Rebecca Sugar Is Cartoon Network’s First Solo Woman Show Creator – by Amid Amidi
I don’t know how I missed this press release, but last month, Cartoon Network announced that they will produce two new series: Peter Browngardt’s Uncle Grandpa, based on a popular pilot of the same name that Browngardt made a few years ago, and Rebecca Sugar’s Steven Universe.
The latter announcement is particularly significant for an ignominious reason: this marks the first time in Cartoon Network’s twenty-year history that they have greenlit a children’s entertainment series created by a solo woman creator. It’s a little too early to start celebrating the fact that Cartoon Network is producing a show by a woman, but it does represent a baby step in the right direction.
Sugar is also among the new generation of creators who established a reputation online before attracting the attention of the animation industry. Contrast this to the path of animation creators past (Seth MacFarlane, Genndy Tartakovsky, John Kricfalusi) when artists remained largely anonymous to the public before being made famous by their shows. It’s a turning point in animation culture—artists no longer need the reach of a network to establish a fanbase, and further, networks now mostly react to trending artists instead of launch new careers.
Tag: TVWriter.Com
Today’s TV Writing Deals Dept: 10/8/12
Insert unappreciated writer joke here and move on to:
- Krista Vernoff (GREY’S ANATOMY) is writing and producing a musical dramedy about a top songwriter specializing in love songs even though she’s unlucky in love for NBC. (Cuz the network knows we all want to watch shows about people doing better than we are. Or about people doing worse. Talk about covering all the bases.)
- Kate Walsh (PRIVATE PRACTICE) & Chris Case (RETIRED AT 35) are co-writing what’s described as a “semi-autobiographical comedy for NBC…even though neither of them is a recently divorced father who falls in love with a cop who has little experience with kids. (Isn’t it fun watching TV destroy the value of language!?)
- Alex Gansa & Howard Gordon (HOMELAND)have a deal for ANATOMY OF VIOLENCE, an FBI series, at CBS. (Based on a neurological study by Adrian Raine which, according to Amazon.Com, has nothing in common with the series except for the title…and attitude. (Time now to ponder what purpose words can possibly have after they lose all meaning.)
- Hilary Winston (MY NAME IS EARL) is writing the pilot for BAD TEACHER, a sitcom adaptation of the not-so-successful feature that starred Cameron Diaz for CBS. (Figuring what? that without Cameron Diaz it might succeed?)
- Nancy Miller (SAVING GRACE) is adapting the hit Mexican telenovela TERESA for ABC. (Because we all know anything original might be risky. (EDITED TO ADD: …even though SAVING GRACE was one of the best risks any network ever took.)
(ALSO EDITED TO ADD: Um, no, we didn’t mean that the joke wouldn’t be unappreciated but that it should be about writers who are unappreciated. Sheesh!)
For Whovians Only
The most important thing you’ll read today:
Hands On With The Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver Universal Remote [Review]- by SEAN FALLON
Specifications:
Inspiration by Any Other Name is Still Something All Creators Need
Why do these otherwise helpful articles have to be so damn pompous:
Priming Your Creativity – by Michael Michalko
Your creative thinking performance can be primed with certain images and pictures.
The Hudsonian Sees BEN & KATE
Ben and Kate’s Debut Is Le Pew
by Josh Hudson
This FOX comedy pilot originally aired on September 25, 2012 and is a new staple at 8:30 EST on FOX’s Tuesday comedy lineup. I’m with you. I don’t know why either.