thebackalleys

i've noticed mrat bringing up that horrible cartoon 'surface' on a few occasions so i figured i'd bring this up - why the hell do people like cartoons by the lifepoint1 group? they all have lazy line tool animation, awful coloring, half-assed voice acting and horrible timing.

http://lifepoint1.newgrounds.com/flash/ (http://lifepoint1.newgrounds.com/flash/)

pick anything from this list of cartoons and you will see one consistent thing through all of them: they're all complete crap. they never improve and they're all chock-full of cliches they might as well wing it instead of ever writing a script. yet i can't tell you how many times i've heard people think garbage like xin or kazahana should be on television. it'd be canceled after the first episode

No eyes
flat
and nubs.
and random shading as well.

Well i just checked out Surface Ep.2 (1/2). I liked it (aside from the watch and clock animations being shakey but eh). I liked where it was going, makes you wanna find out more bout the story, made me did. Idk what to say Rtil. some people like their style and animation, some don't...

Quote from: GRINACEsome people like their style and animation, some don't...

These people have terrible taste and either know nothing about art and animation, or do and ignore it,

You can like Anime and not be an idiot. But this is just stupid lazyness.

I understand the draw to this though. The story is engaging enough as far as NewGrounds goes. Also any asshole with Flash and a mouse whose seen Pokemon could make the art and animation in it. So sure, I understand the draw.


But there is no way around it, and this goes far beyond opinion I think at this point. These are just bad. Totally poorly made. Lazy, overblown, lack of knowledge in any fundamentals. The don't even abuse the software properly.







OH WELL. The voice acting and dialogue are the worst parts about everything they make though. It's like shit my brother would do improv alone in his basement when he was 10.

Lol, well I only saw that one flash soooo yeah. Better than what I can do, animation-wize...

Edit: at the moment...lol.

Man, Grinache I KNOW you can do better than that shit.

If you shat on your keyboard, it'd be better. You've got more skill in your eyelashes than these clowns do in their whole bodies.


Gerkinman puts 'em to shame!

line tools plus gradients equals ugly

i think the writing wasnt bad. "atleast this place has a sense of humour," almost cliche, but well placed. its not bad, but definetly overrated

Watched Surface Ep2 part1, half way through I think. It was kind of boring but the voice acting was better than I expected. The animation seemed to be very lazy made, very short FBF and super long keyframes with just voice acting.

ugly

yeah i remember years ago when i first heard of this xin stuff
people said in reviews how amazing it was
i never really thought it was good or anything, even when i couldn't do any better

XIN was one of the most ridiculous things I've seen in my life yet still somehow boring at the same time.

I didn't watch Surface.

yeah i remember a certain cartoon about a burger shop by these guys that did really well i really didn't see how

Quote from: R. WappinXIN was one of the most ridiculous things I've seen in my life yet still somehow boring at the same time.

did you actually watch the whole thing? isn't each episode like 20 minutes long

Not all of them are. The last one is almost a half hour though.

I don't remember how much of it I watched but I actually did watch a lot of it, heh.

i applaud you for your patience

i don't like it

voice acting is alright, though

i find it hard to criticize them myself-- they do things that seem so amateur and shallow, but in the end they actually surprise me. except for XIN, i watched the whole thing and it was still crap. probably because every character is apathetic, up until the ending where just then it's ok to establish an actual personality

speaking of characters, I hate how their appeal is to make them as uninterested, or uninterestING as possible. they're always calm and collected and unravel everything themselves without much difficulty, unless they are a bad guy or not a protagonist or somebody unimportant

and i'm also wondering why they haven't gotten around to buying some books on how to draw, or learning to animate. seriously they've been doing this for like 4 or 5 years but there's absolutely no trace of improvement? why not? i would think just drawing a lot would help but they seem to just teach themselves

Quote from: michellespeaking of characters, I hate how their appeal is to make them as uninterested, or uninterestING as possible. they're always calm and collected and unravel everything themselves without much difficulty, unless they are a bad guy or not a protagonist or somebody unimportant

sounds like almost every anime

Quoteand i'm also wondering why they haven't gotten around to buying some books on how to draw, or learning to animate. seriously they've been doing this for like 4 or 5 years but there's absolutely no trace of improvement? why not? i would think just drawing a lot would help but they seem to just teach themselves

^this
it totally baffles me how many animators refuse to try and improve . i can't see how you can draw and animate for 5 years and not get any better, but the folks at newgrounds have proven me wrong

Quote from: MRatMan, Grinache I KNOW you can do better than that shit.

