Animatic for Theme Song

So, we've been away for a while here at the Blooog, but a lot's been happening for us in the real world.

I had a birthday ( 31 ) and we successfully cast the role of Twinklebelly. Also, I have finished the first pass on the animatic for the theme song ( "Technocolored Ballad of the Rocketship Rangers" ), and while I will be making several more edits to get the timing right, I thought I'd share with you, flawed as it is, the first animatic.

Please leave thoughts and criticisms in the comment section.

ALSO, I KNOW THE SYNC IS OFF ON ONE OF THE DIALOGUE TRACKS. THIS WILL BE FIXED IN THE SECOND AND SUBSEQUENT VERSIONS OF THE ANIMATIC. FEAR NOT.

Here are some of the drawings used in it. Please let us know what you think, good or bad.

I made the mistake of trying to board this with thumbnail sketches first. I think it was a mistake because I was still getting the ideas out. The more finished drawings are re-do's of very very quick notebook sketches.

These thumbnail storyboard sketches show I spent too much time with them. I should've just stuck with the very quick notebook sketches for getting the ideas out and then jumped straight into "layout".








COMING UP NEXT: THE SCRIBNER FACE

Developmental Death 2: Electric Boogaloo

by Trevor Thompson

So, a long time ago when I still had time to post somewhat interesting things on this blooog, I did a theory post about developmental sketches. It's theoretical because I myself have never worked professionally in the industry, so my opinion isn't really valid. Think of this as just me thinking aloud.

If you really want to read it for reference purposes, then click here.

The post basically pontificates about why it is that in most cases, aesthetically speaking, the 'developmental sketches' are usually some of the best work to come out of any given project. I used two otherwise bland shows as my example: the long-running Aqua Teen Hunger Force...




and the cancelled-after-two-episodes Clerks.

Anyway, the best drawings from that post were all done for Aqua Teen by Clay Croker, who in addition to doing animation and design work for a lot of early [adult swim] programs also voiced several of the characters. Zorak, Moltar, Steve, Dr. Weird and a bunch of one shot characters for The Brak Show and Perfect Hair Forever all owe Clay's tonsils a debt.



So, here's what Clay has to say about the development artwork he did for Aqua Teen Hunger Force. I apologize if one or two of these aren't yours, Clay. I'm going based on guesses and signatures. :)

FROM CLAY CROKER:

Thanks for the comments, Trevor - I tell ya why the funnier drawings...



Part of it, as was suggested, is we knew the characters would never ultimately come off as cool as we could draw them up front with the budget we had to work with - but we wanted to see how far we could push it anyway...



The other part is that there's always the chance that if you can provide something that the client "can't live without" then you might be able to push the project down a cooler path than had been originally envisioned.



(That route has worked for me time and again by the way)



A lot of the drawings I did were done over a 3 or 4 hour period when I met show creators Dave and Matt over at the Highland Tap one rainy Sunday afternoon in April 1999.



We drank pitcher after pitcher - they told me what they wanted and I drew about 10-12 pages of designs while we talked.



(Some of those drawings were actually incorrectly referred to as Wild Hare Studios art in this article -- But they ain't.)



So alcohol no doubt enhanced the overall "carefree" drawing approach to some of those.



But I ask ya - doesn't every animator wanna work on a show that's fun to draw? (and closer to their own style?)

I guess this answers the question about what you need to make a good looking cartoon: a bit of beer and a bit of budget.

Thanks Clay for taking the time to tell us about these fun sketches! Go visit Clay at his blog:

http://arglebarglin.blogspot.com/

COMING UP NEXT: THE SCRIBNER FACE

AKA... Crap!

Though it may have previously been thought impossible to degrade the Hanna-Barbera show "Help!.... It's The Hair Bear Bunch", my direct ancestors the British managed to do it.

This is from a show in the late 90's on Cartoon Network UK called 'AKA Cult Toons', and it was a desperate ploy to give editors something fun to do.

The saddest part about this is you'll see a few good cartoons ( "Draftee Daffy", "Little Hiawatha" and "Cow and Chicken" ) play second fiddle to a bunch of rubbish. Though, the blaxploitation clips are cool.

I'll give you a dollar if you can get through both of these videos and not feel like you've been violated in some way.



Oh, and Happy New Year. We're back.

- THE BOOO TOOON MAROOONS