As SpongeBob SquarePants celebrates its 25th anniversary, Jerry George, LRC Principal Artist, reflects on the creative and technical advancements of Kamp Koral Season 2. Discover how the team tackled challenges and pushed the boundaries of animation to bring new adventures to life.
- SpongeBob celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. When and how did you first become introduced to this iconic character?
I don’t remember exactly when, but I remember how it happened. As a foodie, I was scrolling through cooking shows and accidentally stumbled upon an episode of SpongeBob titled “The Original Fry Cook.” I instantly became a fan of SpongeBob and his Krabby Patty.
- What were the biggest technical challenges you faced in making this season?
In Season 2, the most outrageous story ideas flowed seamlessly from the creative team to us. I vividly remember the incredibly crowded shots of urchins—an ocean of them—with SpongeBob rowing away from a monstrous urchin. Another episode featured BalloonMega, a dinosaur-sized character made entirely of thousands of balloons! Similarly, JellyfishMega, a giant jellyfish covered in thousands of tiny jellyfish, presented their own challenges in terms of render time and intersections. Despite these hurdles, we enjoyed overcoming each challenge, thanks to our strong interdepartmental bonds and our good rapport with the Nickelodeon team.
- What are the main differences between the work done on the first season and the second season?
Season 1 was a valuable learning experience, but Season 2 didn’t just build on those lessons—it set new benchmarks with each episode. Early on, we trained all artists to implement rigorous QC based on insights from Season 1. This allowed us to focus on creative challenges during delivery rather than technical issues. In collaboration with the Nickelodeon team, we successfully upgraded all set light rigs to better manage Time of Day transitions. This improvement enabled artists to enhance shot lighting without breaking the connection. We also made significant updates to the eye rig of primary character assets, resolving issues like eye penetration, motion blur artifacts, and streamlining complex animation processes. These efforts significantly enhanced artist performance in Season 2.
- What software and animation tools did you use for this season?
We utilized light versions of character rigs to animate SpongeBob’s legendary moves, transferring this intricate animation as cached data to high-quality, robust render rigs during the lighting stage. Scenes were constructed using Maya’s scene assembly technology to manage complexity. For lighting and rendering, we employed Redshift, and each shot was finalized in Nuke. Since Season 1, we had employed custom tools for animation and post-production, automating numerous repetitive tasks, with further refinement for Season 2. Choosing ‘scene assembly’ for the show was a strategic decision, and the ‘Assembly Editor Tool’ proved instrumental in handling and optimizing shots.
- How did the collaboration between the different teams and departments go in producing this season?
Following the global pandemic and lockdown, half of our team began Season 2 working remotely from various locations. We anticipated significant challenges in connecting with each other. However, as the saying goes, ‘Tough times bring people together,’ and this proved true in our case. We instituted ‘twice-daily video catch-ups’ with the entire team—mornings to discuss targets and evenings to review outcomes and address challenges. This cycle continued throughout the week. We held proactive and interactive production meetings and meticulously tracked every pressing issue. We had video calls with the Nickelodeon team twice a week, which felt like collaborating with brothers in arms despite being continents apart when tackling challenges.
The diversity of SpongeBob presented a constant challenge in terms of asset updates related to look and animation controls. To meet this requirement, we used numerous episodic variants and blend shapes for a single character. These constant asset updates were executed without halting production, exemplifying how connected the team was, from the art book to the final edit.
- Were there any specific references or inspirations that guided your work on this season?
We received specific references from the Nickelodeon team periodically for any special treatments. Additionally, we studied underwater visuals, such as scenes from Finding Nemo and Bubble Guppies. I remember admiring the combination scenes featuring SpongeBob and Antonio Banderas from Sponge Out of Water, as well as episodes from the original series like SpongeBob’s Last Stand.
- Is there a specific scene or effect you are particularly proud of?
Typically, our post team doesn’t often find moments to enjoy or laugh during technical quality checks, as it’s a critical stage. However, in Kamp Koral Season 2, it was quite the opposite. We’re incredibly proud of our animation team for their fantastic work. As mentioned earlier, each episode of Season 2 presented unique challenges and was thoroughly engaging.
I vividly remember several episodes and scenes that stood out, such as the stage show sequence in “Mascot Mayhem” and the high-contrast scenes in “Life After Dark.” Another memorable episode was “Nut Madness,” where we put in tremendous effort to transform Nerdy Sandy into Muzzle Sandy. I can’t forget “End of Summer Daze,” which touched all of us, even amidst all the iconic SpongeBob gags and laughter. We take great pride in these scenes, especially in executing special effects and maintaining technical quality.
