Off-Season General Show Chat

here a forum about pony (General Pony Talk)

Moderators: Perrydotto, Dexanth, Venusy, Wayoshi

Re: In-Season General Show Chat

Postby Applepie (?) » Mon Nov 09, 2015 10:43 pm

It would had been interesting if Amy went to work on Ducktales.
Pinkie Pie: So, you see this here? This, um, this is um, a big, round room. It's known for its roundness, and bigness, and did I mention that it's round?
Applepie
User avatar
Mr. the Dragon
Joined: Jun 18, 2012
Location: Yakyakistan
Gender: Male

Postby MurdER_weapOn '78 (?) » Mon Nov 16, 2015 10:11 am

No need to put this in the spoiler forum

Image

Thalia is a storyboarder apparently.
MurdER_weapOn '78
User avatar
Joined: Mar 18, 2015
Location: England
Gender: Male

Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Mon Nov 16, 2015 2:21 pm

I can't believe S5 is about to be over. On one hand I'd hate to have another ponyless year to suffer through, but on the other it wouldn't make much sense for Hasbro and Discovery Family to launch S6 such that a bunch of it would end up airing in the summer, as happened with the first half of S5.
Image
Fizzbuzz
User avatar
Stare Masters
Joined: Mar 02, 2013
Location: TN
Gender: Male

Postby Highbrow Dash (?) » Mon Nov 16, 2015 2:25 pm

We'll probably get a long hiatus since it's likely to be the last season before the 2017 movie :pinkieshrug:
Image
Highbrow Dash
User avatar
but why would you post such a thing??
Rarity's Roughnecks
Joined: Oct 15, 2011
Location: Spain
Gender: Male

Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Mon Nov 16, 2015 2:31 pm

What'd really be cool is if Hasbro ditched Discovery Family entirely and made S6 entirely online. I know I've worried about that in the past, but by now it seems to me that all but the very youngest kids are easily able to watch stuff on YouTube. It could very well lead to an increase in viewership, too. Since Discovery Family is a premium cable channel, I should think that the number of households who get premium cable but don't get Internet service is vanishingly small, certainly small enough to be offset by access to viewers who have Internet service but only basic cable or no cable at all.
Image
Fizzbuzz
User avatar
Stare Masters
Joined: Mar 02, 2013
Location: TN
Gender: Male

Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Tue Nov 17, 2015 11:18 pm

On another note, something I'd like to see again is the Summer Sun Celebration. Unlike a bunch of other Equestrian holidays and annual events, the most we've ever seen of it actually being celebrated was in the very first episode, whereupon it was promptly derailed by Celestia's disappearance. After getting briefly mentioned again in The Cutie Mark Chronicles, it didn't come up again until PTS, and once again it got spoiled by Celestia's sudden disappearance there.

I thought of this because I heard this song on the radio earlier today. If ponies celebrate by partying until it's time for Celestia to raise the sun then this seems like a fitting tune.
Image
Fizzbuzz
User avatar
Stare Masters
Joined: Mar 02, 2013
Location: TN
Gender: Male

Postby Bumble-B (?) » Wed Nov 18, 2015 2:58 am

Fizzbuzz wrote:What'd really be cool is if Hasbro ditched Discovery Family entirely and made S6 entirely online. I know I've worried about that in the past, but by now it seems to me that all but the very youngest kids are easily able to watch stuff on YouTube. It could very well lead to an increase in viewership, too. Since Discovery Family is a premium cable channel, I should think that the number of households who get premium cable but don't get Internet service is vanishingly small, certainly small enough to be offset by access to viewers who have Internet service but only basic cable or no cable at all.


Y'know, despite a handful of counter points I (or they) would have, I actually would like to see someone with a big brand title to do something like that
:smirk:

I know there's some shows like the Federator cartoons (i.e. the guys who made Adventure Time) and... Star Darlings :vomitpony: but with the Federator online shows, while they do get a lot of views (2-6 million per episode!), imagine what they could get with MLP.

Also, one thing why I'd love to see MLP Season 6 in a YouTube/Online format is because that means they're not bounded by the 22 minute requirement you have on TV. Granted, some shows have usually done well with the time frame but i've seen a lot of shows where either the 11 minute ep was too short (Adventure Time) or the 22 minute ep was too long (MLP, Foster's Home, LPS).

I would love to see creators and writers not be restricted by a certain time limit because the fact is, it affects the writing and pacing. Not just in not having enough time or having too much fat but they have to consider the cold opening length, how the episode will lead into a commercial break (i.e. "I believe it was.......... YOU!" :cut to black/commercial: ) and so on.

Now, I guess the biggest problem I can see with it is that they have too short of an episode. Star Darlings is barely 3 minutes per episode (though there probably is a lot of episodes just waiting) and Bravest Warriors is about 7-9 minutes. That's not even 11 minutes, which is the minimum length for an episode on TV. Regardless, if they can write shorter episodes but have enough episodes to follow throughout the season, then it could be interesting.

Overall, i'm interested and (cautiously) optimistic in seeing MLP being written in a 'free-form' way in an online format
Bumble-B
User avatar
Buzz Buzz...
Applejack Aces
Joined: Jul 14, 2012
Gender: Male

Postby Headless Horse (?) » Wed Nov 18, 2015 5:41 am

Bumble-B wrote:Also, one thing why I'd love to see MLP Season 6 in a YouTube/Online format is because that means they're not bounded by the 22 minute requirement you have on TV. Granted, some shows have usually done well with the time frame but i've seen a lot of shows where either the 11 minute ep was too short (Adventure Time) or the 22 minute ep was too long (MLP, Foster's Home, LPS).


This could help or hurt. Every medium has its natural "beats", and the creators who work within that medium learn to use those beats to their advantage. Half-hour TV shows have a neat three-act structure with cliffhangers before the commercial breaks not because they're forced into a certain format by advertisers, but because over decades that structure has evolved to be a well-understood rhythm for that kind of storytelling. Comic books have the way you get a reveal of the next scene when you turn a page (which the artist can use to great effect with a huge two-page shocker spread, or just to change settings). Books have chapter breaks; webcomics have the three- or four-panel delivery of a gag. And so on.

If you free a medium of its constraints, you do certainly give the creators the opportunity to break out of their familiar rhythm. But they might not necessarily want to.
Headless Horse
User avatar
The yoke is strictly ornamental
Faithful Students
Joined: May 23, 2011

Postby Pocket (?) » Wed Nov 18, 2015 5:45 am

I certainly hope the short-form nature of those shows is due to the relative expense associated with animation in general and not some perception that people watching videos online have a short attention span. Because they definitely don't; people like the Nostalgia Critic or Atop the Fourth Wall regularly crack the 30 minute mark, and that's just guys ranting about movies and comic books. And if Hasbro has any desire to wade into those waters, I hope they recognize that too.
Orange Fluffy Sheep wrote:i am not ready for the transhumanist revolution to begin with my butt
Pocket
User avatar
I am shocked. Shocked. To find furry trash on my wholesome Pony forum.
Rainbow Racers
Joined: Sep 28, 2011
Location: In a bulding...

Postby Mechanical Ape (?) » Wed Nov 18, 2015 6:10 am

Fizzbuzz wrote:On another note, something I'd like to see again is the Summer Sun Celebration. Unlike a bunch of other Equestrian holidays and annual events, the most we've ever seen of it actually being celebrated was in the very first episode, whereupon it was promptly derailed by Celestia's disappearance.

I think if you were to add up all the holidays, festivals, celebrations, galas, socials, garden parties, swap meets, tournaments and wrap-ups on the Equestrian calendar, you would in fact have more of them than you have days in the year. And that's before you factor in all the birthdays, cuteceñearas, anniversaries, monthaversaries, birthaversaries, weddings and reunions that crop up regularly within one's social circle, to say nothing of the rare coronation and the ever-present threat of Pinkie Pie. Is this what a post-labor society looks like? Or does Celestia just lean very heavily on the "bread and circuses" lever?
Image
Mechanical Ape
User avatar
Here comes her 19th nervous breakdown
Rarity's Roughnecks
Joined: Sep 24, 2011
Gender: Male

Postby Soft Snow (?) » Thu Nov 19, 2015 12:07 am

I always supported the idea have having ponies shown on the internet. Over half of their audience are adults with access to the internet and with the internet they can reach way more viewers. Many other channels, like CBS for instant, have started their own streaming sites to exclusively show their own content. Running a website would be a lot cheaper then running their own channel. They can still run at 22 minute an episode and have breaks for commercials. But, they can be more selective of what commercials they want to show instead of just using anything to fill air time. Also, they can add in some extra time for special episodes. Imagine how much better Magical Mystery Cure would have been if they had an extra 10 or 12 minutes to better explain the story. :allears:

Let's not forget that G3 ran exclusively on DVD releases and web episodes and it probably did just fine. :twiright:
Image
If I had a bit for every time you made me feel worthless, I'd be worth something by now.
Soft Snow
User avatar
A shot to the heart... And I'm to blame.
Joined: Apr 16, 2015
Location: Golden Oak Kingdom
Gender: Female

Postby Pocket (?) » Thu Nov 19, 2015 12:22 am

During I think all of season one, the Hub made all of its shows available for viewing on their website. And for a long time they weren't time-sensitive either, and weren't even ad-supported. The only restriction was that they were only accessible from US IPs. I generally avoided it, because I'd rather download the episodes and be able to make macros and reaction images out of them (this was when I was still on Ponychan), so I don't know when they started cutting back on availability.

One upside to having the show running on their website again would be that it would, I believe, circumvent the FCC's ban on running commercials for their own products, which was one of the big issues that plagued the Hub — the one advertiser they could count on wasn't allowed, and all the other major toy companies saw it as aiding and abetting a competitor, and that's like half of what you traditionally advertise for during Saturday morning cartoons.

In the meantime, though, there's apparently an app for smart devices that you can use to watch Hasbro cartoons on demand. I don't know what all it's available on besides the Amazon Fire TV.
Orange Fluffy Sheep wrote:i am not ready for the transhumanist revolution to begin with my butt
Pocket
User avatar
I am shocked. Shocked. To find furry trash on my wholesome Pony forum.
Rainbow Racers
Joined: Sep 28, 2011
Location: In a bulding...

Postby fenster (?) » Sat Nov 21, 2015 5:26 pm

Bumble-B wrote:
I would love to see creators and writers not be restricted by a certain time limit because the fact is, it affects the writing and pacing.


That's not necessarily a bad thing though. Limitations can certainly be restrictive, but they also challenge artists at the same time and spur creativity more from that.
ImageImageImage
ImageImage
fenster
User avatar
♫~I want Fabulous! That is my simple request!~
~All things Fabulous! Bigger and Better and Best!~
~I need something inspiring to help me get along~
~I need a little Fabulous, is that so wrong?~♫
Diamond Dusters
Joined: Feb 16, 2011
Gender: Male

Postby Bumble-B (?) » Sat Nov 21, 2015 5:48 pm

fenster wrote:
That's not necessarily a bad thing though. Limitations can certainly be restrictive, but they also challenge artists at the same time and spur creativity more from that.



That's true. Not every restriction is bad or detrimental. I remember someone saying that "the best things come from creativity in response to restriction", with examples like 'Them Fightin' Herd'
:-P
Bumble-B
User avatar
Buzz Buzz...
Applejack Aces
Joined: Jul 14, 2012
Gender: Male

Postby Bumble-B (?) » Wed Nov 25, 2015 12:09 am

Not exactly related to Ponies but Lauren Faust, who was working on Medusa, has just confirmed that she's no longer working on it.

Lauren Faust wrote:...we ultimately ran into creative differences on the direction of the project. I do not know if Medusa has been shelved, but I am no longer working on it or at Sony.”


Knowing Sony, they probably asked Lauren to add unnecessary pop songs, be heavy on references to other popular movies/shows, and so on.
:-/

With her gone from Sony, I wonder what she intends to do now. Go back to Television?
Bumble-B
User avatar
Buzz Buzz...
Applejack Aces
Joined: Jul 14, 2012
Gender: Male

Postby Mr. Big (?) » Wed Nov 25, 2015 12:13 am

Honestly this doesn't surprise me. Sony has a bad track record when it comes to that. See Genndy Tartakovsky being removed from "Popeye". Heck, "Hotel Transylvania" went through several different directors (including "Cow and Chicken" creator David Feiss) before Genndy got it.
Mr. Big
User avatar
A batty bat
Scootaloo's Pro Scooters
Joined: Mar 27, 2011
Location: TN
Gender: Male

Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Wed Nov 25, 2015 12:46 am

Let's not forget that Sony was originally going to help make the 2017 MLP movie before Hasbro dumped them, likely over creative differences (by which I mean Amy Pascal's awful "let's put them in the real world!! like the Smurfs!!!" idea) as well.


I also have to wonder what's next for Lauren Faust. Wouldn't it be something if she came back to FiM for one last season?
Image
Fizzbuzz
User avatar
Stare Masters
Joined: Mar 02, 2013
Location: TN
Gender: Male

Postby Pocket (?) » Wed Nov 25, 2015 2:42 am

Parting ways with Sony due to creative differences is like telling Jeffrey Dahmer you don't think you'd work as a couple.
Orange Fluffy Sheep wrote:i am not ready for the transhumanist revolution to begin with my butt
Pocket
User avatar
I am shocked. Shocked. To find furry trash on my wholesome Pony forum.
Rainbow Racers
Joined: Sep 28, 2011
Location: In a bulding...

Postby Headless Horse (?) » Wed Nov 25, 2015 2:58 am

Hate to say this, but Lauren's going to need a few unqualified successes under her belt at this point or else she's going to earn a reputation she'll never escape.

One "creative differences" falling-out in a career is understandable. But more than one, especially consecutively, and what prospective employers will see is a pattern.
Headless Horse
User avatar
The yoke is strictly ornamental
Faithful Students
Joined: May 23, 2011

Postby The Doctor (?) » Wed Nov 25, 2015 3:04 am

Fizzbuzz wrote:Let's not forget that Sony was originally going to help make the 2017 MLP movie before Hasbro dumped them, likely over creative differences (by which I mean Amy Pascal's awful "let's put them in the real world!! like the Smurfs!!!" idea) as well.


I also have to wonder what's next for Lauren Faust. Wouldn't it be something if she came back to FiM for one last season?


That'd be nice. :allears:
The Doctor
User avatar
Turner of all things timey wimey
Celestia's Champions
Joined: May 05, 2011
Location: Time & Space
Gender: Male

Postby Bumble-B (?) » Wed Nov 25, 2015 4:13 am

Headless Horse wrote:Hate to say this, but Lauren's going to need a few unqualified successes under her belt at this point or else she's going to earn a reputation she'll never escape.

One "creative differences" falling-out in a career is understandable. But more than one, especially consecutively, and what prospective employers will see is a pattern.


I wonder if she should have stuck around despite the many compromises she probably had to make. My dad said filmmakers, including Spielberg, had to do 'run of the mill' films (usually successful ones) before they're allowed to make their own original work.

But to be fair for her, given the state of Genndy Tartakovsky at Sony, who's had to work on two Adam Sandler movies, and stop work on Pop Eye entirely, before he can work on his own new movie (which I fear may also never see the light of day). So I guess staying at Sony, for years and years, would have been soul crushing, despite a (small) chance of ever creating her own original work.
Bumble-B
User avatar
Buzz Buzz...
Applejack Aces
Joined: Jul 14, 2012
Gender: Male

Postby Dexanth (?) » Wed Nov 25, 2015 7:50 am

Headless Horse wrote:Hate to say this, but Lauren's going to need a few unqualified successes under her belt at this point or else she's going to earn a reputation she'll never escape.

One "creative differences" falling-out in a career is understandable. But more than one, especially consecutively, and what prospective employers will see is a pattern.


I'll be curious to see how Fighting is Magic goes in that regard since I'd expect she has carte-blanche on the world/lore aspects; after all, the devs were always more focused on the mechanics of it all, and I'm sure for them, having Lauren on board for the lore/worldbuilding is a dream come true.
:milkshake: Image ImageImage Image
Dexanth
User avatar
Love conquers all
Celestia's Champions
Joined: Oct 23, 2011
Gender: Female

Postby Pocket (?) » Wed Nov 25, 2015 8:12 am

Headless Horse wrote:One "creative differences" falling-out in a career is understandable. But more than one, especially consecutively, and what prospective employers will see is a pattern.

