Cyberchase "The Poddleville Case" (found test pilot of PBS Kids educational animated series; 1999): Difference between revisions

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{{NeedingWork| Informal writing}}
{{NeedingWork|informal writing}}
{{InfoboxLost
{{InfoboxFound
|title=<center>Cyberchase Pilot: The Poddleville Case</center>
|title=<center>Cyberchase Pilot: The Poddleville Case</center>
|image=Vlcsnap-2020-09-06-21h37m53s257.png
|image=Vlcsnap-2020-09-06-21h37m53s257.png
|imagecaption=Matt, Jackie, and Inez in the Pilot's Portal sequence.
|imagecaption=Matt, Jackie, and Inez in the pilot's portal sequence.
|status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
|status=<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
|datefound=06 Feb 2021
|foundby=Theruff
}}
}}
The pilot of the 2002 Nelvana animated program Cyberchase was originally a 1999 pilot made by Curious Pictures. Titled as the Poddleville Case, it was initially distributed privately in schools around May 23rd, 1999.<ref>[https://www.informalscience.org/sites/default/files/Flagg_1999_FormEval_ThePoddlevilleCase.pdf Informal Science NSF Dcument of the Pilot noting peer response to it] Retrieved 6 Sep '20</ref>, then premiered publicly in August 1999 through September 1999 on KTCA.<ref>[https://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip_77-7312kntd WGBH Archive of shows noting the Pilot and its track length.] Retrieved 6 Sep '20</ref> The pilot was digitally edited, completely redubbed, rescripted, and reused as 7th episode of the series.
The pilot of the 2002 Nelvana animated program ''Cyberchase'' was made in 1999 by Curious Pictures. Titled as '''"The Poddleville Case"''', it was initially distributed privately in schools around May 23rd, 1999.<ref>[https://www.informalscience.org/sites/default/files/Flagg_1999_FormEval_ThePoddlevilleCase.pdf Informal Science NSF Document of the Pilot noting peer response to it.] Retrieved 06 Sep '20</ref> then airing discreetly in August 1999 through September 1999 on KTCA,<ref>[https://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip_77-7312kntd WGBH Archive of shows noting the pilot and its track length.] Retrieved 06 Sep '20</ref> then airing Nationally on March 24th, 2000 (3:30PM), leading to WNet to win an Emmy.<ref>[https://www.nyemmys.org/media/files/files/fb66b9d3/nyemmyawards44.pdf PDF archive of Emmys for 1999-2000 entries] Retrieved 26 Sep '20</ref> The pilot was digitally edited, completely redubbed, rescripted, and reused as 7th episode of the Final 2002 series.


==History==
==Opening Line==
For a long while, most information was just speculation, most of it based on how radically different the animation style for Season 1 Episode 7's, "The Poddleville Case" was compared to the rest of the series. As well as the use of a different live-action Actor, Kareem Blackwell, compared to the rest of the series using Matt Wilson and Bianca DeCroat. Some recall Hacker not being voiced by Christopher Lloyd, while others think the pilot initially was called the Poddleville Caper, thought to air in March of 2000.<ref>[https://forums.lostmediawiki.com/thread/1104/cyberchase-podellville-caper Forum with an example of misinformation]</ref>. The latter being proven false.
<blockquote>
"When 3 kids get sucked into the cyberworld, they have to save Poddleville's power from the evil clutches of Hacker. Things go awry when the kids are blamed for the theft of the citizen's eggs. Will the three kids claim their innocence, and save Poddleville, or will it be TOO late?"
</blockquote>


On May 20th, 2018, one of the pilot's storyboard cleanup artists, Gino Patti, posted on his Instagram several screenshots of the pilot, including the end credits and VHS video track length.<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/BjAWsFfnx_n/ Instagram Post showing screenshots of the pilot.] Retrieved 6 Sep '20</ref> Notably the credits feature far more developers from Curious Pictures, and a completely different cast of voice actors.
==Availability==
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
For a long while, most information about the pilot was mere speculation, most of it based on how different the animation style for Season 1 Episode 7's, "The Poddleville Case" was compared to the rest of the series. There was also the use of a different live-action Actor, Kareem Blackwell, as contrasted to the rest of the series using Matt Wilson and Bianca DeGroat. Some recalled Hacker not being voiced by Christopher Lloyd, while others thought the pilot initially was called the Poddleville Caper.<ref>[https://forums.lostmediawiki.com/thread/1104/cyberchase-podellville-caper Forum with an example of misinformation.] Retrieved 07 Sep '20</ref> The latter being proven false.
Gino2.jpg|Screenshot of Jackie choosing what to eat. A scene that's not in episode 7.
Gino1.jpg|A screenshot showing the pilot's length to be 24:15.
Gino3.jpg|The package for the VHS, delivered to Curious Pictures employees.
</gallery>
 
In particular, voice actors Joanna Rhinehart and Thom Christopher both have confirmed their roles indirectly, with Joanna voicing Jackie in the pilot as noted on her portfolio.<ref>[https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/one_page_resume.cfm?custom_link=joannarhinehart Joanna Rhinehart's Portfolio] Retrieved 7 Sep '20</ref> With Thom coincidentally voicing Hacker again in the PC Cyberchase games.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0160630/ IMDB noting his role] Retrieved 7 Sep '20</ref>
 
As for the live-action segment, User SonikkuAorDatH has personally contacted Gino Patti about where the live-action footage came from. His response was he didn't recall any live-action scenes. Indicating that possibly the live-action scenes were shot later.
 
The pilot notably has the track length of 24:15. With the finished episode only being 22:30 for the animation, and over 3 and a half minutes for the live-action segment, bringing it to a full 26 minutes.
 
On January 21, 2019, Wnet's official Cyberchase Facebook account released the original 3 minute promo used for the pilot back in 1999.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/cyberchase/videos/original-pilot-demo-video/414996005911701/ Original 3 minute promo] Retrieved 6 Sep '20</ref> Several users have noted differences for scenes. Such as a redone script, and completely redone voice-overs compared to the Season 1 episode "Poddleville Case" that reused some footage.
==Contents==
Despite the pilot being recycled for episode 7, there are several differences.
====Script====
For the Mayor panicking over the missing Pods, several of his lines were changed. All references to eggs were changed to Pods, the "Five-sie" Poddle's line is sound mixed a little later, and the kids having added exclamations when chased by the Poddle Crowd.
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! style="background-color:green" | Version||Transcript
|-
|Pilot||Mayor: No! Not Again! Hurry! We must do the official Poddleville Egg count, before we lose all our Cyber power!
 
Pod1: One, Two, Three, Four, all eggs accounted for
 
Pod2: One, Two...*gasp* Ah! no! They got our darling Three! Three has been stolen!
 
Pod3: Five-sie! Our fives gone!
 
(they see Jackie with one of the Eggs)
 
Jackie: Oh no!
 
Pod4: She took them, she has our eggs!
 
Jackie: No no, it's not what you think-
 
Mayor: Aliens. ALIENS have landed!
 
Pod background noise: (Angry crowd)||
|-
|Final||Mayor: No Not Again! There's an alien in our midst! Find him before we lose power, and then get TWISTED into oblivion!
 
Pod: One, Two, Three, Four all Pods accounted for
 
Pod2: One, Two...*gasp* Oh! no! They got our darling Three! Three has been stolen!
 
Pod3: Five-sie! Our fives gone!
 
(they see Jackie with one of the Pods)
 
Jackie: Oh no!
 
Pod4: She took them, she has our Pods!


Jackie: No no, it's not what you think-
On May 20th, 2018, one of the pilot's storyboard cleanup artists, Gino Patti, posted on his Instagram several screenshots of the pilot, including the end credits and VHS video track length.<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/BjAWsFfnx_n/ Instagram Post showing screenshots of the pilot.] Retrieved 06 Sep '20</ref> Notably the credits feature far more developers from Curious Pictures, and a completely different cast of voice actors.


