Solomon Fix

Wow, thanks, Doug! I can’t believe I helped inspire a whole posting. *blush*
It’s interesting to me that most successful creators, such as yourself, would all suggest changes to general network development processes if they could. It’s a shame that the day of the strong-willed exec is waning. I wonder if execs that ordered tons of episodes of instant failures such as CatDog and The Brothers Grunt, helped crush the idea of a single development person choosing projects. The irony for me is that Networks have the opportunity to hand out relatively small sums such as the $2000 given out for a paper development deal. These one-toe-in-the-water deals are handed out so scarcely, you’d think that they equaled a full scale 13 episode pick up. For me, the worst part of committee development is that while you may impress the one exec you pitch to, after that your stuff gets dumped on someone elses desk that didn’t have the benefit of hearing your enthusiasm. Or the work is pitched up the chain by an exec who can’t possibly match the creator’s zestful salespitch. If networks are interested in the creator as much as the creator’s ideas, why do they discard us so early in the development process? This whole discussion is really about the business model. Clearly that model has shifted over the years and will continue to shift. I stand by the folks at Frederator for trying (and succeeding) to try to make cartoons on the old model of Bugs Bunny: just create a great character that many people will love and it will demand to be made, and made into a series after that. Thanks, again for the discussion, Doug. And I can’t wait to see your short!

“I wonder if execs that ordered tons of episodes of instant failures such as CatDog and The Brothers Grunt, helped crush the idea of a single development person choosing projects.”

…having multi-million dollar disasters stuck on your record will humble even the most confident man. And CRIMONY I know what you’re saying about the 2k development deals. But it does screen out the fanboys and keep only the serious cartoonists in the running. I’m a family man though, and it’s hard to live two years on 20k (which I did on Catscratch). In a lot of ways, it’s why Nick and other companies are trying smaller shorts-projects because they can move a little faster taking a smaller financial risk than green-lighting 65 episodes of Catdog.

” If networks are interested in the creator as much as the creator’s ideas, why do they discard us so early in the development process? “

I’m not naming names, but many creators are just completely psycho. Making a good pitch and running a show are two different skillsets. Even my efforts to make a Frederator Cartoon was out of a need to get off of the Catscratch team and get out of their way to just make the show in the best way we all know how.

“I wonder if execs that ordered tons of episodes of instant failures such as CatDog and The Brothers Grunt, helped crush the idea of a single development person choosing projects.”

…having multi-million dollar disasters stuck on your record will humble even the most confident man. And CRIMONY I know what you’re saying about the 2k development deals. But it does screen out the fanboys and keep only the serious cartoonists in the running. I’m a family man though, and it’s hard to live two years on 20k (which I did on Catscratch). In a lot of ways, it’s why Nick and other companies are trying smaller shorts-projects because they can move a little faster taking a smaller financial risk than green-lighting 65 episodes of Catdog.

” If networks are interested in the creator as much as the creator’s ideas, why do they discard us so early in the development process? “

I’m not naming names, but many creators are just completely psycho. Making a good pitch and running a show are two different skillsets. Even my efforts to make a Frederator Cartoon was out of a need to get off of the Catscratch team and get out of their way to just make the show in the best way we all know how.

Wow Doug!! Great post. thanks for the question Dave. Doug, your response was very insightful. I feel the same as Dave. I’ve seen some shows and thought “Wow!! This is great!!”. Of course I’ve watched some shows and thought “How the heck did this thing make it this far and who approved of it?”. I hope that all goes well for you and your project. I can’t wait to see it.

You sir are what every cartoonist should strive to be.

DAAAA! I double-replied. I’m so embarassed. I don’t know how to delete it. Woops.

Don’t worry cousin Doug. I did a triple blog posting the other night and got triple the feedback!
Heh! Heh! Heh! Talk to you soon Doug! Jeff

A double reply means twice the wisdom. Thanks again for being so open and giving with your experience.

Thanks for the question Dave, and double double thanks for the answers Doug. As usual, tres insightful.

Here’s a couple of thoughts and/or insights:

1. The same single executive that greenlit Catdog also greenlit Spongebob.

2. Doug is absolutely right about the issue of a work ethic. From this producer’s perspective, believe it or not, talent is less the gating factor than hard work, motivation, and ambition. The people we say “no” to do not agree, I know, but it is categorically true.

Ahhhh, I hadn’t thought of the Catdog/Spongebob thing. I guess the executive reimbursed Viacom for his own mistake and then some.

i was a level 19 dwarf warrior named Bloath. maybe you created stuff doug.. but i.. I RODE ON GRYPHONS! WHILE LAYING ON MY COUCH!

Nice discussion.. I am getting a lot out of reading…thank you.

Good discussion, guys! One thing to point out, though. Wasn’t the Catdog order something like 65 shows off the bat while, the SpongeBob order was for a more conservative 13?

Yes, Catdog was the last “deep” order of it’s kind that went away with the 90s. There was also a simultaneous merchandizing campaign (now we usually have to wait until season three for complete saturation to launch a merch. frezy).

