Why couldn't they stick with one animation studio?

[DaffyDonaldQW93]

With the execption of "The Simpsons", "Family Guy", and "Phineas and Ferb", most cartoons today stick with one animation studio.



So why did TTA and A! use many animation studios? Even the cartoons mentioned in the first sentence limit how many studios they farm to, while it was a whole batch of animation studios.


I believe for Animaniacs and possibly Tiny Toon Adventures they should have stuck with TMS and/or StarToons (and not for remaking Kennedy episodes).

 

[Mia]

Because unlike those shows that follow a plot for episode to episode these were sketch shows. It was easier to just write the different sketches and then send them to different animation studios and paste them together.

It was also faster if I'm correct...

 

[Peter Paltridge]

With the execption of "The Simpsons", "Family Guy", and "Phineas and Ferb", most cartoons today stick with one animation studio.

Most cartoons today aren't made 65 episodes at a time. No one studio in the world can handle that kind of workload in one year.

 

[DarthGonzo]

This wasn't unusual. Lots of shows during that era did this. I actually liked never knowing what you were going to get visually with Animaniacs or Darkwing Duck. Made every episode a complete crap shoot. I'd rather have some diversity than what we got in second-season-Saturday-morning Darkwing or Aladdin episodes, or Animaniacs seasons 3 and 4, where everything looked pretty similar.

 

[Dudley]

Simply put, it was cheaper.

 

[Classic Speedy]

To add to everything that's been said, using TMS for the entire series wouldn't have been feasible, for two reasons:
1) They weren't cheap.
2) They were in heavy use during the late '80s and early '90s for foreign productions (by that, I mean doing animation for American shows). And that's not even counting the anime they were producing at the same time, either. There's only so much staff to go around before the quality drops considerably.

Most cartoons today aren't made 65 episodes at a time. No one studio in the world can handle that kind of workload in one year.

About the only show I can think of which had the same animation studio for a syndication-length season was The Super Mario Bros. Super Show, although in fairness, the animated segments for each episode didn't take up the full 22 minutes (as part of the time was devoted to the live action skits). Even so, we saw how that show turned out using that method. Errors aplenty.

 

[Jonny Mack]

Most cartoons today aren't made 65 episodes at a time. No one studio in the world can handle that kind of workload in one year.

Correct.

Simply put, it was cheaper.

Incorrect. More studios = more hassle, trickier logistics.

 

[Philmister978]

Correct.

Incorrect. More studios = more hassle, trickier logistics.

John's correct, think about it:

TMS- Great work yet expensive
StarToons- Ditto the great work, but done in America and not as expensive as TMS (unless I'm worng)
Freelance- No idea about them. But they were totally inconsistent (as was StarToons, but they still did good).
Wang- Not sure how much the cost but it was possibly cheaper then the other studios sans Akom.

And then there's Akom, gad did they do inconsistent work or what? No wonder they were cheap. This was possibly the reason why most season four episodes were these guys. Heck, even Wang was underused during that season.

But yeah, it's still fun trying to figure out who did what short and all. Shame they aren't doing it all the time these days. Aside from the shows that lasted more then a few episodes that is, heck, all of Disney's shows did this, and so did most of Warner Bros.'s work and Marvel too. And they're still doing this (Disney with Wang, Rough Draft & Toon City; Marvel with Film Roman, Hong Ying, DongWoo & Madhouse)

 

[Mia]

There's also something else to think about, now I'm not sure if the selection of studios was completely random but certain bits could have a certain look. I've noticed that the Warners got the TMS treatment more than the others.

 

[cognitofalcon]

To add to everything that's been said, using TMS for the entire series wouldn't have been feasible, for two reasons:
1) They weren't cheap.
2) They were in heavy use during the late '80s and early '90s for foreign productions (by that, I mean doing animation for American shows). And that's not even counting the anime they were producing at the same time, either. There's only so much staff to go around before the quality drops considerably. About the only show I can think of which had the same animation studio for a syndication-length season was The Super Mario Bros. Super Show, although in fairness, the animated segments for each episode didn't take up the full 22 minutes (as part of the time was devoted to the live action skits). Even so, we saw how that show turned out using that method. Errors aplenty.

I've heard that that show was actualy animated on a computer. A very early example of it, but that's what I've heard. As for multiple animation studios, it made sense for scheduling.

 

[cognitofalcon]

There's also something else to think about, now I'm not sure if the selection of studios was completely random but certain bits could a certain look. I've noticed that the Warners got the TMS treatment more than the others.

Tom Ruegger has said that TMS was probably one of his favorites. He used it on special sketches, or the better ones atleast.

 

[Philmister978]

I've heard that that show was actualy animated on a computer. A very early example of it, but that's what I've heard. As for multiple animation studios, it made sense for scheduling.

I never saw any computer technology in the animation of the series.

 

[cognitofalcon]

I never saw any computer technology in the animation of the series.

Not CGI, but like flash almost. It was just something I've heard. Another hint is that in the other show, Captain N and the Game Master, the opening sequence features primitive CGI animation.

 

[wiley207]

If I recall, this "multiple overseas studio" thing goes back to at least the early 1980s; DiC usually had TMS animate "Inspector Gadget" during the first season (which had 65 episodes), with a few additional Japanese studios providing ink-and-paint or camera work. Some episodes of "Gadget" in the first season were animated by Wang/Cuckoo's Nest, and had a lower animation quality to them as a result (such episodes include "Amusement Park," "Art Heist" and "So It Is Written," among others). "Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats" followed the same routine as well. But in the second season, they switched to different Japanese studios.

