Junae Benne: Welcome to another
episode of Gaming for the Culture.

I am your hostess with the Mostess
Janae Venet, and if anybody is watching

this, you can see that I am literally
recording outside and it is December 16th.

So by the time this gets
recorded or released.

I don't know what month it's gonna
be, but I am sitting outside.

It's not very cold.

Um, it's actually very, very beautiful.

But if you hear like a truck go by
or an animal or something, that's

why I am not using a soundboard,
just literally the sounds of nature.

So moving on to some more news.

If you ever want to watch
gaming for the Culture Live,

please subscribe to the Patreon.

It's gonna be Jena Benet,
right patreon.com/jena benet.

And you can you get first peek at who our
guests are, and you also get to ask them

questions during the actual interview,
and you get the unfiltered podcast, right?

Well, I should say unedited because.

Unfiltered means something
different for a lot of people, but

into the grand scheme of things.

I am so excited to
introduce today's guest.

We have actually spoken
before a while ago.

It's not 10 years, but it's over five.

Yeah, it's over five.

It's definitely over five years,
and I, it, it was a monumental

moment where we met because it
was the first blurred con ever.

And it was also like when Rick and
Morty was out, like there was just a

lot of really good things happening.

So I would love to introduce you
to today's guest, Brian Newton.

Bryan Newton: Hey Jeanette.

Junae Benne: Brian, say hi to the people.

Bryan Newton: Hey people.

Hey, gaming culture.

Hope everyone's doing well because
it's, it's cold for me right now,

but I'm in Los Angeles 50 degrees and
we're like, wanna put on sweaters.

Junae Benne: I see.

Let me check the degrees.

It's 45.

You'll be fine.

You'll be fine.

Bryan Newton: Yeah.

There was one time I was in DC during
uh, uh, Obama's inauguration and it was

probably like 30 and I'm in like, uh,
leggings and I'm all completely thermal

and I saw like a dude's, uh, short.

Junae Benne: They're used to it.

They're used to.

But to be fair with you, I'm very
much used to Colorado weather

because one, it's a bit drier, right?

Mm-hmm.

So like I can be outside in eight
degrees, like, you know, kind of in

a sweater and not really feel it.

But I wouldn't try that
at like sea level, right?

Like trying that in Chicago
is like, you're gonna freeze.

Yeah.

Moisture.

Bryan Newton: Yeah,

Junae Benne: exactly.

And I just came off of a year
of living in Finland, so like.

It's a bit colder there too.

So I'm kind of like, you know, I'll take
sunshine when I can get it, especially in

the winter time, like they have 24 hour
sunshine during the summer, but during the

winter it's like, catch it when you can't.

Like,

Bryan Newton: wow, that's
that northern culture.

You just straight up just like,
oh, we're gonna burn a fire.

We'll burn a whole forest.

Junae Benne: Man, I just,
I just, I, I love weather.

It's so funny 'cause I used to work at NBC
five Chicago and they always used to be

like, we need to talk about the weather.

And I'm like, oh, so boring.

But it really gets the people going
know, it gets people going because.

You know what I mean?

Like it's like, 'cause it's
relative, it's really cold.

Like, you know, the other day
when I was in Chicago it was

like a hundred percent of rain.

But you know, a hundred percent of rain
doesn't even mean like a hundred percent.

It just means a hundred percent.

Like in that area at a certain time.

And I used to think it was
like a hundred percent all day.

But anyways, I am good for
broadcast journalism, but I never

wanted to be a weather girl.

But I'm always thinking about
it in the back of my mind,

Bryan Newton: career option.

Junae Benne: Hmm.

So Brian, I know a little bit
about you, but what are your

hobbies that led into your career?

Bryan Newton: Oh, okay.

So when I was growing up, uh, had watched
a ton of, uh, cable television cartoons,

uh, some of my earliest memories of like
being at my grandma's house and like

Voltron would be on the original Voltron.

Junae Benne: That's also relative, because
when you were like cable cartoons, I was

like, yeah, like Beavis and Butthead.

But you said Tron.

Bryan Newton: So yeah, Beavis and
Butthead was on when I was like

four.

Yeah.

And still sneak to my friend's
house to watch it because my parents

wouldn't allowed, and sometimes
their parents were allowed, so we

had to sneak to another friend.

Uh, but yeah, like I grew up on like
the Flintstones, Voltron Thundercats.

He-Man.

Uh, Ghostbusters, the real
Ghostbusters and all that crap.

So for me, I just never
stopped watching cartoons.

So then when like the Cartoon
Network came around, I was like,

oh, cool, 24 hour cartoons.

Uh, uh, one stop shop.

Because growing up it was only Saturday
mornings and then like afters for

like two hours, which we had like
a for Fox, it was like a Eat the

Cat, do Batman, the animated series.

So

Junae Benne: do we have a time when.

What, like what year
did Cartoon Network Air?

Bryan Newton: I think like 94 93.

It aired.

When it was a 24 hour Hanna-Barbera
channel, but it, they officially

started their own cartoon, which
included, okay, I have to look it up.

Johnny Bravo around like 95.

Junae Benne: Yeah, you're right.

Right.

And then they ran.

That's really interesting.

Bryan Newton: Yeah, because that,
that's when I was watching that then.

'cause that was the only place
you could watch an old hand of

barbaric, uh, cartoons like.

Trixie and Dixie, they also had like
Space ghosts, the original Space Ghosts,

uh, thunder Barbarian, stuff like that.

Junae Benne: Yeah.

So, you know, so cartoon Hour came
out, uh, a year after I was born.

