tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post6366441092239931302..comments2024-03-27T11:18:53.456-07:00Comments on Temple of the Seven Golden Camels: Real Life is (still) Always Funniermark kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11953166248647413142noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-3916996231174847652008-01-07T11:01:00.000-08:002008-01-07T11:01:00.000-08:00I'm a little late to the party, here, but I just w...I'm a little late to the party, here, but I just wanted to say that I loved this post! Thanks, Mark!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-66408170653449998242007-11-15T12:06:00.001-08:002007-11-15T12:06:00.001-08:00Mr Banks -I was at CalAts from 1987-1990. Are you ...Mr Banks -<BR/><BR/>I was at CalAts from 1987-1990. Are you suggesting that I stole your teaching material? I am only articulating all the stuff that I think every story artist starts to realize after a while...just obvious stuff that most screenwriting books tell you. Most of my early posts were material from the days when I myself taught story at CalArts and from lectures I have done here at Disney.<BR/><BR/>I'm surprised that you think I have a passion for Jungle book - I don't think I've written about that film more than any other Disney film. Also I don't think I ever said anything necessarily positive or negative about how "good" I think the film is. I don't really get into that because I don't believe in that kind of discussion. There are lots of people who will talk about films being either "good" or "bad" and then it seems like anyone with a differing opinion is automatically an idiot. There are plenty of other places to get involved in that kind of argument and I don't really have the energy to do that all the time here. I find that people get very emotional and agitated about their opinions in film and I find that that can cloud over other points that might be worth discussing. Story artists tend to get very passionate about the films that they like and I have been involved in enough screaming matches here at work over what films are "good" and "bad" to last a lifetime and make me really treasure those people who are open and flexible and actually interested in a differing opinion. A film like "Jungle Book" (which I admit, I don't particularly like as a whole) strikes a chord with many, many people. So there must be something about the film that people enjoy and respond to. I would rather figure out what it is that people like than just dismiss those people as idiots or totally negate something that they genuinely like. I feel like if I can figure out what they like about it I can learn something about film and what works for some people. If nothing else, my blog is about being a perpetual student and learning something new all the time - particularly from something that you might tend to dismiss, if other people seem to respond to it.<BR/><BR/> Anyway, thanks for leaving a comment and bringing up such a good talking point.mark kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11953166248647413142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-28208184302149007502007-11-15T10:50:00.000-08:002007-11-15T10:50:00.000-08:00Hey Mark Kennedy! When were you at CalArts? I used...Hey Mark Kennedy! When were you at CalArts? I used to teach there and you're stealing all my advice! (This is in regards to earlier posts).<BR/><BR/>I'm also bemused by what seems like a passionate interest in the move Jungle Book. I hope you don't think this is a cinema classic. It's a mess of a film; episodic, plodding, irrational and often just downright boring. Yes, this is some of the finest character animation ever done and yes, there are a couple really wonderful energetic and charming set peices, but you can't possibly think this is a good film. It's one of the first in a long line of animator driven agressively dull animated films from the mouse house, from Sword in the Stone and Aristocats to Robin Hood.<BR/><BR/>Okay, discuss!<BR/><BR/>Otherwise, all the best to my hero Mark Kennedy.Mr Bankshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12952506736745891323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-3029724217228576402007-11-13T21:27:00.000-08:002007-11-13T21:27:00.000-08:00Thanks for the comments!Hey gaz- good question. So...Thanks for the comments!<BR/><BR/>Hey gaz- good question. Sometimes people do things in real life that cartoon characters do, and it's fascinating to see a real person do something totally sincere and spontaneous that just happens to seem "cartoony". But animation is never really that "spontaneous" - it requires a lot of planning and forethought, of course - so when an animated character does something we've seen another animated character or actor do before, it's just a cheap rip-off. Real life can't help but be genuine. Even when people are being "fake" in real life and acting in an affected way, it's always for some deep personal reason that makes it fascinating to observe and try to figure out why someone would do that. So if I was watching some live-action movie and Jim Carrey was doing "the robot" to be funny it would just be unbearable and obnoxious, because it's been done in a ton of movies already and there's nothing ever sincere or genuine about Jim Carrey anyway. But seeing a real guy do it in the street, it suddenly becomes amazing to watch, because some real person is risking disapproval, public embarrassment and humiliation just to get the attention of a camera crew and maybe be on the TV news. That, to me, is fascinating.<BR/><BR/>Hey Floyd - congrats on being a Disney Legend, and I totally agree with you. Thanks for posting!<BR/><BR/>Hey juan - I know, it almost looks fake...I sure hope it's real, I apologize to everyone if it turns out to be fake!<BR/><BR/>Hey tiny dean - again, I dunno...I think it;s real but....who knows? The line between fake and real gets muddier all the time.mark kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11953166248647413142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-44017345806865853662007-11-13T16:20:00.000-08:002007-11-13T16:20:00.000-08:00Are you sure this real? It does seem almost too pe...Are you sure this real? It does seem almost too perfect.<BR/><BR/>If it's not fake then I thank the cameraman for capturing this and whoever decided to not erase this footage.<BR/><BR/>And I thank you, Mark, for finding this and sharing on your blog.Adrian C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01706837761721152225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-13927512851892353892007-11-13T12:48:00.000-08:002007-11-13T12:48:00.000-08:00It's so perfectly timed, and even the subject of t...It's so perfectly timed, and even the subject of the report is so perfect ("violent criiiiiime!!!!"), that it doesn't look very realistic.<BR/><BR/>I don't know if it's real. It's irrelevant, the important thing is it doesn't look realistic. But of course, many times reality is not realistic!<BR/><BR/>But the first time I saw it, I bought it. And it was funny!<BR/><BR/>True or not? Doesn't matter. Isn't perception the only truth that matters in communication?<BR/><BR/>Interesting and funny!Zorrillahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06785263901609791012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-32573712612147118532007-11-13T09:03:00.000-08:002007-11-13T09:03:00.000-08:00I agree, Mark. This is staged and timed perfectly....I agree, Mark. This is staged and timed perfectly. The only thing I would add would be off-screen sounds of the crew beating the crap out of the guy.<BR/><BR/>People often ask me where I get the funny ideas for my gags? I always say, from real life.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-67040920154118947662007-11-13T06:38:00.000-08:002007-11-13T06:38:00.000-08:00Hey Mark, I'm a little confused.You say the point ...Hey Mark, I'm a little confused.<BR/><BR/>You say the point is to be inspired from real life (and I totally agree), but you also point out a couple of times that if you saw this clip animated, you would think that it's cheesy and cliche.<BR/><BR/>So are you saying some things don't translate? That maybe some things are just funnier in real life and can't be translated into animation?Garethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11059365821734590234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-36505031951398616202007-11-12T20:12:00.000-08:002007-11-12T20:12:00.000-08:00That's weird, it worked for me just now...anyone e...That's weird, it worked for me just now...anyone else have trouble?mark kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11953166248647413142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-61868432285632840762007-11-11T07:39:00.000-08:002007-11-11T07:39:00.000-08:00From your desription this sounds really funny but ...From your desription this sounds really funny but the clip is no longer available!Matt Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06691360081537045523noreply@blogger.com