Equestrian Tales currently in production

[Matraxial Artemi 2,230]

On 11/2/2018 at 11:05 AM, K_Cast said:

Yet another update! This time with some animation!

 These are the videos shown at Ciderfest this last weekend, and want to bring them to you for the first time. These will not appear on youtube proper, and for your eyes only, we are using these to showcase what the team can do, and the style we are hoping to bring to the MLP universe. Please note the character rigging will be different for Eqt to more blend with the 2D backgrounds and elements. 

 This animation is about Sunset Shimmer, and should be finished around January or February, animation by Minty Root a long time and lead animator for Eqt. Got more to come

Hope you enjoy and Stay pony!!! Look out for that Mirror as it plays a role in the pilot of Equestrian Tales aswell.

 

And a more extended opening scene.

 

The background style, lighting and other elements will be used in the animation of Equestrian Tales and this is the test bed for a lot of it.

The scenery and the animation is out of my expectations!  I cannot believe a project like that surpasses the animation style of My Little Pony  The Movie!

You have my respect and my support! 
I'm looking forward of the series! 

[Matraxial Artemi 2,230]

When will the Equestrian tales to be release?

 

[Matraxial Artemi 2,230]

29 minutes ago, Bas said:

When it's done. Not an official here, but these things take time, and they just started on the animation part.

Alright ^^

[Plonkett 345]

Here's a list of software you could probably use for the 3d portions of the project.

 

Maya for 3d animation and modelling

Houdini for various 3d elements and CG effects

Arnold, Renderman, or Redshift for rendering

Of course, you could use a node compositor like Nuke or Fusion to composite everything in there.

Edited December 9, 2018 by vgmaster9

[Quinch 1,120]

I'm kinda curious, how is this project going? After the initial burst, there hasn't been much by way of news.

[Lord Valtasar 12,690]

On 3/26/2019 at 7:13 PM, Quinch said:

I'm kinda curious, how is this project going? After the initial burst, there hasn't been much by way of news.

the susnet one we got the teaser for is out

 

[Lord Valtasar 12,690]

28 minutes ago, Bas said:

Is the video above really from the OP? Wow!

I don't know exactly what involvement each person has in each of those projects, but Minty Root is part of the team behind Equestrian Tales

[Matraxial Artemi 2,230]

7 hours ago, Lord Valtasar said:

I don't know exactly what involvement each person has in each of those projects, but Minty Root is part of the team behind Equestrian Tales

I'll be damn by their project 

[Minty Root 41]

On 3/27/2019 at 7:04 PM, Lord Valtasar said:

I don't know exactly what involvement each person has in each of those projects, but Minty Root is part of the team behind Equestrian Tales

Essentially, I am simply one of the artists of the project. As we are planning the project, I have decided not to stand still and to get started doing some R&D for a proper animation pipeline that could run out of a television budget while still giving a somewhat cinematic result.

Obviously, I could just make a rig, make a demoreel of it and present it to people, but I want a real R&D for the project, including the character animation, making the scenery, compositing the scenes and editing it together in a real animation context so I have to budget my time between shots and make the right decisions to get the project done. This way I have a good idea of the actual quality level we could hope to achieve while staying within budget and something more concrete to show than just concept art. 

So one of the things I've been doing along with the Equestrian Tales team was to test out how to translate their concepts to animations by using some of their concept art for the project. I took for example their concept of Star Swirl's library and made a 3D model of it, which was seen in Luna's Determination and The Fall of Sunset Shimmer. Our collaboration has been mutually beneficial in the past too, as they helped out for concept art for Dinky's Destiny while I helped them making some show accurate rigs in Flash they could use for testing and making show style concepts too.

For my next project I am pushing things a bit further, featuring some of the characters from Equestrian Tales in it in some important roles. You can think of it as some sort of teaser for what to expect from it. My main concern is that since those projects are mostly my script and my own direction, they might feel a bit different from the final vision of the project, but I think it's a nice opportunity to experiment while we have the opportunity to experiment.

Obviously I also want these projects to be some nice fan animations on their own. Since there's always the fear the project could die due to factors out of our control, we would like to make the best out of it, have something to show we made something worthwhile in the end after all.

