An Interview with John Dusenberry

Last week, I had the honor of interviewing John Dusenberry, who was a story artist on SCOOB!, and the head of story on SCOOB! Holiday Haunt. John has worked in the animation industry for over a decade in various roles, including as an animator, story artist, and director. His most famous work outside of Scooby-Doo includes being a story artist on DuckTales and Small Foot, and a sequence director on SpongeBob: Sponge Out of Water. Outside of his film work, John also is a mentor on StoryboardArt.com, where he teaches storytelling principles. 

ScoobySnax.com: As a kid, were you a fan of Scooby? If so, did you have a favorite series or episode/film?
John: ​Having been part of two Scooby Doo projects, people are often surprised to hear that I have never been a big fan of the series. Don't get me wrong, I have a deep appreciation for all things silly and spooky, but the show didn't quite hit the mark for me. Whether it was the laugh track layered over a cartoon or the recycled and predictable plots, something about it just didn't click. So, you can imagine the cosmic irony when back in 2016 I found myself being offered a job on the first-ever fully animated Scooby-Doo movie!

But looking back, I think that my lack of fandom actually worked in the film's favor. I share the sentiment with Miyazaki that films made by overly passionate fans of a franchise can sometimes miss the mark, feeling more like a tribute than a fresh take. That sort of detachment from the series directly contributed to ideas for the story that I might not have considered otherwise. Pushing me to transform the arguably one-dimensional stereotypes from the original series into fully fleshed-out characters with growth and arcs with which audiences could truly connect.

ScoobySnax.com: How did you get into working in animation? Was it something you knew you wanted to do from a young age, or was it something that you discovered later in life?
John: As a kid, I was all about two things: drawing and movies. I was that kid glued to behind-the-scenes making-of footage for all my favorite films. For a long time, I had one eye on the idea of becoming a concept artist, and the other eye set on becoming an actor, writer, or live-action director. I was also a huge fan of Jim Henson's puppetry and special effects wizardry. Anything with puppets and special effects. I joined a robotics club during high school and experimented with some short CGI films that the program encouraged. So when Pixar and Toy Story happened, it was like a lightbulb moment for me (pun intended). I could draw, I was good at tech, I loved movies, and Pixar's whole thing was basically one big special effect. So suddenly, animation seemed like an easy way to break into the film industry! But after graduation, I took a detour and started a web design firm. Back in the early 2000s, when websites were still a mystery to most. We helped businesses build their online presence and branding, but I quickly grew to miss the creative spark behind what we were doing. So, I resolved to follow my passion, took on a series of odd jobs and went to film school. I nearly took a few detours along the way--toying with Anthropology and even the Medical field, but eventually found my path leading me to CalArts (where the magic behind Toy Story was born), and it was there that my journey into the animation industry really kicked into gear. 

Oddly enough, though, after a decade as an animator and almost another as a story artist, I've been finding myself being asked to do voice acting on shows as we develop them--which feels like my childhood dream of being in front of the camera come full circle, in a very roundabout way.

ScoobySnax.com: What was your favorite part of working on SCOOB!, and what was the most challenging aspect?
John: Working on SCOOB! was an absolute blast, mainly thanks to the incredible crew we had. The people surrounding that project really turned Warner Bros. into a second home for me, and some of my closest friends are people I started with there. It's been incredibly awesome to continue collaborating with them on so many other projects, too (including the yet-to-be-released SCOOB! sequel, Holiday Haunt).

But we were under serious pressure to knock SCOOB! out of the park and set the stage for a series of films based on the Hanna-Barbera IPs that Warner Bros. had acquired. SCOOB! was always meant to kickstart this whole new era of iconic characters hitting the big screen. And therein laid the major challenge. We had to find the sweet spot of introducing a universe of characters without overloading the film or making it feel like a disjointed series of episodes. It was no easy task, but I think we got pretty close to the mark. Judging by the feedback I've received (this interview included), people really dug what we created.

ScoobySnax.com: Have you received any memorable responses for your work on SCOOB!?
John: The love from the Scooby-Doo and SCOOB! fandom has always been so incredibly kind. It's always so heartwarming to connect with fans through podcasts, interviews, and just bumping into folks around town. There's nothing quite like seeing how much joy our work brings. The first SCOOB! film always feels particularly special because of how it came out right at the start of the pandemic. People often talk about it as if we gave them a big, cozy hug right when they needed it most.

And actually--that reminds me of one fun little anecdote that always brings me a smile. My older brother lives in Houston, and will periodically send me pictures of his local movieplex where a colossal SCOOB! movie poster somehow stands to this day! It's been up since the film came out, and I'm not sure if Warner Bros. forgot they rented the ad space or what--but it's become a lasting tribute that seems like it's here to stay for generations to come.

