitcom layout
0:24:16	and that it was a hard style more than on-demand fluid style more realistic in
0:24:21	people at it we had a hard time finding people could you draw that and then down
0:24:25	and then getting them to adapt to this like more efficient
0:24:29	style layout edges didn't work in the crew together Korean artists were way
0:24:33	better had had supposedly been quicker
0:24:35	yeah I came in yeah just work kinda worked into their workflow a little
0:24:39	better so just made sense to
0:24:40	to have them take on that that part access we tried
0:24:44	Denmark moved on %um and I am as I mean
0:24:48	people did some good stuff as it's not too late to spare jolly artist
0:24:51	who worked on the shell like they have created some good stuff urges as a
0:24:54	system
0:24:54	yeah know why things it wasn't working and and I mean that
0:24:58	even courtly we would are a nomadic
0:25:01	processors to overprice we were always changing its season a season
0:25:05	them interesting I wanna step back
0:25:08	a minute and talk about am
0:25:11	again the the tone of the show in the scope of this show him
0:25:15	how do you pitch this show what are the pics like not a Mac or avatar
0:25:19	over out as his car at least you had the template
0:25:22	at retiring can say you know yeah there now is there a dino Korea without avatar
0:25:27	letter
0:25:28	and get the pitch was long on and what it was I was now issued a
0:25:32	two-and-a-half-hour I say I like
0:25:34	yeah whatever the black whatever you're supposed to do in a page we didn't do
0:25:37	any alleged ask you to do serve a meal with it now
0:25:40	and I talked the entire timer oh my god yeah
0:25:43	what do you do for two-and-a-half I A well it's a big world as yeah as you
0:25:47	have right now in like
0:25:49	on my can I A use dollar store a lot but
0:25:53	but it is a strange story in terms of like
0:25:57	the biz you knowing this doesn't typically happen
0:26:00	the first thing was that Eric actually wanted a stupid shit so that's
0:26:04	you know in hollywood a lot of times it's like please sir him over to her a
0:26:08	moment if you to have
0:26:09	I have no idea you know so wasn't like that at all it was
0:26:13	Eric bike is yet as you do you know about him
0:26:16	he looks for people and I had were to them
0:26:20	down most people hated him and me
0:26:23	on them but he and I liked each other so
0:26:27	a came out that in out the ashes that show
0:26:31	and he was like hey i'd love to you know and really like through a computer
0:26:36	to pitch stuff and Mike an hour to Nickelodeon at that time so he just
0:26:39	didn't know Erica
0:26:40	danger they just had met each other but I I said well you know
0:26:44	my body in our creative partners in am we have them on the pitch
0:26:47	show together and we have been developing this one project together

