Goldie creator and Hilda head writer Emily Brundige is bringing a heartfelt new immigrant story to life … with fangs. Her new indie pilot, Strawberry Vampire, premieres this Halloween on YouTube via her indie animation banner, Li’l Toughy Studio. Inspired by her own family history, the project marks Brundige’s most personal story yet after making a name for her offbeat and endearing work with hit animated series on Apple TV+, Netflix and Nickelodeon.
Strawberry Vampire follows Franny Fragaria, a young vampire who’s just moved from her homeland of Strawbania to the suburbs of America. Assimilation proves tricky, especially when you have to hide your wings. Combining Brundige’s signature sharp humor and emotional depth, the pilot explores the universal challenge of fitting in without losing yourself.
The 12-minute pilot voice stars Brundige as Franny, alongside Paul Rust (Love, Pee-wee’s Big Holiday), Katie Crown (Storks, Adventure Time), Piotr Michael (Animaniacs) and newcomer Henry Witcher.
Developed independently through Li’l Toughy Studio, the project also features a fully animated sequence produced in collaboration with Mercury Filmworks, known for their work on Hilda, Goldie and The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse. The pilot short is scored by Freddie Wiedmann, whose animation credits include Green Lantern: The Animated Series and Big Nate. Germán Orozco serves as art director, with storyboards by Melissa Xu.
“I wanted to make a show that’s funny, strange and emotionally real, a story about finding your place in a world that doesn’t quite get you,” says Brundige. “Strawberry Vampire is for anyone who’s ever felt like they had to hide the weirdest parts of themselves just to belong. It’s also a love letter to my family. They were Jewish Hungarian immigrants and Holocaust survivors who settled in Hawthorne, California. I wanted to show their experience of trying to fit in while staying true to their roots.”
Supported by a successful Kickstarter campaign, the pilot marks the beginning of a larger vision. Fans can help bring Strawberry Vampire to life as a full series by watching, sharing, joining Strawberry Vampire on Patreon, and by buying official Strawberry Vampire shirts from strawberryvampire.com.
Brundige will be a featured speaker at the 2025 World Animation Summit, taking place in Los Angeles November 17-19, joining Genevieve LeDoux (Star Forest, Tumble Leaf) and other panelists in the Tuesday panel “How We Got Our Show Made, Against All Odds!” Passes are on sale now at animationmagazine.net/summit.
The Strawberry Vampire pilot launches on the Li’l Toughy YouTube channel at 9 a.m. PT on Halloween (Friday, October 31).
