Red Dwarf Animated Series

[toonsman]

Hi Everyone,

Newbie to this great website… I’m an american fan and have been a fan of
Red Dwarf since 1989. I hope you will all forgive me if this notion have been put up for discussion before ,but here goes.
I thought to myself a while back, “Wouldn’t a Red Dwarf animated series be
great!”
Grant and Naylor could resume writing again… the crew could get back
into character… and in a sense… they (Rob & Doug) could do everything
they wanted to do that they could not accomplish in the regular
series….
Comments welcome….
Would be good to talk with you lot from across the pond….
Cheers… Jason :)

Topic

[peas_and_corn]

I prefer live action every time. Remember the Star Trek animated series?

[Pete Part Three]

Have you seen the mobisode, toonsman?

[Dave]

>Remember the Star Trek animated series?

Yep. It was better than Voyager and most of TNG

[Baz]

Western animation just isn’t of the quality you’d need, unless you go high end budget like Dreamworks/Disney. “Red Dwarf- The New Disney Classic”. Heh. Cat could be the new disney princess.

Nick Park could give it a go I suppose. Chop Socky Chooks doesn’t appear to be wowing the crowds, maybe RD would do better.

Could do anime, bishy Cat and all. Wouldn’t look right though, anime and dwarf have their own visual styles and they would be at odds.

Now Jamie Hewlett (Tank Girl/Gorillaz) might be able to do it. His style would work very well.

[Phil]

>Western animation just isn?t of the quality you?d need

Really? I wouldn’t need anything that looked better than Futurama (or to prove that perfectly good animation is done elsewhere by other studios, Family Guy or American Dad).

In fact, one thing I emphatically WOULD NOT want is fucking Disney involved.

I’m not sure why animated Dwarf would have to be Top Notch Classic Animation. The show is about the laughs (or should be) and you can get that across with simple, but quality, animation if the script and actors are good enough.

I’d be open to Dwarf animation as long as the humor was still character-based, and it didn’t resort to Wile E. Coyote physical comedy instead.

[Pete Part Three]

>I?d be open to Dwarf animation as long as the humor was still character-based, and it didn?t resort to Wile E. Coyote physical comedy instead.

Like, say, a character hitting his genitals repeatedly with a hammer?

[Phil]

>Like, say, a character hitting his genitals repeatedly with a hammer?

Exactly like that. Only this time there’d be woodblock sound effects.

[hummingbird]

Not that I know anything about these things, of course, but wouldn’t an animated series work out just as expensive as live action?
I mean, depending on the style of animation, there’s a whole lot of labour/time/CGI involved, which doesn’t come cheap, and you’ve still got to write the script and pay the cast – so what’s the point? Why not just make it live action in the first place?
I know which I’d prefer.

>Nick Park could give it a go I suppose.

Along the lines of the claymation sequence from BITR? *shudders*
.

[ChrisM]

I agree it wouldn’t need to be a full CGI 3-D thing to work. In fact, it’d be prefferable not to be that way.

I’d prefer it not to be quite as unrealistic (sigh, I predict that word is gonna come back and bite me) style as Family Guy or Futurama (I like the style, just not for Dwarf.), but there’s plenty of 2-D animation that’d fit. And I agree NOT Anime.

I mean, depending on the style of animation, there?s a whole lot of labour/time/CGI involved, which doesn?t come cheap, and you?ve still got to write the script and pay the cast – so what?s the point? Why not just make it live action in the first place?

Apart from the CGI bit (which it needn’t be… except in the sense I suppose even a 2-D anim would be done on computers nowadays, at least in part) that’s a good point.

Live action is of course preferable. But the animation would work very well.

[Phil]

>I mean, depending on the style of animation, there?s a whole lot of labour/time/CGI involved, which doesn?t come cheap, and you?ve still got to write the script and pay the cast – so what?s the point?