Bryan's advice on pitching ideas

0:26:51	cell I another good advice that I I like to
0:26:55	given I imagine people listen in to this are looking for like
0:26:59	how does this town where an you know how this is business workers
0:27:03	if you can get now in a relationship like she moves in up to them and
0:27:07	everybody know if you're familiar enough with
0:27:09	a development exact are you know producer
0:27:13	a studio or something and you want to pitch to them
0:27:17	before you me tell them a single idea
0:27:22	sit down with them are you know get lunch with them or five minutes and to
0:27:26	say
0:27:27	what are you guys looking for what because
0:27:30	it's not just like like com artists
0:27:33	enter enter in my you know comfortable cozy room in
0:27:37	tell me what you want to get off your chest it's like hi I meant I'm an
0:27:41	executive
0:27:41	you might think I have power but I have like her
0:27:45	a board of directors and a CEO and you know shareholders behind me and they
0:27:50	have all decided we're gonna get into black
0:27:53	yeah this quarter we are looking for right
0:27:56	this type with a hole to fill yeah and there's the generally some market thing
0:28:00	they responding to and in our case in 2002
0:28:03	it was Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings does work dominating the globe
0:28:07	and they they were like you know
0:28:11	we're looking for legends and lore even and separately they were looking for
0:28:15	action adventure we just sweet mike and i ended up combining
0:28:18	that together on so likely rectus
0:28:22	gave us some crazy before even pitch this gave us some like really good tips
0:28:26	down about what they were looking for some as weird as
0:28:30	Nick as avatar is for Nickelodeon it was
0:28:33	based on an assignment and the check boxes for
0:28:36	yeah and so we went 0 I just I just told
0:28:41	Eric okay will come back in a month and will pitch and noms
0:28:45	began he was awesome because he was like he didn't need the slick pitches at work
0:28:50	don't
0:28:50	don't make it overwrought don't get too precious with it
0:28:53	and if I say no don't walk out here with your tail between your legs he said
0:28:57	you'll never hear this one in hollywood he said keep pitching
0:29:01	until we get a show me like that was he wanted to get a show made with us it's
0:29:06	not that he
0:29:07	was like you know you better impress me kid you know
0:29:11	and and so weeee um I just said I set up a pitch meeting
0:29:17	before we had a single thing a pitch now is the ideal because the idea we had
0:29:22	didn't fit it didn't check a box is that there will be with the idea you guys are
0:29:26	learning about a variation on Avatar no
0:29:28	nothing like a daughter to tell him something something you would have
0:29:31	thought would have been on Nickelodeon
0:29:33	real yet interesting I mean it still would have been very much
0:29:36	Rs but by the way if it there one or more check box and it was not an epic
0:29:41	action-adventure
0:29:42	now legends and lore of it that we talk about now
0:29:45	happy because I still like the idea he never pitched it but
0:29:49	there was like and I can give the generic Hollywood
0:29:52	yeah it to this meatless it was kinda peanuts
0:29:55	meets through the crude who is Lake or play which is my favorite favor
0:30:00	running may show and then there at like comic strip
0:30:03	though how it was kinda like that I am I say it's a you set the page for a month
0:30:08	from this commerce and for two weeks
0:30:10	we had no idea where you at home yeah yeah and then we
0:30:13	just started that we had little pieces here and there more than Brian hands and
0:30:18	murdered
0:30:18	one was a drying Brianna done love what became a ing
0:30:22	miss yeah I read about kidwell and yeah cable become a monk looking kid which
0:30:27	I should just buy a real quick was I had had a drawing I did in the middle of the
0:30:30	night on them
0:30:31	%uh like dude who can we're taking about BB I get it on
0:30:35	here and and knock it would end up being dogged the
0:30:39	cores polar bear by people whom it was like by peel and then like a little
0:30:43	robot monkey
0:30:43	anyways but after I met with Eric he
0:30:47	was like hey kid POV enough for Nickelodeon
0:30:50	dollar don't pitch man show about a tax attorney you now and side as well I
0:30:54	really liked that drying
0:30:56	I just redid it and made this guy
0:31:00	a kid and and that so before we even knew Huang was I was drawing him
0:31:04	yeah that's the answer joining in with these fanciful creatures
0:31:07	yeah had a dry mouth with him on these these fine mason Moore became
0:31:12	by Mason and I'm like I I was really into the CBI Shackleton documentary
0:31:17	hell story unlike a myspace fascinated with
0:31:20	people and frozen landscape for some reason and
0:31:23	an size really into that not all like imagining like people in the South Pole
0:31:28	being trapped in
0:31:29	with what that meant which kinda became Qatar and soccer's
0:31:32	story me um and and and membrane had a
0:31:36	revelation during the other one knife that provided on our
0:31:39	Morana fuel to the fire so to speak it was a
0:31:43	I connected the suit even things now and I I was a psych
0:31:47	this kid I've been drawing for about a week
0:31:50	I was like oh I guess almost two weeks been just randomly drawn him
0:31:55	attached no ideas and
0:31:58	eyes like he's an air kiss I'd been drawing in like
0:32:01	he's like a shepherd is in the clouds is that he just be like standing on a cloud
0:32:06	Rd floating on
0:32:07	you know on his is by since I did resist I was just letting
0:32:11	the ideas flow I wasn't like judging I'm reading and then my cat talking about
0:32:15	people being trapped
0:32:16	downfall and I was like pay
0:32:19	he's in there kid the South Pole people ice water they could be water people
0:32:25	and the reason they're yeah and then this this kid POV thing as a good what
0:32:28	if it's just kids left there
0:32:30	on and they're all their parents are gone at war
0:32:34	it was it was almost like a Lord of the Flies there was like whatever was just
0:32:37	we all agree
0:32:38	in the beginning was like an island have kids South just kids
0:32:41	well then it made sense it was like elderly people there and stuff but on
0:32:46	and then it was a I was like oh and then
0:32:49	the route the people oppressing them in trapping then there are the fire people
0:32:53	there's there like Mel
0:32:54	who is this idea like they were like melting the ice so is urs a really big
0:32:57	idea
0:32:57	not vague but like yeah that it was easy peasy yeah
0:33:01	tonight rush over to Mike's house it really late at night
0:33:04	this is 3 Cherie cell phone yeah for us at least that and I was in my yoga
0:33:09	clothes
0:33:09	it was BP groom younger so I was just drenched
0:33:12	and I knock on his door at like 11 and I was like
0:33:16	look nose is weird for it have to come and
0:33:20	and I was just like I get like that like where I just
0:33:23	the idea like I can't sleep in the ideas it is pouring in those
0:33:26	those times don't always come so I've learned that like when the Muses
0:33:31	speaking you like you've got to get it down yet to share with people have to
0:33:35	take down notes a record ID is an XO I just are rattling off might need any
0:33:40	I did you think that he's again you know there's like earth people
0:33:43	in the world and we're like he had a guy I wasn't really thinking before element
0:33:47	civil I was thinking oh there's these all fit today as an Air Canada water you
0:33:51	know houses
0:33:52	like thinking that way buddy two weeks later we had developed
0:33:56	and retire soccer top of
0:33:59	as a guy I the Fire Lord
0:34:02	the three-season arc Wow I
0:34:06	the general are can end the writers the big move yeah I did the
0:34:09	Ayer ni os in other writers Anne over the many years car followed
0:34:13	helped flesh this out but and I specifically wanted it to be
0:34:17	a continuous story mine and and thus
0:34:20	very specific three seasons where they're moving from you know a lot
0:34:24	yeah like a a mastering the elements that kind of idea was all but then the
0:34:27	bending we came into the whole concept we we flush it out effect and to revoke
0:34:32	went like
0:34:32	lived on naturally lead to each other and they did for us and I i mean i think
0:34:37	once we had these these idea these
0:34:39	nation that were based on the elements
0:34:42	concurring in make I mean brian is watching a ton of country moved yet I'm
0:34:46	and I think you did the directive and having the
0:34:49	we'll was basic action without violence where dem
0:34:52	a nope I don't know you know people punching each other in the face like
0:34:56	Nichole we knew like as a snack in a fire especially not in 2002
0:34:59	now they're turtles there's more they are so smart so then it was the end this
0:35:03	idea
0:35:04	plane having more martial arts-based things where their
0:35:07	manipulating their native element which then gives them some distance between
0:35:11	each other
0:35:11	becomes more magical it's not as imitative yeah
0:35:15	for kids and stuff nerd enjoying it what's imitable imitable
0:35:18	Picasa yes that's a big 10 right well yeah it's funny because they always say
0:35:22	I am
0:35:23	emit a double and I'll eyes like how to think at all yeah I like a look that up
0:35:28	and so am i that
0:35:29	imitable a Siri please tell yeah
0:35:33	and Disney look bad I say live words that are
0:35:36	fashion religion you're making a living from here so
0:35:39	I derive at the media center up there occurs as you're developing this thing
0:35:44	there really weren't other serialized
0:35:47	now animated action epic not alone on American TV again there's yeah I don't
0:35:52	really model for this on American TV
0:35:54	yeah I think probably Cowboy Bebop in that respect was one of the biggest
0:35:58	yeah inspirations and think that was around the time I was really into 24
0:36:02	it was like a it was like to add just started I was crying out for a couple
0:36:05	years maybe
0:36:06	at that point um well I don't think lost it started yet now an outlaw started
0:36:11	when we were in
0:36:12	production on season 1 a.m. so it was definitely knew at the time minutes but
0:36:17	especially for kids
0:36:18	you know too many you know that's why the two-and-a-half-hour pitch
0:36:22	is lleno we met we know we're doing we're telling a story
0:36:25	a any other no other executive were taken to grab bar pin bear commoners
0:36:30	a rare is a rare bird and I and
0:36:34	and the best thing you could have been a pitch is
0:36:37	and ice at the stress genuine enthusiasm not distract the like
0:36:42	I'm gonna sell you an idea you know you not just put lipstick on a pig like
0:36:46	if you are genuine genuinely excited about it in the in your meeting with a
0:36:50	good
0:36:50	development exact bill del they'll feel it
