:Lauren Faust

{{short description|American animator, writer, voice director, and storyboard artist|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Lauren Faust

| image = LaurenFaustSPFF.png

| alt =

| caption = Faust in 2014

| birth_name = Lauren J. Faust

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|07|25}}

| birth_place = San Jose, California, U.S.{{cite web|title=Inside the Animator's Studio, an Evening with Lauren Faust - Excerpt|website = YouTube| date=December 8, 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGwpli_Ns5E |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/nGwpli_Ns5E |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}

| alma_mater = California Institute of the Arts

| occupation = Animator, writer, storyboard artist

| years active = 1994–present

| known for = {{plainlist|

}}

| spouse = {{marriage|Craig McCracken|2004}}

| children = 1

| awards = 2009 Primetime Emmy Award

| signature = Lauren Faust Signature.svg

}}

Lauren J. Faust (born July 25, 1974){{cite web |title=Lauren Faust on California Birth Index |url=https://www.californiabirthindex.org/birth/lauren_j_faust_born_1974_12229706 |access-date=July 23, 2020 |archive-date=July 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723191546/https://www.californiabirthindex.org/birth/lauren_j_faust_born_1974_12229706 |url-status=live }} is an American animator, writer, director, and producer. She is known for developing the animated series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and DC Super Hero Girls. Faust has collaborated with her husband Craig McCracken on his four animated series The Powerpuff Girls, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Wander Over Yonder, and Kid Cosmic.

Career

Faust attended the California Institute of Arts from 1992 to 1994. She started working in the animation industry as a character layouts artist for the character Julie from the MTV animated television series The Maxx, before becoming an animator at Turner Feature Animation and Warner Bros Feature Animation, where she worked as an animator on feature films such as Cats Don't Dance, Quest for Camelot, and The Iron Giant.

Faust shifted to television animation in 1999, working on The Powerpuff Girls and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends{{cite web|url=http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/news.php/news.php?action=fullnews&id=1139 |title=The World's Finest |publisher=Worldsfinestonline.com |access-date=February 18, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111060843/http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/news.php/news.php?action=fullnews&id=1139 |archive-date=January 11, 2012 }} at Cartoon Network Studios as a storyboard artist, screenwriter, supervising producer, story supervisor.{{cite book|last=Reber|first=Deborah|title=In Their Shoes: Extraordinary Women Describe Their Amazing Careers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I7Cs0xH9BQ8C&pg=PA234|access-date=May 18, 2013|date=May 11, 2010|publisher=Simon Pulse|isbn=978-1-4391-0370-8|pages=234–6|archive-date=July 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720045928/https://books.google.com/books?id=I7Cs0xH9BQ8C&pg=PA234|url-status=live}} Faust created and developed the toy line Milky Way and the Galaxy Girls.

Faust worked with Hasbro to develop the company's My Little Pony property, resulting in the series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. The series proved to be a major success not only with the primary young audience, but also significantly among adults and teenagers, who became popularly known as "bronies".{{cite news|url=https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203707504577012141105109140.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_RIGHTTopCarousel_1# |title=Hey, Bro, That's My Little Pony! Guys' Interest Mounts in Girly TV Show |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=November 4, 2011 |access-date=November 4, 2011 |first1=Vauhini |last1=Vara |first2=Ann |last2=Zimmerman |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111207090851/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203707504577012141105109140.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_RIGHTTopCarousel_1 |archive-date=December 7, 2011 |url-status=dead }} She developed Super Best Friends Forever for Warner Brothers, and Medusa for Sony Pictures Animation,{{cite press release|author1=Sony Pictures Animation|title=Sony Pictures Animation Announces New Original Feature Project MEDUSA, With Emmy® Winner Lauren Faust To Direct|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sony-pictures-animation-announces-new-original-feature-project-medusa-with-emmy-winner-lauren-faust-to-direct-261989811.html|agency=PR Newswire|access-date=June 5, 2014|date=June 5, 2014}} though Sony changed the creative direction of Medusa, with Faust leaving the project.{{cite web |last=Amidi |first=Amid |author-link=Amid Amidi |url=http://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/lauren-faust-no-longer-directing-medusa-sony-pictures-animation-exclusive-122954.html |title=Lauren Faust No Longer Directing 'Medusa' at Sony Pictures Animation (Exclusive) |publisher=Cartoon Brew |date=November 24, 2015 |access-date=November 24, 2015 |archive-date=November 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126091120/http://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/lauren-faust-no-longer-directing-medusa-sony-pictures-animation-exclusive-122954.html |url-status=live }} She worked with her husband Craig McCracken on Wander Over Yonder for Disney and Kid Cosmic for Netflix.

