Friday, July 02, 2021

The Barbarian and the Troll | Cast & Crew Interviews | Nickelodeon

Enjoy a selection of interviews with the cast and crew of Nickelodeon's brand new puppet comedy series The Barbarian and the Troll! Tune into all new episodes, Fridays at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT, only on Nickelodeon! Click here for more info!


From BSCKids:

Sydney Mikayla And Tristan Allerick Chen Talk The Barbarian and the Troll – Exclusive Interviews

The Barbarian and the Troll is an amazing show and we were lucky enough to get some time with Sydney Mikayla and Tristan Allerick Chen to talk about the show with them.

Sydney Mikayla (General Hospital, The Gabby Douglas Story) voices the role of Olivia, a confident, no nonsense 12-year-old who through the Gothmorian Forest with a fierce old goat named Helen. Tristan Allerick Chen voices Kendar, Brendar’s optimistic and wide-eyed younger brother who was captured by an evil demon when he was 6 years old.

Let us get into the interviews with Sydney and Tristan below:

Photo Cred: Tim Schaeffer Photography @timschaefferphoto

BSCKids: Tell us a bit about your character on The Barbarian and the Troll?

Sydney Mikayla: I play Olivia in The Barbarian and the Troll. Olivia is a no-nonsense, confident young girl we meet in the forest. Her honesty and sarcasm are what make her so fun to play, and she’ll definitely have the audience laughing.

How did you get the role and what did you think when you read about what the show was going to be about?

My fabulous agents submitted me for the role and when I got the audition I studied Olivia’s lines, tried out some different voices on my own, then submitted the audition from my home studio. When I first read about the show, I wondered if it might be the typical princess and prince story, but it’s nothing like that! Instead, it’s a fun way to incorporate puppetry, comedy, and storytelling in a way audiences have probably never seen before.

How do you explain to your friends what the show is about? How would you explain your character and what your character adds to the show?

I would tell my friends the show is about a troll named Evan who wants to become a musician, and meets a barbarian named Brendar. Together, the two go on a quest to conquer a demon. I think Olivia provides Evan with some much needed honesty and that will hopefully help him to achieve his ultimate goal.

How is it working with Spencer Grammer and Drew Massey? From the episodes we have seen everyone works so well together, why do you think everyone meshed so well?

Unfortunately because of COVID-19, I had to record remotely so I didn’t get to work with them in person. But I am so excited to be a part of the project because they both have such amazing credits. Fun fact, my mom actually worked with Drew for a few years on Sid the Science Kid, and I remember going up to Jim Henson Studios to watch them work. So it’s really cool that now I get to work on a project that Drew helped create. I’m hoping to do more episodes of The Barbarian and the Troll and get the chance to work with everyone again.

Anything funny that has happened while the cameras were off that you can tell us about?

I found out the director of The Barbarian and the Troll, Mike Mitchell, also directed one of my favorite movies. I don’t know if that was as funny as it was a major shock!

Why do you feel like this show works so well with puppets?

I think the directors, actors, and puppeteers really make the puppetry work amazing. During the recording session, I watched the puppets on screen and had to sync my voice with the actions of the puppets and puppeteers. It was so interesting as an actor to work this way, and I think the audience will enjoy watching this show as much I did performing in it.

What other Nickelodeon show would you love to guest star on as your character?

I think that Olivia would be great on SpongeBob. She could keep the Krusty Krab in check, and make sure the Krabby Patty formula stays safe.

Tell us something people would be surprised to learn about you?

People will be surprised to learn I wear size 11 shoes!

Why should everyone tune in to watch Nickelodeon’s The Barbarian and the Troll?

COVID-19 has been tough for all of us. Tune into The Barbarian and the Troll to have a good laugh, forget about your problems, and enjoy spending time with the whole family!

Photo Cred: Joanna Garel Photography

BSCKids: Tell us a bit about your character on The Barbarian and the Troll?

Tristan Allerick Chen: Kendar is a very optimistic person who has been stuck in a dungeon for a long time and when he steps out into the world, he is in awe of everything around him.

How did you get the role and what did you think when you read about what the show was going to be about?

I have an amazing agency who I signed with at the beginning of the pandemic. Melissa Berger Brennan is so supportive and they all get me lots of opportunities for wonderful roles like this. It’s refreshing to see something so unique. I like the idea that it’s all puppets set in realistic environments.

How do you explain to your friends what the show is about? How would you explain your character and what your character adds to the show?

It’s an adventure show focusing on a strong female character in a quest to find her brother who was kidnapped as a child. Kendar adds a sense of mystery throughout the show. Finding him is the main goal of the show so far, so it’s really exciting to see it all unfold.

How is it working with Spencer Grammer and Drew Massey? From the episodes we have seen everyone works so well together, why do you think everyone meshed so well?

I’m in a booth by myself when I voice Kendar’s character because of the pandemic, but everyone on Zoom was super chill and there to have a good time while creating a fun show. They really put me at ease.

Why do you feel like this show works so well with puppets?

The puppets are a perfect blend between animation and live-action. They have the same type of energy as animated characters but it’s still somewhat grounded in reality since the puppets are real.

What other Nickelodeon show would you love to guest star on as your character?

I would love Kendar to guest star in the show SpongeBob SquarePants because it would be a wacky encounter and really fun to see the characters try to teach him a little bit about the world outside the dungeon.

Tell us something people would be surprised to learn about you.

I love playing piano and composing my own music. Singing helps me focus but not so much for the people around me because I’m loud. I’m very, very loud.

Why should everyone tune in to watch Nickelodeon’s The Barbarian and the Troll?

Everyone should tune in to Nickelodeon’s The Barbarian and the Troll because it’s a really funny, fun and clever show that always leaves you wanting more. And I’m in it sooooo….that’s good too!

Special thanks to Sydney Mikayla And Tristan Allerick Chen for taking the time out of their schedule to talk The Barbarian and the Troll. The quest is yet to come in Nickelodeon’s all-new live-action puppet comedy series, The Barbarian and the Troll, premiering Friday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

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Hot Premiere: The Barbarian and The Troll

Gilbert Flores/Broadimage

Co-Creator and Executive Producer Mike Mitchell (Trolls, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part) celebrates the premiere of The Barbarian and the Troll Tuesday night at Nickelodeon’s drive-in screening premiere at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. He was joined by the series stars themselves, Evan the Troll and Brendar the Barbarian, who greeted guests at they drove in for the exclusive screening & experience.