0:36:53	down the other thing is as awesome as people I care common art they're
0:36:58	typically not
0:36:59	artists him so I'd any artwork
0:37:02	that you can have in it doesn't need to be slick nor does it even does it
0:37:05	it doesn't even need to really pertaining exactly to the story i heads
0:37:10	drawings that would be really never even like
0:37:13	rabbit is gonna give feel too well a field the world a world turned and stuff
0:37:17	in the Downey me especially for an animated show where
0:37:20	it's going to be very visual number in Marmora even online action stuff like
0:37:25	you could go in with with reference images yet to see the rationing like
0:37:29	what I want the show to feel like you down because that stuff will tell you so
0:37:33	much about the town
0:37:34	you know and and down so yeah I
0:37:38	omits like I was working at the time cuz ima be cancelled and I decided
0:37:42	I was just gonna focus on this project with Mike mike was sold directing but he
0:37:46	would come over
0:37:48	like at night or on the weekends and we just had to weekend at a minimum hours
0:37:52	at a time
0:37:53	it i don't i don't i don't know how we got no I don't know you there sir
0:37:57	so there's something to just like you have the momentum and you have that
0:38:00	deadline is only let's do it let's make and sometimes those initial
0:38:04	I mean I've had a look kinda relearn this over and over where it's like that
0:38:07	initial
0:38:09	inspiration is usually the best one you know even when we're
0:38:12	pitching out episodes are everywhere it's like what was that initial idea
0:38:16	that God is excited about this in the first place
0:38:18	let's relook at that big as we've gotten off track somewhere you can work it to
0:38:22	death yeah Italy
0:38:23	am name get off track yeah so yet ended the bending
0:38:27	thing was a we we've written about this and talked about a lot but
0:38:32	I we I should point out we've we both loved
0:38:36	and still do love the Lord the Rings and Harry Potter like
0:38:39	with others are were kulon you know both read the books n
0:38:43	and saw the movies and stuff uneven don't think they were the movies back
0:38:47	then
0:38:47	remain at first the first on it comforts like Alanna but
0:38:51	you know there's always things especially cuz like
0:38:54	were adults looking at and we're like creative people looking at it so it's
0:38:57	like well what are my notes in her I get yeah I with notes after a movie you know
0:39:01	our TV shows so
0:39:02	her it was like I was like well I don't get the magic
0:39:06	again don't quite understand a where did that come from what's the source it
0:39:10	the water its limitations and what makes one
0:39:14	magician in the Harry Potter world better than another they say the same
0:39:17	word
0:39:19	that is it is they want so is it like you firepower
0:39:22	hours at how quickly you pointers say the word so they never
0:39:25	should never can text the other mechanics ovett and that's interesting n
0:39:28	um
0:39:29	its fine bird JK like it only works for the world earlier works yeah and
0:39:33	but like idk you know these things about me when I did she like Lord of the Rings
0:39:37	like
0:39:38	Lake week these guys on the other side of the world just got the mound the fall
0:39:42	down on them I'm
0:39:43	if he can do that le ly week why do we even have a movie like it seems
0:39:47	you know they weren't enough limitations I yet to me limitations are good
0:39:51	they they allowed things to happen without you go in wait a minute
0:39:55	now it doesn't mean we don't have our own little you know a chart like
0:39:58	holes and and problems but we tried to
0:40:02	confine and we what we just wanted to be more physical we wanted our the magic in
0:40:06	this world to be
0:40:07	physical and based on nature you know and like
0:40:11	even if a benders really good
0:40:14	really strong there's a limit to how much here she can do
0:40:18	in a row are theirs and theirs like always a it was all we always had these
0:40:21	rules we would
0:40:22	like pass out to the crew like had to come from them
0:40:26	from a couldn't they couldn't just make the mountain on the other side of the
0:40:30	world
0:40:30	right fall down again or better condition think about it in a mountain
0:40:33	over
0:40:34	a couple miles away words for that it here she could likes send a shockwave
0:40:39	towards it you know they might have bike something like that anyways
0:40:43	that's where came the idea came from but yeah we had I had three
0:40:47	color illustrations I'd stayed up all night doing
0:40:51	that because eric said in this is when I met with him before
0:40:55	just to get his like input he said I
0:40:59	I suck at a lot action honey adventure one magic
0:41:03	her decided no station one that was about accident one that was about
0:41:06	adventure mom knows about magic and I just had like 40
0:41:10	loose-leaf drawings just black-and-white drawings
0:41:13	just judges can to help give you a sense in the world and creatures the people
0:41:18	town while so so after that
0:41:22	I mean how quickly did he jump on it and then after that what was the development
0:41:26	process really
0:41:27	in the media quickly I mean I rematch in for other shows we heard about her yeah
0:41:31	it happened pretty quickly anyway he was like I love this
0:41:34	I gotta if they stop Brian at a certain place I got
0:41:38	okay and hola he karaoke Jerry Maguire to mangos he goes stop
0:41:43	I guess you had me at the first drawing which was two and a half hours earlier
0:41:47	girl a see other is a little there is a short period we're still kinda
0:41:51	developing some ideas with them before they like
0:41:53	officially picked it up pressure pilot
0:41:57	definitely is Kenneth Allen he was so recording us the sea like how he
0:42:01	responded to know the area and to and during that period in the developing it
0:42:04	Pierre
0:42:05	development period that's when Mike as you go been
0:42:08	it was created him our game and to name out a note from
0:42:12	yeah yeah he was like we had this like the big bad Fire Lord I but he is very
0:42:16	in our minds wasn't very specific character yet
0:42:20	and he is like well at school but if your gonna sustain a saying like what's
0:42:23	there like
0:42:24	was the constant threat that's happening who's on the trails week after week like
0:42:28	much the dow
0:42:29	am that's cool and yes as you go K matter that
0:42:33	kinda know am
0:42:36	delivers there's something about him Africa exactly had
0:42:40	he said are as he goes
0:42:43	not a route that article odeon executive was
0:42:47	advocating us having a skinhead I in the shell
0:42:50	I want to be clear that bad but Eric said
0:42:53	you know how skinheads scary bitter but
0:42:57	when you see a 13-year-old skinhead it somehow scarier
0:43:00	oh my gosh that's what he said and I just said Kenny ever squirted yeah
0:43:06	idea at the Getty have officials get if this was on a three-way pound mike was
0:43:10	that is
0:43:10	like office I was at home aired was a net
0:43:13	and i jus ed can you have a scar and then like Jersey you go
0:43:17	and so his initial mostly shaved head
0:43:20	was not meant to make him a skinhead videos is like the visual just that
0:43:24	intensity when Jersey like imine
0:43:27	we made at the u16 but is that idea like
0:43:31	and I knew exactly where to talk about said done a
0:43:34	I'd played paintball up in the high desert and I Palmdale is something I've
0:43:38	been there
0:43:39	and and I was pretty scared by the regulars there
0:43:44	n it was the kids yeah it was in the
0:43:47	it was like they were all wearing camel but it was these like twelve-year-old
0:43:50	kids
0:43:51	even though is just a paintball gun I was high well there's a look in
0:43:54	his people's eyes that's freaking me out
0:43:57	so when eric said that I actually thought id that life and then I was a
0:44:01	psych
0:44:02	yeah it's something scat the time we weren't conscious other but now we're
0:44:06	much more conscious of it where it's like once you figure out who the
0:44:09	antagonised
0:44:10	villain bad guy is and what their motivation is
0:44:14	then everything fell into place or falls into place for a story was like
0:44:19	but with Cora it was wasn't until we figured out to amman was and what is the
0:44:22	deal was that we had like
0:44:24	story into that come late in the process knows pretty early I many but i wasnt
0:44:28	and initial yet usually not the first thing
0:44:30	right we have it's usually like we have the the characters and her
0:44:34	this scenario what's going on but nothing's happened yet
0:44:38	like like we got a cool setup hey we love my god I love
0:44:41	bike we love world-building night week we love just
0:44:45	and then you can have this in the world by coming up with the probe ending thing
0:44:48	these earth things they're not rap over their number did other now certainly not
0:44:53	episodes yet and so
0:44:55	and down we had by that point developed
0:44:58	miss ideas like
0:45:00	like the upset having I was basically core as Lake
0:45:04	template was what is obscene hey you know and I was curious about that
0:45:08	because you're given this opportunity coming off a
0:45:11	yeah avatar and clearly you don't wanna retread the same
0:45:15	we really need only so like how how did you start to turn at was the
0:45:19	was a just to say what is the opposite of the kinda yet
0:45:22	day and %uh you for at and yeah we had
0:45:26	we had ended to Avatar in 2008
0:45:29	my think the last up so they're doing they're done and we had a year
0:45:33	year-and-a-half love not knowing what was next likely word
0:45:36	just working on our own in dimsum specs a
0:45:39	your scripts as the so talk to another series hadn't even now I mean we had
0:45:43	some ideas have stuff that could happen but they say at the time Nickelodeon
0:45:46	wasn't they weren't really pushing for it we were also
0:45:49	exxon yes and we're fine wanted celebrate way yet but the signs did
0:45:53	avatar didn't really have a great yeah really figured life still goes well
0:45:57	probably
0:45:58	you know they're they're gonna want something at some point a
0:46:01	they did on they did come knocking like maybe six months after we finish and we
0:46:06	were like
0:46:07	like how serious are you yeah
0:46:10	work at share if he's re-elected I will you just listen
0:46:13	oh yeah it's for you know years word we had kinda gone through this like back
0:46:17	and forth like a like this idea and we had pitched
0:46:20	mean we had the gym something else they they discuss sat on
0:46:23	was it a a spinoff or was it was really yeah
0:46:27	Alpine it was related and down they just sat on it and we just said you know what
0:46:31	were taken off the table we're gonna go do our own thing for a while cell
0:46:35	because because after the basketball totally
0:46:38	sir we have we had time to to can hone our writing skills even more
0:46:42	together amana yeah when a when they came back name

