Fans of DreamWorks Animation’s hilarious prehistoric family were excited to see the new series arrive The Croods: family tree on Peacock and Hulu. The six-episode show continues the ever-evolving story of The Croods and The Bettermans (which were featured in last year’s feature film The Croods: A New Age) as they learn to live together on the most idyllic farmhouse in prehistoric times. The journey from practice rivals to unlikely friends is strewn with hilarious mishaps as the two families slowly overcome their differences to transform a divided treehouse into a united treehouse.
We had the chance to chat with the show’s executive producers, Marc Banker (Come on, dog. Go!; The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants) and Todd grimes (The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants; Star Wars: Detours) to find out what awaits the famous animated franchise.
Mark Banker | Todd grimes
Animag: Can you tell us a bit about your involvement in the new series?
Marc Banker: After you finish writing on The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants at DreamWorks I was hired to work on Come on, dog. Go!, a DreamWorks co-production with WildBrain. Six months later, we were immersed in writing the first season of GDG when I got a call from Peter Gal, Creative Director at DreamWorks Animation. He asked me if I would be interested in working on a new Croods series that would pick up right after the next Croods sequel. The first Croods movie was great, so that was a very easy yes. A week later, I saw a rough cut of the Croods sequel. The following week, I explained how I would approach the series. And a month later I was working on the pilot script for The Croods: family tree. I may have pushed for Colorful croods as title. But, for some reason, it didn’t stick.
Todd Grimes: I was producing a show at DreamWorks called The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants during the development period on The Croods: family tree. The executives approached me about possibly joining the production of the new show as they felt my style and sensibility would suit the comedy of the Crood world well. My family and I all love the Croods franchise for its comedy, adventure, and heart, so I was very excited to be a part of this show. I may have also made a fair quantity of pleas to the executives to get the job!
The Croods: family tree
What do you like about this new incarnation of the Croods family?
Mark: In this series, the Croods are in uncharted territory. The treehouse, the farm, the Bettermans, and a more evolved way of life are all foreign to the Croods. The Croods are therefore completely out of their comfort zone. Just like the Bettermans: they haven’t lived in caves or with others for a long time. This means that two disparate families must navigate the unknown and find out how to coexist each day. It’s uncomfortable, unpredictable, and a limitless source of pleasure.
Todd: I really like the idea of people coming together even when they have very different points of view. In this new incarnation of the Croods we have the addition of the Betterman family that was introduced in the feature film. The Croods: A New Age. There is a great message in seeing how people can learn from each other through respect and compromise. Plus, there are a lot of comedies you can pull from two very different families trying to live and work together despite their differences! It’s like the Conner family is moving in with Frasier Crane!
The Croods: family tree
When did you start working on the series and where is the animation produced?
Mark: I started in November 2019. The animation is produced by DreamWorks Animation in Los Angeles, with our amazing partner studios DAVE in Australia and Technicolor in India. Over 200 people worked on the show (between DreamWorks, DAVE and Technicolor).
What animation tools are used to create the animation?
Todd: We mainly use Maya for CG animation. The show also has a 2D motion footage component (in most episodes) which is primarily animated in After Effects.
The Croods: family tree
What was the biggest challenge in bringing the new adventures of this prehistoric family to life in a new animated show?
Mark: The biggest challenge would be if our team left our DreamWorks offices on March 12, 2020 – and most of us are working from home. All of the writing, directing, drawing, designing, painting, acting, recording, editing, color correction, sound mixing and anything that goes into the production of an animated show has been done via WiFi (or Ethernet cable for those who do not have WiFi). We had to find a remote production model on the fly. And, surprisingly, it worked. Thanks in large part to the incredible dedication, talent and hard work of everyone working on this show. And videoconference meetings. So many videoconference meetings. Compared to that, bridging the gap between Grug and Phil, quelling Gran’s primal rage, and even getting Thunk off the couch is a cinch.
Todd: It’s always a challenge to create a show with the level of detail that The Croods: family tree a on a television program and budget. We wanted the series to be as visually stunning as the feature films, which required a fair amount of creativity. Our team at the show did an incredible job to make it happen and the result is breathtaking. Each episode is not only funny and heartwarming, but also beautiful!
The Croods: family tree
What do you like about the new show?
Mark: All. It looks and sounds amazing. The action sequences are thrilling and cinematic. The music is unique and sublime. The cast dunks on every line. It’s frankly funny. And perhaps the most pleasant surprise of all is the heart. The show has real emotional moments that move you and stay with you. I couldn’t be prouder of how it turned out.
Todd: Aside from the funny stories and the hilarious comedy, I would say having the opportunity to work again with fellow executive producer Mark Banker. As a writer, Mark really understands the importance of the story and the character. We want the show to have meaningful stories and relationships that go beyond just writing jokes, and Mark and the writing team have done a great job creating moments that are not only funny but endearing as well. Watching Croods: family tree, not only will you laugh, but sometimes you might even shed a tear! Like the title of the show, much of our writing is “family” – and as a father of three myself, I can relate very well to our stories!
The Croods: family tree
What are your biggest animation influences?
Mark: I rarely missed the Saturday morning cartoons when I was a kid. If it was a cartoon and it was Saturday morning, I would watch it. Obviously Looney Tunes; most of what I know about opera I learned from Bugs Bunny. Flintstones, Jetsons, Super Friends, Laff-A-Lympics, Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends, Dungeons & Dragons, GI Joe, Transformers, Muppet Babies, Smurfs, Snorks, The Real Ghostbusters, Mr. T And so on. That said, Thundarr the Barbarian remains my favorite childhood cartoon. Later, The simpsons was, of course, a game changer. So was Toy story. And Venture Bros. And Rick and morty is glorious – the episode “Pickle Rick” should be taught in schools.
Todd: I grew up in the ‘Saturday morning cartoon’ era, so I was first influenced by shows like Super friends, Thundarr the Barbarian and Johnny Quest. It was the Disney ‘rebirth’ of the ’80s and’ 90s that really made me realize that was what I wanted to do as a career, with movies like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and Lion King. Some other big influences for me early in my career were shows like Batman: The Animated Series and the first CG films like Toy story and Shrek.
The Croods: family tree
What do you hope audiences will take away from your series?
Mark: A feeling that life is just a little brighter for watching it.
Todd: I hope people feel a sense of optimism and oneness about our show. The world has become so divided in many ways, and the show is like a prehistoric allegory of what is happening now. As people we are all in the same boat, so if the Croods and the Bettermans can find common ground to live and love together, I like to think that humanity can too. There is always hope for the future!
The first six episodes of The Croods: family tree are available to stream on Peacock and Hulu.