Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Company logo as of 2009
Industry	Animation
Founded	1990 (1990) (as Games Animation) 1998 (1998) (as Nickelodeon Animation Studios)
Founder(s)	Vanessa Coffey Mary Harrington
Headquarters	Studio City, Los Angeles, USA (1990–1998) Burbank, California, USA (1998–present)
Products	Animated television series
Parent	Nickelodeon and Viacom Media Networks
Divisions	Nickelodeon Creative Advertising

The Nickelodeon Animation Studio is an American animation studio. The studio is owned and operated by Nickelodeon, and the studio produces many of the network's most popular animated series, including SpongeBob SquarePants, The Fairly OddParents, Planet Sheen, and T.U.F.F. Puppy. It also produces productions for Nicktoons as well.

The Nickelodeon animation division foundations begin with the creation of three original animated programs in 1991, Doug, Rugrats and The Ren & Stimpy Show. After a falling-out with Ren & Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi in 1992, Nickelodeon founded Games Animation to produce future animated endeavors, including their first fully in-house series Rocko's Modern Life. Games produced much of the mid-1990s output of the network, in partnership with notable companies such as Frederator Studios. In 1998, the studio moved from Studio City, California to Burbank in celebration of a new facility, and was renamed the Nickelodeon Animation Studio.

Aside from Nickelodeon, the studio has also produced cartoon series for Nick Jr. and Nicktoons Network.

History

1991–1998: Games Animation

Games Animation logo used on early episodes of Hey Arnold!.

The Nickelodeon Animation Studio's earliest beginnings lie in the roots of the channel's Nicktoons endeavor. In 1990, Nickelodeon appointed Vanessa Coffey as Executive Producer of Animation, charging her with the quest of seeking out new characters and stories that would allow the channel a grand entrance into the animation business. The high cost of high-quality animation discouraged the network from developing weekly animated programming. Although most television networks at the time tended to go to large animation houses with proven track records to develop Saturday-morning series, often generally pre-sold characters from movies, toys or comics, Nickelodeon desired differently. Inspired by the early days of animation and the work of Bob Clampett, Tex Avery and Chuck Jones, Nickelodeon set out to find frustrated cartoonists swallowed up by the studio system. Nickelodeon president Geraldine Laybourne commissioned eight six-minute pilots at a cost of $100,000 each before selecting three. Seeking the most innovative talents in the field, the products of this artists' union – Doug, Rugrats and The Ren & Stimpy Show – represented twelve years of budget-building toward that end.

However, despite the best efforts, relations became strained with Ren & Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi. In fall 1992, Nickelodeon and Vanessa Coffey fired Kricfalusi. Nickelodeon asserted that the termination was due to production delays, whereas Kricfalusi suspected the real reason was that the network was uncomfortable with more crude humor. Nickelodeon objected to most of his proposed plotlines and new characters—including George Liquor, an Archie Bunker-ish "All-American Male." After Kricfalusi and Nickelodeon missed several promised new-episode delivery and air dates, the network—which had purchased the rights to the Ren & Stimpy characters from Kricfalusi—negotiated a settlement with him. The creative tug of war was closely watched by both animators and the television industry and covered in the national press.

In response, Nickelodeon formed its own animation studio, Games Animation. The series was moved to Games and put under the creative supervision of Bob Camp, one of Kricfalusi's former writer-director partners. Nick's plan was to hire bright, young animators and let them do almost anything they want. Coffey soon stepped down as animation vice president for Nickelodeon, to pursue her own projects. She was replaced by Mary Harrington, a Nickelodeon producer who moved out from New York to help run the Nicktoons division that was a near-shambles after Kricfalusi was fired.

In 1992, animator Joe Murray was approached by Nickelodeon with intentions of developing a new animated series for Games Animation. Murray's Joe Murray Productions and Games Animation rented office space on Ventura Boulevard in the Studio City neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. The production moved to a different office building on Vineland Avenue in Studio City. Executives did not share space with the creative team. Games Animation's first in-house production, Rocko's Modern Life, premiered on the network in 1993.