Mm-hmm.

And I wasn't really introduced to it,
so I was introduced to like boomerang.

I was introduced to Boomerang and
then more of like the Cartoon Network

stuff, because then by the time I
started watching, now we gotta look

up the, uh, the, the Boomerang debut
of Adult Swim too, because I, that's

Bryan Newton: like one, maybe.

Okay.

Yeah,

Junae Benne: yeah, yeah.

So that's what I would
be more familiar with.

So, yep.

September 2nd, 2001

Bryan Newton: because I was
there, so almost 10 years

Junae Benne: apart, I saw all this

Bryan Newton: stuff.

Junae Benne: That's crazy.

Bryan Newton: But like, uh, I was,
um, like boomerang's basically the

way cartoon Network used to be.

Like, that's how I watch
my old cartoon fix.

It's not like we didn't have other things.

We had Nickelodeon, but Nickelodeon
only had cartoon blocks.

Yeah.

And then did like live action stuff?

Yeah.

Periodically.

Yeah.

Uh,

okay.

But yeah, like I, I just
drew a lot as a kid.

I mean, I played games too.

It's funny 'cause I, I, this
is all my old Billy Wack and

that's a term you can look up.

It's old fashioned.

But, uh, whenever people talk about
like, being a gamer, it's just, it's

so foreign to me because I'm like.

Of course I play video games.

What the hell?

Yeah.

You're like, didn't

Junae Benne: everybody, but now
it's like, it's like a trophy.

It's like, I, I did it more than you.

And meanwhile I had, uh, a Nintendo
growing up, but by the time I could

like actually like use it and probably
enjoy it, it was technically obsolete.

And then we had the PlayStation.

Bryan Newton: Which Nintendo?

Junae Benne: The og.

The og.

The og.

Yeah.

The Ds

Bryan Newton: were saying Nintendo.

And they're talking about 64.

I'm like, yeah, before that.

Junae Benne: Yeah.

No, the OG one.

Bryan Newton: Which Game Boy?

Junae Benne: Yeah.

Lit Look.

Yep.

Because my, my first game boy was the
Game Boy Advance and all I had was Madden.

And you think I'd be a
Madden fan, but I'm not.

I was like, this is boring.

Madden was good 'cause
we had a lot of games.

Yeah.

But yeah, I just, I
wasn't into sports then.

I was into sports later.

And then even then I didn't wanna
play it because I was reporting on it.

Right.

So I kind of was just like, I'm all
sports out right now that, you know,

what do I know about Blue 42 on the game?

Like, I don't wanna run that.

So, you know.

Bryan Newton: That's,

Junae Benne: that's, that's
how it kind of played out with

like even Madden or like 2K.

'cause you know, um, when you meet
other gamers and they're only play

sports games, like, that was kind of
the people I was being introduced to

who were calling themselves gamers.

And I was like,

Bryan Newton: yeah,

Junae Benne: yeah, but like, I
wanna play like Assassin's Creed

and an Uncharted, and like got a
war before it was a rpt, you know?

So

Bryan Newton: see that's
what's gonna happen.

They're gonna start, uh,
separating themself by genre.

So it'll be like, I'm a sports gamer or.

A first person shooter, gamer.

I'm a tactical gamer.

It's like they're gonna start,
I'm a, I play cooking mom.

I'm a simulation gamer.

Yeah.

Junae Benne: Because yeah, mobile gamers
don't think they're real gamers too.

Like that's been a very big conversation.

But I'm like, sis, you're at
level 2000 and Candy Crush.

You're the, you're a pro gamer actually.

Like you're, you could be in
a tournament if you wanted to.

Bryan Newton: Yeah.

You're like a top 20 percentile
in the world, probably.

Junae Benne: Literally, yeah, literally.

That'd be crazy to have
a Candy Crush tournament.

I might think about it.

I might, I might think about

Bryan Newton: it's, that's the thing,
it's like gaming's so ubiquitous.

I'm just like, yeah, I, it's
like I don't go around saying

like, oh, I'm a television.

Junae Benne: Nerd Alert,
more like ad alert.

Let me interrupt you guys really
quickly to tell you about this on

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If you've never seen a Spider-Man
chair, here's your chance.

Once again, one of my favorite chairs.

I love a theme, as you can tell, right?

I'm sitting outside.

I'm doing an interview.

We're talking about Invincible Fight Girl.

Why not also talk about Spider-Man,
your friendly neighborhood gaming chair.

Click on the link in the description
to see about this review.

Not only is there a video
review, but there's also a

written review on Tom's hardware.

Okay, Brian and Janae, take it away.

Yeah, that's true.

But, but you know, Brian, Brian,
here's a sad, here's the sad part,

and I'll never forget it, right.

Because nothing makes me wanna stop
talking to a person faster when

they say they don't like movies.

Mm-hmm.

You know, so like there are people who
are just be like, I don't like movies.

And I'm like, and then, you know,

I thought about it when you
were talking about it earlier.

'cause you're like, yeah, I
never stopped watching cartoons.

I'm like, yeah, I love animation.

And there are people who are
like, I don't like animation,

but you watch the boondocks.

Like you are not exclusive.

Like Yeah, it's still animation.

Like that's not like the exception.

It's animation, bro.

So

Bryan Newton: that
reminds me, I was, that is

Junae Benne: interesting.

Bryan Newton: I was at a, uh, a
anime convention, like probably like

line behind these like young girls

and they were young at the time.

They're probably like only like 10 years
younger than me, but at the time I was 27.

Yeah.