I hate to say it, but we may be teetering on the edge of an era where there are no gigs left in Hollywood for a creator who wants to have the level of creative freedom she currently expects and still be working for any employer at all. The mainstream entertainment industry is being squeezed tighter and tighter by focus testing and an aversion to new IPs or any kind of originality whatsoever. Television, ironically, is going through something of a renaissance in that respect, but with all the networks owned by the same mass-media megalomaniacs as the film industry, who knows how much longer that's going to last either.
Orange Fluffy Sheep wrote:i am not ready for the transhumanist revolution to begin with my butt
Pocket
User avatar
I am shocked. Shocked. To find furry trash on my wholesome Pony forum.
Rainbow Racers
Joined: Sep 28, 2011
Location: In a bulding...

Postby Bumble-B (?) » Wed Nov 25, 2015 8:25 am

Dexanth wrote:
I'll be curious to see how Fighting is Magic goes in that regard since I'd expect she has carte-blanche on the world/lore aspects; after all, the devs were always more focused on the mechanics of it all, and I'm sure for them, having Lauren on board for the lore/worldbuilding is a dream come true.


I haven't played much fighting games and outside of the Nether Realms games (Mortal Kombat, Injustice), story telling isn't a strong suit for that genre :v: I'm not so sure about lore and world building though.

Pocket wrote:I hate to say it, but we may be teetering on the edge of an era where there are no gigs left in Hollywood for a creator who wants to have the level of creative freedom she currently expects and still be working for any employer at all. The mainstream entertainment industry is being squeezed tighter and tighter by focus testing and an aversion to new IPs or any kind of originality whatsoever. Television, ironically, is going through something of a renaissance in that respect, but with all the networks owned by the same mass-media megalomaniacs as the film industry, who knows how much longer that's going to last either.


Kickstarter...? :rariwat:



:smirk:

They made $142,000 (their goal was $115,000). Given the success of Them Fightin' Herd, and tendency to people support projects with big names, I think she could possibly get a sizable funding from fans. I remember her posting this on her Twitter and she might want to revisit this idea.
Image
Bumble-B
User avatar
Buzz Buzz...
Applejack Aces
Joined: Jul 14, 2012
Gender: Male

Postby SlateSlabrock (?) » Wed Nov 25, 2015 8:42 am

Pocket wrote:I hate to say it, but we may be teetering on the edge of an era where there are no gigs left in Hollywood for a creator who wants to have the level of creative freedom she currently expects and still be working for any employer at all. The mainstream entertainment industry is being squeezed tighter and tighter by focus testing and an aversion to new IPs or any kind of originality whatsoever. Television, ironically, is going through something of a renaissance in that respect, but with all the networks owned by the same mass-media megalomaniacs as the film industry, who knows how much longer that's going to last either.

I don't know about that. Cartoons already went through a dry spell in the early 2000s in the beginning of the switch to digital animation, when cost was a huge concern. But now, all of the networks have at least one interesting show (except perhaps post-Avatar Nickelodeon), and there seems to be a recent trend of picking up promising younger creators (Alex Hirsch, Pendleton Ward, JG Quintel, etc.), as well as talent with a record of quality (Faust, Christopher McCulloch).

There are still plenty of lackluster shows hanging around, and trends like the Spongebob coattail-riders, but there still seems to be room for fun, creative shows. Just not all the time.
SlateSlabrock
User avatar
The information's unavailable to the mortal man.
Celestia's Champions
Joined: Feb 14, 2011

Postby Mr. Big (?) » Wed Nov 25, 2015 2:28 pm

I think some of you may be familiar with the graphic novel based on iTunes Terms and Condition. Basically, the entire document is presented in a comic format where Steve Jobs recites those legal agreements we always click "Agree" to without reading. The twist is that each page is done in different cartoonists' style.

Today's page is done in the style of the MLP comic books.

