Frederator Studios

Frederator Studiosis an Americananimationtelevision productionstudio founded byFred Seibertin January 1997.It is a division ofFrederator Networks, Inc.,itself apart ofKartoon Studios' Canadian holding companyWow Unlimited Media.The studio's slogan is "Original Cartoons since 1998."

Frederator Studios

Company logo from 2009 to present, debuting onFanboy & Chum Chum.
Formerly	Frederator Incorporated (1997–2009)
Company type	Division
Industry	Animation Television production Film production
Predecessor	Fred/Alan Chauncey Street Productions, Inc.
Founded	January 6, 1997(1997-01-06)
Founder	Fred Seibert
Headquarters	New York City, New York,Burbank, California,U.S.
Key people	Michael Hirsh(CEO) Kevin Kolde (vice presidentProduction) Isabel Bailin (Director of Development)
Products	Oh Yeah! Cartoons The Fairly OddParents ChalkZone My Life as a Teenage Robot Nicktoons Film Festival Random! Cartoons Fanboy & Chum Chum Adventure Time Bravest Warriors Too Cool! Cartoons Castlevania Bee and PuppyCat
Services	Traditional animation Stop-motion animation CGI animation Flash animation
Parent	Frederator Networks, Inc.(2012–present)
Divisions	Bolder Media(with Mixed Media Group) Frederator Books Channel Frederator Network
Website	frederator

Frederator and Seibert have been credited with producing various, critically-acclaimed media projects, predominantly inchildren's animation.The studio has locations inNew York City,where Frederator Digital is based,andBurbank, California.

In 2016, Frederator would be acquired by Canadian animation studioRainmaker,and merged into Wow! Unlimited Media where Seibert was Chief Creator Officer; he would remain at the company until August 2020. After departing, he would found a successor company, FredFilms, in February 2021.

History

Founding and early years

Before Frederator, in 1983, Fred Seibert founded Fred/Alan, Inc. in New York City with his college friendAlan Goodman;in 1988, Fred/Alan partnered withAlbie Hechtin Chauncey Street Productions to produce television programs for Nickelodeon, MTV, A&E, and CBS. The Fred/Alan firm closed down in 1992.

Seibert became the president ofHanna-BarberaCartoons in 1992, and createdWhat a Cartoon!,a showcase consisting of 48 shorts that aired onCartoon Network.In 1996, when Time Warner merged with Turner Broadcasting (owner of Hanna-Barbera), he left the studio.

Frederator Incorporated was formed on January 6, 1997(its first cartoons were released in 1998), and was housed at a temporary location of theNickelodeon Animation StudioinNorth Hollywood, California.Frederator's debut production was the cartoon short incubator, a television series calledOh Yeah! Cartoons,which later spun off three series:The Fairly OddParents(its first official series), as wellChalkZone,andMy Life as a Teenage Robot,in addition to 51 original short cartoons from creators includingButch Hartman,Rob Renzetti,Tim Biskup,Larry Huber,Pat Ventura,Seth MacFarlane,and Carlos Ramos.Oh Yeah! Cartoonswas based on Seibert'sWhat a Cartoon!series of shorts fromHanna-Barbera CartoonsandCartoon Network,which brought Hanna-Barbera its first hit series in 10 years,Dexter's Laboratory,Johnny Bravo,Cow and Chicken,I Am Weasel,The Powerpuff Girls,andCourage the Cowardly Dog.Frederator has produced a total of 16 television series, and over 200 miniseries, including webisodes. As of 2013,the company was in a producing partnership withSony Pictures EntertainmentandYouTube.

In 2002, Frederator created a joint venture for preschoolers namedBolder Mediawith producerSusan Miller'sMixed Media Group, Inc..They produced their first preschool series created byBob BoyleforNick Jr.,Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!.

Frederator Studios created atelevision seriesand competitionThe Nicktoons Film Festival(now known as theNicktoons Network Animation Festival) for theNicktoons Network,which debuted October 24, 2004.

In 2004,David Karpinterned at Frederator Studios at its firstManhattanlocation, and built their first blogging platform.In 2007, he launchedTumblrfrom a rented desk at Frederator Studios'Park Avenue Southoffices, with chief engineerMarco Arment.Seibert was one of Tumblr's first bloggers.

