Genndy Tartakovskyis one of the most acclaimed animators of all time, with him being the mind behindDexter’s Laboratory,Samurai Jack,Primal, and more. Many of Tartakovsky’s most acclaimed projects can be found on Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, but his Warner Bros. projects are far from all he has done. On top of his critically acclaimed shows, Genndy Tartakovsky is also the mind behind theHotel Transylvaniamovie series, highlighting his range and animation prowess.
Although Genndy Tartakovsky may have made a name for himself with hispopular Cartoon Network shows, he is still making projects to this day on a variety of different networks. On top ofPrimal,Tartakovsky was also behind Max’sUnicorn: Warriors Eternal, as well asthe upcoming movieFixed. Tartakovsky is one of the most accomplished animators who is still working today, with him having learned a lot throughout his career.
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Genndy Tartakovsky was at SCAD Animation Fest 2024where he received the SCAD Award of Excellence before giving a keynote speech that acted as a retrospective on his career.Screen Rantthen sat down with Genndy Tartakovsky to further delve into his career, his creative process, and where he thinks the animation industry is headed.
Genndy Tartakovsky Knows That The Animation Industry Has Changed In Some Big Ways
“It’s all about IP-driven shows now. Very few originals are getting made.”
Screen Rant: Your panel at SCAD AnimationFest talked about your entire career throughout your time in the animation industry. What are some of the most significant changes that you’ve seen since you began working in the industry? And has it changed for the better or for the worse?
Genndy Tartakovsky: That’s an interesting question. When I entered the industry, it was kind of the golden time. When Cartoon Network started, it was like a once in a lifetime situation where everybody was young, and we were able to do our own shows – which was really unheard of before – with all the support of the network. And the network was young and wanting to take risks and try new things. So that’s hard to compete with. So I would say the industry has changed.
I mean, we’re in a rough jam right now, from COVID to the strikes, to the decline of the television audience, to how streaming is working. They’re trying to figure it out. So we’re in this transitional time. And so it’s hard, and it’s all about IP-driven shows now. Very few originals are getting made. So it’s definitely different than when Nickelodeon wanted to do originals, or Cartoon Network wanted to do originals, or Disney TV wanted to do originals. It was all about who could get the best original show. Then you havesomething like SpongeBobcome out, and it became a pop culture phenomenon. So I think it’s quite different.
Of course, the early days were the great days. It’s hard for me to complain, because I’m still making my own thing. So for me, the industry is still supportive. I’m still doing what I want to do, you know what I mean? But I know outside of my little orbit, it’s not great.
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Screen Rant: It seems like animation, especially original animated programs, have been disproportionately impacted by the streaming service model, with a lot of animated shows getting canceled after only one season. So do you have advice for people who are trying to get these original animated shows off the ground regarding how they can protect themselves from that and things like projects getting shelved for tax write-offs?
Genndy Tartakovsky: No [laughs]. There’s no advice. It’s unpredictable. You don’t know where it’s going to come from. Netflix starts a huge, enormous studio. They hire pretty much almost everybody. And then very quickly they decide, “You know what? This doesn’t work for us. We’re going to go a different direction.” And then they shutter it. And there’s no advice I can give from that. I would never see that coming.
If I was young right now, I would be making my own shows and putting them up on YouTube or Instagram or wherever and trying to get an audience that way.The Amazing Digital CircusorHazbin Hotel, and all those shows are great stories as far as somebody just doing it independently. I think even the guys fromSmiling Friendswould just make short films themselves independently, and then they came up with a show together. I think that’s a healthier way to do your own things right now. And maybe have a full-time job that you’re doing too. And then after, do your own stuff. That’s what I would be doing. I’ve been doing that throughout my whole career. When I’m at a place where I’m unhappy, on my own time, I develop my next thing. You have to be aggressive in that way and make your own destiny, I guess, without sounding too cheesy.
Why Tartakovsky Has Succeeded With Adult Animation When Other Western Projects Haven’t
“It seems like it’s obvious that there’s an audience for this. But in the feature space, it’s still a no.”
Screen Rant: Shows like theSamurai Jackcontinuation andPrimalhave shown that you’re able to make animated projects for adults that are serious, but that aren’t just sitcoms like a lot of other adult animation is. Why do you think that tonally similar shows and movies are so rare in Western animation when they’re very popular in anime?
