Darkwing Duck: examples of clever technical animation

[ahem]

Dakwng Duck seemed to be jam packed with clever animation special effects. Most of these seemed to be 2D cel animated but really gave a satisfying, 3D depth to the St Canard universe.

One of my favourite examples of effects animation which struck a chord with me back in the early 1990s is in the episode "Dry Hard". Before Liquidator "hardens" the entire Autobahn Bay bridge, we see a close up shot of Darkwing holding a glass of water while chanting "we can drink the Ba-ay, Nuh, nuh!" The shot is given the illusion of being photographed on a long lens, shallow depth of field, with Darkwing in the foreground and the Liquidator some distance behind him, out of focus. During the shot the camera rack focuses from Darkwing onto Liquidator! Obviously very infuenced by that added degree of realism that Roger Rabbit had contriibuted towards animation a few years before.

There is also an episode with Quakcerjack and Megavolt teaming up together, where the camera performs a 180 degree "crab" dolly around Megavolt's car.

I would very much like to hear of your favourite examples of technical effects animation in Darkwing. Please, don't hold back on any technical knowledge either!

While we are here, what are some of your favourite bits of Darkwing background art and design? Can we cite the influences of the designers, too?

[ahem]

Anyone? :confused:

[All Star Blitz]

Not me. I've honest to God never seen an ep of Darkwing Duck. I fail.

Didn't TMS do most of the work on Darkwing? If so, I can imagine they had a ton of neat effects.

[DarthGonzo]

Not me. I've honest to God never seen an ep of Darkwing Duck. I fail.

Didn't TMS do most of the work on Darkwing? If so, I can imagine they had a ton of neat effects.

No, by 1991 TMS no longer worked for Disney. By then they were animating Tiny Toon Adventures for Warners. Disney's own Japanese animation house worked on Darkwing Duck.

[All Star Blitz]

No, by 1991 TMS no longer worked for Disney. By then they were animating Tiny Toon Adventures for Warners. Disney's own Japanese animation house worked on Darkwing Duck.

Crap. Misfired again.

[Old Guy]

Anyone? :confused:

I haven't seen Darkwing Duck since the mid-`90s. :sad:

[Cartoonzrule]

Anyone? :confused:

I have recently seen Darkwing Duck vol. 1 and 2 on dvd, and I only enjoy the episodes from Australia. I think those scenes you mentioned were CGI because Tale Spin and Goof Troop had similar effects by an animanor named Kelly Day. I fell that Disney should have used their Australia studio more. Other than their Japanstudio and Kennedy Cartoons, more than 3/4 of the episodes were animated at Sunwoo. The animation in those was so tiring and dull, that I barely get through half of them without turning it off.

[Classic Speedy]

I have recently seen Darkwing Duck vol. 1 and 2 on dvd, and I only enjoy the episodes from Australia. I think those scenes you mentioned were CGI because Tale Spin and Goof Troop had similar effects by an animanor named Kelly Day. I fell that Disney should have used their Australia studio more. Other than their Japanstudio and Kennedy Cartoons, more than 3/4 of the episodes were animated at Sunwoo. The animation in those was so tiring and dull, that I barely get through half of them without turning it off. And believe it or not, Sunwoo did its best Disney work for Darkwing Duck. :sweat:

But yeah, Australia was clearly the best and it's a shame they didn't do more than ten episodes (nine if you don't count "Heavy Mental", which was technically animated by Freelance Animators New Zealand under their banner).

[ahem]

TRADING FACES-

There's a great GREAT glint of light on Steelbeak's metal beak when Darkwing does his "I am the Terror" routine.

Also, there's a moment in an episode where Megavolt falls down a man hole and you see a brief electrical storm fly up from the ground.

Did anyone else dig the Aladdin light animation of the Negaverse plug hole tornado, with Negaduck crawling across it?

[ahem]

Can anyone tell me who the famous background artist is who painted the scenery for both Darkwing and Roger Rabbit?

I think the Darkwing backgrounds are works of art in their own right.

It would be cool to see DW back somehow. :(

[Eric Brown]

I had always considered the Austrailian branch of Disney Television Animation to be the best product of any of the other animation houses, that were used. The animation had the additional fluidity in charater movement and reaction along with the fact that "English is spoken here", is reflected in the mouthing of of the dialog.
Check out the DWD episode, "The Merchant of Menace". The close up shot of the van's license plate reflects the origin of the animation.

THANX

[ahem]

the fact that "English is spoken here", is reflected in the mouthing of of the dialog.



Just curious, but is this a big issue with outsourced US animation to countries where English is not the first language?