As with all StoryCorps Animated Shorts, the half-hour special will be animated and produced with Mike and Tim Rauch of Rauch Brothers Animation.  In addition to the pilot series of StoryCorps Animated Shorts, the Rauch Brothers' recent work includes directing and animating for Sesame Workshop’s Electric Company. Oscar nominee (Doctor DeSoto, 1984) and industry veteran Michael Sporn calls the Rauch Brothers “an animation duo to watch.” 

The beautiful, detailed animation backgrounds and landscapes are created by renowned painter and background artist Bill Wray, best known for his iconic painting style on the Ren & Stimpy Show. Our character designer and storyboard artist, Stephen DeStefano, has worked on Futurama and the Ren & Stimpy Show, and published with Fantagraphics Books.

Before the artists begin their sketches, they work closely with the featured participants to gain a richer understanding of their story. They talk with them at length, and even visit them in their homes to view family photos and take pictures of details they may want to include in the animation. This attention to detail adds contextual elements and depth to StoryCorps Animated Shorts that cannot be communicated in audio recordings alone.

Check out some of our favorite animations for a better idea of what the Animation Special will look like:

John and Joe  |  John Vigiano Sr. is a retired New York City firefighter whose two sons followed him into service—John Jr. was a firefighter, too, and Joe was a police detective. On September 11, 2001, both Vigiano brothers responded to the call from the World Trade Center, and both were killed while saving others. Here, John Sr. remembers his sons and reflects on coping with his tremendous loss.

Miss Devine  |  Cousins James Ransom and Cherie Johnson recall their fearsome Sunday school teacher, Miss Lizzie Devine, the only woman who had more power than their grandmother. Set in the small Florida town of the cousins' memories, this animation resounds with the joy of sharing stories with family.

No More Questions!  | Kay Wang was a strong-willed grandmother who was reluctantly taken to a StoryCorps booth by her son and granddaughter. Though Kay resisted, she still had stories to tell—from disobeying her mother and rebuffing suitors while growing up in China to late-life adventures as a detective for Bloomingdale’s department store. Kay passed away just weeks after that interview, and her son and granddaughter returned to StoryCorps to remember her gentler side, which she kept to herself.