"Then and Now"

Interview with Ashley Davis

This is an interview with Ashley Davis. She is a Senior at The University of Texas at Dallas and is an Arts and Technology major. She is studying Computer Animation to become a modeler and texture artist. I wanted to get her insight on the Juniors and how she compared them to the Seniors. 

• 
  TC: How do you feel about the quality of cartoons today compared to what they were back then?
  

  AD: Style and content has changed dramatically, due to the change in audiences. Back then of course, the technology was very simple; now that we have moved from basic cell animation and transition to digital, the cartoons are a lot clearer and the amount of creativity we can accomplish is not within reach. Today they are even incorporating 3D with 2D cartoons now—which is really cool.
• 
  

  TC:Give an example of one modern cartoon of today that you enjoy watching and why?
• 
  

  AD: The Legend of Kora! I've always been a big fan of The Last Aribender. This cartoon really stuck out the most from all the other modern cartoons. I'm a big person when it comes to story-lines, even in the games I play. If it doesn't have a good storyline, I won't watch or play it. The story was very historical. As a past martial artist myself, I was very interested in the different fighting styles. As an artist, I was pulled in by the landscapes and scenery. Everything was drawn really well and as a whole it really got me wanting more. I was very excited when I heard that The Legend of Kora was about to happen, 
• TC: Give me an example of a modern cartoon you hate, and Why?
• 
  

  AD: Gah! That is a hard one. I'm very open to all cartoons!!! If I had to pick one...I would say Danny Phantom. I dont' hate it, I just find it hard to follow sometimes. Most cartoons have episodes leading each other, adding some important story content to the next. In Danny phantom, It was kind of hard to find that flow. The episodes were fine. I just wish it had more story depth. It has the potential to go deeper. Then again I'm just a deep person so I can't make the show change just to fit my perspective 
  
  TC: Give me an example of an old school cartoon you liked to watch and Why?
• 
  

  AD: Courage the Cowardly Dog! Oh my goodness, I absolutely love that show! It scared the crap out of me, but I loved it anyways. I was a scary person myself back in the day. I Still am. I related to courage because he would defeat the odds and save the people he loved. I think that is what is lacking from cartoons nowadays, morals. It's all funny, and there is nothing wrong with that, but sometimes it's good to put in there a couple of life lessons. Courage the Cowardly Dog definitely did that; in its overly drastic ways. Plus it was hilarious the way he reacted when he got scared, priceless! 
• 
  

  TC: How do you feel about the future for modern cartoons?

  
  

  AD: It's bright, for sure. With the advancement of new technology and new generations of artist, there will be a wave of new idea's, new way of doing animation and creative ways of telling stories. However, even though we are going into the 3D world, we must not forget our 2D roots. Sometimes, people lose sight that everything actually started with just pencil and paper. In many ways, we still do that today, just with a twist.
• 
  

  TC: Ok, What I have noticed over the years, is that a lot of people have appealed to cartoons with dark humor, violence, sex and vulgarity. Why do you think that is?
• 
  

  AD: People are starting to find out that cartoons aren't just for kids anymore. Even the cartoons that are obviously for 10-14 age groups have little bits of adult humor in it. I can't really see the problem in it. If it was specifically made for adults or it's known that there is adult content in it. I think it can be relieving for people to see cartoons as innocent. They do stupid things cause they don't know any better; that is probably why some parents don't let their kids watch them. In a way, that is true. Now that adult themes are being introduced, the game has changed. Cartoons aren't stupid anymore. They're "smart" in a sense that they re-enact how normal adult people would react in certain situations. The difference is, for humor they make things overly violent, overly vulgar. It's funny, because normal adults wouldn't react that way and we don't' take it literally. I like that a younger audience will watch it; I actually prefer that...to an extent.
  
  For example, The Boondocks. That is an adult show, with adult content but its funny.They take real world situations or adaptations to certain situations and put a funny spin on it, that I can handle. In the end, It all depends on the cartoon. Plus, as kids turn into teens, then from teens to adults, I think it is appropriate that cartoons mature along with the audiences. I mean... I don't watch Barney anymore.That was for a younger audience. I'm older know and I want something I can relate to.
  
