Obscure Origins: Obscure Studios Turns 20

Film strips with scenes from Obscure Studios projects of days gone by.

It’s hard to believe, but Obscure Studios is marking a major milestone—we are 20 years old! Founded waaaaay back in 2004, Obscure Studios has gone from a dream to a full-fledged independent production company, with over 100 creative projects to our name and more currently in development.

To celebrate our birthday, Jonny and Will sat down to discuss how it all began, reflect on our favorite moments, and share a sneak peek of what’s next for Obscure Studios. You can listen in the latest episode of our podcast, Dispatches with Jonny Eberle, or check out the extended video on our YouTube channel, complete with archival footage.

Twenty years in, we’re just getting started. It’s been a wild ride. Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for our hare-brained schemes. To everyone who’s contributed their talents to one of our projects and all the folks who’ve cheered us on over the years, we are deeply grateful.

Want to help us celebrate? The easiest thing to do is share this blog post, the podcast, or the video on social media. Then, head over to our TeePublic store to browse Obscure Studios merch, from t-shirts to coffee mugs. Finally, you can support our creative endeavors by donating on KoFi. Every dollar raised goes towards keeping the lights on and making future projects possible. Thank you!

Logo designs for Obscure Studios' 20th anniversary merchandise, available on a wide variety of products.

About Obscure Studios

Obscure Studios is a small, independent production company making films and podcasts with big dreams and a small budget since 2004.

Ten Years of Obscure Studios

It all started with a dream on a cold winters’ day 10 years ago. We were in high school then and we wanted to make a movie. An off-the-wall musical about a pirate, a blind woman, two Siamese twins, the Pope, a giant squid and some very angry Canadians. A script was written and then rewritten. Music was procured. The cast was selected. A few test scenes were filmed. And then nothing.

Gollandtsy! Gollandtsy! was never made, though rumors would stir up every few years that it had been glimpsed somewhere in the woods north of Flagstaff. But something was born. Something beautiful. Obscure Studios, founded to produce the musical in 2004, went on to make other projects a reality. From Reilly’s Dorm to the Big Night to Cold Read to Border Line to the one where Jonny narrated Will’s thoughts while he sat on an office chair. People grew to love the stories and the characters.

Fast forward a decade. On this 10th anniversary of Obscure Studios’ founding, the gang is scattered across the country. River and Katie are married with a daughter. So are Nathan and Danika. Jonny is off doing God knows what in the Pacific Northwest. He and the afro parted ways a few years ago — it now runs a record label in Nashville. Will and Yannick are still in Flagstaff. Sarah went off to seek her fortune somewhere near Alderaan. JACKson makes a living as a professional photobomber.

Obscure Studios’ video output has dwindled since the glory days. But don’t count us out yet. We may be separated by miles and years and new commitments, but the spark of our creativity has not gone out. No, Obscure Studios is a survivor. Don’t be surprised if you see something new from us in the future.

In the meantime, we hope you’ll celebrate us turning one-tenth of a century old. Check out our old videos, revel in the memories of the good old days and keep your eyes open for the biggest comeback since Star Trek II.

Hold on to your hats — the obscurity is on the move.

– Jonny, Will, Julio and the Whole Darn OS Family