Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Blast from the Past #516: November 17, 2005 and November 22, 2005: Re: Dark Turtles' revised color sketches, and November 22, 2005: Re: Show 136 ("The Fall of Darius") outline and Re: Show 135 ("Milk Run") Second Draft




Subj: Re: Dark Turtles' revised color sketches
Date: Thursday, November 17, 2005 12:53:16 PM
From: Peter Laird
To:  Lloyd Goldfine

In a message dated 11/16/05 12:40:40 PM, Lloyd writes:

Hey Pete –
  
 You were gonna play around with the Dark Turtles’ colors and then send me your sketches so over colorists could finalize color on the Dark Turtle animation models.
  
 Playmates has been requesting the new color models from us, so I’m checking in with you.
  
 Send me your sketches as soon as you can, and we’ll turn around revised color animation models asap.
  
 Thanks,
  
 Lloyd

Lloyd,


I completely forgot about that! Could you remind me WHY I was going to do that -- i.e. what the perceived problem was?


-- Pete

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Subj: Re: Dark Turtles' revised color sketches
Date: Tuesday, November 22, 2005 9:32:39 PM
From: Peter Laird
To:  Lloyd Goldfine

In a message dated 11/16/05 1:09:03 PM, Lloyd writes:

Well… actually who knows WHY… but you were a little disappointed in the look of the toys, and you began playing around with the color models on your Mac, I believe incorporating more or each Turtles mask color into their bodies – less green areas I think.  At any rate, you were having a lot of fun playing with that, and decided that maybe you preferred the “wilder” color schemes you were coming up with.  You wanted to do a new “color sketch” (which I took to mean you were going to manipulate the colors on the pre-existing color models) for each Dark Turtle.
  
 That help any?
  
 Lloyd

Lloyd,


Thanks for the reminder!


I have attached my tweak of the Dark Turtles' color schemes. This is but one of many ways to go which would enhance the Dark Turtles by really making them stand out from our regular Turtles, colorwise.


-- Pete

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Subj: Re: Show 136 ("The Fall of Darius") outline
Date: Tuesday, November 22, 2005 8:08:11 PM
From: Peter Laird
To:  Lloyd Goldfine

Lloyd,


Here are my notes on the Ep136 outline.


1.) Re: the following:

"As the others pry Raph off Darius, Biggles reluctantly agrees that Cody seems a triffle confused and will have to be locked up for his own safety.  Cody and the others react, shocked." 

What happens later (about four paragraphs later) seems to be that Cody is "locked up" in his own apartment/penthouse (sort of a "house arrest" kind of thing). Does this make sense -- that Biggles is able to tell Cody to stay away from a business that he owns?
Perhaps a slightly different tack should be taken, something like this: Biggles has the legal power as a Peacekeeper to have "disturbers of the peace" (who appear to have possible mental or emotional problems) temporarily confined (pending a psyche evaluation) to any facility with a Level 3 care provider. That could be a hospital, or one's home... and Cody's lucky, because as it turns out, Serling happens to be rated at that level.


2.) Re: the following:

"SERLING: Peace and quiet!!


Feigning alarm at the noise, the Turtles hustle Serling into a closet and lock him in.  As we hear the muffled sounds of Serling’s protests, Mikey smiles."

I don't think Serling should be long trapped in the closet -- doesn't make much sense that he can't get out easily. I mean -- it's a CLOSET!


3.) Re: the following:

"Back OUTSIDE O’NEILTECH, Raph watches as Boss Rizdee and his goons load crates from the loading dock into an unmarked van.  Then Darius emerges from inside the building.  He nods with approval until one of the goons drops a crate.  It breaks open, revealing a stash of lethal-looking weapons inside.  Darius is furious, but Raph grins and activates his com-link to the other Turtles."

I think it would be cool (to tie in with what went down earlier) if these were crates of orchids -- or at least they APPEAR to be crates of orchids (there could be labels on them with pictures of orchids).


4.) Re: the following:

"As Darius powers up his suit, he maliciously grins and promises that he is going to enjoy every moment of this.  The Turtles taunt Darius and dare him to take them on.  However, Darius refuses to sully his hands on riff-raff like them.  


Instead, he summons the DARK TURTLES who appear at his command.  As the Dark Turtles stand ready to fight, Mikey says, “I thought something stunk around here.”"

I don't know -- for some reason, the use of the Dark Turtles in this episode, in this fashion, just falls flat. I think it reduces them as characters -- basically just inserted into the plot so that the Turtles will be delayed long enough from joining Cody in his battle against Darius. It also seems weird to me because -- if memory serves -- the Dark Turtles are Sh'Okanabo's minions, NOT Darius'.
Instead, I suggest we come up with something new. Maybe it could be a new robotic weapons platform we haven't seen before... or maybe it's some of Boss Rizdee's Triceratons -- armed with some of Darius' special ordnance.


5.) Re: the following:

"“Right here,” says Rizdee.  “Safe and sound!”  He nods to his goons who proudly open the back of the van.  But when they do, the smoke from Raph’s timed grenade spews out and engulfs them.  The screen goes black as we hear them COUGHING.  Darius fumes."

This is sort of goofy... almost like a pie in the face or a water balloon to the head. What does Raph's smoke grenade accomplish other than momentarily discomfiting the bad guys? And it that IS all it does, what's the point?


-- Pete


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Subj: Re: Show 135 ("Milk Run") Second Draft
Date: Tuesday, November 22, 2005 8:38:38 PM
From: Peter Laird
To:  Lloyd Goldfine

Lloyd,


Here are my two notes on the Ep135 second draft.


1.) Re: the following:

"ZIIXX
The Triceraton Empire isn’t what it used to be.  They have troubles at home, so now their outer territories are controlled by gangs."

Minor point, but I think it should be Triceraton REPUBLIC, not "Empire".


2.) Re: the following:

"LEONARDO
The Triceratons are never going to fall for this.  I got a Plan B..."

Raph or Mikey might say "I got a Plan B", but Leo would say "I've got a Plan B."




-- Pete

1 comment:

  1. Your attention to detail is outstanding. It's not simply detail but you put a lot of thought and CONSIDERATION into realism. Yes, it's a cartoon show and there are fantastic elements but you've grounded it, Peter. You really grounded the show. And you kept the characters personalities, motivations, etc. consistent. These were not four interchangeable green turtles. And the same extends to all the characters on the show.

    I watched it in my 20s (I'm 31 now!) and I loved it. I didn't like the future episodes so much chiefly because of the redesign got rid of the scar on Leo's shell. It ruined the continuity for me but the great writing won me back eventually. (Yeah, I didn't stop watching depite the new direction, Ha ha!) I'm sure it was fine with kids, the show's target demographic.

    I look forward to discussing some of my favorites with you. They were not from this season but I don't mind waiting.

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