Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1475854
D E PA R T M E N T 31 KEYFRAME WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES BOB'S BURGERS UNIQUE? Hayes: Early on we aimed to create a look that fit into the Fox line-up between The Simpsons and Family Guy, but that also had its own visual identity. Our character designs are simple and expressive. We spent a bit of time looking at Muppets. Our compositions are flat and squared off. For the backgrounds, we love to draw observational details: conduits, wires, and mismatched sidewalk panels, and yet we draw it in a simple style that leaves out extraneous detail like the busyness of rendering beveled edges. We draw inspiration from real places. The buildings on Ocean Avenue are the wooden Victorians of San Francisco, and the town and the Wonder Wharf are a collage of small cities on the northeast coast. Our color palette is vibrant like other Fox animated shows but shifts away from magentas and teals, and is grounded in energetic primary and secondary colors like green, yellow, and red. Hydendahl: Bob's Burgers has that special infusion of wacky characters paired with relatable life issues. That duality makes shaping the stories challenging and fun—never a day without an LOL moment. I'm proud and humbled to work among some of the best writers and artists in the business. WHAT WAS THE BEST PART ABOUT WORKING ON THE NOMINATED EPISODE, AND WHY DO YOU THINK IT RESONATED WITH VIEWERS? Hayes: Placing the charming Victorians of Bob's neighborhood into the dystopian world of Blade Runner was taking my two all-time favorite flavors and mixing them together. We grew these buildings vertically and added layers of accumulation: ducts, cables, video screens, and other retro-future technology throughout. I think it resonated because Tina's struggle to fit in at middle school, as expressed in the "bots" search for identity in a world overrun by technology, is something most of us can relate to. The lighthearted optimism of Bob's makes these darker tones of Blade Runner more digestible, as the family pulls together to help Tina find her way. Hydendahl: I enjoy that this episode dives right into Tina's friend fiction over the love of her brand new shirt. She is brimming with self-confidence! But Tammy and Jocelyn have to ruin it by calling Tina weird on their "Wow or Weird" news segment. Tina's friend fiction takes a dark turn, which leads us into her Blade Runner- inspired story. Tina regularly experiences peer alienation but doesn't acknowledge it as such because she wants to see the good in people. In this episode, she really does grapple with these emotions. The song "What If They're Right" is heartfelt, and we realize Bob is processing the same feelings. Wanting to be loved and accepted is universal. We love you Tina and Bob! WHAT DO YOU THINK BOB'S BURGERS' LEGACY WILL BE? Hayes: I hope that the characters and the look of the show will stand out in people's minds, but it's our pro- cess that's truly unique. Creator Loren Bouchard brought together actors who had specific and dynamic chemistry and constructed a family to fit their char- acters. The writers and artists are on the same floor of the building, always accessible to each other. The actors read their lines, react to each other, and impro- vise. Loren is the conductor, instructing and inspiring, picking and choosing the best pieces of all of this and assembling them together. I don't remember seeing or hearing of any primetime animated show that's ever done this before. Hydendahl: Bob's' footprint is a feel-good legacy. The bundles of love and warmth infused into these silly characters make us invested in their day-to-day lives. If we could all be more Bob's, the world would be a sweeter place! Bob's Burgers © 2022 by 20th Television KAREN HYDENDAHL ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Bob's Burgers "Some Like it Bot Part 1: (Eighth) Grade Runner" 20th Television Animation PHIL HAYES ART DIRECTOR FALL 2022 31