Wildfur Interview @ Fractal Matter

Post by **Best First** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 12:06 pm

At the recent Bristol COMIXEXPO Andrew Wildman and Simon Furman were interviewed by the guys at FRACTAL MATTER. To read the interview take a look at http://fractalmatter.com/main/?p=201

Source: www.Wildfur.net

edit - great interview

"I had seen episodes of the TV series and had not been impressed, I thought fairly cheesy, the plots paper thin, awful inconsistencies, nothing pretty much to recommend it. "

word.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 1:18 pm

Really enjoyed that.

Very salient points on the new movie.

Looking forward to the rest!

Post by **Best First** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 2:16 pm

bit worried about teh robot redesigns.

i'm not planning on being a massive continuity nitpicker ( i agree about teh sentiments expressed about alt modes) but if the robot forms are radically different i can't help but feel that it goes from being Transformers to 'movie about transforming robots' - theres a degree of appearence that makes it TF's IMO.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 3:36 pm

Well yeah. Batman and Spider-Man look like Batman and Spider-Man in their movies. It would be nice if Oppy P did too!

Post by **Denyer** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 3:55 pm

They've varied a lot, though -- from Scrounge to Wildman's teeth-and-fluids style to classic Senior. And there there's what we would've gotten for Transtech...

Predabot · Post by **Predabot** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:10 pm

Simon Furman wrote:I remember being thoroughly pumped up by the soundtrack

You know it lads! Hair metal baby!

Good interview this, shows the inner working of Marvel UK, and I can't wait to read the interview with sirs Senior and Hitch. [/quote]

Post by **Best First** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:27 pm

Denyer wrote:They've varied a lot, though -- from Scrounge to Wildman's teeth-and-fluids style to classic Senior. And there there's what we would've gotten for Transtech...

doesn't mean Transtech would have been well recieved.

plus whilst Wildman's and Seniors syles are different they still operate from the same origin point, much like most incarantions of prime with the exception of a few Beast aspects.

Having an Optimus Prime that doesn't have the hallmarks of the original is a bit like making Episode III with machine guns instead of light sabres IMO.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:26 pm

Awesome stuff there.

The things Simon says about the movie, though...don't exactly have me brimming with confidence.

Post by **Denyer** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:50 pm

Best First wrote:Having an Optimus Prime that doesn't have the hallmarks of the original

RiD and Beast Wars did okay -- neither of those were recognisable (Primal initially being pitched as Prime, and RiD Prime .) I'd agree Transtech would probably have bombed, as roughly humanoid forms and readable faces are important analogies for most of the audience.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:36 am

I agree with besters here - whilst RID and BW did ok to me they just seem like spin offs - OP is such an icon in the world even other G1 TF are known to joe public that to change thier robot forms might just lose what TF is about.

Once you lose the defacto image of your most famous TF then your on s lippery slope I think towards a film thats just about giant robots that change shape and not what TF is about.

It always bugs me that with all the TF history and background they cant just concentrate on what makes TF so great, G1 has some very powerfull iconic images that to this day are clear concise and straight forward to anyone - I hope they dont lose sight of this in the search for product placement and branding in the form of Ford cars etc... and whatever works in CGI.

Post by **Denyer** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 3:39 am

Impactor returns 2.0 wrote:whilst RID and BW did ok to me they just seem like spin offs

If we were Japanese kids in the very early 80s, we'd think Transformers was a spin off -- but RiD did exceptionally well in US toy sales.

(And Prime's been a sports car and a missile truck without not being the same guy -- if characterisation's being ignored, that's when we could start calling stuff Bandai Gobots rather than Transformers...)

I see plenty of cash advantages to using recognisable designs, but am more interested in the story. It really shouldn't have to be a choice between the two, though...

Post by **Best First** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 10:53 am

Denyer wrote:
Best First wrote:Having an Optimus Prime that doesn't have the hallmarks of the original

RiD and Beast Wars did okay -- neither of those were recognisable

...er.

Primal - has Ops' face and signifiant nods to colouration in 2 out of 3 incarnations.

RID - again facially the origins are obvious, as i the truck related alt mode and the appearence of his combined form with Magnus.

i'm not syaing he has to look exactly like the original g1 toy but there are design elements that it makes sense in several ways to retain (as evidenced by the above examples).

that he existed as a car, much like the existenc of Transtech, in no way indiscates the recroption such an idea did or would have recieved.

Obvioulsy story matters but part of seeing TF's realised in this medium also involves pandering to the visual aspects of teh franchise.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:14 pm

If OP in the movie was based on, say, RID OP, I don't think I'd have too much of a problem. I just think this is going to be the most serious character re-imagining we've seen since Beast Machines - 'cause let's face it, one of them is bound to have wheels for legs or something...with rumours of a mute Bumblebee and a 4' tall Soundwave running about, and those sketches of "gorilla Starscream", I'd say all bets are off at this point.

