Is This Circle For You?
Is this Circle right for you? If so, make sure you meet the criteria that the mentor has defined. Then, complete your mentorship profile if you have not already done so, and return to our Mentor Circles Application page, make your selection and click 'apply'.
Need more info before you make your choice? Use the dropdown below to view other circles in order to help inform your decision.
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Developing Adult Animated Comedy
What does it take to make adult animated comedies like Beavis & Butthead, Rick & Morty and Clone High? How do these projects go from the seed of an idea to a television series? Whether you’re a creator hoping to pitch your own series or an aspiring development executive, we’ll demystify the process of development and help you understand what goes into a truly impressive pitch.
In this mentorship circle, we’ll talk about things like:
- Potential career paths for those who want to work in adult animated comedy
- How to present your work to share with industry professionals
- What are network executives looking for in a pitch
- What are the steps of development
- How did top creators in adult animation get their start
Who is this circle good for/Who is the ideal candidate:
This circle is great for anyone interested in developing adult animated comedies, as a producer, writer, executive or artist. The ideal candidate will have some work experience, but has not yet worked at a major animation studio or production company.
Mentee Criteria
Experience Level:
Student (final year)
0-1 year
1+ years
2-3 years
4+ years
Meeting Times & Dates
Please note: Meeting times and dates are subject to change by your Circle Mentor
Times Per Month: Twice
Dates: Friday
Meeting Times: Mornings (PST)
Circle Leaders
Lauren Castro
Lauren Castro is a Director of development in Adult Animation for the MTV Entertainment Group, developing animated projects for Comedy Central and Paramount +. Before that and since graduating from USC, she has worked as a development executive at Paramount TV, DreamWorks Animation, and Marvel Television working on various animated tv shows and movies. She is originally from Scotland and now lives in the deep valley (don’t judge) with her husband Ryan, their two kids Callan & Isla, and a very salty french bulldog named Marshall.
Title/Expertise: Director of Development, Adult Animation
Company: Viacom CBS
Location: Los Angeles
LinkedIn / Website:
linkedin.com/in/laurenccastro/
Sachi Ezura
Sachi Ezura is a comedy producer, development exec, and writer in New York City. After graduating from Harvard, she decided to disappoint her parents by pursuing a career in comedy. Throughout her career, she has sought to elevate new voices from underrepresented communities, and challenge systems to promote equity and inclusion. She loves comedy at the intersection of intelligent, thought-provoking, radical content and the dumbest thing you’ve ever heard. She currently works as VP, Adult Animation for the MTV Entertainment Group, developing animated projects for Comedy Central and Paramount +. Previously, she was Senior Producer at The Greene Space, a live event space for NY Public Radio, and a development consultant for Irony Point. She has produced on Refinery29’s After After Party, BET’s The Rundown w/ Robin Thede, and MTV’s Girl Code. She was Executive Producer of Development and Talent at Seriously.TV, a digital comedy channel under Verizon Hearst Media Partners, specializing in the intersection of comedy, politics, and social justice. She came up in television development at MTV2, overseeing casting for MTV’s hit comedy series Guy Code and Girl Code, and as Director of Original Programming at IFC. She co-wrote the book Girl Code: A Single Girl’s Guide to Sex and Dating and has been published in The New Yorker’s Daily Shouts and the New York Post. She lives in New Jersey with her husband Jake, their daughter Ellie, and two cats about which she feels increasingly ambivalent.
Title/Expertise: VP, Adult Animation
Company: Paramount
Location: New Jersey
LinkedIn / Website:
linkedin.com/in/sachi-ezura