  TC: Do you think that the vulgarity is what makes the cartoons funnier than the watered down, safe cartoons? Or do you think they're equally funny?
• 
  

  AD: It can be, if used right. I like cartoons that do it tastefully. If a cartoon overdoes it, I lose interest. A balance between watered down and vulgar versions is a happy medium. Anything more or less and it's either way too adult, to the point were is can be XXX or I'm seriously questioning my age. I go back to the Boondocks example. Yes, cursing is involved, but you don't hear it 20 times in the same sentence. Another one is Samurai Champloo. Adult, yes. Violent, yes. Humor, definitely...the cursing is tasteful and accepted.The storyline has to take the lead if mature content is involved. Everything else is just an additive. 
• 
  

  TC: From my research, I've noticed that a lot of people online and in person, bash a lot of modern cartoons without giving them chance. Do you think that since our generation grew-up with the older cartoons, that they're more inclined to discredit the newer ones?
  
  AD: I don't think so. If they do, then they are closed minded. It's only when you appreciate the past that you open to the present or should I say the future. If anything, I have a greater appreciation of it. When I was little, I found out how cartoons were made.It was amazing! So much imagination came from the fingertips of artist back then; they were willing to spend countless hours behind a light box and draw characters frame by frame, just to get a desired effect. Now, the need for that is little to none. That opens up for more creations to be made in the smallest amount of time...that just makes it possible to get more crazy idea's out in the open. So my answer is no. I'd give credit. At some point, they too had to do something the hard way; that is the only way you can appreciate the easy.
• 
  

  TC: Ok, great! From an ATEC perspective—Arts and Technology Major perspective—when watching the premier show of a new cartoon, what's the first thing you evaluate?
• 
  

  AD: The look. I used to believe looks aren't everything, but geez! They say "don't judge the book by its cover", how else are you going to opened it and read the pages? Same thing for a good cartoon. Looks set the mood. It is part of the story and helps aid in storytelling. Looks my not be everything I agree, but it's the first thing you look at...we all do it. Animators will judge how a characters' movements "look" like. Riggers will judge the characters' to see if the mechanics "look" right. Textures artist (myself) will notice how well scenes "look". It's not till after, that we start getting technical with it and really find the good and the bad.
• 
  

  TC: Cool! Thank you so much Ashley. You've given me some really good insight.
• 
  

  AD: No problem! 

Regular Show vs. Beavis and Butt-head

What's up everyone, today I will be critiquing Regular Show (2010) and Beavis and Butt-head (1993) . Regular Show is an animated cartoon series about two best friends that live and work together, Mordecai and Rigby. The show revolves around them getting in and out of trouble. They live in a boarding house at a park, where they work as groundskeepers. Mordecai is a 23 year-old Blue Jay, who is the more mature and sensible one out of the two friends. Rigby is a 23 year-old Racoon who is always lazy, compulsive and irresponsible. When the two friends are together, work never gets done and they're always messing things up. As a result of their mess-ups, the consequences that follow are always extreme or supernatural. Their roommates always seem to get tangled in their dilemmas, but they work together to help one another. Pops is a British Lollipop man who is sweet, innocent and very naive; Skips is a beefed-up Yeti who loves to work out and is the "muscle" around the park; Benson is a gum-ball machine who is the boss and makes sure everything in the park is in order; Muscle Man (a.k.a. Mitch) is an overly macho, obnoxious who is commonly making "My Mom" jokes—which is suppose to be a spin-off of "Yo Momma" jokes and High Five Ghost is his best friend, who is always there to give Muscle Man a high five after all of his "My Mom" jokes. 

Beavis and Butt-head is a cartoon show about two teenage boys who are always getting into some kind of trouble. They love rock music, watching music videos and they love bashing on other people. The similarities between the cartoon are as follow:

• Two best friends that get into trouble when they're together and unsupervised. Difference is, Regular Show is more watered-down with their adult humor.
• One of the friends, tends to be a little bit more mature than the other (Regular Show: Mordecai and Beavis and Butt-head: Butt-head).
• They end up getting themselves into weird, unrealistic situations. Difference is, in Regular Show, the situation is more often supernatural, and in Beavis and Butt-head  the situation is just stupid. 
• The best friends share their signature confirmation laughs with one another. (Regular Show: the "Hm-hmhm-hm-hmm" laugh and Beavis and Butt-head: just their usual awkward laughs).

The more I think about the two cartoons as a comparison, the more I consider them to be parallel from each other. 

Regular Show

This cartoon definitely has a style of its own. It's is so different from all the other cartoons that are currently on Cartoon Network. The environment is very clean and has a realistic feel to it, almost like it we could go to that location ourselves. What adds to the uniqueness of this cartoon, are the random supernatural consequences that follow Mordecai and Rigby's actions. It adds the, "What the @#$%!" factor and makes a new genera of humor. If the viewers are not open-minded about the humor in this cartoon, it will come off as slow and boring. If you pay attention to the hidden adult jokes, visual puns, innuendoes and mild vulgarity, you will really enjoy this cartoon. The character styles incorporate a wide variety, from animals to inanimate objects talking to real human beings. The creativity level for this cartoon is off the charts and stands out from the crowd. 