The quest is yet to come in Nickelodeon’s all-new live-action puppet comedy series, The Barbarian and the Troll. The series follows Evan, a bridge troll in search of adventure, and Brendar, a fierce female warrior on a quest to defeat the evil demon who has imprisoned her brother.

Drive in / Gilbert Flores/Broadimage

The Barbarian and the Troll premieres Friday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.

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Inside ‘The Barbarian And The Troll’ (Exclusive) | Access

 
Access Hollywood got the exclusive inside scoop about the new Nickelodeon’s new live-action puppet comedy series, “The Barbarian and the Troll,” which premieres April 2, at 7:30PM ET/PT. Creators Mike Mitchell and Drew Massey spoke with Access about the series and what fans can expect to see. Production assistance provided by Peach Hill Media/Status PR.

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From The Beat:

REVIEW: Nickelodeon puppet comedy THE BARBARIAN AND THE TROLL guaranteed to entertain kids and adults

Premieres tonight, at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT)

Puppetry in children’s entertainment is often seen as a throwback to a bygone era. That’s not to say that puppetry as an art form has completely disappeared but it’s nowhere near as prevalent in kid shows as it was when I was growing up in the ‘90s. I fondly remember enjoying the colorful felt characters on Eureeka’s Castle and Weinerville on Nickelodeon, the channel that has come to be known as “The First Kids Network.” Appealing to modern youth sensibilities is the challenge faced then by Nickelodeon’s new puppet comedy show The Barbarian and the Troll.

Set in the fantasy world of Gothmoria, the series follows Brendar and Evan, the eponymous barbarian warrior princess and troll respectively, as they encounter magical and wacky characters on their epic quest to vanquish the evil demon that has imprisoned Brendar’s brother. The show is the creation of Mike Mitchell and Drew Massey both of whom boast impressive credentials. For the last three decades Massey, who also does double duty voicing and performing Evan the troll, has showcased his talents as a puppeteer on acclaimed productions, perhaps most famously The Muppets. Mitchell meanwhile is a CalArts alumnus with an eclectic resume working in the fields of both animation and live-action in various capacities but typically as a director. Despite divergent career paths, Mitchell and Massey have remained friends and colleagues for years and this show is the passion project combining the skills of two creative minds at the top of their game.

Pictured: Drew Massey and Mike Mitchell © Gilbert Flores/Broadimage Nickelodeon’s “The Barbarian and The Troll” Series Premiere Drive-in Screening 3/30/21, Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena CA, United States of America

There’s a tendency in children’s media to talk down to kids. Thankfully that’s not the case with this show. In fact, there are a number of jokes and references that are more than likely to go over the heads of the younger viewers. Take for instance Evan’s line, “I’ve got 99 problems but a bridge ain’t one.” I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that the majority of Nickelodeon viewers weren’t even alive when that Ice-T song came out, much less pick up on the allusion. The show’s humor is very reminiscent at times of Dreamworks Animation films, not surprising given Mitchell’s past work in various Dreamworks productions most notably the Shrek films. It’s a delicate balance to entertain both children and adults while not completely alienating either, one that Barbarian and the Troll deftly navigates.

Apparently the creators retitled the show from the originally announced Brendar the Barbarian when they realized early on the popularity of plucky troll, Evan. At first glance, Evan appears to fill the archetypical “bumbling sidekick” role to the heroic Brendar. A tried and true formula that could easily go wrong, but it isn’t played just for laughs. Massey brings depth and nuance to the character I certainly wasn’t anticipating from a puppet comedy. Evan’s frustration with his predestined station in life as a bridge troll and his desire to become a musician that alienates him from his troll king father has calls to mind Hermey the Elf from that timeless Rudolph Christmas special. It’s a universal theme that will undoubtedly strike a chord with Millennials at this particular point in time when everyone feels stuck and has to put their dreams on hold. Between Baby Yoda Grogu last year and now Evan, I never guessed I would be affected so deeply by two different puppets. I would not at all be surprised to see Evan plush dolls flying off the shelves come this holiday season.

While Evan is the textbook definition of “adorkable,” Brendar (voiced by Spencer Grammer) is the complete opposite. In Parks & Rec terms she’s the Ron Swanson to Evan’s Leslie Knope, an apt comparison since Brendar does share similar qualities with Swanson such as hilarious deadpan delivery and a no-nonsense personality. Not wearing her emotions on her sleeves in contrast to Evan certainly gives Brendar a Mandalorian-esque aura that may make it a bit difficult for the audience to connect with the character at least initially. However, a running gag of her “absurdly complex backstory” yet to be revealed hints at deeper layers that will be uncovered slowly as the show progresses, not dissimilar to the Mandalorian.

The early episodes also scratch the surface of the budding friendship between Brendar and Evan that is very much akin to an older sister/younger brother relationship. I can’t help but sense an underlying found family theme at the heart of the show very much in the same vein as the recent DuckTales reboot.

Going into The Barbarian and the Troll, I expected simple stand-alone episodic stories that were loosely interconnected. So I was a bit taken aback to discover the series is serialized, a format which has only grown more prominent in children’s media thanks in no small part to the advent of streaming. The implementation of more sophisticated storytelling further illustrates how Massey and Mitchell don’t feel the need to dumb down the show and know young viewers have enough savvy to keep up with the narrative.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the music of the show, specifically Evan’s uplifting and peppy songs. I can only hope Nickelodeon plans to release the songs as part of a digital album in the near future because if not then it’s a huge missed opportunity.

After watching the first episode, I was reminded of a scene from the Jim Henson Company produced sitcom Dinosaurs in which the matriarch Fran Sinclair criticizes her husband Earl for enjoying a sock puppet show. Earl retorts, “Yeah, you’d think that because they’re puppets – so the show seems to have a children’s aesthetic,” before a brilliant meta turn directly to the camera and further adding, “Yet the dialogue is unquestionably sharp-edged, witty and thematically skewed to adults.” That perfectly encapsulates the genius of The Barbarian and the Troll. Do yourself a favor and tune into what may possibly be, at least in my opinion, the next big thing for Nickelodeon.

The Barbarian and the Troll premieres tonight, at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon

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'The Barbarian and the Troll': Inside Nickelodeon's New Action-Adventure Series! (Exclusive)


ET takes you inside the drive-in premiere for Nickelodeon's newest series, 'The Barbarian and the Troll,' held Tuesday night at the iconic Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Series creator Mike Mitchell interviews the show's titular troll, Evan, all about the new action-adventure program, which premieres Friday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on Nickelodeon. Evan shares his must-have essentials for a quest, like he takes on the show, and gushes over his friendship with Brendar, the Barbarian. Video courtesy of Peach Hill Media / STATUS PR.