And like they were saying, like, I
don't watch cartoons, but then an anime.

Anime's just another form of cartooning.

It's all, you know.

Okay.

Junae Benne: Brian, you, I don't
wanna get nobody in trouble.

I'm, I'm gonna say, Brian said
that, and I didn't say that.

Janae didn't say that.

Brian said that

Bryan Newton: he takes, but

Junae Benne: every country is allowed
to have their own world of cartoons.

Bryan Newton: Here's how I, here's
how I can easily dispel the, the

mis implication of what cartoon is.

Okay, let's.

Cartooning comes from the tune
strips of comics from like the

early, like late 1890s to the early

Those are all comic strips.

The God of Manga is Tuka.

Who did Astroboy.

That's all anime dude.

Junae Benne: Yeah,

Bryan Newton: sorry.

Yeah.

You like cartoons?

Junae Benne: Yeah.

Yeah.

Someone have to sit down and draw stuff.

Yeah, I, I don't think there's anything,
yeah, that's very true and I don't

think there's anything wrong with that.

I think it's just another.

False meter of maturity, right?

Right.

To be like, well, I
only like the boondocks.

And it's like, but do
you know it's satire?

Like,

Bryan Newton: which is stuff I can
see even like getting into like

what qualifies as good anime or not.

For example, one piece.

When one piece, when I first saw read one
piece in, in like the early or mid two

thousands, I was like, this shit's great.

No one else was reading or watching it.

'cause like, ah, it's too cartoony.

I'm like, are you kidding me right now?

Because Dragon Ball had the
exact same reaction in the states

when it started coming out.

Mm-hmm.

Like older anime fans, like guys
older than me, people older than me.

They did not do Dragon Ball.

They only did like just the North Star.

They did, uh, ninja Scroll.

They did, uh, pat labor, maybe even
like Gundam, but it was like the mature

stuff, like gun dragon ball's too, kid.

Now look at all the people.

Yeah,

Junae Benne: yeah, yeah, yeah.

Especially in the black community, man.

Black people love them.

Some Goku and Naruto.

Bryan Newton: Yeah.

Black people love

Junae Benne: them.

Some Goku, NGER

Bryan Newton: and Latinos
too, because like you,

Junae Benne: yeah, yeah.

Bryan Newton: Hispanic communities like
fucking dragon balls all over the place.

Because they had it before.

Yeah.

They had that in thick.

Yeah.

Junae Benne: Oh, okay.

Oh, and Saint say.

Okay.

Bryan Newton: Yep.

Junae Benne: Yeah.

That's really, that's really
interesting to me, and I love it.

I think.

I think any reason to bring people
together over like a media, you

know, 'cause like I really like, you
know, before they started throwing

around terms like Kimbo mm-hmm.

I was like, I really like Goku.

And I'm like, who
doesn't wanna get strong?

'cause that's me.

Right?

Like, you know, there's that meme, um,
there's that meme and I, I think it's

Dragon Ball, a bridge where it was like,
or wait, or was it Powerpuff girls?

And it was like.

Think I'm fighting to save the day,
but really I just like to fight.

That's my genre.

Of anime.

Yeah.

Of cartoons.

That's what I want to watch.

That's what I wanna watch.

You know,

Bryan Newton: that's
who's original character.

That thing we get because of the
initial ocean, uh, for foundation.

Like in the late nineties.

Yeah.

He was like, he wasn't a hero.

He was just like, he was just
there to like compete and challenge

himself, which you get in early
Dragon Ball, but then we kind of

get like, oh, he's beating bad guys.

And like that's just happenstance.

Junae Benne: Yeah.

Right.

No, he was just like, oh, I wanted to box.

You know, and all of the jokes now, like
I love watching like a reel or a TikTok.

Where like there's this one, and I'm
sorry I can't remember the creator's name,

but this girl is crying and she broke
up with her boyfriend and she was like,

oh my gosh, I feel so much stronger now.

And you just see, uh, Goku like
behind her, like, that's amazing.

He's in the culture.

Like, it was so good.

I was like, this is amazing.

Like it was, it was really, really good.

Girl is

Bryan Newton: an absolute full.

He's absolute.

Oh

Junae Benne: my gosh.

Such a menace, but it's so good.

And then, you know, maturing
is like, huh, maybe Tita, you

know, is actually a good dad.

Like maybe he is the better saying,
like, you know, but we're not

here talking about dragon ball.

We dragon

Bryan Newton: people know me.

Junae Benne: Yes.

See,

I, I loved it.

I really loved it though.

Bryan Newton: Yeah.

Uh, but yeah, like my, my, uh,
attachment to animation has been like

through my childhood Ninja Turtles too.

That's another huge one.

So like, even when I was in high
school, I'd be like constantly drawing

in like the, uh, borders of the, the
paper while taking notes in class.

I just found it easier to focus.

But like after high school, uh,
I went to a art school, local

LA called Otis College of Art.

Uh, they used to be Otis Parsons
back in the day, and they split,

so Parsons Parsons is in New York.

Otis is out here, and I went through
the digital media program, which

at the time when, when we started,
uh, it was like five years old,

so they didn't have many programs.

Like, here's Photoshop,
here's Photoshop three.

It was after Effects one.

Yeah.

So

Junae Benne: I have a question for
you, since you've been well versed in

the Adobe Creative Suite for a while.

And, you know, thinking about how
far technology has come with the

fact that Photoshop can instill
ai, which would you prefer?

Would you prefer like a, a Photoshop
three or like a Photoshop like 20, you

know, 2007 Or like a Photoshop like.