The point, I guess, is that you would be able to place the story at any point in time…the crew wouldn’t have to be in their 50s. (Or covered in ridiculous makeup.)

I agree, I’d prefer live action, but I wouldn’t be averse to attempting animation.

Interestingly enough the CGI, in some cases at least, seems to be a lot quicker and cheaper than traditional (even computer-assisted) animation. I noticed it turning up a lot in Family Guy, especially for motor vehicles. I kind of wondered why that was. Then I read a post from one of the writers for The Venture Bros about a recent episode.

Evidently he wrote a scene in which two planes lifted into the air and flew away. It was animated and returned for his approval. He asked for a few adjustments to be made (minor ones, he thought) and received the clip back with both planes now rendered completely by computer, with a new turnaround effect and everything. Built brand new from the ground up for the retake. He liked it, but asked them why that was, and he received the reply that it required less time and manpower to just redo the whole thing from scratch with CGI.

Kind of cool, actually, especially when it’s well-integrated. (As it was in Futurama. And though I’m not a fan of the show, as it is in Family Guy.)

[toonsman]

Wow,
Great to see all the input comments about an animated series. Yes ,of course, it would not be to everyone’s liking…and no , I personally don’t think the campy, cartoony western animation would be good either. I do recall the animation used in season VIII for Ace Rimmer’s light bee being taken to its final resting place… that’s the kind of animation I was thinking of… and over the years I do also recall seeing some brilliant animations coming from the BBC. And believe it or not,
that type of high-end animation ,while it can be time consuming, now-a-days doesn’t really stack up as high budget-wise. I just think after watching alot of interviews with the RD creators that it could be fun for them and at the same time I think the guys could really explore areas of possible ideas that they could not do during the production of the live series…no it could never take the place of the cast we all love so much, but it would open doors to other scripts that never saw the light of day…

Cheers Gang,
Jason :)

[toonsman]

I remember… point made there mate. Wasn’t thinking along those lines though… :)

[toonsman]

Hi Pete,
No, I never got the chance to see it… it stinks really…being stuck in the states and not having full access to everything dwarfian. Knowing the cast from RD I’m sure the humor was great though….cheers :) Jason

[toonsman]

Not that I know anything about these things, of course, but wouldn?t an animated series work out just as expensive as live action?
I mean, depending on the style of animation, there?s a whole lot of labour/time/CGI involved, which doesn?t come cheap, and you?ve still got to write the script and pay the cast – so what?s the point? Why not just make it live action in the first place?

Well, my whole concept to all of this was that it could be another avenue for the creators and the cast to explore ideas for story lines…hopefully help Lister get back home to earth….that sort of thing. As far as production costs are concerned it’s not really as expensive or time consuming as it was say 5 maybe 7 years ago.
Technology for programs like Maya make the process of animation faster, more fluid in its looks and movement. The expense comes in depending on which production company you deal with… that can get pricey if you go with the wrong company obviously…and as far as paying the cast goes….lol… you could just get Chris Berri come in and do voices for the entire cast as he did with the audio books.
I would dearly love to see the guys go back to doing a live series…but hey…when it comes down to it….it seems everything would still hang on the approval of the BBC right? Oh well, what ya gonna do bout that…right?
Cheers Mate…. Jason :)

[ChrisM]

It’d be interesting to see dingotangs and alberogs. Not to mention the sexy snugiraffe and such strange critters.

?and as far as paying the cast goes?.lol? you could just get Chris Barry come in and do voices for the entire cast as he did with the audio books.

Chris Barry could do it certainly… (I guess they could draft in a woman for the female roles… although he didn’t do a bad job on the Cat lady…. ;) ) I’d prefer the others involved of course, but obviously we’re talking purely on the cheaper option here….

?.it seems everything would still hang on the approval of the BBC right?

Speculation is (and so far it is just that) they might go to another channel in future.

[pfm]

> Chris Barry

Barrie.

