Stoopid Buddy Stoodios–founded by Seth Green, John Harvatine IV, Matthew Senreich, and Eric Towner–has brought Rob Saunders aboard as executive producer of the Burbank-based shop’s Builds division which specializes in live-action puppets, costumes, masks and props for feature film, TV and commercial productions, along with location-based themed entertainment. The division’s work is featured on Fox’s The Masked Singer, and the upcoming season of Blark & Son, which will premiere on the Comedy Central Originals YouTube channel early next year. Saunders will partner with Blark & Son creator Ben Bayouth and the studio’s head of spots, Steve Bastien, in growing the division.
A 24-year veteran of puppetry and creature effects, Saunders has worked on numerous feature film and television productions including Team America: World Police, the Academy Award-winning Spider-Man 2, the Academy Award-nominated Anomalisa, DisneyXD’s Crash and Bernstein, and the Emmy Award-winning Robot Chicken. He began his career working on the hit Comedy Central show Crank Yankers, from creators Jimmy Kimmel, Adam Corolla and Daniel Kellison. Since 2014, Saunders has served as an animatronic figure producer catering to a global theme park clientele.