If you shat on your keyboard, it'd be better. You've got more skill in your eyelashes than these clowns do in their whole bodies.

Thanx.

I don't know nearly enough to be able to critique the technicalities of their actual animation, but very rarely has their character art and backgrounds actually impressed me very much. I know they can do better, as shown in some of their non-flash art, but geez, I really wish they'd consistently give their flash characters actual mouths. In contrast, I've always loved their sound design and original scoring, which I always felt was the strongest aspect of their works.

Heck, XIN would've likely been nothing without it's auditory atmosphere, as I usually found its visuals mediocre at best. Cliched characters and predictable story. I find that the Kazahana tales carry far more variety, and really enjoyed the writing and tension in a couple of them. Namely "Face to Face" and "Death of Formula".

Most of XIN's voice casting was actually very good, with just a few exceptions. Though I really wish more critics could tell the difference between poor acting ability, and and a lack of direction. Only a handful of dialogue-reliant Newgrounds animations can go without completely screwing up all 3 of these factors.

Quote from: MRatOH WELL. The voice acting and dialogue are the worst parts about everything they make though. It's like shit my brother would do improv alone in his basement when he was 10.

If you or anyone else could elaborate on any issues with my performance, it'd actually mean a whole lot to me. My Surface 2 monologue was recorded over a year ago, but it remains the most challenging role I've ever approached. I spent hours and hours just determining how to pace and build the dialogue, and even more on recording and editing as I re-did everything countless times.

That said, I assure you that I don't "half-ass" any part of my job, or not try to improve based on critiques I receive. As someone who pursues voiceover work as a career, those aren't things I can afford to do.

Lol Burned...















(Random moment)

wat

More Of The Same (http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/426530)

And heres someone else who hasnt improved over the last 5 years. I remember watching this guys stuff back when i was first starting in flash, and it still looks exactly the same...

Quote from: D-MacIf you or anyone else could elaborate on any issues with my performance, it'd actually mean a whole lot to me. My Surface 2 monologue was recorded over a year ago, but it remains the most challenging role I've ever approached. I spent hours and hours just determining how to pace and build the dialogue, and even more on recording and editing as I re-did everything countless times.

That said, I assure you that I don't "half-ass" any part of my job, or not try to improve based on critiques I receive. As someone who pursues voiceover work as a career, those aren't things I can afford to do.

First off, you sound bored with the entire monologue. You hang on every line until they focus becomes you and your voice, and not the dialogue itself. It's a problem almost every anime has, but that doesn't make it ok.

You don't really emphasize anything in it. You just reads the lines with annunciation and into a clean mic.

I have to ask this, and don't be insulted by it. Have you ever taken any acting classes? Even high school level stuff? You sound like you're trying so hard to sound "cool" or "good" or to be "in character" that you forget to be a person.


It's one thing if your character is apathetic and generic and monotonous and boring and lame like that. It's the writing fine, but you don't sound like it's the writing, because the lines aren't the things that sort of character would ever actually say.

I do blame alot of it on the project leader and his lack of skill, but a bad team isn't an excuse for bad individual work.




D-Mac, do you have MSN? Add me if you do, and I'd love to chat with you about voice acting and give you a more indepth critique.



My final word is this. Forget about trying to be some character. Right now it's obvious you don't have enough experience and control to be in character and be convincing, and convincing always comes first. For now, just be yourself and say it how you would say it. It'll sound way better than what it's like now.

I wish I could use flash ;(

QuoteFirst off, you sound bored with the entire monologue. You hang on every line until they focus becomes you and your voice, and not the dialogue itself. It's a problem almost every anime has, but that doesn't make it ok.

I wasn't expecting much to begin with, but WOOOOOOW. Not a good start to your critique at all. You've totally ignored the setting.

Also, I don't watch anime, since you brought that up for some reason.

Austin (my character) IS bored. He's been siting all alone in a strange, desolate environment for hours on end. Heck, he even SAYS he's bored. I obviously couldn't bring my energy level very high when the main emotions I was playing for were boredom, confusion and subdued frustration. I would've played Austin more excited and panicked had he just arrived in his scenario, but that isn't the case here. He begins deep in thought, and describing the strange world around him. -- That considered, using anything other than a methodical pacing would make absolutely no sense.