Greenlighting of Korra during 2009 economic disaster

0:46:46	basically greenlit a miniseries the twelve episodes
0:46:49	and said be you're good to go
0:46:53	just as long as its got bending it in the entire world doesn't know where he's
0:46:57	in a bit you don't have to pitch
0:46:58	their agreement before we even met about it before we even knew about it
0:47:02	we got brunch with to the execs in there like so
0:47:06	other networks creamer 12 episodes for you and
0:47:10	this was in the midst 'em the 2009 economic disaster
0:47:14	nothing was happening no we're meeting with movie studios in there like we love
0:47:18	you guys
0:47:19	we don't have any money you know and and night like I remember reading like Brad
0:47:23	Pitt can't get movie funded unlike you know
0:47:26	mark wahlberg lost funding to the fighter and I just read the script that
0:47:30	I like
0:47:31	mark wahlberg can't get a movie finely carved
0:47:34	gritty you like maybe a live-action movie funded by
0:47:37	so DNA turned around and said we dream that
0:47:41	this miniseries you did you guys know what the hell it was going to be at this
0:47:45	point
0:47:45	not not at that nurtures like where areas and has a very similar to the
0:47:50	original avatar idea it's like
0:47:52	okay here's your here's your assignment and then we went off
0:47:55	for a few weeks on end
0:47:58	came up with the L you know basically that thing where it's like okay we don't
0:48:01	we're not gonna do the same track typeof character we don't want to do the lake
0:48:05	avatar learning to master the elements again cuz we can already do that so like
0:48:09	what if its
0:48:10	you know an avatar is already awesome Rd kinda
0:48:14	is at the point at Lake technical mastery
0:48:17	love the elements and and his girl and a little
0:48:20	little bit you know aged up a little bit a man she wants to be the yet are on my
0:48:24	game who was the reluctant hero
0:48:26	wanted the go-getter the you know bull in the china shop Lake
0:48:30	pugnacious and
0:48:34	and so we set that up and so here's someone who's she's like that
0:48:39	the X Games you know and she was meant to be that like
0:48:42	like us the cell border teenager you know is like really good in
0:48:47	in do it and not scared and then we're talent okay
0:48:50	but then Mike had the idea like what if there's a bad guy can take bending way
0:48:54	which is that the
0:48:55	heard to us it was the perfect foil for her because
0:48:59	if that's what she's all about and if you can have someone take that away
0:49:03	it's called yet his early on as all worry cuz we're like it's hard to tell
0:49:06	stories
0:49:07	with people who are already like I want to do the thing
0:49:11	you get that I'm traditionally there's no resistance yahoo.com flattened by at
0:49:16	once again once we had like ad bag and place it can and it may lot more sense
0:49:20	and then we
0:49:21	we can dig swish it up where it was like the adult
0:49:24	people like tenzin and a fun who are like kinda the resistance
0:49:28	against her not wanting to you know like now you're not ready yet
0:49:31	like she wants to do this thing but there's always google like planets
0:49:35	standing in a while I I've been at
0:49:38	comic conventions with Jenna party yeah voice as mara
0:49:42	and people go not spare wheels why why do you think people have attached to
0:49:47	this

Dealing ATLA/Korra fans and haters

0:49:48	character we yeah we just got back from
0:49:51	comic-con couple weeks ago high and it's always
0:49:54	every year it's bigger and eat just like the love from the fans gets more intense
0:50:00	never aired so it's funny that there is a you know there are people who are
0:50:04	so attached to the original series in it's funny cuz
0:50:07	like when they confront as they write us like
0:50:10	critic critical things you know like Arsenal fan letter like
0:50:14	'em what's funny is my can i relate work
0:50:18	we remember when we were making avatar the thing is when you do animation
0:50:22	you're always so far ahead of what people have seen
0:50:25	so where are you we're we're working on it like the fan out like would win
0:50:28	everything's written word is in post on like end
0:50:31	the series the people are haven't even seen it but three finale
0:50:35	and I am they're mad at us about stuff that like we'd like
0:50:38	bike tied up in later you know like we've dealt with stuff like
0:50:42	wave cars sake as a nation 26 for ever but Mike and I remember during avatar
0:50:47	how
0:50:48	like people Billy like you know like I like this then laughing like
0:50:52	can a whining about every little thing in the show and really mad about how a
0:50:56	season finale with and in
0:50:58	I keep the body care to see that and now that
0:51:01	years have been removed you know we're a couple years removed I should say
0:51:05	we didn't remove years 'we're it a couple years they'll move
0:51:09	yeah from there from that um
0:51:12	the feedback we get now about avatar thick it's perfect
0:51:17	threatened there is not mix so perfect and every moment of it is perfect I
0:51:21	don't think every moment I I am
0:51:23	tons problems a throughout series but I love it and I'm proud it but like
0:51:27	um and then with core there nitpicking every little thing in asthma
0:51:32	and and there's a lot of comparing of core
0:51:35	to not just the shows but comparing the character cora dang
0:51:39	Angus it is sweet gentle soul idk or is this
0:51:42	she's of all it honors like the funny thing is
0:51:46	I relate to coro way more as a bit like for my personality I think Mike is more
0:51:51	and like some this likes you saying you know like yeah
0:51:53	you like my better that's cool I'm taking this very personal I kinda like
0:51:57	might better to help us find
0:51:59	but I am but yet sisters I think it's partly that immersive world thing that
0:52:04	whether to shower or XOR
0:52:05	Harry Potter whatever those things like people just enjoy entering a
0:52:09	this kinda like fantasy world where you do have these call powers in
0:52:13	I love Nazi Holocaust play that that people we come up with an
0:52:16	playing the characters but also I mean that we get so many
0:52:20	nice lake I mean we get the annoying comments here bailing out when we get
0:52:24	away
0:52:25	if you're online yeah at all we have you an easy this time
0:52:28	I tried you I've been trying to focus on the good stuff and there's so many great
0:52:32	like it whether it's in person or online at like people who
0:52:36	generally are like this series are like winners avatar Korra like
0:52:41	change my life like I was a shy person and then I met all these people through
0:52:45	avatar in
0:52:46	now I have all these friends and I G warning lights now and yes like give me
0:52:50	confidence they get help me through
0:52:52	I mean not too late down divulge people's like personal sup at the stuff
0:52:56	they will tell us now
0:52:57	really serious that stuff and it's like
0:53:01	you can add you the the wake fuzzy math like a
0:53:04	one of those is worth you note Romney's drums fifty snarky comments are more or
0:53:09	whatever and
0:53:10	and down an the other finding is like
0:53:14	it's not I don't say this in like a defensive way but it's like
0:53:19	who your eyes at New York Comic Con I'd like look it up
0:53:22	if you don't like the show I just turned around I like there's this whole floor
0:53:25	as I
0:53:26	watch some 0 other there's so many books video games
0:53:30	but the movie is funny to your cell and investment to
0:53:34	right like be I'm sure they will love to turn away and Marshall males but they
0:53:37	also can't help and also allowing
0:53:40	it's so different when people are actually there in person D like
0:53:43	because people we know have said some things online like
0:53:46	when they come into the line at comic-con CS for real then they dislike