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Nickelodeon's The Barbarian and the Troll Star Sydney Mikayla Interview - Alexisjoyvipaccess


Get ready for a whole lot of epic adventures and medieval magnificence in Nickelodeon's highly-anticipated, new series, "The Barbarian and the Troll" bringing all the excitement to our TV screens on Friday, April 2nd at 7:30 PM ET / PT! Brendar, the "feared and revered barbarian," and Evan the troll are welcoming viewers into the world of Gothmoria in this unique and truly spectacular, live-action, puppet comedy series. Co-created and executive-produced by Mike Mitchell (Trolls, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part) and Drew Massey (Mutt & Stuff, Sid the Science Kid), "The Barbarian and the Troll" (formerly Brendar the Barbarian), follows Evan, a bridge troll who is just yearning for adventure, and Brendar, the admirable, female warrior on a quest to defeat the evil demon who has imprisoned her brother. This brilliant series will bring a fresh, notable and unparalleled take to Nickelodeon's bustling family of live-action series.

Alexisjoyvipaccess had a wonderful time interviewing "The Barbarian and the Troll" star Sydney Mikayla all about what it was like for her working on this stellar series, what her favorite part is about voicing the role of her character, what kind of exciting adventure she would like to see her character go on next and so much more only in our VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE interview. Mikayla even revealed what modern day item she would like to bring to the medieval world of Gothmoria - hear what she had to say in our VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE interview.

Check out my VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE interview with Sydney Mikayla! It's time to go on a quest of a lifetime and enter in a land filled with wizards, trolls and goblins in Nickelodeon's extraordinary series, "The Barbarian and the Troll" premiering on Friday, April 2nd at 7:30 PM ET / PT. You don't want to miss out on all of the fun - be sure to tune in to the sensational premiere!

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Nickelodeon's The Barbarian and the Troll Star Tristan Allerick Chen Interview - Alexisjoyvipaccess


Get ready for a whole lot of epic adventures and medieval magnificence in Nickelodeon's highly-anticipated, new series, "The Barbarian and the Troll" bringing all the excitement to our TV screens on Friday, April 2nd at 7:30 PM ET / PT! Brendar, the "feared and revered barbarian," and Evan the troll are welcoming viewers into the world of Gothmoria in this unique and truly spectacular, live-action, puppet comedy series. Co-created and executive-produced by Mike Mitchell (Trolls, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part) and Drew Massey (Mutt & Stuff, Sid the Science Kid), "The Barbarian and the Troll" (formerly Brendar the Barbarian), follows Evan, a bridge troll who is just yearning for adventure, and Brendar, the admirable, female warrior on a quest to defeat the evil demon who has imprisoned her brother. This brilliant series will bring a fresh, notable and unparalleled take to Nickelodeon's bustling family of live-action series.

Alexisjoyvipaccess had a wonderful time interviewing "The Barbarian and the Troll" star Tristan Allerick Chen all about what it was like for him working on this stellar series, what his favorite part is about voicing the role of his character, what kind of exciting adventure he would like to see his character go on next and so much more only in our VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE interview. Chen even revealed what modern day item he would like to bring to the medieval world of Gothmoria - hear what he had to say in our VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE interview.

Check out my VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE interview with Tristan Allerick Chen! It's time to go on a quest of a lifetime and enter in a land filled with wizards, trolls and goblins in Nickelodeon's extraordinary series, "The Barbarian and the Troll" premiering on Friday, April 2nd at 7:30 PM ET / PT. You don't want to miss out on all of the fun - be sure to tune in to the sensational premiere!

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From The Beat:

INTERVIEW: THE BARBARIAN AND THE TROLL creators on making a puppet comedy during the pandemic

The quest is yet to come!


Nickelodeon’s new puppet comedy show The Barbarian and the Troll has arrived. The series follows Evan, a bridge troll in search of adventure, and Brendar, a fierce female warrior on a quest to defeat the evil demon who has imprisoned her brother. In the premiere of The Barbarian and the Troll, Evan the troll decides to burn his bridge and venture out into the world of Gothmoria for the first time to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a singer.  He soon meets Brendar, who had been expelled from the Royal Order of Warrior Princesses and is now known as a “feared and revered” barbarian.  After Evan convinces Brendar to bring him on her quest to vanquish the evil demon, they cross treacherous terrain to confront bizarre and magical creatures and encounter an eclectic puppet cast of wacky characters.

Last Tuesday, March 30th Nickelodeon hosted a special drive-in screening premiere of The Barbarian and the Troll at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. Series Co-Creators and Executive Producers, Mike Mitchell and Drew Massey (who also performs Evan the troll) were in attendance and answered questions submitted by The Beat ahead of time.


Watch The Beat’s exclusive chat with Mitchell and Massey about their professional and personal relationship over the past three decades, what went into changing the original show’s title, and the experience working on the show during the pandemic for the past year. Be sure to read The Beat‘s review of the series here.

Also check out the photo images below from the drive-in premiere by © Gilbert Flores/Broadimage.


Watch The Barbarian and the Troll on Nickelodeon

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Sydney Makayla talks new Nickelodeon series, animation success


Actress Sydney Makayla is preparing for her role as Olivia on the new Nickelodeon live-action puppet series The Barbarian and The Troll.

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From CBR:

The Barbarian & The Troll: Spencer Grammer Fell in Love With Playing a Puppet

Spencer Grammer discusses the new Nickelodeon series The Barbarian & The Troll and her excitement to play a puppet.

Nickelodeon's new live-action puppet series The Barbarian & The Troll follows the adventures of Evan, a bridge troll, and Brendar, a warrior princess, after the two cross paths. During an exclusive interview with CBR, Rick & Morty's Spencer Grammer discussed taking on the role of Brendar the Barbarian and the joys of portraying a puppet.

Voicing the titular Barbarian of the series, Grammer was quick to reveal that "I've always wanted to be a puppet. I've always wanted to. I grew up in a time when that was very popular. Not just Sesame Street, but Fraggle Rock and I think Eureka's Castle, a bunch of shows, and I think the first movie I ever saw was actually The Never Ending Story in theaters. I miss that. You don't have a lot of [puppet shows] on television unless it's been for really little kids. So to have a show that's for a little bit of an older audience is really, really nice... The Muppets were so great. And I always think about Kermit the Frog as well. There are aspects of him I feel like are in Evan as well, those cute faces that he can make. It's so much fun."