Genndy Tartakovsky: I’ve been trying to answer that question. It’s been really hard. With the success ofPrimal, andSamuraiJack, and other shows, it seems like it’s obvious that there’s an audience for this. But in the feature space, it’s still a no. Unless it’s an IP.
I think that culturally, anime is just respected. Maybe it’s just a matter of they’ve had a longer time of doing adult stuff. For us, as far as just drama, it’s maybe five or eight years old. Comedy has been around obviously sinceThe Simpsons, but as far as action for an adult audience, that’s very new. I think culturally in America, a bigger percentage of people think of animation as just for kids. And I don’t know if they can take something serious in a mainstream way.
It’s just going to take one project, one show, one movie to break that mold. Then, all of a sudden, it’s going to be the gold rush for adult animation. Netflix has a whole adult drama action division, so that’s a good sign. I mean, that feels like something is growing. Adult Swim has been very supportive ofPrimaland doing something more. I haven’t done enough research to really give you a really smart, accurate answer to that question. I think it’s just we’re not of that culture.
Genndy Tartakovsky On His Creative Process & Developing Characters
“For whatever reason, it took 20 years to getUnicorn: Warriors Eternalmade.”
Screen Rant: As a creative, I’m sure you’re constantly coming up with ideas that work for a story or a TV show. How long do you tend to sit on these ideas before you realize that an idea has the potential to actually be developed into something?
Genndy Tartakovsky: Not long. Usually the sitting comes when I can’t sell it. So usually, I have an idea, and if I get really excited about the idea, then I’ll jam on it. And then, if it goes organic, and if it goes smooth, then I’ll develop it fully into a series Bible with drawings and all that stuff. And then the longer, harder part comes to selling it.
For whatever reason, it took 20 years to getUnicorn: Warriors Eternalmade. I tried it at three different places, and it just wouldn’t click. Each project has its own gestation period.Primalwas an organically grown show from this one basic idea of this little kid and a creature that evolved through my involvement intoPrimal. And as soon as I came up with it afterSamurai Jack, there was no sitting. It all came together like, “Oh, he’s got trauma. The dinosaurs got trauma. It bonds him together, and then they have adventures.” And I pitched it to my boss at Adult Swim. And he was like, “Yeah, this is great.” EvenSamurai Jackwasn’t a long time. I didn’t sit on it for a long time. I kind of wanted to do an action show. I complained about action shows out there, and I decided to do it myself. I came up with a scenario, and then I sold it.
Screen Rant: You’ve made wildly different shows likeDexter’s LaboratoryandSamurai Jack, shows that take place in the past, in the future, and in a galaxy far, far away. What about the ideas that you’ve come up with attract you to a story? Is it the world or the characters or the potential for a unique premise?
Genndy Tartakovsky: It’s definitely a character thing first. I tend to not think of story, in a funny way. I think in characters. Like, “Oh, that’s a great character. What can they do?” And if I can come up with 10 ideas for that character, then I know I’ve got something juicy. ForPrimal, it was like “boom, boom, boom.” I think out of the first 10 ideas that I jotted down as I was developing it, we made eight of them in the first season.
And so take “Rage of the Ape-Men.” I think I had a title, and I was like, “Oh my God, that’s going to be such a great episode.” Not even knowing what it’s going to be, but he’s just going to be fighting some big ape men. There’s things like that where the excitement of the inception is great. That drives it.
Usually if I come up with an idea, and it doesn’t go anywhere, I’m like, “Oh, well, this needs longer thinking.” It’s not bad. So I tend to think of character first, then situations, then story, and then I circle back to what’s at the heart of it, what’s beneath the surface of it.
Screen Rant: Since character is the thing that attracts you when you’re developing these projects, do you already have a very strong idea of whom these characters are before you get the voice actor signed on? Or do you and the voice actor together kind of find this character and flesh them out further than you originally intended?
