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Which idiot made "Thomas The Tank Engine" CGI ? ! ?


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Old 11-06-2015, 13:27
Keviness
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The non-CGI has so much charm and if I ever re-watch it's only them I go to.
Saying that maybe in 15 years kids today will look at the CGI version and say the same!

What 'spoilt' it for me was giving the characters individual voices and changing the theme tune was a big no-no
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Old 11-06-2015, 13:38
Kathrynha
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My daughter is 9 now, but she absolutely loved Thomas when she was younger, both the original and the CGI version.

At first I didn't like the CGI version, but it grows on you, and the theme tune is much catchier than the old one (singing along Their 2, their 4, their 6, their 8, shunting trucks and hauling freight.... in my head)

The one I really hate the CGI version of is Bob the Builder, and daughter hated it too.

Not seen a CGI version of Inspector Gadget, but saw higher up this thread that they have changed the theme tune. That is so wrong!
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Old 11-06-2015, 16:17
rammie96
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What amuses me slightly is that 'Thomas and Friends' has been using CGI since 2008, and been fully CGI from 2010. There's also been half a dozen fully CGI movies (which kids love).

So this is hardly a sudden thing to get outraged about!
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Old 11-06-2015, 17:22
dodrade
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Similarly the CGI version of Bananas in Pyjamas was very disappointing, the whole charm of the original series was the costumes.

Converting live action/stop motion series to CGI too often simply turns them into just another generic animation.
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Old 13-06-2015, 17:22
dave_windows
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My daughter is 9 now, but she absolutely loved Thomas when she was younger, both the original and the CGI version.

At first I didn't like the CGI version, but it grows on you, and the theme tune is much catchier than the old one (singing along Their 2, their 4, their 6, their 8, shunting trucks and hauling freight.... in my head)

The one I really hate the CGI version of is Bob the Builder, and daughter hated it too.

Not seen a CGI version of Inspector Gadget, but saw higher up this thread that they have changed the theme tune. That is so wrong!
And now we have to have female trains?
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Old 15-06-2015, 12:00
cnbcwatcher
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I loved the original Thomas the Tank Engine as a kid. I guess it was unusual for a girl at the time (early 90s) but I was never much into traditional 'girly' stuff. I had (and still have) loads of Thomas the Tank Engine models. I also played a lot with toy cars and planes I saw some of the new Thomas episodes a while back when channel surfing and it's just not the same. It lost the 'charm' it once had. Even the toys seem a bit dumbed down these days.
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Old 15-06-2015, 12:55
Kathrynha
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And now we have to have female trains?
Despite there being female trains my daughter showed no preference for them. She liked Thomas best, as I think most kids do, but after that she showed no preference.

I do think it is right to have positive male and female characters in kids TV programs, but sometimes it makes the stereotyping worse than if there had been none.
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Old 15-06-2015, 13:34
ozark1
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And now we have to have female trains?
Awdry had Daisy in Branch Line Engines and Mavis in Tramway Engines. His son introduced Phillipa and Emma in Gordon the High Speed Engine. If the books have it, it's canon.
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Old 15-06-2015, 13:42
alr837
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For the DVDs, you'll be safe buying/ watching any series 1-10, It was either series 11 or 12 that went animated.
I've watched more than my fair share of Thomas with my nephew, and must say he is more captured by the animated series. He was very quick at learning facial expressions and what different faces meant
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Old 15-06-2015, 16:49
Nesta Robbins
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My sons adored the early ones and would keep re-winding and watching. With the close ups of the faces and the straightforward storylines, the original Thomas the Tank Engine stories were also regarded as perfect to use alongside other techniques to help young children with autism learn to read faces and expressions. "Percy's sad!" "James is cross!" etc.
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Old 17-06-2015, 13:51
Justin Aerial
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Lets forget that childrens programmes are made by adults - probably with little input from the target audience. The budget for kids TV has also been cut so you have a situation where adults with not much money to play with have been 'ordered' to make something new. Gone are the days where legendary kids TV was made - what we have now is filler at best. Children no longer avidly follow a certain series and prefer other activities like using the computer.

But why are they rehashing old TV anyway? Do todays kids even know what a steam train is? Or Thunderbirds?
I assume you`re saying it`s gone CGI to save money ?

On the steam trains thing, all the kids I`ve ever met love steam trains, visiting a steam heritage railway with ones kids is a standard trip out that they love. In fact you show me a child (boy or girl) who doesn`t like steam trains and I`ll show you a child I`d be a bit worried about......
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Old 17-06-2015, 13:53
Justin Aerial
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Yeah just stick to complete series 1 - 7. [to get the kosher Thomas with eth models]

I aint letting my kids anywhere near shitty new dangermouse, thundercats or thunderbirds. If I desire to want them watching these shows im putting on the dvds for the original.
Thanks for that piece of info.
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Old 17-06-2015, 13:57
Justin Aerial
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My son would never watch the 'old' episodes once the CGI ones started - it's been CGI for a few years know and he much prefers them.

