When Blake Nurry inherits his Grandfather’s outdated holiday theme park in rural Australia, the quirky team of staff members need to convince him not to close down the national icon.
Speaking to the creator, director and animator of the series Tim Andrews, we were able to gain an insight into the crazy world of Nurry Brothers Adventure World (AUS).
What inspired your series?
I’ve been working in TV animation for a number of years and have felt inspired to create my own series for adults for most of that time. Early on in my career, when I was still a teenager, I was given a wonderful opportunity to create a series, and although the quality was pretty terrible, I really enjoyed the experience of writing, directing and animating my own show.
Like many, I grew up watching The Simpsons, and still appreciate it for what it brought to adult animation. It was sophisticated and silly all at the same time, and was something you could watch as a family.
The setting for my series is a run-down theme park, much like the types many Australians would be familiar with from long road trips and holidays from their childhoods. Almost everyone I speak to has a place they know, or visited as a child, that had a dangerous-looking ride, terrifying mascots, or a slide that burnt your legs in the hot summer sun. In my series, the dilapidated rides are almost like characters themselves, and is a really fun and familiar setting that can be expanded on as the series continues.
Why choose the web format?
I made Nurry Bros as a 22-minute pilot, and I’ve always felt that the 22-min format is a perfect length to tell a decent story. While in production, I realised that it split quite neatly into three separate parts, and I think today’s viewers aren’t usually prepared to sit and watch 22 minutes of something on their phone or computer – but TV, more likely.
Nurry Brothers Adventure World Trailer
How long have you been working on your series?
I launched a Kickstarter in late 2018, then worked on the series for most of 2019, trying to squeeze it in between fulltime work (also animation), and my young family. I don’t recommend doing this, however, I had many animation colleagues who stepped up to so graciously volunteer their time to the production. It was completed in November 2019.
How did you come up for the concept for your show?
Nurry Bros is about a regular dude who suddenly inherits a theme park. I had this idea rattling around for years about a guy living with some housemates who somehow comes across a great fortune… it lacked an interesting setting, but after paying a visit to the Queensland theme parks one year, it became clear.
As a Christian, I’m fascinated by the idea of a loving ‘sacrifice’, and as we have learnt from cinema and television over the decades, ‘sacrifice’ is also an incredibly powerful story device. This comes into play in part 3 of the series.
What do you like most about your series?
Most of my work, including Nurry Bros, is very Australian. I don’t shy away from the colours and characteristics that we are all familiar with. I think for years we have struggled to find our identity in film, comparing ourselves to the stereotypes that the rest of the world sees. Films like The Castle showed us what we’re actually like, without people walking around saying “Gerday Mate! Heat me up a pot o’ billy tea, cobber!”. One thing I really like about my series and style, is that I (try to) present our culture in an unapologetic and real way, instead of the lame stereotypes that we often forget are not actually us.
What is the most interesting element of your series for the audience?
I’m keen to hear how the audience would answer this! I’ve had people share all sorts of fun feedback. One person quipped “Funny! AND disturbing!”, while another person so dearly wished that it could continue as a larger series by stating, “This is the show that Australia needs!”.
What was your greatest challenge creating the series?
I had full confidence in creating the series from start to finish, however, my skills come to an end once the creative side of things is finished. To throw your hard-earned finished product into the internet, only to have a small amount of ‘views’, is a clear indication that I either need a whole new skillset, or someone else needs to take it from here. I’m not at all surprised by this, it’s the common challenge for many creatives.
What is the future for your series?
At the moment, there seems to be a surge of ‘adult animation’, and I’m keen to ride that wave.
I’m not interested in creating something where the punchline is somebody swearing, or an overtly violent mishap. I’d argue that that sort of thing is not ‘adult animation’, it’s cheap comedy for kids (who sneak to their mate’s place to watch it because their Mum won’t let them). On the contrary, I feel that adult animation should be witty, clever and silly all rolled into one. Rich stories that adults can appreciate, enjoy, and want to watch time and time again.
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