ben-levin
Ben Levin
Co-creator of Cartoon Network's Craig of the Creek. Used-to-writer for Steven Universe. Last straight-edge ska fan in existence.
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Craig and The Kids Table
Written & Storyboarded by Dashawn Mahone, Najja Porter, Tiffany Ford & Charmaine Verhagen
Title card designed by Character, Prop/FX Design Supervisor Danny Hynes and painted by Character Designer Benjamin Anders
Check out the half-hour Thanksgiving special on Saturday, November 23 at 10 AM EST!
#craig of the creek#Danny Hynes#Benjamin Anders#Tiffany Ford#Najja Porter#Dashawn Mahone#Charmaine Verhagen#Cartoon network#Thanksgiving#cotc
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Four brand NEW Craig of the Creek episodes have been released onto the Cartoon Network app and website (links below if you have a TV service provider)! They will all be premiering on TV in August!
Cousin of the Creek (August 3 at 9 AM)
Camper on the Run (August 10 at 9 AM)
Stink Bomb (August 17 at 9 AM)
Evolution of Craig (August 24 at 9 AM)
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The Other Side: Background Concepts
From Background Designer, Katie Wells:
“The King on the The other side holds power over other kids by having what kids want: the best snacks and playtime equipment. So sometimes he comes across as a really friendly, generous kid.
But he also has a darker side, some kind of really scary punishment he saves for when a kid really double crosses him.The design team sat down with Ben, Matt and the writing team and sketched and talked about what the The King’s dark threat could be. We joked about a chest-deep "hole of shame” you have to stand in while kids point and laugh at you, or like, a bottomless pit you could never crawl out of. But we needed something kids could actually create. I suggested a labyrinth, because I love the myth of Theseus besting the Minotaur and escaping the Labyrinth of King Minos. It was said that the creator of the Labyrinth, an artificer named Daedalus, made it so hard to solve that when he finished building it he barely managed to get out with his life. Ben said it best: “It’s so hard to escape that by the time you make your way home you are so late for dinner you are grounded from the creek …FOREVER.” I did this drawing of a giant maze of brambles in the woods and The Maze was born.“
From Background Designer, Santino Lascano:
"Designing The Other Side area was fun, since we had some time to explore and go a bit crazy in pushing different ideas. I had a super rough abandoned skate park concept for the new kingdom as one. The King’s throne room was where I got to concentrate my time on, when the design team narrowed down the main area.
Initially there was an idea of TV screens everywhere, with the King’s face was broken up abstractly on each one.
From there I liked the idea of lights and electricity being a part of the throne room, so we could have some dramatic lighting moments. I thought this was a good way to really differentiate The Other Side vs the Creek Kids’ area.”
From Lead Background Designer, Cory Fuller:
“Once the initial ideas for the Other Side were nailed down, I started working on a rough of the King’s Court, mostly trying to figure out what our kids would see as they entered through the gate. I tried to push the scale of the fort, and how the trees would play against the mill to make it feel fantastical and overwhelming.
In the final drawing I really got to develop the space, and help build the world that is the other side of the creek. A lot of brainstorming went into what materials would be used to build the stands, and what kind of things we would see in the market place. The Report Rando’s and Check Weapons stalls were added to help sell the idea that the King really controls the way these kids play, and who is welcome in his court.
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Behind the Scenes of “Kelsey the Author”
From co-creator, Ben Levin:
“I feel so proud of this episode. It says so many things in 11 minutes. It’s about the power of DIY, the joy of making stuff, expressing yourself, and also about the risk of putting yourself out there and imposter syndrome.
The episode also stays true to one of my main hopes with the show: inspiring kids to be creative and imaginative by portraying (somewhat) grounded adventures.
Kelsey publishing her book was a story we’d kicked around a lot, but took a while to refine it. There were so many versions. For example, there was one where Kelsey was selling her books at the Trading Tree, but the concept of art as a commodity didn’t feel relatable. That’s not why we all had started making drawings and writing stories as kids. We did it because we just wanted to share these weird stories in our brains.
So we came up with this version where the plan was just to give them out at the library, and it unfolded from there.”
From Head Writer, Jeff Trammell:
“One of the things I was really excited about for “Kelsey the Author” was the chance to further explore the relationship with Kelsey and Stacks. They’re really good friends and a lot of people are fans of their dynamic, going all the way back to “Final Book”. This was our third episode really getting to explore their friendship, so it was great getting the opportunity to show Stacks, who clearly values the opinion of Kelsey, become inspired by her. Especially considering Stacks’ reaction to Kelsey’s story is what pushes Kelsey to create copies of her book to share with other kids.”