BTW, wasn't the first season of "Transformers" and "G.I. Joe" back in 1984-1985 handled entirely by Toei Animation? I know they both had 65 episodes in the first season (I think), and I don't think Marvel began using Akom until 1986. I DO know Toei animated all of the infamous G.I. Joe PSAs (there were 29 PSAs produced in the first season, but the second season had only 6 PSAs produced).

WB actually still uses more than one animation studio from time to time within a show. Usually, they most prominently use DongWoo Animation (in fact, WB seems to have been overusing them since 2001-2002) but sometimes they use Saerom, Lotto and Yearim productions as well, and a few others, depending on the show, but most of the time it's almost always DongWoo! If they animated the cameo by Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner on the "What's New Scooby-Doo?" episode "New Mexico, Old Monster," then I wouldn't be surprised if DongWoo animated the upcoming "Looney Tunes Show!"

 

[Philmister978]

Not CGI, but like flash almost. It was just something I've heard. Another hint is that in the other show, Captain N and the Game Master, the opening sequence features primitive CGI animation.

Where exactly? I don't recall any form (whether it be flash or CG-like) of computer based tech in the series, just ink & paint done normally (Mario, not Captain N).

If I recall, this "multiple overseas studio" thing goes back to at least the early 1980s; DiC usually had TMS animate "Inspector Gadget" during the first season (which had 65 episodes), with a few additional Japanese studios providing ink-and-paint or camera work. Some episodes of "Gadget" in the first season were animated by Wang/Cuckoo's Nest, and had a lower animation quality to them as a result (such episodes include "Amusement Park," "Art Heist" and "So It Is Written," among others). "Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats" followed the same routine as well. But in the second season, they switched to different Japanese studios.

I noticed that Inspector Gadget switched from TMS and Wang/Cuckoo's Nest in the first season, and when Dic replaced them (and AIC, from Ah! My Goddess fame) for the animation process to doing it all in-house in season two.

BTW, wasn't the first season of "Transformers" and "G.I. Joe" back in 1984-1985 handled entirely by Toei Animation? I know they both had 65 episodes in the first season (I think), and I don't think Marvel began using Akom until 1986. I DO know Toei animated all of the infamous G.I. Joe PSAs (there were 29 PSAs produced in the first season, but the second season had only 6 PSAs produced).

Yes, first season of Transformers was indeed Toei, but you got the 65 episode count wrong, Season one was only 16 episodes, also Akom joined during season two, not in 1986 (Watch City of Steel, The Core or The Autobot Run, then watch either Dark Awakening, The Rebirth 3-parter or The Big Brodcast of 2006, they're basically alike). Not only that, but in season 2, some Filipino studio was contracted to do animation for the show (I know less about GI Joe since I never watched it that often)

WB actually still uses more than one animation studio from time to time within a show. Usually, they most prominently use DongWoo Animation (in fact, WB seems to have been overusing them since 2001-2002) but sometimes they use Saerom, Lotto and Yearim productions as well, and a few others, depending on the show, but most of the time it's almost always DongWoo! If they animated the cameo by Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner on the "What's New Scooby-Doo?" episode "New Mexico, Old Monster," then I wouldn't be surprised if DongWoo animated the upcoming "Looney Tunes Show!"

Yeah, I wouldn't either Wiley, I wouldn't either.

 

[TServo2049]

TMS did all 65 episodes of Bionic Six, which their U.S. division produced for Universal. However, knowing the Japanese animation industry, much of the inbetweening, ink and paint, etc. and perhaps even some of the actual animation was probably outsourced to other studios. (In addition, Mook's website says that they did 5 episodes - as well as one TTA episode subcontracted from TMS!)

 

[Philmister978]

TMS did all 65 episodes of Bionic Six, which their U.S. division produced for Universal. However, knowing the Japanese animation industry, much of the inbetweening, ink and paint, etc. and perhaps even some of the actual animation was probably outsourced to other studios. (In addition, Mook's website says that they did 5 episodes - as well as one TTA episode subcontracted from TMS!)

Wow, that's just... Interesting.

Link please.

 

[TServo2049]

Ask and ye shall receive: http://mookanimation.co.jp/company2_en.html

But anyway, the now-banned user Pc-Famicom64 said about 4 years ago that Mook worked on "Test Stress." I dunno how he got that info; was he in Japan?

 

[Classic Speedy]

Ask and ye shall receive: http://mookanimation.co.jp/company2_en.html

But anyway, the now-banned user Pc-Famicom64 said about 4 years ago that Mook worked on "Test Stress." I dunno how he got that info; was he in Japan?

Without any source to back it up, I'd take that info with a grain of salt.

That said, even if TMS did indeed further outsource a TTA episode to Mook, you can't really tell. Their work was pretty consistent throughout their work on that show. It's not like Darkwing Duck's "Heavy Mental" and Goof Troop's "Meanwhile Back at the Ramp", which are both credited to Walt Disney Australia but looks nothing like their usual work. Of course, in those instances, at least they credited Freelance for it.

 

[wiley207]

Warner Bros. Animation also used Mook for the first four direct-to-video Scooby-Doo movies from 1998 to 2001. The animation was much higher quality than the later pre-2010 movies (most of which were animated by DongWoo and Lotto Animation, but one was by Wang).