0:53:50	for helping K like they like they don't say anything you know people are
0:53:54	generally much nicer in person and answers I think a lot of it is just like
0:53:58	am just people to its all is also like
0:54:02	I mean I don't know I love a perfect movie or
0:54:06	like TV show even my favorite shows and movies like
0:54:09	I've got notes you know I have things in there and the other things not
0:54:13	everything is made for everybody that's a very important lesson
0:54:16	for people learn it's like look RLC people's like
0:54:20	yeah I read some kinda snarky and then
0:54:23	I'll see their blog and what they like and unlike arm and I think that movie is
0:54:27	car because you know it I'm just like but that's okay I am NOT
0:54:32	picking on them for liking it is just like obviously you and I don't really
0:54:35	have not overlap like that so it's fine but
0:54:39	other I feel like it's fine it is thought I i mean
0:54:42	it you gonna get it and when a show is like milt literally millions of people
0:54:46	around the world watching it
0:54:48	you gonna get certain statistical breakdown every action I love for
0:54:51	I I would and when I was really asking is like I feel like cora specifically
0:54:57	the character has been like held up as is really positive role model yeah
0:55:02	which is so fascinating to me I mean cuz she is that she can be a brat which is a
0:55:06	complicated character
0:55:08	and to have her be like this very positive
0:55:12	model too especially YUM young people like now we all know 910
0:55:16	yeah really cool say I mean we are he said you know dunno
0:55:19	Regency a strong female characters like Dora tough
0:55:23	um that yeah we are so kinda split 50 percent boys and girls watching
0:55:28	um like something you guys did well let me just get here in in both periods is
0:55:32	like your characters are never just one thing red
0:55:35	you know those are all interesting and complicated they're meant to be flawed
0:55:39	didn't like humans
0:55:40	yeah and and certainly with korea like yeah we didn't want her
0:55:45	to be perfect more or have everything figured I mean as they she was
0:55:48	awesome at this once killer this set of skills
0:55:52	but still had a lot of growing up to do a lot of figure it out she's
0:55:56	they say a girl who is like secluded away for most of her life in the South
0:56:00	Pole didn't really have any
0:56:01	friends her close friends in was set off into the world to like not only like
0:56:05	save the world but there might have these relationships
0:56:08	discover that will yeah with with the people our age in
0:56:12	and stuff so yet you're bound to make some stupid decisions and not say the
0:56:16	right thing all the time in
0:56:18	and but yeah i i think once people see kind in the fall
0:56:22	a series are that she goes through like it'd
0:56:25	checked depp's comes to nice place tempus the I was think back to
0:56:29	again at New York Comic Con I was getting like like
0:56:33	just it was that a point early in season two work or a list
0:56:36	she was kinda going off the rails and i know i remember mike in the writers
0:56:39	really wanted like
0:56:40	she's gonna the Civil War is getting a very personally and she's going to
0:56:46	conduct
0:56:46	its gonna clatter judgment in dead skin and I V
0:56:49	making good she's not making good decisions head down
0:56:53	if Mike people really didn't like it and head and I've ever be in it
0:56:58	interview New York a name like um
0:57:01	people he cora cell I why did you do it ourselves you know like people hey what
0:57:05	you've done with car that I liked
0:57:08	wow i like it ang was like going on a rampage in the middle the desert-like
0:57:13	beating people up because someone to get by said you know like
0:57:17	we took we take a lot of our characters so you know
0:57:20	right now I'm annie has had his you know we we all knew
0:57:24	goes eventually gonna be good from the get-go and from the moment
0:57:27	Mike I created and we pretty much like likes this idea that he was
0:57:30	he was gonna have this big long are can eventually be good
0:57:34	and now im and we sort of knew where it was going to happen but Eric
0:57:38	care in the hazardous brilliant things like
0:57:41	everybody knows he's gonna go good he should go worse first
0:57:45	nice and and not just a troll people or whatever
0:57:49	but it's it's a good character are getting a more interesting choice n it
0:57:52	ed I love seeing the scenes on him after that
0:57:56	where he's realizing kno wat like haha to lie to you that you know it because
0:58:01	and anyone who like takes on that so I'm it doesn't mean we always did it
0:58:05	the best it can be done and that thats certainly up for debate but like
0:58:10	I just think that a like thus that a No
0:58:13	Acme yeah I think we like with the character stuff like
0:58:17	when I'm writing a show I A I don't watch a lot animation honestly other
0:58:22	than the few series
0:58:23	he really liked are you down occasional Pixar movie that's really good
0:58:27	like a in my mind these are like real characters I'm by Graham like
0:58:31	remember coming up with new characters min as if you were
0:58:34	working on you know get through Boardwalk Empire
0:58:38	like years with slightly in less curse words
0:58:41	and stuff but I am less nudity K home
0:58:44	you know like that is how we can to see these people so
0:58:48	you know we we do try to push it as far as we can with like character flaws and
0:58:52	and player
0:58:53	you know different like them seem real in yeah I double and
0:58:56	relationship problems near and it seems like you're given that kinda leeway
0:59:00	like you're not getting the No she can't do anything wrong or not honestly I mean
0:59:05	that's the the year
0:59:06	the blessing in apna Nickelodeon
0:59:09	players like a day kinda it is so different for them in a way that they
0:59:15	have just sorted left us alone do our thing n
0:59:18	will get you now we get occasional note here and there but like
0:59:22	for the most part were it's totally the show having our date ninety-nine point
0:59:26	5 percent the show we intended to make you know
0:59:29	there are studios a where they have a mandate studio I'd
0:59:34	are our heroes if you can
0:59:37	they have to by the end of the episode even if they made a mistake
0:59:40	have to be back on track million do everything right
0:59:44	by the end and at my can I just look at each other like
0:59:47	a we couldn't write you heard five-minute
0:59:51	episode like that you know like where does not think that's
0:59:55	that's not lower interested in yeah absolutely I am
0:59:58	and we didn't talk at all about
1:00:01	your writers digo guys write all the episodes do you have a staff how does it
1:00:05	work
1:00:05	yeah I mean it's been a mixer the years on the original series
1:00:08	there any houses are Ted Raiders in at the time we had
1:00:12	we didn't have any experience running a rumor per that side of things on the
1:00:16	writing staff in here
1:00:17	we had met him on Mission Hill he was right around there and get work done
1:00:20	feature on I think its time in couple other shows so he came in as our
1:00:23	head writer and I worked closely with him I was more on the Raiders rembrandt
1:00:28	was
1:00:28	doing art direction so we don't we split up some duties but Sir
1:00:32	you know oversaw all our stuff together as well and and Aaron brought a lot of
1:00:36	play
1:00:36	the process like the again said the room can in like a really good like
1:00:40	still no card processing multiple yeah I am pitching our story together
1:00:44	am as a group in and then each writer would take that
1:00:48	burden but it was a small I mean then it was fairly small I think by the end we
1:00:52	had like
1:00:53	three staff writers past me plus like a
1:00:56	at it like a rating fellow month and plus an

