Disney's Filmore

**loyalheart** · 09-14-2002, 09:28 AM

As im watching the end of fillmore i hope ya'll don't mind me making this topic,

I guess i should post the first feedback...

This episode, premiere episode seemed kinda silly at first because of writings on the bathroom stalls but then i relized it was a crime or something in real life lol..

Reminds me of a detective show. but im afraid that kids could get bored with the show...

Though i know i won't

**Chris Sanders MSX** · 09-14-2002, 09:31 AM

Wow. This is good stuff, I know I'm not the only person that skipped Stargate Infinity to see this. (Okay I taped SI) But point is this once again another great original show by Disney. Following in the foot steps of Pepper Ann and The Weekenders it features middle schoolers but witha twist.

It's kind of a cop drama for kids, but it's animated. I saw today's episode and knew I had a new favorite TV Show, which like all other shows I grow to love will be canceled for absolutely no reason.

Well I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts and I suggest you check it out while you can.

**Chris Sanders MSX** · 09-14-2002, 09:36 AM

Guess great minds think alike... Uh could a mod merge the Filmore threads ?

I love the show. Or atleast I loved this first episode. I can't imagine it going down hill. It's just cool.

**Lachesis** · 09-14-2002, 03:09 PM

Definitely agree. It's like a more serious, more stylish twist on Recess with detective-show fixtures thrown in. The "Chief" character with his fishing pole was hysterical. Plus there was very little of the annoying kid-power-rules-or-whatever attitude that seems to be in all the Zoog shows.

Must watch more.

**All-Star 1.5** · 09-14-2002, 03:39 PM

Didn't today's episode seem to parody off Hannibal or Silence Of The Lambs?

The show is so funny it still proves that Disney has still got those old creative juices flowing

**Mackenzie Rainelle** · 09-14-2002, 05:19 PM

Originally posted by J-GL
Didn't today's episode seem to parody off Hannibal or Silence Of The Lambs?

Randall was a definate parody of Hannibal. But none of the other characters would fit any SotL characters. Ingrid's awesome though.

**keds1017** · 09-15-2002, 02:58 AM

I only saw a few minutes of the show but for the little what i have seen it look pretty good. Can some give me a run down about the episode

**DJRed** · 09-15-2002, 05:15 AM

oh thank god.
I was worried that i'd have to come here and preach to this board about the greatness of Fillmore. But luckily others have seen the light.
Amazing show. Now if I can found out when my local station will show it, and then confirm that it's a stable time and they won't keep sccrewing with it, I'll be set.
What time did it air for all of you?
10 am here. It's annoying, my TV guide said Kim Possible was supposed to air then and Fillmore at 6 am. Damn ABC

**loyalheart** · 09-17-2002, 04:09 PM

well im suprised some people besides myself watched it because when i first saw the press release people kinda gave some negative replies about it...

**kzanth** · 10-02-2002, 01:29 AM

I've been doing searches on Google to find comments about the show, and it's taken me this long to find this forum. I may be breaking some sort of Disney rules about talking unofficially, but I wanted to thank everyone here who's watched our show and said such nice things about it.

We've worked very hard to make as good a show as we could, and it's nice to know anyone (besides our friends and family) is watching...and liking the show.

We've actually completed TWO seasons of Fillmore (26 episodes) back to back, although there is no definite outlet for the second season.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask, because I'm going to keep checking in here.

Although this Saturday's episode (Cry, The Beloved Mascot) does still have the ol'red herring, the one after that (Red Robins Don't Fly) is our 'Donnie Brosco' undercover episode, which highlights Ingrid and breaks the 'formula' followed in the first few episodes.

Chris Roman
-Director

**Lachesis** · 10-02-2002, 02:56 AM

Holy fossilized macaroni on toast. . . director?!

Oodles of thanks to you and the rest of the production people for your work on this show. It's one of the last Saturday morning cartoons I get up for, and I've been completely hooked since it premiered. I love the hardboiled detective format and the low-key style and the in jokes and Vallejo. I really like Vallejo.

