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Posts tagged megatron

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See this right here? This is a really good shot with great composition and with multiple elements within it to communicate important thematic details about the episode’s story to the audience. Now, as much as I love Beast Wars, it was still one of the first all CGI cartoons on the air. As such, in breaking new ground, it also hasn’t aged well in certain presentation standards of animation. I’m not just talking about the quality of the computer animation or texturing, I’m talking about things like shot composition, camera angles, blocking, framing, etc. Contemporary cartoons like Transformers Prime, Gravity Falls, GLTAS, Tron Uprising, and even MLP take full advantage of the fact that they are a visual medium. They use every element that’s on screen to aide in their storytelling. Like good cinema, cartoons now utilize a visual “language” as a another means of communicating with the viewer. Beast Wars in its immaturity as a CGI show, often had difficulties with this, particularly in S1. But every now and then you get a moments of true understanding. “Code of a Hero” was the only episodes to be directed with storyboards, and it shows.

See this right here? This is a really good shot with great composition and with multiple elements within it to communicate important thematic details about the episode’s story to the audience.

Now, as much as I love Beast Wars, it was still one of the first all CGI cartoons on the air. As such, in breaking new ground, it also hasn’t aged well in certain presentation standards of animation. I’m not just talking about the quality of the computer animation or texturing, I’m talking about things like shot composition, camera angles, blocking, framing, etc. Contemporary cartoons like Transformers Prime, Gravity Falls, GLTAS, Tron Uprising, and even MLP take full advantage of the fact that they are a visual medium. They use every element that’s on screen to aide in their storytelling. Like good cinema, cartoons now utilize a visual “language” as a another means of communicating with the viewer.

Beast Wars in its immaturity as a CGI show, often had difficulties with this, particularly in S1. But every now and then you get a moments of true understanding. “Code of a Hero” was the only episodes to be directed with storyboards, and it shows.

Filed under beast wars maccadam transformers code of a hero megatron dinobot songs of the earth bw!megatron

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gejumsky:

Because this scene is combat porn. Obviously, after that kick, the fight still continues, but it ends up with Dreadwing getting his aft kicked and it’s kinda painful for me, a Dreadwing fan, to see on a continuous loop.

Oh, and the last one is a bonus, presented to you by the crazier part of me. The words are inspired by Zack Fair~

(Episode source: Transformers Prime S2 “Hard Knocks”)

I’d actually like to talk about this fight scene for a minute here, because I find it not only to be a marvel of animation, blocking, and sound design… but also what it says about the characters and their arcs.

Consider this moment. Dreadwing plants a bomb on Bulkhead’s back, only for Bulkhead to pull the ol’switcheroo and stick the explosive on Dreadwing instead.

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An admirable effort, but you’ve obviously forgotten how our last encounter ended…

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No, I didn’t.

See, this is the key element. Bulkhead, for all his stubbornness, is still a person who can learn from his mistakes. Dreadwing one-upped him before in “Loose Cannons”, so Bulkhead took that as an educational experience, planned accordingly, and his intelligence pays off. Dreadwing, however, utilizes the same strategy, failing to compensate for his foe’s evolution, and suffers the consequences for his complacency. It’s a creative and visceral example of Dreadwing’s central character flaw: he cannot consider new ways of doing things; he cannot conceive that the world and people around him are changing, nor can he advance himself. In sticking to classic ideals without admitting the world, his cause, and the people around him have changed, he becomes his own worst enemy. It is this stagnation which ultimately proves to be his downfall several times over.

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Dreadwing gets stuck with his own bombs, and murdered with his own gun.

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What’s also interesting is who Bulkhead took into the field during this episode: Smokescreen. When Smokescreen was first introduced in “New Recruit”, Bulkhead feared being replaced by Smokey and continued to treat the kid coldly until the third act of “The Human Factor”, wherein Smokescreen saved Bulkhead, thus earning the Wrecker’s respect and friendship. Throughout “Hard Knocks”, Bulkhead both supports Smokescreen mentally by giving him advice on how to approach his new role amongst the Autobots, and backs Smokescreen up on the battlefield as well. Basically, Bulkhead initially disliked for Smokescreen for personal reasons, but eventually got over those feelings and forged a strong new relationship that has continued to pay off for both characters: Smokescreen saved Bulkhead and Bulkhead’s advice continues to influence Smokescreen’s maturity.

