First Dates for those who create: the married Adult Swim animation duo who met at Cartoon Network

The relationship between a producer and a creative isn’t always plain sailing, but imagine if that relationship extended outside of work hours and into a marriage? Proving that it’s not all hardship and arguing over schedules, Ashley and Michael Kohler, producer and sound designer receptively, are a husband and wife duo that work together at US animation studio Awesome Incorporated and Bluetube, a music and sound company. Ashley is executive producer of both, and Michael is the composer and sound designer. Among the projects they’ve worked on together is a series of identities for Adult Swim, called Evolving Thoughts (Michael also worked on sound for Adult Swim’s Too Many Cooks, which is pretty ace)

In the latest part in our extended Valentine’s series, First Dates for those who create, they tell us all about working together and how to make it work.

Ashley Kohler

How did you meet?

Michael and I met while I was in the on-air promotion department at Cartoon Network, and we worked together on a number of projects over the course of about seven years. When I left the network, we met to discuss starting our own businesses and potentially sharing studio space. One lunch became two, two lunches became dinner, and dinner became a date. (And Michael’s cool motorcycle didn’t hurt.) 

How did you know you could work together?

It was never really a question since that was really how the whole thing started, as a work relationship first, a romance second. So we were more sure of the work part than anything!  

What’s been your favourite project you’ve worked on together?

There have been so many over the years, but a recent favorite is the Adult Swim IDs project, a series of three spots that started airing in December 2015. They were a wonderful collaboration for us, really showcasing the talents of both studios and the height of what we’re both passionate about at this moment.

What makes your [creative] relationship special?

We are honest with each other, and we both know how to push each other without pushing too far.  

What’s the best thing about [the other]?

Michael is so deeply talented, so humble, and so genuinely caring… let’s call it a three-way tie.

What’s the worst thing about [the other]?

It is difficult sometimes being a producer married to a creative. Michael can be not enough about the schedule sometimes… we have clients looking for their delivered projects, and he’s busy painting a Pro Tools Chapel! 

What does your future together look like?

We are super excited about the future. This year is a year of growth for both companies, new projects, new websites, lots of exciting change.  

Michael Kohler

How did you meet?

Ashley worked at Cartoon Network, I did work for Cartoon Network. For seven years or so we had a sort of client/vendor relationship. In 2005 we had a meeting to discuss our individual future business ventures, and that meeting led to a merger that has lasted a decade!

How did you know you could work together?

Right! We’d already worked together for seven years, we knew that we could count on each other in that arena. We were also work-friends with all the same people, so we had built in references.

What’s been your favourite project you’ve worked on together?

I would agree with Ashley, these were amazing to work on and something that we are both really proud of. These spots were a rare opportunity for complete creative freedom, backed by a client willing to allow us to push the envelope.   

What makes your [creative] relationship special?

It continuously forces us to be better at what we do.  We are also very confident in each other’s work. It is easy to partner with someone you believe in that way.  

What’s the best thing about Ashley?

The combination of her professionalism and sense of humour is astounding.  

What’s the worst thing about Ashley?

It is difficult sometimes being a creative married to a producer. Ashley can be all about the schedule sometimes, and music and audio doesn’t always work that way. 

What does your future together look like?

A big focus for us now is choosing the projects that make the most sense for us to work on and dedicating ourselves to them instead of just taking every project, worrying about making ends meet. We are in a place now in which we can be more selective, which feels really good.