Faust worked with Warner Bros. in 2019 to develop a reboot of DC Super Hero Girls. As of 2021, she was developing an animated series for Netflix Animation, called Toil & Trouble. However, the series was cancelled by August of that year due to a change in leadership. Faust mentioned in April 2022 that she managed to retain the rights to the show, and was hoping some other network would pick it up eventually.{{citation|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NsZG3xaVCs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/_NsZG3xaVCs |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|title=Special Guest Animator and Writer LAUREN FAUST|author=Nico Colaleo|publisher=Creative Talent Network|date=January 20, 2021|at=about 1 hour 11 minutes into the video}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web |author=Alejandra Gularte |url=https://www.vulture.com/2022/04/netflix-animation-fires-executives-cancels-bone-series.html |title=Netflix Animation Fires Phil Rynda, Cancels Bone, The Twits |publisher=Vulture.com |date=2022-04-20 |accessdate=2022-05-08 |archive-date=April 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421182626/https://www.vulture.com/2022/04/netflix-animation-fires-executives-cancels-bone-series.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |author=Drew Taylor |url=https://ca.news.yahoo.com/netflix-animation-erased-executives-fired-220251819.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACBXOmCa_-qoCUT00VPnEWQ2JxomUwQnhLDbEx_rsUCnACr4EN0s94qzlCep6s7BsitPit4ebNOK1T2bFB9zoCnYkk4MPS4kjsXXZebDp-2iWzMs3GIrT1PffQwClA1YWK2Np5ipvKAgIzRFRcXXMob9_WchnKroHhEAyPyFjVQj |title=Netflix Animation Erased: Executives Fired, Shows Canceled and Accusations of 'Staged Data' (Exclusive) |publisher=Ca.news.yahoo.com |date=2022-04-20 |accessdate=2022-05-08 |archive-date=April 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421182626/https://ca.news.yahoo.com/netflix-animation-erased-executives-fired-220251819.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACBXOmCa_-qoCUT00VPnEWQ2JxomUwQnhLDbEx_rsUCnACr4EN0s94qzlCep6s7BsitPit4ebNOK1T2bFB9zoCnYkk4MPS4kjsXXZebDp-2iWzMs3GIrT1PffQwClA1YWK2Np5ipvKAgIzRFRcXXMob9_WchnKroHhEAyPyFjVQj |url-status=live }}{{cite tweet|number=1517183214971867142|user=Fyre_flye|title=In light of the buzz worthy Netflix Animation article from The Wrap, I'd like to thank all who offered sympathy for…|date=April 21, 2022}}{{cite tweet|number=1517183357821472780|user=Fyre_flye|title=--it can still live another day. And that perhaps we can get the band back together to share our new take on the wo…|date=April 21, 2022}}