Image

Specifically, this is based off of MLP Micro-Series #9 (Spike).
Mr. Big
User avatar
A batty bat
Scootaloo's Pro Scooters
Joined: Mar 27, 2011
Location: TN
Gender: Male

Postby fenster (?) » Wed Nov 25, 2015 2:48 pm

Pocket wrote:I hate to say it, but we may be teetering on the edge of an era where there are no gigs left in Hollywood for a creator who wants to have the level of creative freedom she currently expects and still be working for any employer at all. The mainstream entertainment industry is being squeezed tighter and tighter by focus testing and an aversion to new IPs or any kind of originality whatsoever. Television, ironically, is going through something of a renaissance in that respect, but with all the networks owned by the same mass-media megalomaniacs as the film industry, who knows how much longer that's going to last either.


I agree with the main statement you made, but not the rest of the statements about IPs. It's not like there aren't new IPs in cartoons/movies, even if they aren't as frequent/good as they used to be. However, I wouldn't be surprised if it's more of an issue of how much control someone can have nowadays and how it seems rarer to see things like Gravity Falls. It could be that change in expectation of control that Lauren is struggling with.

Dexanth wrote:
I'll be curious to see how Fighting is Magic goes in that regard since I'd expect she has carte-blanche on the world/lore aspects; after all, the devs were always more focused on the mechanics of it all, and I'm sure for them, having Lauren on board for the lore/worldbuilding is a dream come true.


TFH is probably going to be pretty average as far as Indie games go; being a fighting game limits the audience and not having major publisher marketing means it can only hope to be as big of a blip as Undertale was. The best thing for Lauren on that front would be if TFH goes decently well and Lauren had a positive experience, and then she tries to pursue more work in the Games Industry from there as a creative/story lead, a niche in the industry that has been growing in past years. It actually might not be a terrible idea (assuming she didn't get stuck with one of the worst publishers), even if it would be disappointing for us who want a more traditional story/world from her.
ImageImageImage
ImageImage
fenster
User avatar
♫~I want Fabulous! That is my simple request!~
~All things Fabulous! Bigger and Better and Best!~
~I need something inspiring to help me get along~
~I need a little Fabulous, is that so wrong?~♫
Diamond Dusters
Joined: Feb 16, 2011
Gender: Male

Postby Headless Horse (?) » Wed Nov 25, 2015 8:43 pm

Mr. Big wrote:I think some of you may be familiar with the graphic novel based on iTunes Terms and Condition. Basically, the entire document is presented in a comic format where Steve Jobs recites those legal agreements we always click "Agree" to without reading. The twist is that each page is done in different cartoonists' style.

Today's page is done in the style of the MLP comic books.

Image

Specifically, this is based off of MLP Micro-Series #9 (Spike).


I like that Twilight has a big fuckin apple on her back. Very true to universe. :smirk:
Headless Horse
User avatar
The yoke is strictly ornamental
Faithful Students
Joined: May 23, 2011

Postby Soft Snow (?) » Fri Nov 27, 2015 4:42 am

I think one of the reasons why there aren't more shows like Gravity Falls and Avatar out is because the story format prevents additional production if the show is popular. You only can get two or three pre-written seasons before the series comes to an end. After that if you want to make more you have to desperately try to continue the series after the conclusion of it. Look at what Avatar did, it tried to continue the series after the first but each season was self contained making the viewer less invested in the next season. Gravity Falls tries to stretch out it's series to make it last longer. In fact, Titanic did so well they even talked about making a sequel before but couldn't figure out how to continue the story from that point.

Wonderful story telling shows are usually kept in tiny bubbles with little chance of expansion. Unless the show doesn't come with an end conclusion and can continually run indefinitely like FiM.
Image
If I had a bit for every time you made me feel worthless, I'd be worth something by now.
Soft Snow
User avatar
A shot to the heart... And I'm to blame.
Joined: Apr 16, 2015
Location: Golden Oak Kingdom
Gender: Female

Postby The Doctor (?) » Fri Nov 27, 2015 4:46 am

Soft Snow wrote:I think one of the reasons why there aren't more shows like Gravity Falls and Avatar out is because the story format prevents additional production if the show is popular. You only can get two or three pre-written seasons before the series comes to an end. After that if you want to make more you have to desperately try to continue the series after the conclusion of it. Look at what Avatar did, it tried to continue the series after the first but each season was self contained making the viewer less invested in the next season. Gravity Falls tries to stretch out it's series to make it last longer. In fact, Titanic did so well they even talked about making a sequel before but couldn't figure out how to continue the story from that point.