Genndy Tartakovsky: No, it’s definitely fleshed out. And I hear a voice to a degree, and then the voice actor kind of finishes ‘em off. I was trying a movie a few years back where I wanted a more organic, like what you’re saying, I wanted a great actor, a great comedian, so I can work with them, and together we can come up with something very original. Because I’m not a comic or a comedian, obviously, or an actor. And that process was great. I would write down some dialogue, and then in the booth, I had this guy and girl, and they were playing a mom and dad. And we would do the lines as I wrote ‘em once, and then they would just improv a few times after that. And that’s when it really came alive. It’s really workshop and characters. I’ve done that, but other stuff is really baked in. And by the time the actor comes, they definitely bring something to it with their voice. But a lot of it is already is there.
Will Genndy Tartakovsky Ever Direct A Live Action Film?
“For me, animation isn’t a stepping stone. This is where I want to be.”
Screen Rant: Throughout your career you’ve mostly focused on animation, but there have been a few times that you’ve toyed around with live action, such as your work onIron Man 2and also the unrealizedAstro Boyproject. So have you ever considered fully directing a live action film, or are you planning on always staying with animation for the foreseeable future?
Genndy Tartakovsky: Animation is my number one love. But I love films, and I think it would have to be the right project for live action. But yeah, I think I would do it. But it’s nothing that I’m constantly trying to put myself up for. For now, if something falls into my lap that’s exciting, great! But I still have so much to do in animation that I don’t necessarily have to.
For me, animation isn’t a stepping stone. This is where I want to be. I’m not trying to use this to get something else. I’m trying to use this to get more of this. So that’s the difference. But yeah, I’m into it if something cool comes up around.
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Screen Rant: Is there anything that you feel like live action filmmakers can specifically get from studying the art of animation that they couldn’t get from only watching live action films?
A lot of great directors have always cited Chuck Jones for his timing, and Miyazaki, of course, for his storytelling and the mood that he sets. So I think there is stuff to look at for sure. And I think they have in the past. Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, they always talk about Warner Bros. cartoons, and I see some of that in it.
Genndy Tartakovsky Is Inspired By A Variety Of Animated & Live-Action Projects
“You start to learn how to spot the way animators have little signatures and the way they animate.”
Screen Rant: In your panel at SCAD AnimationFest, you specifically mentionedWell, Just You Wait!, a Russian cartoon that really inspired you. Are there any other unique inspirations that a lot of other animators wouldn’t cite behind your works?
Genndy Tartakovsky: I don’t think that show inspired me. It was just something that I watched as a kid. It was the only show in Russia that I watched. I mean, I think nowadays the UPA cartoons aren’t well cited as much as when we were getting into animation. UPA was a huge deal for us. Even Hanna-Barbera. I think people don’t realize how well-designed and well crafted those shows were for the price and the time that they were done in. There’s some great art in those. So I think those were normal inspirations back when we were in school or coming up. Nowadays, I don’t think anybody looks at that stuff. I mean, I don’t think they even look at Warner Bros. cartoons.
There’s a lot of random UPA productions. One of my favorite animators, this guy Bobe Cannon, went to UPA, and he became one of their main directors. So I looked for his stuff for animation because the way he animated was very appealing to me. And he had animated for Tex Avery a lot, and he was just great, very unique. And so I would get a lot of inspiration from animators really trying to figure out, “Oh, who animated the scene? It’s so much better than these other scenes.” And you start to learn how to spot the way animators have little signatures and the way they animate. Once you start to really learn those, it’s really fun to go “Oh, wow, that’s another Ward Kimball scene.”
And then random not as popular ’50s Disney stuff was a huge inspiration. And then, of course, anime. When I was introduced to anime, I didn’t even know it was anime. It was just some weird cartoons that were on the secondary channels when I was a kid. And it wasSpeed Racer,Battle of the Planets,Gatchaman, andStar Blazers. I think if you analyze my style, it’s like Tex Avery and Warner Bros. meets ’60s anime. Plus you throw on Sergio Leone and Kurosawa, the Coen Brothers, Blake Edwards and some other craziness, then you have this pot of stuff that I like.
I think we used to hunt and see everything, so there was nothing we haven’t seen in animation. Nowadays, I don’t think animation students coming up now are animation historians. We actually took animation history in school. I should have asked at SCAD if they have an animation history class. We would go back to the beginning of animation. Which is not as exciting, but you certainly learn a lot and you have a lot of respect for what came before us.