[Danny Stephenson]

> Barrie.

Brown.

[Baz]

Um…

Barry White?

[TheLeen]

> I prefer live action every time. Remember the Star Trek animated series?

I love Star Trek’s Animated Adventures.

[Dave]

>I love Star Trek?s Animated Adventures

The Star Trek website did this:
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/features/specials/article/3833.html

And this is supposed to be on the way:
http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Untitled_Star_Trek_animated_series

[peas_and_corn]

I like the idea of that series- though I’m going to be undecided about it until it actually is greenlit.

[TheLeen]

> And this is supposed to be on the way:
> http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Untitled_Star_Trek_animated_series

I was looking forward to this one, but it looks like it’s as likely as Red Dwarf: The Movie.

[toonsman]

Well,
Guys I have to say… all of you here have some great opinions and insight as to what the target audience’s reaction might be to an animated Red Dwarf series. Thanks to all of you for the replies… being stuck here in america, it’s never been a easy knowing what everyone’s opinions back in the UK are on such issues.
I like starting up a provoking thread or two… not to start arguments….but good solid debates are a good way to get the attention sometimes of those higher up on the chain of influence and ability (i.e. hope someone affiliated with Grant Naylor saw this thread).
All of you ROCK!!!

Thanks again, Jason :)

[locusceruleus]

>>Western animation just isn?t of the quality you?d need

>Really? I wouldn?t need anything that looked better than Futurama (or to prove that perfectly good animation is done elsewhere by other studios, Family Guy or American Dad).

Futurama is animated in Korea, and the standard of animation in Family Guy and American Dad is arse-clenchingly awful. Not a million miles away from the mobisodes.

[Jonathan Capps]

> and the standard of animation in Family Guy and American Dad is arse-clenchingly awful. Not a million miles away from the mobisodes.

That’s… completely and totally wrong. Really, ashtonishingly, objectively and so ultimately wrong.

[locusceruleus]

Every episode of Family Guy I’ve ever seen is visually flat, lifeless, texture-free and looks only marginally better than your average Newgrounds flash animation. I’m with John Kricfalusi:

“If you’re a kid wanting to be a cartoonist today, and you’re looking at Family Guy, you do not have to aim very high. You can draw Family Guy when you’re ten years old. You do not have to get any better than that to become a professional cartoonist. The standards are extremely low.”

Hey, its only an opinion – and quite a popular one if you look around. Sure, maybe that style works for Family Guy’s storylines but it would be a crime to apply it to an animated version of a sci-fi comedy like Red Dwarf, particularly when Futurama’s combination of 2D and 3D rendering has set such a high bar.

[Jonathan Capps]

> I?m with John Kricfalusi:

You mean attempting to validate your opinion with an exagerration that does nothing to prove your point?

The FG/AD style may feature simplistic drawings (but simplictic != poor quality) but the directing is of a very, very high quality. They carry off action sequences and slapstick brilliantly and cram so much individual character into the, er, characters. “Arse-clenchingly awful” and “Not a million miles away from the mobisodes” is guff of the highest order.

I agree that the style wouldn’t suit Red Dwarf, but then that’s not something I’ve contested.

[toonsman]

Ding!!! Ding!!!

