Harvey Beaks Creator C.H. Greenblatt on How to Break Into The Biz and Why Artists Should Post on Tumblr
After abandoning a career in advertising to respond to a magazine ad from Nickelodeon, Carl Harvey Greenblatt has logged a decade-and-a-half across studios and shows, including Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob Squarepants, Cartoon Network’s Chowder and The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Disney’s Fish Hooks and—back at Nickelodeon again—the new series Harvey Beaks.
Premiering this Sunday night after a special Saturday night sneak peek, Harvey Beaks is a mellower, more mature effort than Greenblatt’s rambunctious kitchen comedy Chowder. Its eponymous bird—named after its creator—is sincere, thoughtful, mild-mannered, and frequently at odds with his trouble-making friends Fee and Foo.
I spoke with Greenblatt for Cartoon Brew about his career and his new series, as well as the pleasures of Nickelodeon over Cartoon Network, whether it matters what art school a student attends, and the key role that Tumblr served in making the show.