Something’s Awry in Kennett Square: An Animation Studio You Might Not Expect

In the heart of Kennett Square, known for its walkable streets and strong small business community, an animation studio producing work for clients around the world maintains a local presence. Something’s Awry Productions has an office on State Street at Work2gether, where the team stays connected to the community while collaborating with creative partners and clients far beyond Chester County.

Something’s Awry Productions was founded by Amy Theorin alongside her sons, Kris, Kurtis, and Nik. Together, they have built an animation and storytelling studio focused on creating visually engaging work that blends humor, character, and strong narrative ideas. Their approach centers on making content that feels relatable, then elevating it through animation, visual effects, and thoughtful storytelling.

At the creative core of the studio are the three siblings, who collaborate across disciplines and locations. Kris serves as lead director and animator and is based in New York City, with project management being maintained through the Chester County office. Kurtis leads as creative director and primary writer, while Nik focuses on writing, development, and casting. Together, they guide a family-founded studio built on close collaboration and an extended creative network.

That network includes artists, writers, and specialists from around the world who are brought in based on the needs of each project. While collaborators may span continents, every project is closely guided by the core team, ensuring consistency, quality, and a collaborative process that keeps storytelling at the center.

Something’s Awry works with well-known brands including Nespresso, Maxon, Samsung, Nescafe, Comcast, Spectrum, Turkish Airways, Oreo, and ChapStick. Their branded content has gone viral multiple times, including a recent Samsung video that surpassed 530 million views on Instagram alone.

“Our goal for our branded content is to create something that people can relate to but push it over the top by incorporating humor, VFX and animation that makes it funny and shareable,” said Amy Theorin.

Alongside branded work, the studio is actively developing original intellectual property. Their animated series Drive! CalGal Drive! is currently in development with the goal of being picked up by a broadcaster or streaming platform. The team is also expanding the CalGal universe into a video game that is now in its early stages.

A recent short film created for Maxon and Snapdragon offers a glimpse into that world. Set in the CalGal universe, the film premiered at the Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii and was produced on an accelerated five-week timeline. Written by Kurtis and directed and animated by Kris, the short highlights the studio’s ability to deliver cinematic storytelling under tight deadlines. The film can be viewed online as part of the studio’s Rush Order Project.

The studio is also known for original short films that have resonated widely online, including “Unlucky Charms,” which has surpassed 6 million views, and “Grump in the Night,” which has reached more than 3 million views.

While their work reaches far beyond Kennett Square, the team values being part of the local fabric. They are active in finding ways to give back through support of local charities, youth-focused initiatives, and community organizations, often donating time, resources, or materials connected to their creative work.

“I love that our company is based in Kennett Square,” Amy reflected. “Being able to create entertainment for a worldwide community but also give back to our local community is the perfect combination I think!”

It’s a reminder that in a town filled with coffee shops, storefronts, and familiar faces, you never quite know what kind of work is happening behind the doors. Sometimes, right in the center of town, stories are being built that travel much farther than you might expect.

To learn more about Something’s Awry Productions, visit
https://somethingsawry.com/

To learn more about Work2gether, visit
https://www.work2gether.space/