Transformers 80s cartoon storyboards & scripts

[GoktimusPrime]

Interesting to see in the animator's Japanese notes that they pronounced Scourge's name as rhyming with 'forge'* instead of 'purge.' Although Scourge's toy in Japan was called Scourge, rhyming with 'purge'**. I don't recall which pronunciation Roger C. Carmel used in this episode.

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*sukooji
**sukaaji

[Metallikato]

Interesting to see in the animator's Japanese notes that they pronounced Scourge's name as rhyming with 'forge'* instead of 'purge.' Although Scourge's toy in Japan was called Scourge, rhyming with 'purge'**. I don't recall which pronunciation Roger C. Carmel used in this episode.

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*sukooji
**sukaaji

Scourge wasn't referred to by name in that episode.

[Greebtron]

The Sunbow Marvel Archive now hosts it's eighth full episode storyboard set from the G1 cartoon: Aerial Assault.

With this set in place, the Archive now hosts the full story on all 12 episodes written by Doug Booth, whether via script or storyboard.

With plenty of deleted scenes covering Skydive and Slingshot's journey across the desert, early Combaticon designs (and some plain made-up designs), along with some gorgeous Keith Tucker art, the storyboards can be found in gallery form at: The Sunbow Marvel Archive: The Transformers MP 700-57 Aerial Assault full storyboard

Or in PDF format at the main Season 1 and 2 page: The Sunbow Marvel Archive: MP 700 The Transformers, Part 1 1984 - 1985 (Sunbow Productions/Marvel Productions)

[Greebtron]

In 2010, screenwriter Ron Friedman consigned many scripts and reference material from his days writing for Sunbow Productions in the mid-80s, to be sold by Heritage Auctions. A group effort by fans, coordinated by Jim Sorenson, saw 31 Transformers TV scripts, briefing binders and the second script for The Transformers The Movie bought up, scanned and made available online.

One item that eluded this endeavour was Friedman's first script for the Movie. Completed in February 1985 and rejected by Griffin-Bacal, who supplied a new outline for Friedman to make a second attempt, before Flint Dille was called in to make heavy re-writes as production commenced.

In Autumn 2020, former Sunbow producer Flint Dille was in the process of clearing out his storage, finding many items from his decades-long writing career. One such item displayed online on October 9th was a second copy of that first Movie script. Most likely in Flint's possession as reference for his and Creative Director Jay Bacal's own unsuccessful attempt at writing a Transformers movie: The Secret Of Cybertron.

The following month, Jim Sorenson flew out to LA in order to scan as many of Flint's written works from his Sunbow days before they were auctioned off. On November 2nd, he scanned this script and sent the digital files to me for merging and OCR.

The script was used as the basis for a panel presentation at TFNation 2022, hosted by Jim Sorenson and Chris McFeely, that summarised the plot and featured fanart intepretations from a quartet of artists.

Now, fourteen years since it was first seen, nearly three years since a second chance emerged and a full year since the story was revealed to the world, the Sunbow Marvel Archive is proud to present the very first script for The Transformers The Movie: https://sunbowmarvelarchive.blogspot...ie-sunbow.html

[Paulbot]

Very cool artefact. Going to be giving that a read later

[KELPIE]

This is fantastic. Can't wait to find some quiet time and give it a read.

[Greebtron]

Now up at the Sunbow Marvel Archive are early storyboards for The Transformers The Movie. Covering the initial third of the film before jumping to Unicron's transformation. Working from a slightly earlier version of the script, they include more brutal deaths for the shuttle crew, as well as the confirmed death of Mirage (layout simplification on the final version makes it ambiguous).

The boards can be viewed via the storyboard gallery index, along with their finalised versions.
The Sunbow Marvel Archive: Storyboard viewing gallery

Below is an animatic I put together of the somewhat different cassette battle:

[griffin]

That video clip is very well done, really bringing to life how that cassette battle scene was originally planned... and makes me wonder where those missing Autobot cassette toys are, as Hasbro must have been working on them, or had the designs based on existing Japanese designs.
(and why we haven't had all of them produced by Hasbro in some fashion yet... other than Stripes, done as a Ravage redeco)

[Greebtron]

Added to the Sunbow Marvel Archive this month is a plethora of G1 cartoon material, with storyboards from the following:

• Unproduced pilot miniseries/Season 1 intro sequence
• More Than Meets The Eye, Part 2
• More Than Meets The Eye, Part 3
• Transport To Oblivion
• Roll For It
• The Ultimate Doom, Part 3
• Countdown To Extinction
• Unproduced Season 2 intro sequence
• Unproduced commercial bumper
• Autobot Spike
• The Immobilizer

Additionally, a quartet of story premises, written by storyboard artist Wendell Washer during early Season 2, have also become available. Along with the early version of the 1985 New Product briefing he was given for reference. Three of the unused stories focus on Omega Supreme (then under the working name of Fortress Maximus), and a fourth focusing on Seaspray.

All of these can be viewed at The Sunbow Marvel Archive: MP 700 The Transformers, Part 1 1984 - 1985 (Sunbow Productions/Marvel Productions)

Below is an animatic, edited by me, of the unproduced season 2 intro sequence:

[KELPIE]

This stuff you are releasing is pure gold.

Is there ever a plan to release a book with commentary? I'm sure Flint would be on board if contacted. Then just manage licensing.