Bryan Newton: Ooh,

Junae Benne: 2015, you know, or like
which version of Photoshop would you like?

Bryan Newton: I mean, I think it all
comes down to everyone's personal,

kind of like when they got in there.

Like some people can move along with
the times and they're okay with that,

but I think most of us just kind like
that's that the one I learned on and

the one I probably worked the most
in probably professionally or just

creatively, is the one you stick to.

Uh, 'cause like you mentioned

CS oh seven was not, not bad.

Yeah.

But like, the way I use Photoshop
is the way I've been using

Photoshop for the last 20 years.

So I'm like, I'm, I'm good.

Like the, oh, when they add new
features, I'm like, that's fine.

I don't need it.

Junae Benne: Yeah.

Yeah.

I think.

Uh, I got into Photoshop in like
two, 2006 or 2007 and I felt like

I had learned it right and so,

Bryan Newton: mm-hmm.

Junae Benne: Because it's also expensive.

I was like, it's kind of just like
editing software 'cause I know how

to video edit so you can put me in
front of any software and I'm cool.

But then I started using like newer
versions of Photoshop and like, I have

to look everything up and I'm like, yeah.

Has it gotten so big that it just.

Does too much because Adobe
has like after effects, right?

Which I've never touched, but they
have places to do different things.

But they're also like, oh, but
you can also do it in Photoshop.

And I'm like, maybe that's why
this is now this massive beast.

Bryan Newton: I think they're trying
to compete with other things like,

uh, in animation we use another
software called Tune Boom, and Tomb

Boom is kind of like an all in one.

They have Harmony and they have
a storyboard pro and they can

talk to each other like all
the animations done in harmony.

You can do boards and Story Pro.

And they also try to be all in one
similar like 3D Max and Maya, like

try to be all in one together.

And now obviously use other softwares like
edit scenes together and all that stuff.

But like Photoshop wants
to compete with that.

'cause they used to have like
Photoshop Illustrator in design,

uh, I mean Premier After Effects.

Like even the fact you have
Premier and After Effects separate.

I'm like, yeah, they kind
of do the same thing.

Premier.

It's just more like strip down editing,
but you can edit an After Effects,

just you have to make different comps.

It's, it's all process.

It's,

Junae Benne: I have no interest
in touching After Effects.

I, you can get me on Photoshop, you
can get me on Premier, and back in the

day you could get me on Illustrator.

But now it's like, you know, and
I, and I, I'm not like an artist.

I'm more of a creative.

And I can make digital art as long as you
don't expect it to look like anything.

Like if you were like, draw a horse,
I'd be like, I can do abstract.

Like I can give you some
abstract painting that Yeah.

Could be in a museum, but, you know,
I can't like draw actual things.

So I just wanted your perspective on
that as a person who like uses these

tools and have using the, has been using
them, um, you know, for, I don't wanna

say decades to make you sound old or
nothing, but through their evolution, you

Bryan Newton: know, it's literally been
decades and a little bit of change.

So, yeah.

Yeah, that's a long time.

I didn't use any of those
things until I got to college.

They were not accessible
in high school at all.

Okay.

Yeah, like we barely had
computers in the school.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah,

Junae Benne: yeah.

I get that.

I, I definitely get that.

Um, yeah.

So you're working on some stuff now?

'cause we are gonna, we are
gonna jump around so much.

We're gonna jump around so much.

'cause like, I love, like
drawing, but I can't really do it.

Right.

Like, I, I can only mimic, like, if I see
something, I can kind of draw it and even

sometimes the scale is kind of funny.

Mm-hmm.

So it's just really interesting
that, you know, you.

Do this as like a form of pastime
or entertainment because my cousin

can draw and he would just do stuff.

You know, he would just draw
stuff like, just whatever he was

thinking, didn't even need a picture.

And I was like, this is
what talent must be because

I can't do this at all.

And so you're in college, you're
in this multimedia course that.

Oh, there's the win.

Um, you're in this multimedia course
that has, uh, been a bit of dated,

but you know, I think, I think in your
case, because you're dealing with like

animation or cartoons or things like
that, even though it's a bit dated,

um, someone who's in gaming or who just
started in gaming and their program

was five years old, they wouldn't
have even been able to specialize it.

So like.

Um, was there at least a correlation
to like the materials and the

things that they had to be
able to jumpstart your career?

Bryan Newton: Oh, okay.

That's a great question.

So yes and no, and
I'll, I'll explain that.

So for me personally, having access to
Photoshop After Effects Premier, and then

while on my first gig, which was at, uh, a
studio called Mike Young Productions, they

did Clifford, the Big Red Dog and Brats.

Junae Benne: Okay, shut
up, because I love enemy.

Emily Elizabeth.

Yeah.

And I literally, even the other day
I was like, what's the big idea?

Okay, I love that.

Bryan Newton: So I was, I was working
there when they were developing

and producing the bras cartoon.

Uh, I didn't work on it, but I worked on
the show called Todd World, which was a

kid show in discovery and it was flash.

Todd World, if you look it up, it looks
Smokey Robinson did the theme song.

Uh, it looks like a, it looks
like a, literally a, a a five

year old's drawing, so it was the
easiest show to work on for sure.

I could do like a hundred props in a day
because it was just like crown drawing.

Junae Benne: Ah, okay.

Oh, okay.

Okay.

In 2004.

Bryan Newton: Okay.

Yeah, exactly.

So that was my first gig and
I learned flash on that gig.

So learning flash and also learning
photo, knowing Photoshop, another

digital program gave me a leg up
that like senior artists didn't have.

