TV and screen animation writers Mark McCorkle and Bob Schooley (Kim Possible, Hotel for Dogs, Sky High) have been named as recipients of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) West’s 2021 Animation Writers Caucus Animation Writing Award. The annual AWC awards ceremony and virtual member meeting will be held in January 2022.
McCorkle and Schooley are best known for creating, writing and executive producing Disney Channel’s Emmy Award-winning global hit series Kim Possible. They also executive produced both television movies based on the series: Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time and Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama.
Both McCorkle and Schooley have made successful careers out of adapting relatable movie characters and stories into hit series, including the multiple Emmy, Bafta and Annie Award-winning Penguins of Madagascar, Monsters vs. Aliens, Disney’s Hercules, and Disney’s Aladdin: The Series. They have also taken their talents to the big screen, earning screenwriter credits for Hotel for Dogs and Sky High. Additional writing credits include Disney’s Aladdin and the King of Thieves, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins, and Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast.
The long-time writing and producing duo met while working as entertainment managers at Sesame Place, a Sesame Street-themed play park in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. They made their foray into Hollywood through the mailroom of DIC Entertainment where they quickly advanced to staff writing positions before shifting to Walt Disney Television Animation. Their novel entitled Liar of Kuzdu was published in 2007.
The Temple University graduates both hail from Pennsylvania—McCorkle is from Morrisville and Schooley was raised in Levittown—and currently reside in Los Angeles with their families.
The WGAW’s AWC Animation Writing Award is given to members of the Animation Writers Caucus or Writers Guild who have advanced the literature of animation in film and television throughout the years and made outstanding contributions to the profession of the animation writer. Previously, Craig Miller, David N. Weiss, Nicole Dubuc, Len Wein, Mike Judge, Seth MacFarlane, Sam Simon, Linda Woolverton, Len Uhley, Brad Bird, Matt Groening, Al Jean & Mike Reiss, Dwayne McDuffie and Earl Kress, Mike Scully, Patric M. Verrone, and Stan Berkowitz have been the recipients of AWC Animation Writing Award.
Founded in 1994, the WGAW’s Animation Writers Caucus represents over 600 animation writers and works to advance economic and creative conditions in the field. Through organizing efforts, educational events, and networking opportunities, the Guild’s AWC is a leading proponent for animation writers.