Writers Get Animated

Grab your wizard’s staff and set off with us as we discuss Pixar’s Onward! Why is Pixar telling this story now? What can we learn about foreshadowing and audience expectations? 

Climb aboard a massive dragonfly as we zoom through the coolest post-apocalyptic world around in “Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts!” How is the storytelling different in Kipo? What are the trends that we’re seeing? How is the world introduced? What is most exciting about the world created in Kipo?

It's our annual look at the Oscar-nominated animated short films! Five different and engaging short films were nominated for the Oscar this year: Hair Love, Daughter, Sister, Memorable, and Kitbull. What trends and themes were present this year? What were the different ways stories were told? Previously on Writers Get Animated 133 - Hey Academy, Here’s How You Should’ve Voted: The Oscar-Nominated Shorts 107 - Dear Academy, Here’s How to Vote 2018 063 - Dear Academy, Here’s How to Vote… Again: Oscar-Nominated Animated Shorts 012 - Dear Academy: Here's How To Vote  

Brendan Hay, Mike Yank, Sarah Nerboso, and Marie Cheng from Harvey Girls Forever join us to discuss the final season of the show. We discuss their favorite moments of the final season, how they said goodbye to the show, and what they were glad made it into the final season! Previously on Writers Get Animated 138 - The Writers of Harvey Girls Forever!

Harley Quinn has her own series now on DC Universe! What happens when a character who began in animation, went into comic book form, then into live action, returns to animation? How has the character of Harley Quinn evolved? How is this series different from other DC animated series that have come before? Also, who knew that Poison Ivy would be the ultimate roommate?   Links Watch Harley Quinn on DC Universe (Subscription Needed)  

It’s a new year, so we’re celebrating by dreaming big! We’re taking our tradition of proving that some things write themselves to new heights. It’s one part improv and one part writing exercise. Play along with us as we come up with sequels, reboots, and spin-offs of some of the properties available on Disney+.  Previously on Writers Get Animated 095 - It Still Writes Itself, Apparently 050 - It Still Writes Itself 018 - It Writes Itself

Disney+ is here, and the Disney Vault is mostly open! Our trip through the Disney canon continues as we go back through the early shorts of Disney to see if we can identify Disney DNA. What makes Disney Disney? What has changed through the years? What can we learn from these early Disney shorts? Why would you ever trust Goofy to drive you anywhere? Previously on Writers Get Animated Canon in Disney Part I: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Canon in Disney Part II: The Not-So-Golden Age Canon in Disney Part III: The New Classics Canon in Disney Part IV: Without Walt Canon in Disney Part V: Welcome to the Disney Renaissance Canon in Disney Part VI: The Lost Era Canon in Disney Part VII: Modern Disney in Bolt and Frozen  

When is a sequel justified? Or… How do you make a sequel that’s just as merited as the first film when you’re writing for the sequel to the biggest animated film of all time (besides The Lion King)? This week, we plunge into the icy waters of Frozen II (2)! What else does Elsa have to do to complete her character arc? What can Idina Menzel sing about this time? What do you do when your characters get comfortable? Can a snowman make you cry?   Links   Buzzfeed Facts About Frozen 2: https://www.buzzfeed.com/noradominick/frozen-2-behind-the-scenes-facts  Episode 154 about Frozen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/writers-get-animated/id1059055576?i=1000422610016

It’s (almost) Christmastime, so we unwrap your gift early to talk Klaus on Netflix! What kinds of stories can you tell with Santa? What are the tropes and trappings of Santa? How successful can a dark and gritty reboot of Santa be? Links Klaus director pushed past the limitations of traditional animation SPA Studios on YouTube Watch Klaus on Netflix

How do you tell a story without words? We look at the tools and techniques used in Genndy Tartakovsky’s new show: Primal! How can color and staging tell your story? How do you show a changing relationship without words? Links Watch Primal on Adult Swim About the Herculoids About Act Without Words I  

Yes, they are creepy and kooky, but they're also one of the most beloved families ever, it's The Addams Family! We take a look at what needs to be included in any Addams Family film, what stories are told, what themes are explored. How does the newest film both pay off and play against our expectations?  Links The Addams Family Clips and Trailers

It's the time of year when we look at the new animated shows that came out for the year, so you can find out what you should be watching! There are so many new shows that came out, and more new shows are still on the way! Looking for a show for your young kids to watch? Something for the whole family? Or want something that is strictly for adults? There's something for everyone this year! Previously on Writers Get Animated Sweet, Sweet Fantasy: Amphibia Tuca & Bertie! Young Justice: Cliffhanger No More!  

On this episode, we're coming up short! It's the Short Form Animated Program Emmy nominees! Robot Chicken! Teen Titans GO! Steven Universe! Love, Death & Robots! Spongebob Squarepants! Who won? Why were these stories nominated? What makes them special? What makes them unique? Previously on Writers Get Animated 2019 Best Animated Program Emmy Nominees Two Gay Weddings and a Podcast Links Watch The Witness on Netflix  

In this episode, we look at the nominees for this year's Emmy Awards: Big Mouth “The Planned Parenthood Show”, Bob’s Burgers “Just One Of The Boyz 4 Now For Now”, BoJack Horseman “Free Churro”, Adventure Time “Come Along With Me”, and The Simpsons “Mad About The Toy.” In what ways is storytelling shifting? Is animation for kids and adults now? What stories are being told and who is telling them? Links Cartoon Brew: 2019 Emmy Nominations: ‘BoJack Horseman’ Joins Race For Best Animated Program

Hop in the slingshot, we're flinging ourselves to Bird Island to talk Angry Birds 2! How do you craft a story when there's so little plot from source material? How do you take a video game movie franchise to the... next level? What are the different ways you take take comedy beyond audience expectations? Previously on Writers Get Animated 089 - Ready Player Dracula: Castlevania 011 - Well, Excuuuse Us Links Cartoon Brew Interview with the Director and Producer of Angry Birds 2 Watch the Angry Birds 2 Bathroom Scene!

This week, we're looking at crafting a fantasy world! What are the different types of fantasy sub-genres out there? We explore the realm of Amphibia to see how it fits into and subverts various fantasy rules! What adventures does Anne have in store? How do you build a mythical world? Links Watch the first two episodes of Amphibia Fantasy on TV Tropes 

Hakuna Matata! We're traveling to Pride Rock for this episode! Guest Rebecca Myers helps us investigate how the new photorealistic Lion King fits into the great Disney Circle of Remakes. How is this version different from the original animated film? What story changes are made? Does the remake become something new?   Previously on Writers Get Animated 066 - Disynergy: Doc McStuffins, Pooh, and Lion Guard, Too 032 - Once Upon A Time Again   Links LA Times: 'The Lion King': Is it animated or live-action? It's complicated Tech Crunch: How the New Lion King Came to Life

For this episode, we take a look at the current state of LGBTQ representation in animation and see how thet plays in two recent, animated gay weddings! What was all the fuss about in the Arthur episode "Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone?" What's really going on in the episode "Reunion" from Steven Universe? What does representation look like now? Whose stories are getting told and who is doing the telling? How far have we come? Links The Complete History of Queer Characters in Cartoon Shows

Woody and Buzz are back for another round of Toy Story adventures! We take a look at how this film fits into the Toy Story franchise. Is Toy Story 4 essential? Who is the main character of the Toy Story films? Is this the last Toy Story? Links Insider: How Pixar's Animation Has Evolved...

In this episode, we climb our way into the DuckTales episode Nothing Can Stop Della Duck! We go beat by beat, seeing how it gives us character relationships and subverts expectations. And now, we have more questions! Previously on Writers Get Animated 090 - DuckTales! Woo-oo! 121 - The Lost Loves of Scrooge McDuck and BoJack Horseman Links  Watch Nothing Can Stop Della Duck! on DisneyNOW