Jon Schnepp
Jonathan David Schnepp (May 16, 1967 – July 19, 2018) was an American animator, producer, director, writer, editor, voice actor, and media host.
Jon Schnepp | |
|---|---|
 Schnepp at the 2012 New York Comic Con | |
| Born | Jonathan David Schnepp May 16, 1967[1] |
| Died | July 19, 2018 (aged 51) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | School of the Art Institute of Chicago (BFA) |
| Occupation(s) | animator, producer, director, editor, writer, voice actor, media host |
| Years active | 1986–2018 |
| Partner | Holly Payne |
| Website | www |
Schnepp was known for the documentary film The Death of "Superman Lives": What Happened?, which he directed and wrote. He also directed episodes of Metalocalypse, The Venture Bros. and a segment of The ABCs of Death. He was also known for his work with Collider, appearing regularly as a panelist on the site's Collider Movie Talk, Collider Nightmares, and Collider Heroes series, the latter of which he hosted.[3] His company, Schneppzone, works on short films and television series.
Schnepp died on July 19, 2018, due to complications following a stroke.[1]
Career
Schnepp served as animation director for Nickelodeon's What's Inside Heidi's Head?, and as editor on numerous episodes of Cartoon Network's Space Ghost Coast to Coast. He co-directed the pilot for Upright Citizens Brigade for Comedy Central, and directed segments and the title sequence for the series run. He also released The Removers and Brainwarp, two pilots he produced and directed, on DVD by Film Threat. He then went to Brazil, working with Debbie Allen, editing and creating the title sequences for two sitcoms airing in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Schnepp co-created, co-wrote, and directed Nerd Hunter 3004 for the Channel 101 pilot. He also guest stars as a voice actor on three episodes of Aqua Teen Hunger Force. In two episodes he voices the Wisdom Cube and in the other he plays The Creature from Plaque Lagoon.
From 2006 to 2012, Schnepp served as director on Metalocalypse, an animated series on Cartoon Network about Dethklok, a chiefly-fictional heavy metal band. As well as directing several episodes per season (the most recent of which aired in 2012), he designed and created the look of the five band members, and works closely with the show's co-creators/writers Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha. He directed the 2009 Dethklok Tour with Mastodon, providing an animated accompaniment. Schnepp helped write all four Dethklok comic books, and designed variant cover arts.
Schnepp co-directed Season 4.1 of The Venture Bros. Schnepp was featured in The Damned Things' music video for "We've Got a Situation Here".
In 2011, Schnepp directed music videos for the bands I Set My Friends on Fire and Forbidden. In a 2012 Dread Central interview, he spoke of directing an upcoming animated horror film Grimm Fairy Tales.[4]
From 2012 to 2015, Schnepp was a regular contributor to AMC Movie Talk on YouTube, an online show dedicated to film news and commentaries.[1] After the series' cancellation by AMC Theatres and subsequent pickup by Collider, Schnepp remained as a regular contributor.[5]
In 2015, Schnepp directed the documentary film The Death of "Superman Lives": What Happened?, which documents behind-the-scenes events surrounding the cancelled Tim Burton film Superman Lives.[6] Partially raised through a successful Kickstarter campaign,[7] it premiered on May 1, 2015, and was released through VOD on July 9, 2015, to positive reviews.[8][9][10]
Death
On July 12, 2018, Schnepp suffered a massive stroke that left him unconscious and on life support.[11] He died of complications a week later on July 19, aged 51.[12]
Selected filmography
Film, television, and web
| Year | Film | Director | Producer | Writer | Actor | Other credits and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Ferris Bueller's Day Off | Yes | Extra | |||
| 1995–99 | Space Ghost Coast to Coast | Yes | Animator, voice role (C. Ling Tile), editor | |||
| 1995 | HorrorGirl | Yes | The Demon | |||
| 1995 | Club Dead | Yes | Video game; voice role | |||
| 1998 | Upright Citizens Brigade | Yes | Two episodes | |||
| 1999 | Cast in Stone | Yes | ||||
| 2000 | HBO First Look | Editor | ||||
| 2001 | The Removers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Short film | |
| 2003 | The Orlando Jones Show | Editor | ||||
| 2003 | Brainwarp | Yes | Yes | Yes | Role: The Indescribable Disaster (voice) | |
| 2003–09 | Aqua Teen Hunger Force | Yes | Yes | Role: The Wisdom Cube / Gary the Dairy Fairy (voices) | ||
| 2004 | Nerd Hunter 3004 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Short film; role: Videogame Nerd |
| 2005 | My Big Fat Independent Movie | Yes | Role: Mexican Standoff Extra | |||