The initial duty was to continue producing The Ren & Stimpy Show as Nickelodeon dropped Spümcø and its creator John Kricfalusi from their duties on the show. At the time, Games was located in an office building in Studio City, California. Apart from The Ren & Stimpy Show, Nickelodeon's other Nicktoons were done out-of-house at Jumbo Pictures (whose next deal with Nickelodeon would be a live-action/puppet series Allegra's Window for Nick Jr.) in New York City and Klasky-Csupo (who entered mainstream popularity as animation producers from Fox's longest-running animated sitcom The Simpsons from 1987 to 1992 when animation production duties were given to Film Roman, as well as Everett Peck's Duckman which was produced by Nickelodeon's sister company Paramount Television and aired on USA Network in 1994 through 1997).

Games Animation never had an official logo. Instead, every show the studio worked on had its own customized Games Animation logo. In 1993, Nickelodeon greenlit its first fully original in-house series, Rocko's Modern Life, produced by Games Animation with partnership of Joe Murray Studio. Games worked on the show for three years and employed over 70 people during the course of its run. The show was cancelled in 1996 by Nickelodeon due to its creator Joe Murray wanting to spend more time with his family. Following the cancellation, Games Animation produced the pilot of Hey Arnold!, along with its first 2 seasons.

1998–present: Nickelodeon Animation Studios

In 1996, Albie Hecht, then-president of Film and TV Entertainment for Nickelodeon, met with Nickelodeon artists for a brainstorming session on the elements of their ideal studio, and, with their feedback (and some inspiration from the fabled Willy Wonka chocolate factory), created "a playful, inspirational and cutting edge lab which will hopefully give birth to the next generation of cartoon classics." He added, "For me this building is the physical manifestation of a personal dream, which is that when people think of cartoons, they'll say Nicktoons." Nickelodeon and parent company Viacom threw a bash to celebrate the opening of the new Nicktoons animation studio on March 4, 1998. During the launch party, a gathering of union labor supporters formed a picket line to protest Nickelodeon's independent hiring practices outside the studio's iron gates.

Located at 231 West Olive Avenue in Burbank, California, the 72,000-square-foot (6,700 m²) facility, designed by Los Angeles architecture firm AREA, houses 200–300 employees and up to five simultaneous productions. It also contains a miniature golf course (with a hole dedicated to Walt Disney), an indoor basketball course/screening room, an artists' gallery, a studio store, and a fountain that shoots green water into the air. The Nicktoons studio houses five, project driven production units. Each has its own color and design environment and includes a living room, writer's lounge and storyboard conference room. The studio also has a Foley stage (for recording live sound effects), a post-production area, sound editing and mixing rooms and an upstairs loft area with skylights for colorists.

In September 1999, Nickelodeon opened a major new digital animation studio at 1633 Broadway in Manhattan. The New York studio primarily took over production of Nick Jr. animated properties. At the same time, the Los Angeles facility animated the intro for The Amanda Show.

It was reported in 2005 that the studio was up for sale; this was later corrected, as the owner of the building was selling it.

List of Nickelodeon Animation Studio productions

This list is according to Nickelodeon Animation Studio's production time on the series, and some (ex: Ren & Stimpy) may have began production with an earlier company but continued under Nick. Multiple notable Klasky Csupo programs such as Rugrats are omitted as they were more in partnership with Nickelodeon than the Nickelodeon Animation Studio (these are also unmentioned under the "Shows" category on the studio's official website). Made-for-television movies also are unmentioned. The name "Nickelodeon Animation Studio", unlike its predecessor, appears nowhere on their productions. Space is given often for the co-producers and the Nickelodeon or Nicktoons logo. A different company, Nickelodeon Productions, was also credited on a number of cartoons not produced by the Nickelodeon Animation Studio, such as KaBlam! or Pelswick.

