History Main / OffModel

->''"I wish the art was good throughout the whole series, not just in the final episode."'' \\

However, [[TropesAreTools it can also be a good thing]] - Cartoonist Creator/JohnKricfalusi has repeatedly stated that "staying on model is only for wimps and communists". Or to put it more subtly, if you don't break the character's model to emphasize some emotions, it'd be just as good done live action. The result of staying true to off-model animation is [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wW6rENTfaU fantastic]], in Kricfalusi's case. [[Creator/WaltDisneyAnimationUnits Walt Disney Animation Australia]], Creator/CarbunkleCartoons and [[JonMcClenahan Startoons]] also do this. However, their use of it is more of DependingOnTheArtist taken UpToEleven, as opposed to accidental off model.

See also UncannyValley, a result of when it gets ''too'' far out of hand and SpecialEffectFailure. Which is a similar trope, but for live action ''and'' animation. Contrast AnimationBump, wherein the animation suddenly becomes much ''better'' than usual. For animation studios who are literally known for doing this constantly, see Creator/{{AKOM}}, StudioDEEN, Creator/{{GONZO}}, Creator/StudioShaft, Creator/{{Sunrise}}, Creator/{{Actas}}, WangFilmProductions and Creator/ToeiAnimation. For a studio whose supporters and critics often argue about whether their animation is this, see Creator/KennedyCartoons.

See also UncannyValley, a result of when it gets ''too'' far out of hand and SpecialEffectFailure. Which a similar trope, but for live action ''and'' animation. Contrast AnimationBump, wherein the animation suddenly becomes much ''better'' than usual. For animation studios who are literally known for doing this constantly, see Creator/{{AKOM}}, StudioDEEN, Creator/{{GONZO}}, Creator/StudioShaft, Creator/{{Sunrise}}, Creator/{{Actas}}, WangFilmProductions and Creator/ToeiAnimation. For a studio whose supporters and critics often argue about whether their animation is this, see Creator/KennedyCartoons.

Animation is expensive. ''Really'' expensive. An average 22-minute episode of an anime costs around $123,000, and American shows tend to be about $300,000. [[note]]It should be noted that most of this is not spent on the actual animation however, some shows will have a separate budget just for the animation (like Creator/{{Disney}}'s and Creator/WarnerBros' works in the 1980s and 1990s).[[/note]]

In American cartoons of the 80's and early 90's (and mid-70's, to some extent), it became the norm to send animation overseas to studios in Korea, Taiwan, The Philippines, Australia and other countries to cut costs even further. The budget problems were thus exacerbated by language and cultural barriers, which resulted in nearly every cartoon of the era having animation errors of differing sizes. Japanese studios came to be seen by American studios as the top-drawer of overseas animation studios because of their consistent aversion of this trope[[note]]and even since the early 80's, Japan's been doing the ''exact'' same thing[[/note]].

Long running shows suffering from [[NoBudget budget issues]] will start resorting to [[FilmingForEasyDub thinly veiled camera tricks]]. The movement and even design of characters will start to slip, especially if the show is bothering to animate heavy action scenes. When they are animated, fight scenes will become {{Fight Unscene}}s.

The prevalence of computer-inked animation in recent years merely assures that ''colors'' stay consistent. Off model refers to the character model (on a model sheet), which is what the animators are ''supposed'' to base their drawings on. Another important step is animation checking, which may be skimped on when time or money is short.

However, TropesAreTools; Cartoonist Creator/JohnKricfalusi has repeatedly stated that "staying on model is only for wimps and communists", or more subtly, if you don't break the character's model to emphasize some emotions, it'd be just as good done live action. The result of staying true to off-model animation is [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wW6rENTfaU fantastic]], in Kricfalusi's case. [[Creator/WaltDisneyAnimationUnits Walt Disney Animation Australia]], Creator/CarbunkleCartoons and [[JonMcClenahan Startoons]] are also examples. However, their use of it is DependingOnTheArtist taken UpToEleven, rather than accidental off model.

