SwatKats "shorts" and Unlikely Alloys...

From: Andy Hill <chance_at_unix.infoserve.net>
Date: Wed, 10 May 1995 07:16:44 -0700 (PDT)

     Someone asked why they did the 11 minute and 9 minute "short"
episodes instead of the standard 22 minute variety on a couple of
occasions, and here's the answer.

     The "short" idea was Fred Seibert's directly, president of
Hanna-Barbera, in the belief that the whole industry was headed down a
"multiple storylines within the half hour format" road. It was an
experiment, and everyone I've talked to on varying levels agreed that it
was not a successful one.

     "Unlikely Alloys" and Mook's animation. Mook had done a feature in
Japan (yes, they're Japanese, not Korean as I'd always thought) and it
got the attention of some of the creative team at Hanna-Barbera that this
specifice style of animation was incredible. They talked to Mook about
doing a similar style for a 'KATS episode, and Mook responded that they
certainly would, provided they had a suitable storyline to showcase their
talents for mecha. Enter "Unlikely Alloys". The premise had sat on the
shelf at H-B for about a year, but wasn't produced. Lance Falk, the
writer, was so ticked off at "Executive" interference on his "Cry
Turmoil" that he wasn't going to write any more for SwatKats. Davis Doi,
by all accounts a really great guy, convinced him that this Mook project
was right up his street, and he wrote it. The resulting work by Mook on
the episode completely eclipsed the earlier feature, and the explosion of
the mountain in one scene turned out far better than anyone's
expectations - even Mook's! We would have seen more of this type of
quality had management done some more things with their eyes open; try
viewing this episode in light of the "target demographic", it doesn't
wash, does it?

Andy


 _________________________________________________________________________
     "His biography said he bumped his butt 'cuz he ate too much sugar...
        ....it's SAD (really)..." - Slappy Squirrel, "Bumbie's Mom" ANIMX
 _________________________________________________________________________
     "We have a mission Ann, down these mean skies, a 'KAT must fly...
                 ...we wanna be the good guys..."




Received on Wed May 10 1995 - 10:25:35 PDT