Dave, so what? Doug, so what? In fact, it was the “simultaneous merchandising campaign” that was as big a mistake as making the show to begin with…

I think the “so what?” comes into play if you’re looking for an explanation for why studios are reluctant to just go hog wild with massive character launches across multiple platforms.

A lot of aspiring artists think that getting the pilot is all it takes to suddenly get the Happy Meal gig…I used to get pissed at reading the success stories of some 19 year old who walks into a studio and gets a series, toy line, video game and movie deal. It doesn’t happen that way (for the most part). I spent a year doing the Catscratch show Bible. Another year on the pilot. Them came focus-testing and the results weren’t what we hoped for. We got a small pick-up of 6 episodes that grew over a year to be an order of 20 episodes. That’s not how I thought it would go. It’s great now that the show is going but it was hell for a couple of years. Not for the easily discouraged.

Hey, don’t slam World of Warcraft! My 1,200,567,568 wasted hours on that game and others like it are among the proudest moments of my life! =P
Seriously though, while your point is well taken, some people understand the word “moderation”. I am one of those people, at long last. All work and no play makes Jack go crazy!

I feel a bit like a fly on the wall, thanks for the perspective, to everyone involed.

My “so what?” is answered by “how many cool cartoon pilots didn’t get made at Nick because of money that went to things like Catdog?” Mistakes like this put the squeeze on the next things, making networks more and more cautious in greenlighting shows.

My only point David is that everyone makes mistakes. As loathe as I am to defend network executives[ ], them’s the breaks. And the one who said ‘yes’ to CatDog had a pretty great feeling and vision for the show. The artists didn’t deliver, and that’s how it goes sometimes. It’s too bad, but frankly, no shows didn’t get made because of it. In fact, that period was one of the most prolific for the Nick studio. Personally, at the time, I was annoyed they got such a big order -it got more money and attention than some of our shows- but, that’s showbiz. Always has been, always will be. No bitterness allowed.

I’m with you Fred, in that it’s wrong to lay the woes of an entire system of network pick-ups on one show…especially when there’s an Invader Zim we can kick all around the block in Catdog’s place. (I’m kidding Jonan, don’t sick your cult of goth conformists after me…nor my lawyer’s wife.)

Points taken. I suppose the business of deciding the publics’ taste is always a crapshoot to some degree. If it wasn’t, Czar Nicholas the II and his family would still be sitting in St. Petersburgh right now.

The funny thing about that is, Jhonan’s fan base would probably sick themselves on some one, I am one of the few sane fans of Zim haha. I just finished reading all of what you guys wrote, I had no idea that happened with CatDog, no wonder it was on so long and in such an in and out way, I remember they stuck 1 new episode on tv a year or two ago, and it confused the Hell out of me. I thought they were going to try and kill us slowly with another order of that show!

I forgot to put my name on the last post! that was me right up there, sorry to double post like this.

Hey Doug; I agree on a lotta stuff and feel it’s case by case with the pitching process. This is one of my favorite parts of making a show too. It’s case by case and taste by taste as we go from studio to studio. I’ve the best and worst of rooms to pitch to. Rooms where nobody would crack a smile. We all have to ignore that and go into our own tunnel-vision and let the show take us through the pitch. Even then, you’ll be surprised that an executive liked something and wants to see it again. Some executives in a group won’t let their guard down in front of the others. But, I must say most of my show pitches have been fun for me and the group I entertainingly pitch to. I make pretend I’m a gameshow host and the people in the room are my contestants and they’re going to play the cartoon game with me. Disney was always a hard room to pitch. One night my partner Bill Kopp and I put together a dozen pencil drawings and pitched the variety “Shnookums and Meat Funny Cartoon Show!” and sold it in 16 minutes. Figure that? It was the right place at the right time. They wanted a high powered, funny show to run a similar venue as the Ren and Stimpy show. Wow! We did do a bit of development with Disney, but for the most part, Gary, Tom and others left Bill and I alone to do our thing. It was a rare time. The show didn,t last for more than a season cause Disney had a hard time marketing a new creature like this. We did get Spaghetti and Meatballs in a can and a few promos at Subway. But it was all good. Animation has gone through cycles, like everything else. Not only cartoons but other things in society. I believe we’re at an up-cycle again. A renaissance of animation again. The public is smarter on what they like and don’t like. They’re aware of technology due to marketing and other means. This allows executives to feel a little more free in their thinking and greelighting of projects. Yes, we are truly fortunate to have studios like Nickelodeon / Frederator allowing artists like us to produce cartoon shorts together like the old days of animation. And thank God there are companies that will take a risk in cartoons they initially believe in. Yeah; we do have to compromise here and there and not lose the integrity of the show presented. Sometimes it gets better as we work together. This is happening during my second Frederator pitch. We sit to close in a vacuum as we develop new shows and it’s good to get feedback. It takes a lot of guts and hope your investment comes back in toy revenue. Thanks, Doug!!!!

Hope your project goes well.
Just read your Creature Tech- great work.

I had seven pitch meetings for The Perfect Pet, but it was passed on. At least I developed my pitching and boarding skills.
The characters and story have come a long way. Maybe I can do something w/it down the road. They encourage more ideas, though, which I’ve sent.

Take care.