Everyone Wants to Direct (Season 2)
Chaos. Acknowledgement. Censorship. Weddings.
Behind the Laughter
Against all odds, the crew of “My Little Pony” did it: they not only proved to be a popular product, but also became, alongside “Adventure Time” and “Regular Show”, one of the most revolutionary shows of the time. A new age was born, born inside the least suspected audience.
When it came out, fans were gathering us everywhere. An enormous, worldwide community.
And none of them were kids.
Yeah. Well, occasionally there was a little girl, but watching males of all species above twenty five years wanting my autograph was a big surprise.
When we began filming the first episodes, I wanted to create something unique and different, but nothing like this.
I was impressed by this. A kids-oriented TV show liked by people around our age? It’s surprising the large amount of men who liked the series.
Some of them send us letters, thankin’ us for creatin’ this TV program and, some of them even sayin’ we changed their perspective of life.
This wasn’t something any of us expected.
In 2011, Hasbro and DHX renewed the series for a second season and, noticing the attention the show was receiving from older fans, they decided to do something different.
They talked and requested us to hire someone who could attract older audiences to .
It was our big chance to give something a little more... adult-oriented stuff to the show. So we accepted.
Unlike the first season, this time we were looking for a real, professional actor who could bring something new to the table, someone who could deliver a big, BIG impression on the series.
But, among all the possible actors who could give a chance to a kid show, who was going to be the chosen one? The answer was given once the doors of the studio were opened. A veteran whose name can’t be remember, even by himself, and prefers to be referred as his most memorable role in history: Q, from the Star Trek series.
What else did you do?
Well... I appeared in “The Fisher King...”
Yeah... And why exactly did you say ‘yes’?
I had problems during the last decade. I barely got roles for some series and movies, even minor ones were almost difficult to get at times. I was yearning the old days so much that I eventually forgot to change clothes and began to wear this costume every single day. Appearing in a children show was the last thing I wanted to do. However, this was the best I could appeal towards more than other roles I’ve been offered over the years.
So, you basically accepted for money and recognition?
At first yes, even chaos spirits need to pay rent. I didn’t expect the impact this would actually have in my life.
Having a legend such as him in the cast was the best thing that happened to us back then. So much that we had to write an episode dedicated exclusively to him.
Called “The Return of Harmony”, it was the season opener and the most hardcore episode of the series. Q’s performance was acclaimed by critics and the writing was praised as well. Soon enough, conventions were founded and part of the cast went to them just to observe what went on and while they were at it, meet their fans face to face. The supporting ponies were getting as much attention as the main cast.
I knew the show was a hit when I walked into a store and Rainbow Dash T-shirts were being sold. Hasbro had an endless supply of clever slogans, all involving the ‘20% cooler’ joke.
Suddenly I was invited to every birthday party. Sometimes I’d have to read the cake just to know who I was singing to.
They gave our characters more screen time and more episodes focused on them. Of course my sister appeared almost in all of them, but I wasn’t worried about anything... aside from putting the camera out of my face when I didn’t want it.
The important thing is that they started to give recognition to some of our companions. To make understand they were as important as us.
Unfortunately, not everyone took this as a joke. I was searching for some images on Internet when I came up with some of our characters kissing each other.
Shipping is considered as “the art of pairing two characters and make them love each other, no matter how inconvenient and forced it is.” Some of them took this meaning a little too... serious.
Ah thought it would be fun to watch these... ideas the fans had. The impact it had on us made us discover what we really wanted. And after that, the rest of these ideas began to play out. But, Ah also just want it to be the case.
While all those shippings were just a fan pairing, we always shared and cared for one another. Not in a romantic way, though.
You could modify some of the material to have more interesting results such as shipping casted members.
That was a big mistake, considering this was the point where people started to do that.
Don’t worry, they didn’t mind it anyway. Ah saw some of them kissin’.
The episode “Heart and Hooves Day” had effect on the show, especially on the members known as Mulled Cider, Sparkling Cider’s brother in the show and real life, and Chirpy Tune.
Every day I thought about firing Chirpy. You know, just to shake things up.
Okay, the material was a little corny. But Mulled and I had real chemistry on screen.
How do you feel knowing the fans started to ship both of you, despite having not much in common?
Come on, it’s just a joke.
Love takes time and compromise, it’s not like you’re going to love somebody you just had seen for the first day, right? Nobody can take something as shipping so seriously.
I did... I mean, I know our characters are just characters and we have to keep a hoof on reality, but when you share time with your pals and companions in the project and you know them better over time, a feeling grows inside you and you want to hug them and kiss them in the–
Spyke... we’re filming right now.
Um... sorry about that... as I was saying, when that happens, you may understand the obsession some of us actually have.
But a more important, unexpected movement shocked everybody. One day, the executives, along with Futas and Lunare, came to inspect the principal headquarters of the show. They said they wanted to investigate the properties of the facilities and it was their way to make sure the staff and the equipment was ok.
Or at least that’s what they said to the team. What was really happening was that Discovery Kids, the channel in charge of transmitting the show, was being bought by Hasbro and they wanted changes.
That was the point where we started to film in real locations, the first season was filmed, for the most part, in build up sets.
With a bigger budget, the staff moved out of their trademark house and into a place, called Harmony Studios. This was going to be the new home for “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic”. One of the reasons for the purchase of Discovery Kids was an investment from a pony highly interested in properties. A business pony called Fancy Pants.
I had inverted in other properties over the years. Markets, aerodynamics firm, naval fleets, sportive teams and luxurious condos. A TV network was something I was never interested to begin with, but the executives from both companies gave me the contract which, I quote, it was going to expand the equipment and hire more personnel. I was negligent to the offer UNTIL they told me that I could rename the network and give me total creative freedom of the budget for the shows. So I firmed and everything had changed around there.
Discovery Kids was later renamed as The Hub Network and was intended to be a general, youth-oriented network with a diverse lineup, primarily featuring programming adapted from Hasbro franchises like “Transformers” and, of course, “My Little Pony”, along with other, family-oriented programs such as sitcom reruns and films such as “R. L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour” and “Dan Vs”.
While I was supervising the programming, both Hasbro and DHX were responsible for merchandise and marketing. I want to think it was the best investment of my life since it permitted me and my wife save enough money for our retirement. We even made some friends around, like Sparkling Cider who became our partner in the cosmetic industry. But with success, comes envy. Some rivals tried to do the unthinkable to us, from bribes to attempts of murder, we weren’t safe anywhere. That’s why I beg the staff to take care of Fleur, protect her with your life.
*Tap*
Thank you for bringing this recording to us, mademoiselle Dis Lee.
That’s all I have to say about that.
A bigger budget meant more quality on the show. We introduced more concepts and more partners all around, and we had more songs added.
One of them was very special for Prism Wing, so much that she originally wanted to sing. But, after reading the lyrics, I fell in love with it and I begged her to sing it, since I thought it summoned my purpose in life in a nutshell.
...Great choice.
Recreation
A recording studio, both Octavia and Vinyl are using headphones and are sit in front of a mixing board. Ink Blot in the recording booth. Vinyl and Octavia set up the correct configurations and give the signs. She starts singing.
When you see one of your biggest dreams come true, and many people around the world singing it... you know... your life... has changed fo-fo-forever.
Are you ok?
Ye-Ye-Ye-Yes... I-I-I... need a minute.
The crew was able to record some memorable episodes, such as Stardust becoming nuts, a sistership relationship between Marble and Ivory, Cottontail overcoming her fears and even a Halloween special and a Christmas special. However, and despite of these improvements, everything went down on a January-Saturday morning.
People wanted my autograph or told me to sign a muffin. From being a simple postmare to a star in a matter of seconds was unbelievable. It was like a Hollywoo film.
Yeah... she lost her mind in the sets. She got into a point where she thought everything we did was real. She still calls me Twilight to this day.
Ink Blot proposed to give dialogue to one of our companions who happened to become so popular among the fans. It was just a brief, harmless and inoffensive cameo.
But the response of the public was not the expected. While the fans praised this decision, the most conservatives were not as happy as them. They labeled this choice as, quoting, “...offensive to mentally disabled persons and contradicted the show’s lessons about friendship...” -unquote. Hasbro, DHX and The Hub took action on this matter and removed the episode from all media, from TV to Internet, for two whole years.
I just wanted to be generous and kind to our companions... I never expected to affect the show like this.
Then, another issue emerged: a video was uploaded to the Internet, blaming the crew for this decision.
After a lot of research, we met the pony who recorded the video and he decided to speak to us, on the condition of not revealing his identity.
Yes, I finked on them, but, you know, they deserved it. Treating a beautiful pony like her in that way is unacceptable. They should be ashamed of themselves! They deserve to die! Now, if you excuse me, I need to check my workstuff. Allons-y!
The companies were censoring us, just for pleasing our audience.
That... is so unfair in many levels. Honestly, I don’t have words to describe it.
We understood the problems surrounding this controversy, but we couldn’t dedicate time to it because of the filming on the season finale.
Inside the staff, the finale was a controversial episode. Hasbro wanted to start its strategy of merchandising from the inside out. And this had to begin with altering the basic script.
It was ironic how the company at first wanted to stay away from the project and then wanted to supervise an entire episode.
It was an episode about the wedding of Twilight’s brother, who was made up exclusively for that episode, and one added princess with so many unanswered questions. This time, the executives of both companies, leaded by Fancy Pants, chose the ponies who were going to play as these characters. The chosen ones were an officer called Bolero and a supermodel named Gleaming Shield.
You can argue everything you want about us, but this was our biggest challenge to date. How can you make the audience believe in a character who was never mentioned previously and forced them to believe in your existence? That is challenge.
That’s nothing. We used gallons of painting just to recolor ourselves like the other one because the executives didn’t wanted a pink stallion in front of the cameras. And the processes of makeup, hairstyling and dressing can take three or four hours. Oh, and if you’re wondering, the horn is false and the magic is added by CGI.
Despite all these issues, and knowing the material the writers were forced to work with, the episode was ingenious. The staff transformed a wedding into an enemy invasion, led by a new charismatic antagonist, played by veteran actress Christine Allyster.
I want to say, this was an out-of world experience, considering the race they created for this instance. Changelings were the equivalent to orcs from other mythologies and with a queen as a ruler... that was quite a change.
Did you have anything to do with your character’s design?
Actually, yes. You see, the design for Chrysalis was too similar to Celestia, so we repainted her in black. And, initially, that was it. Until one day, I accidentally poked a hole in one of the fake legs, and that’s where the gnarled look comes from. Also, the voice had to be added in after filming because the fangs were hard to talk through. That’s where the distorted echoed quality voice comes from.
So, you’re telling me that, in a sense, you were Chrysalis?
Yes. However, the true hero and the one who you have to thank for involving me in this series is my agent. Here’s a picture of her.
She is my true love.
Although the most skeptical labeled it as a, quoting, “40-minute Disney carbon copy”, the bullet was dodged and the episode received good reviews from the critics.
We only signed for that episode, but the executives wanted to keep in touch. Just in case they needed us for future entries.
At first, the rest of the cast disliked us because, unlike everybody else, we were added by more powerful forces than theirs to the show and winning their confidence was a hard way. Aside from that, we gained a lot in merchandise, although they could fix my shape and form in my dolls.
But the damage was done. The alicorn race role in the show was questioned and two characters, who honestly don’t have too much to offer, were added. And, for the first time in the lifespan of the show, the top choices were made not by Prism Wing and Co., but by executives whose only interest was making money.
It was a sign, a premonition of what will happen next. But we ignored it and continued our lives. I did it as well, I was so ashamed of myself back then and I’m ashamed of myself now.
***
When we come back.
It was cute seeing dolls designed from our appearances in the stores. Mine flew off the shelves.
That’s what you say. With luck, I could barely find one, ONE in a store.
Don’t get mad with me, darlin’.
I know, but... why does nobody love me?!
...Ah do love ya.
Thank you.
When Behind the Laughter continues.
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Wondering where the differences on the business end intentional? Like Hasbro buying Discovery Kids(it was a partnership not a buy out) and the rebranding as The Hub happening after the show began when IRL it was well before. Also skipping that when DHX started on the show they were still Studio B. Not sure if these where intentional or mistakes, hard to say with alternate universes.
fluffle puff of course
did you do reasearch on the history of the show? i mean i remember the derpy debacle save derpy made me cry
hoo boy..... princess twilight ....im wondering how thatll turn out in this
also.....need to see the fallout from my little dashie fallout equestria the conversion bureau frinenship is optimal and sadly sweet apple massacre and cupcakes .fimfiction.net ugh clopfics the human in equestria troup fan animations smile hd the comic books cant wait to see the dazzlings and sunset shimmer
Woo!! Fluffle Puff mention! Life is now officially complete.
Keep up da good work!
7916782 Yes, I do research history of the show and brony community for this story. It's actually one of the reasons all the chapters take time.
Don't worry, you will see many related themes and topics over time. Unfortunately, not every character in the show will make it into the story, but I'm making sure the more loved ones appear.
Thanks for commenting.
Oh boy, Season 3 is next...
Let the controversial episodes, polarizing finale, reduced episodes and fan backlash commence!
I await your satire.
Is this edited? It feels like it jumps around a lot.
This is really good.