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I am Alan Wan, director of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Nickelodeon. AMA
I have been working in animation for the past 10 years and have worked on shows like Teen Titans, Legend of Korra, Ben 10, The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, TRON: Uprising, and others. I am currently directing TMNT on Nickelodeon. Here's the link to my IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1737283. Ask me anything about the animation industry, storyboarding, or doodling for a living.
Proof: http://i.imgur.com/wdRvnGJ.jpg
EDIT: I am going to take advantage of this opportunity to raise money for charity (EFF). I'll be selling a limited edition signed art print of an aviator turtle. 100% of the proceeds will be donated. https://causora.com/buy/?id=962
alanwanturtle46 karma
Absolutely. I'm 36 and I still love this show. :) In fact, Donnie is awesome in this show. Check out S01E07 to see him in action.
icameforthecookies39 karma
Why can't we leave cartoons alone? The old school versions of the 80's were badass! I know my opinion isn't the only one.
Did something happen to cause this that I'm not aware of? Was it too gory or dark?
Edit: not trying to come across as disrespectful, I am only curious.
alanwanturtle95 karma
I think of these "reboots" as taking the core essence of stories and updating the cultural framework to fit a newer generation. If the old stories aren't updated, the newer generation will never get to enjoy them.
Think of it this way, do you think Christopher Nolan's retelling of Batman is a good or bad thing? Will the 16-25 year olds of today sit through the Adam West batman?
Zombie_Apocolypse34 karma
So are you a cowabunga or booyakasha kind of guy? Every parent I talk to that grew up with the Ninja Turtles thinks it was a pretty silly move to ditch that classic saying.
sakil739521 karma
Thanks for doing this
Me and my little brother watch your show whenever it is on.
I just want to say thank you for the show, it revives part of my childhood whilst creating one for my little brother.
Sakil
alanwanturtle28 karma
This means a lot to us. We pour our hearts into the show and comments like this keeps us going.
alanwanturtle43 karma
Mikey. He is funny but he is also a bad ass. He sees thing differently than all the other turtles.
sundix13 karma
Who would you rather fight in a battle of life and death? Splinter or Shredder?
Salacious-13 karma
Of all the shows/projects you have worked on, which was the most challenging?
How much creative liberty are you given, or do you have to stick with a "canon"?
Most difficult character to draw/animate?
How do you like your eggs?
alanwanturtle27 karma
Legend of Korra is the most challenging. It's a very demanding show and one that requires a lot of drawing chops.
Creative liberty depends on the show. On TMNT, I am given a lot creative freedom to interpret the script. On other, we are more restricted to stick with what's written. I like the shows that give me more liberty for obvious reasons. :)
Mmmm... Dogpound in this new TMNT, just a cool design but very hard to move around because of size and complexity
Over easy.
iWinAtMarioKart13 karma
What made you decide this was something you wanted to do? Just sitting around doodling one day, and thought "Hey. I should get paid to do this"?
GarlicAftershave11 karma
My son would love to hear a Ben 10 anecdote if you have the time. And, since it's an AMA, what's your favorite sandwich?
alanwanturtle15 karma
Greg Cipes, the voice of Michaelangelo, is also the voice of Kevin Levin in Ben 10 Alien Force.
Favorite sandwich... Philippe's in LA. People say that's where the French dip sandwich was invented.
yaipu10 karma
What do you think about the original TMNT (i'm talking about the comic, not the show)?
alanwanturtle18 karma
Love the comic, dark and griddy. All the turtles look pissed off all the time.
stophanded9 karma
If you weren't being all directorish and whatnot, what would you be doing?
alanwanturtle25 karma
I would totally be a sushi chef. I can be mean to customers and get away with it. How cool is that?
Cryptan8 karma
I have yet to check out the new show because I don't have cable, but as a HUGE tmnt fan I can't wait to watch it.
Is there any place other than Nickelodeon that I can watch it? Maybe online or something?