And surely he's the type of viewer that actually matters?
Who pays for the DVDs ?........
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Old 17-06-2015, 14:00
LibLabCON
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As long as the script is top notch who cares.
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Old 17-06-2015, 14:07
Justin Aerial
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Basically, as you can possibly tell, I dislike CGI full stop. I like real life, the models were real !
I can remember watching a programme by Brian Cox and it kept showing images of Mars or wherever, but not putting on the screen whether they were actual pictures (from satellites or landers), so I just assumed they weren`t real, and lost interest, and turned it off. I actually tried to contact Mr Cox to suggest he noted when pictures were real but sadly couldn`t find a way to do that.
I also think big budget epics have been ruined by CGI. When you see a big battle scene it`s nowhere near as impressive when you don`t actually now if there are thousand of real people in it or it`s just animated !
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Old 17-07-2015, 13:23
Justin Aerial
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Does anyone know why they`ve started making "Thomas The Tank Engine" in CGI ?
Which cretin is responsible for that appalling decision and which wall will he (or she) be shot against ?
One of the best things about Thomas was the fabulous models, in fact, in a way, it was "real", it was the models coming to life. I used to love it and when we had our little terror I thought well that`s one programme I won`t mind watching with him ! But it`s now crappy CGI, I HATE IT !..... I`ve even surprised myself about how upset I am about it !
Did they make Thomas The Tank Engine computer generated because it`s cheaper to make than all the models ? Or is it because they think it`s more trendy, more "up to date" ?
Is there anyone in the world who actually prefers a CGI Thomas The Tank Engine to the old models ?
Lastly, if we buy our lad any Thomas programmes on DVD, does anyone know how can we ensure it`s the kosher version, not the crappy CGI one ?
My wife pointed out something to me, the Thomas CGI version may not be as good as the original with the models, but it`s far far better than Chuggington. My lad (two and a half years old) likes Chuggington , or "Doggy" as he calls it, I can`t stand it. Give me Thomas the tank engine (even the CGI one) any day.....
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Old 17-07-2015, 13:44
dorkjacksn
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As long as the script is top notch who cares.
I believe the new showrunner, Andrew Brenner wrote a lot of the stories for the model series, and is in the process of reintroducing most of the old characters from the books; like Duck, Bill and Ben and Daisy, so it's definitely in the spirit of the simple, original Reverend Awdry series. I've watched the last series with my little cousin and he loves them, and I think they're just as good as the originals (though that could be the nostalgia talking!)

As far as the animation goes, you have to move with the times. Utilising CGI allows for a much more diverse range of facial expressions, and can make the engines look more realistic than they every did as toys. As you rightly say, it's the stories that are important.
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Old 17-07-2015, 13:48
El Guapo
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And now we have to have female trains?
Surely that is a good thing? Also what about Transgender or Homosexual trains?
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Old 18-07-2015, 09:12
Justin Aerial
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As far as the animation goes, you have to move with the times. Utilising CGI allows for a much more diverse range of facial expressions, and can make the engines look more realistic than they every did as toys. As you rightly say, it's the stories that are important.
I don`t think it`s anything to do with moving with the times, but why do people always think something newer is better anyway ? But I digress, I think using CGI (rather than those fabulous models) is more to do with saving money.
On the looking more realistic thing, I liked the fact it`s toy trains coming to life, and on that basis the model version was far more realistic. I don`t want the Thomas characters to look "realistic", I wanted them to look like the toy trains I had.
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Old 18-07-2015, 13:23
Betty Swollax
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would be interesting to sit a group of adults and kids down, let them watch say 5 episodes of the pre CGI stuff, 5 episodes of the CGI stuff, then get them to vote on which they preferred look wise.
I could quite happily sit through five episodes of the pre CGI stuff but certainly couldn't handle watching more than 1 episode of the modern CGI stuff. I will have made my mind up within the first ten minutes.
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Old 18-07-2015, 16:06
Tejas
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I loved the original Thomas the Tank Engine as a kid. I guess it was unusual for a girl at the time (early 90s) but I was never much into traditional 'girly' stuff. I had (and still have) loads of Thomas the Tank Engine models. I also played a lot with toy cars and planes I saw some of the new Thomas episodes a while back when channel surfing and it's just not the same. It lost the 'charm' it once had. Even the toys seem a bit dumbed down these days.
I know what you mean about the toys actually, I've seen some of the new ones in shops and they look like cheap kid's toys. Before anyone says that's what they are - when I was a kid I absolutely LOVED the Thomas models and used to collect them all. They were brilliantly detailed and actually looking back, they went to a lot of trouble to make them realistic with things like the right number of wheels etc. The new ones just look cheap and nasty! But I guess the CGI animations don't look very realistic so maybe the newer toys look like what's on TV?
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Old 18-07-2015, 16:55
Old Endeavour
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If they ever re-do Trumpton or Camberwick Green or Bagpuss in CGI there will be deaths!



Just NO!

Why not teach children to gain an attention span rather than, as usual doing nothing and taking the easy way out, pandering to it and saying "oh they don't have one and get bored if it's under 400mph" ?
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Old 18-07-2015, 17:12
Willpurry
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If they ever re-do Trumpton or Camberwick Green or Bagpuss in CGI there will be deaths!



Just NO!

Why not teach children to gain an attention span rather than, as usual doing nothing and taking the easy way out, pandering to it and saying "oh they don't have one and get bored if it's under 400mph" ?

What are you rambling about?
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Old 18-07-2015, 18:21
djfunnyman
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Thomas the Tank Engine is a much loved character. He shouldn't be in CGI
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Old 06-12-2016, 14:37
Justin Aerial
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The non-CGI has so much charm and if I ever re-watch it's only them I go to.
Saying that maybe in 15 years kids today will look at the CGI version and say the same!

What 'spoilt' it for me was giving the characters individual voices and changing the theme tune was a big no-no
I could not agree with you more. Changing the tune is even worse than getting rid of the models. They`ve made it faster (harder for kids to sing....) and tried to make it more like a pop song. Absolute idiots.
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