steet

One interesting thing I have noticed, is that almost everyone who talk about Talespin, say that : "it's better than what I remembered from when I watched it as a kid".
Usually, people say the opposite when they watch a series years later...

I have noticed a lot of things in the series that seem more attractive or that only adults (or at least teenagers) can understand. For example : a lot of episodes make references to insurances, loans etc...I do believe most kids don't know what an insurance work, or just don't care. Or even the whole relationship between Baloo & Becky.

It's also rare to see the focus on adult characters, in a "kids" series. Usually the kids are the central attraction and the adults are only support characters. Yes, there's Kit but he really isn't the typical kid character either.

So, this makes me wonder : did you have an initial "age target" when making Talespin? What was Disney's age target when they agreed to produce it / when they marketed it?

(As for my opinion : I despise the whole "demographic target" idea. When making something creative, I believe a writer should focus on making something GOOD, then seeing who is attracted to it - not the other way round. Unfortunately, nowadays, everything works like this...blah.)

Jymn Magon

A common phrase in TV animation is "It's for 5-12." Well, I defy you to find something a 5 yr old and a 12 yr old would agree on, but be that as it may, that's what Tale Spin was aimed at... an after school audience. Technically, it would be more 6-10, I would think.... but then I keep running into older folk (who were teens or adults back then) who enjoyed the show, as well. You're right... an entertaining show for kids doesn't have to be dull for kids. Look at the Warner Bros. cartoons -they're always shown on kid networks, but they were actually made for mass audiences to go with feature films.

Anyway, the show was intended for kid after school audiences, but I don't think we actively tried to target any one group. If the little 'uns enjoy the slapstick and the action, then they don't have to get the older concepts... 'til they get older.

As for having "adult characters" in children's shows... how about Superman, the Lone Ranger, Sky King, X Men, and on and on. Kids will always watch "up"... but rarely "down".

Jymn

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Steet	July 30, 2009
	Webmaster
	AS leader

Well, to me these shows target an older audience, I tend not to consider "comics-like" series as being "made for kids" shows. But you're probably right. Teenagers are more and more "forced" to watch live-action series like Aaron Stones or Hannah Montana (only Disney examples), and probably don't care for animation anyway.

Jymn Magon	July 30, 2009

A common phrase in TV animation is "It's for 5-12." Well, I defy you to find something a 5 yr old and a 12 yr old would agree on, but be that as it may, that's what Tale Spin was aimed at... an after school audience. Technically, it would be more 6-10, I would think.... but then I keep running into older folk (who were teens or adults back then) who enjoyed the show, as well. You're right... an entertaining show for kids doesn't have to be dull for kids. Look at the Warner Bros. cartoons -they're always shown on kid networks, but they were actually made for mass audiences to go with feature films. Anyway, the show was intended for kid after school audiences, but I don't think we actively tried to target any one group. If the little 'uns enjoy the slapstick and the action, then they don't have to get the older concepts... 'til they get older. As for having "adult characters" in children's shows... how about Superman, the Lone Ranger, Sky King, X Men, and on and on. Kids will always watch "up"... but rarely "down". Jymn

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