It just occurred to me that I've been thinking of a redesign in terms of, say, Godzilla or X-Men. A better analogy may be the MOTU movie...

KingMob · Post by **KingMob** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 4:08 pm

That was a great interview, and upcoming ones also look good. Really cool to hear what it was like to work in comics back then; that Dan Reed story is great (if terrifying). And I wonder if Simon Furman wrote that 'Grimlock reviews Transformers the Movie' thing from the old comic, that was a fun article-thing.

It did however remind me that when I had the chance I really should have told Mr F that it was his Transformers work that got me so into comics in the first place and thanked him for all the good reading over the years...as well as the resultant addiction to skinny overpriced monthly bits of shiny paper.

oops.

Predabot · Post by **Predabot** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 7:13 pm

They aren't always very shiny... and back in the day, only one piece was shiny, if one was lucky.

Post by **Denyer** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 7:22 pm

Best First wrote:Primal - has Ops' face and signifiant nods to colouration in 2 out of 3 incarnations.

More that you wouldn't look at either (sans context) and say "that's Optimus Prime", due to the lack of blue on RiD and, well, the animal attached to Primal's head...

Although there doesn't seem to be that much similarity between Prime and his RiD namesake, really -- faceplate, crest, windows, main colour, human-shaped. The battle modes in particular takes a different colour scheme (and head), and the aerials and crest are typical of many TFs.

I'll be mightily surprised if Prime's changed much, though -- plus there's not a lot that can be done with the design creatively -- it's other characters that those outside the fandom are less likely to have clear memories of.

Best First wrote:that he existed as a car, much like the existenc of Transtech, in no way indiscates the recroption such an idea did or would have recieved.

Alternators Optimus Prime? There are some vocal naysayers, but I doubt there'll be trouble shifting the stock for most retailers, and the sales won't just be to kitbashers.

The heads and colour schemes are probably the most important things, followed by not choosing wildly different alt modes (Bumblebee as a small gold-coloured train, etc.)

And we wouldn't care at all if we didn't link those names so strongly with characters.

I think it's easier to take away a particular look than it is to take away the 'people'.

Post by **Best First** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:43 pm

wow, yeah, those pictures sure show how aspects of the original design aren't carried over.

the notion that additional bits detract from the clear (and fairly peristant) nods to the original doesn't carry much weight either.

Alternator P supports the notion of carried over design aspects, it doesn't contradict it.

And we wouldn't care at all if we didn't link those names so strongly with characters.

being the point. and true of any licensed property.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 12:08 am

ss more like what I was thinking, maybe with a powered-up mode for the big finale. It's still easily recognisable as Optimus, even if he's been redesigned and has a new alt mode.

Post by **Best First** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 1:21 pm

sadly i think there are fairly good reasons why the face plate may have to go.

although hopefully it will be used as a 'battle gaurd' or something.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 2:56 pm

Best First wrote:sadly i think there are fairly good reasons why the face plate may have to go.

I'd understand if that was their thinking. But a non-expressive mouth doesn't mean no empathy. Think R2 or Threepio.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 3:01 pm

spiderfrommars wrote:
Best First wrote:sadly i think there are fairly good reasons why the face plate may have to go.
I'd understand if that was their thinking. But a non-expressive mouth doesn't mean no empathy. Think R2 or Threepio.

Plus...I dunno, iconic? Instantly recognisable? The most recognisable Transformers icon of the past 22 years?

Post by **Best First** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 3:44 pm

spiderfrommars wrote:
Best First wrote:sadly i think there are fairly good reasons why the face plate may have to go.

I'd understand if that was their thinking. But a non-expressive mouth doesn't mean no empathy. Think R2 or Threepio.

good point.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 7:27 pm

Character versus Appearance.

The eyes have it.

The mouth, only for showing super-inflated surprise.

Post by **Best First** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 9:12 pm

Rebis wrote:Character versus Appearance.

The eyes have it.

The mouth, only for showing super-inflated surprise.

"what? you want me to join with you and wipe out the humans? That's absurd Megatron!"

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 9:19 pm

Best First wrote:
Rebis wrote:Character versus Appearance.

The eyes have it.

The mouth, only for showing super-inflated surprise.
"what? you want me to join with you and wipe out the humans? That's absurd Megatron!"

Easiliy the most recognisable of Prime's many incarnations.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 12:02 am

Rebis wrote:
Best First wrote:"what? you want me to join with you and wipe out the humans? That's absurd Megatron!"
Easiliy the most recognisable of Prime's many incarnations.

It's the white boobs

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:00 am

KingMob wrote:And I wonder if Simon Furman wrote that 'Grimlock reviews Transformers the Movie' thing from the old comic, that was a fun article-thing.

Are we allowed to post that kind of stuff here? I would love to read "Grim Grams" and suchlike.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:58 am

The letters pages are available in our Marvel UK comic guide. Just click on the issue you want.