What Genndy Tartakovsky Thinks About Live-Action Remakes Of Animated Projects (Including His Own)
“If someone’s going to do a live actionSamurai Jack, I would like to direct it.”
Screen Rant: There have been a lot of live action remakes of animated projects. In general, how do you feel about that practice, and would you ever be open to someone making a live action version of one of your shows or movies?
Genndy Tartakovsky: I don’t know [laughs]. It’s hard not to see it as just a grab for cash. Is there really a creative reasoning behind doing it? I don’t know. You have to really find one, especially if they’re making it almost shot for shot. you’re able to show off the technology and stuff, but it’s not for me. Listen, I am an animation bitch. This is my profession. This is my job, this is my art, this is my love. And I’m extremely critical of it, and I want it very specifically the way I like it. But that’s my own subjective opinion. You know what I mean? It’s also a gigantic business, and so, if it makes money, who am I to argue against it? But yeah, if someone’s going to do a live actionSamurai Jack, I would like to direct it. And that’s been through the mill a few times.
I don’t think I would ever want to do a live actionDexter’s Laboratory. I’ve been approached about it, but it just feels too precious. You know what I mean? It’s my first show. It’s what got me everything. It feels weird. It feels like it goes through the meat grinder when it gets remade. Unless Wes Anderson does it or something. Someone who artistically has such a strong artistic point of view, then you’re like, “Yeah, that’d be exciting to see what they’re going to do.” Then they’re going to reimagine. They’re going to take the essence and make it their own. That I think I see working.
But just a straight up, “Hey, we can squeeze out a few more dollars from this?” I’m going to get in trouble [laughs]. It’s not for me. Like I said, I’m very subjective about my industry, and so I’d rather there be an artistic reason to do something and not just a business reason to do something.
Which Unrealized Project Genndy Tartakovsky Would Revive (If He Could)
“I mean, I would’ve saidFixed, but we made it. Just haven’t released it.”
Screen Rant: You’ve made a lot of really popular projects, but you’ve also had a lot that unfortunately went to unrealized, like the Viking film, the dinosaur film,Can You Imagine?, and a few others that you talked about. If someone came to you with a blank check and just said, “Here it is, make one of your unrealized projects,” which one would you pick?
Genndy Tartakovsky: Why are you torturing me? It’s not going to happen [laughs]. I’ve really compartmentalized myself to not think like that. I’m not a big live in the past type of guy. I’m looking forward to the future.
I’m trying to think about what was the most individual or the riskiest thing we’ve ever developed. I guess the Viking project was pretty cool. I mean, I would’ve saidFixed, but we made it. Just haven’t released it. But yeah, I guess the Viking project. I mean,Popeyewould’ve been great. They all have the potential to be great.
Would Genndy Tartakovsky Ever Make Another Animated Series Within An Already Existing Franchise?
“Obviously,ConanI’m a huge fan of, and doing it like the books would be incredible.”
Screen Rant: So you mentionedPopeye, and you’ve also worked on a few other preexisting franchises in the past, likeStar Wars. Are there any other preexisting franchises that you’ve ever been like “Oh, I would like to make a show set within that universe?”
Genndy Tartakovsky: I don’t usually think that way, but obviously there are things that I’m a fan of. Obviously,ConanI’m a huge fan of, and doing it like the books would be incredible. I grew up on comic books, so I always, it’s just kind of like in me where I’m like, “Oh yeah, if I made an animated Wolverine or an animated Fantastic Four, that would be super fun to do. Or Daredevil.” But otherwise, I’m still trying to get my stuff off the ground, so I don’t give that too much thought.
More About Genndy Tartakovsky’s Shows
Genndy Tartakovsky is an acclaimed animator and filmmaker known for creating projects like Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, Hotel Transylvania, and Primal.
Samurai Jack
Cast
In Samurai Jack, a young samurai prince engages in a fierce battle with an evil shapeshifter known as Aku; but just as he is ready to deal the final strike, he is thrown into the future. Now lost in time and seeking a future where Aku has corrupted and taken control of the world, “Jack” will jump through time, helping others as he makes his way back to the past and undo the damage done by his ultimate foe.