On November 1, 2005, Frederator launched what it called "the first cartoon podcast."Named Channel Frederator byDavid Karp(who also structured and edited the initial episodes), this weekly animation network features submitted films from around the world, and quickly became one of the top video podcasts onApple Inc.'siTunes.In quick succession, The Wubbcast was launched for pre-schoolers in January 2006, andReFrederatorfeaturing vintage public domain cartoons in April 2006. Channel Frederator became the model for Seibert's media companyNext New Networksand reaches almost 4,000,000 video views monthly.

On June 25, 2007Varietyarticle announced the studio had formedFrederator Films,dedicated to creating animated feature films budgeted under $20 million.Frederator's first feature is set up atParamount Pictures,co-produced withJ. J. Abrams'Bad Robot.They have also set up their first two animated features in a first look production arrangement forSony Pictures Animation.

Expansion into web animation

The studio produced its first original internet cartoons with independent animator Dan Meth.The Meth Minute 39launched on September 5, 2007, featuring 39 of Meth's original character shorts. (The first cartoon was "Internet People", a video on the viral video sitesYouTubeandMySpaceTVthat featured some popularInternet memesand internet people.) A spin-off,Nite Fite,debuted in October 2008. These series have totaled over 35,000,000 video views to date.

Random! Cartoons,the latest Frederator anthology series, began airing on Nicktoons in 2009;it spawned two TV series,Fanboy & Chum ChumandAdventure Time(the first Frederator production not forNickelodeonand the first and only series made forCartoon Network), as well as the web series,Bravest Warriors.

Frederator Studios became a division of parent Frederator Networks when founderFred Seibertannounced the company's newYouTube funded channeland adult production label,Cartoon Hangoverin February 2012and 18 months later started theChannel Frederator Network,amulti-channel network(MCN) dedicated to helping individual YouTube animation creators distribute and monetize their owned and operated channels. At launch, Frederator produced three animated series for Cartoon Hangover:Bravest Warriors,created byPendleton Ward;SuperFuckers,created byJames Kochalka;andToo Cool! Cartoons,an incubator featuring content from different animators.Bravest Warriorspremiered on November 8, 2012 andSuperFuckerspremiered on November 30, 2012.

In July 2013 as part ofToo Cool! CartoonsCartoon Hangover premiered the first part of the 10-minute short film,Bee and PuppyCatcreated byNatasha Allegri.Due to its popularity, in November 2013 Frederator launched aKickstarterto fund a first season of the series,which was successful and raised $872,133 toward more episodes of the show. The project was the most funded animation and web series Kickstarter at the conclusion, and the fourth most-funded Film/Video project.

In 2013, Frederator launched a digital-only ebook company, Frederator Books. Frederator Books published its first title, "The Lieography of Babe Ruth" in March 2013.

In 2014, Frederator announced the launch ofThe Channel Frederator Network,aMulti Channel Network(MCN) of independently owned animation channels on YouTube.Since its start, Channel Frederator Network has generated more than one billion views, and averages more than 30 million views a month, across its network of more than 200 channels.Some of its leading channels areFilmCow(just over 1 million subscribers),Cartoon Hangover(over 1 million subscribers),andSimon's Cat(over 2,800,000 subscribers),which isYouTube's #2 animated channel.Once part of the network, Frederator handles all advertising and distribution for its channels on YouTube, promoting the show and its licensed merchandise.

As of 2016, Mexican animation studioÁnima Estudiosand Frederator Studios have launched a newYouTubenetwork, called Átomo Network, focusing on Spanish-language content.

Acquisition by Rainmaker; Wow Unlimited merger, and Kartoon Studios ownership

In December 2016, Canadian studioRainmaker Entertainment(now, and originally known as, Mainframe) acquired Frederator Networks. Together with Ezrin Hirsh Entertainment (EHE), the three would be merged into the holding companyWow Unlimited Media, Inc..

In August 2020, it was announced Fred Seibert would resign as CEO of Frederator Studios.Michael Hirsh,co-founder of Canadian studioNelvana,would take over.

