Canadian animation studio Copernicus (Teen Titans Go, Solar Opposites, Curious George) and veteran animation actor-writer-director Mr. Lawrence (né Douglas Oswoski) are working on a cool new 2D-animated venture — a short titled Death Castle, which will serve as a pilot for a series. Lawrence, who is best known for providing the voice of Plankton on SpongeBob SquarePants as well as being the Emmy-winning head writer of SpongeBob SquarePants and co-creator of The Patrick Star Show and Kamp Koral, is joined by Emmy-winning Craig Kellman (Penguins of Madagascar, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2) who is art director and co-producer on the project, and producers Paul Rigg, president of Copernicus, and Matthew Huerto, the studio’s head of production.
“When Doug (Mr.) Lawrence, a dear friend and collaborator of over 12 years, approached us with his latest brainchild, asking if we wanted to be part of it,” says Rigg. “We knew we were in for something truly special. Death Castle is a project that not only transcends the ordinary but also ignited our imaginations from the very first animatic frame. It’s a feast for the eyes that we are truly excited to be a part of!”
“Death Castle offers a unique and electrifying mash-up of horror and comedy,” adds Huerto. “It’s a delicate balance that few dare to attempt, yet the creators of this pilot not only embrace the challenge but excel at it. what truly sets it apart is its commitment to best-in-class 2D traditional animation. There’s something undeniably special about hand-drawn animation. It’s a labor of love that shines through in every frame, captivating audiences with its fluidity and charm.
We recently had a chance to interview Mr. Lawrence before Death Castle makes the rounds at the Annecy market next month. Here is what he shared with us about this new passion project, which is described as The Office meets Frankenstein and is a satire of scary monster movies paired with a screwball relationship comedy for adult audiences:
Congrats on your exciting new animated venture. Can you tell us a bit about the origins of Death Castle?
Mr. Lawrence: Growing up, I was always attracted to horror mixed with comedy. I remember seeing Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and I was hooked on scary/funny stuff ever since. I wanted to create a new take on that genre, putting the monsters center stage and giving them adult personalities and mature problems. Definitely not for kids.
When did you start working on it?
I wrote and storyboarded it over 15 years ago, but it got shelved for a long time and I always wanted to finish it because the audience who saw the original pitch loved it and thought it was funny. My old buddy, Craig Kellman, came on board to art direct and co-produce and that’s when we really got rolling. Production started officially September 2023 and my good friends at Copernicus Studios in Halifax are on track to complete it in 2024.
What would you say are some of the show’s inspiration?
Oh, there are so many inspirations: Young Frankenstein, Mad Monster Party, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Father Ted, Bottom, Count Chocula and Franken-Berry commercials from the ’70s, Don Bluth’s video game Dragon’s Lair. And Richard Williams’ Pink Panther title sequences. Is that enough?
Can you talk about the animation style?
I call it “UliDean style”. Without animators Uli Meyer and Dean Roberts in London (along with Gabriele Zucchelli), this short would have looked like limited TV animation, which is fine, (That’s my usual style) But I wanted this to be different and dazzling and remind myself of why I wanted to be in animation in the first place: to make cool, funny and gorgeous cartoons. So, I went full feature style on this film and I’m sooo glad I did.
What do you love best about the world of Death Castle?
Creating a world where creepy gothic monsters act just like my family and friends is what makes me excited to write for these characters and makes me anxious to explore them further in a series. I love the character animation itself and it’s fun to watch it even with the sound off.
What was the toughest aspect of this project?
Just getting the other artists excited enough to commit to working on it, that was scary. You feel like you’re conning everyone to be part of your Ponzi scheme. But once they saw what I had in mind, I gained everyone’s trust. The other challenge was that the animation all happens in one continuous shot (No cuts) for six minutes straight. So, our animators had sore hands for a while.
What has the early response been to it so far?
It’s not finished yet, so almost no one has seen it. But people working on it, love it as much as I do which is a great commodity to have. When your fellow artists are into it, it makes it truly special and is usually a good sign others will like it too. I’m keeping my fingers, my toes and everything else crossed.
What do you hope audiences will take away from it?
Maybe just to watch something to take a break from how crazy everything is in the world right now as well as putting a light on its craziness. It’s a satire of Showbiz and relationships and it points out how stupidity is dangerous and pokes fun at delusions of grandeur. But hopefully the audience will love the characters as I do and will have a “laugh” or a “chuckle” or a “guffaw!” I’m also not adverse to a “chortle” if need be. But no “titters.” I hate that.
How do you like working in the short format compared to longer series projects?
I’m lucky in the fact that I’ve almost exclusively worked in short formats pretty much my whole career. Comedy works best in short bursts. Comedy feature-length movies can be great too of course, but there’s something in short comedies that cuts to the bone of the funny faster, and you’re left wanting more. I love that aspect. I’ve seen so many shorts over the years that I love and revere just as highly as feature films.
For more info, visit copernicusstudios.com
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