 MacFarlane initially conceived Family Guy in 1995 while studying animation under the Rhode Island School of Design ( RISD ) . During college , he created his thesis film entitled The Life of Larry , which was later submitted by his professor at RISD to Hanna @-@ Barbera , which led to MacFarlane being hired by the company . In 1996 , MacFarlane created a sequel to The Life of Larry entitled Larry and Steve , which featured a middle @-@ aged character named Larry and an intellectual dog , Steve . The short was broadcast in 1997 as one of Cartoon Network 's World Premiere Toons . 
