Posted in: Fox, Preview, TV | Tagged: bento box, fox, housebroken, interview, joel kuwahara, season 2

HouseBroken EP Joel Kuwahara Talks FOX Series, Bento Box Animation

Joel Kuwahara, FOX's HouseBroken EP, discussed the series, the animation business, a personal canine cameo he'd like to see, and more.

Joel Kuwahara, Executive Producer of FOX TV's HouseBroken, from Bento Box Entertainment (which he also co-founded), spoke with us about the animated series and the absurdity of pets. Prior to co-founding Bento Box, Kuwahara was a production executive at Film Roman, where he was Emmy-nominated as a producer on The Simpsons and produced The Simpsons Movie. Featuring the voices of Lisa Kudrow, Will Forte, Clea DuVall, Nat Faxon, Sharon Horgan, Tony Hale, Sam Richardson, and Jason Mantzoukas, the animated comedy HouseBroken follows a group of neighborhood animals as they work through their issues, inside and outside their therapy group. I got to ask Kuwahara about the rewards of producing a series like HouseBroken and much more! HouseBroken airs on FOX on Sunday nights at 9:30 PM EST and is available to watch on FOX or Hulu after it airs.

What has challenged you most regarding adding this series to the list of other big titles you are an executive producer for, such as "The Great North" and "Bob's Burgers"?

I wouldn't phrase it as a "challenge," but more as a motivating goal to make sure that we put 100% in everything we do and hit that level of excellence.  In animation, it is truly a team effort.  It starts with the writing and the brilliant scripts from the writing team, but once it gets handed over to animation, we have to execute it on all levels. 

What has been rewarding about having "HouseBroken" join the Bento Box Entertainment family?

Two things immediately come to mind.  The first is the relationship with the creators, Jen, Gaby, and Clea.  It has been a real pleasure working with such talented and nice individuals.  The second is the fact that this is the first primetime animated series (that I've worked on) where the main cast of characters are animals.  Typically, you might find animals headlining a kids' show, but we brought them into the adult comedy market, and it's doing great!

What's the process been like for you during the making of "HouseBroken" season two? Any favorite moments or fun facts audiences might not know about?

We're always looking for ways to elevate the animation.  Sometimes that comes in the form of design, adjusting the color, refining acting and animation to come up with visual "punch-ups." People don't realize how much time it takes to make an episode.  For season 2, we averaged 12 months to make an episode.  A whole year!  From script writing, recording, storyboarding, design, animation, editing, sound design, music composition, and mixing.  There's a lot to do.

In what ways have you seen the animation industry shift? How much has this impacted Bento Box and the production of "HouseBroken"?

You read the industry news and see the frequency at which studios are cutting production orders and green light on new shows. It hasn't impacted us too much because we have a dedicated team that's been with us for a few years now.  When other studios were laying off artists, we were able to pick some of them up.

What's a character from the series whose development you've been the most excited about and why?

Raccoon is a fun one because he has "hands!"  That means he can grab things, open cans, dig up yards, and fix a loose floorboard.  Those hands come in "handy!" Also, he lives outside of the main cast that gathers for "group sessions."  So basically, he's an instigator, and we love that!  He's got no allegiance or loyalties to anyone but himself.

Is there a specific pet or animal you'd love to see on a future episode of "HouseBroken"? If so, why that one in particular, and who'd be your choice for voicing them?

Yes, my dog Rodger!  He's a rescue that we've had for 6 years now.  He's a 15-year-old Maltipoo Chihuahua, blind in one eye and only one good tooth. He needs a guest-starring role. Look at that face!  It was made for comedy.

How much have your own pets (past and/or current) affected your choices on the direction of production on "HouseBroken"?

My pets get no special treatment or privilege, with the exception of occasionally sitting on my lap while I work, which I have to admit makes it hard to concentrate when we're editing the show.  They get no sneak peek into upcoming storylines, they have to wait till it airs like everyone else.  Which means on my lap on my couch.  So everyone, watch "Housebroken" on FOX!

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