They claim “create what you recognize,” and veteran animator and filmmaker Uli Meyer is doing simply that. Meyer– an animation tale whose credit scores include Who Framed Roger Bunny , Room Jam , An American Tail: Fievel Goes West , and Genndy Tartakovsky’s upcoming grown-up animated feature Fixed — has actually just wrapped filming on an intro for Challenging , a new live-action/animation crossbreed attribute he’s currently establishing. The movie is described as a loving and disorderly homage to the cereal mascots that dominated Saturday morning tv in the 1990 s.
Drawing inspiration from his early job business job (numerous examples listed below), Meyer’s most recent project blends hand-crafted animation with modern themes of AI, fond memories, and the expense of electronic memory.
“In the 90 s, we made these wild, vibrant cereal commercials that broadcast between animations– and afterwards they just went away,” Meyer tells Cartoon Mixture “A few months back, I found some of our old footage and started sharing it online. The feedback was overwhelming. Individuals kept in mind these characters vividly– it restored their childhood. That’s when I recognized Challenging had to happen.”
As opposed to awaiting not likely approval from grain makers to utilize the initial personalities, Meyer invented his own mascots and built an initial globe around them.
Embed in the 1990 s, Challenging starts in a London movie studio run by a husband-and-wife team well-known for producing precious grain mascots. Their world falls apart when brand-new laws prohibit sweet advertisements targeted at kids, effectively cancelling their entire market overnight. The partner flees to America, leaving his wife and their little girl, Maya.
Years later on, Maya’s 12 -year-old child, Charli, finds a VHS tape of the old commercials. Intending to get in touch with the grandfather she’s never ever met, she submits digitized clips to TikTok utilizing AI tools. Yet the experiment goes badly wrong: her viral videos open a portal between worlds, releasing the once-cute mascots, currently turned, AI-enhanced monstrosities, into the real world.
“The mascots are angry,” Meyer giggles. “They’ve been neglected, abandoned. Now they’re using AI to reinvent themselves, and they’re not specifically returning as snuggly symbols.”
To bring Complicated to life, Meyer fired a proof-of-concept intro using his original 35 mm camera equipment, antiques of his industrial days, supported by a dedicated team of collaborators. The animation is entirely hand-drawn in TVPaint, with useful impacts and handmade mattes to achieve a That Framed Roger Bunny -style look. Ideal, provided Meyer’s involvement keeping that legendary film.
“In a sector that’s significantly leaning right into automation and generative devices, this movie is a declaration,” claimed Meyer. “We’re embracing typical craftsmanship. Whatever in Complicated is made with care– no faster ways, no auto-rigs, no AI computer animation. It’s a labor of love.”
The production team consists of long time partners such as director of digital photography Markus Ilschner, production manager Vanessa Wheeler, sound recordist Charlie Hinde, and unique effects artists Mark Bailey and Lisa Meyer. The live-action cast functions Margaret Clunie and Tom Ashley, while computer animation professionals like Boris Hiestand, Dean Roberts, Gary Dunn, and Michael Schlingmann are breathing life right into the new mascot characters.
The Crispy Clovers grain box featured in the film was made by Dunn, including a satirical side to the project’s retro beauty.
“As artists, we’re reacting to the moment,” Meyer stated. “We’re seeing exactly how AI is altering storytelling and production. Complicated has to do with what happens when you mix fond memories, loss, technology, and rebellion. And we’re informing it in a way that honors the analog heart of computer animation.”
Difficult is presently in growth, with Meyer seeking rate of interest from partners and distributors.
For followers of Saturday early morning animations, grain box tradition, and handmade animation, Challenging promises a delightfully strange experience, one spoonful of sugar and AI chaos at a time.