WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.720 --> 00:00:04.320 You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on demand from 2 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:06.440 KFI AM sixty. 3 00:00:05.960 --> 00:00:11.160 Two, KFI AM six forty. It's Later with Mo Kelly. 4 00:00:11.160 --> 00:00:15.000 We're live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. Cartoon Network and 5 00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:18.679 Max released a first look clip at the highly anticipated 6 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:23.000 series Ayanu, the epic superhero animated series steeped in Nigerian 7 00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:26.320 culture and mythology, showcasing for the first time a glimpse 8 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:29.839 at the series set to captivate audiences with its magical 9 00:00:29.879 --> 00:00:34.719 storytelling and breathtaking visuals. A Lion Forge Entertainment production, Ayanu 10 00:00:34.920 --> 00:00:38.200 is in an adaptation of Dark Horse Comics Slash Unique 11 00:00:38.240 --> 00:00:42.479 Studios popular graphic novel series Ayanu, Child of Wonder by 12 00:00:42.520 --> 00:00:46.280 Award winning creator and producer roy Akupe. Roy is so 13 00:00:46.399 --> 00:00:48.399 good to have you back on the show all these 14 00:00:48.520 --> 00:00:50.359 years later. How are you this evening, sir. 15 00:00:51.920 --> 00:00:54.759 I'm doing well and it's it's a super pleasure to 16 00:00:54.759 --> 00:00:57.280 be back here after almost I think five or six yeries. 17 00:00:57.359 --> 00:00:58.920 I think it might be more than that. 18 00:00:59.039 --> 00:01:02.600 Also joining us tonight is Vincent Edwards, supervising director. 19 00:01:02.679 --> 00:01:05.519 Vincent, thank you for coming on tonight, my pleasure, thanks 20 00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:06.560 for having me and. 21 00:01:06.439 --> 00:01:10.239 Emmy Award winning writer. Also on the line, Carrie Grant, Carrie, 22 00:01:10.239 --> 00:01:10.760 how are you. 23 00:01:11.079 --> 00:01:12.599 I'm doing great? Thanks for having me. 24 00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:15.280 And last but not least, the story editor for a 25 00:01:15.359 --> 00:01:18.280 Young and Brandon Easton, longtime friend of the show, also 26 00:01:18.439 --> 00:01:18.959 joins us. 27 00:01:19.159 --> 00:01:21.400 Brandon, my brother and my friend. What's up? How you doing? 28 00:01:21.400 --> 00:01:23.000 You feeling better? I heard you a little bit under 29 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:23.319 the weather. 30 00:01:25.480 --> 00:01:28.200 I'm doing all right, bro, I mean comic Con beat 31 00:01:28.200 --> 00:01:29.719 the COVID out a minute. I heard it was a 32 00:01:29.719 --> 00:01:33.040 super super spreader event. But it's all good man, Great 33 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:34.239 to be back. It's been a while, bro. 34 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:35.799 Well, Brandon, let me start with you. 35 00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:39.879 You've written for Agent Carter, Thundercasts, Transformers, War of Cybertron. 36 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:42.959 Put another way, you know the fantasy genre very well. 37 00:01:43.239 --> 00:01:48.959 What for you makes compelling storytelling which appeals across demographics. 38 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:52.879 Authenticity and specificity of theme, as long as you have 39 00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:56.280 a actual story to tell and something to say about 40 00:01:56.280 --> 00:01:59.680 the world. All the great stories that have last, you know, 41 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:02.400 the Test of Tom have had something to say about 42 00:02:02.599 --> 00:02:06.560 you know, love, loss, fear, anger, hate, all the things 43 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:09.800 that make humans humans. So in Thew's case, we have 44 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:15.439 great themes of discovery, self discovery, empowerment, and a search 45 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:19.439 for understanding. And I think that's something that transcends every 46 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:20.479 single culture on Earth. 47 00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:23.599 Carrie Grant, you, as a writer, understand the process of 48 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:27.759 taking an idea, maybe someone else's idea, and putting it 49 00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:31.319 into a form where it breathes, it lives. What is 50 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:34.439 that process like when you're maybe adapting someone else's work. 51 00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:37.800 Basically, that process is just trying to really get inside 52 00:02:37.879 --> 00:02:40.719 the work as much as possible. In this case, it 53 00:02:40.840 --> 00:02:44.759 was reading Roy's graphic novels over and over and over again, 54 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:48.960 and then taking what he and Brandon had kind of 55 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:52.560 created as a foundation and tried as much as possible 56 00:02:52.599 --> 00:02:55.919 to really get into the mind state of the show 57 00:02:56.120 --> 00:02:58.639 itself and the characters, get into the voices. 