|
Filmation was a classic animation company which thrived during
the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Two old Hollywood types, Norm
Prescott and Lou Scheimer, founded the company. Over the course
of decades, Filmation produced some of the most famous cartoons
of all time. Producers often relied on a technique called
rotoscoping to cut down on production costs and simplify
storylines. Unlike today's animation producers, who rely on
companies from overseas (particularly from Korea) to do the bulk
of animating, Filmation always insisted on doing the work in the
United States. Executives also insisted on shoehorning moral
lessons into the mouths of their characters. G.I. Joe, for
instance, would often lecture children with famous slogans like,
"knowing is half the battle…"
Filmation and its rival, Hanna-Barbera Productions, created a
slew of Saturday morning cartoons, including "Star Trek," "Flash
Gordon," and "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids." Filmation also
created some live-action shows. The company adapted the popular
newspaper comic series, "Archie," for the small screen. This
animated show, while short-lived, helped to launch the song
"Sugar, Sugar" to the top of the Billboard charts.
Filmation memorabilia, particularly the animatics, pencil
drawings, and sketches from the Saturday morning cartoons, now
fetch hundreds of dollars at auction. If you're searching for
Filmation memorabilia, make sure to authenticate possible
purchases. Generally, to create value, you should focus your
Filmation memorabilia collection on one popular show. For
instance, you could try to get as much "Fat Albert" original
material as possible. |