For Grammer, the show's versatility and ability to skew to a slightly older audience is a real strength. "It'll be nice to recommend the show to my friends who have children. Where I don't have to give a disclaimer saying, 'Well, maybe you might want to wait until they're pre-teens or teenagers to watch it.' But I think it's also really entertaining for parents as well. It's got a lot of really great comedic timing and the old-school way of doing comedy."

Brendar is introduced to the series as a brash but confident warrior, skilled with a blade but exiled from her people due to her attitude. Reflecting on playing strong-willed characters, Grammer admitted, "That's just who I am. I think in general, I've always been really independent, and I think I had to play characters that weren't like that for so long because that wasn't necessarily how female characters were portrayed. So now that we have sort of this, I don't know, a renaissance of strong female characters, I'm being able to play closer to who I actually am."

"I have a lot of similarities with Brendar. She has a lot of issues with, like, feelings. She struggles with feelings and being close to people and making friendships -- and so there's a lot of that. I have that feeling too. I'm a bit of a hard worker, goal-oriented, love what I do, always have been career-oriented. Thank goodness I have my son because he really has made me a much more loving person. And so I identify with her a lot. It was very funny when some of the lines would come up, and the music goes up, where I was like, 'Oh, did you write this show for me?'"

"Brendar and I have a lot in common, but I welcome it. I'm so excited to be able to play a character like this and not only to play with it but to actually have people be able to see a female character who is strong and independent and not necessarily emotionally distraught about what's going on. She just gets her job done, and she's generally keeping everybody in line, which is great. I can't wait to meet everybody. I haven't even got to meet everybody who works on all the other voices, but it's been really fun developing those relationships."

Teasing later episodes in the series, Grammer revealed that "there's also some, I would call them pocket episodes, where things happen in one location, which they had told me they had this inspiration. The writers were like, 'We want to write a Fraiser episode.' That was what I was told. And I was like, 'Oh my God, I totally see it.' So sometimes, I totally see what they're talking about. Sometimes there are aspects of all that comedy that we've built over the years."

Noting her connection with her father, Fraiser star Kelsey Grammer, Grammer said, "In some ways, I definitely think of my Dad's way of speaking. Oh, I'm going to do a little bit of my dad at this little part here. Because he, I mean, he's so brilliant. He has one of the most amazing voices, but I really... I grew up watching all of his work as well. It's allowed me to have a lot of that just sort of naturally built into my cadence and the way that I approach work. I thought that was super funny, and I totally saw the influence. It was so brilliant, and it allowed me to be very performative in that episode as well and show a different side of Brenda. When you get to it, you'll know what I'm talking about. I think it's hilarious. There's some really good stuff honestly."

The Barbarian and the Troll stars Spencer Grammer, Drew Massey, Colleen Smith, Allan Trautman, Sarah Sarang Oh, Nicolette Santino, Peggy Etra, James Murray, Jeny Cassady and Gina Yashere. The series is co-created by Mike Mitchell, who also serves as director, and Drew Massey on Nickelodeon.

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Nickelodeon’s “The Barbarian & The Troll” Series Premiere Drive-In Screening Highlights! | Just Jared Jr.



We talked to the titular troll from Nickelodeon's new show The Barbarian And The Troll


As they say on RuPaul’s Drag Race, “everybody loves puppets.” They’re often more charming than animation, more expressive than actors, and just all around cuter than almost anything else. All of those affects are put to good use in Nickelodeon’s new series The Barbarian And The Troll, which follows a young troll named Evan as he teams up with a “feared and revered” ex-princess named Brendar. Together the two set off on an epic quest inspired by Brendar’s search for vengeance and Evan’s search for the perfect song. It’s fun, witty, and charming, and can be enjoyed by kids, parents, and—frankly—adults who have absolutely no intention of having kids ever.

At a recent premiere event for the show, we caught up with Evan, as well as the show’s co-creators Mike Mitchell and Drew Massey. In the video above, the three talk the show’s genesis, troll hair tips, and Evan’s musical career.

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From CBR:

The Barbarian & The Troll Creators Open Up the Show's Origins & Scope

The Barbarian & The Troll creators Mike Mitchell and Drew Massey revealed why Nickelodeon is the perfect fit for the puppet-centric show.

The Barbarian and the Troll brings an entirely new fantasy realm to television audiences, focusing on the adventures of Brendar and Evan as they encounter magic, monsters and a world of excitement and danger. Boasting a massive cast of creative characters -- all in puppet-form -- the series is a lighthearted take on the fantasy story that has fun with the conventions of the genre while still embracing the elements that make it an endearing setting. During an interview with CBR, series creators Mike Mitchell and Drew Massey spoke about the conception of the show, what elements they're most excited for fans to see and just how many puppets were created for the show.

Massey revealed the earliest ideas for the show sprung from the conversations he and Mitchell shared about the kinds of stories they enjoyed. "This world came out of going to lunch a lot and coming up with ideas. [Mitchell] suggested a barbarian, I suggested a troll. They came together. We grew up on amazing fantasy movies that we wanted to combine with puppets into an amazing world, and that's what we tried to do. We grew up on amazing fantasy movies, that we wanted to combine with puppets into an amazing world, and that's what we tried to do." Mitchell added that "this show comes from [Massey] and I... our love for fantasy, puppets, music and action."


As to why Nickelodeon was the perfect home for the series, Mitchell pointed out that "Nickelodeon is very creator-driven. I went to school with Stephen Hillenburg [the creator of SpongeBob Squarepants], and they've done [Massey] and I the very same courtesy of letting us do our own thing... Nickelodeon is the perfect place for creative-driven shows."

Looking at what they hope audiences can take away from the show, Massey said, "I hope viewers take the humor of the show. I just hope it makes their day better. Like every great comedy series, I hope they just walk into the room, watch it for a bit and by the end of the day, it's been brightened."

"I hope viewers walk away with a newfound love and respect for puppets," Mitchell added, noting the sheer scope of the series.

"I think viewers are going to be surprised week to week at what we've achieved and put on screen," Massey said, reflecting on the ambitious nature of such a large puppet-centric series. "It's pretty cinematic, pretty epic. We designed over hundred-and-fifty puppet characters, so there are a lot of fun characters moving through the frame all the time." The pair also teased upcoming storylines featuring Brendar's mysterious past, as well as tricky Alvin the Demon.