TV series

Nickelodeon (Nicktoons)

Title	Produced	Co-Production	Notes
Rugrats	1991-2004	Klasky Csupo	Winner of 4 Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Animated Program, Outstanding Animated Children's Program, Outstanding in Animation and Outstanding Children's Animated Program.
Doug	1991-1994	Jumbo Pictures, Cartoon Pizza
The Ren & Stimpy Show	1991–1996	Spumco
Rocko's Modern Life	1993–1996	Joe Murray Productions	Winner of an Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Film Sound Editing.
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters	1994-1997	Klasky Csupo
Hey Arnold!	1996–2004	Snee-Oosh, Inc.
The Angry Beavers	1997–2001	Gunther-Wahl Productions Inc.	Winner of an Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Editing - Special Class.
CatDog	1998–2004	Peter Hannan Productions
SpongeBob SquarePants	1999–present	United Plankton Pictures	Winner of an Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Animated Program. Longest running (and currently running) Nicktoon.
Rocket Power	1999-2004	Klasky Csupo
Pelswick	2000-2002	Hong Ying Animation and distributed by Nelvana
The Fairly OddParents	2001–present	Frederator Studios, Billionfold, Inc.	Winner of 2 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing - Live Action and Animation, Outstanding Individual in Animation - Storyboard and Winner of Emmy Awards for Outstanding Individual in Animation - Character Design.
Invader Zim	2001–2002		Winner of an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual in Animation - Storyboard.
ChalkZone	2002–2005	Frederator Studios
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius	2002-2006	O Entertainment, DNA Productions
My Life as a Teenage Robot	2003–2006,2008-2009	Frederator Studios	Winner of an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual in Animation - Background Stylist.
All Grown Up	2003-2008	Klasky Cuspo
Danny Phantom	2004–2007	Billionfold, Inc.
Avatar: The Last Airbender	2005–2008		Winner of an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual in Animation.
Catscratch	2005–2007
The X's	2005–2006
El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera	2007–2008	Mexopolis	Winner of 5 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual in Animation - character design, production design, storyboard, character design and Outstanding Directing in an Animated Program.
Tak and the Power of Juju	2007–2008	THQ	Winner of an Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Editing - Live Action and Animation.
Back at the Barnyard	2007–2011	Omation Animation Studio	Winner of 2 Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Special Class Animated Program and Outstanding Writing in Animation.
The Mighty B!	2008–2011	Paper Kite Productions, Polka Dot Pictures	Winner of an Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual in Animation - Background Key Design.
Fanboy and Chum Chum	2009–2012	Frederator Studios	Winner of 5 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual in Animation - background layout design, character design, Outstanding Directing in an Animated Program of 2009-2010 and Outstanding Special Class Animated Program.
Planet Sheen	2010–2012	Omation Animation Studio
T.U.F.F. Puppy	2010–present	Billionfold, Inc.	Winner of 2 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual in Animation - Background Paint and character design.
The Legend of Korra	2012–present	Ginormous Madman
Robot and Monster	2012-present	Smasho! Productions, Lowbar Productions
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles	2012-present	Mirage Studios

Nick Jr.

Title	Produced	Co-Production
Dora the Explorer	2000–present
Go, Diego, Go!	2005–2011
Ni Hao, Kai-Lan	2008–2012	HarringToons Productions

Nicktoons Network

Title	Produced	Co-Production
Nicktoons Film Festival	2004–2009	Frederator Studios
Random! Cartoons	2008–2009	Frederator Studios
Making Fiends	2008	DQ Entertainment and Cyber Chicken

Films

Films

Title	Produced	Co-Production
The Rugrats Movie	1998	Klasky Csupo
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie	2000	Klasky Csupo
Hey Arnold!: The Movie	2002	Snee-Oosh, Inc.
The Wild Thornberrys Movie	2002	Klasky Csupo
Rugrats Go Wild!	2003	Klasky Csupo
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie	2004	United Plankton Pictures
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie 2	2014	United Plankton Pictures and Paramount Animation

See also

• Cartoon Network Studios, the animation division of Cartoon Network
• Disney Television Animation, the animation division of Disney Channel

External links

• Nickelodeon Animation Studio official site
• Nickelodeon Animation Studio at the Internet Movie Database