'cause like a lot of the artists who
I worked with when I started were

people worked through the nineties
and the eighties and they could do

everything traditionally on paper.

And so like I came into the
industry at a very interesting

time because there's still.

We were still transitioning off paper,
so a lot of the things we were doing in

the studio were still like things we were
done in the nineties, like uh, X sheets.

Um, storyboard on paper, uh, scanning
files and sending files to FedEx.

Like we'd send whole, like storyboard
reams and like send it to the overseas

studio and have to be sent to FedEx and
get there like, alright, we're sending

it now, it'll get there the next day,
and then they can report back to us in

a week, and then we have to wait like
two days just to get the reports back.

While I was working there, maybe like

which was the first like filed transfer.

Program.

So it was like, oh, now we
can start sending files.

But you can only do like

Not even gigs, sorry, like 500, uh,
kilobytes or some shit like that.

Yeah, it was very small.

You couldn't even do like a
terabyte or a gigabyte yet.

Yeah, my, that's why I say yes and no.

So for me it was like having
that extra level of digital kept

me in 'cause I was valuable.

They're like, oh, this kid
knows things that the other,

the senior artists don't know.

So we can keep them involved in that.

But I wasn't doing everything.

'cause literally I had the, uh,
my directors, the supervisors

and other artists who I would
just go off of their work.

They were the more experienced and they
were the more valuable, 'cause they

had to have the pen work to the mat.

So the technical skills
didn't matter as much.

They had the experience.

Junae Benne: That's pretty cool.

Mm-hmm.

So you've always been doing, um,
the artist side of production,

but now on your current project.

Mm-hmm.

One that I am really like, excited
about and when I saw it, I was

really excited about it and.

So now you're doing something else.

I'm, I'm, I'm trying to like,
slowly get there, but I'm like,

I, I wanna talk about this right

Bryan Newton: now.

So let's jump jump to the future.

So in 2002, yeah, 2022.

Sorry.

Always do that.

Junae Benne: was.

Hard.

The pandemic was hard.

Was

Bryan Newton: hard.

I just finished another project,
which was Urkel Safe Santa, which

I was a, a supervising producer on.

Uh, okay.

And then my buddy, Justin,
uh, Gordon m he hit me up.

He also went to Otis.

But like after I did,
or yeah, after I did.

With his pitch to Cartoon Network and he
was developing this show called Invincible

Fight Girl, and he asked me if I can come
on and like I've known Justin for years

and I've known, he's like one of the most
talented people I've ever met in my life.

And I tell him this.

Because it's true.

And I'm jealous,

so, so Justin has this brilliant
idea about this wrestling

show that he wants to do.

That's like just straight up anime,
more so specifically not just the

look of anime, but like the actual
story structure of how like Japanese

production operates usually based on mango
formats, where it's like shown in style.

So,

Junae Benne: so do you think that.

Because, because you had been
with Cartoon Network, right?

Mm-hmm.

You were doing Rick and Morty, uh, were
you doing any other Cartoon Network?

Definitely.

Oh, sorry.

Down Swim under Warner Brothers umbrella.

Bryan Newton: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

My first time everyone does that.

It's okay because they're
all in the same network.

Uh, the first show I ever
worked at Cartoon Network was,

uh, uh, outage, uh, sorry.

Uh, fosters home for imaginary friend.

I Okay, because I didn't know that.

Because

Junae Benne: I love them too.

I, I, you cannot, you cannot
meet me and never hear a

cheese line like I love cheese.

I there

Bryan Newton: before
cheese got introduced.

Oh my gosh.

We did a, I did a, I kind of did
like a, a guest spot for animation

on, uh, the Halloween episode.

Uh, where like they,
they're turning the zombies.

I remember that bit.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So I was there

for like two weeks on Fosters
before I went over to the other

show I was hired on, which was
called Audi Jimmy's Head, which was

like a live action animated thing.

So we did like the cartoons on top
of the cartoon, uh, the live action

film, which happened right during
the first rider strike in oh six,

uh, the previous rider strike.

I should.

So that was the, my first
Cartoon Network shows.

Then I was back on for a show called
Problem Solvers Doing Animation on that.

And then, uh, the other show I came
back for, which my buddy, my Chilian

show called Ticket Seek in 2018 2019.

How did you just

Junae Benne: mention three
shows I've never heard of.

Now I'm like, maybe I'm not the fan.

I thought I

Bryan Newton: was because I,
because I got on all the shows

that didn't break out and it hits.

I obviously forgettable because it was
like when Cartoon Network was trying

to do their cartoon network real.

Which they want to do, like live
action stuff on Cartoon Network.

I'm like, that's a mistake.

Great.

Because you're literally called

Junae Benne: Cartoon Network.

Yeah,

Bryan Newton: right.

I'm like, but a job's a
job and if, hello, hello?

That check is gonna
clear every Time Network.

Yeah.

And I was doing cartoon, so it's
not like I'm still doing animation.

Um, and then like Problem Solvers was like
very much like an indie show, which had

the, like the most ridiculous art style.

Like, I'll, I'll tell you a real quick
story behind that was like I, I was

just finishing up doing a development
over at Disney for a thing that never

materialized, but I had two choices on
two shows and I was, they're both, I was

gonna be in an doing animation in Flash.

One was another show called Good Vibes.

Uh, and another show was a cartoon
network show called Problem Solvers

and they were both paying the same.

I did good for both and
I was like, good vibes.

Looks like the Simpsons
with a ton of characters.

