Vivienne Medrano Explained

Birth Date:28 October 1992
Birth Place:Frederick, Maryland, U.S.
Other Names:VivziePop
Alma Mater:School of Visual Arts (BFA)
Years Active:2011–present
Module:
Embed:yes
Vivziepop
Channel Direct Url:SpindleHorse
Channels:Vivziepop
Subscribers:10 million
Views:1.3 billion
Silver Button:yes
Silver Year:2015[1]
Gold Button:yes
Gold Year:2018
Diamond Year:2024
Stats Update:May 28, 2024

Vivienne Medrano (born October 28, 1992),[2] also known by her online alias VivziePop, is an American YouTuber, animator, writer, director, producer, and voice actress. She is best known as the creator of the musical television series Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss. She also created the webcomic ZooPhobia.[3] [4] [5]

Career

Early work

Prior to joining YouTube, Medrano did assistant work on a thesis horror comedy film by Zach Bellissimo titled Blenderstein, in 2011.

Before launching her current channel "VivziePop", Medrano launched her first channel, "xZoOPhobiAx", which features animatics for ZooPhobia.

Medrano launched her YouTube channel under the screen name "VivziePop" in 2012, building a dedicated online audience, who enjoyed her fanwork and original creations.[6] Also in 2012, she started a webcomic titled ZooPhobia, which ran until 2016, ending so that she could find more time to develop Hazbin Hotel.[7] [8] Medrano directed her first short animated film, titled "The Son of 666" in 2013. Medrano released her fourth year thesis film entitled "Timber" in 2014, for which she won a Dusty Award in "Outstanding Achievement in Character Animation".[9] [10] Medrano named the film after the song of the same name by Pitbull and Kesha, and its score contained homages to the song as well.[11] In October 2014, she released an animated music video for the song "Die Young" by Kesha, which accumulated over 50 million views by October 2019. As a result, she became "relatively well-known" online for her animation and artwork, some of which she shared on her channel.[12]

Medrano received a Bachelor in Fine Arts and graduated from School of Visual Arts in August 2014. She worked as a freelance animator for two years. She continued to work on her webcomic ZooPhobia until 2016, when she ended it in order to focus her attention on Hazbin Hotel. Hazbin Hotel would be crowdfunded through Patreon.[13] [14]

SpindleHorse Toons

Medrano founded the animation studio SpindleHorse Toons, under which the pilot for Hazbin Hotel, the pilot and first season for Helluva Boss, and several animated shorts would be released.[15] Medrano serves as the director, writer and character designer for SpindleHorse Toons.[16] In an interview with Cartoon Brew, she said that much of the Hazbin Hotel pilot was funded by money from her Patreon, rather than income from YouTube's algorithm. The company Horseless Cowboy assisted Medrano with voice casting during the first season of Helluva Boss, with Richard Steven Horvitz serving as the voice director.[17] Cartoon Brew described her as a "paragon of indie success in animation".[18]

In October 2019, the pilot episode of Hazbin Hotel was released on Medrano's YouTube channel.[19] In November 2019, the pilot of Helluva Boss was released on her YouTube channel as well.[20] In July 2020, Medrano released an animated music video for Hazbin Hotel called "Addict", featuring the Silva Hound song of the same name.[21] [22] In August 2020, Hazbin Hotel was picked up for a full series by A24.[23] [24] Animation Magazine said that A24 was taking a "bold step" by picking up the series.[25] In 2023, scholar Ben Mitchell described Medrano's Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss as series which were "sensationally popular" and an effective use of Patreon to subsidize the show's art "through monthly tiered payments".[26]

On September 30, 2020, Medrano released an animated short film titled "Bad Luck Jack", based on ZooPhobia.[27] The short was nominated and won for a Ursa Major Award in the "Best Dramatic Short Work" category.[28] [29] The short was also listed as a "Recommended Anthropomorphic Dramatic Short Work" on the Ursa Major Award website.[30]

Other work

From 2017 to 2019, she worked as an animator on Nico Colaleo's DreamWorksTV series, Too Loud.[31] She called her experience on the series "a delight."[32] She also worked as a character designer on the series. In March 2021, it was reported that she was a partner of Redefine Entertainment, a management company formed by Jairo Alvarado, Tony Gil, and Max Goldfarb.[33] [34]

