Friday, August 01, 2008
The Panels Move? Motion Comics Everywhere!
Motion Comics are probably trademarked by Warners/DC, but I could see this being a generic term for the style of animation which uses comic book panels as their basis.
The Marvel cartoons of the sixties is a famous example of this;
Last week or so, I mentioned The Watchmen free video which was offered (for a limited time) as a free download. I like the idea of using this style of animation as a web and portable friendly way to present comic book stories. Since then I've also read about and watched something called Invincible,
, shockwave-flash@http://www.comicbookresources.com/VIEW/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config=%7Bembedded%3Atrue%2CbaseURL%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomicbookresources%2Ecom%2FVIEW%27%2CwatermarkLinkUrl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomicbookresources%2Ecom%2Fvideo%27%2CshowWatermark%3A%27always%27%2CwatermarkUrl%3A%27%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fcbr%5Fwatermark%2Epng%27%2CcontrolsAreaBorderColor%3A%270xEFEFEF%27%2CprogressBarBorderColor2%3A%270xFFFFFF%27%2CprogressBarBorderColor1%3A%270xFFFFFF%27%2CprogressBarColor2%3A%270x960315%27%2CprogressBarColor1%3A%270x960315%27%2CbufferBarColor2%3A%270xEF9616%27%2CbufferBarColor1%3A%270xFFD489%27%2CcontrolBarBackgroundColor%3A%270x01018c%27%2CcontrolBarGloss%3A%27high%27%2CuseNativeFullScreen%3Atrue%2CinitialScale%3A%27orig%27%2CuseHwScaling%3Atrue%2CautoBuffering%3Afalse%2CplayList%3A%5B%7Boverlay%3A%27%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fplay%5Fbutton%2Epng%27%2Ctype%3A%27jpg%27%2Curl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fserve%2Ecastfire%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2F17266%2Ftrailers%2Dws%5F2008%2D07%2D18%2D004708%2Ejpg%27%7D%2C%7Burl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fserve%2Ecastfire%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2F17266%2Ftrailers%2Dws%5F2008%2D07%2D18%2D004708%2Eflv%27%7D%5D%7D" href="http://www.comicbookresources.com/VIEW/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config=%7Bembedded%3Atrue%2CbaseURL%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomicbookresources%2Ecom%2FVIEW%27%2CwatermarkLinkUrl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomicbookresources%2Ecom%2Fvideo%27%2CshowWatermark%3A%27always%27%2CwatermarkUrl%3A%27%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fcbr%5Fwatermark%2Epng%27%2CcontrolsAreaBorderColor%3A%270xEFEFEF%27%2CprogressBarBorderColor2%3A%270xFFFFFF%27%2CprogressBarBorderColor1%3A%270xFFFFFF%27%2CprogressBarColor2%3A%270x960315%27%2CprogressBarColor1%3A%270x960315%27%2CbufferBarColor2%3A%270xEF9616%27%2CbufferBarColor1%3A%270xFFD489%27%2CcontrolBarBackgroundColor%3A%270x01018c%27%2CcontrolBarGloss%3A%27high%27%2CuseNativeFullScreen%3Atrue%2CinitialScale%3A%27orig%27%2CuseHwScaling%3Atrue%2CautoBuffering%3Afalse%2CplayList%3A%5B%7Boverlay%3A%27%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fplay%5Fbutton%2Epng%27%2Ctype%3A%27jpg%27%2Curl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fserve%2Ecastfire%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2F17266%2Ftrailers%2Dws%5F2008%2D07%2D18%2D004708%2Ejpg%27%7D%2C%7Burl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fserve%2Ecastfire%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2F17266%2Ftrailers%2Dws%5F2008%2D07%2D18%2D004708%2Eflv%27%7D%5D%7D" id="">
also animated from the original comic book, and seen trailers/previews for The Black Panther, which will be airing on BET