ScoobySnax.com: Did you have a favorite sequence or scene to animate in SCOOB!?
John: There's a lot of great moments in SCOOB!, but my favorite remains the "Lady Cop" scene. I was given was a loose, rough version of the script with some essential dialogue, but I knew the scene needed something special. The direction I got was actually pretty straightforward: "We need the gang to get pulled over by a cop who turns out to be Dastardly." Storyboarding the sequence, I somehow found myself coming up with the idea that the cop could be a really attractive female, and that Fred would instantly fall in love with her and attempt to be suave, only to spectacularly fail. A running bet with the story crew was to find new way to make Fred a lovably clueless character. The dumber his antics the better, and this scene was really, really dumb! I remember pitching the Lady Cop scene to roaring laughter, even from big studio execs--which can be quite rare. I honestly thought that scene might get watered down or cut entirely, but somehow it made it all the way to final getting better and better, thanks to the incredible work of Christina Hendricks, Zac Efron, and the rest of the crew that brought it to life. It's not every day you get to shape an entire sequence like I did with "Lady Cop." A joke here, a line of dialogue there, good idea that gets turned over to better writers--sure. It's a scene that I'm really proud of.

ScoobySnax.com: SCOOB! went through a lot of different versions of animation during the production stages. What was the creative logic for deciding on the final version of the animation, as opposed to the many other animation styles that were proposed?
John: Like most films, SCOOB! went through several iterations during its development phase. There were a few versions even before I joined the project, and we underwent at least two page-one rewrites during my stint on the show. And really, each version had its strengths, things I wish had made it to final. But ultimately, the version that made it to the screen was really driven by the desire to show audiences the Mystery Gang's first big, fully animated adventure.

We also wanted to take the characters in new directions and introduce audiences, both old and new, to a diverse cast of beloved characters that would be featured in future projects. Stylistically, the challenge was all about how to translate these iconic characters from their traditional, flat, limited designs into full blown, fluid and dynamic CG animation without losing their essence which audiences for generations had come to know and love. Easy, right? But it seems like we did a good job.

ScoobySnax.com: You were promoted to head of story for SCOOB! Holiday Haunt. What were the rewards and challenges of having a much larger role in the story for the film?
John: Maybe a year or so after wrapping SCOOB!, I reached out to our director Tony Cervone for some industry advice. And to my surprise during that chat, Tony dropped a double bombshell that not only were they working on a sequel to SCOOB!, but he wanted me as the Head of Story. It was a huge honor, and I can only guess the result of the great rapport Tony and I had during the first film. Not only did we click professionally but we really shared a ton of personal interests, from music tastes to geeking out over Twin Peaks.

I heard through the grapevine that Tony and Allison (Abbate) were impressed with my work not just on SCOOB!, but also on other Warner Bros. projects around the same time--Smallfoot, LEGO Ninjago, LEGO 2, Space Jam: A New Legacy, and the like. I guess I gained something of a reputation for being the guy who could jump onto any project, deliver good work that elevated the film, and roll with the punches without complaint. There were a few of us being asked back to run departments on the sequel. Michael Kurinsky, Steve Childers, and of course, Tony and Allison. It really felt like getting the band back together, which was crucial given the tighter budget and production timeline for the sequel—we needed the shorthand we'd developed on the first film.

But really, being surrounded by all of my favorite people in the industry again, working on a sort of "sneakquel" with the gang as kids, and tack on the amazing voice talent we found for the film... the whole project was a Christmas Miracle. All the old crew who played the gang as kids were back. Ian Armitage, McKenna Grace, Pierce Gagnon, Ariana Greenblat (who have all gone on to do such amazing work), so that was great. But then, we somehow filled the rest of the cast with a ton of my childhood heroes! Michael McKean, Ming Na Wen, Mark Hamill, and Mr. Scooby-Doo himself: Frank Welker! I mean, are you kidding? Those guys? Forget about it. Not to mention some of my favorite newer actors like Christo Fernandez, Maya Hawke, and the late-great Andre Braugher. 
​
I'll tell ya--it was more than I could have ever hoped for in terms of "making it" in this industry. A solid film with industry legends and all my best friends? What else could you want? Every day felt like a pinch-me moment because I was truly living the dream.

ScoobySnax.com: What is your favorite show or movie that you’ve worked on, and why?
John: SCOOB! Holiday Haunt remains at the top of my list as the best project I've ever worked on, for all the reasons I've mentioned and more. We really poured our all into that project and unabashedly paid homage to so many films that inspired us, making it not only a great experience and even better movie, but a full-blown love letter to the films that made us filmmakers. When it comes to TV shows, though, I'm torn between two equally amazing experiences.

First is the 2017 DuckTales revival series. DuckTales was a really fun adventure that not only brought me together with old CalArts classmates and incredible talent at Disney, it also allowed me to finally employ my hand-drawn animation skills the way I learned them in school. And I had the privilege of animating a few super iconic moments in the series too: Scrooge McDuck diving into his pile of gold, Darkwing Duck delivering his iconic line "Let's. Get. DANGEROUS!". I even got to animate Donald, Huey, Duey, Luey and Launchpad! Eight-year-old me still can't quite believe it.