58 00:02:59.560 --> 00:03:01.639 And I just I think that just kind of comes 59 00:03:01.639 --> 00:03:02.120 with practice. 60 00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:04.800 I've been doing it for a while now, so I've 61 00:03:04.840 --> 00:03:09.840 gotten better and better at at mimicking really trying to 62 00:03:09.960 --> 00:03:13.400 deeply understand the story that's being told and the characters 63 00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:16.280 that are telling them so I can be cohesive. 64 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:20.520 Vincent Edwards, you as supervising director have a job which 65 00:03:20.599 --> 00:03:21.080 is different. 66 00:03:21.319 --> 00:03:21.680 I think. 67 00:03:21.960 --> 00:03:23.560 Tell me if I'm wrong that you have more of 68 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:27.360 a big picture, punt intended view of how all these 69 00:03:27.479 --> 00:03:30.479 moving parts are supposed to come together and work. How 70 00:03:30.520 --> 00:03:33.879 do you know that it is working right and working 71 00:03:33.960 --> 00:03:35.639 well when you come into the picture. 72 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:40.039 Walt Disney famously described the animation as the illusion of life, 73 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:44.439 And that's my job. The director team is kicking it 74 00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:47.039 off the script page and bringing it to life for 75 00:03:47.159 --> 00:03:50.560 the audience so that they can experience a cathartic emotional 76 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:53.000 journey that might give them a little bit of insight 77 00:03:53.080 --> 00:03:55.280 into their own lives as people and their. 78 00:03:55.159 --> 00:03:56.080 Fellow human beings. 79 00:03:56.439 --> 00:03:58.400 And that's really the point of any good story, and 80 00:03:58.439 --> 00:04:00.479 that's kind of what we focus on doing in our 81 00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:02.120 animation is bringing that to lots. 82 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:06.360 Roy, you have Ianu something I would call your baby, 83 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:09.520 something that you've worked on for years and years, and 84 00:04:09.560 --> 00:04:12.759 then you have to entrust it with people. You may 85 00:04:12.919 --> 00:04:15.599 like them, you may appreciate them, you may respect them 86 00:04:15.639 --> 00:04:18.959 as professionals, but you're turning over your baby to them. 87 00:04:19.079 --> 00:04:23.000 In many ways, what is that collaborative process? Like all 88 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:26.480 the people that just introduced and their jobs, how can 89 00:04:26.519 --> 00:04:27.680 you just hand it over to them? 90 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:30.759 I know you're involved, but still it might be tough. 91 00:04:31.560 --> 00:04:33.879 Yeah, I mean you mentioned the keyboard, the trust rights. 92 00:04:33.959 --> 00:04:36.920 I think that's where it starts for something like this. 93 00:04:37.079 --> 00:04:40.879 And you know, I always tell people going from you know, 94 00:04:40.920 --> 00:04:43.279 being on the graphic novel and then being executive producer 95 00:04:43.480 --> 00:04:46.839 on the show, it's two different things, right. Graphic Novel 96 00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:48.759 is a very small team. You know, you're right, You 97 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:51.240 work with directly with an artist or you and that's 98 00:04:51.279 --> 00:04:53.439 about it. When it comes to animation, you're talking about 99 00:04:53.519 --> 00:04:56.199 hundreds of people, so there's no way you can do 100 00:04:56.279 --> 00:04:58.639 it all on your own. But I think if you 101 00:04:58.680 --> 00:05:01.360 surround yourself with people with that smarter than you, you know, 102 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:04.199 it helps elevate the project as a whole. And then 103 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:06.279 you have to be confident in the things that you 104 00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:09.399 know are your your strengths. And to me, that's where 105 00:05:09.399 --> 00:05:13.279 I focus on the law of the show, the cultural specificity. 106 00:05:13.720 --> 00:05:16.199 Those are the things that for me I try to 107 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:18.920 really really hone in on because I think that's what 108 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:22.240 makes you special. Everything else that I try to rely 109 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:24.319 on the people that have been surrounded with to help 110 00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:27.879 me get this vision to screen. And I think as 111 00:05:27.920 --> 00:05:30.160 long as you can build a foundation of trust, it 112 00:05:30.199 --> 00:05:33.680 becomes easier from them. Who is Yan is a teenage 113 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:37.000 often girl who loses all recollection of a past and 114 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:39.240 then she realizes that she has the powers of the 115 00:05:39.240 --> 00:05:41.519 gods of her land, and it's one of these powers 116 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:43.959 that can save the entirety of ur Baland, which is 117 00:05:43.959 --> 00:05:46.480 where her story takes place, from what we call the corrupts, 118 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:49.160 which are curse animals that all they want to do 119 00:05:49.240 --> 00:05:53.279 is literally destroy humanity. So that's that's, in a nutshell, 120 00:05:53.600 --> 00:05:56.639 the story of a Janus as as a person as 121 00:05:56.639 --> 00:05:59.360 also as a whole in terms of where our story 122 00:05:59.439 --> 00:05:59.759 is going. 