The FOX-Aniboom Holiday Animation Challenge

Why does it have to be holiday-themed? I guess they're thinking of South Park.

Last time Fox held an open creative casting call like this, it was right before Family Guy exploded. Needless to say, everything they received was thrown out and Seth was given Sunday night.
 
Uhhh...wouldn't that be a contractual violation? How can they say that the winner gets a development deal and then throw everything they get out?
 
Let's take a gander at what the cartoon submissions should and should not have:

Let's see.... you pretty much can't put anything in your cartoon that made shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy popular. Sweet.
 
Hmm... this sounds a bit interesting. I think I can try something, but it's gonna be hard to make a funny cartoon without any violence or some sort of risque verbal/visual pun.
 
The Content MUST NOT:

Contain material which is (or promoting activities which are) sexually explicit, obscene, pornographic, violent, self-mutilating (e.g., relating to murder, the sales of weapons, cruelty, abuse, etc.), discriminatory (based on race, sex, religion, natural origin, physical disability, sexual orientation or age), illegal (e.g. underage drinking, substance abuse, computer hacking, etc.), offensive, threatening, profane, or harassing;



Hmm...I don't even know what to say.
 
That's funny, I just watched the contest winner's videos from the previous years, and they use weapons, harassing, and violence (Particulaly "Jungle Jail").
 
I don't know...this reads like high-level exploitation to me. And if I were an animator, I would read the fine print of this "challenge". All too often in these types of contests, there's a disclaimer in the entry form that says that a creator can't sue the company behind the contest if he/she is rejected BUT a series that very closely resembles his/her idea is later produced by that company - the argument being that ideas can't be copyrighted. :ack::ack:
 
I wouldn't waste your time on it if I were you. Knowing FOX, they'll probably look through all the submissions, then just throw them out and give Seth MacFarlane another series like they always do. (And on the off-chance that this contest really does bear fruit, you know they'll do everything in their legal power to get the successful series away from its rightful creator.)
 
Well, think about it. You bust your backside creating a 2-4 minute cartoon. Let's say it wins and you get the $5,000, that counts as development money towards a pilot. That's a good chunk of change less than the $50,000 Seth McFarlane got to create a pilot for Family Guy (over 10 years ago BTW) and he did the entire thing by himself! How far do you think $35K's gonna get you in this day and age.

Besides that, if you do win, you lose all rights (copyright, intellectual property, etc.) to your work. You can't make another penny from something you've created. If they take it and run, you've got no legal recourse whatsoever.

Sounds like a something to ensnare naive people, a.k.a. a scam to me.
 
I should have pointed out that Mark Evanier has voiced the same concerns about the contest, but I believe him since he's, you know, credible.
 
It's actually $5,000 in development money for a pilot, not $35,000. If you read the fine print, the money is split between the top five, with the grand prize winner getting an additional $10,000 and a series development deal. So the winner is actually getting $15,000.
 
Christ, you can't even buy a new car for that much. How are you supposed to make an animated sitcom pilot with it?

This is not how you start an animation renaissance, FOX.
 
A wise man once said (and that man being Ralph Bakshi) with today's technology, you don't need to rely on a big corporation to get an animated series made.

All you need is an computer with an animation software of any kind, and an internet connection, and a good idea, and you can become a star!
Plus you keep total control of your creation!

Why aren't more people doing this?!
 
Because most people are content to complain about how Cartoon X or Cartoon Y sucks, or how the whole animation industry is doomed. I wish we had more Chapman Bros. with initiative online.
 
Back
Top