And that’s the end of round two of the animation debates…
So far no blood has been drawn but the pitch forks and torches haven’t arrived yet.
Seriously guys and ladies. It was just a thought I had… didn’t want to see you guys get mad about any of this. Somewhere there is an animator that could do an outstanding job of making things look and work well together…besides, I think most of us would agree that both Grant and Naylor wouldn’t go for anything that would make Red Dwarf look bad or belittle the series and all the years of hard work they put into an excellent product. Thank God they said no to an American version of Red Dwarf… I saw the pilot stuff years ago on that and except for Robert Llewellen it was hideous… I’m glad they ran screaming from those studios.
Nor would I want to see American animators or voice talents being incorporated into a Red Dwarf animation or live series…just would not work.
It has just been frustration on my part watching Red Dwarf being treated (in my opinion) like a red-headed step-child by the BBC. They never were really afforded a good working budget throughout most of the series and the BBC took home the lion’s share in profits in both sales and licensing agreements. I feel like both Grant and Naylor were short-changed and unable to fullfil their ambissions for the way they truly wanted to Red Dwarf to look and come across to the audience.
I figured animation of a high calibur could afford them flexablity in the realm of ideas and having those ideas see the light of day…albearogs, dollochimps and all.
I ,like the rest of you, have been waiting years now for a movie I that I fear will never happen. Call me a sad old git, but I miss the good old days of watching episodes of Red Dwarf for the first time and the anticipation of getting the newest episodes…. and then watching them again and again.
Anyhoo, I hope the day comes when the creators will be able to put out new things dwarfian for all of us.

Cheers Mates…. Jason :)

[Phil]

>Futurama is animated in Korea

By the context of his argument I took “Western animation” to mean “Western animated program.” Perhaps I’m wrong.

> I?m with John Kricfalusi:

Family Guy sucks. American Dad is good. Both shows are impressive in terms of weekly half-hour animation.

But you can use that exact same “It’s too simple to be any good!” argument all you like. It’s not helpful, it’s not constructive, and it’s an argument that requires no intelligence whatsoever to make.

You can use it against The Simpsons as easily as you can use it against Family Guy, or The Flintstones, or South Park or The Smurfs. It’s all simple. Every one of those shows has its own distinct visual style, and for all the bad things I say about it, Family Guy’s animation is damn smooth, damn impressive, and absolutely correct for its style and mood. Which, in the end, is what matters on that front.

[hummingbird]

I’m just not convinced about the whole animation thing.

They did a less than wonderful job with the CGI for Starbug/RD – it could have been *so* much better – although that was obviously down to budgetary constraints, and as for the Rimmer coffins in SMAC *shudders*. It gives me nightmares just to think about them doing a whole ep to that standard.

It could be done much better, regardless of the style of animation, but it never will be because they’ll never have the budget to do it justice.

[lego7770]

???

[Ben Paddon]

My throat is better now. Reckon I could get something recorded either Saturday or Sunday. I’ll probably just give you my Kryten.

[karcreat]

Funny to find THIS thread on an animated series when we started another here recently!…;)

Would love to get the opinions of toonsman, hummingbird, Jonathan Capps and the rest regarding the ‘Red Dwarf- Animated’ series some mates and I have started up (if you missed the post elsewhere on this board…;)

http://www.karcreat.com/RedDwarfAnimated.html

Thanks!
K

[Ian Symes]

Oi. We don’t mind people plugging stuff on here, but just keep it to the one thread. And it’d be nice if you joined in other discussions, rather than only talking about yourself, but hey.

[Ben Paddon]

I don’t know why my post appeared in here. I typed it in the other thread, and it never appeared there. Now it’s here. Odd.

[karcreat]

We don?t mind people plugging stuff on here, but just keep it to the one thread. And it?d be nice if you joined in other discussions, rather than only talking about yourself, but hey.

******

Sincerely sorry, not much time to devote to other threads/topics/posting, all free time is bein’ spent working on our animated ‘Dwarf’, just come here to get the fans opinions on it all, we really want to make sure they are happy with our efforts…;)

Didn’t mean to ‘over plug’, just saw another topic devoted to an animated RD, and thought it was a funny coincidence…if I had seen THIS topic, I would have just reply/posted here, rather than create a NEW, ‘similar’ topic…my apologies…;)

K

[Ian Symes]

Give us a kiss, you smelly arsed smegger.

[karcreat]

Hehehehehe….

Gee, we hardly know one another…ahhh, what the hell…(making sure wife is out of the room)…

(SMOOOOTCH!!!…;)

K

[Author]

Replies