But it's my part, I'm not the director of Equestrian Tales. I'm simply one of the artists who want to make the best out of the project.

[Matraxial Artemi 2,230]

49 minutes ago, Minty Root said:

Essentially, I am simply one of the artists of the project. As we are planning the project, I have decided not to stand still and to get started doing some R&D for a proper animation pipeline that could run out of a television budget while still giving a somewhat cinematic result.

Obviously, I could just make a rig, make a demoreel of it and present it to people, but I want a real R&D for the project, including the character animation, making the scenery, compositing the scenes and editing it together in a real animation context so I have to budget my time between shots and make the right decisions to get the project done. This way I have a good idea of the actual quality level we could hope to achieve while staying within budget and something more concrete to show than just concept art. 

So one of the things I've been doing along with the Equestrian Tales team was to test out how to translate their concepts to animations by using some of their concept art for the project. I took for example their concept of Star Swirl's library and made a 3D model of it, which was seen in Luna's Determination and The Fall of Sunset Shimmer. Our collaboration has been mutually beneficial in the past too, as they helped out for concept art for Dinky's Destiny while I helped them making some show accurate rigs in Flash they could use for testing and making show style concepts too.

For my next project I am pushing things a bit further, featuring some of the characters from Equestrian Tales in it in some important roles. You can think of it as some sort of teaser for what to expect from it. My main concern is that since those projects are mostly my script and my own direction, they might feel a bit different from the final vision of the project, but I think it's a nice opportunity to experiment while we have the opportunity to experiment.

Obviously I also want these projects to be some nice fan animations on their own. Since there's always the fear the project could die due to factors out of our control, we would like to make the best out of it, have something to show we made something worthwhile in the end after all.

But it's my part, I'm not the director of Equestrian Tales. I'm simply one of the artists who want to make the best out of the project.

I understand but you're AWESOME!!! 

[Lord Valtasar 12,690]

6 hours ago, Minty Root said:

For my next project I am pushing things a bit further, featuring some of the characters from Equestrian Tales in it in some important roles. You can think of it as some sort of teaser for what to expect from it. My main concern is that since those projects are mostly my script and my own direction, they might feel a bit different from the final vision of the project, but I think it's a nice opportunity to experiment while we have the opportunity to experiment

Oh my. Its not even out yet and it already has a spinoff in the works

Even from the small introduction we have. I love those characters. So i'm really looking forward to it.

[K_Cast 203]

Hi there, frankly stopped posting updates as we have been working on alot of stuff, and things are in the pipeline right now for a formal pitch, we didnt want to end up posting something that might end up getting us in trouble. Just been playing it safe till we are past that stage. We are working to bring investors into our animation studio, bringing on more traditional classic animators, talking to some producers, working on alot of business side stuff. The moment I can say whats happening, or timelines you guys will be the first to know, I will say if things go as planned we could have some great stuff out within a year, but I cant give exact dates as things are in the pipeline. I will make updates when things I feel we can talk about are happening I will for sure post. Might have some stuff coming up, and might need some outside help with stuff like quality assurance for the screenplay, story, and that. We want to make the best product we can, and who best to ask then the fans that have kept the brand alive all these years. If you might be interested in something like that please PM me, just a warning on that, of course it would spoil some stuff story side for ya.

On 3/26/2019 at 10:13 AM, Quinch said:

I'm kinda curious, how is this project going? After the initial burst, there hasn't been much by way of news.

 

 

On 11/10/2018 at 2:11 AM, Matraxial Artemi said:

When will the Equestrian tales to be release?

 

Thank you so much, we have put our hearts and souls into the development of these, and the entire cast really. This story, the world and characters they are all working together to (we hope) bring you a great experience. Our cast and crew thanks you from the bottom of our hearts for your support ^_^.

On 3/29/2019 at 2:26 AM, Lord Valtasar said:

Oh my. Its not even out yet and it already has a spinoff in the works

Even from the small introduction we have. I love those characters. So i'm really looking forward to it.