On October 27, 2021,Genius Brands(now Kartoon Studios) announced that it had agreed to acquire Wow Unlimited Media for C$66 million (US$53 million), with the transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022.The acquisition was completed on April 7, 2022.

In January 2023, 50% of the rights toBravest WarriorsandBee and Puppycatwas sold to Japanese studioToho International.

Filmography

See also:Frederator cartoon shorts filmography

Television series

ForNickelodeon:

• Oh Yeah! Cartoons(1998–2002) (co-produced withNickelodeon Animation Studio)
• The Fairly OddParents(2001–2017) (co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studio andBillionfold Inc.for seasons 6–10)
• ChalkZone(2002–2008) (co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studio)
• My Life as a Teenage Robot(2003–2009) (co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studio)
• Fanboy & Chum Chum(2009–2014) (co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studio)

ForNicktoons:

• Nicktoons Film Festival(2004–2009) (co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studio)
• Random! Cartoons(2008–2009) (co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studio)
• Ape Escape(2009) (co-produced with Hawaii Film Partners, Project 51 Productions and Showcase Entertainment)

ForNetflix:

• Castlevania(2017–2021) (co-produced withPowerhouse Animation,Warren EllisProductions for seasons 3–4,Shankar Animationand Project 51 Productions)
• Bee and PuppyCat: Lazy in Space(2022) (co-produced withOLM, Inc.)

ForMax:

• Adventure Time: Distant Lands(2020–2021) (co-produced with Cartoon Network Studios)
• Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake(2023–present) (co-produced with Cartoon Network Studios)

Other productions

• Adventure Time(2010–2018) (co-produced withCartoon Network StudiosforCartoon Network)
• Bravest Warriors(2017–2018) (co-produced withNelvanaforTeletoon)
• Costume Quest(2019) (co-produced withWellsville Pictures,Double Fine ProductionsandAmazon StudiosforAmazon Prime Video)
• Chikn Nuggit(TBA) (co-produced with BuzzFeed Animation Lab forBuzzFeed)

YouTube series

Channel Frederator:

• The Meth Minute 39(September 5, 2007)
• Cartoon Conspiracy(April 24, 2014)

Cartoon Hangover:

• Bravest Warriors(November 8, 2012)
• SuperFuckers(November 30, 2012)
• Too Cool! Cartoons(April 4, 2013)
• Bee and PuppyCat(November 6, 2014)
• Go! Cartoons(November 7, 2017)

Films

• Globehunters: An Around the World in 80 Days Adventure(2002, produced in 2000) (co-produced withNickelodeon Animation Studio)
• The Electric Piper(2003, produced in 2000) (co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studio)
• Abra-Catastrophe!(2003) (co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studio)
• Channel Chasers(2004) (co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studio)
• The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour(2004/2006) (co-produced withO Entertainment,DNA Productions,and Nickelodeon Animation Studio, the crossover three-part special withThe Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius)
• School's Out!: The Musical(2005) (co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studio)
• Escape from Cluster Prime(2005) (co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studio)
• Wubbzy's Big Movie!(2008) (co-produced withFilm RomanandStarz Media,credited asBolder Media)
• Wubb Idol(2009) (co-produced with Film Roman and Starz Media, credited as Bolder Media)
• Wishology!(2009) (co-produced withBillionfold, Inc.and Nickelodeon Animation Studio)
• A Fairly Odd Movie: Grow Up, Timmy Turner!(2011) (co-produced with Billionfold, Inc. andPacific Bay Entertainment)
• A Fairly Odd Christmas(2012) (co-produced with Billionfold, Inc. and Pacific Bay Entertainment)
• A Fairly Odd Summer(2014) (co-produced with Billionfold, Inc. and Pacific Bay Entertainment)

See also

• Mainframe Studios
• Kartoon Studios

External links

• Official website
• Frederator @ IMDB
• "Fred Seibert foresees 'next golden age of animation' on Internet"Los Angeles Times, December 18, 2013interview (2013)
• "The Story of Kids TV Mastermind Fred Seibert: Cultivating a whole new generation of weird in animation"Adweekinterview (2013)