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Christy Karacas

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Christy Karacas
Karacas at the Magic City Comic Con in 2015
Born
Christy C. Karacas

(1975-03-08) March 8, 1975 (age 49)
New Hampshire, U.S.[1]
Alma materRhode Island School of Design (BFA)
Occupation(s)Animator, writer, producer, director, voice actor, musician
Years active1997–present
Known forSuperjail!
Robotomy
Ballmastrz: 9009

Christy C. Karacas (born March 8, 1975) is an American animator, writer, producer, director, voice actor and musician. He is known for creating Superjail! and Ballmastrz: 9009 for Adult Swim and directing the Cartoon Network series Robotomy. He is also a guitarist of the rock band Cheeseburger.

Life and career

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As a child, Karacas frequently drew, with inspiration from comic book superheroes and Star Wars characters to Family Feud scenarios, often with violent themes (though Karacas has explained that he in actuality is "a very non-confrontational person").[1] Karacas went on to study film and animation at the Rhode Island School of Design,[1][2] though he wanted to originally get into live action material. For his senior film project, Karacas created the student film Space War, which raised his profile via showings at animation festivals.[1] He graduated in 1997 with a BFA.[3]

Karacas began his career in the animation industry at MTV Animation,[4] where he served as a background designer for Daria.[1] He is a founding member and guitar player for the band Cheeseburger,[4] and he also worked with title sequences, animation, and illustration for VBS.tv and Vice magazine.[5] While working on Daria, around 2001, Karacas and friend Stephen Warbrick created the short film Barfight and presented it for showing at numerous film festivals, though it was rejected at all of them. Dispirited, Karacas spent time working on his band.[1] Several years later, Barfight caught the attention of Adult Swim, who allowed them and Ben Gruber to create a show of their own called Superjail!.[4][6][7][8]

Superjail! was originally animated by Augenblick Studios in the pilot episode and first season,[7] but was later animated by Titmouse, Inc. from seasons two to four.[8] However, the series ended its run in 2014. While working on Superjail!, Karacas worked on several other projects, including directing the short-lived Cartoon Network animated series Robotomy, which ran from 2010 to 2011,[9] and writing new material with his bandmates of Cheeseburger.[10]

After Superjail!, Karacas moved on to create another show for Adult Swim, titled Ballmastrz: 9009, which premiered in 2018.[11] The show was renewed for a second season, which began airing February 23, 2020.[12]

Influences

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Karacas' influences include Tex Avery, child art, Bob Clampett, John Kricfalusi, Vince Collins, Sally Cruikshank, Nick Cross, Fleischer Studios, Hanna-Barbera, Chuck Jones, Tom Ruegger, The Simpsons, The Itchy & Scratchy Show, Looney Tunes, Mad, Jay Ward, Monty Python, Joe Murray, Klasky Csupo, Walt Disney, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, Robert Crumb, Mike Diana, Ralph Bakshi, Sesame Street, The Muppets, Yellow Submarine, outsider art, Gary Panter, Pee-wee's Playhouse, Schoolhouse Rock!, Beavis and Butt-Head, Earthworm Jim, Dr. Seuss, The Three Stooges, anime, and underground comix.[6][7][8][1]

Filmography

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Karacas is notable for the following:[1][13]

  • Space War (1997)
  • Daria (1997–2002) - Background designer
  • Life (1999) - Animator
  • Bar Fight (2006)
  • Squidbillies (2017) - Storyboard artist
  • Superjail! (2007; 2008–2014) - Co-creator, writer, executive producer, storyboard artist, director, voice actor, character layout artist, assistant animator, animator
  • Robotomy (2010–2011) - Co-executive producer, creative director, director
  • Out of the Black (2013) - Animator, co-director
  • Moonbeam City (2015)
  • Nerdland (2016) - Sequence animator: Video XV
  • Ballmastrz: 9009 (2018–2023)
  • Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell (Animated segments; 2022)
  • Baby Shark's Big Show! (2022) - Storyboard artist
  • King Star King !/!/!/ (2023) - Storyboard consultant
  • Ballmastrz: Rubicon (2023)

[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Nacho, T. (26 June 2019). "Christy Karacas". Kill Pretty. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  2. ^ "Christy Karacas". Rhode Island School of Design. Archived from the original on 25 August 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  3. ^ "RISD will have an unusually strong presence at..." Our RISD. August 4, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Webb, C. (1 April 2011). "Going Back to 'Superjail!' with series creators Christy Karacas and Stephen Webrick". MTV News. Archived from the original on January 3, 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  5. ^ McPheeters, S.; Karacas, C. (2 October 2011). "Survival of the Streets: Snake Plissken, the Cro-Mags, and the Persistence of Megatoilet Nostalgia" (PDF). Vice. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  6. ^ a b Gazin, N. (8 February 2009). "Superjail bursts our brain vessels". Vice. Vice Media Group. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  7. ^ a b c Aaron (26 September 2008). "Superjail Super Interview". Cold Hard Flash. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  8. ^ a b c Wolfe, J. (12 June 2014). "Q&A: Exploring the Twisted World of Adult Swim's 'Superjail!'". Animation World Network. AWN Inc. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  9. ^ ian2x4 (28 January 2011). "Robotomy has been cancelled!!". Anime Superhero. Retrieved 24 January 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "Christy Karacas of Cheeseburger on His Day, Night Jobs". 4 New York. NBC Universal, Inc. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  11. ^ Kurland, D. (7 April 2018). "Ballmastrz: 9009's Creator On Mixing Together Art, Sports, and Madness". Den of Geek!. DoG Tech LLC. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  12. ^ TV News Desk (23 January 2020). "BALLMASTRZ: 9009 Returns February 23 on Adult Swim". Broadway World. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  13. ^ "Christy Karacas". IMDb. IMDb.com, Inc. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  14. ^ "Interview with Christy Karacas". Kill Pretty Magazine. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
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