Homestar Runner Wiki Forum

I just had an interesting idea. It's probably been discussed before, on some other forum, but...
TBC are getting pretty good at animating, and they're fairly prolific. I wonder if they would be up to creating a feature-length story about H*R characters. It wouldn't have to be professional Disney-quality animation. Maybe stepped up a little bit, cinematographically at least (sort of like how they throw in some interesting angles in the Dangeresque films.)
I think, if they updated the site less often, they could have enough time to animate it themselves. They could probably find people to help them with other aspects,: the script, the score, the editing, the vocal production.
The storyline could mimic other classic movies-based-on-cartoons (Transformers: The Movie, etc). They need a good story that will fill up an entire movie, put the characters in interesting situations, while not contradicting TBC's style of humor. There's the cliche of a great evil power threatening the existence of Free Country, USA (Strong Bad, of course, remaining as a lesser villain who must eventually join forces with Homestar and the good guys.)
After completion it'd be a great candidate for DVD release and various animated film festivals... It could be a potential cult classic even outside of H*R's current online fanbase.
So, what is everyone else's thoughts on this? I think it's an exciting idea, and knowing what hard workers the Chaps are, it actually seems possible. We should pitch it to them.

Whoa, HTF forum flashback.........

Anyway, I think that does sound a lot like what a movie with Homestar in it would be like, but then, do we really think that it could happen? The humour in H*R is usually limited to shorts, and at around the average length of a movie, let's say 90 minutes, TBC might find it difficult to add humour with drama, suspense and whatnot, as it's something completely new for them. Also, it might not work with people who are not Homestar fans, and seeing as almost no-one else I've met has heard of Homestar, it might not be "got" as easily as it could be. So, whilst it is possible, it might not be as idealistic as Trapezoid makes it out to be.
But if it does work, I would sell my immortal soul to watch it.

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Yeah, that's a good point. But think of their Toons, those are usually a bit longer. The same kind of humor could be used to tell a more complex story, I imagine. It would have to be paced differently, and include a few non-humorous areas, but that's why I suggested they find someone to help with the script.

no Disney quality animation needs to be involved. it would kill it.

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He works alone, except for when he works with Rinaldo which is all the time, Dangeresque!

Pom Pom's Eleven (found somewhere on fanfiction.net) would be the perfect story to make into a movie. I mean, as I was reading it, I saw it as a TBC creation. Man that would be Awexome.

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I'm sure TBC could handle any length of animation. It's just that long stuff obviously takes longer to make, and they like to keep the updates at least somewhat regular.

yea, im sure they could, but you've got to understand, they're used to 6 minute cartoons, and it usually takes 12 to 15 hours for them to do a simple strong bad E-mail, and they usually stay up until 6 or 7 in the morning. if they were to make a 90 minute cartoon, that would take a LONG time! I think that might be just a little bit too much to ask of them. I mean, all that stress, people bugging them, asking them when it's gonna be done, they might get tired of making Homestar Runner, and decide to close down the website! I for one dont want that. you've got to look outside the box, and think of the consequenses that something like this could have upon the world!

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I'm sure they'd hire assistants if they were to do a feature-length cartoon...

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Ha, I don`t think they mean that the 90 minute film would be on their website.


Dude, you just described every single feature-length film ever made. Also, I don`t think it would be a very good idea if they made a feature length movie. Especially if they got other people to help them out.

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Thats what I'm sayin! I think that we should just be greatful for the stuff we already have and not demand stuff, like they are our slaves!

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Yes, truly, the trouble with feature films is that unless you're really indy (read: tiny audience), or really special (read: used to be indy but now famous), or really rich, then you need to have a producer to finance the film. And the producer has ultimate control over the film, which means TBC wouldn't, which means there's a good chance they'd really foul it up.

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You can have assistants that actually only make things better. Clerks: The Animated Series is nothing like the movie, and the movie was mostly just Kevin Smith's vision and the show was not, but the show managed to be profoundly hilarious, even though only six episodes were made.

For a more well-known example, The Simpsons started out as just Matt Groening's little thing, but look what it's become! And how many people work on it??

- Kef

You are correct in that my post was a generalization and does not universally apply. But still, Clerks: Uncensored ("Bear is driving!! How can that be?!") falls into the "really special" category of my previous post. Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier were the executive producers on it and wrote for it, and after Strike Back, Mirimax was basically willing to be Smith's, um.. [omitted].