Mayor: Aliens. ALIENS have landed!
In particular, voice actors Joanna Rhinehart and Thom Christopher both have confirmed their roles indirectly, with Joanna voicing Jackie in the pilot as noted on her portfolio.<ref>[https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/one_page_resume.cfm?custom_link=joannarhinehart Joanna Rhinehart's Portfolio.] Retrieved 07 Sep '20</ref> Along with Thom coincidentally voicing Hacker again in the PC Cyberchase games.


Pod background singular: Catch the Pod Poochers!||
As for the live-action segment, User SonikkuAorDatH has personally contacted Gino Patti about the origin of the live-action footage. His response was he did not recall any live-action scenes. Indicating that possibly the live-action scenes were shot later.
|-
|}


In addition, Hacker's lines when walking off the chair were changed.
The pilot notably has the track length of 24:15. With the finished episode only being 22:30 for the animation, and over 3 and a half minutes for the live-action segment, bringing it to a full 26 minutes, the VHS tape screenshot's time didn't match.


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
On January 21st, 2019, Wnet's official Cyberchase Facebook account released the original 3 minute promo used for the pilot back in 1999.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/cyberchase/videos/original-pilot-demo-video/414996005911701/ Original 3 minute promo.] Retrieved 06 Sep '20</ref> Several users have noted differences for scenes. Such as a redone script, and completely redone voice-overs compared to the Season 1 episode "Poddleville Case" that reused some footage.  
|-
! style="background-color:green" | Version||Transcript
|-
|Pilot||Hacker: Now where was I? Oh yes!....Being wonderfully.. Evil....
|-
|Final||Hacker: Now where was I? *Gasp* YES, Hahaha!....Being wonderfully awful
|}


====Visuals====
On February 6th, 2021, the pilot in full was uploaded to the Internet Archive.
Despite all vocals being redubbed, there were also many scenes that were visually edited, either digitally masked, completely reanimated, or incorrectly transferred with artifacts.


[[File:Compa1.png|500px|thumb|center|Interestingly the promo used the "Ice Age" font a couple years before the Blue Sky movie.]]
On March 2nd, 2021, the pilot was uploaded to YouTube in full quality.
A comparison of the logos from the 3 minute promo and episode 7. Note that the Pilot logo uses the same font as final, just differently stylized.


==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
Compa2.png|
Jackbreakfast.png|Screenshot of Jackie making breakfast. A scene that is not in final.
Compa7.png|
Mattthink.png|A screenshot showing a comparison of a scene in the pilot and final.
compa2.png|A screenshot comparison noting hue errors.
compa4.png|Heavy redesign for a character noted.
compa11.png| Another reanimated scene, indicating a zoom in was added.
Gino3.jpg|The package for Gino Patti's copy of the VHS, posted on his Instagram.
</gallery>
</gallery>
Two scenes from the pilot had the hue tweaked. This leads to inconsistencies of later reused scenes featuring orange colored objects.
==External Links==
 
*[https://umaryland.worldcat.org/title/patterns-the-poddleville-case/oclc/399590006 A confirmed copy of the pilot archived.] Retrieved 19 Dec '20
 
