Four years ago, animators Adam and Craig Malamut were thinking about what came next. Their beloved “Game of Zones” (an animated mashup of the modern-day NBA and “Game of Thrones” on Bleacher Report) was ending, and they had some new characters they wanted to bring to life.
“We knew we wanted to bring out these characters and figure out the best setting to put them in and what’s going to feel fresh, especially because the development process takes so long,” Craig Malamut told IndieWire. “[Back then] Andrew Yang was running for president and was talking about universal basic income and AI was in the conversation.”
That was enough of a kernel to prompt “Universal Basic Guys,” the latest addition to Fox’s Sunday night Animation Domination lineup, in which employees at a hot dog factory are left unemployed but with universal basic income — and a lot of free time on their hands. A perfect storm for brothers Mark and Hank Hoagies (both voiced by Adam Malamut). Mark has “infinite optimism when it comes to believing in himself and what he’s capable of to the point of self-delusion,” Craig Malamut said. “And Hank is based on Craig when he was younger, back when he used to look up to me before we started working together and he realized I was an idiot,” Adam Malamut added.
They admitted that they’re not too far removed from Hank’s infinite confidence. “We have a bit of this in ourselves, just making animation, we’re like, ‘Oh, we can do that,’” Craig Malamut said. “And we didn’t know what we were doing when we started. We dove in head first, and we’re way in over our heads when you try to animate a three-minute cartoon and you realize, ‘Oh my God, this takes hours on end to make 30 seconds of animation.”
Their work on “Game of Zones” became a hybrid model of the Malamut way and the more established working methods of their team once they began to expand. That same DIY approach also served them well on “Universal Basic Guys,” keeping their signature touch on a primetime network animated series.
“Our whole animation process started as us just figuring it out, watching some tutorials online,” Adam Malamut said. “The same goes for our writing process. We had to figure out the rules and the things that have been tried and true in telling stories at 22 minutes, and then make sure that we did it in an original way that was still our voice, which kind of zigs when other shows might zag.”
One aspect of the “Malamutification” of the animation process came about during the voice recordings. Both Malamuts knew that nuances could often be lost in the translation from voice performance to animation, so they began filming recording sessions.
“Comedy is so much about subtle timing, and so Craig started videoing himself acting out all the parts,” Adam Malamut said. “And so you have these funny videos where he’s acting, and there’s another Craig in the background doing another character. And sometimes, if there are certain scenes where there’s a particular type of acting we want or if we find that it’s not quite right, Craig will video himself acting the stuff and send that for references.”
“There’s nothing better than actually performing it, all the subtle muscle movements,” Craig Malamut added. “It’s unbelievable, when you really pay attention, how many parts of the body can communicate emotions. The 15 million muscles you have in your face can be the difference between something coming off as sarcastic or sincere.”
But even as the Malamuts adjust to their new reality of network notes, Australian-based animators, and directing a voice cast that includes Fred Armisen and Kate Flannery (“I’m trying to give notes that sound like I know what I’m talking about, but it’s really me impersonating a guy with a beret on his head sitting in a director’s chair,” Craig Malamut joked), the core of their partnership remains intact.
“Craig and I have a good partnership; his whole life has been critiquing my jokes and being like, ‘That was really dumb,’ or ‘That was funny,’” Adam Malamut said. “I start a lot of things and don’t finish. And Craig gets things across the finish line in parts of the process where I start to tune out a little bit. And I’m ready to start the next thing.”
With a second season already greenlit and in the works, that next thing might take a while. In the meantime, at least we have the oddball denizens of Glantontown to keep us entertained.
“Universal Basic Guys” premieres new episodes every Sunday on Fox.