Omation Animation Studio
Steven Brent Oedekerk | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 27, 1961 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Director, actor, comedian, writer, producer |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Known for | Ace Ventura films, Thumbmation shorts, Kung Pow! Enter the Fist, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius |
Steven Brent Oedekerk (born November 27, 1961) is an American director, actor, and comedian known for his work in film and television. He gained prominence through his collaborations with comedian Jim Carrey and director Tom Shadyac, particularly for the Ace Ventura films, his unique "Thumbmation" animated shorts, and the 2002 movie Kung Pow! Enter the Fist. Among his other significant projects are Santa vs. the Snowman 3D, Barnyard, and the remake of The Nutty Professor. His production of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius received an Academy Award nomination.
Early life
Oedekerk was born in Seattle, Washington and grew up in Huntington Beach, California, raised by his parents Rena Borlandeli and Martin Oedekerk. He completed his education at Mater Dei High School and later attended Golden West College. His heritage includes Dutch Frisian, Irish, Hungarian, and Italian roots; his mother emigrated from Magnago, Italy, while his paternal grandfather was an Afrikaner of Dutch descent born in South Africa.
Career
Steve Oedekerk has made notable contributions to both television and cinema, creating special programs for NBC, ABC, and UPN, as well as writing for FOX during the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was during this time that he established a long-term creative relationship with Jim Carrey on the show In Living Color (1990–1994), which led to numerous joint ventures.
His initial projects included writing and starring in Smart Alex (1987) and leading the cast alongside Carrey in High Strung (1991). He acted as a consultant on Tom Shadyac's breakthrough hit Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994) before directing and scripting its sequel, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995), which surpassed the original’s box office success. Subsequently, he co-wrote Universal Pictures’ The Nutty Professor (1996), ranking among that year’s top-grossing films.
In 1997, Oedekerk wrote, directed, and acted in Nothing to Lose, featuring Tim Robbins and Martin Lawrence. Although he stepped back from directing major films toward the late 1990s, he remained active in screenwriting for prominent titles such as Patch Adams (1998), Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000), Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001), and Bruce Almighty (2003). Additionally, he took on multiple roles—director, writer, producer, and voice actor—in both Kung Pow! Enter the Fist (2002) and Barnyard (2006). In 2003, Oedekerk secured a first-look agreement with Universal Pictures.
He produced the screenplay for Evan Almighty (2007), the sequel to Bruce Almighty, again under Shadyac’s direction. Oedekerk was also tasked with penning a screenplay for a film adaptation of Ripley's Believe It or Not!, with Carrey attached to star; however, there have been no recent updates on this project.
In 2009, Universal revealed plans for Oedekerk to write a feature film based on the Stretch Armstrong superhero toy; as of 2016, this project remains stalled in development while an animated series is progressing.
A follow-up to Kung Pow! Enter the Fist was announced in 2015 with Oedekerk returning as both writer and director.
O Entertainment
O Entertainment was established in 1990 by entrepreneur Steve Oedekerk, with its headquarters located in Burbank, California. The company focused on both animated and live-action productions, delivering well-known projects such as the Thumbmation collection (including Thumb Wars, Bat Thumb, and Thumbtanic), the 3D special Santa vs. the Snowman 3D, as well as Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and its related series The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius, Back at the Barnyard, and Planet Sheen. Additionally, Oedekerk created the 1997 variety special The O Show and held the role of executive producer for the Nickelodeon animated adaptation of Jimmy Neutron.
To continue its animation efforts, Oedekerk launched Omation Animation Studio as a subdivision of O Entertainment, notably recruiting former DNA Productions staff after that studio's 2006 shutdown. O Entertainment discontinued its operations in February 2013.
Omation Animation Studio
Omation Animation Studio was created in 2002 by Steve Oedekerk as an arm of O Entertainment, operating out of Burbank, California. The studio concentrated on delivering high-caliber animated movies and television programs. Its inaugural feature was Barnyard, which Oedekerk wrote, directed, produced, and provided voices for. The film's success paved the way for the Nicktoon series Back at the Barnyard, which debuted in 2007 and ran for several seasons until 2011.
Following DNA Productions' closure in 2006, Omation enhanced its expertise by hiring many animators from that team. The studio also produced the acclaimed "Thumbmation" short films series, establishing a strong presence within specialized animation markets.
Despite early achievements, Omation encountered difficulties when Planet Sheen underperformed and was canceled in 2013. These issues eventually led to the studio shutting down in March 2019, with its functions being absorbed by Nickelodeon Animation Studio.
Film
2003 2006 2007 2011| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Smart Alex | Yes | Yes | No | Unfinished, unreleased |
| 1991 | High Strung | No | Yes | No | |
| 1995 | Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 1996 | The Nutty Professor | No | Yes | No | |
| 1997 | Nothing to Lose | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 1998 | Patch Adams | No | Yes | Co | |
| 2000 | Nutty Professor II: The Klumps | No | Template:Partial | No | |
| 2001 | Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius | No | Yes | Yes | Nominated – Academy Award for Best Animated Feature |
| 2002 | Kung Pow! Enter the Fist | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Juwanna Mann | No | No | Template:Partial | ||
| Santa vs. the Snowman 3D | No | Creator | Yes | ||
| "Bruce Almighty
"| style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no"|No | style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes"|Yes | Template:Partial | | |||||
| "Barnyard
"| style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes"|Yes | style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes"|Yes | style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes"|Yes | | |||||
| "Evan Almighty
"| style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no"|No | style="background:#9EFF9E;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-yes"|Yes | style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no"|No | | |||||
| "Cowboys & Aliens
"| style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no"|No | Template:Partial | style="background:#FFC7C7;color:black;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" class="table-no"|No | |
Additional credits
2015 2024| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" | "Executive consultant" |
| "Harbinger Down" | "Producers would like to thank" | |
| "Ricky Stanicky" | "Additional literary material" |
Performing roles
1987 1988 1991 1997 rowspan=2 | 2002 "Santa vs. the Snowman 3D" 2006| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Smart Alex" | "Alex" | "Unfinished, unreleased" | |
| "Casual Sex?" | "Joey" | ||
| "High Strung" | "Thane Furrows" | ||
| "Nothing to Lose" | "Security Guard Baxter" | "Brief cameo" | |
| "Kung Pow! Enter the Fist" | "The Chosen One" | ||
| "Sno' Hellton" | "Voice role only" | ||
| "Barnyard" | "Snotty Boy / Pizza Twin #2 / Mr. Beady / Snotty Boy's Father" |
Television
1990–1994 1997 1999–present 2002–2006 2007–2011 2010–2013| Year | Title | Creator | Director | Executive Producer |
Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In Living Color | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| The O Show | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Television film | |
| Thumbs! | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| [[The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius#The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius | The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius]] | No | No | Yes | Yes | Contributed writing for "Time is Money" episode |
| Back at the Barnyard | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Planet Sheen | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Performance credits
1983 1987–1988 1989 1997 1999–present 2007–2011| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| '‘Star Search’’' | 'Contestant' | ||
| '‘Comedy Club (1987–1988)’’' | 'Himself' | ||
| '‘Full House’’' | 'Himself' | 'Episode titled "Star Search"' | |
| '‘The O Show’’' | 'Himself' | 'Television movie' | |
| '‘Thumbs!’’' | 'Various characters' | 'Voice roles only' | |
| '‘Back at the Barnyard’’' | 'Snotty Boy, Mr. Beady, Additional voices' | 'Voice roles only' |