MLP Movie - airing October 6, 2017

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Re: MLP Movie - 2017, Hasbro Allspark, Joe Ballarini Writing

Postby Applepie (?) » Mon Dec 15, 2014 11:11 am

This could mean the first MLP movie to be out in the cinema since 1986.
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Postby Sobana (?) » Mon Dec 15, 2014 12:01 pm

doodlesplat wrote:I don't know the toy side of G4 well, apart from them periodically putting out new sets and stuff; are these sets gaining traction in their market each time? If they're able to continue this and keep up sales, there wouldn't be as much of a reason to reboot for marketshare purposes.

Also the point about age groups feels pretty important. By the time the movie releases, the first season will be 7 years old. That it may now be too old for the kids at that time is irrelevant because there are always new young kids every year. However, these new young kids might have a different set of preferences. New generations' interests may have shifted away. It probably does help the show that, on its release, it was rather fresh and progressive-feeling as a children's show. If FiM never happened when it did, and we're only seeing it premiere today, it would mostly still feel current and fresh, possible technical clunkiness of Flash excepted. But that would be to us non-kids. Anyone know anyone who will be in the FiM age bracket in 2017? Do you think they'd take to ponies as easily as someone their age might have in 2010? Also consider that the availability of alternative shows and entertainment will be different in 2017 than in 2010.

But what new and edgy thing that will be super trendy with eight year olds now today that would be worth making a movie about it in three years?

You know, I can't think of any cartoon when I was a kid that lasted seven years. If it did last seven years it was mostly reruns. But if it did last seven years with fresh content... I would still probably watch it. I didn't have an active social life as a kid. :-I
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Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Mon Dec 15, 2014 12:32 pm

Thing is, though, FiM isn't edgy and trendy. If you want an example of that then look at EqG and how it's set in the present day with smartphones and computers and shit. FiM and its fantasy setting are always going to have a timeless appeal to them.
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Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Mon Dec 15, 2014 1:16 pm

Exactly. Having a timeless quality is key to having a successful product...
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Postby Sobana (?) » Mon Dec 15, 2014 2:48 pm

Alright then, what changes would you give FiM to make it better then it already is?

Pony Tales tired setting the ponies in modern times and I must admit it does have some appeal but only because I grew up during that time. it probably won't appeal to the current generation.
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Postby Bremen (?) » Mon Dec 15, 2014 4:15 pm

Sobana wrote:Alright then, what changes would you give FiM to make it better then it already is?

Pony Tales tired setting the ponies in modern times and I must admit it does have some appeal but only because I grew up during that time. it probably won't appeal to the current generation.


Bring back Lauren Faust, and then back off and give her complete creative control of everything :rainbert:

That joke over with, I know what I'd do; focus on the novel fantasy world, though maybe change things up a bit; maybe it's a few hundred years later, and there are hints of G4 but for the most part everything is new. Or it's ponies exploring a new land. Either way, something fresh, with new characters, but familiar enough for nostalgia.

However, that's what I'd do. The fresh take on fantasy is what drew me to the show in the first place, and probably gathered a lot of adult fans as well, but I don't know if it's what interests kids. The adult audience shouldn't be the primary motivator for Hasbro, and I'm fine with that. I just have no idea what would sell a show to kids these days :pinkieshrug:
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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 3:33 am

Fizzbuzz wrote:Thing is, though, FiM isn't edgy and trendy. If you want an example of that then look at EqG and how it's set in the present day with smartphones and computers and shit. FiM and its fantasy setting are always going to have a timeless appeal to them.


Even though FiM has a fantasy setting, that doesn't make it immune from being dated, and with the target demographic possibly growing out of it, especially by that 7 year point, it is likely Hasbro will do a reboot as they've always done.
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Postby Sobana (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 3:35 am

You could do all that with the current setting, minus the new cast part, you could have the main six go to a new land that is a hundred years advanced or simply have them teleport through time to a hundred years in the future and spend a season trying to get back. You could easily introduce new characters that could team up with the mane six for a few adventures like they did with Sunset. The current setting allows for anything to happen so I don't see how a new generation could change or improve on that.
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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 3:57 am

Sobana wrote:You could do all that with the current setting, minus the new cast part, you could have the main six go to a new land that is a hundred years advanced or simply have them teleport through time to a hundred years in the future and spend a season trying to get back. You could easily introduce new characters that could team up with the mane six for a few adventures like they did with Sunset. The current setting allows for anything to happen so I don't see how a new generation could change or improve on that.


You can't just keep adding new settings and new characters. And time travel is certainly a no-no. Eventually MLP will go for another reboot, just as Transformers, Littlest Pet Shop, GI Joe, and every other MLP has went through. FiM is no exception.
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Postby Perpetual Lurker (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 4:05 am

IMO, you absolutely can keep adding characters and settings. A fully fleshed out fictional universe is a virtual playground of potential ideas and stories. Heck, FiM has a full-fledged Expanded Universe, and it's only four years old! The possibilities are limitless.
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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 4:53 am

You can only add new things for so long. Literally every toy line with a cartoon is a testament for this. FiM has been, and will always be toyline first. It's not a space opera or high fantasy with worlds to dive into, it's going to go stale. And it's not just Hasbro's toy brands. Just because MLP is popular doesn't make it immune.
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Postby Sobana (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 5:27 am

But most of the reboot ideas are just FiM the extended version. If you want to reboot successfully you have to come up with a completely new idea. If it is just going to be a spin-off doesn't mean the main show has to end.
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Postby Perrydotto (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 7:07 am

Sobana wrote:But most of the reboot ideas are just FiM the extended version. If you want to reboot successfully you have to come up with a completely new idea. If it is just going to be a spin-off doesn't mean the main show has to end.