Then, there's the time I served as supervising animator for COSMOS: A Space-time Odyssey. As a lifelong fan of Carl Sagan and a lover of science, this was truly a dream gig. Meeting and working with Ann Druyan, Carl Sagan's widow, was an unforgettable experience, as was the heartfelt speech she delivered for Carl at our wrap party under the moon. I'm really proud of the work we did on that show, and it's one of the few shows I've worked on that was really designed to educate as much as entertain. I really think we need more of that these days. Not to mention science is awesome.

I'm also going to mention a short series I produced with my writing partner Zack Keller (of Dark Horse) called The Duke of Fancy. Inspired by Zack's amazing novel The Success of Suexliegh, the show follows the richest man in the world in a set of wild misadventures. It was a joy to work on something so delightfully absurd and funny with my best friend. Our one rule for the show was simple: if a joke or idea didn't make us burst out with genuine laughter, it didn't make the cut. I think for that reason alone, Duke was probably quite literally the most fun I've ever had making a show. Check them out on YouTube.

ScoobySnax.com: Throughout your career, who has been your biggest inspiration, and why?
John: I know a lot of my peers idolize the various legends of animation, and while I have nothing but respect for them myself, I have to admit that my main inspiration stems more from the world of live-action. I can't ignore Walt Disney's groundbreaking work, so I'll lead with that, but I really admire Walt more for the work he did with Disneyland and the scrapped EPCOT project. I think by stark comparison, I was much more into the darker, creepier worlds of Jim Henson and Tim Burton. Cinematic giants like David Lean, David Lynch, Chaplin, Keaton, Spielberg, Zemeckis, Lucas. I'm a huge fan of Quentin Tarantino, whom I had the privilege of knowing in my youth when he was just the quirky clerk at my local rental spot: Video Archives. That was cool. And I am sure he introduced me to the likes of some of my other major inspirations like John Hughes and his ability to churn out such a steady stream of relatable, heartfelt, quality storytelling. I was a huge Monty Python fan growing up (thank you, Dad), and along those lines, I love nearly everything from Glen Charles, Les Charles, James Burrows, Ivan Reitman, Luc Besson, Rob Reiner, Christopher Guest, and Frank Oz.

More recently, I find myself gravitating to Guillermo del Toro and Denis Villeneuve. Frank Darabont, Alfonso Cuaron, Miyazaki, Mel Brooks, Larry David... we could have a whole separate discussion about my many, many sources of inspiration, but I feel like this gives a good idea where my tastes lie.

ScoobySnax.com: What projects are you working on currently?
John: At Warner Bros., I've had the pleasure of helping with several exciting projects under the great new leadership of Bill Damaschke. Things like Meet the Flintstones, Hello Kitty, and Cat in the Hat. Outside of WB, I've been busy mentoring students through StoryboardArt.org, working on plenty of original screenplays and short stories and novels, as well as my own Story book based on my years of experience in the industry. My hope with that book is to offer clear and actionable guidance to storytellers faced with that daunting blank page and all you want to do is craft a compelling and memorable story.

ScoobySnax.com: Do you have any advice for anyone who is looking to get into storyboarding, or the animation industry in general?
John: For anyone venturing into storyboarding, animation, or filmmaking, my advice is simple: stick with it. This is a challenging industry that requires specialized skills and dedication, but it's also incredibly rewarding when you finally break in. And trust me--I've had my share of odd jobs outside of the industry; nothing compares. Find ways to fuel your passion. Study film, seek mentorship, consider film school—never stop learning. Remember that even at the height of your career, you will always be a student, drawing from the masters who paved the way before you. And that being said, never be anyone but yourself.

ScoobySnax.com: If you could work on any show or movie in the world, what would it be?
John: I recently caught wind that my all-time favorite podcast, Hello from the Magic Tavern, is being adapted into an animated series. And the prospect of an animated series based on the characters crafted by Adal Rifai, Arnie Niekamp, Matt Young and the other amazingly talented improv artists out of Chicago, is incredibly exciting. It would definitely be a dream project for me right now.

Another project I've always wanted to tackle is an animated adaptation of Clive Barker's The Thief of Always. I absolutely devoured the book as a kid and found it even more captivating as an adult. It's the perfect blend of spooky and fun. Last I checked, the rights were a bit tricky to secure, but I'm hopeful that one day I'll get a chance to bring it to the big screen.

ScoobySnax.com: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
John: Thank you so much for reaching out. I hope you're doing well and that your fans enjoy a little peek behind the curtain.

A huge thank to John for taking time out of his busy schedule to do this interview! I had so much fun reading his responses, and it was amazing getting to talk with him. I hope you all enjoyed the interview!