Ken Pontac

Pontac began his filmmaking career in 1981 in the effects houses of Hollywood, directing film graphics for commercials and features. His commercial work included spots for Coca-Cola, Disneyland, Norelco, and Shell Oil. His feature effects were seen in films such as Never Say Never Again, Moonstruck, and Douglas Trumbulls groundbreaking Showscan film New Magic. In 1987 Pontac moved to Northern California to serve as art director for The New Adventures of Gumby, for which he produced sets, puppets and artwork for thirty-three episodes of syndicated animation. In 1989, Pontac returned to Hollywood to create and produce a prime-time television pilot that aired on ABC TV. He spent a year on the Warner Brothers lot working in development with various writers and producers, then returned to Northern California to create his own company, Danger Productions. Danger Productions employed a staff of one hundred artists and animators who created content for television, video games, and computer applications. The company produced twenty-six half-hours of the ABC TV animated program Bump in the Night, which Pontac created, produced, wrote and directed. Danger Productions also designed and produced the characters for the best-selling video game Clayfighter for Interplay, as well as creating animated assets for Microsofts Office 97 and My Personal Tutor. From 1990 to the present Pontac has written scripts for animated television episodes that have been translated into a dozen languages and shown around the world. During that time he has also worked as a director for the UPN prime time animated program Gary & Mike, for which his episode Phish Phry won an Emmy for Best Art Direction. He was also nominated for an Emmy for his work on the Discovery Kids series ToddWorld. Pontac is now a writer and story-editor for Mondo Media's very popular show Happy Tree Friends. Pontac lives in Sausalito with his wife, Susan Linton, and his dog, Whistle. Show less «