Bryan Konietzko

  

Bryan Konietzko
Biographical information
First credit	Family Guy (1999 - storyboard cleanup and character design)
Further information
Link(s)	IMDb Official website Instagram Tumblr

Bryan Konietzko is an American animation director, best known as the co-creator and executive producer of the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. He is also, together with Michael Dante DiMartino, the co-chief creative officer of Avatar Studios, a production company that will work on future upcoming projects in the Avatar franchise.

Avatar: The Last Airbender credits

Art director

48 episodes and 3 shorts

101. "The Boy in the Iceberg" 102. "The Avatar Returns" 103. "The Southern Air Temple" 104. "The Warriors of Kyoshi" 105. "The King of Omashu" 106. "Imprisoned" 107. "Winter Solstice, Part 1: The Spirit World" 108. "Winter Solstice, Part 2: Avatar Roku" 109. "The Waterbending Scroll" 110. "Jet" 111. "The Great Divide" 112. "The Storm" 113. "The Blue Spirit" 114. "The Fortuneteller" 115. "Bato of the Water Tribe" 116. "The Deserter" 117. "The Northern Air Temple" 118. "The Waterbending Master" 119. "The Siege of the North, Part 1" 120. "The Siege of the North, Part 2" 201. "The Avatar State" 202. "The Cave of Two Lovers" 203. "Return to Omashu" 204. "The Swamp" 205. "Avatar Day" 206. "The Blind Bandit" 207. "Zuko Alone" 208. "The Chase" 209. "Bitter Work" 210. "The Library" 211. "The Desert" 212. "The Serpent's Pass" 213. "The Drill" 214. "City of Walls and Secrets" 215. "The Tales of Ba Sing Se" 216. "Appa's Lost Days" 217. "Lake Laogai" 218. "The Earth King" 219. "The Guru" 220. "The Crossroads of Destiny" 301. "The Awakening" 302. "The Headband" 303. "The Painted Lady" 304. "Sokka's Master" 305. "The Beach" 306. "The Avatar and the Fire Lord" 307. "The Runaway" 308. "The Puppetmaster" "Bending Battle" (short) "Swamp Skiin' Throwdown" (short) "School Time Shipping" (short)

Character designer

44 episodes and 3 shorts

101. "The Boy in the Iceberg" 102. "The Avatar Returns" 103. "The Southern Air Temple" 104. "The Warriors of Kyoshi" 105. "The King of Omashu" 106. "Imprisoned" 107. "Winter Solstice, Part 1: The Spirit World" 108. "Winter Solstice, Part 2: Avatar Roku" 109. "The Waterbending Scroll" 110. "Jet" 111. "The Great Divide" 112. "The Storm" 113. "The Blue Spirit" 114. "The Fortuneteller" 115. "Bato of the Water Tribe" 116. "The Deserter" 117. "The Northern Air Temple" 118. "The Waterbending Master" 119. "The Siege of the North, Part 1" 120. "The Siege of the North, Part 2" 201. "The Avatar State" 202. "The Cave of Two Lovers" 203. "Return to Omashu" 204. "The Swamp" 205. "Avatar Day" 206. "The Blind Bandit" 207. "Zuko Alone" 208. "The Chase" 209. "Bitter Work" 210. "The Library" 211. "The Desert" 212. "The Serpent's Pass" 213. "The Drill" 214. "City of Walls and Secrets" 215. "The Tales of Ba Sing Se" 216. "Appa's Lost Days" 217. "Lake Laogai" 218. "The Earth King" 219. "The Guru" 304. "Sokka's Master" 305. "The Beach" 306. "The Avatar and the Fire Lord" 307. "The Runaway" 308. "The Puppetmaster" "Bending Battle" (short) "Swamp Skiin' Throwdown" (short) "School Time Shipping" (short)

