There was an article in the Toronto Star the other day featuring an interview with Martin Short and his take on voicing the title character in the New Cat in the Hat 
knows a Lot About That animated series. What the article doesn’t mention, is that this series is being produced here in Canada through Toronto’s Portfolio Entertainment, and the production work is being handled in Ottawa, at PIP Animation. I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the work being done at PIP, and the crew was really pushing to nail that distinctive Seussian look.
Dave Fortier, who runs the production studio at PIP, is clearly excited by the premiere and has rav
ed about pretty much every aspect of the series to me. He praises the crew at PIP, the voicework of Martin Short, who, he says, “really becomes the Cat” and that the actor “has been able to create a new voice for Cat that does not sound like any of his other characters. If you didn’t know it was him, you probably would not have connected him to Cat.”
From the sound of things, this is one of those productions where there’s been a real synergy between clients, producers and crew.
Dave also sent along some links the other day to an opening and some promos that are on YouTube, so here’s a look at the show and big congratulations to everyone involved.
Uhm don’t get me wrong here…
I love Dave Fortier, I think he’s a great fellah and I respect PiP, Dulcie and have worked with them on the past. They do have a great team, but I fear they were led down the wrong path on this one.
I watched it with my boy just this past Saturday and he enjoyed it all the same and wanted more (which in the end is the result we all want (so good job there)). But as a fan of Theodor Geisel’s work, he would roll in his grave if he saw this…
This show in it’s initial offering, is just not charming at all. That cat certainly does not talk the way he should. The show looks like Jacob Two Two or Carl Squared, it’s slippy-slidey hierogliphic type animation (and I should know as for years that’s all we produced at Fatkat!) There’s nothing innovative about the production design or in how it’s animated and it’s a shame because Seuss’s style absofuckinglutley screams for true fantasy wonky funny animation, it’s made for it.
But whatever right? It was likley greenlit during a recession, the estate probably didn’t want to fork up a real budget or PBS didn’t want to wait for quality. Let along how long it probably took to get this deal off the ground… It is what it is and my 3 year old adores it.
Mission accomplished.
respectfully,
Gene
ouch