Personal life

Medrano was born in Frederick, Maryland and is a Salvadoran-American. She became interested in animation as a child when she watched the film Bambi. She began using art programs such as MS Paint in third grade.[35] Her early art was heavily influenced by Invader Zim. Medrano moved to New York City and began attending School of Visual Arts in September 2010 and would later graduate in 2014. She is bisexual.[36] She grew up Presbyterian, and says she remembers going to church and questioning a lot of stories in the Bible — Adam and Eve and Lucifer, in particular.[37]

In a January 2024 interview following the release of Hazbin Hotel on Amazon Prime Video, she described herself as a "queer woman on the internet who made something popular", and related herself to her character Charlie Morningstar, saying that both she and Charlie are in a "position of fighting uphill battles to just have our dreams exist."[38] Previously, Medrano had described herself, on social media, as a "proud 'fiery' latina," and said that Vaggie was the character she related to most, saying that Vaggie and Charlie "feel like sides of [her]self."[39]

Filmography

Film

TitleYearCredited asNotes
DirectorWriterProducerAnimation/ArtOther
Blenderstein2011Assistant[40] [41]
The Son of 6662013Creator
Timber2014Creator
Hand-Drawn: 2D Documentary2019As herself[42]
That's Entertainment2019Hazbin Hotel pilot[43]
Bad Luck Jack2020ZooPhobia short

Web series

TitleYearCredited asVoice roleNotes
WriterExecutive ProducerDirectorAnimation/ArtActress
Too Loud2017–2019SarahAnimator and character designer[44]
Helluva Boss2019–presentKeenie, Deerie, Various charactersCreator[45]
Ollie & Scoops2019–presentPoopsie St. Pierre[46]
Eddsworld2021Face PainterEpisode: "The Beaster Bunny"
Normal British Series2021–22N/AEpisode: "Being British" as Buttmunch

Web short

TitleYearCredited asVoice roleNotes
WriterExecutive ProducerDirectorAnimation/ArtActress
Haunted Sex Toys2021N/AEpisode: "Being British" as Café customer
Helluva Boss Wins2023N/AHerself