That's gonna be a lot of work.

And I looked at problem solvers
like this looks like early ice box

level flash animation from like
the late nineties on doing that.

'cause it's gonna be a lot easier.

And it was okay.

Super easy to, and like, yeah, the show.

Like had a very like gross and out
there art style, but that's the point.

And after the first season we
got really funny because like the

studio stopped paying attention.

So you just make all the jokes more So Is

Junae Benne: that, is that how that works?

Okay, that's good to know.

Bryan Newton: Yeah, so like I would
say if you can't stick around for

the first few episodes of problem
solvers go like halfway through, maybe

like the last four, check those out
and like, no, this is a funny show.

Because everyone, no one cares anymore.

That's good to know.

Yeah.

But like bouncing around, you bounce
around often on, on shows and studios

when you have a career like this.

Junae Benne: Okay.

I was wondering if you are, you already
have a depressive resume and you

know, getting onto Invincible Fight
Girl, I was wondering if that like,

helped it push, like if they were
like, oh we know someone, you know,

like I'm, but I'm not sure if this
was his first pitch to Kar Network.

Bryan Newton: I dunno, because like.

Justin already had a pretty
impressive resume himself.

Like he was on, uh, he did the Pixar
internship right outta college and

he was on like the Peanuts movie and
then he was on Hotel Pennsylvania

and he did, he was writing and I
think directing on TCC Hero girls.

And after that he was the story editor
on, uh, my dad, the Bounty Honor.

So maybe that's what probably help him
more than anything, I would say to finally

get his cartoon network show pitching.

And also he's like a great
artist and a great writer.

So like they would be crazy
enough to get this guy a show.

So if anything, maybe just me
being attached to, it's like,

okay, he's a senior level.

'cause you, you're like, I've been
directing on Rick and Morty and like

other shows like Teen Titans Go.

So it's like, okay, he,
he's a known entity.

We compare them together
and probably be all right.

It's like Justin's a showrunner and
like executive and I'm just kind

of like the supervising producer
when he comes up with ideas.

He and I will often talk it out,
probably like hone in on the story

and we hire the writers and we do
a little writers room together.

And usually I'm just there to kind of do
some extra sketches and some like crazy

ideas, which I got to do on this show.

Uh, the whole bit.

There's a whole bit on
our show where there's a.

A rival.

Gangs of like toes versus fingers.

A wrestling group.

Yeah,

Junae Benne: I seen it.

Bryan Newton: I seen it.

Yeah.

And that's one of my D ideas
I just threw out there.

And then Justin used another
character, his birdie character,

and threw that on top of it.

And that's how we got like
the formation of that story.

I won't spoil it for those who haven't
seen it, but like it's part of it.

I,

Junae Benne: I feel like by the
time this comes out, we should

be able to spoil it because I
wanna talk about the intricacies.

I,

Bryan Newton: I spoil,

Junae Benne: I'm not gonna
spoil the show spoil.

Bryan Newton: Yeah.

Junae Benne: You know,
because I, I want people,

Bryan Newton: it's one of those
things I want people to get that

level of discovery, so I won't
say, I'll tell you to watch it.

I'll tell you.

Bring tissues, but I'm not gonna
tell you what's gonna happen.

Junae Benne: Okay.

Yeah, no, I, I like, so I had an
opportunity to watch it on like a

projector on like a very big screen.

So I was like fully immersed, you know?

So I'm like listening to the
music, I'm watching the effects.

I'm just like, golly, you know, and like
the whole like hiding, wrestling from

like her parents and then, you know,
like, what are they gonna think of me?

And then, you know, like actually going
out into the world and trying it, and

obviously everything has to go wrong.

And I don't remember, I don't even
remember the guy's name who was selling

the cell phones, but I was like, I
would've beat him up so bad because like

Bryan Newton: Craig's my favorite.

Junae Benne: Craig.

So like you as a person,

Craig needs a real job.

Craig.

Craig's not the entrepreneur
that he thinks he is.

He's trying, he's not

Bryan Newton: doing the best job you
can have, but one you make yourself.

Junae Benne: Sure that's

Bryan Newton: true.

Junae Benne: Whatever.

I'm really looking forward to some
character development with Craig,

because I No, you'll get it, you
know, just, just as a person.

Bryan Newton: You'll notice in
the last episode why he's there.

Junae Benne: Okay.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So, I, I was, I, um.

I've seen the connection.

Um, and I want to like, 'cause you
know, like I said, this, this show is

very personable for me, uh, personal.

And it's like I really
want us to be a wrestler.

Like literally once a week I try to
convince my sisters to be wrestlers.

I'm like, 'cause.

Jade Cargill, who's Jamaican,
who went from a W to wwe.

I'm like, she's doing it for the culture.

You guys should, 'cause they're,
my sisters are pretty strong.

Girlies like mm-hmm.

They're just very strong and
I just didn't get those jeans.

And so I'm a bit jelly, so I'm
like, I'll just be your manager.

You know what I mean?

Call me Paul Newman, I'll
just be your manager.

Like, what's the big deal, man?

Great.

So like, literally.

I mention it to them all the time,
like, this is something that I

would've like, easily have done.

Like even when I met like Maria
Canlis, um, when I first started going

to conventions and stuff like that,
I was like, wow, this is so cool.

And so, you know, I've been
on so many of adventures.

Like after college I moved to
Colorado and I didn't know anybody.

And I've met people like Craig
and we didn't become friends.

You know what I mean?

Because this is real
life and they're crazy.