Massey also spoke with CBR in-character as the bardic Evan, with the sweet-natured troll revealing that "my favorite kind of music has got to be lute music. Or anything the Dryads sing in my river. They have the voices of angels. Oh, and angels! They sing pretty well, too."

Considering the danger he's embarking on alongside his fellow adventurer Brendar the Barbarian -- who he called "pretty fearless. There might be a crack there, but I haven't found it yet" -- Evan has found himself consistently hopeful while on his travels: "The perfect day is one where I don't fall of anything or get caught in a spider web."

Looking back at his own favorite stories from when he was growing up, Evan also revealed that "I read a lot under my bridge. Those were the only adventures I could on -- through books. I liked pirate stories!"

Reflecting on what he would tell young music lovers who wish to follow in his footsteps, Evan said, "If you want to go out and be a musician instead of being a bridge toll taker -- number one, what are you doing taking tolls under a bridge in this realm? It seems like you have a lot of amenities that we don't... I say just do it. I couldn't help it. It's compulsive. I couldn't do anything BUT write music. Even while trying to take tolls under bridges. That's why I failed at the bridge thing."

The Barbarian and the Troll stars Spencer Grammer, Drew Massey, Colleen Smith, Allan Trautman, Sarah Sarang Oh, Nicolette Santino, Peggy Etra, James Murray, Jeny Cassady and Gina Yashere. The series is co-created by Mike Mitchell, who also serves as director, and Drew Massey on Nickelodeon.

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Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Nickelodeon’s New Puppet Comedy ‘The Barbarian & The Troll’ (Watch)
Celeb Secrets had the chance to meet Brendar and Evan before watching some episodes at a special drive-in screening!

A major quest is coming for Brendar and Evan as they are going on the biggest adventure of their lives in Nickelodeon‘s new live-action puppet series The Barbarian and the Troll!

The series, which airs new episodes every Friday night, follows Evan, a bridge troll in search of adventure, and Brendar, a fierce female warrior on a quest to defeat the evil demon who has imprisoned her brother.

To give you a rundown on what you can expect, Evan the troll decides to burn his bridge and venture out into the world of Gothmoria for the first time to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a singer. He soon meets Brendar, who had been expelled from the Royal Order of Warrior Princesses and is now known as a “feared and revered” barbarian.  After Evan convinces Brendar to bring him on her quest to vanquish the evil demon, they cross treacherous terrain to confront bizarre and magical creatures and encounter an eclectic puppet cast of wacky characters.

Without spoiling too much, we can tell you that between its witty humor, fun sing-along songs and valuable life lessons, The Barbarian and the Troll has something for everyone and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for Brendar and Evan in upcoming episodes.

[...]

To celebrate the premiere, cast members Brendar and Evan, along with creator, writer, and executive producer Daniel Knauf (Carnivàle, The Blacklist) gathered to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California for a special drive-in screening where the cast, crew, and special guests watched a few episodes safely from their own cars.

The Celeb Secrets team was included on the guest list of lucky VIPs and it was the best way to start the week, giving us the fix of in-person events that we’ve been patiently waiting for since the Coronavirus lockdown in March 2020. As soon as we drove into the event, we were greeted with a photo-op with Brendar and Evan, and it brings back the similar feeling of attending live events once again! We parked in our designated spot (which was a perfect view) and waited as we highly-anticipated the premiere of the show!

We took a peek at our goodie boxes which included classic movie snacks like candy and popcorn, but we also got our very own DIY puppet set. We watched the episode and laughed at the perfectly placed puns. It was so fun.

Check out our behind-the-scenes look at the show below and let us know if you’ll be watching The Barbarian and the Troll below by leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post [...].


New episodes of The Barbarian and the Troll air every Friday night at 7:30PM ET/PT on Nickelodeon.

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Co-Creator Drew Massey Reveals the Swords ‘n’ Sorcery Behind Nick’s ‘The Barbarian and the Troll’

The Barbarian and the TrollTELEVISIONWORLDWIDE
Co-Creator Drew Massey Reveals the Swords ‘n’ Sorcery Behind Nick’s ‘The Barbarian and the Troll’
ByRamin ZahedPublished on April 30, 2021SHARETWEETCOMMENT
Nickelodeon’s fantastic new series The Barbarian and the Troll has captured the hearts of fantasy lovers, puppet fanatics and connoisseurs of fine warrior princess culture since it debuted in early April. Created by Mike Mitchell (Trolls, Shrek Forever After, The LEGO Movie 2) and Drew Massey (Puss in Boots, Kung Fu Panda) the series centers on Brendar, a fierce barbarian on a quest to avenge an attack on her family, voiced by Spencer Grammer (Rick and Morty). When she joins forces with a spirited bridge troll named Evan, they set out to save their kingdom together, and many entertaining adventures ensue. We had the chance to catch up with Drew Massey, who was kind enough to tell us a few things about the show we were dying to find out!

Animation Magazine: Congrats on the awesome new show, Drew. Can you tell us a little bit about the genesis of the show and how it all came together?

Drew Massey: Thank you. I’m happy you think it’s amazing! I met Mike in the early ‘90s on a puppet project he sold to ABC with a fellow CalArts alum called Chunks of Life. We have been crossing paths ever since on various puppet projects. In 2018, we reconnected and went to lunch with the goal of finally doing a puppet-centric show together. He suggested the fantasy genre, knowing we were both big fans, and said it should have a kick-ass woman barbarian.

I said, “HECK YEAH!” and said there should also be a troll who was terrible at toll taking and wanted to go see the world. He was like, “NO DOUBT!!!” So, from that very first meeting we had our barbarian and our troll. We kept loudly spitballing ideas and by the end of lunch had the genesis of what would become the show. Apologies to our fellow diners. We were very spirited.

What do you love best about voicing one of the main characters AND being creator/writer on the series?

Why… all the POWER, of course!  [Laughs villainously]

I generally haven’t had the authority on a puppet project to just change things that I thought needed changing. I usually think: “Maybe that could be better…” and that’s where it ends. Here I could really add a lot because I had helped create this world. It’s a double-edged sword though, because I also felt a responsibility to keep adding to, building, and refining what we had created.

