If you can read this you are too close!

1. Are you really the co-creator of Happy Tree Friends?
Yes! I was sent from the future back to this time to create the show called Happy Tree Friends and bring about world peace! It seems that something has happened to my programming from all the time traveling since that hasn’t happened yet. I’d ask my future self what the problem is but my future phone has yet to be invented. Drat!

2. What gave you the idea to create a show like Happy Tree Friends?
It’s simple really; I stole the idea from my future self! It’s not even really stealing and no laws (contemporary or futuristic) has or will be broken so, I’m totally in the clear!

However, if you want to know what happened in the past (or your future), then cast your time machine back to the year 1999-2000 (I know, time travel is confusing!). Co-creators Rhode Montijo, Aubrey Ankrum and I were all working together here at Mondo Media on various projects. In our spare time, we would try and make each other laugh by telling stories of the cutest, most innocent looking characters meeting the most grisly and horrible demise we could concoct. It’s basically what happens when you grow up on a steady diet of horror movies, Three Stoogies, Tom & Jerry, Looney Tunes, Popeye, Care Bears, Mighty Mouse, Smurfs and a dash of Rainbow Brite.

The initial effort yielded the episode, “Banjo Frenzy.” Later, when we got a chance to pitch our own show, Rhode and I took the loose ideas from Banjo Frenzy and crafted the characters and the world that would become “Star Wars.” But, apparently, that obscure title had already been used so we ended up calling the show, “Happy Tree Friends.”

3. Who is your favorite character?
You can’t ask me to choose from my children! They’re all my babies and I love all equally. There are different aspects to each character that makes them unique and special and that’s why I love them all for different reasons.

Secretly though, the Cursed Idol is my favorite! Don’t tell anybody!

4. How long does an episode take to make?
It really all depends on the supply of Kit-kats and Twix bars but, on average, it takes roughly a month to produce a three minute episode of Happy Tree Friends. Of course, there are LOTS of factors and moving parts that impact that schedule.

If you’re interested in the production process, check out my blog post about the "Wrath Of Con" episode here!

5. What software or tools do you use to may Happy Tree Friends?
We use Adobe Flash to do the bulk of the art and animation for the show. Currently, I personally use Flash MX and Flash 8. Depending on the specific needs of each episode, we may end up using Adobe Photoshop and/or Adobe After FX for any special art or effect that needs to be created. However, my favorite tool to use is still the good ‘ol fashioned pencil and paper!

6. Can you please read/look at my script/drawing/movie/macaroni collage of my ideas/characters and tell me what you think? Pretty please, please, PLEASE!
Sadly, I can not look at or read any unsolicited material created by somebody outside Mondo Media when it concerns characters, stories, or anything else. In the ideal world, we’d all share all sorts of things like toothbrushes and underwear while we sing songs and carpool together as one big happy family. Unfortunately, that’s not the world we live in and our lawyers want to protect us (and you) as much as possible. Let’s do some role-play to explain why. I’ll be me (I have the most experience) and you be a random fan with a drawing of Cuddles holding an ice cream cone.

You: “Please look at my drawing and comment. Thank you!”
Me: “That’s an awesome drawing! I especially like the ice cream cone!”
You: “I’m so happy you like it! I made it just for you ‘cause you’re so awesome and tall and awesome and shiny and awesome and neat!”
Me: “I know. Did I mention that I’m awesome? It’s true!”

Cut to months later, we release an episode that involve some characters eating ice cream.

You: “Hey! You stole the idea of eating ice cream from me! That was my idea!”
Me: “I don’t think you can trademark eating ice cream…”
You: “I don’t care! I came up with it and nobody else in the history of mankind has ever thought of eating ice cream (with your mouth) before me! I’m going to sue you!!!”
Me: “Sigh… I guess, I’ll be making the show from jail. I wonder how long it takes to make my own shank?”