The aesthetics of the characters are similar to the classic 20s and 30s "noodling". Sometimes the joints will completely bend or they'll just curl around. This play between smooth and sharp edges and corners, creates an appealing look that is easy on the eyes. I personally love this aspect of character design, because I also play with these details in my designs. The animation is paralleled to the look of the cartoon. The smooth and sharp play is also displayed in the animation and creates a unique style. The color scheme of the show, is also classic to the vintage cartoons. Again, it's very appealing, easy on the eyes and adds to the humor of the cartoon. For example, Muscle Man's skin is green. The green color, along with his deep voice, makes him seem sickly. He's suppose to be a macho character, yet he has an unappealing gut and barley any noticeable muscle. Color also comes into play with Benson. We all familiarize a gum-ball machine to me red, right? Well, the red color not only helps the viewer make a visual connection, but to express his overall personality. He is very quick-tempered, so we see him mad and frustrated often. The red expresses that element of his personality. When he really gets upset, the class casing, that holds the gum-balls, also turns red. 

The only down-side to this cartoon, is the lack of character depth. It does give some brief information in certain episodes, on certain characters, but shortened air time prevents that. On the other hand, the general audience honestly doesn't care how deep the cartoon goes. It's cohesive and makes sense, so it doesn't matter.  

This cartoon is definitely different, in a fantastic way. When I saw the first few episodes, I was a little turned off by the humor, but I new there was potential. I'm very open-minded when it comes to cartoons, so I warmed up to it. Once I understood the humor, I was hooked. [1]

Beavis and Butt-head

This cartoon is definitely, one of the pioneers for the adult cartoons we have to day. There's really not much to critique about this cartoon, except to say that it's simple. It's meant for a mature audience, so it really doesn't need all that "la-de-da" to communicate the theme. In a sense, the simpleness of it, is what makes the show. As chaotic as Beavis and Butt-head are, I see no need for any fancy animation, color scheme or depth. The humor speaks for itself and the expressiveness of the lines in the characters' design, communicates clearly. This cartoon was simply made  to watch, enjoy and rot the brains of countless children. And if your a 90s baby, you now exactly what I'm talking about. [2]

My Opinion

It's uncanny how alike and different theses two cartoons are. I enjoy watching both of them, just for sheer entertainment, but I would pick Regular Show over Beavis and Butt-head. 

[1] Regular Show. (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2012 from 
         http://www.tv.com/shows/regular-show/

[2] Beavis and Butt-head. (2012). Retrieved December 6, 2012 from  
         http://www.mtv.com/shows/beavis_and_butthead/series.jhtml

Interview with Hazel D. Tarr

Todays interview is with Hazel D. Tarr. She is the founder and Creative-Lead of Tarrka Studios, which is located in Hilliard, Ohio. She has a Bachelors Degree from Columbus College of Art & Design and she specializes in documentaries, animation and video. 

TC: First off, I want to thank you again for helping me. I know you are very busy and I appreciate your time.

HT: Not a problem. Besides we need to make sure you are able to complete your assignment!

TC: I would first like to know your occupation. Where do you work and what are your duties within the studio?

HT: I am the founder and creative lead. Currently I have a tenant space on the CCAD - Columbus College of Art & Design campus. I do it all, producer, director, secretary, mail person, motivator and sometimes even some video work. I guess I should mention the name of the studio—Tarrka Studios.

TC: Wow! That's amazing. Sorry, it took me a while to make the connection...

What do you think about the quality of TV show cartoons today, compared to what they were back then?

HT: I'd say that probably there's an equal amount of really good ones today to "back then" and just about the same amount of less than stellar ones too. And what are you considering as to "back then"?

TC: "Back then" as in mostly in the 90s.

HT: Wow, that's not that long ago.

TC: Well, I wanted to work with a smaller timeline because of the range of cartoons out there, but I have done some critiques on cartoons from the 80s and 70s

HT: Ok...

TC: What is one of your favorite modern day cartoon. Explain why.

HT: Phineas & Ferb—it's completely different for Disney. Actually, Disney didn't want to do it because it didn't fit the mold—glad they did. Which one is yours?

TC: Mine are Adventure Time and Regular Show. The animation and Visual asthetic is different. It's origanal, but stays true to the classc cartoon style of the 40s "noodle" style of cartoons...What modern day cartoon do you hate or dislike and why?