In 2011, Faust offered to design new characters for the fangame My Little Pony: Fighting is Magic after a cease and desist from Hasbro. The new characters became the basis for Them's Fightin' Herds, which was successfully funded on Indiegogo and was released to Early Access on Steam in 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/713871/my-little-pony-fighting-is-magic-nugget-from-the-net/|title=My Little Pony: Fighting Is Magic -- Nugget From The Net|date=21 July 2011|access-date=8 August 2011|publisher=G4 Media|work=G4|first=Nikole|last=Zivalich|archive-date=15 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715005448/http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/713871/my-little-pony-fighting-is-magic-nugget-from-the-net|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.2d-x.com/my-little-pony-gets-a-2d-fighter-bronies-time-to-knuckle-up/|title=My Little Pony gets a 2D fighter: Bronies, time to knuckle up|date=28 July 2011|access-date=8 August 2011|first=Jason|last=Kuang|work=2d-x.com|publisher=Second Dimension Entertainment|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809113328/http://www.2d-x.com/my-little-pony-gets-a-2d-fighter-bronies-time-to-knuckle-up/|archive-date=9 August 2011}} The game left Early Access in 2020, when the first chapter of story mode was released. In November 2023, it was announced that after the completion and release of in-development DLC playable fighters, active development of the game would cease, including the rest of the story mode, of which the entire plot outline had already been written.{{cite web| url = https://www.ign.com/articles/thems-fightin-herds-announces-end-of-development-immediately-hit-with-community-backlash | title = Them's Fightin' Herds Announces End of Development, Immediately Hit With Community Backlash | first = Wesley | last = Yin-Poole | date = November 24, 2023 | accessdate = November 24, 2023 | work = IGN }} Faust herself expressed disappointment at this news, wondering if perhaps a "show or a comic" could be made out of the existing story that had already been written.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Fyre_flye/status/1728254869654712762|title=Too bad that after all this time it had to come to an end before the ending. BUT WHAT A RIDE! I'm grateful to have been a part of it.|date=24 November 2023|access-date=15 December 2023|first=Lauren|last=Faust|work=twitter.com}}

Awards

In 2004, Faust was nominated for an Emmy Award. In 2005, she was nominated for an Annie Award. In 2009, she shared a Primetime Emmy for the Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends special, "Destination: Imagination".

Personal life

File:CraigMcCracken and LaurenFaust.jpeg

Faust is married to Craig McCracken, creator of The Powerpuff Girls, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, and Wander Over Yonder.Liz Ohanesian [http://blogs.laweekly.com/arts/2012/05/lauren_faust_people_2012.php "Lauren Faust: Let's Hear It for the Girls"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019102557/http://blogs.laweekly.com/arts/2012/05/lauren_faust_people_2012.php |date=October 19, 2013 }}, L.A. Weekly People 2012 issue, May 17, 2012 They met while they were working on the third season of The Powerpuff Girls.{{cite web|last1=Ostroff|first1=Joshua|title=People Are Kids, Too|url=http://www.thegridto.com/life/parenting/people-are-kids-too/|publisher=The Grid|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140925193844/http://www.thegridto.com/life/parenting/people-are-kids-too/|archive-date=September 25, 2014|access-date=May 16, 2016|date=October 22, 2013|url-status=dead}} Faust has worked with her husband on all of his shows. She considers herself a lifelong feminist.{{citation|author=Lauren Faust|url=http://msmagazine.com/blog/2010/12/24/my-little-non-homophobic-non-racist-non-smart-shaming-pony-a-rebuttal|title=My Little NON-Homophobic, NON-Racist, NON-Smart-Shaming Pony: A Rebuttal|work=Ms. Magazine Blog|date=December 24, 2010|access-date=September 12, 2016|archive-date=September 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160904201615/http://msmagazine.com/blog/2010/12/24/my-little-non-homophobic-non-racist-non-smart-shaming-pony-a-rebuttal/|url-status=live}} Faust took maternity leave in mid-2016 to take care of her newborn daughter.{{citation|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Fs6R8XtUGU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/1Fs6R8XtUGU |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|work=Nick Animation Podcast|title=Episode 18: Lauren Faust|date=September 9, 2016|access-date=September 12, 2016|quote=My daughter's only three months old, so I'm still on my leave, so I'm... just... usually... all day, taking care of the baby. I kinda love it.}}{{cbignore}}

Filmography

=Films=

class="wikitable"

style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"

! style="width:80px;"| Year

! style="width:250px;"|Title

! Role

1994

| Home, Honey, I'm High

| Voice

1997

| Cats Don't Dance

| Animator – "Sawyer"

1998

| Quest for Camelot

| Animator – United States

1999

| The Iron Giant

| Animator

2002

| The Powerpuff Girls Movie

| Story, screenwriter, storyboard artist, character designer, character layout supervisor