123 00:06:00.360 --> 00:06:03.480 Brandon Easton, take me into the writer's room, maybe Carrie 124 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:06.360 granted sitting right next to you and you were collaborating 125 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:08.839 or going back and forth. How do you take what 126 00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:13.079 Roy just said and then start that process of creating 127 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:15.480 this gumbo, if you will, of what's going to be 128 00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:18.079 on the screen when we see this on the Cartoon 129 00:06:18.120 --> 00:06:21.680 Network and Max and Show Max around the world. 130 00:06:22.319 --> 00:06:24.800 What I had to do was break down what could 131 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:27.519 work on the screen versus what works on the page. 132 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:30.920 And that really was the trick. So as long as 133 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:36.399 we had a forward moving narrative that fully established Hueyanu 134 00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:42.160 was early on, and have the emotional stakes up front, 135 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:45.439 everything else fell into place. Then I mean, the writer's 136 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:49.360 room was the first season especially was a very small 137 00:06:49.399 --> 00:06:52.600 but very select crew of people, some of which I 138 00:06:52.600 --> 00:06:54.879 had known, a few I did not, but we all 139 00:06:54.920 --> 00:06:57.680 came together very quickly, and that was something I felt 140 00:06:57.800 --> 00:07:01.160 was very unprecedented based on my own experiences and a bits. 141 00:07:01.639 --> 00:07:03.839 Carrie, what about you? Do you agree with that or 142 00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:04.959 would you disagree with that? 143 00:07:05.319 --> 00:07:06.600 One hundred percent agree? 144 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:10.600 I think when I came on, Brandon and Roy had 145 00:07:10.600 --> 00:07:14.199 already sort of laid a foundation for us to follow, 146 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:16.319 like a guide for us to follow. And then because 147 00:07:16.360 --> 00:07:18.040 we I think all of us in the room were 148 00:07:18.120 --> 00:07:21.199 felt so deeply connected to the material and really wanted 149 00:07:21.240 --> 00:07:25.040 to be there, and we all love telling stories and 150 00:07:25.079 --> 00:07:28.199 telling stories like this. So yeah, the process of kind 151 00:07:28.199 --> 00:07:30.480 of coming down, we did have to be deeply in 152 00:07:30.519 --> 00:07:33.480 some ways deeply connected to each other for that short 153 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:35.560 time that we were working together, too, Like we really 154 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:40.000 shared space. We discussed you have to kind of discuss deeply, 155 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:43.639 not necessarily deeply personal, but personal things about being human 156 00:07:43.800 --> 00:07:46.240 in order to really convey the story. 157 00:07:46.360 --> 00:07:48.759 So yes, I one hundred percent agree with Brandon. 158 00:07:49.079 --> 00:07:52.560 Okay, Vincent, now you got this content which is dropped 159 00:07:52.560 --> 00:07:55.399 in your lap a supervising director. You have all these 160 00:07:55.439 --> 00:07:59.199 animators to Roy's point, how does it all come together? 161 00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:00.759 Where's your starting point? 162 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:04.680 Design is a start and storyboards are the next step. 163 00:08:05.160 --> 00:08:08.759 The storyboard is to the completed project what a blueprint 164 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:11.920 is to a completed house. And so if your blueprint 165 00:08:11.959 --> 00:08:15.240 is very concise, the instructions are clear for the the 166 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:19.279 contractors the animation studios that will then do the animation work, 167 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:21.439 then they're able to bring those characters to life. But 168 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:23.959 really it's the board artists and the directors and the 169 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:28.560 designers that kind of create the we call it pencil acting. 170 00:08:29.160 --> 00:08:32.519 When you've got storyboard drawings that show what the visual 171 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:36.200 performance of the characters expressions and bodies movements are. That's 172 00:08:36.279 --> 00:08:39.440 really the foundation of what sells drama, but allows people 173 00:08:39.480 --> 00:08:42.519 to relate to what are essentially to be drawn images 174 00:08:42.679 --> 00:08:45.639 as though they're real people. And that's kind of the 175 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:46.679 craft that we practice. 