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By contrast, Dreadwing consistently refuses Optimus Prime’s offer for friendship all throughout season 2. He continually returns to the Decepticon side, in spite of the fact that Megatron shows little to no respect for Dreadwing’s personal safety or moral values.

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He sticks to his desire for revenge and faction loyalty even as evidence increasingly mounts that his efforts are wasted. In the end, Dreadwing is faced with an ultimatum: try something new, forge a new relationship, expand his skills, forgo his immediate personal issues for expansive, long-term benefits… but he just can’t do it. He cannot let go, he cannot leave his faction, no matter how hollow it has become. He cannot advance. And it costs him his life.

This all comes together in this fight scene. There’s a lot more going on here then two guys kicking each other in the guts.

Filed under transformers prime tfp bulkhead dreadwing transformers hard knocks smokescreen megatron optimus prime skyquake

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Transformers 30 Day Challenge: Day 17

Favorite comic book artist


Again, I’m no comic expert, so I’m not the best judge of art, sequential storytelling, etc. But, from what I’ve seen and read thus far, Nick Roche has my vote.

I mean, yo, c’mon… Look at this stuff man…

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*EDIT*

This cover was actually done by Alex Milne. But he’s also a tremendously talented comic artist.

Here’s something I’m almost 99% sure was drawn by Roche

[source]

Filed under transformers maccadam transformers 30 day challenge nick roche spotlight megatron idw comic artist megatron

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Transformers 30 Day Challenge: Day 16

Favorite voice actor


This is another hard one, because Transformers has been filled with so many excellent voice actors and actresses over the years. If I had to name even a handful of my favorites, I’d probably highlight Susan Blu, Scott McNeil, Sumalee Montano, and David Kaye.

But, in terms of sheer range, abilities, and reputation in the industry… I’m going to have to settle for Frank Welker. If for no other reason than he also plays Freddy in Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated, and I just don’t know how you get that talented through non satanic means.

How…?

Filed under transformers 30 day challenge frank welker mystery incorporated maccadam tfp megatron transformers

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Transformers 30 Day Challenge: Day 15

Worst character design


Okay, well as a general rule I feel I should at least mention the Movie-verse overall. But, this is more a general critique in terms of the principles of good character design. There are basic rules and standards one should adhere to when crafting a animated character, even one in a big-budget, teal/orange, Hollywood blockbuster and these films just won’t follow the rules.

That behind said, there are some designs in the Movie-verse I really like such as Jetfire, Scalpel, and DOTM!Megatron. And they also all generally follow good design principles… so okay.

But if you want to ask me about a personally hated character design, look no further than Beast Machines Megatron!

Ugh…

There’s just so much that doesn’t work here. The bulbous shoulders, bird-like feather coloration, the weird hokey mask… it all just looks so silly. And I once saw this guy slice G1!Optimus’ face in and rise out of a lava pit as a damned dragon! What happened to you man?

The basic shape and robe, coupled with his oddly small size, suggests a sort of sage or monk figure. But no, this is supposed to be our epic, chess-master villain. Physically, he appears restrained and limited in capabilities. Nothing about this inspires fear or respect. Worse still, the crane/cable array he was constantly plugged into made him feel like a Disney Land animatronic, not the face of global peril.

He’s got a three fingered hand and a claw/extractor for another. While the extractor is a good nod to his BW design wherein his right hand was typically his beast mode’s head, the three fingered look just doesn’t work. In another type of character this could be effective for showcasing sub-humanity (see the Vehicons of TFP). But for the main villain? One who’s argument is based on social control? No.

Beast Machines in general had a strange art direction, but I always held that most of the cast at least looked distinctive and appropriate for the types of characters that they were. Even the often maligned Nightscream at least is appropriately drawn as a gangly, awkward teenager. But Megatron… he’s the odd man out.

