Callan Stuart "Cal" Brunker (born November 16, 1978) is a Canadian animator, storyboard artist, screenwriter, and film director. He is best known for directing The Weinstein Company's animated film Escape from Planet Earth (2013), The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature (2017), and Nickelodeon's PAW Patrol: The Movie (2021), all are in collaboration with his business partner Bob Barlen, who served as a co-writer for these films.
Cal Brunker | |
|---|---|
| Born | Callan Stuart Brunker (1978-11-16) November 16, 1978 (age 43) |
| Occupation | Animator, storyboard artist, screenwriter, film director |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Notable work | Escape from Planet Earth The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature PAW Patrol: The Movie |
Cal Brunker has frequently collaborated with his partner Bob Barlen since 2009's Ollie & the Baked Halibut, who has later written films alongside since. Before his directorial debut in Ninjamaica and then 2013's Escape from Planet Earth, Brunker has worked as a storyboard artist and an animator on films such as Looney Tunes: Back in Action, Horton Hears a Who!, and Despicable Me.[1] He directed films such as Escape from Planet Earth and The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature. Brunker and Barlen have written screenplays for Arctic Dogs, Cranston Academy: Monster Zone, and The Son of Bigfoot in which they co-executive produced.[1]
He also directed the film PAW Patrol: The Movie, a feature film adaptation of Nick Jr.'s PAW Patrol animated series. Serving as the director and co-writer and once more collaborating with Barlen alongside Billy Frolick, it was produced by Spin Master and Nickelodeon Movies, and released by Paramount Pictures in August 2021.[2][3]
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Looney Tunes: Back in Action | Clean-up in-between artist |
| 2005 | Kronk's New Groove | Animator Direct-to-video |
| 2008 | Horton Hears a Who! | Storyboard artist |
| 2009 | Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs | |
| 9 | ||
| Ollie and the Baked Halibut | Animator Short film | |
| 2010 | Jonah Hex | Pre-visualization |
| Despicable Me | Storyboard artist | |
| 2012 | Ice Age: Continental Drift | Additional storyboard artist |
| 2013 | Escape from Planet Earth | Director Writer (with Bob Barlen) |
| 2015 | Minions | Additional storyboard artist |
| 2016 | Ratchet & Clank | Storyboard artist Designer |
| The Secret Life of Pets | Storyboard artist | |
| 2017 | The Son of Bigfoot | Writer & co-executive producers (with Bob Barlen) |
| The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature | Director Writer (with Bob Barlen and Scott Bindley) Voice of Charming Chipmunk | |
| 2019 | The Puppet Master | Director Writer (with Bob Barlen) Short film |
| Arctic Dogs | Writer (with Bob Barlen, Matt Lyon, Aaron Woodley, and Bryan Thompson) | |
| 2020 | Cranston Academy: Monster Zone | Writer (with Bob Barlen) |
| Bigfoot Family | Writer (with Bob Barlen) Executive producers | |
| 2021 | PAW Patrol: The Movie | Director Writer (with Bob Barlen and Billy Frolick) |
| 2023 | PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie | Upcoming film Director In development |
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Cyberchase | Designer |
| 2009 | Ninjamaica | Director Storyboard artist Television film Directional debut |
| 2009–2010 | Spliced | Storyboard artist |
Films directed by Cal Brunker | |
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