176 00:08:47.159 --> 00:08:49.559 If you just tune in, we're talking about Eanu, Child 177 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:52.000 of Wonder, which is coming to the Cartoon Network and 178 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:54.600 Max here in the States and show Max are all 179 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:57.679 around the world. We'll have more with the creators and 180 00:08:57.720 --> 00:08:59.279 the writers in just a moment. 181 00:09:01.720 --> 00:09:07.440 With Mo Kelly. 182 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:10.919 Six KFI AM six forty. It's later with Mo Kelly. 183 00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:13.679 We're live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app and we're in 184 00:09:13.720 --> 00:09:17.519 the middle of the conversation talking about IANU, Child of Wonder, 185 00:09:17.679 --> 00:09:20.399 which was just premiered, and it's going to be hitting 186 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:23.399 Cartoon Network and Max here in the States very soon 187 00:09:23.639 --> 00:09:27.600 and show Max in countries all around the world. I'm 188 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:31.879 joined by Roy Akuope, who is the creator and director 189 00:09:32.039 --> 00:09:37.240 of Ianu. Also Vincent Edwards who's the supervising director, Carry Grant, 190 00:09:37.240 --> 00:09:41.159 who's a writer, Emmy Award winning writer, and also Brandon Easton, 191 00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:43.799 friend of the show, writer for All Things Fantasy. He's 192 00:09:43.799 --> 00:09:46.879 been with me since the very beginning. And so let 193 00:09:46.879 --> 00:09:48.799 me come back into the conversation. 194 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:49.600 Roy. 195 00:09:49.720 --> 00:09:51.720 When I talked to you years ago, you were at 196 00:09:51.720 --> 00:09:54.759 a different point in your career and there's this old 197 00:09:54.799 --> 00:09:57.320 movie called Broadcast News where it says, what do you 198 00:09:57.399 --> 00:10:02.240 do if your dreams exceed your reality? My question to 199 00:10:02.279 --> 00:10:06.600 you is, did you could you foresee when you were 200 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:10.200 working on EXO and then all this has happened. 201 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:12.679 Yeah, I mean, I don't want people to take this 202 00:10:12.759 --> 00:10:15.240 out of context when I answered, but yes I did, 203 00:10:15.320 --> 00:10:18.080 because this has always been the plan, right, So it's 204 00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:22.000 not necessarily a thing where I'm surprised about where I am. 205 00:10:22.320 --> 00:10:26.480 It did take over what Exo was released in twenty fifteen, 206 00:10:26.519 --> 00:10:28.759 so we're talking about ten years since I released my 207 00:10:28.759 --> 00:10:31.559 first graphic novel to be able to get to this point. 208 00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:35.159 So to me, I've always had a vision to adapt 209 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:38.159 my stories from comic books and graphic novels into animation 210 00:10:38.360 --> 00:10:40.399 and live live action in the future. So for me, 211 00:10:40.440 --> 00:10:43.399 it's always been a goal. But at the same time, 212 00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:46.240 it took a lot of people and a lot of 213 00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:48.840 sacrifice from not just myself, different people to be able 214 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:51.200 to get to this point. So you talk about people 215 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:54.000 like Erica Mottley, who was the first producer to see 216 00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:57.120 this and you know, say that this has to be 217 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:00.000 made into an animated series, and you talk about Line 218 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:02.720 for coming on board as a financier, and then obviously 219 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:04.840 they cut to network on Max and then everybody that 220 00:11:04.919 --> 00:11:08.320 you can see or you can hear on this program now, 221 00:11:08.360 --> 00:11:11.720 and then hundreds of other people that you know obviously 222 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:14.080 can't be on this show right now. So it takes 223 00:11:14.080 --> 00:11:16.840 a village literally to get this to this point. And 224 00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:19.480 you know, we wouldn't be where we are here to 225 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:20.919 deal with the Yana without the help of. 226 00:11:20.919 --> 00:11:21.720 So many, Carrie. 227 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:24.240 I've been someone who's followed the industry for a long time, 228 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:28.000 and I remember the difficulties of writers when it came 229 00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:31.480 to streaming and how many people were in those writing 230 00:11:31.559 --> 00:11:34.000 rooms I talked about with Brandon and the need for 231 00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:38.559 different voices, different viewpoints, at vantage points in these writers' rooms. 