Atlanta’s skyline and landmarks such as The Varsity let viewers know if a movie or TV show is locally filmed. But there’s often no visual clues that an animated series is made in Atlanta, and several are.
“Atlanta is becoming the in-vogue place to produce because of the cost of living, labor rates and cheap equipment,” said Ashley Kohler, president and co-founder of Awesome Incorporated, the company behind “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” and others.
Did you know these four animated series are produced in Atlanta?
1. FX's "Archer" (10 p.m. Thursdays), which also streams at Hulu, is in its sixth season and has been renewed for a seventh. The Emmy-nominated show focuses on an international spy agency and its employees, particularly Sterling Archer — a sophisticated and self-absorbed master spy dealing with global espionage. He works for his controlling mother and works beside his ex-girlfriend.
The series is set in various decades and reflects technology and fashion from those time periods.
Archer is produced by Floyd County Productions, which is in Atlantic Station and employs over 100 artists with an average age of 25-27 years old, according to the company.
2. Adult Swim's "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" is the longest-running original series on the network. On the air since 2001, it's also one of the 10 longest-running American animated television series of all time. The show revolves around three roommates who happen to be fast food items: Master Shake, a milkshake who is a pathological liar; Frylock, an intelligent and floating box of fries; and Meatwad, a simple-minded and shape-shifting meatball. They live next door to a human named Carl Brutananadilewski.
Since 2011, the show has undergone several name changes as a running gag to keep the show unique and open. The 11th season is scheduled to premiere in early 2015.
"Aqua Teen Hunger Force" is made by Awesome Incorporated, an animation studio founded in Atlanta in 2006. The show can be viewed on AdultSwim.com, Netflix, Google Play, iTunes and Amazon.
3. Adult Swim's "Squidbillies" just wrapped up its ninth season. It's about a poor family of hillbilly mud squids, known as the Cuylers. The father is an alcoholic who takes out his abuse on his family. His teenage son desperately seeks his approval, while the mother is often the target of his aggression. (The daughter is often unconscious in a pool of her own vomit.)
The family lives in the Georgia region of the Appalachian Mountains in the fictional Dougal County, which is plagued by gambling, murder and sexual deviances.
“Squidbillies,” also made by Awesome Incorporated, can be viewed on AdultSwim.com, Netflix, Google Play, iTunes and Amazon.
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4. Hulu's "The Awesomes" is written by Seth Meyers and Mike Shoemaker. The show has a strong connection with "Saturday Night Live" and features several current and former cast members. The series follows a group of superheroes who have taken it upon themselves to replace a legendary, but disbanding,superhero team. The new heroes encounter media speculation and government suspicion as they strive to put The Awesomes back together. The third season of the show will premiere sometime this year.
“The Awesomes,” on Hulu.com, is animated by Bento Box Entertainment, which has a studio in Atlanta and also produced the first season of the award-winning series “Bob’s Burgers.”
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