*[https://archive.org/details/pilocompare Full comparison of final and pilot by SonikkuAorDatH] Retrieved 12 Feb '21
[[File:Compa14.png|500px|thumb|center|The filter is a spotlit slant]]
*[https://youtu.be/9537W6RAHHI/ Older video showing comparisons of footage from the Promo and Final, and note of Voice actors (1/2).] Retrieved 07 Sep '20
Hacker scenes specifically in final have an added spotlight filter.
*[https://youtu.be/-jr_4jNDj4s/ Older video showing comparisons of footage from the Promo and Final, and note of Voice actors (2/2).] Retrieved 07 Sep '20
*[https://youtu.be/EGZwAkrLJL0/ Old theory of the other digitally edited/reanimated scenes.] Retrieved 07 Sep '20
*[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0160630/ IMDB noting Thom Christopher's role as Hacker in a later ''Cyberchase'' game.] Retrieved 07 Sep '20
*[https://archive.org/details/bcast-086020-0001_202102 Internet Archive upload of the pilot.] Retrieved 12 Feb '21
02 Mar '21
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuNdhMTxqnc YouTube upload of the pilot] Retrieved 11 Mar '21


[[File:Compa9.png|500px|thumb|center|The masking artifacts on Jackie]]
Some scenes use the original animation, but then digital remove then restitch the characters on altered backgrounds, or other digitally masked effects. Here it was to add shadows.
[[File:Compa10.png|500px|thumb|center|This causes us to not see the full frame in final]]
Before the characters get to their last frame of animation for the scene in final, it starts to rotate and zoom in for added effect.
[[File:Compa13.png|500px|thumb|center|CG galore in final]]
[[File:Compa5.png|500px|thumb|center|The characters look different in artstyle compared to the pilot once exiting the portal]]
The portal sequence in the Pilot used 2D animated shapes, with the outside portal looking more like a vortex. Final used CG shapes, no color cast, and the outside is a flat disc like other episodes. One thing to note is that final's sequence is roughly twice as long.
[[File:Compa6.png|500px|thumb|center|The Street view showing the scenery]]
In finished episode, Jackie was incorrectly made shorter than Inez, and both the shading and perspective for the background was decreased heavily.
[[File:Compa3.png|500px|thumb|center|Brighter set]]
As noted, Hacker's scene is cut short in the finished episode, also reanimated to keep the camera pan still. As in the pilot it moves to reveal Buzz and Delete, this could have ruined continuity for the changed script and sequences.
[[File:Compa8.png|500px|thumb|center|Glass crash inversion]]
Besides being reanimated in a different angle, there's an invert effect for right when the villains crash through the glass. Potentially this was due to censorship, or just a way to make the crash more dramatic.
[[File:Compa11.png|500px|thumb|center|Everyone is discolored]]
[[File:Compa12.png|500px|thumb|center|The egg was recolored]]
The crowd cheering has a discrepancy. Right before that scene, unaltered footage from the pilot of the main cast all in the correct colors. So recoloring them for the reanimation creates an inconsistency. Besides that, there are numerous coloring errors for the eyes and some of the Poddles' hands. Flags went from green, red, and blue to just blue. And since this scene wasn't meant to be zoomed in, the main character's low detail is shown final with the added zoom effect.
For the next scene, unlike the pilot where everyone blinks at regular intervals, Matt is permanently stuck in a half lidded expression. The Podling's pupil also got bigger, the egg it's holding onto also got recolored, and the background is digitally redone.
==External Links==
*https://youtu.be/9537W6RAHHI/ Video showing comparisons of footage from the Promo and Final, and note of Voice actors (1/2)
*https://youtu.be/-jr_4jNDj4s/ Video showing comparisons of footage from the Promo and Final, and note of Voice actors (2/2)
*https://youtu.be/EGZwAkrLJL0/ Theory of the other digitally edited/reanimated scenes:
==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Lost animation]] [[Category:Lost TV]] [[Category: Partially found media]] [[Category: Pre-LMW]]
 
[[Category:Found media]]

Revision as of 18:19, 30 April 2021

Lmwtan cleanup.png


This article has been tagged as Needing work due to its informal writing.


Vlcsnap-2020-09-06-21h37m53s257.png

Matt, Jackie, and Inez in the pilot's portal sequence.