| 2005–06 | Mind of Mencia | Visual effects | ||||
| 2006–12 | Metalocalypse | Yes | Yes | Yes | Character designer; role: Dr. Gibbits (voice) Animated series | |
| 2007 | Aqua Teen Hunger Force Zombie Ninja Pro-Am | Yes | Video game; role: Dumbassahedratron (voice) | |||
| 2009 | A Day in the Life | Yes | Editor; role: Officer Miller | |||
| 2009–10 | The Venture Bros. | Yes | Animated series Co-directed with Christopher McCulloch | |||
| 2010 | Caller ID | Yes | Role: Jeb | |||
| 2010 | Black Panther | Yes | Co-created with Mark Brooks | |||
| 2011 | Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope | Guest appearance only | ||||
| 2011 | Underworld: Endless War | Yes | ||||
| 2012 | The ABCs of Death | Yes | Yes | Segment "W is for WTF?" | ||
| 2012–15 | AMC Movie Talk | Himself (panelist) | ||||
| 2014 | Turbo Fast | Yes | Role: Donald (voice) Episode: "Tur-Bros/The Snailman" | |||
| 2015 | The Death of "Superman Lives": What Happened?[13] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Editor; Himself Documentary | |
| 2015 | Wrestling Isn't Wrestling | Yes | Short film; role: Rabbi | |||
| 2015 | AMC Heroes | Himself (host) | ||||
| 2015–18 | Collider Movie Talk | Himself (panelist) | ||||
| 2015–18 | Collider Heroes | Himself (host) | ||||
| 2016 | Nerdland | Sequence animator | ||||
| 2018 | Temple of Art | Yes | Documentary |
Music videos
| Year | Artist | Song | Notes |
| 1991 | Infectious Grooves | "Therapy" | Extra |
| 1992 | Iron Maiden | "Be Quick or Be Dead" | Extra |
| 1994 | Melvins | "Revolve" | Extra |
| 1997 | Metallica | "The Memory Remains" | Extra |
| 2007 | Dethklok | "Bloodrocuted" | Co-director (with Brendon Small) |
| Exodus | "Riot Act" | Director[14] | |
| 2008 | Dethklok | "Murmaider" | Director |
| 2008 | Dethklok | "Briefcase Full of Guts" | Director |
| 2008 | Dethklok | "Birthday Dethday" | Director |
| 2008 | Dethklok | "Duncan Hills Coffee Jingle" | Director |
| 2008 | Dethklok | "Hatredcopter" | Director |
| 2008 | Dethklok | "Thunderhorse" | Director |
| 2008 | Dethklok | "Go Into the Water" | Director |
| 2009 | Dethklok | "Bloodlines" | Director |
| 2009 | Dethklok | "Dethsupport" | Director |
| 2009 | Dethklok | "The Gears" | Director |
| 2009 | Dethklok | "Burn The Earth" | Director |
| 2009 | Dethklok | "Black Fire Upon Us" | Director |
| 2010 | Exodus | "Downfall" | Director[15] |
| The Damned Things | "We've Got a Situation Here" | Guest appearance only | |
| 2011 | I Set My Friends on Fire | "Astral Rejection" | Director |
| Forbidden | "Omega Wave" | Director[16] | |
References
- "R.I.P. Jon Schnepp, A Genuine Hero". Collider. July 20, 2018.
- Salzo, Vincent (25 July 2018). "West Haven Native, Writer-Director Jon Schnepp Dies At 51". Patch. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- Carras, Christi (July 20, 2018). "'Metalocalypse' Writer-Director Jon Schnepp Dies a 51". Variety. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
- Hallam, Scott (April 26, 2012). "Metalocalypse Director Jon Schnepp and Zenescope's Benjamin Jackendoff Talk Animating Grimm Fairy Tales". Dread Central.
- Campea, John (July 6, 2015). "AMC Movie Talk is Now Collider Movie Talk". Collider. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
- Toro, Gabe (25 July 2014). "See Nicolas Cage As Superman In The Death Of Superman Lives' Trailer". Cinema Blend. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
- "The Death of "Superman Lives": What Happened?". Kickstarter. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
- Leane, Rob (June 2015). "The Death Of Superman Lives: What Happened? review". Den of Geek. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
- "THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN LIVES: WHAT HAPPENED? (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
- "Nordling Reviews THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN LIVES: WHAT HAPPENED?". Ain't It Cool News. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
- "'Metalocalypse' Director Jon Schnepp on Life-Support Following Massive Stroke". Music Feeds. July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- "Holly Payne @TDOSLWH on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2018-07-20.
- Couch, Aaron (4 September 2013). "'Death of Superman Lives' Trailer: Nicolas Cage is Man of Steel (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
- "EXODUS: 'Riot Act' Video Makes Official Online Debut". Blabbermouth.net. 2007-12-07. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
- "EXODUS: 'Downfall' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. 2010-08-09. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
- "FORBIDDEN: 'Omega Wave' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. 2011-08-09. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