The Last Airbender Movie

1:00:59	then amplicor GNA but so then Marine Corps I came around
1:01:03	a.m. you know we really wanted to kind of
1:01:07	free well as after the earth the cassidy
1:01:11	the movie that Shall Not Be Named and
1:01:15	so we're kind of in a place where we are just like you know a
1:01:18	we're gonna do this ourselves like we had you know we handed in at the time
1:01:22	was like
1:01:23	here's 12 episodes you know we had written a few spec scripts we're like
1:01:27	you know we can't do this we can write 12 episodes we have the
1:01:31	12 headway yeah it feels reasonable I am so yeah that the first season car was
1:01:36	just me and Brandon are writers assistant
1:01:38	taking notes basses I was the room just just three overs what was it lemme
1:01:42	limp since you brought it up sure I and i think that I had forgotten about it
1:01:45	I didn't matter yeah I assume he has had nothing to do with the movie
1:01:50	we had nothing to do well I mean we were in drag
1:01:53	yeah through it so long I
1:01:56	horrible story that there's no short version of the story haha
1:02:01	the NAND likely I'm she means %uh vmi as the a
1:02:05	daily agent from Avatar with the
1:02:08	the hypnotize in jet and it says there was no movie has a letter to its like
1:02:14	because we don't like to talk about it
1:02:16	for a lotta reasons I man died in like talking about it during it because
1:02:20	here's the thing people never get the answer they wanna get
1:02:24	during the movie there while it was being made people like
1:02:27	wanted to be excited like wanted us to be excited
1:02:31	he you getting a movie made in our minds can complicated didn't know it's going
1:02:35	well
1:02:35	and then like once I would get into it they were just look at me at the end
1:02:39	with this dislike
1:02:40	abhor this look on their faces if I'd said like
1:02:43	I know I had a couple babies this morning I was thinking about
1:02:47	kidnapping a few more from the hospital getting somewhere near dislike me like
1:02:51	like how dare you have a movie
1:02:54	made have your thing and not be just totally happy about it
1:02:57	at the same time we were trying to be yeah
1:03:01	yeah holding on to a shred of hope in hat like like who knows I can never know
1:03:05	you know like maybe this
1:03:07	could end up being halfway okay like
1:03:10	yeah n they're asking for input so will try to help
1:03:13	that was our stance from the get-go her 8 we didn't want it to be done
1:03:17	at all before anyone was attached we did not
1:03:20	NMB if it was going to be done we wanted to do it but they were gonna let us
1:03:24	see when they attached night we just thought
1:03:28	while this is what we've been dealt let's will this be offer help one's ass
1:03:32	at us
1:03:33	and if it's not wilson et al Ysleta del estado en in the beginning it was more
1:03:37	positive than we offer to help but then
1:03:39	and and then there what we had a big falling out in
1:03:43	whatever it sits along ha I'm Avenue like two weeks to tell you this story
1:03:49	nein reader what do you get a completely
1:03:52	that the only thing they can be said it was a wasted opportunity
1:03:56	it was just a wasted opportunity and I mean wasted like money
1:03:59	near wasted time ways to improve their
1:04:03	just it wasted the potential for are our project then
1:04:08	it was just don't know a waste and outer that
1:04:11	I still learned a lot and I still met a lot of blessedly we met
1:04:14	in in some ways it wasn't it was a good experience in that we met all these
1:04:18	a great producers it true land and
1:04:22	Boop but I'll Arman all these awesome headcount
1:04:25	people Tom and/or agent we met through the entire life
1:04:29	sell it like there were good things that came in it but ultimately the movie was
1:04:32	not one of them
1:04:33	yeah and it wasn't it was a and in negative experience i mean actually like
1:04:37	it was not fun and and it wasn't fine
1:04:43	you know D's online and in one level like
1:04:48	I'm not define like in a way like I'd not defined by
1:04:51	like I'm proud of the stuff we made but it doesn't encompass my entire life
1:04:55	and my being on the other hand it
1:04:58	there are they are our children like these characters are real to us
1:05:02	and so watch it be dragged through the mud and and the
1:05:05	those polled racial sided things it was just I'll
1:05:09	so disheartening and and our fans
1:05:13	spoke up so loudly yeah that we just had a setback
1:05:17	NN it you know I look back and I'm like what should we have done this
1:05:20	differently that everybody was almost like
1:05:22	we gathered an army that stream had
1:05:26	you know this guy and
1:05:29	it's heartbreaking but at the end of the day it's not the first time
1:05:33	at had ever happened there a project was horribly adapted in Hollywood
1:05:38	it's not the last time it's gonna happen it might even happen us again you know
1:05:41	you know we never know
1:05:43	but like I'll definitely approach it differently the second time but
1:05:47	by the at we so when you say did we have any involved
1:05:51	week game like input that
1:05:54	went nowhere richer so it like we were involved but our involvement had no
1:06:00	effect threat so
1:06:02	we could say we had no involvement in a you know so my vehicle I heard you
1:06:06	Davison no internet backs I would I ever signing I think we did for core this
1:06:11	wine guy
1:06:13	confronted me and the line knees
1:06:16	the jury an executive producer and I think
1:06:20	that I today you know knowing that yeah
1:06:23	executive producer can mean everything like someone who executive produces
1:06:27	something might
1:06:27	have done rights so much it can mean nothing
1:06:31	you might never have even been on set arson and cayenne
1:06:34	means I got a paycheck from your way here any really I'm like
1:06:38	are lawyer-like argued for us then get a green arrow
1:06:41	in hindsight I might happen even monitor we're down to have your name on it and
1:06:45	had the the first ownership
1:06:47	our that create the creative ovett and yeah it's a complicated and weird and
1:06:51	feel it is a whole other thing
1:06:53	year there was that there was this like that that kinda stamp was like hey we
1:06:58	want people to know
1:06:59	because I can I put his name above it here and
1:07:03	but then at the end of the day a likely why didn't we just let him do that you
1:07:05	know I
1:07:06	I i'd on it is is it at all and you know it
1:07:10	but yeah I definitely I think that experience gave us a little extra
1:07:14	like motivation to to rate
1:07:17	nor ourselves and to say thank you know it this we gonna
1:07:21	gonna do this right the time you know and and so we did that we did the first
1:07:24	season together
1:07:26	and then when when we did get picked up for a second season
1:07:30	um you know that our direction is in full swing Saran was pretty slammed with
1:07:34	all that stuff yet
1:07:35	I can have my cake and you I love like I love writing
1:07:39	love it i love reading with Mike and then but I I am
1:07:43	I have to have my hands in the art reaction yes we knew we needed some
1:07:46	some help Chur I was ready but we just we'll web actor Tim hedrick and Josh
1:07:51	Hamilton it written on the original series
1:07:53	there'd to make their writers and personnel a good team nearly as their
1:07:57	leader a great year and they're easy really easy to get along with them
1:08:01	and I wanted to keep it smart like even smaller than the old series and and I
1:08:05	wanted to be the
1:08:06	been around the room and and stuff cuz I felt by that point that's right we had
1:08:09	enough hands on a journey and I'm
1:08:11	Adam I knew what I was getting at for the most part at this point
1:08:15	um so we yeah we had them
1:08:18	they they agreed to come on for your season 2
1:08:21	and yeah but like kinda like
1:08:24	in the AM season it's it's usually the foreigners like brenda is there
1:08:28	just kind of getting the general like what's going to happen this season
1:08:31	typewriter discussions vietnam and then usually
1:08:36	you know once one for all came in agreement on out then
1:08:39	then the Raiders I will kinda start breaking down the stories and figuring
1:08:43	out name
1:08:44	episode by episode what's going to happen and then we just kinda would
1:08:47	duro tation pretty much where where I'd write one
1:08:51	Min 10 Min Yashin night yeah but a lot of his own in the room with the group in
1:08:55	there
1:08:55	I give notes on yeah in the premises outlines
1:08:59	every draft and and as does my can the what do you guys have to submit to neck
1:09:04	to do
1:09:04	summit outlines premises minutes premises outlined hand the
1:09:09	and for really don't know how a premises what to to neck into you guys
1:09:13	I really are getting real yeah cars are kinda like many outlines
1:09:18	basically like it's proud about three pages or so yeah um
1:09:22	cuz it after we've really hash out the story ourselves rake
1:09:26	and usually will do a ed drafter to internally as well not really
1:09:31	we've talked a bunch from you know where we're used to carry on in the room
1:09:35	that your you reach a point where like Rs just cold work ahead like
1:09:39	put all these pieces that we've talked about together they come back with the
1:09:42	a premise and I'll read air branch earn it and well
1:09:46	can get be back there they'll the work our bit more and then we'll submit it to
1:09:49	the numbered for notes
1:09:50	Tom and man yeah after that then we do the like official
1:09:55	pitch out which is like be a breaking it down into three action putting the no
1:09:59	cards on the burden
1:10:00	breaking out each scene in bejing jokes in ninety years in
1:10:03	stuff like that am menu submitted that outlined and then the ad in the red hats
1:10:08	a lot like 10 pages
1:10:09	yeah Italy 10 and 12 in and then
1:10:13	that gets admitted to the network will get a few notes prolly
1:10:16	and then am and then pretty much they just take it out
1:10:20	to script may have lead but we have a knows about three weeks for the
1:10:24	literate scripted have three months rent yeah but have you done
1:10:27	bike my experience when am I can I wrote the Nana
1:10:30	a still um like the ones being
1:10:34	code written on avatar but more so on on
1:10:37	core like if you've done
1:10:41	the legwork in Aline a script so much faster
1:10:45	I mean and you know if you really have it hashed it out
1:10:48	at allies david is a dozen schedule like this doesn't make any sense
1:10:52	have thought this made sense but it doesn't make sense in like
1:10:56	as that now is handy but he added the my generators would do on
1:11:00	ever do a draft I am internally
1:11:04	I got the script that we I would get no ads on Mike and never
1:11:07	with legged out on the other writers give notes on you know like we all have
1:11:11	no debt for each other and then
1:11:13	then they would do the draft that would turn into an hour yeah how long tiered
1:11:16	script and me
1:11:17	a it would vary but usually between 22 to 27 pages
1:11:21	it basically depends on how much action has an episode
1:11:25	we can realize over the years a.m. the though action everyone's use a shorter
1:11:29	yeah like finale absurd will literally be like 20 pics
1:11:33	21-day damnit khatami's discuss soul yeah
1:11:36	you know you might have a description of what the action as a tech support or a
1:11:39	page and it turns into like two minutes of
1:11:42	yeah but I would imagine as you're like coming toward the end of the season
1:11:46	yet they're just kinda big seem totally happened to apply to you
1:11:50	and must be Vasteras eyes on plane came into lhasa wrote on
1:11:54	core she's your writers assistant further
1:11:58	we had three-year a the Raiders assistant just and shown in
1:12:02	yet eighty in she's also writers issues
1:12:06	should chimed in on the couple scripts suspect it's good to have that
1:12:10	that team yeah Michael there was really small issues from Avatar tiptoe catch it
1:12:14	later
1:12:15	yeah I like that size a min here just depends on the shell like
1:12:19	have card how when we're here production schedules Lake
1:12:22	some you know we made it work without too much
1:12:26	strain on the writers know you guys it mikes apartment I spent mine to shame
1:12:31	cause I'm
1:12:32	running the art department always behind the mic psych
1:12:35	I feel like that just par for the course like psych I have to actually draw ledge
1:12:39	yeah he come up with a that's the thing about right you going to say like
1:12:44	you know mid the camera pans across a an amazing cityscape play
1:12:50	her head to head an unusual foods like the how amazing yeah I was reaching out
1:12:55	to big leads out
1:12:56	good here I'm so we're the finale
1:13:00	drops this week trip a next week
1:13:03	yeah this look america yeah August 22nd
1:13:06	this Friday yeah I on nickelodeon's website
1:13:10	the Helen now I yeah it's a weird day
1:13:13	does a runner air I say but is he as hot on
1:13:17	it television and in our it shows are canceled
1:13:21	but yes a net dot com it on Amazon
1:13:25	it's on like Hulu owners are the balloons a couple weeks behind
1:13:29	and then my x-box and Google an attack couple other countries
1:13:32	Google I'm let can we at Taco others for justice angrier and angrier than an ass
1:13:37	about like it we talked about the movie I a we talk about it now gets the house
1:13:41	show you my birthday yeah I mean
1:13:44	arm so they they've taken
1:13:47	original episodes of over the network yes this is a successful show
1:13:51	guess I am how when we
1:13:55	when were you guys told this and what kinda reasons were you given a
1:13:58	we're told about three hours before well actually profound out
1:14:02	after some other people found as like as there is the sleek
1:14:06	online about it like right before say this you're not already at our service a
1:14:11	week before
1:14:12	were not even a week and today is the day before coming here was a day before
1:14:16	yeah where there was a lot of course have going on you know you had a now we
1:14:20	have a huge video games don't have that looks amazing platinum
1:14:24	did yeah I mean it's earth again like the movie is a long
1:14:28	story that happened any even we pride on you know all the details
1:14:31	general work goes on up in the upper echelons of Nickelodeon

