It has always been an idea that Gu Miao has to produce an animation that uses unlimited materials and shows off her muscles regardless of cost.

It's just that the time is not ripe.

On the one hand, making such an animation requires choosing a good popular theme and a good script.

On the other hand, the production of an animation like this that is purely a show of industrial strength requires a lot of money and manpower.

so……

This is not a decision that can be made on a whim and with a slap on the forehead, and Gu Miao cannot guarantee it to anyone.

Who knows what the future will bring?

If one day, the essay he wrote comes true, and Wanbao Group really goes bankrupt for some reason, then what qualifications do we have to talk about this?

But then again.

Although Wanbao has no plans to create a "Galactic Battleship" industrial animation similar to "Battle of Two Cities" yet, it can still flex its muscles in the field of "artistic animation".

The animation "Tom and Jerry" was born just for this.

Speaking of this project…

Sitting on the flight back to Jiangchuan, Gu Miao suddenly thought of the content of the email Dave sent him yesterday afternoon.

In the email, Dave mentioned two very crucial small details.

One is the character issue.

In the plot of the animated "Tom and Jerry", in addition to the happy enemies of Tom and Jerry, there are also many supporting characters of all kinds who have left a deep impression on him.

For example, Spike the bulldog!

There are also three stray cats, white cats, Jerry’s cousin and little follower, as well as ducks, swans and other animals.

besides!

In the Tom and Jerry animation, there is another important supporting character that is easily overlooked, but is no less important than Spike the Bulldog.

That is, Tom's owner...

Tom's owner is not a fixed character, but changed several times along the way. The earliest and most classic one is undoubtedly the aunt with "dozens of layers of skirts and trousers".

The problem Dave encountered was whether the owner of Tom Cat needed to "show his face".

"I don't think I need to show my face..."

"Tom and Jerry is a one-man show. The core protagonists are Tom and Jerry, two happy enemies. Unless the play requires it, other characters should not easily show their faces and steal the camera."

Leaning back on the comfortable first-class seat, Gu Miao used her laptop to edit an email reply to Dave and his team.

He believes that it is best for Tom's owner not to show his face, or even go too far, and there may even be no "human characters" in the play.

There is a reason for this.

His main concern was that the frequent appearance of human characters would destroy the comedy atmosphere created by "Tom and Jerry."

It's best not to show up. If you have to show a human character, or Tom's owner has a role, don't show your face, just show your lower body.

As of this writing, Dave's first question has almost been solved.

Next is the second question.

This is also an issue that Dave used a lot of words to describe and describe its importance in the email, and emphasized it countless times to attract his attention.

…

Do Tom and Jerry need lines?

This is a question that Dave's team had debated countless times but could not come to a result when making the animation.

Likewise, Gu Miao didn't know either.

It stands to reason that Tom and Jerry is an animation that does not require lines. Tom and Jerry do not speak throughout the whole process, and you can understand the plot just by watching the performance.

This is a bit like the mime of the past!

But compared to mime, Tom and Jerry still have some sounds, such as Tom's painful wails after being hit by various sanctions and his laughter after his prank succeeds.

And it's not dumb either!

Not only Tom and Jerry, but even Spike the bulldog, actually all speak in the animation, and they are not just pure mutes.

It's just that they speak too little, and generally only have one or two lines, with a high repetition rate, so they seldom attract attention.

Should they be allowed to speak?

Dave told Gu Miao that the animation "Tom and Jerry" production team was divided into two groups because of this issue.

One group is the Speak Up Party. They say that the era of silent films represented by Chaplin is over, and now performances need the assistance of lines.

The other group is the shut-up party. They firmly believe that excellent animation, even if there are no dialogue lines, can still make people understand the plot at a glance.

In general.

The number of people who support "shut up" far exceeds the number of people who "open up".

Because the Shut Up Party’s ideas are very appealing to these old artists, including Dave himself.

"...Boss! I think animation that requires lines of assistance to make people understand the plot is not an excellent animation."

"Tom and Jerry are definitely excellent performers. They use their bodies to perform, allowing everyone to understand the story with their eyes instead of hearing it with their ears."

Eyes and ears?

As a literary and artistic category that focuses on visual experience, animation should indeed focus on visual experience rather than auditory experience.

Just doing this seems a bit against the "trend".

After all, the era of silent films has passed. Can today's audiences still accept this kind of "silent" animation that relies solely on the characters' movements and expressions to understand the plot?

"Silence doesn't work, it's too monotonous."

"But adding lines and letting Tom and Jerry speak is not appropriate..."

After thinking carefully, Gu Miao typed on the keyboard and wrote this in an email to Dave: "The development of modern animation also regards hearing as a very important component."

"Since many people can't accept the character speaking, and there can't be no sound at all... Then how about we try another way and add some music?"

"Classical music, symphony?"

"For music selection or composition work, I will try my best to help you find suitable helpers. Of course, if you have a suitable symphony orchestra or composer, you can also communicate..."

High class!

This is the keynote goal set by Gu Miao for the music part.

The reason why a classic is a classic is that every part is done to its best, even if it is a soundtrack used to enhance the atmosphere of the animation, it must have the feeling of wearing a tuxedo and holding a goblet.

"Cat and Mouse" in the previous life is also known as the first "classical music and world famous music appreciation class" that children are exposed to.

I couldn't hear it when I was a kid.

When I grow up, and listen to those soundtracks, I will immediately say the classic "hold the grass", and then I can't help but sigh, it turns out that the animation I watched when I was a child is so "high-class"?

This is a good example.

Gu Miao believes that achieving the ultimate in this aspect can completely make up for the regret that Tom and Jerry seldom speak.

Isn't this much better than those bullshit animations that have a lot of verbose lines and don't explain to the audience what's going on for a long time?
Chapter completed!