Dec 30, 2014

Nick, the key to success lies in the development of internal human resources.

Nickelodeon has launched an in-house artist development program called the Artist Collective, which aims to reverse its fortunes and produce culturally relevant programming on par with competitors Cartoon Network and Disney.

According to Variety, the new group will bring together the studio's seasoned veterans and young artists.

Directed by Russell Hicks, Nick's president of content development and production, the young participants in the artist collective include Chris Savino, creator of the upcoming "The Loud House," screenwriter Scott Creamer ("Fanboy and Chum Chum" and "El Tigre"), who will receive advice and encouragement on their projects from the studio's veteran artists.

"We found with animation that communication and mentorship between artists goes a long way," Jenna Boyd, senior vice president of animation development, told Variety.

The network cited Brian Morante's "Earmouse and Bottle," selected from its 2013 pitch program, as an example of the collective's success. With input from Savino and Creamer, a full pilot based on Morante's short story is currently in production:

Along with the Collective, Nick runs a similar but separate program called the Writers Fellowship, which gives TV writers the opportunity to work on Nick's show In addition to giving them the opportunity to write spec scripts and pitch ideas to network executives. The show's creators, Jonathan Butler and Gabriel Garza, became writing partners after meeting at the Writers Fellowship.

Last summer, Cartoon Brew criticized the haphazard approach of Nick's development program, writing:

"The next Sponge Bob exists in the artists working at Nickelodeon today ...... The idea would be found not by taking 100 pitches or 1000 pitches, but rather by developing in-house talent, which is a rigorous multi-year process that cannot be accomplished by shortcuts.

Nick's executives are now beginning to espouse substantially the same view. To find the next 'Sponge Bob,' we need to find the next Steve Hillenberg, and that person needs to be working at Nickelodeon right now," says Jenna Boyd.