Seth MacFarlane's First Cartoon: The Precursor to Family Guy

From the Youtube link:

After being hired at Hanna-Barbera Cartoons Inc., MacFarlane was given a chance in 1996 to direct a sequel entitled Larry and Steve, a seven-minute short broadcast as part of Cartoon Network's World Premiere Toons.

Although not as crude as the first short, it still retains the same random feel with sight gags that mirror gags later used in Family Guy.

read more | digg story

Google and Creator of ‘Family Guy’ Strike a Deal for Online Distribution of Original Content

New York Times is reporting on Seth Macfarlane's new show 'Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy' which is now set to be distributed solely through Google online.

From NYT:

The innovative part involves the distribution plan. Google will syndicate the program using its AdSense advertising system to thousands of Web sites that are predetermined to be gathering spots for the Family Guy target audience, typically young men. Instead of placing a static ad on a Web page, Google will place a “Cavalcade” video clip.

read more | digg story

Nick Kroll and Seth Macfarlane bring you "The Negotiating Table"

This is prolly NSFW...
Seth Macfarlane and Nick Kroll give us the inside scoop on the AMPTP/WGA negotiations.



Written by Seth Macfarlane; Directed by Bryan Carmel and Brendan Colthurst; Produced by Kat Foster and Nick Kroll; Edited by Bryan Carmel; Featuring Josh Radnor, Kat Foster, Nick Kroll, John Viener, Seth MacFarlane, and Erik Weiner (woot! I've worked with Erik!).

You know, there's a part of me that's REALLY going to miss the higher quality content being produced online when the strike is over.

VIDEO: Seth MacFarlane Gives Impassioned Speech About WGA Strike

Well the pic is actually from a speech he gave at Harvard, but close enough right?

This is an interesting video to watch in light of the recent announcement that FOX will be signing off on episodes of Family Guy without MacFarlane's approval as show runner. He's been withholding his show runner duties along with his writing duties, which I can't say I'm in favor of. In the video he mentions studios firing assistants and staff, but that was in direct response to writer/producer/show runners striking on all fronts, not just on their writing duties. Variety has a great write up of THAT situation over HERE.

Anywho, I caught this vid on Digg, so here's the original posting (spelling corrected):

Earlier this month the creator of "Family Guy" and active WGA member Seth MacFarlane gave an impassioned speech at Fox Plaza in Century City in front of 4,000 fellow striking writers guild members in witch he lambasted Fox and other Hollywood studios for not paying the creators of profitable content what they are due.

read more | digg story

Google's Video Service Teams up with Seth MacFarlane

Right out of Variety,



I missed this last week as it came out on my B-Day, but apparently MacFarlane will be teaming up with Google to release video content featuring Raven Symone.

"Projects will involve a set of videos for MacFarlane, who will
create about fifty digital shorts centered on non-"Family Guy"
characters, some of whom will recur.
Symone will create how-to content in areas such as cooking and crafts; execs described it "Martha Stewart for teens and tweens.
Videos will be syndicated to sites that fit the creators' demos.
Deal
offers an example of how new media cos and content providers can take
advantage of online-video opportunities while staying within their
areas of expertise.
While portals like Yahoo have begun creating
original content, and traditional entertainment congloms like News
Corp. and NBC are trying to jump into the online syndication biz,
Google-MRC pact allows each party to handle only one side of the
equation."

Pretty cool stuff! I'll have to keep my eye out for it. Sounds like Raven's contribution will be similar to the beta site Videojug.

Story @ Variety

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