Executive producer

61 episodes and 3 shorts

101. "The Boy in the Iceberg" 102. "The Avatar Returns" 103. "The Southern Air Temple" 104. "The Warriors of Kyoshi" 105. "The King of Omashu" 106. "Imprisoned" 107. "Winter Solstice, Part 1: The Spirit World" 108. "Winter Solstice, Part 2: Avatar Roku" 109. "The Waterbending Scroll" 110. "Jet" 111. "The Great Divide" 112. "The Storm" 113. "The Blue Spirit" 114. "The Fortuneteller" 115. "Bato of the Water Tribe" 116. "The Deserter" 117. "The Northern Air Temple" 118. "The Waterbending Master" 119. "The Siege of the North, Part 1" 120. "The Siege of the North, Part 2" 201. "The Avatar State" 202. "The Cave of Two Lovers" 203. "Return to Omashu" 204. "The Swamp" 205. "Avatar Day" 206. "The Blind Bandit" 207. "Zuko Alone" 208. "The Chase" 209. "Bitter Work" 210. "The Library" 211. "The Desert" 212. "The Serpent's Pass" 213. "The Drill" 214. "City of Walls and Secrets" 215. "The Tales of Ba Sing Se" 216. "Appa's Lost Days" 217. "Lake Laogai" 218. "The Earth King" 219. "The Guru" 220. "The Crossroads of Destiny" 301. "The Awakening" 302. "The Headband" 303. "The Painted Lady" 304. "Sokka's Master" 305. "The Beach" 306. "The Avatar and the Fire Lord" 307. "The Runaway" 308. "The Puppetmaster" 309. "Nightmares and Daydreams" 310. "The Day of Black Sun, Part 1: The Invasion" 311. "The Day of Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse" 312. "The Western Air Temple" 313. "The Firebending Masters" 314. "The Boiling Rock, Part 1" 315. "The Boiling Rock, Part 2" 316. "The Southern Raiders" 317. "The Ember Island Players" 318. "Sozin's Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King" 319. "Sozin's Comet, Part 2: The Old Masters" 320. "Sozin's Comet, Part 3: Into the Inferno" 321. "Sozin's Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang" "Bending Battle" (short) "Swamp Skiin' Throwdown" (short) "School Time Shipping" (short)

Title designer

48 episodes

101. "The Boy in the Iceberg" 102. "The Avatar Returns" 103. "The Southern Air Temple" 104. "The Warriors of Kyoshi" 105. "The King of Omashu" 106. "Imprisoned" 107. "Winter Solstice, Part 1: The Spirit World" 108. "Winter Solstice, Part 2: Avatar Roku" 109. "The Waterbending Scroll" 110. "Jet" 111. "The Great Divide" 112. "The Storm" 113. "The Blue Spirit" 114. "The Fortuneteller" 115. "Bato of the Water Tribe" 116. "The Deserter" 117. "The Northern Air Temple" 118. "The Waterbending Master" 119. "The Siege of the North, Part 1" 120. "The Siege of the North, Part 2" 201. "The Avatar State" 202. "The Cave of Two Lovers" 203. "Return to Omashu" 204. "The Swamp" 205. "Avatar Day" 206. "The Blind Bandit" 207. "Zuko Alone" 208. "The Chase" 209. "Bitter Work" 210. "The Library" 211. "The Desert" 212. "The Serpent's Pass" 213. "The Drill" 214. "City of Walls and Secrets" 215. "The Tales of Ba Sing Se" 216. "Appa's Lost Days" 217. "Lake Laogai" 218. "The Earth King" 219. "The Guru" 220. "The Crossroads of Destiny" 301. "The Awakening" 302. "The Headband" 303. "The Painted Lady" 304. "Sokka's Master" 305. "The Beach" 306. "The Avatar and the Fire Lord" 307. "The Runaway" 308. "The Puppetmaster"

