HAPPY LAND update

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Mikdog
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Post by Mikdog »

Thanks ;)

I'm supposed to be hearing soon what the national broadcaster has for budget. They were talking about 26 x 5 minute episodes being played back to back. That's nice, although I really think 2:30 minutes is enough time to tell a story (with intro and outro included) and my concern is that pushing it to 5 minutes will not do anything positive (except make it easier for the broadcaster to slot it into their schedule) Instead, quality might go down, script might have to be buffed up with superfluous stuff to pan it out, and fear of all fear, it might become a drag to watch.

Anyway, I have high hopes for this, and the production company I'm going through understands the importance of holding on to a large percentage of copyright. It seems as though our national broadcaster will invest say 85% in a production, then once it's done, not sell it on to anyone afterwards. It just kind of sits in purgatory forever.

Anyway Kadoogan, you got those points nailed about the facial features that can be reused for characters. Thanks for the vote of support.

As soon as I know, or once I've signed on to make more episodes, I'll post here. Fingers crossed ;) Woo
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Kadoogan
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Post by Kadoogan »

If you only need 2:30 to tell a story, couldn't you simply have two stories per 5 minute slot? Then it would certainly not be boring...
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Post by DarthFurby »

Good luck Mikdog, hope it works out. You deserve it.
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Mikdog
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Post by Mikdog »

Kadoogan wrote:If you only need 2:30 to tell a story, couldn't you simply have two stories per 5 minute slot? Then it would certainly not be boring...
Thanks. I put that forward to the production company. Their website, just for interest's sake, is www.anamazing.co.za

Still waiting to hear, ho hum. In the meantime I'm working on another episode.

Thanks Darth ;)
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Mikdog
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Post by Mikdog »

Well, still no contract. Seems the broadcaster is taking longer than I thought. I've put all your encouraging posts throughout this thread into an email, hoping this will spur things along.

Got loads of story outlines.

You guys wrote such nice things about Happy Land! Reading them again has totally bowled me over. Thanks.
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spoooze!
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Post by spoooze! »

Wow! Very very nicely done. Some of the best work on this forum.
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Post by gizmo91 »

Yes its really awesome
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Kadoogan
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Post by Kadoogan »

If you ever get a DVD up for sale, I want a copy.

It's a nice project...a lovely sample of great animation with heart, imagination and feeling.

The simple design of the characters is very appropriate for the project - you pulled it off nicely - it could have been a weakness but it works as a strength in this instance.

Even if you don't manage to get a network to run it (which seems unlikely) you could still successfully sell DVDs of it forever.

If for some reason the network you are dealing with doesn't want to run it (which would be a mistake on their part), you should present it to Nickleodeon. They are always on the lookout for creator-driven works. Especially visually original projects.
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Mikdog
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Post by Mikdog »

Hey, thanks guys. Latest news is that the company I'm going through is showing it to yet ANOTHER company. They deal with International Children's Programming. If the lady CEO likes it, then we're going to start production on the show, and I'll be able to start earning a bit of cash, which is nice because I'm pretty broke.

Been brainstorming some stories with my brother. Got loads of outlines for stories, we've refined some of them and I've been putting some visuals together to send to the animation company.

Image

Like, for example, the monster story very briefly - some Happy Landers are playing by the water. There's a JOCK guy who is getting all the attention from a girl. There's also a GEEK guy. A MONSTER emerges from the water and roars. The girl tells the JOCK to do something. The JOCK makes a token attempt at kicking the MONSTER and then runs away screaming like a little girl. The GEEK remains behind. The MONSTER roars at the GEEK, who doesn't flinch. The MONSTER picks the GEEK up and is about to eat him when the GEEK tells the MONSTER a knock-knock joke. The MONSTER laughs so hard that it dies. The JOCK returns and pretends that is was he who defeated the monster. SUN arrives and tells the others the true story, that its the GEEK who's the true hero.

They're all character-based stories with a moral message involved (not too preachy-preachy) but funny, entertaining, good-natured stories. The animation company is thinking about getting some professional education writers in to do scripts. We'll so how that goes.
Last edited by Mikdog on Fri Mar 21, 2008 4:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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jahnocli
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Post by jahnocli »

Ha ha! Some wonderful ideas/thumbnails there!
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Post by human »

Mikdog wrote: . . . Been brainstorming some stories with my brother . . . funny, entertaining, good-natured stories. The animation company is thinking about getting some professional education writers in to do scripts. . .
Good-natured stories? In this day and age, don't you need to have knife-wielding baby dolls with blood running out of their eyes?

But leaving aside the matter of what the competition is doing [ ! ] (rather predictably, I might add), I liked your story proposal.

I really wonder whether those "professionals" bring anything to the party beyond a cut of your potential paycheck.

Explain about your concept art. It's a highly professional example... of adopting a style that's already common out in the illustration world. I hope this doesn't mean you would have to deviate from your own established style?
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Mikdog
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Post by Mikdog »

Hey,

I just found out how to submit an idea to Nickelodeon.

***

I have an idea for a show. Whom can I contact about it?

If you have a programming idea, you must have a licensed agent or attorney contact Nickelodeon Development in writing at:

Nickelodeon
1515 Broadway
New York, New York 10036
to request a "Submission Release" form. The proposal must be accompanied by the signed submission release for review. If not, the proposal will not be considered.

