Listening to Iron Maiden
Writer & Musician (2014-21)
After years of rock star dreams and freelance work I joined Adult Swim and quickly assumed the role of principal copywriter for all things digital: website, social media, and apps. I also crafted promos for Adult Swim Games. I treasured the freedom my bosses granted in finding my voice and applying it throughout the site – from the home page to show clips to PR stunts, even to our 404/error message.
I wore several hats: copywriter, musician, live stream personality, audio technician, and eventually on-air bump creator. I thrived in the creative hotbox environment known as Williams Street and have carried its many lessons with me.
On-Air Bump Creator
Perhaps the most iconic aspect of the Adult Swim brand is the bumps. Generally bumps are simple white text on black; a way for the network to speak directly to viewers. I asked to join the bump team and immediately felt at home in the writers' room. I created hundreds of bumps that aired nationally, seen by millions.
BRAND VOICE REEL
Only a handful of people over the past twenty years have been welcomed aboard the bump team. Finding the right tone came easily; and I loved seeing my thoughts on television.
POP CULTURE REEL
We heart celebrities and relish every chance to celebrate/mock them.
PANDEMIC REEL
Lemonade from chaos. I'm particularly proud of this batch, especially the ones where my girls helped out.
Promos and Smalls Writer & Performer
I collaborated on various bits of ephemera: promos, smalls, and other oddities.
Promo for Rick and Morty’s Jerry’s Game for Adult Swim Games. Dumb simplicity mirroring the game itself.
An opera based on a word-for-word answer from Rick and Morty's Comic-Con panel. Music by me. Orchestration by Brent Busby
Written by Dave Hughes. Animated by Daniela Sherer. Music written and performed me and Mason Brown
A song for the site. Video by Dave Bonawits
Promo for Adult Swim Games
Stealth marketing for Rick and Morty. Written by Dana Swanson. Music written and performed by me and Brent Busby
Adult Swim Digital Copywriter
From 2014 -20 I handled all writing duties for Adult Swim Digital including homepage, show pages, clips, loglines and metadata, collection copy (for SEO purposes) and messaging on the mobile app. This role included standard tune-in and promotional content, as well as strange creative detours tied to whatever we were up to during a given week.
404/Error Page Stories
Early on I pitched deviating from our typical 404/error page to something more interesting. So I crafted a short story about a man walking in a bar. My bosses liked it; and over the years I swapped in other dark tales. Adult Swim fans flocked to Reddit to discuss the meaning of these stumbled-across stories. I received a merit award in part based on the ingenuity of turning an afterthought into something creative and compelling.
Social Media Copywriter
From 2014-15 I supplied nearly all promotional copy for Facebook. Starting in 2017 I joined the Twitter writing team, focusing on more conversational and potentially shareable content. From our social media channels I promoted a Letter to the Editor feature on our website where I answered fan questions (sometimes poorly).
ADULT SWIM STREAMS
Adult Swim Streams created live, interactive programming every weekday from 2014 to 2020. I worked on a number of shows, most notably FishCenter and Stupid Morning Bullshit.
Fishcenter Live Songwriter
Fishcenter was a mock-game show centered on the Williams Street fish tank. I recorded hundreds of bits of music – parodies, jingles, and originals – based on the personalities and activities of the fish. The songs proved popular, gaining fans and even inspiring cover versions sent to the show.
“Fish Who Died”
A great blight struck the tank killing many of our beloved fish. In their memory I reworked an old Jim Carroll punk song and created what Mike Lazzo, former head of Adult Swim, called my greatest achievement. Video by Tynan Humphrey.
I've released several volumes of work-related music on Bandcamp.
COMMENTATOR AND SOUNDMAN
SMB was our daily irreverent look at pop culture. I helped host Sally Skinner gather stories, pitched pranks and stunts, ran the soundboard, and provided on-camera commentary for nearly a thousand shows. The experience sharpened my writing and performance skills and bolstered my confidence in front of an audience.
Adult Swim App Copywriter & Customer Service
I provided app descriptions and updates across Google Play, Apple, Roku, and Amazon. In 2018 I took over customer service duties, replying directly to reviews. Even while troubleshooting – and weathering complaints – I answered with style, gaining fans in the process.
A representative exchange:
