Saturday, July 28, 2012

"Blast from the Past" #572: June 23, 2009: Re: Hey howdy hey, July 3, 2009: Re: A few more quick questions..., July 4, 200: Re: A few more quick questions..., July 10, 2009: Re: Send props! :), July 22, 2009: Re: Turtles Forever, and July 28, 2009: Turtles Forever




Subj: Re: Hey howdy hey
Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2009 11:46:17 AM
From: Peter Laird
To:   Lloyd Goldfine

In a message dated 6/22/09 12:30:58 PM, Lloyd writes:

Hiya Pete –
 
 Well, after more than 8 years, it looks like our collaboration on TMNT is drawing to a close.
 
 Damn!  I’m not finished with ‘em yet!  J
 
 Hey, do you think you might be free next week, Wednesday perhaps?  If I can get away from the studio here (we’re racing the clock to make our TMNT / ComicCon deadline), I thought I might come up to pester you about a few (very few) details of the 25th Anniversary Project, but mostly to hang out.
 
 Hope you and the family are doing well (and staying dry!).
 
 Cheers,
 
 Lloyd>>

Lloyd,


Good to hear from you! I don't think I have anything going on next Wednesday (that would be July 1?), at least as far as I know. Come on up!


-- Pete

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Subj: Re: A few more quick questions...
Date: Friday, July 3, 2009 11:40:42 AM
From: Peter Laird
To:   Lloyd Goldfine

In a message dated 7/2/09 11:44:46 PM, Lloyd writes:

Hey Pete –
 
 I thought of a couple more questions today, so here they are:
 
What kind of paper was the (in)famous original sketch(es) of the first Ninja Turtle made on?  Drawing paper?  Scrap paper?  A napkin?>>

Lloyd,


As I recall, it was just an 8.5 by 11 sheet of white paper.

<< Where did you put your brush when you were putting it down?  On a tray, palette or put-down bowl?  On a paper towel?  In a cup? >>

If I was using my brush (i.e. inking with it), I generally wouldn't put it down until I was finished with it. Then I would rinse it off (to get the ink out of the bristles), very likely in an old mug or cup I would keep next to my chair. I might have had another mug or cup to store the brush(es) when not in use, pointing brush-end up.

<<Same question for ink pens.>>

Same answer, basically.

<< Do you remember what color sweater Kevin might have worn?>>

No... but it was probably something with darker colors, and probably not much int he way of patterns.

<<Would it be cricket to sneak a Frank Miller Daredevil comic somewhere into the shot, or nah?>>

Given that we dedicated the first issue to both Frank Miller and Jack Kirby, I think it would be very cool to have books by BOTH of those guys somewhere in the shot, if legally feasible.

<<These are the burning issues that keep me awake at night, so lemme know.>>

Always glad to help you get your beauty sleep!
 
<< Again, great seein ya yesterday!>>

Ditto!
 
<< Lloyd
 
 PS – Hey, I really enjoyed TMNT issue 30!  Glad to have it back!>>

Thanks, Lloyd!
 
 <<PPS – Captain T’Zirk?!  Hmmmm, how’d ya come up with that one?!  J>>

It WAS pretty obvious, wasn't it?


-- Pete

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Subj: Re: A few more quick questions...
Date: Saturday, July 4, 2009 12:30:52 AM
From: Peter Laird
To:   Lloyd Goldfine

In a message dated 7/3/09 12:36:53 PM, Lloyd writes:

And any particular Kirby?

My preference would be anything from "New Gods", "Forever People", Mister Miracle", or "The Demon".


-- Pete

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Subj: Re: A few more quick questions...
Date: Saturday, July 4, 2009 12:30:02 AM
From: Peter Laird
To:   Lloyd Goldfine

In a message dated 7/3/09 12:27:39 PM, Lloyd writes:

Here’s another one:
 
 What did you use to rule lines with?  A regular wooden ruler (like a school ruler)?  A straight edge?  T-square (wood or metal)?
 
 The office is closed today, but I’m here rearranging furniture and shooting a test of this scene.  Woo –hoo!
 
 Lloyd

Lloyd,


I probably had a plastic ruler.


-- Pete

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Subj: Re: Send props! :)
Date: Friday, July 10, 2009 11:02:33 PM
From: Peter Laird
To:   Lloyd Goldfine

In a message dated 7/2/09 12:29:40 AM, Lloyd writes:

Hey Pete –
 
 As always, it was great seeing you today.  I’m glad you were up for it.
 
 I’m just dropping you this quick reminder to send me the duo-tone bottles (and anything else you think might be worth sending).>>

Lloyd,


I hope you got the bottles -- I asked Katie to send them a few days ago. And it was great to see you, too!
 
<< Oh, and in case you’re watching the DVD tonight, keep in mind that the voices for the original comic book Turtles that are in there now are just temporary scratch-voices.>>

That's good to know. I enjoyed watching all of it... I think it will make a lot of people happy! (Even without the original Fred Wolf cartoon voices!)
 
 <<Be well… and thanks for a nice Wednesday!
 
 Lloyd
 
 PS – Hey!  We forgot to go to the comic shop! J>>

Yes, we did... how did that happen?!


