The rise and rise of Bluey
Inside the Brisbane-born global phenomenon
Ahead of the release of highly anticipated new episodes of Bluey on April 9, Contact chats to a UQ alum who works behind the scenes at Ludo Studio, the Brisbane-based production company behind the world’s favourite blue heeler.
It wasn’t until around Christmas of 2020 that Daniel Schultz (Bachelor of Arts '12) came face-to-face with the runaway success of the studio’s animated kids show, Bluey.
“We launched [Bluey] in 2018 and, by the time we'd finished work on season 2 through the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were finally able to lift our heads," said Schultz, a producer and the finance and strategy lead for Brisbane-based TV production house Ludo Studio.
“Seeing the amount of Bluey everywhere while walking around shopping centres and the city that Christmas was a bit of a shock.”
UQ alum Daniel Schultz works as a producer and finance and strategy lead at Ludo Studio. Image supplied
UQ alum Daniel Schultz works as a producer and finance and strategy lead at Ludo Studio. Image supplied
For those not familiar with Bluey (which is to say, those with no little humans in their life), it’s about an adorable, energetic young Blue Heeler and her family: her sister Bingo, dad Bandit, and mum Chilli. Together they enjoy madcap adventures and delight in the magic of play – all against the backdrop of everyday family life in Brisbane.
Schultz, who has been with Ludo Studio since 2015, has had a front-row seat for the birth of a bona fide cultural phenomenon.
Bluey has not only captivated Australian audiences, becoming the most popular television show nationally and the ABC’s most successful show ever, but has now reached a fever pitch of popularity overseas. In 2022, it was one of the 10 most streamed programs in the United States, beating the likes of Seinfeld and Gilmore Girls.
There have been plenty of ‘pinch-me’ moments for Schultz, but November of 2022 took things to a new level. His list of the milestones from that month alone beggars belief: the launch of the live show at Madison Square Garden, Melanie and David – the voices of Chilli and Bandit – appearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the Bluey balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, then winning a BAFTA.
Ludo Studio has now racked up an impressive trophy collection – 3 International Emmys, 5 AACTAs, 2 Logies, and a Bafta.
When asked why a show about a Blue Heeler from Brisbane has the universal appeal to overtake Crocodile Dundee as an iconic Australian cultural export, Schultz said he wasn’t certain, but had some ideas.
“I guess it comes down to the talent of [Bluey creator] Joe Brumm and the team of designers and animators in capturing modern family life with astute and funny observations of parenting, but with all the emotions that kids experience at that time in life,” he said.
Joe Brumm himself told America’s National Public Radio (NPR) that there's not a great deal to the idea of Bluey.
“It's talking dogs. I'm not the first to do talking dogs, and I'm sure I won't be the last.”
There’s a stunning contrast between this very humble attitude, espoused by the show’s creators and producers, and the show’s extraordinary impact – but the warm, down-to-earth mindset behind the scenes might just be the je ne sais quois that gives the show its heart.
“I like to think [the show’s success] is also because of all the kindness and love that all the artists who worked on it put into every frame, well that's what I enjoy the most anyway,” Schultz said.
Whatever the reason for the show’s stratospheric success, one thing’s certain: it wouldn’t be possible to produce a show like this without a dedicated team of professionals behind the scenes.
Schultz plays a key leadership role on the strategy and production side, managing the company’s finances and keeping the lights on.
“I work closely with Charlie Aspinwall and Daley Pearson, who run the company, and with Sam Moor, the Producer of Bluey, to manage the finances and make sure we have the resources to do great work,” he explains.
And there’s much to manage: Ludo Studio employs over 50 designers, artists, directors, animators, production managers and producers, who work on the development of new original programs alongside the Bluey juggernaut. It can be challenging work, but Schultz is up for it.
“I really enjoy problem solving, finding ways to balance the creative needs of projects with the finances, working with really creative people and figuring out how to support them properly,” he said.
“The biggest challenges are mostly related to having enough time – finances can't always solve that.”
There have been plenty of ‘pinch-me’ moments for Schultz, but November of 2022 took things to a new level. His list of the milestones from that month alone beggars belief: the launch of the live show at Madison Square Garden, Melanie and David – the voices of Chilli and Bandit – appearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the Bluey balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, then winning a BAFTA.