 

[Lord Valtasar 12,690]

3 hours ago, K_Cast said:

Might have some stuff coming up, and might need some outside help with stuff like quality assurance for the screenplay, story, and that. We want to make the best product we can, and who best to ask then the fans that have kept the brand alive all these years. If you might be interested in something like that please PM me, just a warning on that, of course it would spoil some stuff story for ya.

I'm opting in for that

Best of luck with the pitching

[Plonkett 345]

How's the music going to be done? Will it use a live orchestra or will it be used with virtual instruments and sample libraries?

[K_Cast 203]

Attention Everypony, the time has come is nearly upon us, to anyone attending Ponyville Ciderfest this year, we would like to invite you to a special panel, being held on Saturday, November 2nd from 3:30 to 5:30 pm, From Script to Screen- Inside pony animation. FiM maybe over, but their legacy will live on in the hearts and creative minds of its fans, let us show you there is still something to look forward, or behind to (wink). 

Harmonize Entertainment will be hosting the panel, most noticeably Minty Root, we will be sharing with you over the 2 hours how pony is brought to life, with a sneak peek into a few up coming productions, and a few surprises in relation to the development of Equestrian Tales. Please join us, or you might miss something........ as well as some extra fun that will only be available for those attending the panel

 Equestrian Tales has not fallen, we have been working hard this last year to bring together something special, we just couldnt talk about it was all. We will be presenting something at the panel you wont want to miss.

 

 See you there!

[BornAgainBrony 2,397]

On 10/30/2019 at 3:26 PM, Bas said:

I didn't know you got Minty Root. That aside, I know literally nothing about her and her work aside from being popular.

Nice this thing is still going on!

Also tagging @BornAgainBrony because I believe he might wanted to stop by at that ciderfest anyways.

Heh, yep, I was there, and working the panel room actually.

[K_Cast 203]

Huge update today, we are now a week out from our panel at Ponyville Ciderfest 2019, the entire team had a great time, and was great to meet those that attended the panel. Baring some technical issues, think the panel went off well. With this I'd like to post, exclusively to Poniverse something we have been planning for a great long while. 

 This is First Steps, the very first of what will be many musical numbers through the course of the series in development, the song is about the journey between Ink Heart and Tall Tales relationship. Starting as a solo song, Ink Heart joins in to have some fun with him, before long they start to play off each other realizing they do have something in common. Finally towards the end their songs join together in a duet, as their story becomes one, and their first steps on the road to friendship begins.

 Singing talents- Caleb Hyles (Tall Tale), Wubcake (Ink Heart)

Enjoy, and please let us know what you think, this is one of the items going into the pilot and we want it to literally sing (to early for puns).

More scenes coming shortly, these are all works in progress so please keep that in mind, the pilot as it stands is roughly 50% completed storyboard side.

Thank you all, from the Equestrian Tales production crew!

[K_Cast 203]

3 hours ago, Bas said:

That surely sounds and looks great!

I personally think the song could or should be a tad bit faster, especially the second voice (I guess that is wubcake?).

 

Hi there, thank you. The song has been retweeked, we are in fact waiting for the final VA for Ink heart, to be announced at a later date. Wubcake is the current VA, standing in for her, she will for sure still be on crew after the productions roles. The song will be finalized at the point we get the final recordings, we really wanted to post this to get feedback before we did finalize it so thank you so much. 

Edited November 13, 2019 by K_Cast
didnt want to expose a voice talent yet

[Quinch 1,120]

10 hours ago, K_Cast said:

Enjoy, and please let us know what you think, this is one of the items going into the pilot and we want it to literally sing (to early for puns). 

I love it! It also has that great "telling a story as we go, and things change as we do" vibe going for it.

[K_Cast 203]

6 hours ago, Bas said:

That surely sounds and looks great!

I personally think the song could or should be a tad bit faster, especially the second voice (I guess that is wubcake?).

 

Retimed and upped the Tempo, how this is more fun ^-^, thanks for the suggestion, think we will kept this upped version until final recording.

[Plonkett 345]

Question I want to ask is, why isn't this getting more publicity? This is something on the scale of Hazbin Hotel, yet nobody's talking about it.