From Supervising Character Designer, Danny Hynes:
“The coolest thing (to me) about Kelsey the Author, is that in order to make an episode about creating your own DIY publishing operation, we basically had to create the drawn version of our own DIY publishing operation. Everything you would need to make a book got a design. We have stacks of paper, binder clips, glue, scored cardboard. If Kelsey needed it to make a book, we needed to make a model for it. Going through the prop folder is really satisfying for that reason. Our prop designer, Maaike, did an amazing job creating all of those miniature tools and supplies.“
From Lead Background Designer, Cory Fuller:
“When I was doing the concept drawings for Kelsey’s room, I wanted to show her personality coming through over top of some more “traditional” little girl elements. Things that were bought for her when she was younger that she would be expected to grow into, like her bed frame and end tables. I also wanted to chart her passion for reading by adding a variety of bookshelves. One from early childhood, followed by a regular bookshelf when when she out grew that, and additional wall shelves her dad had to put up. There’s also a pile of books on the floor that there is currently no space for.
BG designer Katie Wells did the final designs for the episode and really brought the space to life by flushing out the designs and adding her own personal touches. She came up with really fun and creative ideas for the posters on Kelsey’s wall and the titles to all her books. She created the goofy titles by spoofing her favorite fantasy books using names of her friends’ DND characters.”
Outline by Jeff Trammell
Background designs by Cory Fuller & Katie Wells.
Character Designs by Danny Hynes, Benjamin Anders & Colin Howard
Prop Design by Maaike Scherff
Color by Carolyn Ramirez
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Kelsey The Author
Boarded by Katie Aldworth & Ashley Tahilan
Designed by Danny Hynes
Painted by Benjamin Anders
Airs on Saturday at 9am!
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Backgrounds from The Other Side
Designed by Cory Fuller, Katie Heckey and Santino Lascano
Painted by Esther Kim, Juliana Park, Mira Lark Crowell & Katie Heckey
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The kids on the Other Side of the Creek.
A selection of character designs from The Other Side half-hour special.
Designed by Danny Hynes and Benjamin Anders
Color by Carolyn Ramirez and Benjamin Anders
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Today!
Memories of Bobby & Jacob of the Creek
Two new episodes are airing tonight on Cartoon Network at 5pm and 5:15pm!
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This is one of our most bonkers episodes yet... yet. Check it out!
Dibs Court
Boarded by Tiffany Ford and Jason Dwyer
Designed by Maaike Scherff
Painted by Carolyn Ramirez
Premieres tonight at 5pm on Cartoon Network!
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Deep Creek Salvage
Boarded by Dashawn Mahone and Najja Porter
Designed by Maaike Scherff
Painted by Carolyn Ramirez
Premieres tonight at 5pm on Cartoon Network!
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Tonight!!!
This one is ridiculous but also sweet. Which is a perfect mix.
Jextra Perrestrial
Boarded by Charmaine Verhagen and Niki Yang
Designed and Painted by Maaike Scherff
Premieres tonight at 5pm on Cartoon Network!
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Background designer @khecks! An idyllic fall night with the teens of the creek. Everyone was rushing for this at the art show. It’s the best.
Here you go tumblr baebiieeez enjoy this illustration of The Elders and The Witches battling a beholder. I created this for the Craig of the Creek crew gallery show at Cartoon Network earlier this spring. It has a good autumn vibe so it seemed appropriate to post now!
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Four new episodes are available on the CN App and the Cartoon Network Website! They will also be airing on TV next week! Promo art done by Angel Lorenzana.
Jextra Perrestrial
Storyboarded by Charmaine Verhagen and Niki Yang
Airing on Cartoon Network on November 5th at 5pm!
The Takeout Mission
Storyboarded by Dashawn Mahone and Najja Porter
Airing on Cartoon Network on November 6th at 5pm!
Dinner at the Creek
Storyboarded by Deena Beck and Angel Lorenzana
Airing on Cartoon Network on November 7th at 5pm!
Jessica’s Trail
Storyboarded by Jason Dwyer and Tiffany Ford
Airing on Cartoon Network on November 8th at 5pm!
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Creek Cart Racers
Boarded by Deena Beck and Angel Lorenzana
Designed by Maaike Scherff
Painted by Carolyn Ramirez
Premieres tonight at 5pm on Cartoon Network!
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Power Punchers
Boarded by Tiffany Ford and Jason Dwyer
Designed by Maaike Scherff & Benjamin Anders
Painted by Benjamin Anders
Premieres tonight at 5pm on Cartoon Network!
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u are the keeper of the Creek secrets.... Why is Mark so damn bitter??? who broke this good boye
shrug emoji
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