If you're looking for more comments, I'd try the Usenet newsgroups (accessible through groups.google.com), particularly rec.arts.animation.

Keep up the good work!

**Toon Capone** · 10-02-2002, 08:53 AM

It's a pretty good show better than some of the stuff that's on Saturday morinings nowadays.

**kzanth** · 10-02-2002, 12:32 PM

Heh heh...Vallejo...I'm glad you like him. He was in danger of being changed a lot between development and the final series version.

We did a rough pilot in Adobe Premiere and focus tested it. The original voice of Fillmore was done by another actor who's voice was much lower. Most of the kids who watched it felt Fillmore sounded too much like an adult.

Thing is, most of us worried more about Vallejo, voiced by Horatio Sanz, as being percieved as an adult, rather than an unfortunate 13 year old with a 'froggy' voice that he's supposed to be.

In fact, a reviewer in Texas didn't get it at all, and thought Vallejo WAS an adult, and that Fillmore and Ingrid were being 'disrespectful' to him.

We were planning on recasting his voice for the series, but Horatio did such a good job with the character we decided to keep him and just pitch his voice up a little in the studio.

-Chris

**Chris Sanders MSX** · 10-02-2002, 02:33 PM

Filmore is the best new show this season, it's the only reason I don't sleep in on Saturday's. I absolutely love it.

Since we have the director here, I was wondering, Do you guys have any objective in mind in terms of how long this show wIll last ? Most Disney Toons have life spans of about 2-4 years and then get series closers out of the blue.

**kzanth** · 10-02-2002, 05:01 PM

(I can't seem to keep away...must...keep...checking....messages...)

to answer your question, Chris...I have no idea. 'taint up to us, unfortunately.

Let me cover my butt legally right now and say I in no way represent Walt Disney Studios or its interests, and my comments are fully my own and in no way reflect the opinions of Walt Disney Corporation.

There I said it.

If you can't tell, believe it or not, I have a lot of free time right now, because ALL 26 EPISODES are finished. Done. In the can. Disney green lit 2 full seasons right out of the gate. We're fixing some small things on the last shows of the second season, but in a month I'll be looking for a new job.

We're pretty confident that the first season, 13 episodes, will be shown this year on ABC. Next year, I believe it's ABC's discretion to air or not air the second season. It could be shown on the Disney Channel. I don't know. I'm pretty sure it hasn't been determined yet.

It'd be really great if Disney decided to do a third season. A total of 39 episodes is the cut-off point for a syndicated series, so if they wanted to sell Fillmore as a syndicated series, they'd need to do 13 more. Hopefully they'll make this decision while I'm still around!

**keds1017** · 10-02-2002, 06:29 PM

ok I have a couple questions for you {btw this show is smart and funny and one of the best cartoon on Sat a.m.}
1. How old are this kids?
2. Do these kids ever go to class

3.Who was the first va for filmore?
That's it for now.

**Burgundy Ranger** · 10-02-2002, 11:59 PM

Chris,

As you can tell by my bio info, I'm more of a fan of another ABC Kids show -- Power Rangers -- but I'd be interested in the feelings of someone involved with any of the shows in that block.

How are you guys with ABC and its stance of letting its affiliates slice n' dice the Saturday morning schedule, moving shows around, etc.?

The problem is probably not as pronounced with your show, since it's E/I and the last thing these stations want is trouble from the FCC.

Also, how is ABC with giving your show any on-air promotion? I see little, if any, and yours is the only show without any weekday cable support.

Sorry for the babbling. Thanks for your time.

**Lachesis** · 10-03-2002, 02:38 AM

39 episodes?!

Boy, I feel old. I still remember when a standard sydicated show had to run 65 episodes for weekday stuff, which is what I think you're talking about. I knew it was cut down to 52 a while back, but now 39?