QuoteYou don't really emphasize anything in it. You just reads the lines with annunciation and into a clean mic.

I have to ask this, and don't be insulted by it. Have you ever taken any acting classes? Even high school level stuff? You sound like you're trying so hard to sound "cool" or "good" or to be "in character" that you forget to be a person.

WOW! It's almost like you're just making up total nonsense as you go, in a desperate attempt to look good! In fact, I think you are!

If I felt that you had any decent credibility as a vocal performer or critic, your above comment might actually have been insulting to me.

There's a lot of areas I made a specific note to emphasize or place pauses in between. Frankly, I don't know how they could possibly be missed by anyone with properly working ears. I play up of confusion and frustration as Austin tries to recall and ponder through the poem,  while struggling to apply it to his current scenario. If I didn't emphasize the word "train" after the poem, I would've killed off its build. You may (somehow) not notice these things, but they're there.

Also, Austin's emotions are subdued to a degree because, frankly, that's his personality; He doesn't panic under pressure. That's nothing unusual in a serious character.

QuoteIt's one thing if your character is apathetic and generic and monotonous and boring and lame like that. It's the writing fine, but you don't sound like it's the writing, because the lines aren't the things that sort of character would ever actually say.

I do blame alot of it on the project leader and his lack of skill, but a bad team isn't an excuse for bad individual work.

I'm "monotonous and boring", but I'm also "trying so hard to be cool"? Awesome. Way to completely contradict yourself.

Austin is a calm, street-smart, occasionally sarcastic black guy who isn't easily amused or excited. I had no intention or reason to portray him as anything else. -- Interesting side-note, I'm far more accustomed to playing the exact opposite type of character.

Quote
D-Mac, do you have MSN? Add me if you do, and I'd love to chat with you about voice acting and give you a more indepth critique.



My final word is this. Forget about trying to be some character. Right now it's obvious you don't have enough experience and control to be in character and be convincing, and convincing always comes first. For now, just be yourself and say it how you would say it. It'll sound way better than what it's like now.

For starters, you have no idea what my level of range, control or experience in the field of voiceover is. Be it online or offline.

Secondly, this wouldn't be the first, or even second time that I've seen you write such a utterly nonsensical "critique", and act like you know what you're talking about. You CLEARLY don't. (Cam Clarke. Huuuuuuuuuuur.)

Now, I'm not saying my performance was perfect. A year later, there's a few things I'd do slightly differently, though you didn't come close to hitting any of them. ...Or even displaying a great deal of competence as a critic.

My final word is this: Stop being so pretentious. It's doing nothing for you. Actually learn to analyze characters and scenarios instead. It's a basic skill that any would-be director requires.

And if you DO possess that skill, you sure as heck didn't display it to me.

Quote from: D-Macim fat

please thats not the issue here.

Quote from: Wolf O

Quote from: D-Macim fat

please thats not the issue here.

I don't remember making that statement.


...but I'll stand by it to the ends of the earth.

Quote from: D-MacI don't remember making that statement.

nice coverup but i quoted it before you deleted it you fat faggot

Heres my character analysis...

"Yawn"

Been there seen that, next please.

heres my character breakdown of the user d mac

d mac
trying to act
dont give a crap
hands on a sack
thats whack
d mac

Wolf O' Donnel is a poet
I didnt know it

Oh yeh, bustin out original ryhms like its 1995.

gerkinman
is a fag
posts like a hag
when hes not used as a rag
in my ass
thats crass
gerkinman

im starting to like wolf o donell

make one about me and ill break your legs

Quote from: Wolf Oheres my character breakdown of the user d mac

d mac
trying to act
dont give a crap
hands on a sack
thats whack
d mac

I fucking lol'd.

Also D-Mac don't get so butthurt and maybe the other guys don't be so "pretentious"  

ME? I will just stand back and try to learn flash ;(

d mac is one lucky duck

duck.fla  

Lmao.

Quote from: SqueefAlso D-Mac don't get so butthurt and maybe the other guys don't be so "pretentious".