Not everything has to stay Friendship is Magic. It's not like Friendship is Magic is just an extended G1, either, even though there are plenty of similiarities.
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Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 7:37 am

Yeah, once FIM is finished, Hasbro will most likely take the brand in another direction. It's business. :pinkieshrug:
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Postby Sobana (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 7:52 am

I just wonder if a new brand will do as good as FiM currently is. If not I don't see a reason to change it.
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Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 7:56 am

It all depends on the direction that it takes. Maybe Hasbro will try catching lightning in a bottle twice. :pinkieshrug:
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Postby Sobana (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:59 am

Given my experience of previous generations, Hasbro will most likely keep what sells and cut what didn't. Most likely they will keep Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie but with different designs and personalities. Twilight is a maybe. Most likely they will cut Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy and replace them with new characters. Most likely they will reduce the mane cast to either four or five and bring in new rotating characters to sell more toys.
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Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 10:36 am

Well, that sounds like it'd be interesting at least. :pinkieshrug:
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Postby Bumble-B (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 10:37 am

If this show was animated in flash or toon boom (basically 2D), I would love to see this level of shading :allears:

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Postby Sobana (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:01 pm

If I'm not mistaken didn't the show already have shading like this? In the episodes "putting your down" and "castle-mania"? :pinkieshrug:
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Postby Bumble-B (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:11 pm

Sobana wrote:If I'm not mistaken didn't the show already have shading like this? In the episodes "putting your down" and "castle-mania"? :pinkieshrug:


There's a couple scenes in FiM, yes but nowhere as elaborate or detailed as the previously posted pics, I think.

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And retaining the shading quality like in EqPrevails' artworks for the 90-ish minutes would be longer than any previous scene(s) in FiM.
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Postby Headless Horse (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:24 pm

I don't see what's more "detailed" about that style of shading. It's just harder-edged and higher-contrast.
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Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:28 pm

It's good and well to do that sort of shading in certain scenes, but I wouldn't want the show to do that all the time, lest it should lose its impact and become just another detail to complicate the show's style.
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Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:30 pm

It does have a nice appearance to it though...there's something about it that looks really detailed and attractive. Maybe it would work for the movie. :pinkieshrug:
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Postby Bumble-B (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:34 pm

Headless Horse wrote:I don't see what's more "detailed" about that style of shading. It's just harder-edged and higher-contrast.


I think I meant: 'including the backgrounds'. Skimming through scenes of FiM S3 and S4 and while the character shadows seem well done, the backgrounds and environment don't get the same treatment. That said, I may have missed them by skimming through the eps so who knows.
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Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:35 pm

ROBOT B9 wrote:It does have a nice appearance to it though...there's something about it that looks really detailed and attractive. Maybe it would work for the movie. :pinkieshrug:

That's the thing, though. It's visually striking since FiM normally isn't that detailed. It lends a lot of weight to scenes like that one in Castle Mane-ia, but if that were how the show normally looked then it would have no more significance.
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Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:38 pm

Well, yeah, it wouldn't work all the time but it might be good for a cinematic production. :pinkieshrug:
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Postby PaulloDEC (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:42 pm

AppleCobbler44 wrote:And retaining the shading quality like in EqPrevails' artworks for the 90-ish minutes would be longer than any previous scene(s) in FiM.


Oh man, I'd love the film to look like Equestria Prevails.

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The perfect middle-ground between classic Disney and FiM's distinctive art style right there.
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Postby Ruflux (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 1:59 pm

Wow, that looks really impressive. Add me to the pile who'd want to see something like that animated. It'd be a lot of work for the animators, but it'd look really good. I certainly wouldn't complain about it if the movie looked like that.

Unfortunately, I find it very unlikely they'd do such a drastic art change just for the movie. :pinkieshrug:
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Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 2:11 pm

You never know...maybe they want to pull out all the stops when it comes to this movie.
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Postby Ruflux (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 2:49 pm

Well, if the speculation on the movie possibly being animated using software more advanced/flexible than Flash, then we might at least see slightly updated art, since I doubt they could simply import the old Flash assets straight to another program. However, that in itself is unlikely, so I don't really see the movie featuring a new visual style complete with actual shading.

The part I personally want the most are the thin outlines though. Those create an illusion of noticeably increased detail, and I really dig the look. :allears:
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Postby Sobana (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 2:54 pm

You know most of the animated movies in toon boom rarely have constant shading in every scene. It sets the wrong mood. Plus it would look like the entire movie is happening either at dawn or dusk.
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Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 3:04 pm

Huh, I never noticed that. Maybe it won't be noticable by the time the movie comes out...technology can change in 3 years time.
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Postby Ruflux (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 3:15 pm

Sobana wrote:You know most of the animated movies in toon boom rarely have constant shading in every scene. It sets the wrong mood. Plus it would look like the entire movie is happening either at dawn or dusk.