[Plonkett 345]

On 11/24/2019 at 4:13 PM, Bas said:

Because only bronies are interested in

But even then, not enough bronies know about it. Even the videos hardly have any views.

[K_Cast 203]

Good afternoon everypony, Just wanted to give an update, no we are not dead, far from it. Have been focusing on production and building our crew, and not as much time on updates.

 We are currently in the process of funding the rest of the production, and its going well. We are looking at launching a few things to help with this in the near future, as well as looking for a few investors into the studio itself, we have every confidence right now that we will be able to complete the pilots of Eqt, as well as getting some non-mlp content created down the road.

 If we are able to get the funding on schedule, we can have parts 1 and 2 of the series pilots created and released within a year. Most of the work right now comes down to animation, the story is down, the characters designed, voice talents picked, storyboarding underway. Its been a long road, but we have done what we could with no budget over the years.

 Please look to Ponyville Ciderfest this year for a production by Mintyroot that directly links to Equestrian Tales, and please tell us your thoughts after seeing it (we will post a link here aswell). This will be very similar in design to Eqt, and using some of the cast of the show aswell, so thoughts on them would greatly help us make sure we are delivering the quality your all expecting. Keep in mind everything you have seen so far has been made with no budget at all. When we have a budget and can bring on more artists, animators and creatives, you will see what this team is really made of.

If you might be interested in joining our crew, please follow this link, as its not just for this production.

 Thank you all, stay safe, and pony on.

 

[K_Cast 203]

11 minutes ago, China (100% NOT China) said:

I think I saw Minty on Ponyfest online or midair pony fair, not sure if she was showing any EQT footage.

Very same production in fact, that will be shown at Ciderfest (if the con happens that is). Both projects are linked, and hoping to see the reaction before finishing the over all design of Eqt, its kind of a test bed for a few things.Before we go all in. If people dont like it, we will have time to change it before going all into a paid production.

[K_Cast 203]

Firstly I wanted to make clear to everyone that our studio is not just working on MLP productions, and we have taken steps to make Eqt an original work, but still holding everything we needed and wanted from its original intent. The funding is coming in not for direct projects at this time, but to the studio itself, that is being used to fund these productions. In other words we are seeking and gaining investors in the company, not direct projects so I can pay the team in the end. Hasbro or anyone for that matter would not  have any legal say in distribution of studio assets. Our studio has had a relationship with Hasbro over the 9 years we have been around, from doing promotions for their talent for conventions, to working in guest relations for several conventions protecting and maintaining Hasbro brands at these events. 

 To answer the question of copyright, honestly at the moment we have little to worry about, there are a few details that are being worked on right now, but the pilots that are underway have almost nothing of hasbro in them anymore, or can be changed easy if Hasbro does have issues in the future, we are also working on a few legal issues directly, whats slowed that down has been this virus and protests, and attention of these studios was diverted else where. We wanted from the start to make something that worked within the MLP universe, but also stood on its own, encase of these exact issues. Any character you'd see in our show is not the same as in MLP, as we are deep in the past, and most of the characters are different ages and appearances then seen on screen in any show. Our MLP productions right now are there to test assets, but is not reflecting the work gone into the new cast and designing both in story and visual thats gone into this.

 We have been focused on trying to make a good quality story and production, without trying to make Hasbro aim the legal gun at us, and to this day we have had zero issues with Hasbro, other then them having leaked emails of myself warning them of said hack going to happen lol. We have informed Hasbro of this production, they do know its a thing, and we have been careful to make sure we are upholding their wishes, and open about our intent to them. Nothing will be served by lying or trying to pull a fast one on Hasbro, we built this at the start to help them, not to hurt them.

 I'm also currently going to school at Full Sail University for Entertainment business that is putting me in direct contact with major elements of not just hasbro, but other companies aswell. I'm trying to use what im learning to make a deal, if we cannot, Eqt will still happen, just with some changes, and not many would effect the pilots at all.

 

 There is a lot more going on then I will ever be able to say on a public forum, but things are under control on most fronts at the moment.

 

Edited June 11, 2020 by K_Cast
edited