Originally from Endicott, New York, Appel attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, majoring in computer animation. Describing his childhood interests, Appel said, "I was always playing around with video cameras, but I was also the kid that drew cartoons. It’s weird. I was so obsessed with movies and television, but nobody ever told me that I should go to film school... [W]hen I decided to go to school for animation, it felt like a no-brainer. However, when I actually went away to college, I realized that I had made a mistake (and also that I wasn’t that great at drawing). I actually spent more time working on videos with my roommate, who was majoring in video production, than I did working on my own projects."
While in college, Appel also began performing improv comedy, after his girlfriend brought him to a "show at the University of Pittsburgh called 'Friday Nite Improvs ,' where anyone from the audience could volunteer to go up on stage and perform these improv games." After moving to New York City, Appel started taking classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, "and it wasn’t long before I was basically living at the theatre. I became very involved very quickly. [I was] taking improv classes, interning, running the lights for shows and really helping out in any way that I could so I could just be around comedy as much as possible."[1][2]
While still in New York, Appel got a job writing for The Andy Milonakis Show, then moved to Los Angeles for that show's third season when its production was relocated to California. He subsequently wrote for Crank Yankers and Human Giant, then went to work for the comedy website Funny or Die. "Funny or Die was such a young company when they hired me...there were about eight of us all sitting around a large dining room table on laptops. Every day a few people would disappear to go shoot some shit and then the next day they would be sitting next to you editing it. Then it would go up on the site and it would either get a million hits or nobody would watch it and it would disappear and then it was on to the next thing. Everyone there worked at their own pace and you were encouraged to just go pick up a camera and make something...I used this as an opportunity to start directing my own sketches and quickly found out that not only do I like directing more than writing, but also that I’m better at it."[3]
In 2022, Appel made his feature directorial debut with Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, based on a Funny or Die short that he directed twelve years earlier.[5][6] The film won a Critics Choice Award for Best Made for Television Movie.
^Galuppo, Mia (September 9, 2022). "TIFF: "Weird Al" Yankovic on the Long, Hard Road to Bring His Mock Biopic to the Big Screen". The Hollywood Reporter. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
^Greenblatt, Leah (September 9, 2022). "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story review: Daniel Radcliffe stars in a loopy fact-free biopic". Entertainment Weekly. Meredith Corporation. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
eric, appel, this, biography, living, person, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, contentious, material, about, living, persons, that, unsourced, poorly, sourced, must, removed, immediately, especially, pot. This biography of a living person includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately especially if potentially libelous or harmful Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations November 2013 Learn how and when to remove this message Eric Appel born August 13 1980 is an American filmmaker working in television film and commercials Eric AppelBornEric Appel 1980 08 13 August 13 1980 age 43 Endicott New York United StatesOccupation s Director producer writerSpouseJohanna Parker Appel Originally from Endicott New York Appel attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh majoring in computer animation Describing his childhood interests Appel said I was always playing around with video cameras but I was also the kid that drew cartoons It s weird I was so obsessed with movies and television but nobody ever told me that I should go to film school W hen I decided to go to school for animation it felt like a no brainer However when I actually went away to college I realized that I had made a mistake and also that I wasn t that great at drawing I actually spent more time working on videos with my roommate who was majoring in video production than I did working on my own projects While in college Appel also began performing improv comedy after his girlfriend brought him to a show at the University of Pittsburgh called Friday Nite Improvs where anyone from the audience could volunteer to go up on stage and perform these improv games After moving to New York City Appel started taking classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and it wasn t long before I was basically living at the theatre I became very involved very quickly I was taking improv classes interning running the lights for shows and really helping out in any way that I could so I could just be around comedy as much as possible 1 2 While still in New York Appel got a job writing for The Andy Milonakis Show then moved to Los Angeles for that show s third season when its production was relocated to California He subsequently wrote for Crank Yankers and Human Giant then went to work for the comedy website Funny or Die Funny or Die was such a young company when they hired me there were about eight of us all sitting around a large dining room table on laptops Every day a few people would disappear to go shoot some shit and then the next day they would be sitting next to you editing it Then it would go up on the site and it would either get a million hits or nobody would watch it and it would disappear and then it was on to the next thing Everyone there worked at their own pace and you were encouraged to just go pick up a camera and make something I used this as an opportunity to start directing my own sketches and quickly found out that not only do I like directing more than writing but also that I m better at it 3 Appel would go on to extensively direct series television with credits including Eagleheart NTSF SD SUV The Office New Girl Selfie Brooklyn Nine Nine Son of Zorn Die Hart and The Afterparty 4 In 2022 Appel made his feature directorial debut with Weird The Al Yankovic Story based on a Funny or Die short that he directed twelve years earlier 5 6 The film won a Critics Choice Award for Best Made for Television Movie References edit Eric Appel IMDb Retrieved November 11 2015 Hill Jazmine July 3 2013 The Hilarious Inspiring amp Wonderfully Passionate Eric Appel Serial Optimist Retrieved October 6 2022 Hill Jazmine July 3 2013 The Hilarious Inspiring amp Wonderfully Passionate Eric Appel Serial Optimist Retrieved October 6 2022 Eric Appel IMDb Retrieved October 6 2022 Galuppo Mia September 9 2022 TIFF Weird Al Yankovic on the Long Hard Road to Bring His Mock Biopic to the Big Screen The Hollywood Reporter Penske Media Corporation Retrieved October 6 2022 Greenblatt Leah September 9 2022 Weird The Al Yankovic Story review Daniel Radcliffe stars in a loopy fact free biopic Entertainment Weekly Meredith Corporation Retrieved October 6 2022 External links editEric Appel at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eric Appel amp oldid 1215750481, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