Writer

• 100. Unaired pilot
• 101. "The Boy in the Iceberg"
• 102. "The Avatar Returns"
• 113. "The Blue Spirit"
• 213. "The Drill"
• 219. "The Guru"
• 320. "Sozin's Comet, Part 3: Into the Inferno"
• 321. "Sozin's Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang"
• "Swamp Skiin' Throwdown" (short)

Foaming mouth guy

Character information: Foaming mouth guy

• 104. "The Warriors of Kyoshi" ^(uncredited)
• 205. "Avatar Day"

Pirate barker

Character information: Oh

• 109. "The Waterbending Scroll"
• 118. "The Waterbending Master"

Storyboard artist

• 109. "The Waterbending Scroll"
• 113. "The Blue Spirit"
• 206. "The Blind Bandit"
• 305. "The Beach"

Additional voices

• 100. Unaired pilot ^(uncredited)
• 205. "Avatar Day"
• 320. "Sozin's Comet, Part 3: Into the Inferno" ^(uncredited)

Author

• Avatar: The Last Airbender—The Art of the Animated Series

Cover artist

• The Lost Adventures and Team Avatar Tales Library Edition
• Avatar: The Last Airbender—The Art of the Animated Series

The Legend of Korra credits

Art director

52 episodes

101. "Welcome to Republic City" 102. "A Leaf in the Wind" 103. "The Revelation" 104. "The Voice in the Night" 105. "The Spirit of Competition" 106. "And the Winner Is..." 107. "The Aftermath" 108. "When Extremes Meet" 109. "Out of the Past" 110. "Turning the Tides" 111. "Skeletons in the Closet" 112. "Endgame" 201. "Rebel Spirit" 202. "The Southern Lights" 203. "Civil Wars, Part 1" 204. "Civil Wars, Part 2" 205. "Peacekeepers" 206. "The Sting" 207. "Beginnings, Part 1" 208. "Beginnings, Part 2" 209. "The Guide" 210. "A New Spiritual Age" 211. "Night of a Thousand Stars" 212. "Harmonic Convergence" 213. "Darkness Falls" 214. "Light in the Dark" 301. "A Breath of Fresh Air" 302. "Rebirth" 303. "The Earth Queen" 304. "In Harm's Way" 305. "The Metal Clan" 306. "Old Wounds" 307. "Original Airbenders" 308. "The Terror Within" 309. "The Stakeout" 310. "Long Live the Queen" 311. "The Ultimatum" 312. "Enter the Void" 313. "Venom of the Red Lotus" 401. "After All These Years" 402. "Korra Alone" 403. "The Coronation" 404. "The Calling" 405. "Enemy at the Gates" 406. "The Battle of Zaofu" 407. "Reunion" 408. "Remembrances" 409. "Beyond the Wilds" 410. "Operation Beifong" 411. "Kuvira's Gambit" 412. "Day of the Colossus" 413. "The Last Stand"

Color supervisor

52 episodes

101. "Welcome to Republic City" 102. "A Leaf in the Wind" 103. "The Revelation" 104. "The Voice in the Night" 105. "The Spirit of Competition" 106. "And the Winner Is..." 107. "The Aftermath" 108. "When Extremes Meet" 109. "Out of the Past" 110. "Turning the Tides" 111. "Skeletons in the Closet" 112. "Endgame" 201. "Rebel Spirit" 202. "The Southern Lights" 203. "Civil Wars, Part 1" 204. "Civil Wars, Part 2" 205. "Peacekeepers" 206. "The Sting" 207. "Beginnings, Part 1" 208. "Beginnings, Part 2" 209. "The Guide" 210. "A New Spiritual Age" 211. "Night of a Thousand Stars" 212. "Harmonic Convergence" 213. "Darkness Falls" 214. "Light in the Dark" 301. "A Breath of Fresh Air" 302. "Rebirth" 303. "The Earth Queen" 304. "In Harm's Way" 305. "The Metal Clan" 306. "Old Wounds" 307. "Original Airbenders" 308. "The Terror Within" 309. "The Stakeout" 310. "Long Live the Queen" 311. "The Ultimatum" 312. "Enter the Void" 313. "Venom of the Red Lotus" 401. "After All These Years" 402. "Korra Alone" 403. "The Coronation" 404. "The Calling" 405. "Enemy at the Gates" 406. "The Battle of Zaofu" 407. "Reunion" 408. "Remembrances" 409. "Beyond the Wilds" 410. "Operation Beifong" 411. "Kuvira's Gambit" 412. "Day of the Colossus" 413. "The Last Stand"