, shockwave-flash@http://www.comicbookresources.com/VIEW/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config=%7Bembedded%3Atrue%2CbaseURL%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomicbookresources%2Ecom%2FVIEW%27%2CwatermarkLinkUrl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomicbookresources%2Ecom%2Fvideo%27%2CshowWatermark%3A%27always%27%2CwatermarkUrl%3A%27%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fcbr%5Fwatermark%2Epng%27%2CcontrolsAreaBorderColor%3A%270xEFEFEF%27%2CprogressBarBorderColor2%3A%270xFFFFFF%27%2CprogressBarBorderColor1%3A%270xFFFFFF%27%2CprogressBarColor2%3A%270x960315%27%2CprogressBarColor1%3A%270x960315%27%2CbufferBarColor2%3A%270xEF9616%27%2CbufferBarColor1%3A%270xFFD489%27%2CcontrolBarBackgroundColor%3A%270x01018c%27%2CcontrolBarGloss%3A%27high%27%2CuseNativeFullScreen%3Atrue%2CinitialScale%3A%27orig%27%2CuseHwScaling%3Atrue%2CautoBuffering%3Afalse%2CplayList%3A%5B%7Boverlay%3A%27%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fplay%5Fbutton%2Epng%27%2Ctype%3A%27jpg%27%2Curl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fserve%2Ecastfire%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2F19484%2Ftrailers%2Dfs%5F2008%2D07%2D27%2D105440%2Ejpg%27%7D%2C%7Burl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fserve%2Ecastfire%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2F19484%2Ftrailers%2Dfs%5F2008%2D07%2D27%2D105440%2Eflv%27%7D%5D%7D" href="http://www.comicbookresources.com/VIEW/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config=%7Bembedded%3Atrue%2CbaseURL%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomicbookresources%2Ecom%2FVIEW%27%2CwatermarkLinkUrl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomicbookresources%2Ecom%2Fvideo%27%2CshowWatermark%3A%27always%27%2CwatermarkUrl%3A%27%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fcbr%5Fwatermark%2Epng%27%2CcontrolsAreaBorderColor%3A%270xEFEFEF%27%2CprogressBarBorderColor2%3A%270xFFFFFF%27%2CprogressBarBorderColor1%3A%270xFFFFFF%27%2CprogressBarColor2%3A%270x960315%27%2CprogressBarColor1%3A%270x960315%27%2CbufferBarColor2%3A%270xEF9616%27%2CbufferBarColor1%3A%270xFFD489%27%2CcontrolBarBackgroundColor%3A%270x01018c%27%2CcontrolBarGloss%3A%27high%27%2CuseNativeFullScreen%3Atrue%2CinitialScale%3A%27orig%27%2CuseHwScaling%3Atrue%2CautoBuffering%3Afalse%2CplayList%3A%5B%7Boverlay%3A%27%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fplay%5Fbutton%2Epng%27%2Ctype%3A%27jpg%27%2Curl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fserve%2Ecastfire%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2F19484%2Ftrailers%2Dfs%5F2008%2D07%2D27%2D105440%2Ejpg%27%7D%2C%7Burl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fserve%2Ecastfire%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2F19484%2Ftrailers%2Dfs%5F2008%2D07%2D27%2D105440%2Eflv%27%7D%5D%7D" id="">
and Batman: Mad Love which is available on XBox Live.
My main issue remains price. Seven 2 to 4 minute episodes of Mad Love on XBox live for over a dollar each makes the iTunes price of 2 bucks per 24/45 minute episode (of regular TV content) seem almost reasonable. But if they can be successful at those prices, more power to 'em. Not with my money, though.
Black Panther will air on a cable channel, the much hated (by black folk) BET. I don't think I want to see too much of this stuff on TV. If successful enough, it could hurt whatever's left of real animation that isn't imported from Japan.
That this stuff can be done cheaply is appealing, and perhaps we'll see more independent cartoonists animating their work in this way (good animation is hard, Flash - not so much), getting somebody they know with a decent speaking voice to narrate, generate a following on YouTube and then offering downloads where-ever at a sane price.
