CONNOR AND SPARKY, ROLL OUT!

 

Tomorrow evening starting at 7:30pm, our newest production "The Connor and Sparky Show!" simultaneously debuts on American television both on Cartoon Network and Boomerang. And I couldn't be prouder of any achievement in which I've been lucky enough to be included.  Every show is the result of seemingly Herculean effort, and this show is no exception.

Kristen Takayoshi and I got together in October 1999 and decided then and there that we would form an animation company called Kearplax Entertainment Group. We would specialize in animted media starting with TV, and hopefully moving onto merch, and movies. Right now it's hard to imagine just how many hours, days, months, years we've spent just talking to each other willing this thing into existence, but as our first debut (there will be others), as with most everything it seems like it went by in seconds. I have had a lot of partners over the years and a lot of successes (and failures) with them, but Kristen has been one of the most best and determined partners I've ever been fortunate enough to have on my side. Thanks Kris, it's been a great ride.

Here, in much more space than usual, is my personal list of the thanks to many TCASS colleagues. And I'm probably sure I'm missing someone; please know it was for no reason other than my own clumsiness. Thank you all.

Ted Green and John Hyde were the people at IDT Entertainment who believed in the long term vision of quality and success that Kristen and I were pitching, even before we had our first creative project. They convinced their bosses, their colleagues, and their employees we were not the typical raving lunatic producers, and that we could actually deliver on what we were promising. And with all the promises, pitches, and producers that exist in the world, that was no small task; thank you forever guys. As Ted moved on to other ventures, John continued to support us and our abilities. Here's to a great future together.

Scott Greenberg runs the Film Roman/IDT operation for John Hyde, and I must say I've never had a more supportive and enthusiastic collaborator. He understands whatever one explains clearly, he supports our creative and production staff while always believing in the ways we can integrate with his word-class team. As our episodes have finished, his teammate Alisha Serold has come on to integrate our marketing efforts and her infectiousness has spread to the entire IDT International team.

Madaleine Levesque is the empress of television programming in Canada. Actually, she oversees TELETOON. and has built TELETOON'S operation into the most powerful platform in Canada. From the first time I approached her about working together she's been the kind of executive that producers dream about happily. Supportive, clear, and firm when situations demand she's the ideal. And from the first time she walked out of our's office in five minutes (I thought the meeting must've been a disaster, it was so short) and said "Go!" to TCASS it's been smooth sailing. We have worked around each other since 2003, but this project is actually our first together. It was beyond worth the wait.

There is no way to thank each and every member of the TCASS crew, but let me tell you there is no better group one could wish for on a production. Every artist, every writer, every intern, everyone is talented, skillful, and dedicated. Believe me, the show would not have the quality is does without them. From Renegade in Glendale, Boulder in Dublin, Top Draw in the Philippines, Studio B, and Fatkat in Canada led us into what was for us the wild, almost unknown world of Flash production. 

Thanks to all, sincerely, for a great, quality production. Here's to Season 2!

-Avery