Still HowardFein
02-15-2008, 01:01 PM
When just a cut, wipe, dissolve or iris-out won't do:
The first distinctive scene transition I can recall was in the 1966-68 Filmation BATMAN shorts, in which a large Bat-cape would silently swoop down over the screen- not unlike the 'spinning' Bat-cape used for scene transitions in the concurrent ABC prime-time live action series. The SUPERMAN and AQUAMAN shorts that also populated Filmation's first TV series might have also used their own transitions.
It seemed that H-B indulged in this practice the most. Many early seventies H-B shows (JOSIE, GLOBETROTTERS, HAIR BEAR BUNCH, INCH HIGH, YOGI'S GANG) would 'spin' the screen from one scene to another for comic purposes- often with a house sound effect such as a drum roll or whirlwind. This was particularly effective in a 'famous last words' scenario: the gang is trapped by the bad guys; Alexandra will say "So what can they do to us?"; the screen spins; the gang is shown tied to a buzz saw or some other peril.
During that time, it was also common for scenes to be linked by a large green mass moving across the screen under a 'jingling' sound. This was done in virtually every second-season SCOOBY-DOO WHERE ARE YOU? episode. In keeping with the psychedelic ambience of the few Cattanooga Cat shorts actually made for the titular umbrella series, a blur of flowers would suddenly rush past to the same 'jingling' sound.
Scenes in DYNOMUTT were framed by a huge Blue Falcon 'logo' zooming in to a loud choing commonly used in magical transformations or genies emerging from bottles.
ROBONIC STOOGES had a large 'LMC' zooming in and popping apart along with screen, quite effective conveying the twin themes of bionics and things generally falling apart in a Stoogelike manner.
Throughout most of the post-1977 SUPER FRIEND permutations, scenes were framed by what looked like a two extremely bright stars (or maybe a spaceship with high-beams) zooming into the camera. This was recycled for an amusing CN bumper in which the Powerpuff Girls rescue Wonder Woman and Aquaman. ("We hope we're as developed as you when we grow up.")
DRAK PACK scenes would end by an animated curtain closing and re-opening.
RICHIE RICH: zooming dollar signs under an elongated cash-register ka-ching.
PAC-MAN: The screen 'chomping' shut in the familiar triangular shape.
POUND PUPPIES: a bone spinning upward to a sped-up xylophone.
For a nominally low-budget outfiit, Filmation had some clever transitions as well after 1978 when new creative personnel and (possibly) a higher animation budget injected new energy into much of its product.
The various SUPER 7 components had switches that well-matched the attributes of the lead characters, i.e. Web Woman (spider webs covering the screen), Manta & Moray (bubbles), Superstretch & Microwoman (screen stretching and bending).
Each segment of the MIGHTY MOUSE/HECKLE & JECKLE/QUACKULA package used zooms of the segment title between scenes with a quick ping. Likewise, SPORT BILLY used a large 'SB' graphic. And the last Filmation series made for Saturday AM network, GILLIGAN'S PLANET, had a 'globe' spinning wildly under the classic H-B 'scrambling feet'.
I seem to recall Marvel's 1981-82 SPIDERMAN AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS segueing with spider webs. Ruby-Spears' PLASTIC MAN shorts had stock of the title character 'spinning' to the next scene. (Not sure if any of the other elements of that package used transition gimmicks.)
The three series made by Calico- DENVER THE LAST DINOSAUR, WIDGET THE WORLD WATCHER and MISTER BOGUS seemed to use gimmicks. In the case of the latter, a grinning still of the title character would literally 'zoom' into the camera under a vacuumlike sound.
If any Disney, Film Roman, DIC, WB or Nelvana series used any distinctive visuals, I don't recall. As for this milleneum, SPONGEBOB breaks scenes with a cascade of bubbles. And some DEXTER episodes will have a large psychedlic 'D' logo swoop in and out for thematic purposes.
Anyone remember any others?
The first distinctive scene transition I can recall was in the 1966-68 Filmation BATMAN shorts, in which a large Bat-cape would silently swoop down over the screen- not unlike the 'spinning' Bat-cape used for scene transitions in the concurrent ABC prime-time live action series. The SUPERMAN and AQUAMAN shorts that also populated Filmation's first TV series might have also used their own transitions.
It seemed that H-B indulged in this practice the most. Many early seventies H-B shows (JOSIE, GLOBETROTTERS, HAIR BEAR BUNCH, INCH HIGH, YOGI'S GANG) would 'spin' the screen from one scene to another for comic purposes- often with a house sound effect such as a drum roll or whirlwind. This was particularly effective in a 'famous last words' scenario: the gang is trapped by the bad guys; Alexandra will say "So what can they do to us?"; the screen spins; the gang is shown tied to a buzz saw or some other peril.
During that time, it was also common for scenes to be linked by a large green mass moving across the screen under a 'jingling' sound. This was done in virtually every second-season SCOOBY-DOO WHERE ARE YOU? episode. In keeping with the psychedelic ambience of the few Cattanooga Cat shorts actually made for the titular umbrella series, a blur of flowers would suddenly rush past to the same 'jingling' sound.
Scenes in DYNOMUTT were framed by a huge Blue Falcon 'logo' zooming in to a loud choing commonly used in magical transformations or genies emerging from bottles.
ROBONIC STOOGES had a large 'LMC' zooming in and popping apart along with screen, quite effective conveying the twin themes of bionics and things generally falling apart in a Stoogelike manner.
Throughout most of the post-1977 SUPER FRIEND permutations, scenes were framed by what looked like a two extremely bright stars (or maybe a spaceship with high-beams) zooming into the camera. This was recycled for an amusing CN bumper in which the Powerpuff Girls rescue Wonder Woman and Aquaman. ("We hope we're as developed as you when we grow up.")
DRAK PACK scenes would end by an animated curtain closing and re-opening.
RICHIE RICH: zooming dollar signs under an elongated cash-register ka-ching.
PAC-MAN: The screen 'chomping' shut in the familiar triangular shape.
POUND PUPPIES: a bone spinning upward to a sped-up xylophone.
For a nominally low-budget outfiit, Filmation had some clever transitions as well after 1978 when new creative personnel and (possibly) a higher animation budget injected new energy into much of its product.
The various SUPER 7 components had switches that well-matched the attributes of the lead characters, i.e. Web Woman (spider webs covering the screen), Manta & Moray (bubbles), Superstretch & Microwoman (screen stretching and bending).
Each segment of the MIGHTY MOUSE/HECKLE & JECKLE/QUACKULA package used zooms of the segment title between scenes with a quick ping. Likewise, SPORT BILLY used a large 'SB' graphic. And the last Filmation series made for Saturday AM network, GILLIGAN'S PLANET, had a 'globe' spinning wildly under the classic H-B 'scrambling feet'.
I seem to recall Marvel's 1981-82 SPIDERMAN AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS segueing with spider webs. Ruby-Spears' PLASTIC MAN shorts had stock of the title character 'spinning' to the next scene. (Not sure if any of the other elements of that package used transition gimmicks.)
The three series made by Calico- DENVER THE LAST DINOSAUR, WIDGET THE WORLD WATCHER and MISTER BOGUS seemed to use gimmicks. In the case of the latter, a grinning still of the title character would literally 'zoom' into the camera under a vacuumlike sound.
If any Disney, Film Roman, DIC, WB or Nelvana series used any distinctive visuals, I don't recall. As for this milleneum, SPONGEBOB breaks scenes with a cascade of bubbles. And some DEXTER episodes will have a large psychedlic 'D' logo swoop in and out for thematic purposes.
Anyone remember any others?