Mike and I never stopped working. I was designing, writing and building throughout production. On the weekends I was constructing an evil tree or sculpting things in ZBrush and 3-D printing them. It was really fun, and I felt like being able to contribute so much to this show was a privilege. Doing all that and performing Evan was a lot to tackle at once, but I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.

Did you always envision the show as a puppet-animated series?

Absolutely! This was designed to be a puppet show and nothing else. Mike and I had been thinking about something like this separately for years. We both love puppets as a storytelling medium and we both wanted to see an all-puppet universe on screen that was epic, funny and charmingly puppetry.  We wanted to push some boundaries and expand the demographics for puppets. We convinced ourselves that we could make an all-puppet show for kids that wouldn’t leave any of the adults behind. Then we set out to convince others of the same thing.

What is the biggest challenge of being the showrunner and a creative force in the series?

I have the toughest time figuring out politics. My responsibilities as a showrunner/creator are numerous and new to me. It’s tricky to figure out how much to ask for, when to ask for it, whom to ask and where my boundary is between being “helpful and creative” versus “too pushy.” Luckily, Mike is used to dealing with those issues as a director, and he’s something of a political savant. He helped me figure it all out and I have learned a great deal from watching him work. He’s spent so much time with Jeffrey Katzenberg that he could teach a Master Class in corporate politics.

That said, the execs at Nickelodeon have been very supportive of us and the project. They really get what we’re doing and trusted us to make it work, so that made the whole experience really pleasant despite my political shortcomings.

What do you love best about this project?

I love being able to work with my friends, who are all really talented. Also, I love that the product of our efforts turned out a lot like I wanted it to. This show would have been my absolute favorite when I was a kid … or a teen … or a young adult.

Is Evan your favorite character on the show? 

Ummmm … yes? That’s a difficult question for me because I really like all of these characters for different reasons. I like Evan because I never overthink him. I just approach things from the perspective of: “What’s the most positive way to spin this right now?” and, in a nutshell, that’s Evan. Design-wise, though, I think Steve the Knight came out perfect. Those proportions are bonkers. He belongs on the cover of a Spinal Tap or Tenacious D album.

What has been the most memorable or craziest response you have had to the series?

I’m really enjoying the fan art right now. To think that something I helped create is inspiring others to draw … Well, it fulfills my goal of being a creative catalyst.

After The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell someone got a tattoo of Colleen [Smith]’s character “Rose.” So I’m just waiting for The Barbarian and the Troll body art. That will be memorable.

[Editor’s note: Puppeteer Colleen Smith performs Brendar, Swap Rat and other characters in the series.]

How do you and Mike Mitchell work together on the series?

This has been a great working experience for me because Mike, in addition to writing, also draws and designs characters. Our workflow is this: we generate material for the show, trade it, adulterate it, and hand it back. We go through that same process over and over until we are thrilled with the result or we run out of time.

How many people work on the series and where is it produced?

The pilot was produced in Los Angeles with Jen Gore, and Charles Papert was our DP. Gary Kordan production designed, creating our amazing Queen’s Goiter set inside and out. After we got a greenlight for the series it went to Vancouver. David Magee produced, Tyler Walzak was our DP and Matthew Budgeon was our production designer. Our puppet crew was an essential part of this production; they literally built our entire cast!

The puppets were mostly from the Los Angeles shop. On the pilot, Scott Johnson was our lead, then for the series Jürgen Ferguson took over as our main builder. He and Russ Walko did the main characters, with Christine Papalexis, Rachel Burson and Gabby Padilla making a ton of skins, backgrounds and costume bits. Carol Binion was our costume designer.

In Vancouver, we had Dusty Hagerud wrangling and sometimes building, and Justin DeLima wrangling. Gordon Smuder built some puppets in Minnesota. They all did phenomenal work, and a LOT of it.  There are hundreds more people who worked on this, in VFX, post, sound, etc., but I wanted to give credit in print to our puppet crew, especially.

Did you have to deal with a lot of complications due to COVID?

We were tested three times a week, we had to have wrist bands to enter the shooting area, and there were no visitors allowed. It was odd, but not unmanageable. We didn’t have any work stoppages due to COVID, thank goodness.

In general, I felt like the COVID team had it under control and it was good to see that the city of Vancouver, as a whole, took mask-wearing and distancing seriously. Their case numbers were quite low compared to most places in the U.S., so it felt safe. The fun part was that I, Mike and the puppeteers were in a “pod” so we could have get-togethers on the weekends. It brought a much needed sense of normalcy and camaraderie to our time there.

You have worked on a lot of animated and puppet-animated series in your career… Do you have a favorite medium? 

I’m partial to stop-motion. It’s the medium I started doing as a kid with my Super 8 camera and blobs of plasticine. Will Vinton in his heyday did exquisite work. I think what Laika puts out is infinitely pleasing to watch, and I love Creature Comforts. That said, I really like live-action puppetry when it’s done right. Good thing, since it’s pretty much dominated my career. Audrey II in the 1985 Little Shop of Horrors is perfect in every way. Have you seen Earth to Ned? Also a great example of a team of individuals creating seamless, unified performances. It’s really fun to watch.

When was the first time you knew you wanted to work in the animation/puppetry field?

I’ve always loved sci-fi and fantasy movies. I knew I wanted to have a career in entertainment making fantastic things from the time I was maybe four or five, when I watched four hours straight of Flash Gordon serials. I thought maybe I’d be a storyboard artist or in special effects. My opportunity to be a puppeteer came out of left field when I was in college. I was lucky enough to have a friend who worked for the Muppets named Michael Earl, who introduced me to Kevin Clash and basically jump-started my career.

Favorite character (animated or puppet) … EVER?

I’m gonna cheat and give a multi-answer. Animation-wise, I love the old, really nuts Daffy Duck, when he used to leap around like a complete screwball. For voice, I’ll go with Miss Malone from The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley. Catherine O’Hara does the most amazing vocal work as that character. Every inflection is a surprise. As for puppets, pretty much any character Frank Oz did.  Early Grover was always a favorite, especially as a waiter opposite Jerry Nelson’s Big Blue. Comedy Gold.

Thank you so much!

Thank YOU! This was a blast. I’ve been reading your magazine since I was a kid, so it’s an honor.

The Barbarian and the Troll airs new episodes Friday nights on Nickelodeon. You can also watch online at Nick.com. The first episode is available to sample on the network’s YouTube channel.