-- Pete

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Subj: Re: Turtles Forever
Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 11:12:18 AM
From: Peter Laird
To:   Lloyd Goldfine

In a message dated 7/22/09 4:20:02 AM, Lloyd writes:

<<Hey Pete –
 
 First, I wanted to let you know that we’re putting the finishing touches on the 25th Anniversary DVD project even as I type these words - - very exciting (and exhausting)!  And then I rush home, pack, and fly out to San Diego to hand deliver the tape.  Whew!  We’ll just make it!
 
 To properly courier this rare and valuable animated treasure, I requested an armored attaché case with an unbreakable adamantium chain that I could handcuff to my wrist, but when it was pointed out to me that if anyone really wanted the tape they’d just cut off my hand I realized maybe I just better carry it in my backpack.
 
 Second, tomorrow a DVD of the entire finished spectacle will be overnighted to you. If possible, I suggest you watch it Friday night, right around the time they screen it in San Diego.

 Or not.  J
 
 At any rate, I really hope you enjoy it.>>

Lloyd,


Although I have been involved in a few "right smack up to the deadline" projects in the past, I don't think any of them compare in complexity to this thing you've been working on. You have my congratulations. (And thanks!) I look forward to watching the finished piece. I hope the fans in SD give you the proper appreciation.
  
<< Finally, as I suspected, I was laid-off earlier today (my last actual day is Friday – the ComicCon screening will be my last official Turtles’ duty).  You and I already talked about all this, and I don’t wanna get all mushy in an e-mail, so just know that I hope we get to work together again sometime.  
 
 And stay in touch!>>

It's never a whole lot of fun getting laid off, but at least it didn't come as a complete surprise to you. Cold comfort, that... but I suspect you will land on your feet. The industry needs your talent.


And hey -- I don't mind mushy emails! To reiterate what I said to you when you came up to visit, the experience of working with you over the last seven (eight?) years has been great -- I'd definitely put it in my top five TMNT-related work experiences. You know, it's possible that you and I worked together on the show longer than Kevin and I worked together on the comics.
I also hope we can keep in touch and possibly work together on something in the future... maybe something not related to Turtles (at least THESE Turtles).
 
<< I’ll let you know how things go at ComicCon.>>

I look forward to your report... and if you'd like, I could put it up on my blog.
 
<< Thanks mucho amigo,
 
 Lloyd
 
 PS – I love(d) bein’ a Turtle!>>

Thanks man -- it was great having you as part of the team!


-- Pete

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Subj: Turtles Forever
Date: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 8:43:16 AM
From: Peter Laird
To:   Lloyd Goldfine

Lloyd,


     I don't know if you are still in SD or back home, but I must offer my congratulations for a job well done. From what I have heard so far, the response to the showing of "Turtles Forever" was wildly positive. I hope you got lots of strokes out there!
     I actually got two calls from Mirage guys -- Eric Talbot and Steve Lavigne -- who called me all the way from SD just to tell me how awesome they thought it was.
     Now... two questions:


     1.) Emily desperately wants a copy she can watch at home (she loved it too, and even told me that she teared up in a couple of spots). Is it okay if I make her a copy? I also suspect my brother Bruce (TMNT fan #1) would love to see it.


     2.) I've seen online a bunch of comments about how cool it would be if there could be a east coast showing of "Turtles Forever", hopefully sooner rather than later. Any thoughts on that?


     Once again, congratulations!


     -- Pete

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So… it looks like that's the end of my emails between me and Lloyd (and a few other 4kids staff members) regarding the TMNT tv show. Not a bad way to end our run, I think, with "Turtles Forever", which I see as a pretty cool piece of work.


However… this is not quite the end of these "behind the scenes" emails, as -- if you remember back this far -- when I started posting these, I actually started with a post from August 1, 2003 (http://peterlairdstmntblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/blast-from-past-296-notes-from.html), which was near the beginning of the development of the show, but there were still some months of work prior to that point… and I think I may have some of those emails, as well. I need to check to see if I successfully saved them from an older computer, and if I did, I will start posting them shortly. -- PL







9 comments:

  1. it's a real shame that fathom cancelled the theater showing of turtles forever. one would think maybe nick could start that up again, putting in place the original cartoon voices of fred wolf as well.

    that being said, I think my favorite replacements where Raph, Krang and Shredder, Splinter too considering how little he was on. The voice actors for those rolls did a GREAT job impersonating the originals. Krang was freakishly close..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, but the exception of the guy that play the '80/'90 Leonardo. He made Leonardo sound like a thug instead of the honorable hero that he is.
      Worst voice ever.

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    2. There were several episodes of the Fred Wolf series where one or more of the characters would be played by a different actor (due to one of the main actors not being available at the time it was recorded). You could say that the 88 Turtles having the wrong voices is just a reference to that.

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  2. It's been great to see these emails. Seeing the last emails on the last Mirage TMNT project is kind of bittersweet, but I read somewhere once that life, at best, is bittersweet.

    Thanks for the posts! Anything else you can find, we will eagerly devour!

    ReplyDelete
  3. So Pete, just wondering did you manage to keep in touch with Lloyd?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I am happy to say that Lloyd and I still correspond. -- PL

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  4. Are there any email notes for "Mayhem from Mutant Island"?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He put it up to a vote a few months back. He's going to start from the beginning and catch up.

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  5. Hey Pete, it's been absolutely fascinating reading this correspondence. I've had a lot of enjoyment from glimpsing the process of writing and editing the scripts. Thanks again for posting all this cool stuff - and the concept art too! Love it!

    ReplyDelete