Executive producer

52 episodes

101. "Welcome to Republic City" 102. "A Leaf in the Wind" 103. "The Revelation" 104. "The Voice in the Night" 105. "The Spirit of Competition" 106. "And the Winner Is..." 107. "The Aftermath" 108. "When Extremes Meet" 109. "Out of the Past" 110. "Turning the Tides" 111. "Skeletons in the Closet" 112. "Endgame" 201. "Rebel Spirit" 202. "The Southern Lights" 203. "Civil Wars, Part 1" 204. "Civil Wars, Part 2" 205. "Peacekeepers" 206. "The Sting" 207. "Beginnings, Part 1" 208. "Beginnings, Part 2" 209. "The Guide" 210. "A New Spiritual Age" 211. "Night of a Thousand Stars" 212. "Harmonic Convergence" 213. "Darkness Falls" 214. "Light in the Dark" 301. "A Breath of Fresh Air" 302. "Rebirth" 303. "The Earth Queen" 304. "In Harm's Way" 305. "The Metal Clan" 306. "Old Wounds" 307. "Original Airbenders" 308. "The Terror Within" 309. "The Stakeout" 310. "Long Live the Queen" 311. "The Ultimatum" 312. "Enter the Void" 313. "Venom of the Red Lotus" 401. "After All These Years" 402. "Korra Alone" 403. "The Coronation" 404. "The Calling" 405. "Enemy at the Gates" 406. "The Battle of Zaofu" 407. "Reunion" 408. "Remembrances" 409. "Beyond the Wilds" 410. "Operation Beifong" 411. "Kuvira's Gambit" 412. "Day of the Colossus" 413. "The Last Stand"

Main character designer

52 episodes

101. "Welcome to Republic City" 102. "A Leaf in the Wind" 103. "The Revelation" 104. "The Voice in the Night" 105. "The Spirit of Competition" 106. "And the Winner Is..." 107. "The Aftermath" 108. "When Extremes Meet" 109. "Out of the Past" 110. "Turning the Tides" 111. "Skeletons in the Closet" 112. "Endgame" 201. "Rebel Spirit" 202. "The Southern Lights" 203. "Civil Wars, Part 1" 204. "Civil Wars, Part 2" 205. "Peacekeepers" 206. "The Sting" 207. "Beginnings, Part 1" 208. "Beginnings, Part 2" 209. "The Guide" 210. "A New Spiritual Age" 211. "Night of a Thousand Stars" 212. "Harmonic Convergence" 213. "Darkness Falls" 214. "Light in the Dark" 301. "A Breath of Fresh Air" 302. "Rebirth" 303. "The Earth Queen" 304. "In Harm's Way" 305. "The Metal Clan" 306. "Old Wounds" 307. "Original Airbenders" 308. "The Terror Within" 309. "The Stakeout" 310. "Long Live the Queen" 311. "The Ultimatum" 312. "Enter the Void" 313. "Venom of the Red Lotus" 401. "After All These Years" 402. "Korra Alone" 403. "The Coronation" 404. "The Calling" 405. "Enemy at the Gates" 406. "The Battle of Zaofu" 407. "Reunion" 408. "Remembrances" 409. "Beyond the Wilds" 410. "Operation Beifong" 411. "Kuvira's Gambit" 412. "Day of the Colossus" 413. "The Last Stand"