Steve the Knight




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Exclusive: Drew Massey Talks The Barbarian and the Troll

Nickelodeon has enjoyed its modest success off of their latest puppet comedy series, The Barbarian and the Troll.  The show, which centers on a barbarian warrior going on a dangerous quest, offers plenty of puppet charm, visuals, and comedy that’ll impress any fan of family-friendly puppet shows like Muppets and Sesame Street.  With any luck, it might even delight certain fans of the fantasy genre.  I took the opportunity to talk to the show’s co-creator and the voice of Evan, Drew Massey, a professional puppeteer.  I spoke to him about Nickelodeon’s newest series as well as his puppetry skills presented in his other movies and shows.

Marcus: First off, I want to say congrats on The Barbarian and the Troll.  As someone who grew up with the Muppets, I really enjoyed what I saw.

Drew: Great, I’m glad.  Yeah, I grew up with the Muppets too.  They were definitely an inspiration for what we did there.

Marcus: What inspired you and Mike Mitchell to make a series like this?

Drew: Well, the number of things that inspired us, number one, as I mentioned the Muppets were hugely inspirational to both of us.  We also both really love fantasy movies, and we love puppets.  We met for the first time on a public project that he was doing for ABC, and so we knew we share the love for all things puppets back then.  We kept running across each other because I kept doing public projects and he kept doing other projects.  And so eventually it was…I don’t want to say it was inevitable, but you know, things were heading that way for many years.  It was just kind of circling each other, and eventually, I’m glad it came together and we were able to do this project together.  It was really fruitful collaboration, and he and I are very much aligned creativity and taste-wise, which made it a lot easier.  

Marcus: So seeing that it’s a puppet show with live-action backgrounds, what was the shooting process like for you and the crew during the pandemic days?

Drew: Well, the shooting process was pretty similar to the normal shooting process except for the fact that we got tested for COVID three times a week.  We wore masks most of the time, there was a lot of social distancing, and nobody could visit the set, which was a little frustrating because we would have loved to have had guests to see what we were doing but it was all behind closed doors and nobody could come in and look at the fruits of our labor as we were making the show, which is pretty unusual.  Normally we invite people by to see what we’re doing and it’s a lot of fun because most people don’t know what it takes to put on a puppet production and they come in and they see the set built up off of the floor so that the puppeteers can all stand while they do their work and they’re like, “Well, that’s interesting”, and then they see all the monitors.  There’s a lot to putting on a public show that most people aren’t familiar with, so we couldn’t share any of that, which was a bit of a shame, especially with all the amazing craftsmanship that went into what we did.  The puppets were fantastic.  The sets were amazing.  It’s just slightly lamentable that we were the only ones to get to witness that firsthand.

Marcus: I see.  So, in addition to being a co-creator, co-writer, and executive producer of Barbarian and the Troll, you also provided the puppetry and voice for Evan, the troll prince with a dream.  What did you like about this character?

Drew: Well, I liked that he’s so positive all the time.  I think he’s a good role model in that respect, and I like that he’s also brave.  You know, he’s terrified of everything, but he’s very driven to experience the world, and to get out of the rut that he’s in.  I think there’s a lot to like about Evan.

Marcus: Well, based on what I saw, I did happen to like Evan as a character as well because of his traits.

Drew: Well, that was the goal: to give kind of a nice grounded relatable character.  Every tool that people would respond to at the center of it.  And it was interesting because they added the troll to the title, which I didn’t originally feel that it needed because Brendar was really the catalyst that sets him off on his journey, and meeting her, and their friendship.  But they felt that it was good to add our everyman character to the title, which in retrospect I think was a good choice.

Marcus: You also provided some puppetry in other projects like Greg the Bunny and Earth to Ned.  What made you decide to get into puppetry in the first place?

Drew: Well, I sort of found it by accident.  A very good friend of mine from my hometown named Michael Earl got me into puppetry.  He, after high school, went to New York and joined Jim Henson and the Muppets, and we stayed in touch for many years after I went to school.  He’s the one who really introduced me to the people who would define my career like Kevin Clash, and he even introduced me to Jim Henson at one point, which I thought was pretty amazing.

Marcus: Yeah, Jim Henson sounded like a pretty great guy and a genius.

Drew: I would have loved to have gotten to know him.  Luckily, I know a lot of people who didn’t know him so I’ve heard a lot of stories, and I feel like I get kind of a sense of what it was like to work with him.  But it is a shame that he passed away too early because I definitely would have liked to have worked with him directly.

Marcus: Your website says that you’re a puppeteer, VoiceOver Actor, and an all-around creative guy.  Which do you enjoy doing more?

Drew: Well, I think it all is rolled into one.  I describe myself as a creative catalyst, which means that if I can’t do something cool and creative myself, I’m hoping that at least I can inspire somebody else to do something that fulfills them and others.  So, one way or another, I think art and did definitely like to help people do their art, and for me to do mine, and I like when it all comes together so I don’t really view those things as separate disciplines necessarily, and I don’t necessarily enjoy one more than the other.  I like it all.

Marcus: I think that’s also important to enjoy more stuff than only just one.

Drew: Yeah, that’s what keeps me going.  I’m a compulsive creator.  So I like to describe myself as well like it’s…I can’t really do anything else.  I mean, I’m sure, even if I had, you know, a job, and I’ve heard about people like this.  People have jobs, doing the same thing day in and day out, like if you’re, say, a bridge toll taker, you know, which sort of fits into Evan the troll a lot in life.  But even if I were on the Golden Gate Bridge taking a toll, you know, I would have 50 music playing and have posters up around, I’d probably be painting at the same time.  I likely wouldn’t have that job very long because I’d be fired for doing all sorts of other stuff.  However, everyone who cracks through my bridge would hopefully be how fulfilled I was and be inspired by it somehow, and I think that’s the point.

Marcus: Nice.  What has been your favorite character to play in the puppetry and voice acting business so far?

