Show Runner/Script Writer
Creative Roles
This page is dedicated to project participation concerning Concept, Creative Directing, and Writer-Director roles. Though the individual roles may overlap, the majority of the work performed on a particular project listed below falls within a category.
Creative Director(Show Runner) – This is an executive position within a company/studio where the project was produced. It’s a creative team lead role administering several Heads of Department (HoD’s) such as the Design Dept., collaborating with the Promotion/Marketing Dept., and coordinating with the Story Dept. Responsibilities include monitoring delivery schedules, creative budgeting, and client relationships. The role often entails soft-skills such as developing/mentoring emerging talent.
Writer-Director – As the category’s name signifies, the main responsibilities were either script writing and/or acting as the director on a project.
Creative Director/Show Runner
Yabba Dabba Dinosaurs – Warner Bros.
(12 episodes x 11 minutes) The was the Irish service work for Warner Bros. TV project directed by Mark Marek (MAD TV), which entailed working in Adobe Animate (formerly Flash). I oversaw the animation test that won us the commission. The studio was responsible for character rigging, designing alternate background art, shot prep, and animation. As the Irish Creative Director, I created and oversaw the studio’s creative and production pipelines, setting up the tracking and approval system. I recruited the Irish series director and animation director, created animation tests, hired animators, designers, rigging, and shot prep crew. I was the creative liaison with the Warner Bros crew.
Hot Streets – Cartoon Network/Adult Swim
(12 episodes x 11 minutes) The was the Irish service work for Cartoon Network/Adult Swim. Our client was the show’s creator, Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, (Robot Chicken, MODOK). It was their first traditionally animated series. I worked closely with the producer, the show runner/creator Brian Wysol, and series director, Pete Michels (The Simpsons). The show was animated and composited in Toon Boom Animation. I oversaw the animation test that won us the commission. The studio was responsible for designing alternate background art, shot prep, animation, effects and compositing. As the Irish Creative Director, I created and oversaw the studio’s creative and production pipelines, setting up the tracking and approval system. I created animation tests, recruited animators, designers, and shot prep crew.
I was the creative liaison with the Stoopid Buddy crew.
David S. Pumpkins Halloween Special – SNL/NBC-Universal
(One half-hour special) The was the Irish service work for NBC-Universal’s Saturday Night Live skit featuring Tom Hanks as “David S. Pumpkins” – Any Questions? Our client was Bento Box Animation (Bob’s Burgers). Our studio was called in to lend a hand with Bento Box’s LA and Atlanta team to get out a holiday special on very quick schedule. The show was animated in Toon Boom Animation. Our studio was responsible for shot prep, animation and 2D effects. As the Irish Creative Director, I created and oversaw the studio’s creative and production pipelines, setting up the tracking and approval system. I recruited animators and shot prep crew. I was the creative liaison with the Bento Box crew.
The Adventures of the Young Marco Polo – Magpie 6 Media Coproduction
(26 Half Hours) This was Magpie 6 Media’s first co-production. The series was featured on Netflix. Our studio was responsible for Key Posing, Shot Prep, 2D and Effects Animation. As Creative Director I was responsible for creating and overseeing the Irish studio’s creative and production pipelines, setting up tracking and approval systems. I recruited key pose artists, animators, and shot prep crew. I was the creative liaison with the RTE Junior’s Commissioner, and the German, Canadian, and Luxembourg coproducers.
Rocka-Bye Island – Magpie 6 Media
(26 episodes x 11 minutes) After Magpie 6’s success creating preschool shorts for Disney, “Rocka-Bye Island” was the first of the studio’s original series. The show featured an island preschool run by a 6 foot tall deer aptly named “Mr. O’Dear” aided by his mechanical assistant, “Rauri Robot.” As Creative Director, I recruited top LA based talent to cross-pollinate our Irish crew. Renowned Disney Art Director “Frank Montagna” (Alice’s Wonderland Bakery and The 7D), created the lush and colourful look to the show. Nickelodeon veteran “Ernie Gilbert Jr.” (Fairly Odd Parents), created the sleek and distinct character design. I created and oversaw the studio’s creative and production pipelines, setting up the tracking and approval system. I created animation tests, recruited animators, designers, and other creative crew.
