Adult Swim April Fools
2024 — Smiling Friends Puppet Versions
Adult Swim's April Fools tradition is one of the most anticipated brand moments in animation. Every year the network pulls something that catches even the most devoted fans off guard. For two years running I creative directed the stunt — and both times our in-house Adult Swim team made things we probably had no business making.
Role: Creative Director
Scope: Collaboratively developed the overall concept. Led early creative direction across all three episodes, establishing the visual framework and getting RocketSlide Films aligned before shifting focus to our in-house production. Led the in-house production of Charlie Dies and Doesn't Come Back end to end — puppet construction, shoot, puppeteering, and post. Produced in collaboration with Adult Swim's creative leadership.
We collaboratively developed the concept to remake three fan-favorite Smiling Friends episodes in puppet form — Mr. Frog, Shrimp's Odyssey, and Charlie Dies and Doesn't Come Back — dropping them as a surprise on April Fools' night ahead of the Season 2 premiere.
Each episode was done in a completely different puppet style. Mr. Frog got the full Muppet/felt treatment. Shrimp's Odyssey was sock puppets. Charlie Dies and Doesn't Come Back we made entirely in-house — our Adult Swim team built every puppet, filmed it, puppeteered it, and handled all the compositing ourselves. It was a full team effort in the truest sense — writers, designers, all of us building and painting puppets together to get it done.
2025 — The Rick and Morty Playhouse Players Present: Portal People
Adult Swim's April Fools tradition is one of the most anticipated brand moments in animation. Every year the network pulls something that catches even the most devoted fans off guard. For two years running I creative directed the stunt — and both times our in-house Adult Swim team made things we probably had no business making.
Role: Creative Director / On-Set Art Director
Scope: Creative directed the full visual production in collaboration with RocketSlide Films and Adult Swim's creative leadership. On set as art director throughout the shoot. Led notes and approvals across all cuts and post work. Co-created in-house props and masks with the Adult Swim design team.
Live theater Rick and Morty. A 22-minute anthology special recreating fan-favorite moments as absurd live-action stage performances, filmed at the Morton Theatre in Athens, Georgia. The whole thing — concept to air — was turned around in under two months.
Our in-house Adult Swim team made the papier-mâché masks and props for the recreation of the show open. I was on set throughout as art director and gave notes across all cuts and post work, creative directing the visuals from pre-production through delivery. Produced in collaboration with RocketSlide Films.
Clip and images below. If you’re into it, the full episode is on YouTube.