***

There ya go.

My concept art - I just whacked it out in Photoshop. I do cartoons and animation, and use a WACOM Intuos 3 tablet. I bought a lgeal version of Photoshop recently, which I'm happy about. All my software's legal.

My story pitches. I got loads. These relate to the visuals. Some more examples:

***

1.jpg:

Long Legs Mclaren is playing soccer with his friends. He accidentally
squashes his buddy. He loses the ball with an effortless kick. He pops
the next ball by stepping on it by mistake. His friends suggest they
go and get some lemonade. Mclaren accidentally kicks the lemonade
stand over with his huge legs. His friends suggest they play
hide-and-seek. Mclaren tries to hide, but is spotted easily. His
friends suggest they go to the pool. On the way, Mclaren accidentally
steps on a house and breaks through the roof. Mclaren jumps into the
pool and empties out all the water with a huge splash. His friends
tell him that he is too different, and no good to anyone. Mclaren
sulks. A child jumps into the empty pool and needs medical attention.
The hospital is miles away. Sun suggests they think of other means of
transport. Mclaren offers to help. They tell him he's done enough
damage already. A lady advises that Mclaren is their only hope. They
load the injured child onto Mclaren. Mclaren strides effortlessly over
mountains to arrive at the Happy Land Hospital in good time. A doctor
tells Mclaren that she got a call about the incident, and is amazed at
how quickly Mclaren made the journey. She tells Mclaren that the
hospital could use someone like him. Mclaren is amazed that anyone
would be interested in having him around. Soon, Mclaren is working for
the hospital. The doctor receives a call about a stranded mountaineer
in the Happy Land Hills. She asks Mclaren is he's up to the job.
Mclaren is only too happy to help out, and bounds off in the
mountaineer's direction.

2.jpg:

A boy has ordered a flying hat. It arrives in a box. The boy puts the
hat on. The instructions read "1. Put hat on. 2. Believe you can Fly.
3. Fly." The boy is just about to lift off when a punk asks the boy
what he's doing. The boy tells him that he is about to fly with a
flying hat that only works if he believes he can fly. The punk laughs
at the ridiculous idea. The boy is filled with doubt, and can't get
his flying hat to work. Sun assures the boy that he need not listen to
the punk, but instead should focus on believing that he can fly. He
focuses his energies and takes off into the sky. He flies over the
punk's head. The punk is amazed at the sight of the flying boy. The
flying hat falls off the boy's head mid-flight. The boy falls towards
earth. He panics. Sun tells the boy that he doesn't need the hat to
fly, and that it was his belief that was allowing him to fly. Just as
the boy is about to hit the ground, he swoops low and continues flying
without the hat. He coaxes the punk into flying too. The punk amazes
himself as he is also able to fly with his self-belief. They both fly
through the sky, while they sing a song about self-belief with Sun.

3.jpg:

Happy is insufferably happy. He loves telling jokes, and won't let
anything get him down. He is on a stroll one day, when he comes across
a very bleak lady. He asks her why she is so upset. She tells him how
the Happy Land Princess has lost her poodle, and has ordered all Happy
Landers to mourn with her until the poodle's return. Happy does not
understand the concept of mourning, so attempts to tell the lady a
joke to cheer her up. The lady wants to laugh, but controls herself
due to the Princess' orders. Unfettered, Happy continues on his
stroll. He encounters a man who is also mourning. Happy tells him a
joke. The man desperately wants to laugh, but due to the Princess'
orders, refrains from doing so. Unabashed, Happy continues on his
stroll. He meets a little girl who is also mourning. Happy tells her a
joke. She is bursting with laughter, but manages to keep hide it. The
Happy Land Princess swoops down from a cloud. She reprimands Happy for
being so happy when she has ordered that everyone mourn her lost
poodle. With all three mourners watching, Happy cracks joke after joke
for the Princess. Despite her best efforts, the Princess cannot keep
her stoic front and roars with laughter. The Happy Landers cannot
restrain their laughter either and they join in. Happy smiles. The
Princess' poodle comes running out from the forest and jumps onto the
Princess' cloud. In her poodle-talk, she tells the Princess how she
got lost in the forest and found her way home when she heard the
laughter. The Princess is very thankful for Happy's efforts. Happy is
not sure what he's done, but, as always, he's happy.

***

I'm also a bit concerned about the writers. It may be two different worlds colliding in terms of education/entertainment. If their stuff is dry and character-less, I might have to disagree. In my episode pitch, Heavy's got character, but I think I did leave the other 2 characters a bit grey and flat. Sun's also got a bit of character.

I don't know if anyone's seen this, or if I posted this before, but I really think these characters are great. It's by Pendleton Ward. The short is called ADVENTURE TIME and it was created by Frederator Studios as part of the Nickelodeon RANDOM! cartoons in 2006. I saw this on my trip to the States when attending Comic-Con in San Diego. It made me laugh so much I cried:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LNVYWJOEy9A
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slowtiger
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Post by slowtiger »

Your thumbnail style is great. Don't forget about it if you need something for a new show.
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Mikdog
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Post by Mikdog »

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Post by Mikdog »

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