Wonderful story telling shows are usually kept in tiny bubbles with little chance of expansion. Unless the show doesn't come with an end conclusion and can continually run indefinitely like FiM.


It comes with some problems though. FiM basically has to wing it every season.

"OK, now we need to make Twilight a Princess, what now?"

"Oh, we need to do something with Rainbows. OK we'll do that now"

I think it's more noticeable this season because they've really changed what Cutie Marks are portrayed as in the early season. They were just a ponies symbol, not the source of their powers.
The Doctor
User avatar
Turner of all things timey wimey
Celestia's Champions
Joined: May 05, 2011
Location: Time & Space
Gender: Male

Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Fri Nov 27, 2015 1:11 pm

The Doctor wrote:I think it's more noticeable this season because they've really changed what Cutie Marks are portrayed as in the early season. They were just a ponies symbol, not the source of their powers.

I never really saw it as a source of power so much as a magical symbol of who they are and what they're good at. Starlight Glimmer's curse of equality was powerful enough to override that and she was also very good at manipulating others into thinking her ideas were good.
Image
Fizzbuzz
User avatar
Stare Masters
Joined: Mar 02, 2013
Location: TN
Gender: Male

Postby Highbrow Dash (?) » Fri Nov 27, 2015 1:43 pm

Yeah, the way I see it it's just a physical manifestation of their magic or something like that. They also disappeared during the Tirekgeddon last season :pinkieshrug:

Headless Horse wrote:
I like that Twilight has a big fuckin apple on her back. Very true to universe. :smirk:


That's just Owlicious after a spell went wrong.
Image
Highbrow Dash
User avatar
but why would you post such a thing??
Rarity's Roughnecks
Joined: Oct 15, 2011
Location: Spain
Gender: Male

Postby fenster (?) » Fri Nov 27, 2015 1:52 pm

It makes me wonder if Starlight Glimmers power isn't necessarily just taking the cutie mark, but actually taking away the specific talent of other ponies. After loosing that talent, that's what makes changing their cutie marks possible.
ImageImageImage
ImageImage
fenster
User avatar
♫~I want Fabulous! That is my simple request!~
~All things Fabulous! Bigger and Better and Best!~
~I need something inspiring to help me get along~
~I need a little Fabulous, is that so wrong?~♫
Diamond Dusters
Joined: Feb 16, 2011
Gender: Male

Postby Headless Horse (?) » Fri Nov 27, 2015 1:59 pm

fenster wrote:It makes me wonder if Starlight Glimmers power isn't necessarily just taking the cutie mark, but actually taking away the specific talent of other ponies. After loosing that talent, that's what makes changing their cutie marks possible.


Yeah, that's what I read it as. The CM changing was just a reflection of what she actually took away.
Headless Horse
User avatar
The yoke is strictly ornamental
Faithful Students
Joined: May 23, 2011

Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Fri Nov 27, 2015 2:11 pm

Additionally, if cutie marks were the source of a pony's power, then young ponies would become trapped in a cycle of uselessness. If they have no mark then they have no talent, making it impossible for them to discover what they're good at, thus preventing a mark from ever appearing.
Image
Fizzbuzz
User avatar
Stare Masters
Joined: Mar 02, 2013
Location: TN
Gender: Male

Postby Space Ghost (?) » Fri Nov 27, 2015 4:39 pm

Soft Snow wrote:I think one of the reasons why there aren't more shows like Gravity Falls and Avatar out is because the story format prevents additional production if the show is popular. You only can get two or three pre-written seasons before the series comes to an end. After that if you want to make more you have to desperately try to continue the series after the conclusion of it. Look at what Avatar did, it tried to continue the series after the first but each season was self contained making the viewer less invested in the next season. Gravity Falls tries to stretch out it's series to make it last longer. In fact, Titanic did so well they even talked about making a sequel before but couldn't figure out how to continue the story from that point.

Wonderful story telling shows are usually kept in tiny bubbles with little chance of expansion. Unless the show doesn't come with an end conclusion and can continually run indefinitely like FiM.


