I have read on the forums time and time again about how terrible everyone thinks it would be to introduce the Characters to Future World at Epcot. I however have to disagree and so I have started this thread to gather more opinions pro and con.
My personal opinion is that characters in FW, where appropriate to tell the story, would be a great asset to the park. For one, animated characters are timeless, for the most part, unlike human actors. The guys from Monsters, Inc. telling the story at the Universe of Energy would make the show much more entertaining than Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye playing Jeopardy. Afterall, how many of us really identify with Ellen or Bill anymore? Most live actors, for better or for worse, aren't timeless. Thus whatever message they are presenting fails to reach the audience completely if we no longer have an interest in that particular person.
Monsters, Inc was all about energy and how that world had to extract it from the children. It even plays in to the themes of conservation and environmental havoc. Afterall, its much harder to make a child laugh than scream but the benefits are so much greater. Same goes for using our natural resources.
I think the real difference is in how we as adults view cartoons. Unfortunately, as you grow up you are taught that cartoons aren't serious and are only for entertainment. If you want to tell a serious story you must have an appropriately serious actor.
However the lines between animation and real actors are changing. Personally, I dont see a big difference between Mike from Monsters and Ellen. Both are just acting and reading a script. Mike just needs a little help from a computer and an animator. I don't see too many complaining about Figment at Journey into Your Imagination. I wouldn't exactly call Captain EO a serious character either.
Likewise maybe the little Mermaid can make the story of the Living Seas much more personal for all of us than jsut fish in a tank. Nothing more personal than inhabitants who can talk even if they are animated. We all certainly felt sad for Bambi at that tragic moment in the forest when his mother was shot.
The entire point behind FW at Epcot was to educate. This can be done in a very serious manner, a fun manner, or better yet lets have some serious fun and learn a couple of things at the same time. Educators ahve proved itme and time again that children learn when they are having fun and the same can probably be said of adults too.
My personal opinion is that characters in FW, where appropriate to tell the story, would be a great asset to the park. For one, animated characters are timeless, for the most part, unlike human actors. The guys from Monsters, Inc. telling the story at the Universe of Energy would make the show much more entertaining than Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye playing Jeopardy. Afterall, how many of us really identify with Ellen or Bill anymore? Most live actors, for better or for worse, aren't timeless. Thus whatever message they are presenting fails to reach the audience completely if we no longer have an interest in that particular person.
Monsters, Inc was all about energy and how that world had to extract it from the children. It even plays in to the themes of conservation and environmental havoc. Afterall, its much harder to make a child laugh than scream but the benefits are so much greater. Same goes for using our natural resources.
I think the real difference is in how we as adults view cartoons. Unfortunately, as you grow up you are taught that cartoons aren't serious and are only for entertainment. If you want to tell a serious story you must have an appropriately serious actor.
However the lines between animation and real actors are changing. Personally, I dont see a big difference between Mike from Monsters and Ellen. Both are just acting and reading a script. Mike just needs a little help from a computer and an animator. I don't see too many complaining about Figment at Journey into Your Imagination. I wouldn't exactly call Captain EO a serious character either.
Likewise maybe the little Mermaid can make the story of the Living Seas much more personal for all of us than jsut fish in a tank. Nothing more personal than inhabitants who can talk even if they are animated. We all certainly felt sad for Bambi at that tragic moment in the forest when his mother was shot.
The entire point behind FW at Epcot was to educate. This can be done in a very serious manner, a fun manner, or better yet lets have some serious fun and learn a couple of things at the same time. Educators ahve proved itme and time again that children learn when they are having fun and the same can probably be said of adults too.
