How an Animorphs TV show and Movie should be done-REDUX

[Liz]

I really like the general ideas you have for the series.  I don't like most of the little details you added/changed, but your concept overall is interesting.

The 1) and 2) you have there are two separate concepts, right?  I was confused on that until I read it more carefully, haha.

I would like animated better than live-action.  It could easily be made to have a darker tone, and I think the aliens and special effects could look very nice.  I would definitely prefer traditional to computer animation though.

As for the details, I won't go into all of them at the moment, but why Seattle??  NorCal is where it's at. xD

[wotw2112]

but why Seattle??  NorCal is where it's at. xD

I'd actually like to highlight this question cause I've been wondering too.  Why Seattle?  Is there a reason for this change?

[Yorick Brown]

I would definitely prefer traditional to computer animation though.

Yes! I love how you're not some silly PIxar zombie and says that 3-D must rule the small and big screen.

Hello! Hiyao Miyazaki and Bruce W. Timm anyone?

What little details didn't you like?

I'd actually like to highlight this question cause I've been wondering too.  Why Seattle?  Is there a reason for this change?

Wanted a relatively familiar location but still was close enough to the pacific ocean.

[Liz]

Yes! I love how you're not some silly PIxar zombie and says that 3-D must rule the small and big screen.

Hello! Hiyao Miyazaki and Bruce W. Timm anyone?

What little details didn't you like?

Yeah, I love Pixar, but I think it would be totally inappropriate in this case.  I've actually fantasized about a Miyazaki Animorphs film. *_* It's be amazing.

Some of the changes you made are logical, like changing the rule about morphing clothes/shoes.  It would make more sense to show the characters in normal clothes.  And I think downsizing the role of the Ellimist may be wise too.

But the rest of the changes seemed unrelated to making the books work better for a visual medium, or making the story more relevant to a general audience.  For example, I think the Yeerks getting the morphing cube is a very important event, and I don't see how taking it out would make the show work better.  It sounded more like you just changed things you didn't like.

I'm curious to know your reasons for all the changes.  It is for the sake of making the books work for TV, or because you don't like a certain aspect of the plot?  I'm not trying to say you can't change things you don't like.  But personally I don't like most of the changes.

[Yorick Brown]

I'm not gonna lie to you. Many of these changes were to legitimately make the series more accessible to general audiences and fit in the television medium. But there were many things I personally disliked that I couldn't help changing if I had the chance.

Legitimate Changes:

-Darker, teen-oriented (Simply because this is suppose to be a prime-time show)
-Downplaying the role of the Ellimist and getting rid of his origins (while we wondered about what the Ellimist was initially, we later stopped caring what his origins are so there's no need to adapt that convoluted chronicle of his. Plus, I felt many of the time paradoxes that Applegate left with him was just too confusing)
-Giving the Andalite homeworld the name Andal (I don't see how this should bother anyone. The planet will hardly be mentioned, at least by name it'd be silly being referred to as 'the Andalite homeworld' atll the time)
-Morphing clothes and shoes (It makes sense that only skintight would be used but the whole 'naked Animorph' joke would get old soon)
-Changing the outcome of Back to Before (I HATED the Deus Ex Machina ending, a glimpse of what could have been like in the original TV series is just fine)
-Ax and Tobias at school (What else would they be doing all day long?)

Personal Changes:

-Seattle, Washington (I just wanted a relatively familiar location that was hardly used in TV and that was close to the Pacific ocean)
-Tom as rebel leader (The idea just sounded cool to me)
-The parents are captured (It just looked really stupid to me)
-Tobias returns as morph-capable human (I don't know where to file this; while I did dislike Applegate screwing us over like that, I also a morphging hawk seemed really dumb)
-Killing Marco's mom (Dunno. Just felt right somehow)
-100% Hispanic Marco (Just representing my people...)
-The Yeerks not getting the morphing cube (I never liked this and didn't feel that Cassie letting Tom go free was too out of character even for her)
-The ending (Once again, I don't know where to file this; I hated how Tom was never freed after Jake tried SO hard for SO long, I NEVER liked cliffhanger endings, Ax should have taken Visser Three down and you just don't kill one of your best characters after all this time.)

[Chad32]

I like some of the ideas, like changing the ending, but dislike some changes, like Tobias and Ax going to school. There are mission related things that they could do that the others can't as easily do. There isn't a big reason for either of them to try going to school regularly. Maybe occassionally, but not year round.

I would make the general tone of the series lighter, so not too many people would be surprised at my almost "all is well" ending. I would make it bittersweet, but more sweet than bitter.

I would probably still give morphing power to some Yeerks, but do it differently. Instead of giving the Yeerks the cube, the Anis would make it more controlled. Like giving power to some members of the Yeerk Peace Movement, or bribing Yeerks kidnapped by the Free Hork-Bajir.

I don't care about sending a big message to kids that war is bad. They'll find out soon enough, without having main characters like Rachel and Tom die. If something happened that forced me to kill off main characters anyway, then I'd start doing it earlier than the last book. I'd have more main character deaths in the series from time to time, and have the anis use the cube to keep their forces strong.

But really, I would make the tone lighter. Kind of like Avatar, which was a story that revolved around a war that had dark parts, but was still something directed at children that didn't end tragicly (sp?).

[wotw2112]

I NEVER liked cliffhanger endings,

Nobody does.  People (non-traditional animorphs fans) would get very angry if you ended the series like the book.  Cliff-hangers just make people angry.

