Super Bowl Review: 44 years and 110 million viewers later…

CBS Sports proves why ESPN must never get the Super Bowl.

I dont want to go too in depth – but lets look at some of the ideas CBS used in the super bowl this year, why the ads mostly sucked – what animation can learn from the production values of sports, and why ESPN has a long, long way to go.

Now, CBS Sports was smart in keeping the funny parts the a Minimal amount. I still think 5 people are too much – they work better in Super Bowls than 16 weeks a year situations. Look at the way they showcased the Trophy – on a glass case, sealed – not touched by the hands of the producers nor the hosts. This is to show how big the title has become. As for the sets – they are used from the superbowl they had some years back, but they worked here. Understandable they use mic’s as the full directional ones still dont produce great sound.

Its also understandable too – that they lost some of there past epic skills (Musgburger on the Helicopter for example) – but the GFX package this time around is way better than they had in 2006 – they didn’t use the arrow lines they had most of the season for this game (too distracting it seems) Its a mix of the 1990 superbowl GFX package with a little bit of 82, 87, 76 and 92 sprinkled in parts. They remind us why CBS has done it right, will continue to do it right, and is the best rights holder for the NFL, EVER. Let me say it for your BSPN-tards.

EVER.

Now, as for the Announcers. Nantz has been somewhat of a favorite of mine. He has made legendary calls before. I dont think even he will forget that onside kick. He has to cover Simms, but even Simms wasnt horrible here. It was too close to call, given the fact that Manning has done this before. The Announcer set for Super Bowl XLIV is not some screen for NBC, and not some Paper as they use on Fox – No – its a full on set piece. Do wish that they put the 50th annversy logo on the bottom but that would have been seen as too FOX based.

The actual game coverage after that audio issue at the start, is tried and true CBS Sports – big lights, big stage, all the colors of the rainbow. Per the terms of the interview on Face the Nation – no sounds of the big hits – but that didnt mean they showed the plays. Supervision is better than FoXmo – exepecually on that play that could have made the difference for the colts – the touchdown at the end of the 3rd quarter. Notice the difference in the cameras between the low speed and high speed. ESPN deliberately uses a low end, low color camera on NBA games while CBS uses the Sony Cams (but uses a sponsored Vizio high cam for the over the top cam) which always have given the network the best color out of every sport they have aired from the early 80’s onward.

The end of the game, the NFL “Network” got out of the way – and let CBS do it right. Despite the digital flub near the end – Yes streamers reflect the directional signal of any digital broadcasts, the awards ceremony is getting closer (but not really close) to the Stanley Cup Ceremony. Im not sure if the most of the folks from the pregame show should talk – but it didnt much matter – Saints win a superbowl before the Eagles. Wow.

The only flub in the game coverage – came from CBS News. Obamas interview while fine, was misguided and not really called for. Katie needed to interview both Quarterbacks and be at Florida.

As for the Advertisements – call me old fashioned, but I keep clapping for the Budweiser Clydesdale adverts. How can you ever go wrong with those adverts? The Most Shocking was the CBS/Worldwide Pants promoting Dave’s Show – with Jay Leno. Is Leno conceding before he even starts? Thats just… stunning.

The rest? Betty White came back and was good, where was the Beyonce Ad? The Motorola one was edgy – as Go Daddy still tries to be in the 90’s of ECW and the like. The Halftime show was…CSI lite. The NFL doesn’t want new stars, and will keep shooting to the old ones. Next two years, you can bet your bottom dollar is Susan Boyle. Because thats old school and “safe”. The reason why the CBS ads didnt do as well as Fox’s or NBC’s is that CBS Bs&P will only allow old men to show there lack of pants. Everybody else get censored or go behind closed doors. What does that tell you?

Anyway – BSPN will never get there hands on the Super Bowl, ever. Take a look of what they did this season – it was all just one major distraction after the other. CBS despite being behind most of the season, ended its 50th season of NFL coverage with the most watched TV program in history. It ends the first 10 year run with the AFC – in where the AFC has won 7 of the last 10 superbowls, a decade of good luck for CBS – CBS’s best overall ratings for Football Coverage since the 1990 season college and Pro, and caps five decades of making the NFL the sport of kings.

Now tell me, can ESPN beat that with all there stealing of sports?

There is something animation can learn from all this. The underdog story never fails. Use 3d sparingly. Dont forget the product or story your trying to sell. and most of all – be professional, epic, and have fun.

Thats G, For you.