Music videos

Notes and References

  1. 100K SUBS SPEED DRAW - VivziePop . May 10, 2015 . Vivienne Medrano (VivziePop) . VivziePop . . January 14, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220114202350/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99N4bEkxb5 . January 14, 2022 . live .
  2. 1453898356858650630. VivziePop. THANK YOU MONICA! . Medrano. Vivienne. VivziePop. October 28, 2021.
  3. Web site: OIAF 2021 Drops Official Trailer and New Program Highlights. Animation World Network. September 3, 2021. September 6, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210903205748/https://www.awn.com/news/oiaf-2021-drops-official-trailer-and-new-program-highlights. September 3, 2021. live. Join Creator Vivienne Medrano (a.k.a. VivziePop) for an intimate conversation about creating her Youtube hit series, Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss..
  4. Web site: Asarch. Steven. A Cartoon Demon Musical Drew in 53 Million YouTube Viewers. The Creator of 'Hazbin Hotel' Says She Couldn't Have Predicted Its Success.. February 3, 2021. February 3, 2021. Insider. https://archive.today/20210203232139/https://www.insider.com/hazbin-hotel-creator-on-shows-creation-and-future-2021-2. February 3, 2021. live.
  5. Web site: Milligan. Mercedes. LXiA Announces the Return of Animation Day at LALIFF 2022. Animation Magazine. May 16, 2022. May 17, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220517130201/https://www.animationmagazine.net/events/lxia-announces-the-return-of-animation-day-at-laliff-2022/. May 17, 2022. live.
  6. Web site: Vollenbroek. Tunde. April 29, 2019. 7 Tips for Building a Successful Animation Channel on YouTube. live. April 24, 2021. Cartoon Brew. https://web.archive.org/web/20210205031023/https://www.cartoonbrew.com/streaming/7-tips-for-building-a-successful-animation-channel-on-youtube-173406.html. February 5, 2021.
  7. Web site: Cruz. Larry. January 10, 2013. 'Zoophobia': Fear of an Animal Planet. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210327195733/https://www.cbr.com/zoophobia-fear-of-an-animal-planet/. March 27, 2021. April 25, 2021. CBR.
  8. Web site: Hazbin Hotel [Review]]. Short. Dan. November 7, 2019. Animated Views. April 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20201106031732/https://animatedviews.com/2019/hazbin-hotel/. November 6, 2020. live.
  9. Web site: McLean. Tom. Top Dusty Toon Honors to 'Moonstruck'. Animation Magazine. May 14, 2014. April 24, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20200923172327/https://www.animationmagazine.net/events/top-dusty-toon-honors-to-moonstruck/. September 23, 2020. live.
  10. News: Dusty Festival: Winners List. live. April 25, 2021. SVA BFA Film. School of Visual Arts. https://web.archive.org/web/20210202013430/https://film.sva.edu/dusty/winners-list/ . February 2, 2021. See the list of winners in 2011 which list "Blanderstein" and "Destiny for the Birds", and 2014, which lists "Timber".
  11. Web site: Medrano. Vivienne. Alumni Blog: Vivienne Medrano. SVA BVA Film Blog. School of Visual Arts. June 30, 2014. April 24, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20200306120514/http://film.sva.edu/alumni-blog-vivienne-medrano/. March 6, 2020. live.
  12. Web site: "Hazbin Hotel" May Be Over Before It Begins. Lepri. Miranda. February 3, 2020. The Spectator. Stuyvesant High School. April 25, 2021. https://archive.today/20201106033150/https://www.stuyspec.com/ae/television/hazbin-hotel-may-be-over-before-it-begins. November 6, 2020. live.
  13. Web site: Sarto. Dan. 'Hand Drawn' Feature Documentary in Last Days of Indiegogo Campaign. Animation World Network. December 4, 2019. April 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20201106025254/https://www.awn.com/news/hand-drawn-feature-documentary-last-days-indiegogo-campaign. November 6, 2020. live.
  14. Web site: Miller. Caroline. A24 Reveals Character Images for Raunchy Animated Series Hazbin Hotel. MovieWeb. March 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220322132258/https://movieweb.com/hazbin-hotel-character-photos-a24/. March 22, 2022. live.
  15. Web site: Amidi . Amid . August 7, 2020 . A24 Picks Up Online Pilot 'Hazbin Hotel' for Series . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210307072738/https://www.cartoonbrew.com/tv/a24-picks-up-online-pilot-hazbin-hotel-for-series-195245.html . March 7, 2021 . April 24, 2021 . Cartoon Brew.
  16. Web site: Making Your Own Cartoon with Special Guest Vivienne Medrano. September 2, 2020. Creative Talent Network. April 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210425182500/https://tv.creativetalentnetwork.com/making-your-own-cartoon-with-special-guest-vivienne-medrano. April 25, 2021. live.
  17. Web site: 'Hazbin Hotel' Creator VivziePop Teams with Horseless Cowboy on Devilishly Twisted 'Helluva Boss'. October 7, 2020. November 1, 2020. Skwigly. https://web.archive.org/web/20201008142651/https://www.skwigly.co.uk/horseless-cowboy-helluva-boss/. October 8, 2020. live.
