#flying barks

[fanficmaniatic]

You know? The studio change makes me really sad.

A big part of Lego Monkie Kid’s soul was its animation and its use of Visual storytelling. There are frames and shots from the first 4 seasons that as stills, work as full illustrations that are able to tell so much about the story! It is clearly something born about of someone’s passion! It has dedication and so much though put behind it.

Animating is a Big, laborious effort. Productions like LEGO Monkie Kid? Even more so. The dynamic shots, the use of lights, the composition, and the fluid movement of the stylized shapes… They made the show unique, yes, but also an incredible hard show to work on. Yet it paid of! LEGO Monkie Kid is a success in China! As it was supposed to be, and even when the US is not the main audience, is doing well here too!

That’s why it pains me so much to see Flying Barks leave. Nothing against Wildbrain, I happen to really love their work and how they animate… yet, Wildbrain is mostly familiar with 3D and Puppet animation. Puppet Animation and 3D are great methods, but neither is the hand drawn 2D look LEGO Monkie Kid has become known for. I have no doubt WildBrain will make the best with the cards they’ve been dealt with, and I look forward to see what they do. But is not the same. Hand drawn and Puppet animation are different mediums for a reason, and is a big noticiable change, specially for an action cartoon.

But I have to say… I am disappointed, in LEGO. So far it looks like the change in studios is due to scheduling issues, and because Flying Barks was not able to keep up with the demands LEGO put in place… To this I say, LEGO Monkie Kid is one of the most laborious works of Animation I’ve ever seen… and they killed it because they wanted it to come out faster?

Such a big part of LEGO Monkie Kid’s identity lays on its Animation, yet the corporation changed the studio, changed the animation method… To make production faster?

Animation takes time. Art takes time. Is sad to see a corporation do this because what is next? Will they change the cultural consultants team for a cheaper, quicker one too? Will they change their writers? I really hope not… But again, most people get into the show because of its animation, and they were willing to change it for the cheaper, quicker alternative.

This looks like a bad corporate decision at best, and a big slap to the face to the artist at Flying Barks at worse.

With the attention the Animation Community has in the show, it could be doing numbers with a bit of promotional material, and a consistent streaming service, yet they never did that, and now the attention from the art people might leave.

All these is to say,

Farewell Flying Barks, You did amazing. I hope you soon get a project that gets its deserve promotion and doesn’t get cancelled or out sourced. Your name shall be known.

[lallelol]

“I got you kiddo”

I hope season 5 is treating you as well as it treated me

Animation process under the cut!

Let’s all begin by thanking @meggalice for inspiring me with her beautiful LMK sketches ♥️

Boards (the timing of these was changed a lot, for instance there’s a much longer pause on the moment Wukong catches MK in the final version, instead of being one flat flow like this)

Lines, without the flowy bits

Final, slowed down at 12 fps

Wow you reached the bottom, lets have a chat. How you doing? Me? I finished my first 3 exams this summer, later on i got another one and then it’s graduation time 💃

About LMK, go show season 5 more love!!! The animation team at Wild Brain deserves all the kudos, for real they created a miracl

Now leave this post better than you found it

Day 1 of animating Flying Bark series until they hire me

[chonggen]

Two stupid monkeys’ same treatment.

LOL :3

(Still the original style looks better.)

[monkie-see-monkie-do]

DO NOT HARRASS THE ANIMATION STAFF/STUDIO

In light of recent events, I decided to go check out Wildbrain's website for more information on what their 2D works are usually like.

These are the same people involved in the making of Carmen Sandiego

A show that, like some of their other 2D works, actually benefits from a choppier, more puppet-like animation style.

It's safe to say that it's the type that's worked well for them up to this point, with a couple exceptions. (See: The Snoopy Show)

And much as I'm disappointed with the quality downgrade of the new LMK season, well...

...Keep in mind that this studio has loads of talented people who are trying their best to fill the big shoes left behind by Flying Bark.

LEGO made the decision of what studio should step in next, and attacking the actual studio for it just makes you an asshole.

[swagginmun]

See ya 'round, silly pupper 💛

[deviliciousnavy]

Thank u for the fun times, Flying Bark. See u later💛

[junkanimate]

And we're back

[monkiekidtwt]

Regarding the switching of LEGO Monkie Kid’s animation team…

A person in the LEGO Monkie Kid community known to have ties to official sources posted this, but quickly deleted it.

An anonymous source alleges that LEGO was rushing animators for a season 5, inducing severe crunch time. Flying Bark could not produce seasons fast enough, which is why they were dropped.

Observers of the situation have pointed out that Flying Bark unionized this year, which, if this account is true, almost certainly lended to them being dropped.

This would also explain why LEGO did not choose to replace Flying Bark with a different studio with hand-drawn animation. They did not care if the styles matched — they cared about how fast it could be pumped out. This also explains the amount of traced scenes in what we’ve seen from season 5 — the current animators are now facing crunch time, too.

These allegations should be taken with a grain of salt, but evidence against LEGO is pretty stacked here.

[thrandilf]

It's so hard to say goodbye to a studio which gave us an incredibly beautiful show, but torches are passed, and Flying Bark will continue to make amazing things.

Thank you for everything Flying Bark, beginning to end of Flying Bark's involvement, Lego Monkie Kid has been truly special.

Let's all try to make sure we keep leaving this world a little better than we found it <3

[theandrosaur]

He just wants to live his cottage wife dream, Wukong. When will you listen to him.

[hisnigo2006]

So the LmkS5 trailer just got released and...... Yeah no one in the Fandom is happy about the Animeton change.. Soo Here is an re draw of a frame from the trailer. Just for fun. Okay

Also this cursed doddle:

[lunar-wandering]

anyways even if the animation quality drops for season 5 i am BEGGING you guys to still watch the show. protest about the animation quality publicly if you want but still watch the show. there is a full entire chance that the next season could go back to being animated how it was before if they see enough interest in it. please still watch the show.

[chonggen]

FLYING BARK

[smallpwbbles]

LMK fans are currently dying because official Lego channel just dropped a S5 trailer and there’s SIGNIFICANT change in the animation quality and m a a a an

[silverskye13]

Finally drew the Ranchers <3

[aaahhhmalpa]

❗season 5 scene redraw ❗

is that