My name is Tellie Burke, and my pen name is T.E. Burke - call me either! I am currently working on a series with my fiancé that we have been building for 6 years! I love creating unique worlds and people, so my characters tend to be vastly different from what you would expect.
(Not an ad, stating goals!!) I'm currently attending a class in Scriptwriting for Animation, and from that class am now formally seeking people interested in animation, background art, voices, etc. But even when I find that, it will still be quite a while before the pilot project could be pitched in earnest, so I am set on working hard and taking all the feedback I can. So please, if you work in the industry and have ANY advice, it is highly welcome!
Also feel free to send connection requests! I accept all, unless you get weird in my inbox.
Thank you for your time, and I wish you all the utmost luck in your endeavors!
Warm welcome Tellie Elise Burke to the Stage32 community! Thank you for sharing your experiences. Looking forward to your future connections through the community. What's your favorite animated film and why?
You can also check RB's AMA from this week, which is now available on-demand in the WR, and anyone can access it with the free month link. It's packed full of invaluable advice and insight that any member can get so much out of: https://www.stage32.com/writers-room/plans-vip
If you want personalized assistance, just reach out to Success@Stage32.com and Edu@Stage32.com.
See you around :)
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@Jaz: Thank you so so much! I would have to say my favorite animated series has been Arcane for the storyline and the best film I've seen has been Turning Red. I love films that have a unique and tailored vibe that represents the authors.
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Tellie Elise Burke, I just finished Arcane! And I wish it had a season 3 and so on. I totally agree; Arcane is totally unique from other animated series. I also saw Turning Red, and I loved it!
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Welcome, Tellie! Six years of building a world together is quite a journey. Focusing on the script and gathering feedback before rushing into the pitch sounds like a solid approach. Best of luck with the pilot!
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Welcome to Stage 32, Tellie Elise Burke! My name is Ashley Smith, and I’m the Head of Community here at Stage 32. So glad you jumped into IYW to introduce yourself!
Six years of building a series with your fiancé is such a beautiful creative partnership, and I love that you’re describing yourselves as building “unique worlds and people” with characters that defy expectations. That’s such a wonderful foundation for animation specifically, where the visual medium and the imaginative freedom of the format let you really push into territory that live-action often can’t reach. Animation lets creators dream bigger, and it sounds like you two are dreaming very, very big.
A few resources to add to what our team has already shared:
- Be active in the Animation Lounge specifically! With your focus on developing an animation series AND actively seeking animators, background artists, and voice actors, this is genuinely the most important Lounge for you right now. Consistent engagement will help you organically connect with animation professionals whose sensibilities align with your project, and when members are curious about your world and voice, they’ll ask. Those organic conversations often lead to real, lasting creative partnerships: https://www.stage32.com/lounge/animation
- Also be active in the Screenwriting Lounge! Since you’re actively writing (and learning Scriptwriting for Animation formally), you’ll find so much value in the ongoing craft conversations happening there with fellow writers across every format. It’s a wonderful space to keep learning while contributing your own voice: https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting
- Register for our next FREE Community Open House on Wednesday, September 23rd at 12pm PT. It’s a wonderful way to get a full overview of everything Stage 32 has to offer AND direct access to me and our team to ask any questions about how to make the most of your experience here. Given that you’re brand new to the platform, this is a genuinely helpful event for getting oriented quickly: https://www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32s-september-2026-comm...
I’d love to hear more about the series you’re building! What genre or tone does it live in, and what’s the core spark that made you and your fiancé want to spend six years developing this specific world together?