Oh well. Less shows better quality. Not complaining.

**kzanth** · 10-03-2002, 12:52 PM

You feel old? I remember when the networks kept rerunning the original SEVEN episodes of the Jetsons...over and over and over...talk about being patronizing to your audience.

Ok...Keds first:
1) the kids at 'X Middle School' are from 6th to 8th grade, although I don't remember ever dealing with 6th graders in the show other than to refer to Fillmore past as a deliquent 6th grader.
2) Ha! The only episode that ever shows Ingrid in class was 'Test of the Tested', and that was only for a test! We do see teachers sometimes, but we really wanted the show to focus on the mysteries, a la Law & Order, and not the personal lives of the characters.
3)The original voice of Fillmore was Kenny Blank (of The Parent Hood), and although he was a great actor, his voice was just too low to be a believable 7th grader.

Steve:
Yeah, we were very...trepidatious about being E/I. On the one hand, we'd be guarenteed to not be pre-empted by College Football. On the other hand, we had to fulfill educational requirements without compromising the show's tone. The absolute last thing any of us, especially Scott, wanted to do was to 'preach' on Fillmore. As far as I know, once the shows are delivered to the affiliates, they have full control of when to and when not to air the shows. I could very well be wrong (again, see LEGAL DISCLAIMER above). I just make'm, they don't talk to me about the schedule. I know many of the other animators hate being bumped around. In fact, I have a lot of friends who worked on Futurama and the Simpsons; there's nothing worse that having your whole SEASON pushed back by sports.
As far as on air promotion, well, that's a sore subject. ABC is trying to push their ABC KIDS theme, so we were told any promotion of Fillmore would only be tied to their ABC KIDS commercials. After watching them, you'd think Fillmore played on a soccer team. The possibility exists that later in the season Fillmore would get it's own commercials. ABC did do a commercial (that they made on their own without our involvement) that does air at the Disney Stores...talk about blanketing the country...like I said, I'm amazed anyone knows the show is on. Don't get me wrong, God Bless ABC for having the faith to air Fillmore, I just wish we had the same ad campaign that Kim Possible had.

Keep them questions coming (at least until Disney "asks" me not to answer them anymore!), and tell your friends about Fillmore!

**Burgundy Ranger** · 10-03-2002, 04:33 PM

Originally posted by kzanth
Steve:
As far as on air promotion, well, that's a sore subject. ABC is trying to push their ABC KIDS theme, so we were told any promotion of Fillmore would only be tied to their ABC KIDS commercials. After watching them, you'd think Fillmore played on a soccer team. The possibility exists that later in the season Fillmore would get it's own commercials.

ABC did do a commercial (that they made on their own without our involvement) that does air at the Disney Stores...talk about blanketing the country...like I said, I'm amazed anyone knows the show is on.

Understood. Also, with the affiliates getting to do what they do, there's no way ABC can run a "Watch Fillmore at 9 a.m." promo on a network basis.

This is hurting Power Rangers, since this Saturday is a reunion of the Red Rangers from every incarnation of the show (all 9 years' worth) -- one of the most anticipated episodes, ever. And, not a lick of promotion from ABC. It's getting promo'd like crazy on ABC Family, but they won't show it until 10/12.

Don't get me wrong, God Bless ABC for having the faith to air Fillmore, I just wish we had the same ad campaign that Kim Possible had.

Too true. But, KP had just come off stellar debut numbers on Disney Channel and they were looking to hitch their cart to that horse.

But, at 11 a.m., it's in that "danger zone" of being pre-empted for sports or getting bumped by local affiliates for infomercials and local programming.

Again, your participation is very enlightening and I hope you can continue here. Thanks a bunch.

Oh BTW, when I watch your show, I get a very strong flashback to the days of the Quinn Martin TV dramas (Cannon, Streets of San Fran, Barnaby Jones), where the segments were labeled as "acts" (Act I, Act II, Act III, Epilogue).