Futurama animation cells?

While listening to the DVD commentary for Season 3, the Roswell That Ends Well episode, David Cohen states that even though there are no actual animation cells used in production you can have one made. He stated that "You can get a cell made. Seriously... you can call up and get one made. It's like 250-300 dollars... and I think you get a original drawing with it..." The commentary was recorded over a year ago, so I don't know if this was something they were working on or it was something that is actually available.

Can anyone point me in the direction of where I can "call up" to get a cell made? Thanks Bry

You'll probably have to call 20th Century Fox or someone who maintains them. The cell they're talking about are those hand painted usually limited edition cels. not the "production drawing" cels that AdultSwim.com sells.

• CMiB

Futurama is not done as traditional animation. It starts off the same with people laying out poses and keyframes and then it is sent overseas to have the rest of the drawings made up. From there those approved drawings are scanned into the computer where they are colored, composited with a background and any other special effects or what have you that goes into a particular scene. This last step is what sets Futurama apart from traditional animation where the layout drawings would then be copied to acetate, painted by hand, composited over the background and then taken a picture of the whole assembly. The hand painted acetate art is what we have come to recognize as animation cels. Since Futurama is done in the computer there are no hand painted cels but there are the drawings still. Those can be purchased and from there you can send them to the animation house you bought them from, who in turn sends them back to 20th Century who can make a 'cel' from that drawing complete with backgrounds, etc. These they refer to as 1 of 1's. Drawings typically run from 150.00 to 200.00 depending upon the situation and characters involved. I do not believe 20th Century is doing the 1 of 1's anymore but when they were they ran about 450.00 each. If you need more info or need help tracking down something please feel free to email me at [email] and I can see what I can do for you. RM Bryan Mayland wrote in message news:[email]...

"Rubio" wrote in message news:EhStb.20285$Q64.5574@fed1read03...

have

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Can I add, not to be picky or anything...just consider it trivia...in animation, it is spelled "cel".

Yeah, the poster to whom you are replying spelled it that way.

"Matthew Miller" wrote in message news:[email]...

I know...I was throwing it back to the original poster b/c the original post didn't show up...

Thanks for the info Rubio. I knew that Futurama was "painted" in the computer, but didn't know about 1 of 1's.

I also did not know they were called 'cels' and not 'cells'. What is that short for cellophane?

"Bryan Mayland" wrote in message news:[email]...

I think its Cellulose Nitrate. The stuff old cels were made out of.

It's short for "celluloid"