Pie in the sky, but the potential is there.
The Marvel cartoons of the sixties is a famous example of this;
Last week or so, I mentioned The Watchmen free video which was offered (for a limited time) as a free download. I like the idea of using this style of animation as a web and portable friendly way to present comic book stories. Since then I've also read about and watched something called Invincible,
, shockwave-flash@http://www.comicbookresources.com/VIEW/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config=%7Bembedded%3Atrue%2CbaseURL%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomicbookresources%2Ecom%2FVIEW%27%2CwatermarkLinkUrl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomicbookresources%2Ecom%2Fvideo%27%2CshowWatermark%3A%27always%27%2CwatermarkUrl%3A%27%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fcbr%5Fwatermark%2Epng%27%2CcontrolsAreaBorderColor%3A%270xEFEFEF%27%2CprogressBarBorderColor2%3A%270xFFFFFF%27%2CprogressBarBorderColor1%3A%270xFFFFFF%27%2CprogressBarColor2%3A%270x960315%27%2CprogressBarColor1%3A%270x960315%27%2CbufferBarColor2%3A%270xEF9616%27%2CbufferBarColor1%3A%270xFFD489%27%2CcontrolBarBackgroundColor%3A%270x01018c%27%2CcontrolBarGloss%3A%27high%27%2CuseNativeFullScreen%3Atrue%2CinitialScale%3A%27orig%27%2CuseHwScaling%3Atrue%2CautoBuffering%3Afalse%2CplayList%3A%5B%7Boverlay%3A%27%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fplay%5Fbutton%2Epng%27%2Ctype%3A%27jpg%27%2Curl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fserve%2Ecastfire%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2F17266%2Ftrailers%2Dws%5F2008%2D07%2D18%2D004708%2Ejpg%27%7D%2C%7Burl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fserve%2Ecastfire%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2F17266%2Ftrailers%2Dws%5F2008%2D07%2D18%2D004708%2Eflv%27%7D%5D%7D" href="http://www.comicbookresources.com/VIEW/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config=%7Bembedded%3Atrue%2CbaseURL%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomicbookresources%2Ecom%2FVIEW%27%2CwatermarkLinkUrl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomicbookresources%2Ecom%2Fvideo%27%2CshowWatermark%3A%27always%27%2CwatermarkUrl%3A%27%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fcbr%5Fwatermark%2Epng%27%2CcontrolsAreaBorderColor%3A%270xEFEFEF%27%2CprogressBarBorderColor2%3A%270xFFFFFF%27%2CprogressBarBorderColor1%3A%270xFFFFFF%27%2CprogressBarColor2%3A%270x960315%27%2CprogressBarColor1%3A%270x960315%27%2CbufferBarColor2%3A%270xEF9616%27%2CbufferBarColor1%3A%270xFFD489%27%2CcontrolBarBackgroundColor%3A%270x01018c%27%2CcontrolBarGloss%3A%27high%27%2CuseNativeFullScreen%3Atrue%2CinitialScale%3A%27orig%27%2CuseHwScaling%3Atrue%2CautoBuffering%3Afalse%2CplayList%3A%5B%7Boverlay%3A%27%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fplay%5Fbutton%2Epng%27%2Ctype%3A%27jpg%27%2Curl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fserve%2Ecastfire%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2F17266%2Ftrailers%2Dws%5F2008%2D07%2D18%2D004708%2Ejpg%27%7D%2C%7Burl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fserve%2Ecastfire%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2F17266%2Ftrailers%2Dws%5F2008%2D07%2D18%2D004708%2Eflv%27%7D%5D%7D" id="">
also animated from the original comic book, and seen trailers/previews for The Black Panther, which will be airing on BET