Likewise, with The Simpsons, Groening is a very, very smart businessman and is heavily involved with the production. He owns the brand (AFAIK) and is the executive producer. And unlike H*R -> H*R: The Movie or Clerks -> Clerks: Uncensored, The Simpsons has retained pretty much the same format for its entire life (excepting the original Tracy Ullman shorts and the impending movie).

But, like I said, my post was just a generalization.

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That's not acceptable language for this forum. As a mod, you should know better.

Yes, you are right, of course. A thousand apologies, etc. etc.

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I still think it could be quite possible. Some of you are getting the wrong idea-- This wouldn't need a producer, or even much money. It could basically be a project like one of the Toons they already have, only bigger and more involved. They can get some help from friends, I'm sure (that's how the Strong Bad Sings! CD got made, after all.) No producers or major movie studios would have to be involved. And yes, they'd probably have to take a break from updating the site, or at least slow it down.
It wouldn't be a widely-released film or anything. I'm thinking a few film festivals, and a DVD would be enough.
The Brothers Chaps have already made hours and hours of material over the past couple of years. They're very hard workers and they see their projects through to the finish. I can't say what they'd think of the idea of a H*R movie, but I am sure that they could do it if they wanted to.

Um.. right. The only way this would possibly work is if TBC started eating a lot less and released the movie on the site. Without a boatload of money and the backing of a major studio, your movie does not get distributed in theatres.

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They could put as much work into the movie as they would normally into the site's regular animations, and still make money off merchandise.
Furthermore, it wouldn't be too hard to get into a couple of animation festivals. People running that sort of thing would welcome it.
And, many films are produced independently, and then get distribution afterwards. Sure, this is a different medium, but TBC can animate as well as any indie director can point a camera.
One more thing-- think of the DVD sales.

I read in the Tastes Like Chicken interview that they wouldn't be able to do even a 15 minute video, because their style of humor is one that can only be done in a short amount of time. You wouldn't be able to fill up 15 minutes with H*R humor, let alone 60+ minutes.

In an article I read recently, the Chaps' dad compared the site's style of humor to a comic strip, which goes along with what Ingiald said. That just doesn't work in a 90-minute format.

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Maybe not. But I think it's more like their style of storywriting isn't good for longer clips. If they had someone else help them with the story, I could see their sense of humor applying throughout.
Each H*R toon lasts about as long as an individual scene in a movie.
Small things can develop into big things, and when they work, they're beautiful. Monty Python skits were never longer than a few minutes each, and they made movies (and Terry Gilliam, their animator, has gone on to create some wonderful films).
Pixar once made only short clips.
"Office Space" originated as a short animation by Mike Judge.
Spike Jonze, another great director, has his roots in music videos and skateboarding footage.
Oh, and don't forget the Muppets.
I admit I think that TBC probably don't know much about storywriting, but if they collaborated with someone who did, I can picture their humor and characters working in that that format.

Some very good examples, Trapezoid.

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But you see, if they had someone help them with the story writing, that would take away from it being H*R style.

That's why it's a collaboration-- if they themselves have no problem with the story (maybe even if they come up with the idea themselves, and have help fleshing it out into a full storyline) there's no reason why it wouldn't be "H*R style"...
"H*R style" is pretty general, anyway. Their sense of humor works in short email skits, answering machine messages, puppet clips, toons with actual plots, music videos, even in the very web page design.

Okay. I see your point. But if they made it on the computer, that would take a long time to load. If they did it in theatres, that would costs lots of money plus it would take away from the interactivity. And personally, I don't want to see H*R become something everyone knows about. The only way I see this working is on a DVD. Which is supposed to be coming out some time this year.

You don't want people to know the joy that is Homestar Runner?

There are donwside to everybody knowing about something. Like people making fun of it. And people who are so obsessed they make us look normal. "I get up at 4 just so I can see the latest h*r.com cartoon!" Those, and other things, would make most original fans sick of it.

Having individual scenes animated seperately in Flash as usual, and edited together in something like Adobe Premier might be the best way to create it, from what I know about both programs. I bet this process has been done before, on TV at least.
The eventual, intended release would be DVD, but as I've mentioned, I think a few animation festivals would be interested in showing it, so at least some lucky people could see it on the big screen.
Interactivity wouldn't really be the point. Heck, I usually save the egg-hunting for the second viewing, anyway, so as not to screw up the flow of the animation.
H*R is already something that everyone on the internet knows about, and I don't think the movie would attract too many more fans, since most of its viewers would probably be pre-existing fans seeking it out.
Although, if it were to prove popular at festivals, you never know what might happen. Oscar nomination maybe?