Or you know, like moving to Finland
or moving to back to Chicago or

like, you know, so I was like, um,
yeah, Craig could get these hands

just a couple of times, you know?

Um, just, just, just
from personal experience.

Like if he kept popping up, I'd have
been like, nah, it's on site for you.

But, you know, I did, she did rock it.

Bryan Newton: Yeah.

I mean, he deserved it.

Yeah.

But like, yeah, absolutely.

Thing about like Andy's journey is like,
she's literally coming from nothing.

Like, like the first episode,
I'm not spoiling anything because

it's literally the first episode.

She's from Accountant Island.

Nobody's from Accountant Island.

All the wrestlers like the way we're
structuring the story, like it's

like Pokemon or like one piece where
it's like every area is steamed.

So like if you're Accountant
Island, you are just an accountant.

That's your role in life.

And most people are contempt with
that, but not Andy, Andy's like,

I'm gonna start from nothing.

And if this is the only like, like scammer
little artist I got attached to, to make

my way up, well that's what it's gonna be

Junae Benne: by any means necessary.

I really like that, that it was separated.

You know, I, because it's like, I was
wondering how you were gonna do it, you

know, I was like, has she always, because.

Right.

I'm like, has she always been training
to be a wrestler or, you know, I'm

thinking about how like the pro
wrestling world works, or, you know,

a Bianca Belaire or a Monet, you know,
um, how she wa like really came up

and was doing this and doing that.

So it was really cool to see
that, like she literally.

To break the norm, right?

She literally has to
break the norm, you know?

And everyone knows everyone's called.

Accounting girl.

Accounting girl.

Like, you know, she like, everybody
knows that she has a place and she's

like, no, like, check my outfit.

And I love that.

Her hair's like a little star.

I'm like, everything about
this is an absolute yes.

Bryan Newton: That's all.

That's all Justin for sure.

Because like he came up, that thing came
fully formed in design and like execution.

So like the rest of us are
just white riding that wave.

And so we got like a ton of
talented people from the board

team through like the art side,
uh, that like brought it forward.

So like Justin had a vision.

We're all just carrying it out,
but we all believe in the vision.

So it's like there's, there's
another hidden theme operating

within the show about.

Drive and the creative process and how
you are run the hurdles and walls against

you and how you overcome those things.

So it's not the, the
show's not about wrestling.

The show's about like life, the show's
about like, what happens when you get

knocked down, when you gotta get up again?

What happens when you're,
uh, preconceptions about

a situation and challenge?

Well, you make mistakes and you fuck
up morally and you make things worse.

But then what do you do after that?

Yeah, it's, it's, there's a lot
we're trying to like integrate into

the show and like the concept of the
wrestling world and how it operates.

We're also thinking about
those things in the long term.

So even within the show, we're planting
seeds about like future challenges,

future hurdles, and world building
that I think is super important.

'cause like, I like mentioning
anime, most Mongo artists.

They think about those things
while they're developing it.

The only difference between them
and us is the fact that usually

they start off with a comic that
they're producing, uh, weekly.

So they come in with shit on the fly
oftentimes, which is way more impressive.

Uh, we at least get to like sit down
in a writer's room and kind of like

plan some things out for a couple
of weeks before we have to go to the

script, before we have to go to episode.

So it's a little different
for us, but like the thinking

is a fight won't just be.

Um, every episode won't
have a fight in it.

And a fight just won't be like a
quick, like five minute sequence.

Justin wanted to No, I'm really

Junae Benne: looking
forward to the Perm gang.

I want more of them like,
and Tony Baker's hilarious.

So I feel like you couldn't have
gotten like a better person,

you know, to play immaculate.

Like he is so funny and, you
know, getting his, his, um.

His appreciate appreciation, and I really
can't wait to see what happens with

Mikey because I just have an inkling
that it didn't work, like how he just

said it worked, and how he just was
like, yeah, I'm coming with you guys.

I just have a feeling, just

Bryan Newton: totally approved.

Junae Benne: Yeah, easily, right?

Like, yeah.

And Brandon, you know,

Bryan Newton: this, his 8-year-old
son run out into the wilds

with some girl he didn't know.

Junae Benne: Sounds like him, honestly.

Yeah, I can see that de

Bryan Newton: definitely something, uh,
I was gonna say Clancy Brown, something,

uh, uh, mega would do mega beef puncher.

Uh, but yeah, like the whole
concept of how we do the show and

how the fights operate is that.

We wanted to slow down the action so
that you're thinking about how you're

literally in Andy's head so that like the
impacts have more impact when they hit.

So it's like, it's like, if I don't
do this, he's gonna like wreck me.

I gotta do something else.

And then she dodges and like, does a
move, like a push or a kick or like a,

the fucking a hard hit and you're like,

Ooh,

every time because you are in there
with her while she's doing it.

Like, one things we want to
avoid in, in like other more

modern American action shows.

Is the constant flow of battle or even
like the, uh, not the woohoo, uh, I forget

what the, uh, the term is for like the
constant fighting and like they do in

like Japanese, uh, cartoons right now.

Uh, I can't think of the term.

But anyway, we want to avoid as
much of that as possible because

the, the problem with when the, the
fighting's constant is that your

audience can't like, get into it.

Like you don't feel the
blows as significantly.

It's cool when it's just
like great movement.

But when you're doing this, it's
like, yeah, there could be like eight

to 10 exchanges in there and then
you're done and you can't process

any of it unless you watch it over
and over again, which is fine, but

that ain't telling you the story.

Yeah, like half the time you get scripts
like that, it's like the writers are just

like fight ensues and just like, alright,
now I gotta come up with bullshit.