HT: I can picture it in my head, but I don't know the name.....I was channel surfing and came across one in particular—very much flat 2D and I just didn't like it. I realize that if you stay with half animation, you can quickly churn out episodes, but I'm more into quality of the animation.

TC: Yes, I completely agree. I'm prety open-minded when it comes to cartoons, but the one I absolutly hate is the Annoying Orange. I don't understand how it made it on Cartoon Network. The animation is horrible, there's no creativity involved and it's annoying...

HT: Yep, at least you know the name of the cartoon. I just tune them out.

TC: What classic cartoon did you love watching and why?

HT: When I was little it was Casper—but for some reason it was rarely on.  It was fun seeing what you imagined a ghost could do. The remakes were terrible, esepcially the 2D/3D combo. I also liked the Jetsons—again completely different environment.

TC: Would the remakes of Casper be the cartoons you disliked?

HT: No, that was just a bad animated/live action movie. It's new, flat 2D I think on the Disney channel or possibly Nick.

TC: So, how do you feel about the future of cartoons?

HT: Just like animated movies, I think the future can be bright. There will always be talent and creative ideas.

TC: From my research, I've noticed that more and more cartoons are incorporating violence, sexual innuendoes, and vulgarity in the new cartoons. I have also noticed that people enjoy cartoons with these elements. How do you feel about these kind of cartoons?

HT: Well, if you look at South Park, it's been going on for a while. They are for a certain audience, but certainly not for children.

TC: How do you feel about more watered-down cartoons, with adult humor in them, such as: Regular Show, MAD, Adventure Time, etc.?

HT: Well, other than the fact that I haven't even tuned to see what they're all about, what can I say?  If you saw my video collection, you'd think that a kid lives here—yep, me.... a grown up kid. I think that as long as kids aren't accidentally exposed to more adult cartoons, it is ok. The one thing that I definitely have an issue with is the violence and sex. It's amazing how some young adults do not know how to separate a game or cartoon from real life.

TC: I agree. I feel that studios are being a little bit more free with what they put into their cartoons. I do commend that to a certain extent, but there are some kid cartoons that are ment for an adult audience.

HT: Children are subjected to way too much adult content—be it if they see the news at school and even just out in public.  In some respects, between them wanting to grow up too soon, sometimes they have no choice.

TC: Yea, It's sad. I am also a kid at heart, and even as an adult I feel very uncomfortable about the things they show not only on TV, but what people are willing to do in public.

HT: Very true...

TC: When watching a new cartoon, what is the first thing you evaluate?

HT: It's a tie between the storyline and the animation. As with animated movies—cartoons, live action, etc.—if you don't have a good story, you might as well forget it.

TC: Yea, the story is the driving force of any cartoon or movie. I have also noticed that a lot of people, in person and online, talk bad about the new cartoons and saying how they aren't as good as the old school cartoons. They expect everyone to agree, but they give no eveidence to persuade me to agree with them. Do you think that just because we may grow up with a certain genre of cartoons, that we are less likely to be open-minded about newer ones?

HT: You will find that with any medium, there is always that affinity to what you grew up with and then use that as a barometer to judge new work. Although, if one is truly a creative individual, you should be able to appreciate new works/genres. If you think about it, all creative works are a reflection of the times in which we live.....a time capsule without having to be buried for decades. Which is why some works have a short life span....it is due to the very nature of what is being told.  You notice there are some cartoons that have revamped themselves, but are still able to stay relevant today.

Case in point—Marvel, Bat Man, Spider Man.

TC: What do you think about the new Looney Tunes Show on Cartoon Network?

HT: Didn't even know there was a new one. For some reason when I surf to Cartoon Network, I'm always finding the old cartoons. I'm gonna have to check it out! What do you think about it?

TC: I think it's ok. The animation isn't as good as the origanal, but I like how different it is. I also think it's pretty funny. I honestly can say that I enjoy it, but it can never be as good as the origanal. I was thinking of doing a comparison between the old and new looney tunes shows. I Have gotten a lot of mixed signals about the new show from my friends, but I keep telling them to be open-minded.

HT: Ah, but even you like the older ones. The biggest problem is the fact that studios are trying to produce without spending the time to ensure quality animation.....because of the cost factor. It's a vicious cycle. And another problem, today's society is so "has to be instantaneous", if it takes more than a couple of seconds, then it's too slow.

TC: Hahaha! Yes, guilty as charged. And yes, It's sad really. I saw this documentary on Chuck Jones, and the creation of the Looney Tunes. It was amazing! The artistry behind the cartoon was breathe taking. The time and effort it took him, the thought process and creativity was astounding. That's why I love cartoons. There's more to it than meets the eye.