Filed under transformers 30 day challenge maccadam beast machines bay-verse megatron beast wars character design

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razorsaw: It always gets me when people say the BW Predacons were freedom fighters. Because… well, to be honest, save for Dinobot, none of them were. Megatron was charismatic, but he was a supremacist who was driven by the idea of destiny and a desire to lord over not just Cybertron, but fundamental forces of the universe itself. He had a god complex, and never showed an ounce of concern for his subordinates that didn’t involve desiring them as pawns or possessions. Terrorsaur was more concerned with prestige and rank. Tarantulas was a psychopath and a cannibal with his own agenda. Scorponok was a thug who liked taking advantage of those weaker than him. Blackarachnia, Quickstrike, and Inferno never even had a cause, just their own selfish desires or loyalties - Blackarachnia eventually turned, of course, Quickstrike just wanted to hurt people, and while Inferno may have been loyal, it was a psychopathic kind of loyalty to the aforementioned would-be tyrant with a god complex. Ravage? Acted in the interests of duplicitous politicians and then later switched sides due to the words of a long-dead ACTUAL TYRANT whose motivations were far far FAR from noble. Really, when the most sympathetic members of your group are Dinobot, who ultimately defected, Blackarachnia, who was originally scheming and purely self interested until she found love, Waspinator, and Rampage, the misbegotten self-loathing product of science runamuck, you can’t call yourself “freedom fighters.” Now, I’m not saying that in BW, the Maximal elders weren’t morally ambiguous, and that noble Predacons couldn’t exist. The show certainly leaves the door open for that. But the show Predacons? The ones we saw on screen? They aren’t Freedom Fighters. They’re a band of self interested, genocidal psychopaths. Pretty much all of this. While there are hints that life back on Cybertron might be not exactly be Steak and Onions under complete Maximal leadership, the basic conflict as presented in the show proper is pretty elementary. Megatron and his band of Predacon followers are Nasty no-Goodnicks with few redeeming qualities who honestly need to be stopped and that’s that. It’s why I can watch them get punched in the face guilt free. Sometimes you need that…

razorsaw:

It always gets me when people say the BW Predacons were freedom fighters. Because… well, to be honest, save for Dinobot, none of them were.

Megatron was charismatic, but he was a supremacist who was driven by the idea of destiny and a desire to lord over not just Cybertron, but fundamental forces of the universe itself. He had a god complex, and never showed an ounce of concern for his subordinates that didn’t involve desiring them as pawns or possessions.

Terrorsaur was more concerned with prestige and rank. Tarantulas was a psychopath and a cannibal with his own agenda. Scorponok was a thug who liked taking advantage of those weaker than him. Blackarachnia, Quickstrike, and Inferno never even had a cause, just their own selfish desires or loyalties - Blackarachnia eventually turned, of course, Quickstrike just wanted to hurt people, and while Inferno may have been loyal, it was a psychopathic kind of loyalty to the aforementioned would-be tyrant with a god complex. Ravage? Acted in the interests of duplicitous politicians and then later switched sides due to the words of a long-dead ACTUAL TYRANT whose motivations were far far FAR from noble.

Really, when the most sympathetic members of your group are Dinobot, who ultimately defected, Blackarachnia, who was originally scheming and purely self interested until she found love, Waspinator, and Rampage, the misbegotten self-loathing product of science runamuck, you can’t call yourself “freedom fighters.”

Now, I’m not saying that in BW, the Maximal elders weren’t morally ambiguous, and that noble Predacons couldn’t exist. The show certainly leaves the door open for that. But the show Predacons? The ones we saw on screen?

They aren’t Freedom Fighters. They’re a band of self interested, genocidal psychopaths.

Pretty much all of this.

While there are hints that life back on Cybertron might be not exactly be Steak and Onions under complete Maximal leadership, the basic conflict as presented in the show proper is pretty elementary. Megatron and his band of Predacon followers are Nasty no-Goodnicks with few redeeming qualities who honestly need to be stopped and that’s that.

It’s why I can watch them get punched in the face guilt free. Sometimes you need that…

Filed under beast wars razorsaw transformers megatron predacon dinobot bw cybertron