I don't think anyone was asking for permanent shading on everything, all the time. It's just that with Flash and After Effects, the animation team is mostly limited to some basic shading on the characters only, and in limited quantities. With better software, they probably could be more flexible with this stuff, and that would definitely improve the look of the movie. Sure, they already can use the Flash+AE combo to do some really impressive scenes with absolutely brilliant lighting for a Flash show (RR has lots of these), but even the best-looking scenes still look relatively primitive, shading-wise.
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Postby Headless Horse (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 3:19 pm

It's not supposed to be a realistic show. It never was. It's one of the most stylized things on TV that makes even a token attempt at inhabiting a 3D world.

If they wanted to make "realistic" looking candy colored horses in dresses, they could have gone about it in a million better ways than "design a primary-colors world of hearts and candy canes and gigantic eyeballs and then four seasons in change all your software around to RENDER MORE REALISTIC SHADOWS"
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Postby Ruflux (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 3:30 pm

Headless Horse wrote:It's not supposed to be a realistic show. It never was. It's one of the most stylized things on TV that makes even a token attempt at inhabiting a 3D world.

If they wanted to make "realistic" looking candy colored horses in dresses, they could have gone about it in a million better ways than "design a primary-colors world of hearts and candy canes and gigantic eyeballs and then four seasons in change all your software around to RENDER MORE REALISTIC SHADOWS"

So you're just going to ignore this discussion specifically being about the movie, or...? It'd be really fucking stupid to change from Flash when you're in the middle of producing 26 episodes of the show, absolutely. But a 90 min movie with a lot more time to devote to the animation? It's doable, although I personally doubt it'll happen, but my point was never that, it was "this would probably allow them to do some different types of scenes than they can in Flash and I might want to see what they do with it".

And besides, I don't buy the "it's not supposed to be realistic" excuse when the discussion is on the quasi-realistic shadow effects on characters they've been using heavily in season 4 and RR. I'm pretty sure that being able to shade the entire scene that way without it requiring ridiculous amounts of effort would be something they might be interested in, just to add to the atmosphere in the moodier scenes.
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Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 4:06 pm

I still don't think they'd majorly change the FiM style just for the movie, though. (Hell, they didn't even change the style very much for EqG, much to its detriment when it came to the "human" character designs.) For something as huge as this movie, with such a big audience and (relatively) big budget at stake, why mess with something that's been a winner season after season? The comics have a fair bit of artistic freedom, but they're cheap to produce and are coming out twice a month, so that's the perfect environment for variety and experimentation. This movie is almost certainly going to be the capstone on FiM's legacy, so I'm certain they're going to go with what's made the show successful.
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Postby Ruflux (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 4:21 pm

And really, that is the most realistic scenario. :pinkieshrug: I'm just doing the "what-if" thing here.

With what was said in the press release, I'd almost be surprised at this point if they did change anything. As much I'd be interested in seeing something different for a change, it's not by any means necessary, and I'll enjoy the movie just the same even if it's not particularly different from the show.

Though with a new writer and a larger cinema release, I'd imagine it might well be fair bit different from the main series. :smirk:
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Postby PaulloDEC (?) » Tue Dec 16, 2014 10:31 pm

Ruflux wrote:And really, that is the most realistic scenario. :pinkieshrug: I'm just doing the "what-if" thing here.

With what was said in the press release, I'd almost be surprised at this point if they did change anything. As much I'd be interested in seeing something different for a change, it's not by any means necessary, and I'll enjoy the movie just the same even if it's not particularly different from the show.

Though with a new writer and a larger cinema release, I'd imagine it might well be fair bit different from the main series. :smirk:


I was going to say something similar. I don't expect them to change the overall style of FiM for the film, but we're talking about a wide-release movie here. The Equestria Girls movies looked good, but they were essentially straight-to-dvd films that got a limited big-screen release. This is, from what we've seen and heard, a legitmate big-screen affair.

In other words, I'm expecting some significant visual upgrades, if only so that Hasbro don't look cheap in front of the all the other studios. This'll be one of the first efforts they've made in breaking into films under their own steam; I doubt they'll want to look like they're just shoving some of their TV animation up on the big screen.

That doesn't mean I'm expecting Equestria Prevails-style shading (and lets be clear here, nobody was suggesting that every character ought to be shaded all the time for pete's sake), but things like much more detailed backgrounds with more animated elements, more unique animations, better and more lighting/shadowing/special effects etc are all within reach I think.
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Postby Wylie (?) » Wed Dec 17, 2014 2:52 am

I think what we're all talking about here is what Walt Disney used to call "plussing"- all the little fine details that make good animation great. The FiM team has shown that they can do that in the show- just over the show's run, they've added a ton of little tricks like depth-of-field and lighting effects. I think we'll be fine in that regard.
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