He worked as a marine biologist from 1984–1987. In 1987 Hillenburg decided to pursue a career in animation, his second lifelong passion. He made several short films, two of which were awarded and played in animation film festivals internationally. His two short films The Green Beret (1991) and Wormholes (1992) became popular shorts in several. While still attending animation school, Hillenburg received a job on the children's TV series Mother Goose & Grimm from 1991 to 1993. When attending the California Institute of the Arts he made his thesis film called 'Wormholes'. Hillenburg displayed his films at various animation festivals. Joe Murray, creator of Rocko's Modern Life, met Hillenburg at an animation festival and asked Hillenburg if he would be a director on the show, to which he agreed. Hillenburg joined the Nickelodeon animated series as a writer, producer, and storyboard artist.In 1998, Hillenburg pitched the show to Nickelodeon, using an aquarium, character models, a theme song and the storyboard that would become the pilot episode, Help wanted The main character's name was originally "SpongeBoy", but since the name was copyrighted, he changed it to Spongebob Nickelodeon executives bought the pitch and the series premiered in July 1999. Karen, Plankton's computer wife on the show, is named after Stephen Hillenburg's wife.
I began watching Sponge Bob with my 6-yr. old granddaughter. I remember saying to her, "How could a cartoon about a SPONGE be funny...?" Oh well, what do grandmothers know? I adore Sponge Bob! I see much of myself and almost everyone I know in Sponge Bob, in one way or another. The cartoon is just hysterical,IMO, and, obviously the creator is a genius. I just had to search today to find the creator. Thanks to Stephen Hillenburg for giving us such a wonderful little guy to brighten up our lives and let us know that even a sponge with square pants can have serious problems, too! :-)
ReplyDeletePhyllis Truly
do you have a place named after you, or is there a famous quote that you have that you would like to tell me? if you can thank you very much, it would help out alot with my homework
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you wrote these lines but, they are the funiest in a cartoon since Bugs Bunny introduced the Knights of the Round Table as "Sir Loin of Beef" and "Sir Ociss of Liver". Mr. Crabb saying "Criminal negligence is what prisoners wear to bed." I lost a little water! Thanks
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