Legend of Korra didn't continue after Avatar ended. ATLA ran from 2005 to 2008, whereas Korra ran from 2012-2014. It also didn't continue TLA's storyline, instead focusing on the world 70 years after the last airbender, as well as having a new main and supporting cast. The two show's tie togehter in terms of continuing the world's timeline, but are their own things in terms of plot and themes. Also, it's writing problems were never related to it's connection with The Last Airbender. Gravity Falls didn't try to strech out the series to make it last longer, it was constantly mishandled and messed up by Disney's scheduling until it was dumped on Disney XD where the poor scheduling continued.
The same was done to Korra, when halfway through its 3rd season it was taken off the air and made online only.

ATLA, Korra and Gravity Falls share the same problem of being backed by companies that ultimately tried to sabotage them from the very beggining (ATLA was going to be canceled halway through it's first season) and not because they were story driven cartoons. In an atmosphere like that, it's a wonder they even managed to get this far, let alone wrap up.
Space Ghost
User avatar
Applejack Aces
Joined: Mar 28, 2011

Postby Soft Snow (?) » Sat Nov 28, 2015 12:01 am

Well... the idea I was trying to project was that story driven shows don't do as good if they are extended past their per-established conclusion. I'm sure their are exceptions to the rule but I wager one would be hard pressed to give a good example.

As for Avatar, the story is unique in that one of the principles is that the main character is continually brought back through an infinite cycle of reincarnation. So Aang and Korra are literally the same character and both series are simply telling the story of two different points in this characters life. The continuity is a straight and continuous line. It is not a reboot but rather a sequel. An extension of the original story.
Image
If I had a bit for every time you made me feel worthless, I'd be worth something by now.
Soft Snow
User avatar
A shot to the heart... And I'm to blame.
Joined: Apr 16, 2015
Location: Golden Oak Kingdom
Gender: Female

Postby Mordja (?) » Sat Nov 28, 2015 12:57 am

I haven't been paying attention, but why exactly won't Amy Keating Rogers be coming back for season 6 (and beyond)? Is she working on her own/another big project that'll take up all her time or did she just get tired of doing it?
Image
Mordja
User avatar
reality: a man falls through the earth and into parisian catacombs. taking a torch from the wall he spies row upon row of skeletons. grasping the nearest by the shoulders, he shakes it madly, yelling "my nigga have u tried mlp"
Rainbow Racers
Joined: Apr 09, 2011
Location: Toronto

Postby The Doctor (?) » Sat Nov 28, 2015 1:04 am

Fizzbuzz wrote:Additionally, if cutie marks were the source of a pony's power, then young ponies would become trapped in a cycle of uselessness. If they have no mark then they have no talent, making it impossible for them to discover what they're good at, thus preventing a mark from ever appearing.


That's kind of what I'm getting at. The consistency of what they are has changed. They were just marks for a pony. Thet represents what they're good at. The Pony is still who they are. We see that in episodes like Cutie Mark Chronicles. The Ponies all have their talents, they just don't realize it yet. The Cutie Mark is a mark of that realization.

Now it's more "It's not what's inside you, but what's on your butt that defines you."

In comparison to something like Avatar, or Steven Universe where things are planned in advance, MLP just wings it every season. Like with the CMC, it's tough to watch the CMC episodes of the past and think for a second the end game was to have them have matching cutie marks and not their own talents they learn over time. Jim's comments about their marks needing to please a lot of people made it sound like the marketing boys wanted it, and they had to make it fit.


Mordja wrote:I haven't been paying attention, but why exactly won't Amy Keating Rogers be coming back for season 6 (and beyond)? Is she working on her own/another big project that'll take up all her time or did she just get tired of doing it?


She's working for Disney now.
The Doctor
User avatar
Turner of all things timey wimey
Celestia's Champions
Joined: May 05, 2011
Location: Time & Space
Gender: Male

Postby Mordja (?) » Sat Nov 28, 2015 1:16 am

Oh neat! Well rats off to her.
Image
Mordja
User avatar
reality: a man falls through the earth and into parisian catacombs. taking a torch from the wall he spies row upon row of skeletons. grasping the nearest by the shoulders, he shakes it madly, yelling "my nigga have u tried mlp"
Rainbow Racers
Joined: Apr 09, 2011
Location: Toronto

Previous Next

Return to Ponies

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 3 guests