Book 3 issues

1:14:34	there but you know it did in book 3 did not get off to a good start because they
1:14:39	put it on TV frame with a week's notice with very little
1:14:43	in the summer to know like promotion
1:14:46	was that in and I've may have read the summer and may be making some was that
1:14:49	in response to like the league it was not an hour that's one thing we haven't
1:14:53	cleared up
1:14:54	that I wanted to address early but they were still looking into it
1:14:58	but I am known as though there
1:15:00	Fresno as far as we know no correlation between elite episodes in and put an
1:15:04	on-air there's another factor that
1:15:06	we can touch not really in our relman expertise sound yet another huge
1:15:11	to a whole leaves may yeah and part of it was like there is a window of
1:15:15	opportunity
1:15:16	programming wise I can we gotta put it on now otherwise we gotta wait till next
1:15:20	year's
1:15:20	an hour I just want to talk about the week there oh crap absolute because
1:15:24	everyone is convinced that we've seen really like like
1:15:28	people breaking this stuff down in like good online journalism and like people
1:15:32	having like really
1:15:33	astute like they're they're like looking into this situation what's going on with
1:15:38	the network and why do they do this and they're they're like
1:15:40	breaking everything down and consistent thing everyone thinks
1:15:44	it was thrown hastily on air because the leaks lean
1:15:47	an even though there are people at Nickelodeon
1:15:51	like us in our the execs are close to the show who get very upset
1:15:55	the network doesn't really care he did san is not that they did not leak it was
1:15:59	stolen
1:16:00	it was actually stole an officer and an we know that because
1:16:04	crazy initially it was reported that the affiliate
1:16:07	in mexico they accidentally put it on on
1:16:10	the website that's what was sold to us imbaba but they looked into it
1:16:15	and it was not nothing had ever been uploaded
1:16:19	it had been stolen of the servers so now
1:16:23	that was hugely upsetting to us very upsetting to
1:16:26	a lot of people throughout the company like people do care and people do other
1:16:30	show
1:16:30	in throughout the company all different apartments and stuff
1:16:34	but at that's kinda like a mild annoyance i thing to the giant yeh nazar
1:16:40	they dictate their
1:16:41	programming part yeah when you're thinking about 30-35 shows
1:16:46	yeah schedules and all that I'm sure they weren't too happy about it
1:16:50	reno but but I it really did it did not
1:16:53	create the situation was something else its
1:16:56	not exciting we can't I was there is a different reason
1:17:00	if the show is being held up because we were done with but 30 is waiting
1:17:04	and then when that didn't work they're like up let's put it on now
1:17:08	and then it was his lead and once again yeah I was basically a week out
1:17:12	from the Premier that we found out we were you know like okay well what we
1:17:16	gonna do to like get the word out
1:17:18	nuns out not very much I am
1:17:21	one problem I'll an yen million from our
1:17:25	our opinions that it was it was a bad idea also tune
1:17:28	not have it they wanted it they wanted to drive people to the network
1:17:32	for ratings so they can put it on I apply online at all
1:17:35	and which lo and behold at shirt yeah i i
1:17:40	traditionally your audience Hatter and they know that and then I'll have told
1:17:43	us that
1:17:44	so a yeah we did it aired
1:17:48	their ratings you know I've been the lowest they've been for corner well as I
1:17:51	point out that question they put it
1:17:53	good season 1 I'm sorry about this
1:17:57	Noel hand what's let's be clear and now be totally
1:18:00	fair and honest avatar ran from 2005 to 2008
1:18:05	the TV landscape was very different back then to um
1:18:08	and we are always a prime-time Friday shelton
1:18:12	it was Friday night's and it did really well and induce pond prime numbers but
1:18:16	it really well
1:18:17	and but we we did bump heads with the network a lot about reruns they they
1:18:22	were number rerun it in order
1:18:23	me said it's a sequential show you after a run in order in there like you know
1:18:27	you re runs to start doing really well
1:18:29	we think it's cuz it's not a colony me sad now is cuz people you have to run is
1:18:33	in order
1:18:33	three years with Mike and I said this and we ran in
1:18:37	we had left the company in we ran into this exact in New York and he was like
1:18:41	is a guy's you realize you're the number one show on Nicktoons that the
1:18:45	the a secondary channel and i oh no it in your knees like
1:18:49	yeah they're a there a we played in order
1:18:52	and it does really well he goes we had tried everything we'd like
1:18:56	put your favorite bunch absurd favorite character what if we put all the earth
1:19:00	bending up so see other
1:19:01	merle I try and many girls he's like turns out when you play in order
1:19:05	people watch it every said yeah we've been saying that for years and plus it'd
1:19:10	at that point was doing huger do really well on Netflix and that's why I think
1:19:14	the show honestly got bigger
1:19:15	after yeah it was done so Mike and I we came back we just kept thinking or
1:19:20	Friday night that's our slot
1:19:21	so we were we were wrong and I i jus running clear like
1:19:25	if we did the fatass s early after a night
1:19:28	and they said well we're gonna do saturday morning we thought our know it
1:19:31	the syncing a Saturday morning show
1:19:33	it did really well ceremony this is three four years later
1:19:37	four years later so we were surprised
1:19:40	oh wow you know like the network that that was a good decision because they
1:19:44	actually
1:19:45	have the data and they've been tracking in our room we don't we don't
1:19:48	were not programming people so we had no idea like what
1:19:51	time slots are doing well in front of what shows knowledge custer
1:19:55	self long you hold it did really well Saturday morning
1:19:58	but then they always move the new shows off after like a season it seems from
1:20:02	that
1:20:02	time so it ended up on Friday night where like out right-handed bat
1:20:07	Friday night is now we would look at the numbers ago ours is really bad
1:20:11	but then we would look it was doing really well for cable
1:20:14	on a Friday I am just those numbers were small it was like everything he was a
1:20:18	big fish in a very
1:20:20	very very small pie yen at the same time people were watching at more online and
1:20:25	yeah and it was on iTunes and I mean it is the kind in Syria to make some for
1:20:28	people with discover
1:20:30	online pressure watch a buncha to and to be clear again
1:20:34	there was a decision to kinda hastily put the finale a book to
1:20:38	online which Mike and I really well what are you doing before it was in the air
1:20:42	to at least 24
1:20:44	and now with 12 hours notice they were like we're gonna but the
1:20:48	the one-hour finale online and again Mike and I don't we don't
1:20:53	come over network data an online date and stuff so we were like why am I doing
1:20:56	this
1:20:57	and millions of people watched in
1:21:00	it did incredibly well and it ended up doing better than it did
1:21:03	on-air on it and they
1:21:07	they said no does he said isn't going to hurt the ratings every once in a while
1:21:10	and they're like
1:21:11	they don't really those two audiences only crossovers I go to
1:21:15	and so they really well so again like this Saturday morning thing
1:21:18	they they knew something we didn't and now im
1:21:21	but it was weird for but really they put it back on Friday night which
1:21:25	had already been right shown to not be a good
1:21:28	time suffer anything it other than a well I guess farm
1:21:32	yen combined with lack of awareness you know the summer air was even lower
1:21:37	ratings and back to your cell
1:21:39	for Anya then we find out okay it's getting pulled off and now you can only
1:21:43	see it online
1:21:44	so it's very lotta mixed messages like flip-flopping but they've
1:21:48	have they put all um book 3 online as well
1:21:52	I know if they're coming in for the finale they can watch
1:21:55	they can match up to yet happened to you the the last night's rest few
1:21:58	yeah dumb and then by yeah by August my secondary
1:22:03	all but really rack available but get
1:22:06	as I explain it Comicon like its
1:22:10	this isn't just I mean our show might be I don't know
1:22:13	do you know any other shows that weren't on air and then got
1:22:17	in midseason got relegated to digital I don't think that might be it is it's
1:22:21	like that's a
1:22:23	dubious honor my i three and maybe the trash like when a
1:22:27	the news first came out to see Mike they cancel the shows are on a street near
1:22:30	and so we the drought-like
1:22:32	Michelle like yeah not only is book 3 NB
1:22:35	finished out like we're finishing you know we're in post-production a book for
1:22:38	others going to there's a whole nother and anything for a buck for
1:22:41	that is happening you don't know when it will we don't know when
1:22:45	when are we here where exactly it will come out but yeah I mean we've
1:22:48	the writings done alright other pre-production are just
1:22:51	we just want closure he totally to hold you tonight and then
1:22:55	the saddest thing would be if it dad had yeah
1:22:58	then actually cancelled but let's just the different
1:23:02	landscape in different thing and you know may never know
1:23:06	ultimately maybe this is their work out fine and now is think like
1:23:10	you know six months a year two years down the road when people watching at
1:23:13	the ninety minute know this happen necessarily like
1:23:15	here like hope latest available online in various places in a lead and DVD
1:23:20	yesterday and but it's great that I I didn't realize it was available on
1:23:24	many platforms I am it's so easy unfortunately not I tions
1:23:28	but hopefully as a whole nother essentially typically will get back to
1:23:31	that damn
1:23:32	think the show is a really well on their I am
1:23:35	incredibly well in there but really yes so
1:23:38	its fine is a there's the whole you know what is a correlation
1:23:43	does not imply causation in like I C
1:23:46	after the episode there just was released like
1:23:49	yeah it is funny means it was a pretty intense episode in a character dies
1:23:53	almost on screen and they're like
1:23:55	oh this is why they pulled it out so then all the fans assume this is why I
1:23:59	write they did it and and their
1:24:01	doll course conspiracy theories abound in unlike
1:24:05	again I don't think big character its I'm not sure they've watched this
1:24:08	episode
1:24:09	yeah you can't guess at the things I know you guys know it inside out early
1:24:13	we don't know half the time but
1:24:15	going on because Ariel these people are new york cell