Main title developer

52 episodes

101. "Welcome to Republic City" 102. "A Leaf in the Wind" 103. "The Revelation" 104. "The Voice in the Night" 105. "The Spirit of Competition" 106. "And the Winner Is..." 107. "The Aftermath" 108. "When Extremes Meet" 109. "Out of the Past" 110. "Turning the Tides" 111. "Skeletons in the Closet" 112. "Endgame" 201. "Rebel Spirit" 202. "The Southern Lights" 203. "Civil Wars, Part 1" 204. "Civil Wars, Part 2" 205. "Peacekeepers" 206. "The Sting" 207. "Beginnings, Part 1" 208. "Beginnings, Part 2" 209. "The Guide" 210. "A New Spiritual Age" 211. "Night of a Thousand Stars" 212. "Harmonic Convergence" 213. "Darkness Falls" 214. "Light in the Dark" 301. "A Breath of Fresh Air" 302. "Rebirth" 303. "The Earth Queen" 304. "In Harm's Way" 305. "The Metal Clan" 306. "Old Wounds" 307. "Original Airbenders" 308. "The Terror Within" 309. "The Stakeout" 310. "Long Live the Queen" 311. "The Ultimatum" 312. "Enter the Void" 313. "Venom of the Red Lotus" 401. "After All These Years" 402. "Korra Alone" 403. "The Coronation" 404. "The Calling" 405. "Enemy at the Gates" 406. "The Battle of Zaofu" 407. "Reunion" 408. "Remembrances" 409. "Beyond the Wilds" 410. "Operation Beifong" 411. "Kuvira's Gambit" 412. "Day of the Colossus" 413. "The Last Stand"

Writer

• 101. "Welcome to Republic City"
• 102. "A Leaf in the Wind"
• 103. "The Revelation"
• 104. "The Voice in the Night"
• 105. "The Spirit of Competition"
• 106. "And the Winner Is..."
• 107. "The Aftermath"
• 108. "When Extremes Meet"
• 109. "Out of the Past"
• 110. "Turning the Tides"
• 111. "Skeletons in the Closet"
• 112. "Endgame"

Storyboard artist

• 104. "The Voice in the Night"

Character designer

• 214. "Light in the Dark"
• 301. "A Breath of Fresh Air"
• 302. "Rebirth"
• 303. "The Earth Queen"
• 304. "In Harm's Way"
• 305. "The Metal Clan"
• 306. "Old Wounds"
• 307. "Original Airbenders"
• 308. "The Terror Within"
• 309. "The Stakeout"
• 310. "Long Live the Queen"
• 311. "The Ultimatum"
• 312. "Enter the Void"
• 313. "Venom of the Red Lotus"
• 401. "After All These Years"
• 402. "Korra Alone"
• 403. "The Coronation"
• 404. "The Calling"

Background design

• 302. "Rebirth"
• 303. "The Earth Queen"
• 304. "In Harm's Way"
• 305. "The Metal Clan"
• 306. "Old Wounds"
• 307. "Original Airbenders"
• 308. "The Terror Within"
• 309. "The Stakeout"
• 310. "Long Live the Queen"
• 311. "The Ultimatum"
• 312. "Enter the Void"
• 313. "Venom of the Red Lotus"
• 401. "After All These Years"
• 402. "Korra Alone"

Background colorist

• 403. "The Coronation"

Prop designer

• 411. "Kuvira's Gambit"
• 413. "The Last Stand"

Additional voices

• 109. "Out of the Past" ^(uncredited)

Author

• The Legend of Korra—The Art of the Animated Series, Book One: Air
• The Legend of Korra—The Art of the Animated Series, Book Two: Spirits
• The Legend of Korra—The Art of the Animated Series, Book Three: Change
• The Legend of Korra—The Art of the Animated Series, Book Four: Balance