232 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:43.159 What would you make of the generality of shows now 233 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:45.840 on streaming. You know, if it wasn't for streaming, we 234 00:11:45.879 --> 00:11:49.159 wouldn't have a show like a Yanu, Child of Wonder. 235 00:11:49.399 --> 00:11:52.399 But at the same time, there's still the uncertainty of 236 00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:55.480 what it will be moving forward for writers in streaming, 237 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:56.759 if that makes any sense. 238 00:11:57.440 --> 00:11:59.759 Yeah, I think that we're in an interesting time right now. 239 00:11:59.840 --> 00:12:03.559 Think in some ways it's great because there's so much 240 00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:06.080 on TV, Like like people have been saying for years, 241 00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:08.840 you're in some sort of a like a golden era 242 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:11.720 of television, and there's so much out there. There's so 243 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:15.759 many things, especially in animation, the medium has really come 244 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:19.360 a long way, has been adult animation, all of that, 245 00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:21.840 all of that, and I just think that where we 246 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:26.360 there is uncertainty right now for where writers are and 247 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:29.320 will be moving forward. My hope I can tell you 248 00:12:29.320 --> 00:12:34.159 what my hope is that writers get what they're what 249 00:12:34.200 --> 00:12:35.559 they're doing for the for. 250 00:12:35.559 --> 00:12:36.679 The work that we do. 251 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:38.480 And I think that that's kind of like at the 252 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:42.039 heart of the issue that you're that you're referring to 253 00:12:42.120 --> 00:12:45.399 or alluding to. I think with streaming, I think we're 254 00:12:45.399 --> 00:12:47.399 in a weirdly transitional period right now. 255 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:50.080 I love, I love. 256 00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:52.440 I think it's just that the industry has to expand, 257 00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:54.440 and I think it it will. 258 00:12:54.840 --> 00:12:56.720 That's my that's my optimistic prediction. 259 00:12:57.480 --> 00:12:57.840 Vincent. 260 00:12:57.919 --> 00:13:00.000 Let me ask you, because I didn't get the chance, 261 00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:02.919 is to drill down on your backstory when it comes 262 00:13:02.919 --> 00:13:06.960 to working with all these animators, illustrators and these storyboards, 263 00:13:07.399 --> 00:13:10.679 is how emotionally connected do you have to be to 264 00:13:11.480 --> 00:13:13.639 a piece to do your best work? 265 00:13:13.960 --> 00:13:15.000 Does it matter at all? 266 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:18.759 It matters a lot. One of the things that separates 267 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:22.279 just a job that you do for a contract as 268 00:13:22.279 --> 00:13:24.600 opposed to a project of passion and that you're able 269 00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:28.480 to really invest some yourself in is connecting to the material. 270 00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:31.759 And when I became involved with Theano and I saw 271 00:13:31.799 --> 00:13:34.039 what it was and what the core of its story was, 272 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:38.759 I really really resonated with some of the themes. They're universal, 273 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:42.519 they're they're they're archetypal, you know, Shakespearean. I mean, it's 274 00:13:42.559 --> 00:13:46.559 really powerful stuff. And that is my compass heading in 275 00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:48.120 terms of what is the show? 276 00:13:48.440 --> 00:13:49.799 Is this not the show? 277 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:52.240 Is this the show? It's my job to be sort 278 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:54.960 of the conduit between the creative team that's going to 279 00:13:55.000 --> 00:14:00.720 execute that to achieve Roy's vision accurately, right. But to 280 00:14:00.759 --> 00:14:02.600 do that, I really have to well have to give 281 00:14:02.600 --> 00:14:04.279 it darn myself, and I really do. 282 00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:05.039 It's great stuff. 283 00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:07.360 There has yet to be a writer that I've met 284 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:12.039 who hasn't already thought beyond the story that they're actually writing. So, Brandon, 285 00:14:12.120 --> 00:14:14.360 I got to ask you, we may get to see 286 00:14:14.360 --> 00:14:16.720 a portion of the story of a young child of Wonder, 287 00:14:16.759 --> 00:14:19.080 but in your mind, have you already written season two 288 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:19.519 and three? 