See also UncannyValley. Contrast AnimationBump, where the animation is suddenly much ''better'' made than usual. Compare SpecialEffectFailure, a similar trope, but with live action (and with animation that mixes more than one form of it). For animation studios that screw up constantly and unintentionally, see Creator/{{AKOM}}, StudioDEEN, DongWooAnimation, Creator/{{GONZO}}, Creator/StudioShaft, Creator/{{Sunrise}}, Creator/{{Actas}}, TokyoKids, WangFilmProductions and Creator/ToeiAnimation[[note]]Though unlike the others, the last two still have reasonable fanbases[[/note]]. For a studio whose supporters and critics often argue about whether their animation is this, see Creator/KennedyCartoons.

Below are examples in text form. For visual examples, you can visit [[http://fuckyeahqualityanimation.tumblr.com/ a blog dedicated to them]].

* During the 1996[=/=]1997 season, ''Series/WheelOfFortune'' updated their trademark wheel. Needless to say, [[{{Understatement}} it didn't go over so well]]. The main issue was that for a month afterwards, the second Bankrupt Wedge looked different. Some other instances included the absence of the Million-Dollar Wedge during a May 2011 episode. Prize Wedges in the wrong slots. Missing or wrong Category Names and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking even the wheel itself being dislodged on occasion]].

In American cartoons of the 80's and early 90's, it became the norm to send animation overseas to studios in Korea, Taiwan, The Philippines, Australia and other countries to cut costs even further. The budget problems were thus exacerbated by language and cultural barriers, which resulted in nearly every cartoon of the era having animation errors of differing sizes. Japanese studios came to be seen by American studios as the top-drawer of overseas animation studios because of their consistant aversion of this trope.

However, TropesAreTools; Cartoonist Creator/JohnKricfalusi has repeatedly stated that "staying on model is only for wimps and communists", or more subtly, if you don't break the character's model to emphasize some emotions, it'd be just as good done live action. The result of staying true to off-model animation is [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wW6rENTfaU fantastic]], in Kricfalusi's case. [[Creator/WaltDisneyAnimationUnits Walt Disney Animation Australia]], CarbunkleCartoons and StarToons are also examples. However, their use of it is DependingOnTheArtist taken UpToEleven, rather than accidental off model.

See also UncannyValley. Contrast AnimationBump, where the animation is suddenly much ''better'' made than usual. Compare SpecialEffectFailure, a similar trope, but with live action (and with animation that mixes more than one form of it). For animation studios that screw up constantly and unintentionally, see {{AKOM}}, StudioDEEN, DongWooAnimation, {{GONZO}}, Creator/StudioShaft, {{Sunrise}}, Creator/{{Actas}}, TokyoKids, WangFilmProductions and Creator/ToeiAnimation[[note]]Though unlike the others, the last two still have reasonable fanbases[[/note]]. For a studio whose supporters and critics often argue about whether their animation is this, see Creator/KennedyCartoons.

* Many of the creatures in ''WalkingWithDinosaurs'' and its kin go through some drastic changes in appearance when the shot switches from a {{CGI}} animal to a puppet or an animatronic, or vice versa. The ones that stand out the most are the ''Postosuchus'' with its rubbery head; the freakish closeups of a ''Leaellynasaura'' puppet whose jaw slipped to the side; the ''Smilodon'' who seemingly can't open/close their mouth; and the ''Megaloceros'' that, upon dying, looks like it instantly became some huge stuffed animal toy. Then, there's that insect that goes from being a CGI ant to a live cricket.
** Pure CGI goofs include: The 3 year-old indricothere calf that still uses its newborn animation model, even though an other, same-aged indricothere already looked like an adult; and (though this could be intentional) the ''Allosaurus'' at the end of ''Walking with Monsters'' who is at first represented by the allosaur model from the 2001 TV adaptation of ''TheLostWorld'' (okay...), but then suddenly becomes a true ''Walking with...''-brand ''Allosaurus'' (phew, that's better). As for various other off-model moments, freeze-framing reveals the animals tend to get heavily distorted during particularly fast movements.

