Cartoon Network Studios (CNS) has announced Cartoon Cartoons, a new iteration of its animated shorts program.
"Cartoon Network Studios has a proud legacy of animated shorts," said Sam Register, President of Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. Animation. "We are building on that legacy today with a program that will champion new and diverse voices, energize creativity and provide resources for artists to share their stories with the world. I am so grateful to the producers serving on our Creative Council and our partner organizations for their commitment to make Cartoon Cartoons a successful and creatively rewarding endeavor.”
CNS' original shorts program, World Premiere Toons, kicked off in 1995 and wound up giving rise to critically-acclaimed series like Dexter's Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls and Steven Universe. In doing so, it also helped to launch the careers of major storytellers in the field of animation, including Genndy Tartakovsky, Craig McCracken, C.H. Greenblatt, J.G. Quintel and Rebecca Sugar.
Cartoon Cartoons shorts will vary in length and subject matter, covering "character driven and comedic narratives [as well as] experimental animation, for a variety of audiences spanning preschoolers to adults." Those shorts that are completed have the potential to be released by WarnerMedia across the company's varying platforms, including being broadcast on Cartoon Network and streaming through HBO Max. The program will be open to individuals of all levels of experiences, both from within and outside of CNS.
Those who participate in Cartoon Cartoons will be mentored by the program's Creative Council. The council includes: Pete Browngardt, the showrunner/executive producer on HBO Max's Looney Tunes Cartoons; Manny Hernandez, who was nominated for an Emmy for his work as a writer, director and storyboard artist on We Bare Bears; Katie Rice, who worked in the storyboard department on DC's Super Hero Girls and directed multiple episodes of Hulu's Animaniacs revival; and Aminder Dhaliwal, a member of the storyboard department on The Fairly OddParents, Sanjay and Craig and The Owl House.
Cartoon Cartoons will also partner with organizations that have "a proven track record of advancing the cause of diversity, equity and inclusion," as part of its efforts to cultivate diversity and inclusion in the animation industry. Among its partners are Black Women Animate Studios -- an animation studio focused on elevating Black female talent -- and Exceptional Minds, a non-profit dedicated to preparing young adults on the autism spectrum for careers in animation, visual effects and related fields.
Source: Cartoon Network Studios