Fred Bastard

By
on

Fred Bastard is a pilot for an adult animated series that London-based Uli Meyer Animation produced in 2001. The content is crude—the show was a possible vehicle for English comedian Johnny Vegas—but it’s well animated. The inking style and designs remind me of French comics.

Also in Cartoon Brew...

  • Scooby-Doo Performs
    on Fox News

    scoobyfox

  • New Trailer For
    “Sir Billi”

    Sir Billi

  • “Dorothy Of Oz”
    trailer

  • http://sandwichbag.blogspot.com Elliot Cowan

    I find it hard to believe that a bunch of animators in the UK could possibly have had anything to do with a cartoon about a disgusting drunk with a foul mouth.

  • E

    “Adult” animated series? It’s about as immature and non-adult as they come. Nice movement, if not terribly funny.

  • alan

    Here’s why a show like this would never work as a prime-time comedy in the U.S.:

    - It’s got nice art direction lacking that “so-bad-it’s-ironic” look that Americans seem to crave.

    - The main character hasn’t got a loving family as a supporting cast to make his cretinous behavior forgivable and “safe”.

    - The animation is actually fluid and utilizes the long lost art of “timing”.

    - Unlike every sitcom in the U.S. they actually move the camera from time to time and pick some interesting angles for shots rather than plop the camera in the middle of a room and leave it there while the characters talk.

    - It doesn’t rely on pithy, ivy-league-written dialogue that hinges on pop-culture references (all of which goes stale a month after the first viewing).

    - It’s got a simple plot without mob scenes, musical numbers or several hundred “side-stories”.

    - The main character doesn’t learn his lesson in the end.

    I thought this was a great pilot. Too bad we’ll never see anything like it here.

  • red pill junkie

    BLOODY ‘ELL!!!

    I liked it. Nice mix of CG backgrounds with traditional 2D animation. Although the comedy does get a bit too… scatological for my taste ;-)

  • http://gavinscartoons.blogspot.com Gavin Freitas

    That was fantastic! I dont think a series would work however. Great animation, thanks Amid….

  • http://www.ulimeyer.com Uli Meyer

    Alan wrote, - The main character hasn’t got a loving family as a supporting cast to make his cretinous behavior forgivable and “safe�.

    Funny you should say that! Next door to Fred lives the”Proper Family”.

    Fred has other ‘real life anchors’ like the chef in his favorite chippie, or a ‘Bob’s Big Boy”, if he was a Yank (American, in the nicest possible way within the context). He was meant to portray the part in all of us that does things selfishly and outrageously wrong.

    We animated it the best way we could, which actually meant doing lots of drawings! (After hours, mostly) The character is a simple design, so that was not that difficult to achieve. By the way, the entire film was brush-penned 90% by one little, short Korean girl, Hae Sook, and I lost contact with her. Maybe she will read this thread and get back in touch?!
    When I sold my house in London, I was faced with the ardous task of throwing away years worth of artwork, the only boxes I kept were of Fred, because the drawings are very, very beautiful indeed, even now.

    Nevertheless, the film was made by a bunch of London animators who would like to get drunk on a Friday night. A long time ago.

  • http://borishiestand.blogspot.com Boris Hiestand

    These days London animators don’t EVER go to the pub anymore.
    Drinking will soon be outlawed, and this pilot will serve as a historical document, showing future generations what the good old days were like!
    Fred Bastard, Britain’s National Treasure…
    right. off to the pub.

  • http://members.shaw.ca/petemslie/index.htm Pete Emslie

    Admittedly, I’m not crazy over the scatological humour either, as I find it, not so much offensive, just rather boring. However, the visual style and animation in this cartoon is just stunning! It’s so refreshing to see a well executed cartoon, so full of personality in the drawing. And that thick to thin linework by Hae Sook is masterfully done. Uli, I’d love to see a series of shorts that looked as good as this.

  • Jorge Garrido

    WOW!! Great Cartoon! The main character is extremely appealing, and this is definitely the cartooniest CGI I’ve ever seen.

  • http://pupick.blogspot.com/ PCUnfunny

    That was freakin’ hilarous.

  • Alex

    That was pretty cool animation wise, and it’s pretty refreshing to see realistic swearing in media. Also, is it just me, or is that the granny from the Post Cereal commercials with the bear [hell, I don't remember the cereal... Honey Smacks?]?

  • Bugs Bunny

    Alan:
    We suck so bad! USA USA USA

  • uncle wayne

    Greast! I thought it was great!! I loved sneaking in “the” El Kabong ka-angggg in the early minutes!

  • http://stevenegordon.com Steve G

    Contents a little thin and I’ve never been a fan of the JohnK style of humor, but overall an excelelnt job of art direction, animation and production values.
    Congrats to all involved…

  • http://lennardschuurmans.blogspot.com lenny

    haha, john k style of humor?
    not!

    like the animation style and the linework but the sounds and the colour use is sooo bad, ai!

  • http://www.forthebirdsblog.blogspot.com Michael J. Ruocco

    Although I’m not a huge fan of “adult animation”, this cartoon has some fantastic animation! I can tell that they put a lot of effort into it, even if the humor is a bit crude (I use the word “bit” lightly).

  • http://pupick.blogspot.com/ PCUnfunny

    Steve: That is definitely not the John K. style of humor. He is far more extreme with animation.

    Jorge: I belive this is cel-shaded CGI if I am not mistaken which is why it looks so cartoony.

  • Just An Opinion

    Reasons this won’t work in the States:

    Not funny.

    Technique is great though, spot on work.

  • http://zekeyspaceylizard.blogspot.com Zekey

    Never did I think I’d see the day, where a man would brush his teeth with a fork covered in his own pubes.
    Now I can die happy. :)

  • http://thezoo.comicgenesis.com Nate Birch

    Not bad…it certainly looked nice.

    Although if this had actually become a series it would have probably been horribly depressing after a while watching this waste of a human being drag himself through life. It’s a little to real for a cartoon if you know what I mean.

  • http://www.danyboom.blogspot.com dany

    sweet ! these drawings are so very funny, the timing is perfect, and i love the staging.

    they guys that made this know their stuff. uli – if youre checking back here – sorry for all the poopy comments, by the way, shame on you guys – did your clean up artist work on top of existing drawings, or on anothre sheet ? just curious.

    the clean up was outstanding ! man this thing really inpired me ! beautiful fliud stuff. wonderful.

    dany

  • http://hitlersbrain.deviantart.com R

    That would have been a million times better had they got Johnny Vegas on board for the voice (the voice Fred has here is nothing like him)

    That said, it’s still way better than ‘Stressed Eric.’