Avatar does that a lot and it's
great, but like we want you to

think like you're in Andy's shoes,
how's she gonna get out of that?

Does she have the skills to get
outta that when she makes a mistake?

Do you recognize her blunder when
she comes up with a solution?

Do you recognize the solution?

You feel engaged in that because
you're like, oh, I think I

know what she's gonna do.

Oh wait, that didn't work out
the way I thought it would.

Yeah, it's the storytelling
is in the action.

That's how Japanese Mangu
most enemies operate.

It's not just like a
flurry of fucking shit.

It's like a buildup to things.

So you see their growth and progression,
and that's what we don't do in the states.

Junae Benne: I was really excited
about her one move that she could do.

Right.

The ankle crank and then
Yes, the ankle crank.

And then I was like, you know,
'cause if we are talking about

Jack Ball, we gotta, man.

Mm-hmm.

We gotta command man every fight.

But

Bryan Newton: KU didn't
start with the command mayor.

He didn't get, the first thing
he had was the, the poll.

Junae Benne: Right, right.

And so, you know, I was wondering,
and I was like, is this going to

be like a part of her super movie?

You know, thinking about it like a
video game, like you have to learn

one aspect to get to the other ones.

And so I, I'm really excited
to see like her boob list and

like I know that, well, he also,

Bryan Newton: she modified the
ankle crank a little later.

Yeah.

Junae Benne: Yeah.

Bryan Newton: So it's like, yeah.

Even if you have one move,
just variations, you can

probably apply to it once.

You kind of like get a a, yeah.

A better strategy.

And there's other moves to be gained.

I thought that was a deer.

It's

Junae Benne: a squirrel.

Bryan Newton: Oh, sorry.

Was it a big squirrel?

Deer side.

Squirrel,

Junae Benne: but, but sometimes
they're literally like right there.

And so I just check, you know,
like imagine me talking to you

and then the deer's just like.

Whatcha you doing?

Like,

Bryan Newton: I, I mean, I wouldn't
want, I wouldn't want that to happen.

I want you to get the hurt, but
Geez, that would be amazing video.

Exactly.

Junae Benne: Exactly.

Exactly.

You know, 'cause they could be like,
oh, I thought she was over here

eating now, you know, square up.

Or they could just really
be like, oh, Campo.

Bryan Newton: I mean, uh, the, the
other thing about like the moves in the

world and the wrestling in the world's,
like, this is literally like stage one.

Speaking of video games, yeah,
it's literally like stage one.

Like don't expect to get all
the answers in the first five

to 20 minutes of the game.

That's not a very long game.

That wouldn't be very satisfactory.

Like I love RPGs and one of my
favorite things about RPGs is the

length of time it takes to get 'em.

I always say like, the more
time you put in the game, the

better the ending better be.

So I was like, if it's a, if it's
a 90 hour game and a two minute

ending, I'm gonna be pissed.

Funny.

Yeah.

I said gimme a fucking
hour for that ending.

Junae Benne: Yeah.

Yeah.

I get a bit antsy when it has to
be an hour ending, but I get why,

like, let's wrap it up, you know,
if it ended the way I wanted it to

end it because I'm, I'm anxious.

I would be like, this sucked, but
because there is like love and care.

Yeah, I, I appreciate it much more.

You

Bryan Newton: gotta, you gotta wrap
up all the loose ends, make it very

complete and solid because obviously
unless you plan like a franchise,

you are not gonna do another one.

It's like, this is all
the story I need to tell.

So I, I, yeah, that's very true.

Stories do that.

Yeah.

It's like, let the artist cook,
let the creators like get down all

their ideas and you can move on
to other ideas or are like, double

back to this if they feel like it.

So ideally.

Fight girl goes on long enough that
we get to tell all the ideas we want

to tell because we do have an ending.

We do have plans in mind for like
how high she goes and what all like

the mysteries are gonna be evolved.

'cause think about it, you don't
even know anything about the, the

rule I give to, to the board artists.

'cause they also don't know
all the story elements.

That's just like something Yeah.

A few of us know.

It's just keep on being shady.

Why, what happened to her?

Why, why did she quit wrestling?

Junae Benne: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

No, because the people wanna
know, I think she's in the

Bryan Newton: wrestling.

Junae Benne: Yeah.

Yeah.

The people wanna know me.

I'm the people I wanna know.

Like she, she's definitely
been my favorite so far.

Right.

Like, yeah, me

Bryan Newton: too.

Junae Benne: She's little Yoda.

She's just, she's great.

Yeah, right.

Because you know you gotta do, oh,
when they're young, they're super

tall and when they're old they
shrink deck to like toddler size, but

Bryan Newton: Yep.

Junae Benne: Yeah.

Bryan Newton: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

There's, there's a lot to that and
hopefully we'll get there maybe in like

three seasons the way we have it planned.

Maybe you we'll get more on pl of that
in the next season or two, but like,

yeah, there's tons of mysteries we got
going on in the, in the background.

If you're paying attention.

It's a, it's a silly cartoon
show, but like, it's thoughtful

that we're thinking

like, how does this world operate?

And like all the ridiculous,
like the g uh, GWC and their

satellites, like who runs the gwc?

What,

Junae Benne: like

Bryan Newton: how satellite?

I'm

Junae Benne: thinking they're
gonna recycle the ring and

they're like, self-destruction.

I was like, what a waste.

Bryan Newton: Yeah.

Those are a waste.

Those are products waste.

They can't leave those things around.

Yeah.

Yeah.