Bryan Konietzko

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Bryan Konietzko
Bryan Konietzko by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg
Konietzko at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con
Born
Bryan Joseph Konietzko
Alma mater Rhode Island School of Design (BFA)
Occupation(s)Animator, producer, writer, director
Years active1999–present
Known forCo-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra
TitleCo-Chief Creative Officer, Avatar Studios
Spouse
Lisa Konietzko
(m. 2004)

Bryan Konietzko is an American animator, writer, producer and director. He is best known, together with Michael Dante DiMartino, as the co-creator and executive producer of the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra .

Contents

Career

Konietzko has worked as a character designer at Film Roman for Family Guy and as assistant director for Mission Hill and King of the Hill . He was a storyboard artist and art director for the Nickelodeon animated series Invader Zim .

Between 2001 and 2014, Konietzko, together with Michael Dante DiMartino, was mainly occupied with writing and producing the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel The Legend of Korra for Nickelodeon. Konietzko's and DiMartino's long-standing creative partnership is collectively referred to as "Bryke" by fans, in reference to "shipping" naming conventions. [1]

As of 2015, Konietzko was working on writing and illustrating a sci-fi graphic novel series, Threadworlds, that is to be published by First Second Books, but there is no release date. [2]

Konietzko is also active in photography and has a band, Ginormous, [3] with which he has released several albums. These include Our Ancestors' Intense Love Affair and At Night, Under Artificial Light.

In September 2018, Netflix announced that Konietzko and DiMartino would serve as executive producers and showrunners for the live-action series based on Avatar: The Last Airbender, which released in 2024. [4] On August 12, 2020, Konietzko and DiMartino revealed on social media that they had both departed the show, due to creative differences with the Netflix team. [5]

In February 2021, Paramount Global (the parent company of Nickelodeon, then known as "ViacomCBS") announced its formation of Avatar Studios, a division of Nickelodeon centered on developing newer animated series and movies set in the same universe as Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. Konietzko and DiMartino will jointly lead the studio as co-chief creative officers reporting to Nickelodeon Animation Studio president, Ramsey Ann Naito. The first project will be an animated theatrical film which started production in late 2021. [6] [7]

Personal life

Konietzko graduated from Roswell High School in Roswell, Georgia, a suburb north of Atlanta. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1998. [8] [9]

He resides in Los Angeles, California with his wife Lisa. [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i> American animated television series

Avatar: The Last Airbender, also known as Avatar: The Legend of Aang in some regions, or simply Avatar or The Last Airbender, is an American animated fantasy action television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zuko</span> Fictional character from Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra

PrinceZuko, also known as the Blue Spirit, is a fictional character in Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Created by Eric Coleman and designed by series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the character is voiced by Dante Basco in Avatar: The Last Airbender and Bruce Davison in The Legend of Korra, and portrayed by Dev Patel in M. Night Shyamalan's 2010 film The Last Airbender and Dallas Liu in the 2024 Netflix live-action remake series.

Katara (<i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i>) Character in Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra

Katara is a fictional character in the Nickelodeon animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel series The Legend of Korra. The character, created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, is voiced by Mae Whitman in the original series and Eva Marie Saint in the sequel series, The Legend of Korra. She is Chief Hakoda and Kya's daughter and Sokka's younger sister. In the 2010 live action film adaptation, she was played by Nicola Peltz, while in the live-action television series adaptation, she is portrayed by Kiawentiio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iroh</span> Fictional character in Avatar: The Last Airbender

Uncle Iroh, also referred to as General Iroh and credited simply as Uncle, is a fictional character in Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the character was voiced by Mako in the first two seasons and, due to Mako's death, by Greg Baldwin in the third season and the sequel series The Legend of Korra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aang</span> Fictional character from Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar Aang, or simply Aang, is the title character and protagonist of Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender, voiced by Zach Tyler Eisen. Aang is the last surviving Airbender, a monk of the Air Nomads' Southern Air Temple, and the youngest ever airbending master.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toph Beifong</span> Fictional character in Avatar: The Last Airbender

Toph Beifong is a fictional character in Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, voiced by Michaela Jill Murphy in the original series and Kate Higgins and Philece Sampler in the sequel series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Dante DiMartino</span> American animation director

Michael Dante DiMartino is an American animator, producer, writer, and director. He is best known, together with Bryan Konietzko, as the co-creator of the animated TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, both on Nickelodeon.

<i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i> (season 1) Animated television series episode list

Book One: Water is the first season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, an American animated television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio. The first season aired on Nickelodeon from February 21 to December 2, 2005, and consisted of 20 episodes. The series stars Zach Tyler Eisen, Mae Whitman, Jack DeSena, Dante Basco, Dee Bradley Baker, Mako Iwamatsu, and Jason Isaacs as the main character voices.

<i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i> (season 3) Third season of Avatar: The Last Airbender episode list

Book Three: Fire is the third and final season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, an American animated television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. The series stars Zach Tyler Eisen, Mae Whitman, Jack DeSena, Michaela Jill Murphy, Dante Basco, Dee Bradley Baker, Greg Baldwin, Grey DeLisle, and Mark Hamill as the main character voices.