289 00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:22.919 Well, season one and two are already done, Like we're 290 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:26.000 in the can for that. I have ideas for season three, 291 00:14:26.039 --> 00:14:27.960 but I don't don't know if I'll be in the 292 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:31.000 mix for that. But yeah, we when we were working 293 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:35.080 on season one and two, we already had infrastructure for 294 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:37.159 where we're going to go, based on a lot of 295 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:39.360 Roy's ideas and based on some of the events of 296 00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:43.279 the future graphic novels so in a lot of ways 297 00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:45.759 we already had kind of it was like a mad 298 00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:47.240 libs if you remember that stuff back. 299 00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:48.600 Absolutely, we just. 300 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:51.480 Had to fill in the gaps over what Roy already 301 00:14:51.480 --> 00:14:53.600 had in his head, and that was it made it 302 00:14:53.639 --> 00:14:55.480 a lot easier. I mean, it was a challenge, but 303 00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:57.960 also made a lot easier knowing that Roy had a 304 00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:01.480 target for both the narrative and the themes. 305 00:15:01.919 --> 00:15:03.559 Roy the last word is going to be yours. 306 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:06.840 When I tune in on Cartoon Network or Max and 307 00:15:06.919 --> 00:15:09.720 I get to check out a child of Wonder for myself, 308 00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:12.840 and there may be a kid who's eight years old 309 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:15.720 tuning in at the same time, what do you think 310 00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:19.000 that child and I may take from it, or what 311 00:15:19.000 --> 00:15:21.000 would you want us to get from it? 312 00:15:22.279 --> 00:15:24.639 I think that's a good question. I think I think 313 00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:27.000 I can speak for everybody here when I say that 314 00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:30.279 we want kids to have fun, right. We want kids 315 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:33.399 to have the opportunity to be kids and see kids 316 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:36.960 being kids on TV in a way that they're just 317 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:40.320 enjoying watching it. The second thing is that I want 318 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:44.399 people to get to see side of African culture, history 319 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:47.360 and mythology, you know, past, present, and future that they 320 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:51.240 don't get to see in mainstream TV. One of the 321 00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:53.840 things is that we wanted to really lean into the 322 00:15:53.879 --> 00:15:58.039 cultural aspects, but make it universal and global where anybody 323 00:15:58.120 --> 00:16:00.720 from any part of the world could watch and enjoy it. 324 00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:02.879 And the last thing is I want people to be inspired. 325 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:05.039 I want people to be able to see this and 326 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:08.919 normally see themselves in our characters, but to be able 327 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:12.960 to understand that, you know, the people actually working on 328 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:16.360 this right have something like Vincent said, we all have 329 00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:19.559 a stake in Indiana, Like we're all giving our blood, 330 00:16:19.559 --> 00:16:22.879 sweats and tears, our hearts and putting that into the project. 331 00:16:22.919 --> 00:16:25.639 And I think you get to see when every character speaks, 332 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:28.080 when they move, when they talk, how they act. And 333 00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:31.639 I hope people are inspired, you know, by characters and 334 00:16:31.799 --> 00:16:34.240 and and see them as as as people that they 335 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:35.519 can aspire to be as well. 336 00:16:35.879 --> 00:16:39.440 He is roy Akoupe Award winning creator and producer of 337 00:16:39.559 --> 00:16:42.320 a New Child of Wonder. I want to thank him 338 00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:45.039 for coming on. The New Child of Wonder is going 339 00:16:45.080 --> 00:16:47.440 to be on Cartoon Network and Max and I was 340 00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:52.360 also joined by the creative team behind the Child of Wonder, 341 00:16:52.440 --> 00:16:54.679 also Vincent Edwards, supervising director. 