No flair for drama

Zylo · Postby **Zylo** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 3:30 pm

<a href='http://www.ozyandmillie.net/2001/om20010504.html' target='_blank'>No flair for drama</a> <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: </td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> When the storyline you're working on more or less requires a strip that's little more than an establishing shot, one way to handle it is to make a joke out of the fact that basically nothing is happening. Oh, and you can also move the "camera angle" around in various dramatic-looking ways. Another challenge presented by this strip was making the stairway look sufficiently darkened and ominous. This would be easier if I allowed myself to use gray. I never have. Anything I can't do by hand, with ink lines, doesn't happen in the day-to-day run of Ozy and Millie. It's not that I'm trying to be a snob about that. It's just, when it comes to technique, for me there's Bill Watterson's "Calvin and Hobbes," and then there's everybody else. And Watterson didn't use gray, so I never worked it into my own style. In strips like this, I find other ways to create shadow.</td></tr></table>  I think it's awesome that DCS uses no gray. It takes a ton of talent to create shadows and dimensions with no grays (not that I would know, I have the drawing talent of a 2nd grader...actually I knew a guy in 2nd grade who could draw better then than I can now). This is very typical O&M--Millie making too much out of something, and Ozy being down-to-earth and realistic. This is also one of the changes that I've noticed in O&M over the years--Ozy seems to have lost a lot of his sense of humor. Is it just me? It seems like Ozy almost never smiles. I know it's part of his character to be passive and kinda stolid, but it seems like he's become too serious in the more recent years. But that's just my opinion. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I shouldn't question DCS and just trust everything he does even if I don't agree with it 100%...wait, isn't that how communism got started? ::glares suspiciously:: The reds...they're plotting... (Please forgive my stupid, incoherent, irrelevent rambling. It's just in my nature to do so).

Tavis · Postby **Tavis** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 5:49 pm

The use of different and interesting viewing angles in a composition is one of those things I've come to expect in good cartooning, and this strip is an excellent example. Still, the finest drawings Simpson could make here would be practically useless to the strip without Millie's narration.  <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (Millie @ 15 July 2003 @ panel 4)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Oh, like you've never narrated your life.</td></tr></table>  This is certainly not the last example in which Millie provides her own narration of what is going on when quite little is going on. It certainly helps add drama suited for the dark stairwell and this part of the story that would otherwise have been left quite weak had Ozy gone to the attic alone. Is it strange that someone as intelligent as Ozy does not seem to have the creativity for dramatic narration, or is this normal? I have not known anyone with a sharp verbal wit and a knack for puns but could not tell a good tale, but I am willing to accept that my experiences, like anyone else's, are limited.

IHateUsernames · Postby **IHateUsernames** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 9:09 pm

I cant tell a good tale if im forced to do so. But whe I choose to do so (like narrating my life) I am quite good.

Henohenomoheji · Postby **Henohenomoheji** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 11:55 pm

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (Ozymandias_the_great @ Dec 19 2003, 01:30 AM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> <a href='http://www.ozyandmillie.net/2001/om20010504.html' target='_blank'>No flair for drama</a> <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: </td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> When the storyline you're working on more or less requires a strip that's little more than an establishing shot, one way to handle it is to make a joke out of the fact that basically nothing is happening. Oh, and you can also move the "camera angle" around in various dramatic-looking ways. Another challenge presented by this strip was making the stairway look sufficiently darkened and ominous. This would be easier if I allowed myself to use gray. I never have. Anything I can't do by hand, with ink lines, doesn't happen in the day-to-day run of Ozy and Millie. It's not that I'm trying to be a snob about that. It's just, when it comes to technique, for me there's Bill Watterson's "Calvin and Hobbes," and then there's everybody else. And Watterson didn't use gray, so I never worked it into my own style. In strips like this, I find other ways to create shadow.</td></tr></table>  I think it's awesome that DCS uses no gray. It takes a ton of talent to create shadows and dimensions with no grays (not that I would know, I have the drawing talent of a 2nd grader...actually I knew a guy in 2nd grade who could draw better then than I can now). This is very typical O&M--Millie making too much out of something, and Ozy being down-to-earth and realistic. This is also one of the changes that I've noticed in O&M over the years--Ozy seems to have lost a lot of his sense of humor. Is it just me? It seems like Ozy almost never smiles. I know it's part of his character to be passive and kinda stolid, but it seems like he's become too serious in the more recent years. But that's just my opinion. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I shouldn't question DCS and just trust everything he does even if I don't agree with it 100%...wait, isn't that how communism got started? ::glares suspiciously:: The reds...they're plotting... (Please forgive my stupid, incoherent, irrelevent rambling. It's just in my nature to do so).  </td></tr></table>  oh yeah... it's not you're imagination... ozy IS losing his sense of humor. I would know, i saw it coming from the 98 archives. Back when i was little, i was sort of like ozy... well, not exactly serene. here's what we had in common... we were "different"... we were outsiders. the difference is that Ozy does the outsider thing on purpose, whereas i just dont put effort into it... or something however, Ozy is losing his sense of humor and i would know, because i've been down that road. it's the bullies that make it happen... i think. I'm not sure, it may be normal. I was not bullied as severely as Ozy has been, but I have been bullied enough to where I've become cynical. i still think stuff is funny, but now i'm cynical... and i'm happy for it, because cynicalism=wisdom. But when he was younger (98 archives) Ozy was a LOT happier... like me... trading happiness for wisdom; thats the way it works in this world. (and to think i almost started a 10 page biography to explain this point)

Burning Sheep Productions · Postby **Burning Sheep Productions** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 12:36 am

Well if you were wise you'd know that it's better to be happy. Both is possible, mainly because it's inevitible since the law of "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction" takes place in every single thing and "Makes the equasion equal" etc. and you know about good needs bad and how it applies to everything else, and since enjoyment and happiness is a major aspect of living it has to happen because it and it's opposite effect is caused by our situations. *Punched back onto topic.* Umm... Yeah, I wouldn't say Ozy is losing humour, he's just growing up out of childish games and being more mature about stuff and all. You wouldn't expect Llewellyn to mock Avery by pretending to not understand what he's on about (which we tend to do all the time, well, at least I do). Like Avery's religion thing, he considered it seriously and found a good point instead of humouring him about trying to do such a crazy thing. I can't imagine Ozy accepting something of Averys but he's leaning in that direction. Woo, damn English teacher imbedding essay writing into me!

Henohenomoheji · Postby **Henohenomoheji** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 1:06 am

they have a way of doing that, don't they? at least the nice ones do.

Doctor Fred · Postby **Doctor Fred** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 2:24 am

Mabey Ozy doesn't smile because it'll be that much more special when he does.

Zylo · Postby **Zylo** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 4:05 am

For me, the thing that attracts me to a story, comic, movie, cartoon, whatever, is the characters. If I like the characters and relate to them, I like the story. I enjoy O&M because I enjoy the characters, particularly Ozy. It's just kinda weird to see a character you relate to so much become so cynical to life. I'm gonna stop here, as I realize that continuing further would make me seem kinda freakishly obsessed with Ozy and Millie.

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