2013

| Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony

| Executive Producer, herself

2015

| The Iron Giant: Signature Edition

| Animator

2018

| #TheLateBatsby

| Short film;
Director, writer, story, character design

=Television=

class="wikitable"

style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"

! style="width:80px;"| Year

! style="width:250px;"|Title

! Role

1995

| The Maxx

| Character layout artist

2001

| Codename: Kids Next Door

| Walk cycles
Episode: No P in the OOL

2001–2005

| The Powerpuff Girls

| Storyboard artist, Story, writer, director, Supervising director

2004–2009

| Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends

| Developer, Supervising producer (Seasons 3–4), writer, Story, Story supervisor, Storyboard artist, Character designer, Animation director, Story editor

| 2010–2011

| My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic

| Creator, Developer
Season 1: Executive producer, writer, Character designer, Creative director, Story supervisor, Story editor
Season 2: Executive producer on The Return of Harmony, Consulting producer

2012

| Super Best Friends Forever

| Creator, director, writer, Storyboard artist, producer

2013–2014

| Wander Over Yonder{{cite web|title=Disney's 2012–13 TV Schedule Presented to Advertisers |url=http://www.cartoonbrew.com/biz/disneys-2012-13-tv-schedule-presented-to-advertisers.html |access-date=March 13, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314100013/http://www.cartoonbrew.com/biz/disneys-2012-13-tv-schedule-presented-to-advertisers.html |archive-date=March 14, 2012 }}

| Developer, co-producer, Story editor, writer, director, Character designer (Season 1 only)

2019–2021

| DC Super Hero Girls

| Creator, Developer, writer, Executive Producer

2021

| Kid Cosmic

| Developer, Story, Writer (Season 2)

TBA

| Toil & Trouble{{cite web|url=https://trademarks.justia.com/907/22/toil-90722354.html|title=TOIL & TROUBLE Trademark Application of Netflix Studios, LLC - Serial Number 90722354 :: Justia Trademarks|access-date=February 1, 2022|archive-date=February 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201164137/https://trademarks.justia.com/907/22/toil-90722354.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.willwilhelm.com/resume-1|title=Resume|access-date=February 3, 2022|archive-date=February 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203221200/http://www.willwilhelm.com/resume-1|url-status=live}}

| Creator, Developer, Character Designer

=Video games=

class="wikitable"

style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"

! style="width:80px;"| Year

! style="width:250px;"|Title

! Role

2018/2020{{cite web | url = http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-09-22-my-little-pony-creator-launches-fighting-game-crowdfunding-campaign | title = My Little Pony: FiM creator launches brony fighting game crowdfunding campaign | date = September 22, 2015 | access-date = September 22, 2015 | first = Jeffrey | last = Matulef | publisher = Eurogamer | archive-date = September 24, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924211946/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-09-22-my-little-pony-creator-launches-fighting-game-crowdfunding-campaign | url-status = live }}

| Them's Fightin' Herds

| Narrative design director (story),
character designer (main characters){{Cite web |url=http://www.mane6.com/team/ |title=ManeSix DevTeam, 2020 |access-date=May 28, 2020 |archive-date=August 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808052855/https://www.mane6.com/team/ |url-status=live }}

References

External links

{{DeviantArt|fyre-flye|Lauren Faust}}
{{Twitter}}
{{IMDb name|0269260}}
{{cite web |url= http://www.milkywayandthegalaxygirls.com/ |title= Milky Way and the Galaxy Girls |url-status= unfit |archive-date= June 18, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060618223100/http://www.milkywayandthegalaxygirls.com }} (2021, unsupported flash animation)
[http://www.cdd4ever.com/CATCHAT/CatChat.html Lauren Faust interview]

Category:1974 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century American screenwriters

Category:21st-century American women writers

Category:Animators from California

Category:Film producers from California

Category:American storyboard artists

Category:American television directors

Category:Television producers from California

Category:Television writers from California

Category:American voice directors

Category:American women screenwriters