HT: One of the animated series my studio is doing will be full animation... pretty much unheard of today.

TC: I am looking forward to seeing your new series!

HT: Thanks!  Same can be said for animated movies.....then again with 2D and the digital age, it's definitely bittersweet. I'm a purist—just because you can create animation faster doesn't always equal to better. The other animated series we're doing is only going to be half animation, but with the tricks of the trade, will look like full animation.

TC: Ok, that's all of the questions I have for you. Thanks again, I really enjoyed talking to you.

HT: No problem. Like I said, I'm not up on very many of the newer cartoons, but I do know the ones on the Disney Channel and to a very lesser extent Cartoon Network (which seems that I hit the old ones vs. the ones you mentioned). Have a good evening!

TC: Thanks, you to!

The Misadventures of Flapjack vs. Spongebob Squarepants

Today I will be reviewing The Misadventures of Flapjack (2008) and Spongebob Squarepants (1999). The Misadventures of Flapjack is an animated series about a young adventure loving boy named Flapjack along with his best friend Captain K’nuckles, his adoptive whale-mother Bubbie. The show centers around their adventures in the port city called Stormalong Harbor and their quest to look for the legendary Candied Island. Spongebob Squarepants is about the underwater life of a yellow sea sponge named Spongebob; which includes his job as a Fry Cook, Jellyfishing for jellyfish and having fun with his friends. His best friend is his neighbor, Patrick Star (a starfish). His other neighbor and “friend” Squidward (a squid), and Sandy Cheeks (a squirrel in a diving suit). 

The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack Critique

It is difficult to say who the general audience is for this series. It is appealing enough that children can watch and easily get a laugh out of it, but some of the older viewers will be able to fully understand some of the jokes, such as Maple Syrup and candy being used as alcohol. The shows humor is somewhat bizarre and based off of false assumptions. For example, the doctor appears to have eaten a patient, because of the blood all over his face. The show later reveals that the blood was actually jelly from eating jelly sandwiches off the patient. 

Flapjack is shown to be the most animated character. His arms tend to fling around like noodles and has many different running cycles for nearly every time he runs. K’nuckles animation is stiff at best. Well, with him being old and having most of his body replaced with wooden limbs, this actually suits the character. The show constantly uses stop-motion puppets for one-time characters or short segments for the regular characters.

The colors used for Stromalong tend to be pretty dark and give a grungy appearance. The filth can be spotted around the town, which communicates the economy's depression that is present in Stormalong. Even the characters have dark colors to either signify their alignment, enhance their disfiguration or to show that they're suffering from the plague. Characters such as Flapjack and Peppermint Larry tend to have lighter colors due to both of them being happy and care free most of the time.The series is nothing short of amazing; it contains laughs, adventure, some moral lessons for kids and can be enjoyed by the whole family. [1]

Spongebob Squarepants Critique

This shows general audience is intended for young viewers, but some of the humor and hidden innuendos will appeal to older viewers. The humor of the show is a bit dull; there are times when the show is funny and times when it tries to be funny. Spongebob appears to be the only character that is well animated, while the other characters are mildly simple animation. Since he is a sponge, he is able to stretch and split himself apart; thus utilizing the squash and stretch principle. Squidward, who is one of the least animated characters in the show, expresses his emotions primarily through his body language; his main expressions are anger, annoyance, depression, and happiness. 

The colors shown throughout the show are calm and simple. The episodes usually start out as a peaceful relaxing day in Bikini Bottom; the use of bright colors and flower shaped clouds in the background help bring that feeling of peace and tranquility. The same could be said for the background characters in the show. Though they may not be too important, you get the feeling that they are living a normal life.

When the show first started it seemed to be one of the greatest cartoons on television, but as time went by fans began to believe that the series has lost its luster. Never the less, it still provides good entertainment for fans both old and new. [2]

My Opinion

Both shows are amazing, but if I had to choose one over the other I would side with Flapjack. The show pokes fun at adult jokes, yet still stays kid friendly and provides many random misunderstood moments that viewers will laugh at either way. I found the early episodes of Spongebob to be more enjoyable than the new ones; so if you’re new to the series I recommend looking for clips from the first two seasons of the show to get a good laugh.

Author: Ramsey Parks


[1] The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. (n.d.). Retrieved December 5,2012, from 
         http://flapjack.wikia.com/wiki/The_Marvelous_Misadventures_of_Flapjack

[2] Spongebob Squarepants. (n.d.). Retrieved December 5,2012 from 
         http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206512/