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The Pinto Variety Hour

The Pinto Variety Hour is the pilot episode for a half hour animated adult comedy featuring Pinto, a recovering rageaholic bean who hosts a surreal variety show. As Pinto juggles eccentric guests, like a time-traveling beret inventor, and navigates his tumultuous relationship with his show’s sponsor, the mysterious Big Powerful Nobody, he also deals with everyday family dynamics. Balancing his quirky work life with his role as a father to teenagers Lucy and Max and husband to Flo, Pinto’s world is a whimsical mix of surreal comedy and heartfelt moments in the charming town of Hazelwood.

-Synopsis by The Anthology Institute

  • R.J. Sullivan
    Director
    Arlo Sings the Blues, Pinto the Mean Bean
  • R.J. Sullivan
    Writer
    Arlo Sings the Blues, Pinto the Mean Bean
  • R.J. Sullivan
    Producer
    Arlo Sings the Blues, Pinto the Mean Bean
  • Coulter Rail
    Key Cast
    "Sandoval, Marmalade Rubicon"
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Television
  • Runtime:
    22 minutes 46 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 7, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    40,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Animation
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Columbia Maryland Film Festival
    Columbia, Maryland
    United States
    September 9, 2024
    Maryland Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Anthology Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    September 27, 2024
    Los Angeles Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Skiptown Playhouse International Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    November 5, 2024
    N/A
    Winner -Best Animated Series
  • Hollywood Theatre @ PDX airport
    Portland, OR
    United States
    September 19, 2024
    Airport Premiere
    Official Selection for Fall Shorts Showcase
  • Fortean Film Festival
    Standish
    United Kingdom
    October 7, 2024
    UK Premiere
    Best TV Pilot -Gold Award Winner
  • Oregon Short Film Festival
    Portland, OR
    United States
    November 10, 2024
    N/A
    Best Comedy Series Episode -Nomination
  • Megaflix Film Awards
    Standish
    United Kingdom
    October 7, 2024
    N/A
    Best TV Show, Best Animation
  • Eastern European Film Festival
    Craiova
    Romania
    October 1, 2024
    Romanian Premiere
    Best Animation -Honorable Mention
  • Festival de Cine Antigua
    Antigua Guatemala
    Guatemala
    December 5, 2024
    Guatemalan Premiere
    Best 2D Animation -Nominee
  • accordi @ DISACCORDI - International Short Film Festival
    Naples
    Italy
    November 11, 2024
    Italian Premiere
    Nominee- Best Animated Short
  • T.I.F.A - Tietê International Film Awards
    São Paulo
    Brazil
    December 20, 2024
    Brazilian Premiere
    Best Screenplay
  • Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation, and Technology
    Portland, OR
    United States
    August 24, 2024
    World Premiere
    Best Animated Series -Nominee, Best Portland Animation -Nominee
  • Mightier Than The Sword Awards At Sunset Film Festival
    Asheboro, North Carolina
    United States
    January 8, 2025
    North Carolina Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Breaking TV Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    November 2, 2024
    London Premiere
    Best Animation - Nominee
  • Barcelona Indie Awards
    Barcelona
    United States
    February 8, 2025
    Spanish Premiere
    Winner -Best Animation
  • Birmingham Film Festival
    Birmingham
    United Kingdom
    November 8, 2024
    N/A
    Best TV Show -Nominee, Best Animation -Nominee, Best of Festival -Nominee
  • Anatolia Film Festival
    Istanbul
    Turkey
    February 7, 2025
    Official Selection
  • South Film and Arts Academy Festival
    Rancagua, O'Higgins
    Chile
    October 17, 2024
    Chilean Premiere
    Best Web Series, Best Screenplay -Honorable Mention
  • Halic Goldenhorn Film Festival & Market
    Istanbul
    Turkey
    December 2, 2024
    Turkish Premiere
    Winner - Special Jury Award
  • All That Moves International Film Festival
    Sao Paulo
    Brazil
    March 15, 2025
    N/A
    Winner - Best TV Pilot, Winner - Best Director for a TV Pilot
  • Dances With Films: New York
    New York City
    United States
    December 6, 2024
    East Coast Premiere - Live
    Official Selection
  • McMinneville Short Film Festival
    McMinneville, Oregon
    Spain
    February 27, 2025
    N/A
    Nomination - Best Animation
  • Yellowstone Film Festival
    Cody, Wyoming
    United States
    March 27, 2025
    Wyoming Premiere
    Official Selection
  • MLC Scene Awards
    Green Bay, Wisconsin
    United States
    May 17, 2025
    Wisconsin Premiere
    Nominee - Best Animated Film
  • Asian Film Festival
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    December 1, 2025
    N/A
    Nominee -Best Animation
  • Short Way International Film Festival
    São Paulo
    Brazil
    June 20, 2025
    N/A
    Best Voice Acting in a TV Pilot
  • Tbilisi International Animation Festival
    Tbilisi
    Georgia
    June 20, 2025
    Georgian Premiere
    Official Selection+
  • Jiao Dong Youth International Film Festival
    Shandong Province
    China
    October 1, 2025
    Chinese Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Big Bear Film Festival
    Big Bear, California
    United States
    September 24, 2025
    N/A
    Official Selection
  • Hollywood Storytellers Film Festival
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    March 9, 2025
    N/A
    Finalist -Best Pilot
Director Biography - R.J. Sullivan

R.J. is an award-winning animated filmmaker, composer, and screenwriter. Through Catch and Hatch Studios, he produces hand drawn 2D animated films for children and adults.

His short films have been shown in film festivals internationally including Australia's biggest Oscar qualifying short film festival, St. Kilda Film Festival, the Oscar-qualifying Flicker's Rhode Island International Film Festival, Dances With Films (in LA and New York), Breaking TV Film Festival in London, and Birmingham Film Festival in Birmingham, England. Notably, his short animated film, Arlo Sings the Blues (In the Middle of the Night) won Best Animation Film in the 2023 BAMkids Film Festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in New York.

R.J. hand-painted watercolor backgrounds for his children’s short Pinto the Mean Bean, which had its West Coast premiere at the 26th Annual Dances With Films festival in June 2023 at the iconic TCL Chinese Theatres in Los Angeles.

In 2024, he produced The Pinto Variety Hour, an adult animated comedy series pilot, which had its world premiere at the Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation, and Technology in August 2024. Since then, the pilot has screened at numerous international festivals, earning multiple awards including Best TV Show, Best TV Pilot, Best Animation, Best Screenplay, Best Web Series, Special Jury Award for Animation, and Best Director for a TV Pilot.

Both of his children’s shorts and The Pinto Variety Hour have been featured in showcases at the Hollywood Theatre in the Portland, OR, Airport. Arlo Sings the Blues was part of the Fall 2023 program (September - December), while Pinto the Mean Bean was showcased in the Winter 2024 program (January - March). An abridged 10-minute version of The Pinto Variety Hour pilot was also included in the Fall 2025 shorts program.

R.J. grew up in Ventura, CA, but now lives in Portland with his wife, baby daughter, and their orange dog, Lucy. He earned a B.A. in Arts and Letters from Portland State University in 2004 and founded Catch and Hatch Studios in 2022.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I envisioned an animated sitcom that embraces a flexible framework, allowing for anything to happen to utilize the creative possibilities of animation. At the same time, I wanted to develop relatable characters grappling with real relationship issues.