Brewster the Rooster – Magpie 6 Media
(26 episodes x 7 minutes) Brewster was conceived from a live action documentary I created about a wild whimsical black rooster who stole the hearts of the Irish fishing village of Skerries, Fingal County. The animated TV series featured Brewster the Rooster and his human friend, 8-year old Maggie. Together they would do their best to answer head -scratching questions only a preschool could ask, “What do fish drink?” Besides creating and developing the series, as Creative Director I was responsible for creating and overseeing the studio’s creative and production pipelines, setting up tracking and approval systems, recruiting the creative crew. I was the creative liaison with the RTE Junior’s Commissioner.
Sir Mouse – Salty Dog Pictures Coproduction
(26 episodes x 11 minutes) Winner of the “Kid’s Choice Award for Best Animated Preschool Series 2021″ at the Irish Animation Awards.” The series was adapted from a book by Belgian children’s author, Dirk Nielandt. I was the Creative Director for the Irish part of the co-production between Belgium and Germany. The 2D series was animated in Maya 3D but the animation effects were created in Adobe Animate. I was responsible for creating and overseeing the studio’s creative and production pipelines, setting up tracking and approval systems, and recruiting the creative crew. I created the pipeline integration of 2D Effects with the 3D animation, working with the Belgian compositing dept. using Nuke. I was the creative liaison with the RTE Junior’s Commissioner.
The Wee Littles – Magpie 6 Media
(46 episodes x 5 minutes) The series was conceived by Christina O’Shea & me. We really wanted to do the series in stop-motion (stop-frame), but budget constrictions forbade it. As Creative Director, I developed a hybrid production pipeline we dubbed “SimStop” for ‘Simulated Stop-Motion’. Basically, it takes the stop-motion puppets, location sets, and character props and turns them into 2D assets, thus making the production financially viable. As the Creative Director, I was responsible for creating and overseeing the studio’s creative and production pipelines, setting up tracking and approval systems, recruiting the creative crew, and was the creative liaison with the RTE Junior’s Commissioner.
Writer-Director Role
Walrus & Duck – Disney Junior/Online
(26 episodes x 3 minutes) This was the project that started Magpie 6 Media! The studio’s client was Disney Online who commissioned a number of preschool shorts dealing with numbers, hygiene, and sorting, (along the same genre as Sesame Street animated shorts). I was responsible for conceiving the stories, writing and directing the shorts. Out of the initial batch of shorts, Disney really liked the “Walrus & Duck” series that dealt with letters. They commissioned us to do all the alphabet and the show transferred to Disney Junior.
Rocka-Bye Island- Magpie 6 Media
(26 episodes x 11 minutes) I conceived the preschool series with the talented brother duo, Stephen & Kevin O’Brien. The story editor was Richard Hansom (Shaun the Sheep, Bob the Builder), I wrote half of the scripts and directed the series.
Brewster the Rooster – Magpie 6 Media
(26 episodes x 7 minutes) I conceived the preschool series based on a live action documentary about an escaped rooster in the Irish fishing village of Skerries. This in turn, was made into a children’s picture book. The story editor was Debbie MacDonald (Nickelodeon UK), I wrote half of the scripts and directed the series.
Sir Mouse – Salty Dog Pictures Coproduction
(26 episodes x 11 minutes) Besides tracking, reviewing, and providing feedback on all the episodic scripts, as a Season One series writer, I created 20 story premises, 12 story treatments, and wrote 3 scripts to final draft. The final scripts were “The Mysterious Stranger” “The Snow Dragon” and “Mouse Is Sick”.
The Wee Littles – Magpie 6 Media
(46 episodes x 5 minutes) The script editor was Katie Davies. Working together, our story crew came up with over 60 series premises, eventually whittling them down to 52 episodes. I co-directed the series with the über-talented Emma Hogan. She and I wrote the majority of the scripts. I brought 31 scripts to final draft – though 4 of them were postponed until the 2nd season.
The Inbetweener – Animated Short Film
(5 minutes) A hapless butler finds himself involved an argument between a violent upper crust couple. As the ‘Inbetweener,” his duties are to excute the couples’ commands as a surrogate administer of their marital acrimony. Winner of the “Zoie Film Festival – Best Animated Short” “The Twin Rivers Film Festival – Best Animated Short” “Puchon International Film Festival – Nominated Best Animated Short” and “The Leo Awards – Nominated Best Animated Short” (2001)
Walk On By – Magpie 6 Media
(Short Film – 5 minutes) The live action short was an entry into the March On Film Festival where it won the “Audience Choice” Award featuring the acting debut of Gary Etchingham as the bumbling “Nicky Cunningham”. I wrote and directed it – (also made a cameo!). It’s a tragic tale of finding romance at a crossroads only to get hit by the express bus to Dublin Airport.