  18. Web site: 6 Unmissable Events at This Week's Ottawa International Animation Festival. Dudok De Wit. Alex. Cartoon Brew. September 23, 2021. September 26, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210924212016/https://www.cartoonbrew.com/festivals/6-unmissable-events-at-this-weeks-ottawa-international-animation-festival-208910.html. September 24, 2021. live.
  19. Web site: Hazbin Hotel: 10 Astonishing Pieces of Fan Art. Brueheim. Jackson. May 13, 2020. CBR. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20200612220106/https://www.cbr.com/hazbin-hotel-best-fan-art/. June 12, 2020. April 25, 2021. live.
  20. Web site: Short. Dan. December 18, 2020. Helluva Boss. Animated Views. April 25, 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210118103546/https://animatedviews.com/2020/helluva-boss/. January 18, 2021.
  21. Web site: Troup. Margaret. 'Hazbin Hotel' Creator Releases New Episode of Spinoff Series 'Helluva Boss'. November 2, 2020. April 25, 2021. Iowa State Daily. https://archive.today/20201103153029/https://www.iowastatedaily.com/limelight/hazbin-hotel-creator-releases-new-episode-of-spin-off-series-helluva-boss-vivienne-medrano-youtube-animated-series-a24-angel-dust-charlie-moxxie-millie-blitzo-brandon-rogers-richard-steven-horvits-iowa-state-daily-ames-iowa/article_f905a1ea-1d33-11eb-afb6-3b962bc22e27.html. November 3, 2020. live.
  22. Web site: 'Hazbin Hotel' Returns with a New Music Video 'Addict' . James . Tito W. . July 17, 2020 . . April 25, 2021 . https://archive.today/20200722000834/http://www.comicon.com/2020/07/17/hazbin-hotel-returns-with-a-new-music-video-addict/ . July 22, 2020 . live .
  23. Web site: Dudok de Wit. Alex. Here's the Biggest Animation News You Missed in August. Cartoon Brew. September 1, 2020. April 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20200904074858/https://www.cartoonbrew.com/monthly-wrap-up/heres-the-biggest-animation-news-you-missed-in-august-195997.html. September 4, 2020. live.
  24. Web site: Alexa. Laurén. Unconventional A24 Picks Up Controversial 'Hazbin Hotel'. Animation World Network. September 1, 2020. April 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20201102023751/https://www.awn.com/news/unconventional-a24-picks-controversial-hazbin-hotel. November 2, 2020. live.
  25. Web site: Milligan. Mercedes. A24 Checks in to VivziePop's Hellish 'Hazbin Hotel'. Animation Magazine. August 7, 2020. April 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20200814180006/https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/a24-checks-in-to-vivziepops-hellish-hazbin-hotel/. August 14, 2020. live.
  26. Book: Mitchell, Ben . 2023 . Independent Animation: Developing, Producing and Distributing Your Animated Films . . . 87 . 9781000849189 . July 6, 2023 . July 6, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230706134653/https://books.google.com/books?id=rNytEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT87 . live . Google Books.
  27. Web site: Short. Dan. October 5, 2020. ZooPhobia: Bad Luck Jack. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210120184811/https://animatedviews.com/2020/zoophobia-bad-luck-jack/. January 20, 2021. April 25, 2021. Animated Views.
  28. Web site: Voting. Ursa Major Awards. March 2, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210301150205/https://ursamajorawards.org/voting2020/. March 1, 2021. live.
  29. Web site: O'Reily. Rod. The Ursa Major Awards for 2020. Flayrah. May 2, 2021. May 3, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210503132052/https://www.flayrah.com/8351/ursa-major-awards-2020. May 3, 2021. live.
  30. Web site: Recommended Furry Art and Literature List. Ursa Major Awards. March 27, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210203232450/https://ursamajorawards.org/ReadList.htm. February 3, 2021. live.
  31. Web site: A Salvadoran-American Artist's Conception of Hell. Liberman. Dr Esther. December 9, 2019. BeLatina. en-US. April 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20200226122747/https://belatina.com/hazbin-hotel-pilot-review/. February 26, 2020. live.
  32. Medrano. Vivienne. VivziePop. 828726973866323969. February 6, 2017. For the fantastic @NicoColaleo SO excited to share the adorable wonder that is "Too Loud" with everyone! Working on it has been a delight. February 3, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20210425063810/https://twitter.com/VivziePop/status/828726973866323969. April 25, 2021. live.
  33. Web site: Fleming. Mike Jr.. March 3, 2021. Jairo Alvarado, Tony Gil & Max Goldfarb Form Lit Mgmt/Production Company Redefine Entertainment. April 24, 2021. Deadline. https://web.archive.org/web/20210313162239if_/https://deadline.com/2021/03/jairo-alvarado-tony-gil-max-goldfarb-form-lit-mgmt-production-company-redefine-entertainment-1234700233/. March 13, 2021. live.