Avatar: Braving the Elements credits

Guest

• 2. "Origin Stories with Mike DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko Pt. 1"
• 3. "Origin Stories with Mike DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko Pt. 2"
• 13. "Martial Arts Deep Dive with Sifu Kisu and Bryan Konietzko"
• 47. "Book Two: Earth!"
• 60. "Creating an Icon: TOPH! with Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko"
• 78. ""City of Walls and Secrets" with Bryan Konietzko"
• 81. "Holiday Special: "Book Two: Earth" with Mike DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko"
• 86. "Beautiful Design with Elsa Garagarza, Bryan Konietzko, & Angela Song Mueller"
• 90. "Remembering Mako with Michael DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, & Andrea Romano"
• 95. "The Origins of Toph Beifong with Mike DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko"
• 101. "Book Three: Fire"
• 101.5. "Secrets from the Vault: Zuko's Scar & Darker Themes from the Avatarverse"
• 106.5. "Secrets from the Vault: What about Book 4?"
• 121. "Bringing Characters to Life with Bryan Konietzko"
• 133.5. "Secrets from the Vault: How To Create Iconic Characters"
• 136. "'Sozin's Comet: Part 3' with Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko"
• 138. "Sozin's Comet: Part 4 with Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko"

Avatar Studios credits

Producer

• Untitled first film from Avatar Studios (TBA)

Avatar: The Last Airbender (Netflix) credits

Writer

• 101. "Aang"
• 106. "Masks"

Selected other credits

Television work

• Dota: Dragon's Blood (special thanks)
• Invader ZIM (storyboard artist)
• Mission Hill (assistant director and storyboard artist)

Filmography

• The Last Airbender (2010 - executive producer)

Biographical information

Konietzko graduated from Roswell High School in Roswell, Georgia, and later went on to graduate with honors from the Illustration Department of the Rhode Island School of Design in 1998.

His friend and fellow RISD alumnus, Michael Dante DiMartino, helped him get his foot in the door in the television animation industry. Konietzko worked alongside DiMartino at Film Roman Studios on Family Guy, Mission Hill, and King of the Hill. In 2000, he joined Nickelodeon to work on Invader Zim as a storyboard artist. He spent time in South Korea training the overseas animation crews and became the art director on the second season. Konietzko was later recruited by Nickelodeon to create an original series; he once again partnered with DiMartino, and together they created the animated martial arts saga Avatar: The Last Airbender, which told a continuous storyline through a trilogy of seasons.

In addition to sharing executive producer duties with DiMartino on Avatar, Konietzko also served as the art director on the award-winning series, designing the main characters and drawing from his experience as a landscape painter for their fantasy world's epic scope. For their new series The Legend of Korra, Konietzko and DiMartino co-wrote all the scripts for the first season.

Konietzko keeps an online photo journal, which he updates regularly. He also has a band with which he has released several albums, including Our Ancestor's Intense Love Affair and At Night, Under Artificial Light. Konietzko is an electronic recording artist, under the name Ginormous, and an avid nature photographer, showing his work on his website.

He lives in Los Angeles, California with his wife, Lisa, and his dog, Gunther. He has a nephew named Rohan, after whom the second son of Tenzin and Pema is named.

Trivia

• During his childhood, Konietzko loved watching anime, but he steadily lost interest due to the increasing misogyny and violence that he saw in some anime, while also feeling disenchanted with American animation after only being able to work on animated sitcoms. However, while working on Invader Zim, Dave Filoni reintroduced him to anime, particularly those created by Hayao Miyazaki such as Princess Mononoke, and he regained his interest in the medium.
• According to Bryan, he was the first Korrasami shipper, having done so before Book One: Air of The Legend of Korra even aired. He has been debating with Avatar fans over who shipped them first to this day.
• The first ever pieces of Avatar fanart were drawn by Konietzko's then 7 year old nephew, Alexander Kennedy, around 2002 before the series had even been animated. The fanart of Aang, Sokka, and Katara (at the time still known as Kya) were later included in the series bible.