Scheduling

Representations And Ethics In Cartoons

Why does the writer of the article believe Rio 2 is problematic in terms of it's representations?
The writer believes Rio 2 is problematic due to it's racial hierarchy of voice actors with the white americans as the main characters and the Latin, mixed race and African Americans as the less significant characters. Jamie Foxx and Will.I.Am play to 'hip hop fluent' birds. Which the writer describes as stereotypical. Also the evil villain in the film is British as is the case in quite a few disney films.

What are the PEPS and why are they an issue for racial representation?
PEPS stand for Problem contexts, Entertainment contexts and Performance contexts. 
"Within PEPs, black people and other genotypes have to be associated with vexing circumstances," he says. "Strive to pacify, make others happy and be exceptional or extraordinary – far from 'normal'. Villainy, exoticism, jocularity and athleticism are common indicators of this malaise. Images of ethnicity do not need to be conveyed within the narrow scope of PEPs."
PEPS are an issue for racial representation because it follows the idea that ethnicity within animations are portrayed as a group of their stereotypical conventions of their background. Which basically throws a certain race into a group of stereotypes.

Why does Da Costa believe we end up with stereotypes in animation?
He says the decisions of the character and performance are rushed because the design and production processes must start and develop. It consciously and subconsciously weighs financial against moral obligations. So they always go with the safe representational defaults - stereotypes. 

Legal and Ethical Grid

Target Audience

Age: 9-14 year olds.

Gender: It is moderately male based but it isn't that specific to gender.

Media: consumption: Adventure time, The Simpsons.

Actual reader profile

Name: Sam

Age: 12

Average day: Goes to school and comes home and do some homework then eats dinner and watches TV until he goes to bed.

Hobbies and interests: TV, Social networking (twitter, facebook, instagram)                      

Spending power: His weekly allowance of 10 pounds.

Typical media consumption per day: 2 and a half hours of TV, 1 and a half hours of social networking.

Why the animation will appeal to him: Because he is interested in cartoons and general media consumption. The main character is funny to him because he's troublesome. But as he is a little older he can still think for himself so he isn't influenced by the actions he would see Brandal do.

Animation Production Schedule (and budget)

Animation Comparison

Voice Talent

Dream Casting
If the budget or the availability were not a consideration I would have Joe Pesci as my voice talent. I chose him because in Home Alone he has the same voice I imagined Brandal to have. He has the New York italian accent as well.

Story and Storyboard

Story
Brandal a troublesome wolf is walking through the park on a sunny day. His nemesis Fred the fed sees him walking as Brandal throws his can of soda into a pond. Fred the fed begins to pursue him in an attempt to capture him for good. The chase makes it way through the town centre and back around through the park again. Brandal escapes by hiring a homeless person to admit to loads of crimes he hasn't committed so they take him in instead but they never prove the crimes so they let him go in the end and Brandal gets away once again.

It is an ongoing series with about 2 series with 3 episodes in each. Each episode is half an hour long.

Character Profile

                                               Full name: Brandal Abraham Wilhelm

                                                Age: 16

                                                Type: Anthropomorphic wolf

                                                     Backstory: Grew up in Stockholm and moved to LA for a short while but now he has settled down in Long Island, New York. He is a trouble maker although has had a rough life. His parents left him at the doorstep of the local Priest when he attacked an ice cream man during his break in a coffee shop. His name is Jenevan for rascal. He always has run ins with the police, more specifically Fred the fed, his long term nemesis.

Personality: Brandal is dangerously charming with a very big mouth. He's not afraid to say what he thinks and he doesn't tend to think about his actions.

Friends: His friends live in LA but pop up in Long Island quite a bit they tend to help Brandal escape from some of the situations he gets himself into.

Foes: Fred the fed. Has never caught Brandal but is very determined to.

Abilities and skills: He is a slick talker he learned how to hustle when he lived in Stockholm so he uses those abilities to hustle other street hustlers which gets him into trouble with various gangs around Long Island. He once convinced Chuck D to lend him $250 but never got in contact with him again. It's rumored that Chuck and Flava Flav are still mad and are on the look out for him.

Hobbies: Loves Grand designs, Ice Cream and soda. He is also a keen whittler.

Hopes and Dreams: To one day own a whittle firm that whittles houses in the shape of ducks for people in deprived areas of America.

Catchphrase: Signature Chuckle

Different Expressions of Brandal

Normal
Angry
Laughing/ sly
Sneaky
surprised/ attracted to something

Character - Front, Back and Sides

This is the full character design for brandal