Book 4 and beyond

1:24:18	is now other but we just wanna stress then
1:24:21	it book for is booked for and it is the way it was going to be a great beer
1:24:26	ed leads all written and I am being animated and
1:24:30	all love this crazy stuff had no in impact on the content
1:24:34	acetone do you guys have time or inclination for other projects
1:24:39	now during or yeah after we're done be
1:24:42	we'd hopefully we'll yeah church explore other
1:24:45	options in mean you must have it because you've been doing
1:24:49	avatar in car for so many years twelve years yeah you must have
1:24:53	other stories you wanna tell outside of this world yet de define
1:24:57	and a great we're ready to to move on to some other other worlds
1:25:01	but yeah I mean I think we're always interested in these kinda
1:25:04	mythic storytelling
1:25:07	genres in a min you noted this world building stuff in
1:25:11	and this this whole avatar verse just
1:25:15	he says it has im amends gravity
1:25:18	an Mike and I can run if you do you know we might get away for a little while
1:25:23	long while bus yeah ya never know me so I so loved the world
1:25:28	I'm you create a rich world you are not playing yet but just like when avatar
1:25:31	finished like
1:25:32	were tired and at work TV animation production is
1:25:37	particularly brutal the overlap its crazy with you that
1:25:40	at one point we're working out thirty up so that one time
1:25:44	and I just like its it's seriously
1:25:47	awesome that people why the show to continue forever they want to make was
1:25:52	nice avatar the next on a letter
1:25:54	that suggests a great problem have but unlike
1:25:57	the owners the they give you saying that you're not thinking about
1:26:01	what it's taking this you know JRR Tolkien
1:26:05	right you know 15 trilogies see you know him
1:26:10	you know it it takes it takes a lot out on a San
1:26:14	as you can see the landscape TV landscape is changing in
1:26:18	we've kinda pushed TV action adventure animation about as far as the budgets
1:26:24	and schedules and
1:26:25	farmers are you guys are human resources will allow you know so
1:26:30	yen whenever you know we do a new project it's always we always wanna do
1:26:33	better than the last one so
1:26:35	who but we did with co ran out like the only
1:26:38	we can't let you but if inkatha you didn't do it might core is horrible
1:26:42	I paying is the best well people know where to find you
1:26:46	better to tell you how much they now we've only really are not on Twitter
1:26:50	I sack yeah guys to join it people can tell you I
1:26:54	the time I love you sweater and it's like i'm looking it
1:26:57	think code unless wait is this
1:27:01	Howard people disseminating information and to see
1:27:04	Lake the barricade for a link past at saddened I
1:27:09	I see enough fun they have a Facebook page and then
1:27:13	we both at color pages thats that's enough for me I
1:27:17	get enough feedback there I am locked in an image 2 30 has virtual home you don't
1:27:20	know and I know I don't need a lot of feedback
1:27:24	a similar nature it's great to meet then we love going to Comic Con and and doing
1:27:28	signings and some good size of a mean fans
1:27:31	we really genuine genuinely love that stuff and we it's a nice
1:27:35	letters instead by like um that's a whole nother job honestly like
1:27:40	if your gonna really keep up with a reflection and action yes it's a lot of
1:27:43	work
1:27:44	yeah but I just am NOT hard enough time like
1:27:47	responding to like emails from my family and friends
1:27:50	and work emails blitzer's I'm terrible like I've
1:27:54	so overwhelmed with it like the idea like seeking out
1:27:57	tons and comments in messages I just don't have the
1:28:01	boots the energy or the stomach him TV is it destroy him you
1:28:06	I'm so sorry it is it's really hard people voted for him
1:28:11	thank you guys for making the time to be shared yeah I really appreciate I'm glad
1:28:15	we finally got to sit and ice Ravena
1:28:17	kira is great I'm enjoying hot a bit the finale is on this Friday hitting
1:28:21	on all the years all these platforms are you can watch and go watch all the
1:28:25	series you guys you're gonna love it
1:28:26	thank you thank you
1:28:30	now leading noticed dot com
1:28:33	text home

Participants

Persons Interviewed Bryan Konietzko Michael Dante DiMartino

Persons Interviewing Aristotle Acevedo

Origin

Nerdist Writers Panel #154: Legend of Korra/Avatar: The Last Airbender