Drew: Well, Evan is up there.  I like Evan because I don’t overthink him.  I just kind of put him on and go.  Put the puppet on that is.  There are some other roles that I’ve had that have taken a lot of energy, kind of figuring out what they are, who they are, and where they need to go in a script.  One of the other good things too is that I helped write the script and create the show so I was very very very familiar with his personality from the get-go, which made things a lot easier.  I really liked playing the Science Kid.  He was originally described as a junior Seinfeld, which I thought was a hilarious and great jumping-off point for a kid science show, and that’s how I approached it.  But he was sort of delivering science concepts in a stand-up comic sort of way for kids.  I just thought that was a really fun take of it.  And thirdly, I really enjoyed playing Stuff on Mutt & Stuff because he was just a big dumb dog, and he’s, I think the dumbest character I’ve ever played.  Well, hold on.  No, they were chickens in Foster Farms chicken commercial theories.  That may have been the dumbest character, but I really enjoyed playing Stuff because Meegan Godfrey, who was in the suit, added so much and I described her as the Lucille Bell is to work.  She was just so funny, and we would inspire each other all the time.  That, and (Miss Eurocis?).  The design’s good.  She was really fun to work with too.  I think I like collaborative arts.  I think I like Sid and Stuff because they were collaborative, and Evan because he’s very much me.

Marcus: Sounds like you are having fun playing those characters that you really love.

Drew: Oh, for sure.  There is very little to complain about in my career.  It’s a lot of laughs and fun.  I mean, it is hard work at the end of the day.  I do come home exhausted, sometimes mentally and physically because holding my arm up in the air for so long is definitely a challenge.  But, well, and especially when I have really heavy puppets like the dragon in The Barbarian and the Troll.  I don’t know how heavy he was, but I had to wear a backpack to support the puppet.  He was a bit of a beast, figuratively and literally.  But yeah, I really really enjoy what I do, and I hope that comes across.

Marcus: And sometimes, the hard work really pays off in the end.

Drew: Oh absolutely, it’s all worth it.  I think it’s such a thrill to be able to create a performance and have it recorded.  I like (???) too, but I love the fact that I can, you know, suffer for a comparatively short amount of time, get something on film, and have it live forever as long as people keep watching. 

Marcus: If you ever meet someone who plans on approaching puppetry as a career, what’s the best advice you can give them?

Drew: Acting.  That’s really it.  I’ve seen a lot of people come through with amazing manipulation skills, but their acting chops aren’t great, and that’s always the defining factor for me.  If you can create a complete character with a soul and personality, then I think you’ve got a really good shot.  But otherwise, you know, it’s just eye candy and sometimes that is enough.  But I think people want more out of puppets.  I always point to the fact that Jim Henson and Frank Oz above all were really good actors, and they played off each other really well.  They were great actors, they’re great improvisers.  And then on top of that, they were great manipulators, but, I think, first and foremost puppeteers are actors with a special skill.  So, definitely manipulation is important.  It’s all important, but acting is number one.

Marcus: Similar to what you did with your character Evan.  Your voice was really unrecognizable when you’re voicing Evan.

Drew: Oh, great.  Well, that’s good.  I would hate to sound like it’s natural at all times.  It would make a weird experience at the drive-thru.

Marcus: Oh yeah, I can definitely see that.  Going back to the show, what do you believe your first-time viewers will get out of watching The Barbarian and the Troll?

Drew: Well, I hope, first and foremost, they have fun.  I think at least for me, there’s real value to escapist fantasy, and I like going to different worlds and being in different places with different people and creatures and characters.  So I hope we’ve done a good job of building that world so that people can escape to Gothmoria whenever they watch the show, and you know, really sort of forget what’s going on around them and be immersed in this really fun public fantasy world.

Marcus: Well, I do feel that this is one of the best shows that Nickelodeon had to offer recently.

Drew: Oh, nice.  That’s high praise.  They’ve got some good stuff on.

Marcus: Yeah, it’s a lot of fun.  It’s got some good messages for the kids.  What’s not to love?

Drew: Well, you know, that’s what we tried to do is make a show with all of the unlovable parts taken out, though.  Here experience and watching it.  Yeah, I am so gratified that Nickelodeon gave us the opportunity to make this show.  I was really happy that they wanted to make it themselves.  A lot of times people will take a show and try to sell it elsewhere, but they were really committed to the project from day one, and really took that leap of faith in creating it and pitching it.  Mike and I were asked for examples of something like it, and everything we came up with was either too serious or too creaturely or not cinematic and not dramatic enough.  So I feel like the fact that they trusted us to establish and maintain a tone that really rides the line between kid and adult.  I feel like that their trust in that is kind of miraculous in a great thing that both Mike and I really appreciate.  And you know, what we really tried to do is basically make a long fantasy movie for kids and adults like we wanted to make sure everybody can enjoy it.  But you know that was the goal.  I was on a show called Angel several years back, and that was my epiphany moment when I saw the bit.  I did an episode called “Smile Time” where Angel gets turned into a puppet, and in looking at it, I realized like, wow, if you put puppets in front of really good cameras with professional lighting and in really expensive lenses, they look amazing.  And I thought, yeah, we have to do a whole show like this because again, it blew my mind.  I don’t know if anybody else will be on board, but I want to see that.  So I was really happy that Mike had the exact same compulsion basically to create something like this.

Marcus: Well, he did direct some other animated films like The Lego Movie 2 and Trolls.

Drew: Yeah, definitely, and he’s a great director which certainly helps.  But, I mean, but he’ll be the first one to tell you that animation and puppets are very very different animals when it comes to putting them together and shooting them.  So it’s a very different look.  It’s a very different process.  I’m just really happy that he likes puppets so much and sort of had the same dream that I did.

Marcus: Well, I’m just as happy as you are.

Drew: Well, good. That makes me even happier. (Laughs)

Marcus: So if you and Mitchell were given the opportunity to make a season two, are there any specific ideas you’d like to use regarding the show’s stories and characters?

Drew: Tons of them, but I can’t reveal them yet.  You’re just gonna have to see season two.  Now, if they don’t make a season two, then you know, we’ll tell you what our plans were, and everybody can be sad that it didn’t happen.

Marcus: Well, the end of the season one finale did tease us of a possible season two.

Drew: Absolutely.

Marcus: So if that happens, I’m more than willing to see what happens next.

Drew: Great.  I’m glad.  Yes, stay tuned because there’s a lot more of our Barbarian and the Troll characters to do.  Plus our owl and our wizard and our skeleton army general and some other villains may make a return that day.  Who knows, I don’t know.  We’ll see.  We haven’t written it yet, but we do have plans.

Marcus: Well, I hope those plans come into effect pretty soon.

Drew: Thanks.  Me too.  We’re all just sitting around waiting for them to give us the green light.  But once they do, we will leap into action and start fleshing it…well, actually we already started fleshing it out, but we will actually sit down and write scripts and start building things, which is very exciting.

Marcus: Excellent.

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Originally published: Saturday, April 03, 2021.

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