'Lost Ollie' wins 5 Emmy Awards. Here's what to know about the show set in Shepherdsville
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It's always nice to kick off the new year on a positive note and thanks to a Shepherdsville, Kentucky native and his live-action series, "Lost Ollie," we've got some good news to share.
Set in Shepherdsville, Netflix's "Lost Ollie" found lots of fans and won five Emmy Awards in the Children and Family Creative Arts division of the prestigious annual awards show held in Los Angeles, California.
How Shepherdsville became the setting for "Lost Ollie's" sweet epic adventure is thanks to Shannon Tindle, who grew up there, graduated from St. Xavier High School (1988-1992) and attended the University of Louisville and California Institute of the Arts (1997-1999).
Tindle has made a name in the film business as an animator, writer, producer, and director working on features such as the Academy Award-nominated "Coraline" and "Kubo and the Two Strings." At the Primetime Emmy Awards in 2006, Tindle won the Emmy Award for "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation" for his character design on "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends," which aired on The Cartoon Network.
"I have always loved film," Tindle previously told the Courier Journal. "When I was growing up, I would obsessively look at the entertainment section in the Sunday Courier Journal because it had the movie listings at Showcase Cinemas. I still think about the smell of the newsprint and getting so excited to see ads for 'Empire Strikes Back,' 'ET,' and 'Raiders of the Lost Ark,' all of my favorite films. That was my go-to section because we didn't have the internet."
Tindle adopted the story for "Lost Ollie" from William Joyce's book "Ollie’s Odyssey." The four-part series tells the story of a lost stuffed rabbit who braves the many dangers of childhood as he searches the countryside to reunite with the boy who lost him. The cast includes Jonathan Groff, Mary J. Blige, Tim Blake Nelson, Gina Rodriguez, Jake Johnson, and Kesler Talbot.
Although his work keeps him based on the west coast, Tindle doesn't miss a chance to return to Kentucky to visit family and friends. And when it came time to pitch movie executives on his concept for "Lost Ollie," he was resolute that the show be set in the small town none of the execs had heard of before.
"It was important to me to set the story in my hometown of Shepherdsville because it is not a place where one expects to see fantasy," he said. "I felt like it would be incredible for kids and families to see a fantasy set in their hometown because, in a small town, you don't think about what might be around that corner or in the shadows. To see characters moving through those environments is powerful. Shepherdsville is very important to me and I hope that folks who grew up where I grew up see themselves in the show."
During the writing of the show, Tindle called his mom and put her on speakerphone so the writing staff could better understand the dialect of someone who lives in Shepherdsville. He also used his grandfather for inspiration.
"Besides Shepherdsville, you'll also see the skyline of Louisville in the show's promotion poster," he said. "In episode 2, the Ohio River and The Belle of Louisville are important. You'll see the Salt River make an appearance and Highway 44 which is featured prominently in episode 3. You don't live in Shepherdsville and not travel down Highway 44."
Some very famous occupants of Bernheim Forest (who might be giants) also make an appearance in "Lost Ollie."
"Bernheim Forest has always been a very special place for me," said Tindle. "We did a night shoot there. We shot for 12 hours and it was incredible."
In November 2023, "Lost Ollie" was nominated for 10 Children’s and Family Emmy Awards. During the awards ceremony on Dec. 16, the series won top honors in five Emmy categories including Visual Effects for a Live Action Program, Directing for a Single Camera Program, Music Direction and Composition for a Live Action Program, Editing of a Single Camera Live Action Program and Lighting, Camera and Technical Arts.
"Lost Ollie," which was released in 2022, can be streamed on Netflix.
Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Netflix show 'Lost Ollie,' created by Kentucky native, wins 5 Emmys