  34. Web site: Cavero. Natalia Puertas. March 4, 2021. Latinos Set to "Redefine" the Entertainment Industry. April 25, 2021. Al Dia Television. https://web.archive.org/web/20210311020112/https://aldianews.com/articles/culture/film-television/latinos-set-redefine-entertainment-industry/63168. March 11, 2021. live.
  35. Medrano. Vivienne. Danielle Peters. "Animation Is Magic": SVA Alumnus VivziePop on Perseverance, Inspiration and 'Hazbin Hotel'. School of Visual Arts. New York. February 25, 2019. April 24, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20200302220322/https://sva.edu/features/animation-is-magic-sva-alumnus-vivziepop-on-perseverance-inspiration-and-hazbin-hotel. March 2, 2020. live. See YouTube clip of interview here .
  36. Medrano. Vivienne. VivziePop. 1272689220277043200. June 15, 2020. Also I am a bisexual woman, and majority of my cast and crew, and characters are LGBT so to think that the show or production is setting out to be anti LGBT is ludicrous and I'm pretty sick of that being what people just -believe- about my projects.. April 24, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20200616004034/https://twitter.com/VivziePop/status/1272689220277043200. June 16, 2020. live.
  37. Web site: Exclusive: Hazbin Hotel Creator and Its Broadway Stars Are in Heaven Being in Hell. Greg Archer. Movieweb.com. January 18, 2024. March 19, 2024.
  38. Web site: Piepenburg. Erik. 'Hazbin Hotel,' A24's First Animated Series, Imagines Heaven and Hell with a Broadway Voice Cast. Los Angeles Times. January 19, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240119185532/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2024-01-19/hazbin-hotel-a24-vivienne-medrano-alex-brightman. January 19, 2024. live. subscription.
  39. Medrano. Vivienne. Vivienne Medrano. VivziePop. 1189643963201769472. October 30, 2019. Being a proud 'fiery' latina myself, Vaggie is hands down the character I relate most too in #HazbinHotel her and Charlie feel like sides of myself. The ambitious side and the temperamental wanting to defend myself and others side. Fuck anyone who shames you for being fiery . Twitter. January 28, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20220824142344/https://twitter.com/VivziePop/status/1189643963201769472. August 24, 2022. live.
  40. Blenderstein! (2011) by Zach Bellissimo . May 10, 2018 . Zach Bellissimo . . April 25, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210207152039if_/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnDm8-b8Jp8&gl=US&hl=en . February 7, 2021 . live.
  41. Web site: Brewmasters. April 29, 2019. CBTV Student Fest: "Blenderstein!". live. April 25, 2021. Cartoon Brew. https://web.archive.org/web/20200927233213/https://www.cartoonbrew.com/brewtv/blenderstein-45871.html. September 27, 2020.
  42. Web site: Milligan . Mercedes . 'Hand Drawn' Documentary Crowdfunds Final Round . . November 20, 2019 . April 24, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210128085237/https://www.animationmagazine.net/features/hand-drawn-documentary-crowdfunds-final-round/ . January 28, 2021 . live.
  43. Web site: Cubilas. Sean. November 26, 2020. Hazbin Hotel: 10 Funniest Lines in the Show, Ranked. live. April 24, 2021. Screen Rant. https://web.archive.org/web/20201125173119/https://screenrant.com/hazbin-hotel-funniest-lines-show-ranked/. November 25, 2020. From Vivienne Medrano, the talented artist behind the drawings and animations on the YouTube channel, Vivziepop, Hazbin Hotel portrays all of the quirky, ambitious, and dark humor that Vivienne has become synonymous with..
  44. Too Loud . TooLoudCartoon . 941556586194944002 . December 15, 2017 . The first entry into our TOO LOUD Crew Spotlight: @VivziePop, TL's character designer and animator! #TooLoudCartoon . en . February 3, 2022 . https://twitter.com/TooLoudCartoon/status/941556586194944002 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220204010357/https://twitter.com/TooLoudCartoon/status/941556586194944002 . February 4, 2022. Colaleo also said that "Vivienne IS Too Loud"
  45. Web site: Baron. Reuben. Adult Animation Is Better Than Ever - So Why Does It Draw Ridicule?. December 2, 2019. April 25, 2021. CBR. https://web.archive.org/web/20191202122153/https://www.cbr.com/adult-animation-primal-undone-bojack-horseman-rick-and-morty-bobs-burgers/. December 2, 2019. live. Independent animator Vivziepop has lit up YouTube with her pilots Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss, which have earned some warranted criticism for their immature, edgy humor but are at least clear labors of love from an animation standpoint..
  46. Colaleo . Nico . nicocolaleo . 1237807249126379520 . March 11, 2020 . STARRING @VivziePop as Poopsie St. Pierre! @ninjamac as Rudy! @redlettermedia's Mike Stoklasa and Rich Evans as Brunk & Merle! @BrockBaker as Dan Dipple! @NicoColaleo as Mayor Scrumpy! @CrackMcCraigen as The Narrator[.] @ChaseTheVA as Old Crumplecranks . en . May 3, 2021 . https://twitter.com/NicoColaleo/status/1237807249126379520 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200311185630/https://twitter.com/NicoColaleo/status/1237807249126379520 . March 11, 2020.