Morhping hawk...a bit stupid especially if you're not targeting kids.  Especially for live action this will be almost impossible to believably represent...(imagine the kids carrying a real live hawk as they struggle up the beach out of the water - ain't gonna happen)

I would make the general tone of the series lighter, so not too many people would be surprised at my almost "all is well" ending. I would make it bittersweet, but more sweet than bitter.

Don't necessarily have to but I could understand if you went in this direction.

(No matter what anyone says, this thread has been FUN!  )

[Yorick Brown]

Do you like my episode listing and ideas for the chronicles, Daphnes?

I only ask because people comment on the alterations but not the episodes whcih I put a lot of time on.

[XenomorphLV426]

I'm not gonna lie to you. Many of these changes were to legitimately make the series more accessible to general audiences and fit in the television medium.

Bravo.  It's attitudes like this that gave us two campy neon Batman movies with nipples.  Scratch the TV part.

It's just dangerous ice to skate on.

[filmstu2005]

But there were many things I personally disliked that I couldn't help changing if I had the chance.

Personal Changes:

-Seattle, Washington (I just wanted a relatively familiar location that was hardly used in TV and that was close to the Pacific ocean)
-Tom as rebel leader (The idea just sounded cool to me)
-The parents are captured (It just looked really stupid to me)
-Tobias returns as morph-capable human (I don't know where to file this; while I did dislike Applegate screwing us over like that, I also a morphging hawk seemed really dumb)
-Killing Marco's mom (Dunno. Just felt right somehow)
-100% Hispanic Marco (Just representing my people...)
-The Yeerks not getting the morphing cube (I never liked this and didn't feel that Cassie letting Tom go free was too out of character even for her)
-The ending (Once again, I don't know where to file this; I hated how Tom was never freed after Jake tried SO hard for SO long, I NEVER liked cliffhanger endings, Ax should have taken Visser Three down and you just don't kill one of your best characters after all this time.)

Which justifies my point. Dude, this is your own personal movie, str8 up. How're you gonna change ALLL that which made the final arc of Animorphs, ANIMORPHS???? Yeerks not getting the Morphing cube? Do you not know the laws of drama? Did it ever occur to you that that part ties in to Cassies intuition, her knowing that it would stir the Yeerk army and change the tides of the war? Its b/c of the morphing cube that everything turned out the way it did. Like i said, there are ways to make adaptations work while still pleasing the fans and entertaining the newcomers.
But oh yea, I forgot. You don't like complexity in your stories. Lol....Sorry, but its a really bad idea.

The only things I liked up there were:

Legitimate Changes:

-Downplaying the role of the Ellimist and getting rid of his origins (while we wondered about what the Ellimist was initially, we later stopped caring what his origins are so there's no need to adapt that convoluted chronicle of his. Plus, I felt many of the time paradoxes that Applegate left with him was just too confusing)
-Giving the Andalite homeworld the name Andal (I don't see how this should bother anyone. The planet will hardly be mentioned, at least by name it'd be silly being referred to as 'the Andalite homeworld' atll the time)
-Morphing clothes and shoes (It makes sense that only skintight would be used but the whole 'naked Animorph' joke would get old soon)
- And maybe, just maybe, allowing Tobias to move into his human form permanently. I dont know. It really depends. Dont know how it would fit. Or perhaps the Ellimist only gives Tobias back the morphing power, but he can only use it when he morphs to human, still to be trapped as a bird.

[filmstu2005]

1) Who said anything about Disney?
2) Why do they sound like flops?


Dude. You NEED to chill out. It's not serious.

1) They sound like they were written for Disney. Your focus, especially on movie #2, is way too adventurous and includes a book which is completely irrelevant to the main storyline.

Because they just do. And if this wasn't to be taken seriously then it wouldnt be titled "How an Animorphs movie SHOULD be done." Nor would it consist of a full drawn-out step by step plan as to how the movie should be executed. Im not an avid Harry Potter fan. And frankly I think while the 1st movie was okay, the 3rd one, Prisoner of Akzaban was the most brilliant and dark. The director Alfonso Cua-something, had this amazing vision that was such a huge contrast from the first two, which were both very juvenile in their appeal. This new director of the final four is pretty amateur. And it shows. He's creative but his direction as far as visuals go is lacking. I don't think I'll be impressed by the final movies in this franchise since he's directing.

Your Animorphs idea would be a terrible adaptation. Even while you claim you're making an attempt to please the non-fans, it sounds more like your ideas would alienate them. Guess we'll just have to settle for a Disney flop version of Animorphs. That's how it would turn out if some regular producer got his hands on it. Something similar to 'Spy Kids 1,2 AND 3." All terrible movies.

I feel bad. Do I really sound that harsh?

[morfowt]

Just asking, why is a 7 hour movie bad? I'd watch a seven-hour movie.

[morfowt]

I NEVER liked cliffhanger endings,

Nobody does.  People (non-traditional animorphs fans) would get very angry if you ended the series like the book.  Cliff-hangers just make people angry.

I don't mind cliff-hangers. They leave room for my imagination to think of more stories. the only thing I care is which book/movie/tv show/etc they're used in.

[XenomorphLV426]

*sigh*

[Chad32]

Do you like my episode listing and ideas for the chronicles, Daphnes?

I only ask because people comment on the alterations but not the episodes whcih I put a lot of time on.

For the most part, it looks fine. I'd rather the Chronicles work more into the story arc, though, instead of just being season finales.

I'd like to see an Ellemist Chronicles that goes into the Time Matrix and the backgrounds of both super powers.