SCAD Presents Fionna and Cake Producer Adam Muto with the Animation Fest Spotlight Award

Written by Ben Mallock

Illustrated by Olive Silverio

SCAD Atlanta’s Anim Fest happened this weekend, from Thursday, September 28th to Saturday, September 30th, Even though many of the screenings and panels were outstanding and very informative, the ‘crown jewel’ of the five Friday events would have to be the screening of the Adventure Time spinoff series, Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake, with executive producer Adam Muto.

After being presented with the Animation Fest Spotlight Award, he was interviewed by SCAD professor of animation, Matt Maloney, who opened up the discussion with Adam’s history with the Adventure Time franchise. The two discussed his path of joining the original show as a storyboard artist throughout the first four and a half seasons, before taking the reins as showrunner and executive producer from original creator Pendleton Ward. After this wonderful walk down memory lane, Muto presented episode six of Fionna and Cake: The Ice Prince, to a giant crowd of enthralled SCAD students, including some deleted scenes from the show.

After the showing, Adam took questions from all around the crowd, indulging in the discourse surrounding the show’s history, conceptual choices, and behind-the-scenes tidbits.

Once the panel wrapped up, SCAD students swarmed the stage from their seats to show their appreciation for Muto, in hopes of getting more answers to their questions, or even an autograph from the producer himself. I got both, as my original question was not answered during the original Q&A session. As Adam signed his signature on my wad of paper, I was able to discuss a big question that’s always been on the minds of many fans alike: “ Would you say you were responsible for the philosophical path the show took after the first four and a half seasons?”  

Before Mudo’s rise to the job of showrunner in the middle of season four, many fans of the show would argue that Adventure Time was heading down a more simplistic story path, with most episodes in the previous seasons being episodically written, along with a lack of overarching stories and complex themes. This seemed to change (at least more often) after Adam became the show’s producer. So was he responsible for this? Or was it in the creator’s original plans for the show’s future? A simple and definite answer was given. “No”, Adam replied.

“That was a decision that many writers helped make. And plus, Pendleton was a really philosophical dude. But there were a lot of people behind that choice.”

With a fantastic answer like that, it becomes no secret that Adam is very open about the show’s development. Even attending the Coffee and Networking event of the fest earlier that day, I had spoken to Muto about this event before the panel.

Unlike Adventure Time, Fionna and Cake follows Fionna Campbell, Cake the Cat, and Simon Pretikov throughout their multiversal journey, stemming from the events of Adventure Time. The entire first season of Fionna and Cake can be streamed now on Max, as its season finale recently premiered on September 29th.