Hardly. That's just MRat being MRat.

i think mrat is genuinely trying to help. the guy has been deeply engrossed in film since the day he was born, and i would know this because he pretty much never stops talking about it.

anyway, i'm no voice actor but in Surface 2 i thought it was so strange that this character was perfectly fine with the fact he just got stuck in a matrix-esque train station, playing along with the "game" the world around him, as if it happened to him every day. i'm not sure how much control you had over the way the character reacted to his environment, but no one is going to act cool and bored when we suddenly realize we're stuck in an unstable digitized world controlled by the two-watts at lifepoint1.

it's bad enough that the character has to narrate everything he does out loud to himself (typical for anime), but it's even worse when the character is acting so ordinary when something totally extraordinary is happening to him.

It's gay. Period.

Quote from: D-MacHi, I'm a fucking moron. I obviously just don't want help or to take the time to give any thought to a critique. Instead I'm going to look at the words, and if they don't make immediate sense to my miles thick skull I'll assume that they don't mean anything. I of course DON'T have any experience, as was dictated by my retort. If I knew anything I'd know that "trying hard to be cool" and sounding bored aren't contradictory.

Oh well, I guess I just don't understand a goddamn thing about acting, and I never will, so fuck trying to improve!

You forgot to mention how you stupidly think pauses are emphasis! That's the worst part about ridiculous Anime monologuing. People always think their soliloquy needs to take 50 times longer than it ever naturally would. Taking a long ass time is not emphasis. It DOESN'T make the lines any more noticeable and real seeming. In fact it takes the attention OFF of the lines and puts it on your voice! BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD!

Did I mention I act? On stage alot. I've won awards. People like me, they really like me. Sure do! I have years more experience than you do, I'm sure.

If you can find some of the Flash I've voice acted in, and present a thought out and properly formatted critique, I'll take 50 idiot points away from the 9, 000 I just allocated you!




Go drown in a sea of menstrual fluid, pencildick.

i love the girls and the girls love me
just like the sheik of arabi
my fatal charms make them fall in my arms
i am sure a gorgeous hunk of man

Quote from: Wolf Oi love the girls and the girls love me
just like the sheik of arabi
my fatal charms make them fall in my arms
i am sure a gorgeous hunk of man

Have you been reading my diary?

I too have a background in theatre and agree with everything MRat has said above about reading his diary.

Quote from: rtilthe guy has been deeply engrossed in film since the day he was born, and i would know this because he pretty much never stops talking about it.

lmfso

Quotelmfso

What does the s stand for? soup? shit? sour crout?

sour crout is two words dumbass

only when you write it that way ;D

Sauerkraut

THEATER?!?!

Quote from: SqueefTHEATER?!?!

Yes. If you ever go into acting, live-action or voice overs, all the pro's. The real greats. Will tell you theatre is an indispensable learning experience for you.

Quote from: MRatSauerkraut

yeah pretty much

could-the-voice-act-ing-be-even-more-bland? i doubt it

Quote from: Halcioncould-the-voice-act-ing-be-even-more-bland? i doubt it

It could, but it'd be hard.

Quote from: MRat

Quote from: Halcioncould-the-voice-act-ing-be-even-more-bland? i doubt it

It could, but it'd be hard.

get anyone from a highschool theatre calss to do it and it will be worse i guarantee it

Quote from: taylor

Quote from: MRat

Quote from: Halcioncould-the-voice-act-ing-be-even-more-bland? i doubt it

It could, but it'd be hard.

get anyone from a highschool theatre calss to do it and it will be worse i guarantee it

I disagree. I could slap my asscheeks together against the microphone, and it'd be better.

lmfao god

ill never understand why so many people take criticism personally

if its constructive criticism why not take it to heart instead of getting defensive sheesh

also dmac holy shit i think you recorded voices for an utterly failed flash project of mine like 4 years ago... lmao sorry bout tht

I watched Xin once, it was episode 7 I think and I didn't watch it again.

I don't want to go out and say that it's absolute crap but lets just say it's not my kind of thing.

Quote from: SonniI watched Xin once, it was episode 7 I think and I didn't watch it again.

I don't want to go out and say that it's absolute crap but lets just say it's not my kind of thing.

I am going out and saying that it's absolute crap.



Anything by these guys is the worst thing on NewGrounds. Alvin-Earthworm is fucking better. I watching shit dry up on my deck is better.