WHAGGHHHS and rumors of WAHGGHSS (thats Orkish)

Thundercat news: Rare and shows the major problems in the industry.

From a message board dealing in action figures:

Warners does NOT “Want too much for it.” The license is attached to the new animated series currently in development. It’s looking like BanDai will nail the license. Do NOT expect classics styled figures. They will be based on the new designs.

Later:

It’s not nixed. They’ve already spent a lot of money on development. With A list talent. But it’s a big priority for them.

Cartoon Network originally passed on the new Thundercats. Both Mattel and Hasbro got the series pitch and passed on the toys for couple different reasons. “Lack of cool tech” the big one. But Ban Dai did a hard core play for the rights. They weren’t interested in a “Classic” adult line, and thought that the new take on the series was something very different for the toy aisles. Which is what Mattel and Hasbro were afraid of.

Then:

You’re not getting anymore information. I’ve probably already said too much as it is. You can not believe it. I don’t care.

Howard the Duck wrote:

1) Bandai toys of the Thundercats will suck.

Agree… they will in fact – SUCK

Howard the Duck wrote:

2) Any Thundercats ‘toon that features ‘hip’ ‘neo anime-manga’ Thundercats(my greatest fear concerning them) will suck. Especially if they give them tails and visible fur and big-ass cat ears! Double-suck!

They will not be anime in style. A very spectacular artists who’s pedigree includes JLU and GI Joe Resolute has done the designs and they are stunning. You will cry they are so beautiful.
Add to that the series take by some of my favorite animation writers and you will be blown out of the water.

So yes, there is a planned Thundercats series – the problem – where will it take place, who will get the toy license. Who has it?

Right now, the impact for a series would be too little, too late. The best chance was around 2003 – 2005 by the time anime was the big rage and the 80’s series were also returning.

The second hit against it is that Cartoon Network doesn’t have the capital to produce said series with the same magic the old one had. I dont say break the budget – they just dont have it if they are doing Young Justice and other DCAU works at the same time.

The next is the Legal issues. The original creators want money from any new works and the old series. The series is in so many hands I dont know how they can do a new series.

Can a new series make a impact as it did in the late 80’s? Signs, and future moves by the TV industry – point to no.

Oscars, Syrus Sister and Animation’s new war.

Well, the Oscars has come out and her what the brew had to say:

News media stories about the Oscars are cropping up all over and all of them are parroting the same factoid: Up is only the second time since the inception of the award that the Academy has nominated an animated film for Best Picture. (The first time was Beauty and the Beast in 1991.) What they should be writing is that today is a milestone day because two animated films were nominated for an Oscar: Up andAvatar.

There is little doubt in the minds of both Brewmasters, Jerry Beck and Amid Amidi, that Avatar will eventually be recognized as an animated feature as more and more films are created using the constantly evolving performance capture animation technique. Within the industry, most already recognize the film as heavily animated, from top feature film animators who wonder why Avatar’s animators are receiving so little credit for their work on the film to animation union rep Steve Hulett who stated that if, “Avatar isn’t halfway to three-quarters animation, I will eat my computer.” Most importantly, had this film been submitted to the Academy for consideration in the animated feature category, it would have qualified under the Academy’s own rules.

While James Cameron’s publicity machine may be unwilling to acknowledge the extent of animation used in creating Avatar, let us be the first to congratulate Mr. Cameron on his nomination for his groundbreaking piece of animation.

Now in not so shocking news… almost to the point of saying I TOLD YOU FUCKERS SO and WE ARE SOOO GONNA GET ARRESTED FOR THIS SHIT:

Seems like every time we hear about Noah Cyrus she’s doing something totally innapropriate for her age.

Whether it’s dressing like a dominatrix for Halloween, skipping around a pole-dancing pole or performing the totally un-PG hits ‘Smack That’ and ‘Tik Tok’, we suspect this nine-year-old could easily notch up more scandals than her big sis by the time she hits her teens.

Noah at two Halloween parties last year.
The latest news that’s got us scratching our heads and wondering, yet again, ‘what were her parents thinking?’ …little Noah is set to become a lingerie model.

She’ll be teaming up with her pint-sized best friend Emily Grace to launch a children’s lingerie collection for ‘Ohh! La, La! Couture’.

Left: Pole dancing with her little friends last year. Right: With her best friend Emily Grace.

The company’s website describes The Emily Grace Collection as having a “trendy, sweet, yet edgy feel, reminiscent of Emily’s true personality. She is collaborating with Ooh! La, La! Couture designers to create versatile styles that can be worn with sweet ballerina slippers, funky sneakers or paired with lace stockings and boots for more of a rock and roll look. Emily’s collection will appeal not just to little girls – the line also has an exclusive Teen Collection available to a size 14.”