Hopefully you will have a long run so that my kids can enjoy the same characters that I did!
alanwanturtle11 karma
Yup you can watch some episodes online at: http://www.nick.com/videos/ninja-turtles-videos.
alanwanturtle19 karma
Long story short, I was a college dropout who can draw pretty well. I was given the chance to work on the MIB animated series in 1999 as storyboard clean up artist. Tons of work, not a lot of pay. But I kept at it and slowly worked my way up. It took 13 years of incremental steps but it was fun every step of the way.
BraveNewFX7 karma
My girlfriend and I love the show. The animation keeps getting better and better.
Do you guys use MAYA or Cinema? AE or Nuke?
I live down the street from nick; is anyone looking for a compositing intern? Seriously. :)
I know my stuff, I learn extremely fast, and I can fetch some mean coffee.
alanwanturtle11 karma
CG team mainly uses Maya. I know they use Nuke also. Nick offers internship, just come by to the studio. As for the information sheet at the front desk.
alanwanturtle14 karma
actual turtle sized duck or ninja turtle sized duck? does the duck know how to fight?
TheYamagato7 karma
Somewhat of a strange question. I hear that alot of times, the voice actors have no physical interaction with the director. As in, they go to a studio and the director gives them long distance advice and guidelines, while they are comfortably in their hometown. Any comment on this?
alanwanturtle9 karma
While I do go into some of the recording sessions, most of the voice directing is done by a voice director. So it is somewhat true that directors might not interact with the voice actor at all. Usually if the voice acting doesn't match the final footage, the voice actor will ADR (automated dialogue replacement) it in post production.
For the most part the voice actors record in a studio so we have better control of the quality. It's pretty rare for the actors to be remotely located.
roundcircle6 karma
Why revive a long running franchise rather than start a new IP? Turtles have been around for a long time now, and resemble little of their origins, so why not just go in a new direction rather than try to change the fundamentals of a long running IP (like ozze, Krang, or who Shredder is)
alanwanturtle20 karma
Starting a new IP is risky. Yes consumers ask for it but when studios put in tens of millions of dollars to make it, consumers often do not respond to it because of the lack of recognition. It's a tough spot for the studio to be in.
TMNT is currently one of the top boy shows on TV, so the strategy is paying off.
GrumblesFTW6 karma
I am an artist myself. I stick to more 2D anime design and concept art. I mostly do it in my spare time and I am working on realism in my college art classes. I absolutely love The Legend of Kora and I am in great anticipation of the second season. I love the steam-punk feel you guys have brought to the show and how it perfectly melds in with the 20s gangster and martial arts fields; absolutely fantastic. My question is, how could I meet the right people and make the right connections to get involved in animation and design to work for a major cooperation like Nickelodeon? Also, how is the pay?
alanwanturtle9 karma
CTN expo is a good place to meet a lot of studios and people at one go. Keeping an updated portfolio on a blog or DA is a good place to get notice also. We have hired people off of Deviantart in the past.
GarlicAftershave6 karma
Of the shows you've worked on, which had the best premise from a writing/directing/etc. standpoint?
alanwanturtle12 karma
I think the current turtle series has a great premise, excellent writing, and the best directing. No bias of course. ;)
Teen Titans was awesome too.
detroitluv6 karma
What do you think of this person: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCs9PFYHTe8 ?
alanwanturtle15 karma
Haha, I have met Michelle Ivey, she is cool. If we can all be passionate about something the way she is passionate about TMNT, the world will suck a whole lot less.
TheLastOf4 karma
Do you think that the general idea of the show from back in the day has drifted away?
alanwanturtle13 karma
I think this new turtles show is made to appeal to a different generation of turtles fans. So while we respect and try to incorporate the coolest ideas of the old show, we are also updating some of it to make it more appealing to the current generation of animation fans who have different expectations...
PancakeConspiracies43 karma
I was Donatello for six straight halloweens as a kid.
I am now 24. Would I still love this show?
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