The Animated Film Formula

Alternatively, you could call this 'Jacob rambles about animation and LRF' but I have points to back up some of the things I have to say. Plus, it's mostly organized.

Mostly organized.

Okay, let's back things up a little. I, like most of you, love animated films. Animation can craft stories that are not just on par with their live-action counterparts, but sometimes surpass what they can do. On top of being able to tackle any genre at any point in time, animation can also make characters do things you can't imagine them doing anywhere else. It takes things we wouldn't otherwise relate to or sympathize with and turns them into characters we root for or want to see get knocked down. On top of that, it's a box-office goldmine if done right. Illumination has made an insane amount of money by being the comedic, upbeat uncle for children. Even if their movies aren't the most inventive, they're often wonderful to look at and watch. Blue Sky and Dreamworks continue to put out beautifully animated films even as they've switched owners, even Sony has made the jump in recent years, putting out several excellent films. And of course, we have Disney being Disney.

All things considered, LRF should do well with animated films...so why has it struggled?

It should be mentioned now that this is not something that goes back several seasons, in fact the first animated film released by LRF was a big hit in the box office. However, outside of The Banded Ants franchise, animated films have never really caught on with audiences. First there was Raptor Red, an ambitious project that ultimately never stood a chance. It certainly grossed a lot, but the fact it cost so much to make doomed this movie overall. Even then, there was no real talk about an animation curse, the other Banded Ants movies did well in the box-office.

It wouldn't be until Saga and Bone that people starting getting concerned. Made by Wesley Campbell, these movies were absolute disasters in the box-offices, Saga becoming the second-biggest bomb in LRF history and Bone nearly losing a hundred million (and almost ending his career before it really got started). Upon reading these films, I can see what he was going for with them. In the end, though, they tanked and probably a lot harder than they should've.

Animation took the next season off before returning with Accordion De Chanson and while it faired a little better (receiving positive reviews and being nominated for a few GR awards), it grossed the least out of any animated film and still lost a ton of money. With seven movies under their belts, only three of which making money, it was around this time people began to wonder if they were cursed. And the Oh Deer came in with Adam Sandler leading the charge and it became the first film since the Ants to make a profit. And even though Greenwater Amusements was a loss, it was lesser than any before it.

Still, four out of nine is a failing grade. The question is, why is this the case? And what can we do as writers to curb this? If you ask me, I think we need to look towards The Banded Ants to find the answer.

Upon first glance, you'll probably ask how this movie did so well. It's not the most interesting set-up in the world, a group of ants rise up against their overlords and partake in the political world for the next few movies. But let's take a look at the cast. It consists of Zac Efron, Selena Gomez, Dave Bautista and most impressively, Margot Robbie and Dwayne Johnson. That's a hell of a cast. Add in a plot that everyone can get into (even as the films get progressively darker) and you have yourself a smash hit.

So how does this relate to the title of this post? Well, having dabbled in animated projects and read through The Banded Ants, I believe Jack may have been onto something. And I may have the key to put an end to the box-office curse.

Here's how it works:

1. Come up with a premise that will appeal to everyone. Ideally, you want it to be G or PG though The Banded Ants have proven you can make a PG-13 movie if you have the franchise credibility. Most animated films will not live to see this, unfortunately. With this said, allow me to bring up Accordion De Chanson.

On one hand, you have a pretty solid cast. Ewan McGregor, Kristen Ball, Johnny Depp, and Joseph-Gorden Levitt are all great actors who carry various levels of star-power. However, for all the good it does, it was always going to be held back because of its premise. This was clearly a film made for a niche audience. As Brian Edelstein put it, it was too dark and French to really appeal to the mainstream and in the end, the film had no chance of making a profit.

2. Get some big-name stars. Being blunt, if you don't have a strong cast of stars or in Oh Deer's case, one really big star leading the way, your movie is not making a profit. Animation takes a lot of money to produce and you need to compensate for it. The days of voice-actors in movies have long since past. For an example of what I mean, let's look at the cast of Saga.

It's not the worst list you'll see, there are some good names here. Steven Yeun, Luke Evans and Sadie Sink to name a few. But outside of Luke Evans, none of them have really shown they have what it take to lead a profitable project.

And that's...really all there is to do. Two simple steps that will significantly increase your animated film's chance of being profitable. Of course, you're free to make whatever kind of movie you'd like, don't take any of this as being gospel or the definitive way of doing things. LRF has given so many creators the ability to run wild with their imaginations and as such all ideas should be welcomed and appreciated for what they bring to the table.

So, how did I come to understand this formula? For this, we go back to Season 13. Accordion De Chanson had just come out and it was the best movie I had made critically. It got me thinking, maybe I could create something that not only looked appealing to all audiences but still told a captivating, exciting plot. And thus, Oh Deer was born.

Oh Deer's legacy as being the movie that broke the animation curse is honestly impressive. Especially considering critics were not the most enthused with it. Despite this, kids fell in love with it and the idea of seeing Adam Sandler on the big scene got people interested. Say what you will about him, he still brings people to theaters. It also makes you wonder what could've been. I honestly believe that had Sandler rejected the role or someone else had been chosen, the movie would not have been as successful, it might've even lost money. On the more positive side, there was the possibility it could've gotten more. Chris Pratt was considered for one of the roles but he declined. Imagine if he had been a part of the cast, however. Would the film had made more money? Less? We may never know.

When I talked about Accordion De Chanson, I mentioned being a fan of the animation medium (not genre). I believe there is great potential for animated films in LRF and I hope and encourage to help realize it in some shape or form. The dream scenario is to build a string of successes and eventually have animated films be treated on the same level as normal films (essentially being able to be nominated for all GR awards), but first things first, we need to show they can be profitable.

I hope this blog post was able to inspire and inform you on the state of animated films in LRF. A lot of us are passionate and interested in the world of animation and what it can do. Hopefully, we can bring some of that magic here.