Ludo Studio has now racked up an impressive trophy collection – 3 International Emmys, 5 AACTAs, 2 Logies, and a Bafta.
When asked why a show about a Blue Heeler from Brisbane has the universal appeal to overtake Crocodile Dundee as an iconic Australian cultural export, Schultz said he wasn’t certain, but had some ideas.
“I guess it comes down to the talent of [Bluey creator] Joe Brumm and the team of designers and animators in capturing modern family life with astute and funny observations of parenting, but with all the emotions that kids experience at that time in life,” he said.
Joe Brumm himself told America’s National Public Radio (NPR) that there's not a great deal to the idea of Bluey.
“It's talking dogs. I'm not the first to do talking dogs, and I'm sure I won't be the last.”
There’s a stunning contrast between this very humble attitude, espoused by the show’s creators and producers, and the show’s extraordinary impact – but the warm, down-to-earth mindset behind the scenes might just be the je ne sais quois that gives the show its heart.
“I like to think [the show’s success] is also because of all the kindness and love that all the artists who worked on it put into every frame, well that's what I enjoy the most anyway,” Schultz said.
Whatever the reason for the show’s stratospheric success, one thing’s certain: it wouldn’t be possible to produce a show like this without a dedicated team of professionals behind the scenes.
Schultz plays a key leadership role on the strategy and production side, managing the company’s finances and keeping the lights on.
“I work closely with Charlie Aspinwall and Daley Pearson, who run the company, and with Sam Moor, the Producer of Bluey, to manage the finances and make sure we have the resources to do great work,” he explains.
And there’s much to manage: Ludo Studio employs over 50 designers, artists, directors, animators, production managers and producers, who work on the development of new original programs alongside the Bluey juggernaut. It can be challenging work, but Schultz is up for it.
“I really enjoy problem solving, finding ways to balance the creative needs of projects with the finances, working with really creative people and figuring out how to support them properly,” he said.
“The biggest challenges are mostly related to having enough time – finances can't always solve that.”
Schultz has drawn heavily on all he learnt during his Bachelor of Arts degree at UQ to manage this busy professional remit. His first major was, unsurprisingly, in Film and Television Studies.
“I was really lucky to study under the late Professor Tom O'Regan and get some amazing insight into how the local [film and television] industry worked, and what was driving our capacity to make films in Australia,” said Schultz.
“I actually did a paper under Tom comparing the different government incentives around Australia and I can’t overstate how much that has become my professional purview.”
His second BA major was in Philosophy, and the lessons gained from grappling with big philosophical questions have also set Schultz in good stead.
“Studying the economics of justice, taught by Dr Julian Lamont, was hugely influential on me in the way we explored economics from the perspective of justice and fairness. That is a framework I'm always considering, from my early experiences working on distributing social justice documentaries to negotiating contracts for Ludo.”
As Bluey is jam-packed with affectionate Queensland Easter eggs – from CityCats to the State of Origin – it’s no surprise that the studio has a focus on developing a sustainable creative industry and fostering local talent. Schultz feels that, far from being a setback, the studio’s unique placement in the River City, away from the hubbub of industry hot spots, has been a boon for the culture of the company.
“I do think we benefit from being so far away from the UK, US and even Sydney and Melbourne where a majority of the industry is based, so we get to just do our work and don't get bothered too much,” he said.
The other Brisbane benefit? Once again, Schultz alludes to something that seems to be a key ingredient in the Bluey secret sauce – the kind, caring and supportive atmosphere among those contributing to the show.
“We've also been very fortunate to work with extremely talented people who are also super nice, I'm sure that's not just a Brisbane thing but we've found our fair share of them here.”
So, what adventures are on the horizon for the hotly anticipated new episodes of Bluey, hitting screens on April 9?
Your loyal Contact correspondent had to ask on behalf of readers whose kids have watched the first 3 seasons 100 times through. But Schultz, a consummate professional, isn’t biting.
“My lips are sealed,” he said.
Cheese and crackers!
To tide us over, he let us know about some of Ludo Studio’s other projects – though even these are teasingly secretive.
“We are currently making the third season of our other animated show The Strange Chores with Media World Pictures in Melbourne, which is a lot of fun,” Schultz said.
“We are also about to venture into making more live-action shows and, while I wish I could talk more about those projects, hopefully there is a lot more to say soon.”
Until then, you can catch all seasons of Bluey on ABC iView.
For real life.
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