Aaaand scene! So, what did we learn from this little theatrical play? DON’T EAT ICE CREAM!!! It’s a sad, sad fact that we all have to live with.

7. Please ban Person X because he called me names and is rude!
As much as I’d love to be your personal e-bodyguard and life coach it’s beyond my job description to settle these kinds of disputes from users. I think we all know how to behave and play well with others so, please be polite and courteous to other users here on the site, or anywhere else for that matter!

If somebody is bothering you, politely tell them to please stop. If they don’t simply ignore them. It’s really that simple! Don’t engage them in further discussion, don’t send them any more communication or make eye contact. We try to monitor and ban people from this site if they break the rules and become outright belligerent but I can’t solve all your problems for you… only most of them!

8. Please make this web-site do whatever I want, when I want. Now!
I barely know how to use this site myself so, I’m really not the right person for technical issues or questions about the site. You can try our web-manager, Cliff Malloy or our content manager, Z.

If they can't help, the Happy Tree Friends Social Site runs on a third party platform called "Ning." So, please direct your questions and comments to them when it comes to this subject matter.

9. Is there a Happy Tree Friends movie in the works?
No.

10. Are you working on an episode? When will it come out?
We're constantly working on new episodes and other goodies over here at Mondo Media. Currently, we have a small team doing all the work and there's only one of me (that I know off, anyway). I like being nosey and involving myself in everything related to Happy Tree Friends so, often times other projects pop up that require my attention. When this happens, production for a show is delayed since I haven't figured out how to clone myself yet.

We try to release shorts roughly once every month. Again, that schedule is impacted by a whole list of things. So, as Master Yoda says, "patience my young Jedi."

11. Will you ever make more Smoochies, Kringles, Love Bites, etc...?
Yes! Again, since we have a small crew working on something like a Smoochie will mean a delay in production for an episode. We try to juggle and balance things out as much as possible but there's only so much we can do in a given day.

12. When will you make another episode with (insert your favorite character here)?
As much as possible, we try to rotate the cast and feature everyone on the roster. Granted, there are some characters that appear more than others and this is because they work well with the story or the gag that we're doing in a particular episode.

Also realize, that on our current schedule, we're turning out about an episode a month. Consider that we have 20 characters to go through in 12 months and you can quickly see why it feels like we haven't featured a particular character in a while. Rest assured, we love all the characters equally and we'll get to your favorite character sooner or later.

13. Is Flaky a boy or a girl???
Ah, the eternal question. I think drawings and ancient text were written about these in the olden days. Before I dive into it, a brief history about how this whole thing got started.

When we first created the cast of characters it was pretty obvious what everyone's genders were. However, when it came to Flaky we all had our own opinions about what gender he/she was and the crew quickly divided into two camps. Because neither side would give in we just left the issue dangling.

Now, I LOVE a good mystery! Who doesn't? Mystery is conflict and conflict creates interest. The fact that we're STILL talking about Flaky's gender (and that I'm including it in this F.A.Q.) is testament enough to this. I could give everyone a definitive answer and carve it in stone for the rest of history... but where's the fun in that? Sometimes not knowing is better! If you don't believe me just watch Highlander 2 or Star Wars: Episode 1. I rest my case...

14. Why don't you reply to my personal e-mails or private chat?
As much as I wish I could sit down, have tea, (and maybe have some of those small sandwiches), and have a nice long conversation about the meaning of life with you... please realize that this is not going to be possible.

Don't get me wrong, I love hearing from you guys and answering your questions and talking about everything from comics to the type of toothpaste I use (It's Crest with extra whitening and tartar protection, by the way) but I would like to do all this on either my wall or in the blog posts so that everyone can participate, contribute and learn from each other. If I had to answer everyone's e-mails and private chats then I would end up doing that full-time leaving little to no room for anything else, like making the show. Granted, that would be a MUCH easier job for me but I don't think that's what I'm getting paid to do and I doubt that's what you guys want either.