It’s been extremely gruelling, but now that graduate school is out of the way (MBA, BTW) and the PE exam is done (8 hours in one day for the curious), I can finally start to give the blog and animation all the serious attention that it hasn’t received for much of the year. I’m experimenting with Pocket as a way to read more things during the day. If you’ve any thoughts on it or a competing product, please let me know.
…
Week Links 39-2013 Read More »
If you’ll pardon the pun in the title, the news is entirely real. MGM as Variety are reporting have in development an animated feature based on the Addam’s Family.
Besides the usual question of ‘why’, is ‘why now’? The Addam’s Family have been around for decades in print, TV and the silver screen. They’ve even been animated before for TV by Hanna-Barbera, twice!
As exciting as it is to see new Addams family material and especially so seeing as it will be animated, it’s not hard to imagine why it’s being done. Far from bringing back a timeless property is the desire to earn money.
That, in essence, is my main problem with such revivals. They’re not new material, they’re rehashing old material into something supposedly new. To explain further, the Addams Family are macabre and dark, but there are just one example. There is a lot of of original material out there that is just as good, if not better.
The problem really lies in the existing studio models that are used to create such film projects, and we’re starting to see them on YouTube as well. In effect, the desire to produce hits on a constant basis becomes the driving factor for output, and variety and originality suffers as a result.
Your thoughts? Am I hollow in the head, or is bringing the Addams Family back really, a good idea?
and
Reviving the Dead: MGM Devlops Animated Addams Family Read More »
A while back, I did a comparison of three, quite different Kickstarter campaigns for animated projects. Today, we’re taking a look at three more. Again, they’re all quite different but all hope to raise enough money to fund the production of top-quality animation. They are: Bee & Puppycat, Dead Meat and Morph.
…
Three More Animated Kickstarter Campaigns to CompareRead More »
Three More Animated Kickstarter Campaigns to Compare Read More »
Over on Indiewire, Eric Kohn has written a very interesting (and comprehensive) piece on Adventure Time and how the show has grown far from its simple roots by expounding in all sorts of weird and nuanced directions. What Kohn touches on, but does not completely explore, is why the logical, complimentary relationship that should exist between creators and fans has gotten somewhat out of step and why that’s a thing that should be a concern.
…
Keeping Fans On-Track: An Adventure Time Cautionary TaleRead More »
Keeping Fans On-Track: An Adventure Time Cautionary Tale Read More »
The 1989 Batman film was one of the most successful at the time but besides the star names on the billing, was the very brand of the film itself. The Dissolve has a thorough post about how the studio, knowing they had a troublesome film on their hands, took an unusual route to getting the news that a Batman film was forthcoming out there.
…
I’m not gonna lie: this is probably about the height of blog activity for this week and next. Because thus begins an insane schedule that includes weddings, an 8-hour professional exam, a trip to Lancaster, Pennsylvania and of course a full-time job to hold down at the same time.
However, November is currently shaping up quite nicely with a trip to the CTN Expo on the cards. Drop me a line if you’ll be there!
…
Week Links 38-2013 Read More »
Driving for 12 hours of your 48 hour weekend is not conducive to bloging at all. Better late than never though.
…
Week Links 37-2013 Read More »
Scott Mendelson is quite prolific on the animation front this weather. First he qualified his statement that American feature animation is, for all intents and purposes, a genre. Secondly, he’s written a rather substantive piece (again for Forbes) on DreamWorks Animation and their “complicated legacy”. Is he right though? Here’s a look at why DreamWorks legacy is actually about much more than their films.
…
DreamWorks Are About Much More Than Their FeaturesRead More »
DreamWorks Are About Much More Than Their Features Read More »
Here’s something that you don’t often hear discussed: just how many of an animated thing do you have to make? The question may seem confusing, but consider it for a second. When you make an animated feature, you can be successful with just one. A TV series requires at least a few episodes in order to become a success. Are the two linked, and what does it mean for web series if they are?
…
The Law of Proportional Effort Read More »
It’s oft rumoured that boys have a certain amount of disdain for shows with female leads. The reasons are vague and revolve around concepts of masculinity and accepted social norms. However, such rumours are exactly that: rumours. As it turns out, boys do watch shows with a female lead, and they’re doing it in greater numbers than you would believe.
…
As it Turns Out, Boys DO Watch Female Characters on TVRead More »
As it Turns Out, Boys DO Watch Female Characters on TV Read More »
The studying continues and while it has interrupted the posting schedule, it hasn’t interrupted the week links posts. Here’s another batch for you to peruse.
…
Week Links 36-2013 Read More »
