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Reflections on the art and business of animation.
About Me
- Mark Mayerson
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- I've worked as an animator, writer, producer and director in TV animation for 29 years. I created the cgi series Monster By Mistake. I hold a Masters degree from York University in Cinema and Media Studies.
Links
- A. Film L.A.
- Academy of Art Animation Notes
- Al Eugster
- Alan Cook
- Animation Guild blog
- Animation Podcast
- Animation Scoop
- Apatoons
- ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive
- ASIFA-Hollywood blog
- Bob Jaques
- Canadian Animation Resources
- Cartoon Brew
- Cartoon Research
- Chris Walsh
- Cinematech (Scott Kirsner)
- David Nethery
- Dean Yeagle
- Disney History (Didier Ghez)
- Floyd Norman (Mr. Fun)
- fps magazine
- Hans Bacher
- Harvey Deneroff
- HEAL EMRU
- James Caswell
- James Wood
- Jenny Lerew
- John Canemaker
- John Celestri
- John K
- John Lei
- Keith Lango
- Kevin Koch
- Kevin Langley
- Larry T
- Mark Achtenberg
- Mark Kausler
- Mark Kennedy
- Michael Barrier
- Michael Sporn
- Nancy Beiman
- Oswald Iten
- Paul Spector
- Peter Emslie
- Scott Caple
- Seward Street
- Sheridan Animation Alumni
- Sheridan Animation Students
- Thad Komorowski
- Tom Sito
- Ward Jenkins
- Warren Leonhardt
- Will Finn
Mosaics
- 101 Dalmatians
- All the Cats Join In
- Donald's Lucky Day
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse
- Dumbo
- Lonesome Ghosts
- Mickey's Birthday Party
- Mickey's Delayed Date
- Mother Goose Goes Hollywood
- Mr. Duck Steps Out
- Pinocchio
- Plutopia
- Symphony Hour
- The Autograph Hound
- The Bandmaster
- The Brave Little Tailor
- The Little Whirlwind
- The Nifty Nineties
- The Night Before Christmas
- The Pied Piper of Basin Street
- The Reluctant Dragon
- Thru the Mirror
- Wacky Bye Baby
Major Article Categories
Blog Archive
-
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2007
(236)
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January
(16)
- Can We Change That?
- Letter from Irv Spence
- Best Animated Feature
- Prepare to Board!
- Dan Haskett Sesame Street Work
- Dean Yeagle Design Demonstration
- Mother Goose Goes Hollywood Part 3
- Weinman on TV Animation Design
- Drawing the Line
- King of the Hill Pitch
- Whatever Happened to Will Vinton?
- Steve Krantz Has Died
- Lip Synch Tip
- Kyle Baker in Draw
- Mother Goose Goes Hollywood Part 2
- A Recommendation
-
▼
January
(16)
Posts
14 comments:
I'll never get the appeal of this show. It's just ugly, let alone stupid.
I agree. In fact I've never been able to watch this show due to not being able to get past the unappealing visual design. These characters are just static and devoid of life, not to mention just badly drawn to begin with. I pity the animators that have to draw this stuff to make a living.
Interestingly, John K. has just posted some great model sheets from the Golden Age of Animation in his hopes to inspire others to understand the concept of "appeal" in character designs. Seems there are an awful lot of show designers currently who would seem to have no clue about construction, rhythm, expressive body language, or any of the numerous aspects of visual appeal. Judge's "King of the Hill" and his earlier "Beavis and Butthead" are prime examples of what is sadly lacking in cartoons today.
Personally, I think the writing and characterization on the show are quite good, though I do agree that the art is butt (or should that be butt-head?) ugly.
If the designs and animation were as good as the writing, it would be a great show.
I posted it, though, for people to get a sense of what a pitch short might look like. This one is more basic than many I've seen, as it's in black and white with no backgrounds. I guess when you're somebody like Mike Judge with a hit show under your belt, you don't have to take a pitch as far.
Well, I'd rather watch a show that lacked in its design appeal but was funny and smartly written, as I feel King of the Hill is, than to watch the opposite. I've seen so many shows that look pretty good or even great that bored the snot outta me after about two seconds. Or worse, hurt my ears with the constant shouting and babble. Like just about everything currently showing on Cartoon Network and Nickolodean.
..d
Yes, the art is a little more clunky that I'd like, but it's sincere, and the writing is first rate. I'd rather see KOTH than many, MANY better looking shows on television, since I'd rather watch a memorable story and get a bunch of laughs out of my viewing time. And it's subtle, which is something that not many animated programs can boast these days.
If you want to hate something, hate Family Guy and American Dad. Ugly, stupid and clumsy, those are the low water mark for non Adult Swim television animation. If you factor in Adult Swim original programming, you're talking 12 OZ. Mouse and Squidbillies as being the worst threat to animation's longevity on television, no question.
I always seemed to me that Judge's style on KOTH basically emulated Mad Magazine artist Dave Berg. Anybody else see that?
Yes, I can see the similarity to Dave Berg as well, now that you mention it. Interestingly, Berg was always the one MAD artist whose drawing style I never liked either and therefore seldom read his "Lighter Side Of..." pieces. Just goes to show you that attractive art is often the thing that gets the attention first, then the viewer is more likely to appreciate whatever writing talent there may be. "King of the Hill" may very well be smartly written, but I just can't get past the ugly visuals to give it a chance.
I agree that King of the Hill has fantastic writing and makes it worth watching.
At first I was put off by the style, but when I actually sat down and decided not to be biggoted against it just based on that, I realized it didn't need fluid, full, expressive animation. It didn't need "old school Disney appeal style" to get the point of the episodes across.
To Tom...there was a funny episode of South Park that explained how Family Guy was written...by a herd of manatees. They would take balls with words written on them and move them to the other side of the tank to form the basics of jokes. It was hysterically accurate as the jokes in Family Guy are very nonsensicle at times and have little to do with the plot. If you haven't seen that episode it's worth watching.
Mike Judge to this day has yet to pay the animation studio Heart of Texas animation for this work...
I agree. In fact I've never been able to watch this King Of The Hill TV show due to not being able to get past the unappealing visual design."King of the Hill" may very well be smartly written, but I just can't get past the ugly visuals to give it a chance.
It was mentioned that Mike Judge and Dave Berg was similar and I am glad you mentioned it because it drove me crazy for years ever since I saw Beavis and Butthead who it reminded me of.
Mike Judge was too young to draw for Mad at the time, but now I put two and two together and now I've finally figured out that it was Dave Berg.
Nice video, thanks for sharing.
Hey Michael I visit your link and found an amazing site for this show and I also downloaded some other shows. Thanks buddy for sharing this.
King of the Hill is a superb show which has extremely talented crew. But its really sad that this show has been ended...
I think the show is perfect as is - the drawings and animation are fully in character with the feel of the show.
They convey what they need to convey - and that is the key.
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