The Future Of Prime Time Animation from the US

Click HERE to see an interesting article about how the big US networks are competing to find the next big thing in TV animation. One amazing stat is that Fox has made over 2 Billion bucks from the Simpsons over the last 17 years.
Click the pic to see the article
Also make sure you check out the new preview for the Simpsons Movie if you haven't already, it's funny as.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love the way they use 2d to advertise it then cut strait into a 3d wreaking ball truck...

I wish someone would axe the simpsons already... they havent had a good show in years. (athough I am excited about the movie) I reckon they should make some good clean cartoons for prime time... like the old simpsons. Clean and the best. I can imagine them around there idea table: "Oh... no ones watching the simpsons anymore... so we gotta make it more dirty and unacceptable for the family". Sponge bob is funnier than the simpsons... wack that on at 6 every night.

Ian said...

Wow…. A stinging editorial from the Clay man there. That’s great!

I wish more people were throwing their opinions around on the blog, that way we can all learn more about and from each other. It also means I can argue with people (one of my favorite pass times).

I don’t know if the Simpson’s really qualifies as dirty humor Clay, I wouldn’t put it in the same league as Southpark or Family Guy. I guess they go for the cheep laugh every now and then (who doesn’t), but it has quite a strong underlying moral code to it, it’s a simple formula, Bart and or Homer do something stupid and Lisa or Marge show the folly of their ways. There may be some low brow gear in there, or some things you don’t believe in, but at least its mixed in with other layers of meaning. In my experience you will always get more change out of people by giving them the food for though rather than shoving something down their throat. Lots of people who are into the so called “edgy” style of humor would watch the Simpson’s and unwittingly end up watching a show about how wrong it is to steal (the Ep where Bart ruins Xmas) or the pitfalls of reactionary politics (the Ep where Homer campaigns for a Bare Tax). If the Simpson’s was all peachy clean then half the people watching would turn off. I like Sponge Bob too, but I think over time I would get tired of humor that only worked on one level.

I also think you need to give the writers and producers a little more credit, there isn’t anyone else ever who has managed to keep a show going for so long, and while you’re getting sick of it whole new generations are becoming fans (as was touched on in the article).

STILL hats of to you for sticking your neck out with an opinion in a constructive and articulate manner. Keep it up Clay :)

Anonymous said...

You see I dont have a problem with family guy and south park... There dirty shows and they always have been. Im not gonna have a problem with them unless they start playing them at 6pm each night. (although I do have a problem with family guy rape jokes)... Simpsons is a family show at 6pm every night - the content is less the problem but rather how good the episodes are... and it seems to me as the simpsons are getting more adult the episodes are getting crapper. I think the old simpsons are good... I would class bart ruining christmas as old simpsons... Thats a good (family) episode. Its mermorable and quotable . "we didn't have a message when we left. How very odd" The old golden simpsons are better simpsons all around... try get a better episode than the leftorium episode this side of season um.. 10 or 12 or something... Perhaps there just getting worse cause its old while at the same time getting lest tight with there content...


On a differnt note sorta: I think southpark is a much more better show when it comes to morals than the simpsons. Southpark attack issues that are less obvious to whether there right or wrong. There happy to take unpopular views... There happy to offend just about anyone and there really saying alot on importaint issues. Although I dont aggree with southpark most of the time Im glad there doing what there doing... there thinking and saying. Unlike simpsons that tell us that stealing is wrong. Gee I didnt know that. anyway Im bored of writting... old simpsons > new simpsons.

(much more better... man I love english)

Terry said...

CATFIGHT! Twenty bucks on Clay!

What a great article and what an interesting set of comments from Clay and Ian. I agree with Clay that old Simpsons is much better than new (that's a pretty non-controversial stance!), but I do still enjoy the new ones... the Ricky Gervais ep from a few months back was one of the all-time best.

Definitely agree about South Park too... they are so gutsy and a lot cleverer than they're given credit for. I admire the fact that you can see that while disagreeing with their politics, Clay.

Ian said...

I concede there are differences within the Simpson’s from old to new, the biggest for me is the way the stories don't hang together as well (The absence of Brad Bird I suspect). But I'm glad it is changing, I think if it was still the same as it was 16 years ago i'd be well over it by now.

Ian said...

Hey Tez

Seems to me you could have commented on the post that actually contained the film you’re talking about, but anyway I guess this will do. I remember from Richards’s animation master class that he called that style "two and a half D" and it was meant to mimic a tapestry style. Zigzags walk is created just by varying the extreme and passing point poses (with a few bit layered over the top, like the shoes). Another great example of Richards walk/run technique is when the Brigand comes running in yelling "Caravan". That scene is in the DVD version and if you flick through the frames the passing points and extremes are amazing.