<i>The Legend of Korra</i> American animated television series

The Legend of Korra, also known as Avatar: The Legend of Korra, or more rarely simply as Korra, is an American animated fantasy action television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko for Nickelodeon. A sequel to their previous series Avatar: The Last Airbender, which aired from 2005 to 2008, the series ran for 52 episodes ("chapters"), separated into four seasons ("books"), from April 14, 2012, to December 19, 2014. It has been continued as a comic book series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korra</span> Title character of The Legend of Korra

Avatar Korra, commonly simply known as Korra, is the title lead character in Nickelodeon's animated television series The Legend of Korra, in which she is depicted as the current incarnation of Raava's Avatar—the spiritual embodiment of balance and change—responsible for maintaining peace and harmony in the world. She is the immediate reincarnation of Avatar Aang. The character was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and was voiced by Janet Varney, and by Cora Baker as a child.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sokka</span> Character in Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra

Sokka is a fictional character in Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel series The Legend of Korra. The character, created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, is voiced by Jack DeSena in the original series and by Chris Hardwick in the sequel series. He is a warrior of the Water Tribe and the son of Chief Hakoda and Kya. In the live-action film adaptation, he is portrayed by Jackson Rathbone, while in the live-action television series adaptation, he is portrayed by Ian Ousley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Studio Mir</span> South Korean animation studio

Studio Mir Co., Ltd. is a South Korean animation studio based in Seoul. Among other works, the studio animated most of the American TV series The Legend of Korra, My Adventures with Superman, the fourth season of The Boondocks, Voltron: Legendary Defender, Dota: Dragon's Blood and Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, and films like Big Fish & Begonia, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf and Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge.

Tenzin (<i>The Legend of Korra</i>) Fictional character in The Legend of Korra

Tenzin is a major character in Nickelodeon's animated television series The Legend of Korra, which aired from 2012 to 2014. The character and the series, a sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender, were created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. He is voiced by J. K. Simmons. Tenzin's father, Aang, was the Avatar who preceded Korra and kept world peace by preventing the Fire Nation from taking over the world during the Hundred Year War, which occurred about seventy years before the beginning of The Legend of Korra. Tenzin's mother, Katara, greatly assisted Aang in his efforts to save the Earth Kingdom from destruction. Tenzin is the youngest of the three children of Aang and Katara.

Bolin (<i>The Legend of Korra</i>) Character in The Legend of Korra

Bolin is a major fictional character in Nickelodeon's animated television series The Legend of Korra, which aired from 2012 to 2014. The character and the series, a sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender, were created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. He is voiced by P. J. Byrne. Bolin is able to manipulate the classical element of earth, which is known as earthbending. It is revealed in the third season that he is also able to create and control lava, which is a very rare sub-ability called lavabending.

<i>The Legend of Korra</i> (season 3) Season of television series

Book Three: Change is the third season of the animated television series The Legend of Korra, created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and consists of thirteen episodes ("chapters"), all animated by Studio Mir. The season began airing on Nickelodeon in the U.S. on June 27, 2014. After leaked episodes and following declining ratings, the series stopped airing on Nickelodeon after episode 8 on July 25, 2014. Episodes 9 to 13 of Book Three were subsequently made available on the Internet weekly through Nickelodeon's website and on digital download platforms.

The Legend of Korra comics are a continuation of the Nickelodeon animated television series The Legend of Korra, created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. It is set after the series finale, and follows Avatar Korra and Asami Sato on their relationship. The comics are published by Dark Horse Comics, alongside Avatar: The Last Airbender.

<i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i> (franchise) Multimedia franchise

Avatar: The Last Airbender is an American multimedia franchise consisting of two animated television series, a live-action film, comics, books, video games, home media, and soundtracks. The franchise began with the animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender, which aired on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. The series is set in an Asian-inspired fantasy world in which some people can telekinetically manipulate one of the four classical elements: air, water, earth, or fire. Only the titular "Avatar" can bend all four elements and is responsible for maintaining balance in the world.

<i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i> (2024 TV series) American adventure fantasy television series

Avatar: The Last Airbender is an American action adventure fantasy television series. It is a live-action adaptation of the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005–2008). First announced in September 2018, Albert Kim is the showrunner, with a cast that includes Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley, Dallas Liu, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Ken Leung, and Daniel Dae Kim.

References

  1. Hoffman, Mike (8 January 2015). "Four Ways The Legend of Korra Respected Its Younger Viewers". The Escapist . Archived from the original on 12 January 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  2. Towers, Andrea (6 July 2015). "Avatar: The Last Airbender and Korra creator previews new graphic novel Threadworlds -- exclusive". EW.com . Archived from the original on 7 July 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  3. http://www.thisisginormous.com [ dead link ]
  4. Hipes, Patrick (18 September 2018). "'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Live-Action Series in Works at Netflix". Deadline . Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  5. "Bryan Konietzko on Instagram: "Well, friends... There you have it. Big sigh. 💔⬇️💔 I'm sure many of you will understandably want to know more and will ask me questions in the comments, here and on subsequent posts and live-streams and in-person encounters and everywhere else ad infinitum. I wish I could explain things in greater detail, but the above statement is really all I can say about the matter so I won't be answering any of those. I encourage you to head over to my partner Michael DiMartino's account to get his take on our departure too: @mike_dante_d Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of the Avatar: The Last Airbender fans, and I'm sorry our involvement in the live-action project did not work out. Time to get on with my life. Onward and upward. 💙 Love, Bryan #avatarthelastairbender #cocreators #michaeldimatino #bryankonietzko #bryke #atla #liveactionseries #netflix"". Archived from the original on 2020-08-13. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
  6. White, Peter (February 24, 2021). "'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Franchise To Expand With Launch Of Nickelodeon's Avatar Studios, Animated Theatrical Film In The Works". Deadline. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  7. Yang, Rachel (February 24, 2021). "Nickelodeon to expand Avatar: The Last Airbender with creators — first up is an animated film". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  8. Konietzko, Bryan. "About", bryankonietzko.com. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  9. "Nickelodeon Establishes Avatar Studios, Brand-New Content Division Devoted to Expanding the World of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra". Paramount Global. February 21, 2021. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  10. "Bryan konietzko". 9 April 2012. Archived from the original on 18 December 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2012.