, shockwave-flash@http://www.comicbookresources.com/VIEW/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config=%7Bembedded%3Atrue%2CbaseURL%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomicbookresources%2Ecom%2FVIEW%27%2CwatermarkLinkUrl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomicbookresources%2Ecom%2Fvideo%27%2CshowWatermark%3A%27always%27%2CwatermarkUrl%3A%27%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fcbr%5Fwatermark%2Epng%27%2CcontrolsAreaBorderColor%3A%270xEFEFEF%27%2CprogressBarBorderColor2%3A%270xFFFFFF%27%2CprogressBarBorderColor1%3A%270xFFFFFF%27%2CprogressBarColor2%3A%270x960315%27%2CprogressBarColor1%3A%270x960315%27%2CbufferBarColor2%3A%270xEF9616%27%2CbufferBarColor1%3A%270xFFD489%27%2CcontrolBarBackgroundColor%3A%270x01018c%27%2CcontrolBarGloss%3A%27high%27%2CuseNativeFullScreen%3Atrue%2CinitialScale%3A%27orig%27%2CuseHwScaling%3Atrue%2CautoBuffering%3Afalse%2CplayList%3A%5B%7Boverlay%3A%27%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fplay%5Fbutton%2Epng%27%2Ctype%3A%27jpg%27%2Curl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fserve%2Ecastfire%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2F19484%2Ftrailers%2Dfs%5F2008%2D07%2D27%2D105440%2Ejpg%27%7D%2C%7Burl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fserve%2Ecastfire%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2F19484%2Ftrailers%2Dfs%5F2008%2D07%2D27%2D105440%2Eflv%27%7D%5D%7D" href="http://www.comicbookresources.com/VIEW/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config=%7Bembedded%3Atrue%2CbaseURL%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomicbookresources%2Ecom%2FVIEW%27%2CwatermarkLinkUrl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomicbookresources%2Ecom%2Fvideo%27%2CshowWatermark%3A%27always%27%2CwatermarkUrl%3A%27%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fcbr%5Fwatermark%2Epng%27%2CcontrolsAreaBorderColor%3A%270xEFEFEF%27%2CprogressBarBorderColor2%3A%270xFFFFFF%27%2CprogressBarBorderColor1%3A%270xFFFFFF%27%2CprogressBarColor2%3A%270x960315%27%2CprogressBarColor1%3A%270x960315%27%2CbufferBarColor2%3A%270xEF9616%27%2CbufferBarColor1%3A%270xFFD489%27%2CcontrolBarBackgroundColor%3A%270x01018c%27%2CcontrolBarGloss%3A%27high%27%2CuseNativeFullScreen%3Atrue%2CinitialScale%3A%27orig%27%2CuseHwScaling%3Atrue%2CautoBuffering%3Afalse%2CplayList%3A%5B%7Boverlay%3A%27%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fplay%5Fbutton%2Epng%27%2Ctype%3A%27jpg%27%2Curl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fserve%2Ecastfire%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2F19484%2Ftrailers%2Dfs%5F2008%2D07%2D27%2D105440%2Ejpg%27%7D%2C%7Burl%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fserve%2Ecastfire%2Ecom%2Fvideo%2F19484%2Ftrailers%2Dfs%5F2008%2D07%2D27%2D105440%2Eflv%27%7D%5D%7D" id="">
and Batman: Mad Love which is available on XBox Live.
My main issue remains price. Seven 2 to 4 minute episodes of Mad Love on XBox live for over a dollar each makes the iTunes price of 2 bucks per 24/45 minute episode (of regular TV content) seem almost reasonable. But if they can be successful at those prices, more power to 'em. Not with my money, though.
Black Panther will air on a cable channel, the much hated (by black folk) BET. I don't think I want to see too much of this stuff on TV. If successful enough, it could hurt whatever's left of real animation that isn't imported from Japan.
That this stuff can be done cheaply is appealing, and perhaps we'll see more independent cartoonists animating their work in this way (good animation is hard, Flash - not so much), getting somebody they know with a decent speaking voice to narrate, generate a following on YouTube and then offering downloads where-ever at a sane price.
Pie in the sky, but the potential is there.
Labels: comics, downloads, possibilities for creative expression, XBox 360, youtube and other video
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