342 00:16:54.919 --> 00:16:57.519 Vincent, thank you for coming on. This evening. Thank you, 343 00:16:57.639 --> 00:17:00.600 Kerry Grant, Emmy Award winning writer, Thank you for coming on. 344 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:02.000 Thanks for having me. Mom. 345 00:17:02.120 --> 00:17:05.279 And Brandon Easton, longtime friend of the show who is 346 00:17:05.400 --> 00:17:08.039 story editor for A Yannie. Brandon, I hope you're getting 347 00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:10.200 better and I need you in studio next time so 348 00:17:10.279 --> 00:17:11.000 we can catch up. 349 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:14.359 I'm going fine and I will be happy to come by. 350 00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:15.480 Thanks so much for everything. 351 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:19.759 You're listening to later with Moe Kelly on demand from 352 00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:21.680 KFI AM six forty. 353 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:24.880 And we're getting down to the end. I am so excited. 354 00:17:25.160 --> 00:17:27.920 If you didn't know, tomorrow I'm getting on a cruise. 355 00:17:28.279 --> 00:17:30.559 And not only am I getting on a cruise, about 356 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:32.559 ten of my family members are getting. 357 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:35.960 On a cruise. And outside of that, to Wallace. 358 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:38.599 Sharp and his son are joining us on this quick 359 00:17:38.680 --> 00:17:43.319 three day cruise to Ensenada, Mexico. And if you don't know, 360 00:17:44.039 --> 00:17:46.559 to Walla Sharp has never been on a cruise. He's 361 00:17:46.599 --> 00:17:51.839 not really big on water. So as Mark Ronner hosts 362 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:56.000 this show tomorrow night, we will be sending at the minimum, 363 00:17:56.039 --> 00:17:58.160 we're going to be sending pictures, We're going to be 364 00:17:58.200 --> 00:18:03.880 sending video to the anecdotes of how Tuala is handling 365 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:07.160 the open Seas. We get on the ship tomorrow morning 366 00:18:07.319 --> 00:18:11.920 afternoonish and we leave port at about I want to say, 367 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:14.720 about four o'clock or so, so by the time Mark 368 00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:18.359 Ronner hits the chair, we'll have an update on how 369 00:18:18.440 --> 00:18:21.640 Tuala is doing. We'll make sure that at least Mark 370 00:18:21.720 --> 00:18:25.759 I don't know how much phone coverage and ability will 371 00:18:25.799 --> 00:18:28.400 have that first night, but we'll make sure we get 372 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:31.599 at least pictures on some video to Mark or Stephan 373 00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:34.680 or someone they'll be able to share. But we're gonna 374 00:18:34.680 --> 00:18:37.279 be on Royal Caribbean and the name of the ship 375 00:18:37.319 --> 00:18:39.799 is Navigator of the Seas. The reason I'm talking about 376 00:18:39.799 --> 00:18:45.519 this because it coincides with some other news regarding Royal Caribbean. 377 00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:49.799 When I was booking this cruise, Tualla was asking, you know, 378 00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:52.079 general questions like how large is the ship, and I said, 379 00:18:52.119 --> 00:18:54.680 we're gonna be on Navigator of the Seas and that's 380 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:58.200 like a mid size ship in their fleet. And of 381 00:18:58.200 --> 00:19:02.240 course Twala didn't necessarily have any reference, and most people don't, 382 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:07.279 but Royal Caribbean is the cruise line responsible for the 383 00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:11.759 biggest cruise ship in the world right now, Icon of 384 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:15.000 the Seas. Don't ask me about all the weight and 385 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:19.079 size and height. It's the biggest Mother Father out there 386 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:22.960 in the world. And if you see it with pictures 387 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:25.319 of it, comparing it to the Titanic, it's like maybe 388 00:19:25.400 --> 00:19:27.839 four times as big as the Titanic. 389 00:19:27.960 --> 00:19:31.359 It is a floating city. 390 00:19:31.400 --> 00:19:35.640 You have shopping malls, it's halfway an amusement park. 391 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:38.279 There's so much to do. If you can think of it, 392 00:19:38.599 --> 00:19:40.119 you can do it on the ship. 393 00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:42.359 And I try to remind folks if you've never been 394 00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:44.839 on the cruise, you really don't even feel the water. 395 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:51.000 These ships are so massive that unless you are on 396 00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:53.440 a debt in which you can see the water, unless 397 00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:56.039 you're in a stateroom maybe on your balcony and you 398 00:19:56.039 --> 00:19:59.920 can go out and feel the ocean air, you really 399 00:20:00.279 --> 00:20:05.359 don't have any perspective or context to know that you 400 00:20:05.400 --> 00:20:09.319 are on the water. You are out in the ocean. Look, 401 00:20:09.319 --> 00:20:12.720