Wow. Didnt she work in Ponyo by any chance? And dont you fuckers say that anime started this – per that Nine (MSN) article she being doing this long before she got that role. THIS SHIT IS FOUL SON. WHAT THE FUCK DISNEY? Wax Poetic about being Conservative but dont do the right thing?

NOW YOU KNOW WHY I CURSED OUT RICK ROSS! (The Disney Movie Chief, not the rapper).

But this leads into animations new war, but is more like muitable battles being fought. Is Avatar animated? Is 3D the future? But the real issue is that our friends at the Demo-Crats at the FCC wants to move our great and awesome advertised based TV series to Paid systems.

Somebody needs to knock down these sons of bastards down a peg.

And Lost Is fucking Awesome. Nuff Said.

More later.

Novid.

Oh, I almost forgot to say something about that Supreme Court Ruling…

It deals withe E/I laws (also named Childrens Act of 1990).

So it comes to the point where I strongly agree and disagree on what the Supreme Court did some days ago.

You should know by now that the Supreme Court now states that Corps and Unions can spend as much money as they want in political campaigns.

Obama stated aspects of the truth of the matter – that this was “legislating from the bench”.

However, the point remains – about free speech rights.

Then again that means that the E/I dictates to stations are illegal.

The reason is that it the very wording of the CTA states that they must produce informational progaming.

Does this new ruling fit that rule?

Yes it does. That means that they could put such shows on SatAM and those shows will be talking about why this candidate cannot be elected, this connection to this bad person etc.

But then again, is it informational, or based on Ideology? If the latter, this is the biggest news story for the animation industry has seen in years.

Because now, flooded with money – the corps and unions will take over the airwaves every 2 years (some times, less than that) and will pre-empt many E/I programing outside of PBS.

That would mean that the E/I ruling the FCC did in 2004 is null and void – which also means that the stations will do this to get big money. Larger than what a kids show can pull.

We are in bigger trouble than you realize folks. But the E/I rule may be a thing of the past.

But its too little too late.

Some Stuff of Note and other such…

Conan is the best thing that happened to hollywood in a long time. A long time. His last show was a reminder that the youth may never be served as so long as the old men continue to control the leadership of the airwaves. (the youth cant stand censorship, or the threat of it regardless of where it comes from). Its not about creating content – well at least not anymore – its about who is behind it all.

What i saw in this last show for NBC, is the sad truth that as long as you work for the youth – unless its in order to tell us how bad we are, or how things aren’t the way it used to be, or that we are lazy bums (which isn’t true), you will be marginalized to the ends of the earth. Its almost like Hollywood (and NBC in particular) has a death wish.

But now i will move on to the other news. Dont expect any (help) or (news stories) from your friend(s) over at toonzone for the foreseeable future. They found there calling. A dying advertising industry. So much for being business men and artists.

Right now, im going through some things. Things that make you think about life. That it can be gone in an instant. I feel right now conflicted. I need money for Garou Gothic to become the site I want and you want to go to. I need it have the site to be bleeding edge, but aspects of it will be steeped in the good days of the early days of the net. But you know what happened? Life comes and it shocks you. It’s a kick in the pants.

After watching Passing Strange, I wondered how in the world would I do a similar work – about animation and connect it to the last two decades. I don’t want it be ideological work. But I feel music maybe the way to convay these emotions i have now.

Garou Gothic isnt going to be just a site were i just sit down and shoot breez and talk **** all day. Nope. Its going to be the thing that recreates the internet just like Google Did years back. Its product deals with animation – but its about getting people out from the mist and fog (which is called correctly by a Mr Tsarion as the Mysterium) that has become the life a majority of people lead.

Right now however, until things get underway – plans to get Garou Gothic off the ground around March/April will be put on hold. The articles will get done – right now I have no plans to release them until i can set up some sort of monetary contract with websites who want the article or if not as serious is it is – wait until the site comes online.

I will give final dates on where Garou Gothic will come up. This isn’t going to be a half assed job – it takes a good two months for the website to be in any working order. Despite that – we could have delays be on delays. But if I dont have enough funds to start this up – and if newer job opportunities come and delay it even further – then were going to be stuck on wordpress for the foreseeable future. I really dont want to happen. I dont want to fail this time either.

So I will have something new on the table as well. You will all hear about it next week.