First things first: The Simpsons, after days of cancellation rumors amidst a fierce contract negotiation between the voice actors and Fox, has been renewed for not only Season 24 (2012 – 2013), but also Season 25 (2013 – 2014), despite those honest, upstanding Fox “anonymous sources” telling every news outlet within earshot they would only renew it for Season 24 “at most.” That’s right: Twenty-Five. Goddamn. Seasons. Five Hundred Fifty-Nine Episodes. Let’s assume everything after Season 8 is bad. That means by the end of Season 25, the good seasons will comprise slightly less than 32% of the entire series. And this season just started two weeks ago, so we have a guaranteed three seasons of atrocious episodes to look forward to. Excuse me while I go stick my head in the oven.
Film Roman
Animation Outsourced To Georgia
Due to Film Roman’s inability to meet their demands for “faster, better, cheaper” animation, Simpsons producers have switched animation studios for the first time since 1992. Starting next season, The Simpsons will be primarily animated by a small animation studio in post-Soviet Georgia. Here’s a preview clip:
Simpsons To Possibly End At Some Indeterminate Future Point In Time???
Up in the Simpsons unit, one of the artists, a person who’s been with the show a few years and knows which heads are rolling and who’s are likely to be lopped off next, confided:
None of us know if Fox is going to order another season of The Simpsons after we’re done with this one. The actors are signed, but Fox hasn’t said if it wants another twenty episodes. I think Gracie Films [the producing company of The Simpsons] would like another order, and so is offering up sacrifices to Fox to show that they’re serious about cutting costs. Some old hands have been let go.
[TAG Blog]
Artists Drawn To Unemployment Lines
According to an artist at Film Roman, about 30 Simpsons artists were fired, with more lay-offs on the way, because the voice actors still haven’t signed their contracts for the next season (see earlier post). At least the economy’s not in a recession or anything. [TAG Blog]
Voice Actors Still In Contract Negotiations
The voice actors and powers-that-be are in contract talks for like the 30th time over the past 10 years probably because they don’t think they’re getting enough royalties from bart simpson meat thermometers or something who knows
Since I didn’t have to be sitting in negotiation this afternoon, I drove over to the Starz Media/Film Roman facility, where I discovered (via the employees) that Fox and the six voice actors on The Simpsons are deep in talks for a renewal of contracts. And that all parties, according to the artists, have imposed a news blackout.
Ten years ago, Fox was on the brink of replacing all the actors. If contracts aren’t renewed this time, maybe they’ll just get Seth McFarlane to do all the voices. [TAG Blog]