Shawks to be developed for T.V.
by Ed Anderson
I don't like to be a spoiler, in fact I really enjoy keeping secrets, but it's time to let at least a few cats out of the bag about my ongoing project called "Shawks". After more than a year of diligent work on getting a deal put together, and after almost 8 years of working on the show, from the humble beginnings of my little animation studio to the extremely humbling failure of my studio to remain financially viable, I have kept working on the little show that I always believed in. Last year I took the show to Ottawa, and pitched it to several television network executives. Luckily for me, they were able to see past my maniacally overcaffienated, sweaty pitch to recognize that I really did have a great show in my hands. It takes along time to get all the pieces in place to make a TV show, and I'm not fooling myself into thinking that I'm finished yet, but a lot of the heavy lifting has been done, and now we move on to the next step.
So there is a network that loves Shawks, and they want to make a TV show out of it. I can't name the network just yet, because I don't want to step on any toes by releasing anyone's secrets too early. Let's just say you've seen their work, and you've heard of them. I signed a deal with a Canadian Production Company that grants them the right to develop Shawks into a TV show. Sounds complicated? Well, to break it down to the simplest terms, first you come up with a great idea for a cartoon, and you work your ass off on it day and night until it's about as close to perfect as you can get it, then you pitch it to networks, studios, whoever will listen. Then, if any of these players believe that what you have is good enough to be on TV, they develop the idea into what they [the networks] want to see for their show, and then if they still like it, they decide to buy the show, and then production begins. So where we are right now is at the point that Shawks is being developed into what will no doubt be a really great TV show. Hopefully it will actually get made into become a really great TV show, but that's a lot more out of may hands these days.
The obvious question is "What will happen to the show? WIll it change?" The short answer is, yes it will go through some changes. For one, the show will be produced for a television audience, so the swearing and abhorrent violence will have to be adapted. For my part, I'm excited about the changes more than anything, it's a chance for the show to evolve into what it really was always meant to be, a smart, well crafted show that's beautifully animated and well produced with great characters and a great story at its core. I think the show will emerge from development better than ever, fully realized for all it's potential with it's stregths intact and fortified, and it's weaknesses minimized or eliminated.
I can thank all of the fans, over the years they alone have been responsible for keeping me going, at times when I had absolutely every reason to just give up on the show, they never let me off the hook. I owe my personal desire to see the show through to the diehard fans who never stopped supporting the show, and never gave up bugging the hell out of me for new episodes. So thank to the loyal SHC, and never forget, check for gills baby!
PS - Get your Shawks merchandise while you can, they will no doubt be collectible some day, and once the stuff I have left is gone, I won't be making any more.
