Preferred animation style for new TAS

[captainkirk]

Something I haven't seen discussed much is what kind of art style would be best for either Lower Decks or the Nickelodeon cartoon. Now I don't really have anything to say about Lower Decks, but I guess everything I'm about to say could apply to it as well.

So I see three main styles that could be used. The first being 3D animation. This would seem to be the obvious choice, especially as the Hageman brothers who are producing the series are also producers on Trollhunters for Netflix.

The downside here is the cost. Trollhunters has the advantage of mostly using the same characters and locations in each episode, which keeps production costs down. A Star Trek series will probably feature new locations and aliens on a regular basis.

The second option would be a related one, cel-shaded 3D. This is when the characters and environments are all 3D models, but rendered to look like traditional cartoons. The best looking example probably being The Dragon Prince.

Done right this method can look great, but done badly it can look very cheap (Star Wars: Resistance, for example).

And finally, there's good old traditional 2D animation. There are many examples of it, even today. But my personal pick for a style I think could work is something similar to Star Wars: Galaxy of Adventure.

Now the animation in these shorts is a little more limited than what I imagine a full TV series will have, but I find the art style to be quite aesthetically pleasing.

Well, those are my thoughts. What are yours?

 

[UssGlenn]

I'd be up for animation in the style of "Archer".

 

[F. King Daniel]

My dream would be Real Ghostbusters style animation. But since we're 30 years too late for that....

 

[Thefallguy]

The only current animation shows I know, are Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Paw Patrol, because my little daughter watches them, but all three screenshots you posted look neat. Would be game for any of them.

 

[Mysterion]

CG animation similar to SW The Clone Wars or Rebels.

 

[Paul Weaver]

South Park style

 

[Ovation]

Filmation style like the original or I’m boycotting and starting up a YouTube hater channel to constantly vent my spleen.









Of the three styles in the OP, I prefer the second one.

 

[GNDN18]

Filmation style like the original or I’m boycotting and starting up a YouTube hater channel to constantly vent my spleen.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

Version 2 or 3 would be fine by me.

Though I'd also be fine with Man of Action's Marvel Animation-style(s), Generator Rex or Alien Force & Ulimate Alien from the Ben 10 franchise.

 

[Enterprise is Great]

CG animation similar to SW The Clone Wars or Rebels.

That's what I'd like to see. Whatever kind of animation Star Wars Resistance is they should avoid it. I'm not a fan of that style of animation.

 

[Galaxy]

Something like the Clone Wars or Rebels is what I do not want to see. To cartoonish imo. I am not sure what the style is called but I would like to see the realistic style of high end computer games like Crysis 2. To expensive?

 

[The Overlord]

Something like the Clone Wars or Rebels is what I do not want to see. To cartoonish imo. I am not sure what the style is called but I would like to see the realistic style of high end computer games like Crysis 2. To expensive?

Likely too expensive. With TV animation you often have to pick between realistic character models with look stiff in motion or more cartoonish models that look better in motion. They are not going to spend a ton of cash on a kids cartoon animation, what they will do have a decent budget and the real money will go into the really important scenes, while everything else will have competent animation.

 

[Donker]

I'd be up for animation in the style of "Archer".

Would love to see a HD remake of TAS in this style honestly.

I suspect the series will look something like Paw Patrol or Star Wars Resistance from what we've heard so far. In a perfect world, I don't know, Hiroyuki Okiura on character and character animation and Ikuto Yamashita and Hideaki Anno on Ship designs and ship animation with Anno directing and writing, oh throw in Gen Urobuchi as well just for fun as co-writer and uh, Gekidan Inu Curry can design the alien worlds.

 

[captainkirk]

Something like the Clone Wars or Rebels is what I do not want to see. To cartoonish imo. I am not sure what the style is called but I would like to see the realistic style of high end computer games like Crysis 2. To expensive?

Definitely too expensive. There's a reason that most CG series look the way they do. Certain things such as realistic hair and skin are much more expensive to render than the more cartoony skin and hair that Clone Wars and Rebels use.

 

[Galaxy]

Likely too expensive. With TV animation you often have to pick between realistic character models with look stiff in motion or more cartoonish models that look better in motion. They are not going to spend a ton of cash on a kids cartoon animation, what they will do have a decent budget and the real money will go into the really important scenes, while everything else will have competent animation.

Definitely too expensive. There's a reason that most CG series look the way they do. Certain things such as realistic hair and skin are much more expensive to render than the more cartoony skin and hair that Clone Wars and Rebels use.

What about something like the Final Fantasy movie from 2001? That should be doable today as something more mainstream.

https://rei.animecharactersdatabase.com/uploads/chars/9180-429095001.jpg

 

[captainkirk]

What about something like the Final Fantasy movie from 2001? That should be doable today as something more mainstream.

https://rei.animecharactersdatabase.com/uploads/chars/9180-429095001.jpg

It's definitely doable. Just look a the Unreal demo with Andy Serkis from a year ago:

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The issue is that something still seems slightly off, keeping it in the uncanny valley.

 

[valkyrie013]

Its going to be an american production, so.. Lowest cost possible. So were looking at completly cg, either in the cgi look or cgi cell shaded. Hopefully not like Resistance.. that looks like crap.
Not a chance in Orlando (Hell) that its 2d traditional animation..

 

[CorporalCaptain]

The issue is that something still seems slightly off, keeping it in the uncanny valley.

Oh, it's way more than slightly off.

If I had to choose between the three styles in the OP, I'd choose the second.

I think the technology of Star Wars Resistance shows promise, but it needs a few more improvements to get the shading right. Also, the pastel palette they use is something I wouldn't want to see for Star Trek, but I think that's its own issue.

I don't think that the either of the two similar styles for The Clone Wars or Rebels would work without a new approach to the way people are depicted. In other words, the tech, terrain, environments, backgrounds, space, planets, etc. are all fine, but the approach to characters wouldn't work, and the reason why is because they're too stylized, at least for what I'd prefer to see.

All that said, I wouldn't mind seeing a variety of styles presented, and basically tried out to see which one works the best.

It's also worth mentioning that which style is appropriate can vary with the story, so a lot depends upon what stories are being told.

 

[The Overlord]

What about something like the Final Fantasy movie from 2001? That should be doable today as something more mainstream.

https://rei.animecharactersdatabase.com/uploads/chars/9180-429095001.jpg

Doable perhaps, also very unlikely. How many kids cartoons today spend that kind of money on animation? TV animation is still TV, so the budgetary issues that affect live-action Trek (all the bumpy-headed aliens, for example) apply to TV animation, just in different, it's not like an animated movie where they spend all the money on one thing, they have to space out the budget over a season.

What we will get, I think, is stylized, competent animation, with the real money being spent on key scenes and climaxes. I am fine with that, personally.

 

[FreddyE]

Everthing...but please, please no ugly cheap Clone Wars Style 3D-Animation or 2D animation that looks like it has been thrown together in Microsoft Paint...like the new She-Ra.