Status: Found

Date found: 06 Feb 2021

Found by: Theruff

The pilot of the 2002 Nelvana animated program Cyberchase was made in 1999 by Curious Pictures. Titled as "The Poddleville Case", it was initially distributed privately in schools around May 23rd, 1999.[1] then airing discreetly in August 1999 through September 1999 on KTCA,[2] then airing Nationally on March 24th, 2000 (3:30PM), leading to WNet to win an Emmy.[3] The pilot was digitally edited, completely redubbed, rescripted, and reused as 7th episode of the Final 2002 series.

Opening Line

"When 3 kids get sucked into the cyberworld, they have to save Poddleville's power from the evil clutches of Hacker. Things go awry when the kids are blamed for the theft of the citizen's eggs. Will the three kids claim their innocence, and save Poddleville, or will it be TOO late?"

Availability

For a long while, most information about the pilot was mere speculation, most of it based on how different the animation style for Season 1 Episode 7's, "The Poddleville Case" was compared to the rest of the series. There was also the use of a different live-action Actor, Kareem Blackwell, as contrasted to the rest of the series using Matt Wilson and Bianca DeGroat. Some recalled Hacker not being voiced by Christopher Lloyd, while others thought the pilot initially was called the Poddleville Caper.[4] The latter being proven false.

On May 20th, 2018, one of the pilot's storyboard cleanup artists, Gino Patti, posted on his Instagram several screenshots of the pilot, including the end credits and VHS video track length.[5] Notably the credits feature far more developers from Curious Pictures, and a completely different cast of voice actors.

In particular, voice actors Joanna Rhinehart and Thom Christopher both have confirmed their roles indirectly, with Joanna voicing Jackie in the pilot as noted on her portfolio.[6] Along with Thom coincidentally voicing Hacker again in the PC Cyberchase games.

As for the live-action segment, User SonikkuAorDatH has personally contacted Gino Patti about the origin of the live-action footage. His response was he did not recall any live-action scenes. Indicating that possibly the live-action scenes were shot later.

The pilot notably has the track length of 24:15. With the finished episode only being 22:30 for the animation, and over 3 and a half minutes for the live-action segment, bringing it to a full 26 minutes, the VHS tape screenshot's time didn't match.

On January 21st, 2019, Wnet's official Cyberchase Facebook account released the original 3 minute promo used for the pilot back in 1999.[7] Several users have noted differences for scenes. Such as a redone script, and completely redone voice-overs compared to the Season 1 episode "Poddleville Case" that reused some footage.

On February 6th, 2021, the pilot in full was uploaded to the Internet Archive.

On March 2nd, 2021, the pilot was uploaded to YouTube in full quality.

Gallery

  • Screenshot of Jackie making breakfast. A scene that is not in final.

    Screenshot of Jackie making breakfast. A scene that is not in final.

  • A screenshot showing a comparison of a scene in the pilot and final.

    A screenshot showing a comparison of a scene in the pilot and final.

  • A screenshot comparison noting hue errors.

    A screenshot comparison noting hue errors.

  • Heavy redesign for a character noted.

    Heavy redesign for a character noted.

  • Another reanimated scene, indicating a zoom in was added.

    Another reanimated scene, indicating a zoom in was added.

  • The package for Gino Patti's copy of the VHS, posted on his Instagram.

    The package for Gino Patti's copy of the VHS, posted on his Instagram.

External Links

02 Mar '21

References

  1. ↑ Informal Science NSF Document of the Pilot noting peer response to it. Retrieved 06 Sep '20
  2. ↑ WGBH Archive of shows noting the pilot and its track length. Retrieved 06 Sep '20
  3. ↑ PDF archive of Emmys for 1999-2000 entries Retrieved 26 Sep '20
  4. ↑ Forum with an example of misinformation. Retrieved 07 Sep '20
  5. ↑ Instagram Post showing screenshots of the pilot. Retrieved 06 Sep '20
  6. ↑ Joanna Rhinehart's Portfolio. Retrieved 07 Sep '20
  7. ↑ Original 3 minute promo. Retrieved 06 Sep '20
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