Mike Cessario’s Post

👏🏼Today, I am celebrating visionary brand Liquid Death and leader Mike Cessario. Love seeing Liquid Death flirt with an adult animation series with Will Carsola alongside Titmouse with "The Adventures of Murder Man." By focusing on real entertainment value, rather than overt brand promotion, Liquid Death is championing what branded entertainment could be/should be. And, if done right, it is supremely effective marketing. Barbie, Lego Movie, Arcane all connected with audiences, igniting or reigniting fandom in their respective brands and enjoyed a massive halo effect. All big swings, yes! But there is a way for brands to take smaller swings leaning into the same principles; the value of entertainment, understanding and building audiences, and igniting fandom. Now, tell me when and where do we get to see the series?

Does this make you want to rush out (or online) to buy some Liquid Death? Yes? No??? Maybe??? 🤷🏻♀️ Does it help you to remember the Liquid Death brand? Yes. Yes. Aaaand, yes.🧠 This approach to building a brand is dynamite when done right. So, why do so many brands play it so safe? ⛑️🥽🦺 #LiquidDeath #Water #CPG #FMCG

Liquid Television and "The Big City" "The series hit the air in 1991. It ran on MTV, and its title referenced a weird idea that Salvador Dalí liked to talk about: Liquid Television. Dalí’s version was a “liquid, from a bottle, [that you put] on your hands, your nose, your clothes” to display TV images. "MTV’s version was only a little less ambitious. It settled for being one of the strangest television shows ever made. "Liquid Television was an animated, or mostly animated, anthology. Each episode was a jumble of skits — all of them were random lengths and styles, and none of them really fit together. The show’s creator said that even he didn’t like everything it ran. ('The idea is the attitude,' he argued.) "But Liquid Television still had its hits: Aeon Flux and Mike Judge both broke out through this thing. Everyone who’s watched it has a favorite segment. "For us, it’s The Big City, a one-off short that Liquid Television aired in 1995. It’s about a woman named Nola Kambanda who leaves Ghana for New York City. She wants to join the fashion industry — but she encounters a different America than the one she imagined. Her five-minute story is a stylish musical. It’s rap-narrated, animated in a neo-UPA way and drawn primarily in bold, neon lines. We’ve wondered for a while how The Big City came to be. Its director Ed Bell is still active — he’s a veteran today, with credits ranging from Roger Rabbit to Bebe’s Kids (1992) to Pixar’s Soul. Last month, we spoke to him to learn the secrets of this film. "We’re happy to bring you those secrets today, and to (re)introduce The Big City almost 30 years after its premiere." #animation #art #storytelling

What’s the best episode of an animated series you’ve seen this year?

Episode 2 of the ARK: The Animated Series Behind the Scenes is live on YouTube and Paramount Plus! In this episode, we are joined by David Hartman and JAY Oliva to lend deeper insight into the animation, choreography, and visual storytelling that showcases the introduction of one of the game's most beloved characters, Mei Yin. A lot of people have asked me how to get an adaptation of a game franchise right. I think any project has to keep its audience in mind, and to that end there are three types of audiences a game adaptation can meaningfully target: - core fans of the games - a crossover section of gamers who watch the genre of the adaptation, but aren't passionate fans - general fans of the adaptation's intended genre who are neither gamers nor core fans of the franchise An adaptation can serve one, both, or all three of these cohorts. Who to make the show for depends on budget and the goals of the license holder. A philosophy that Jay and I have shared in our work on RAID: Shadow Legends and ARK is that delivering on the genre's expectations can strike a nice balance between the differing audience types. And what people expect out of animation is: great voice acting, highly visual storytelling, and a bold art style. Think about any of your favorite animated series; they probably have all three. For ARK, we wanted to construct a story that would be driven by action—and not just action for the sake of action. We believe animated storytelling is at its best when drama and character growth are being portrayed visually, with highly visceral attempts to overcome obstacles. With respect to this particular episode, we put it all together by forging the relationship between Helena and Mei Yin—through action. Relationships are the lifeblood of great storytelling; you can execute all the fan service you want, but if characters aren't likable, and if we don't *want* characters to spend time together and draw closer, then your show won't have a pulse. New audiences want to see something they can relate to, and to learn about a new world at a comfortable pace. The audience that's familiar with the game wants to see something unique that honor the tenets and pillars of the game, but also doesn't want to see a 1:1 recreation of something they've already played. While there are more than a few spinning plates to balance when attempting to land an adaptation, thinking first and foremost about how to place characters in dramatically engaging situations and that they have to fight and persevere their way out of will almost always unleash the best possible approach for the series. (and it will make for a show you'll want to watch!)

ULTRAMAN: RISING is a charming, yet safe intro to the character for western audiences, shining with some of the best action you’ll see in a film this year. Check out my review on DiscussingFilm https://lnkd.in/ejcVxTQa

I often tell anyone that's interested in pitching 1/2 hour animation projects for kids or adults to remember the basics of traditonal scripted television: Police Hospital Occupational Legal Family Flyer* The great thing about these time-tested formats is that it doesn't require audiences to follow a complex plot or throughline in order get everyone on board with what's truly important - the episodic story and in this case - the comedy! You just need to establish which format you're in and then quickly express your setting, the lens of your main character (s), and then the 7-10 minor characters that oppose or support your main character's point-of-view. This show looks to be the best of that quick-to-get format, wonderful development and (excuse the pun) - stellar comedy! And of course production will be top-notch thanks to the talents at Titmouse! *- Flyer is the most complex TV format and also the most beloved. It involves stories that don't fit into the other molds and requires that an audience follow a plot from the start until it 'reaches altitude' and can therefore be understood. Examples include Lost, Game of Thrones, Foundation, and Breaking Bad. When they work, they generate phenomenal followings. The problem is that it's the most complex form of TV writing. #animation #cartoons

Having watched many non-mainstream animated movies, it's time to address the Americanisation of these movies and how to get around this worrying trend. Check out my latest essay here: https://lnkd.in/gDYcF3xB #InBlazikersOpinion #BlogOfBlaziker #Americanisation #NonMainstreamAnimation #AnimatedMovies #Essay