User:Cosweene/sandbox

= Erik Kuska = Erik Kuska (born December 7, 1971) is an artist, writer, director, and puppeteer. He is known for his animation work on Hercules, The Prince of Egypt, and The Road to El Dorado, and creating the TV series New Looney Tunes. He is currently based in Los Angeles, California and also designs and fabricates puppets.

Early Life
Kuska was born in Washington County, Minnesota. He attended Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois, where he received a degree in Fine Arts.

Career
Kuska’s work spans multiple forms of media, representing his varied interests in production, comedy, and 2D animation. He has done work as an animator since 1996 for various companies such as Disney, DreamWorks, Warner Brothers, Fox, BBC and Paramount. He was an inbetween artist for a number of animated films including Hercules, The Prince of Egypt, The Road to El Dorado, and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. In addition to this, he has created or been a director, writer, storyboard and principal animator for a number of animated TV series (American Dad!, Wabbit/New Looney Tunes, Legends of Chamberlain Heights).

He has also worked as a professional puppeteer and actor for several shows, TV series, and shorts, which include Mystery Science Theater 3000, The Pee Wee Herman Show, and the 2020 short Masks by Carolyn Bridget Kennedy.

Puppetry
In addition to his principal work as an animator, Kuska is a puppeteer. He became involved in puppeteering after taking classes with former Sesame Street and Muppets puppeteer Michael Earl.

In addition to his professional work, he has taught and performed at various puppetry workshops and festivals in Southern California such as The National Puppetry Festival, and performed for local PSA commercials. He also designs and fabricates puppets, some for use in puppet shows for parties and puppet slams in Los Angeles. He remains involved with puppetry as a hobby, and is an active member of the Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry and Puppeteers of America.

Film

 * Hercules - Inbetween Artist: Hades


 * The Prince of Egypt - Inbetween Artist: Aaron, Moses


 * The Road to El Dorado - Inbetween Artist: Tulio


 * Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron - Animator: Calvary
 * The Jungle Book 2 - Animation Production
 * Looney Tunes: Back in Action - Animator
 * The Simpsons Movie - Character layout Artist
 * Love in the Time of Monsters - Puppeteer
 * Masks - Actor: Playful Guy
 * Rumble - Storyboard Artist

Television

 * The Cunning little Vixen - Principal Animator
 * Free for All - Assistant Animator: The Deal
 * Game Over - Storyboard Artist: Meet the Smashenburns
 * American Dad! - Storyboard Revisionist (2005-2006), Storyboard Artist (2007-2014)
 * The Pee-Wee Herman Show - Puppeteer: Clocky and Mr. Window
 * Garfunkel and Oates - Puppeteer: Rule 34
 * New Looney Tunes - Creator (2015-2016), Writer (2015-2017), Director (2015-2016)
 * Animation Domination High-Def - Storyboard Artist/Director
 * Greatest Party Story Ever - Puppeteer
 * Future-Worm! - Storyboard Artist: Terrible Tuber Trouble
 * Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Puppeteer: Tom Servo
 * Legends of Chamberlain Heights - Director
 * ABC Mouse: Art of Learning - Storyboard Artist
 * The Prince - Storyboard Artist
 * The Great North - Storyboard Artist