ANNECY 2023: First Look at Genndy Tartakovsky’s FIXED
Genndy Tartakovsky has revealed a first look at his upcoming comedy Fixed. Known for Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, Primal as well as the Hotel Transylvania franchise, Tartakovsky is no stranger to all faucets of animation, but Fixed sees the director tackle a feature length adult animated comedy. Here’s the synopsis.
Bull is an average, all-around good dog who discovers he’s going to be neutered in the morning! As the gravity of this life-altering event sets in, Bull realizes he needs one last adventure with his pack of best friends as these are the last 24 hours with his balls! What could go wrong…?
Taking to the stage with long time producer Michelle Murdocca, Tartakovsky revealed a behind the scenes look at the feature which is set to arrive in the autumn and the audience were treated to behind the scenes details, sketches and clips from the upcoming comedy caper.
It’s a film that will delight fans of buddy comedies as inspiration was drawn from the personality of high school friends the director grew up with. The idea gradually evolving into a canine centric concept called “Buds”, however when the idea was originally pitched, execs in the room told the Tartakovsky that the characters needed and event or extra something that the characters needed to take place in. “I looked down and was silent for about seven seconds before I looked up and delivered the idea” said Tartakovsky, who pitched the concept of a dog preparing to have his balls removed. The execs loved it and years down the line, the Annecy auditorium was filled with laughter too.
Sony Pictures Animation 2023
If you’re squeamish about seeing animated dog buttholes or testicles bouncing around the screen, it’s fair to say this is not a film for your watchlist, however beyond the ballsacks there is a group of fantastic characters here that draw the audience into their capers.
Adam Devine leads the cast as Bull, who puts his all into his performance as a podgy everymans-best-friend. Idris Elba plays Rocco, Boxerdog and close pal of Bull. Over the fence is Honey, the prized showdog and object of Bulls affections (when he isn’t humping his owners leg) voiced by Kathryn Hahn, who mixes fantastically with Bull and co as one of the boys.
The 2D element really makes this film shine, chosen above CG, the audience were also given a demonstration of some character passes made in CG, which didn’t quite hit the spot in the way 2D does. Drawing inspiration from Looney Tunes these characters are given licence to morph and break their models when they need. Though emotively voiced by a very human cast, the characters are restricted so they don’t perform human gestures, setting rules in place that the best animated comedy films do.
“If you get beyond the Balls and the buttholes there’s a heartfelt movie here” – Genndy Tartakovsky
Demonstrating how the the animation process can plus the line delivery of the actors a scene between Bull and Honey was show using three passes, a storyboard pass followed by a keyframe pass and finally animation which was completed by Uli Mayer. The director also spoke of his choices to have long scenes of characters talking, akin to the classic interactions between Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. It really works for this film.
Three scenes were played, the first introduced the audience to Bull and his insatiable love for humping the leg of his elderly owner. Caught in the act, Bull bounces throughout the house desperately trying to find satisfaction, humping everything in sight whilst setting up the concept brilliantly. The second clip introduced us to his group of pals as they’re taken to the park and a third took the audience on the final night out for Bull and his balls which plays out like a stag do.
This project looks about as honest as a comedy gets, Genndy and his team of designers and technicians have produced something that looks hilarious, but will no doubt leave the audience delighted to have been in the company of these quirky characters. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation and New Line Cinema, the feature will arrive in 2023. We can certainly and legitimately say that it looks the dogs bollocks.