* The entire body of Toa Vakama on the [[http://images.wikia.com/bionicle/images/f/f0/Adventures-4.jpg cover image]] of the ''{{Bionicle}}'' movie adaptation novel, ''Legends of Metru Nui'', is seriously disfigured, and the head is especially misshapen. Surprisingly, the two characters in the background are both perfectly on-model. As a comparison, [[http://images.wikia.com/bionicle/images/5/50/BIONICLE_2_Lengends_of_Metru_Nui_cover.jpg here's]] how he is meant to look, as seen on the movie's poster.

* Reunion movies often suffer this as set designers struggle to recreate exactly decades old sets whose forms are burned into viewers' memories through decades of reruns.
** Sometimes in "reunion" episodes as well. In the StarTrekTheNextGeneration episode "Relics", [[spoiler:Scotty requests the holodeck recreate the bridge of the Enterprise, "no bloody A, B, C or D." When the holodeck door open, several fans stated that the production company didn't reproduce the bridge exactly as on the old show. Turns out they actually used a static picture of an empty bridge (from "This Side of Paradise") for the initial shot.]]
* In-Universe Example: During the "Into the Comics" serial of ''Series/{{Ghostwriter}}'', the gang is able to identify that the comic they are to analyze for contest clues is, in fact, a fake by noticing differences in the art-style from the previous installments.
* An odd example not involving artwork or animation: in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' serial ''The Power of the Daleks'', the Dalek army is represented by [[OffTheShelfFX Louis Marx toy Daleks]]. The problem was that Marx's Daleks [[http://doctorwhotoys.net/marx_mysterious_dalek%20copy.jpg were a subtly wrong shape]], which became more obvious when intercut with the three ''real'' Daleks.

* In season three of ''MightyMorphinPowerRangers'', Titanus was reintroduced. Though as there was no footage of the character in the series footage was being taken from (''NinjaSentaiKakuranger''), Saban used [[OffTheShelfFX the toys of him, the Ninjazords and Shogunzords]] whenever featured. [[SpecialEffectsFailure Unfortunately, they never took into consideration that the Shogunzord used by the White Ranger in the original was repainted pink for America.]][[note]] It's explained in more detail on the SpecialEffectsFailure page.[[/note]]
** While on the topic, Series/PowerRangersWildForce had the return of Serpentera. Unfortunately, {{Disney}} [[ExecutiveMeddling meddled]] during production. Including to not allow any outside CG company (or [[DreamQuestImages their own CG company]]) for the special. The result was a small, purple colored version of Serpentera rendered in, for lack of a better term, [[SpecialEffectsFailure butt-ugly]] [[ConspicuousCG CG]].
* Not even GameShows are immune to this trope. During the 1996[=/=]1997 season, ''WheelOfFortune'' updated their trademark wheel. Needless to say, [[{{Understatement}} it didn't go over so well]]. The main issue was that for a month afterwards, the second Bankrupt Wedge looked different. Some other instances included the absence of the Million-Dollar Wedge during a May 2011 episode. Prize Wedges in the wrong slots. Missing or wrong Category Names and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking even the wheel itself being dislodged on occasion]].

[[folder:MMORPGs]]
* ''SecondLife'' avatars are off model quite often, mostly at the start of the loading process or when a new avatar not in the cache is rendered. Avatars tend to have gray or blurred textures during the loading process, making faces on the avatar look hideously deformed. If a person's avatar has primitives worn (polygons basically), the shape of the said primitives will be disfigured, making the avatar look deformed until it fully loads.
[[/folder]]

* SecondLife avatars are off model quite often, mostly at the start of the loading process or when a new avatar not in the cache is rendered. Avatars tend to have gray or blurred textures during the loading process, making faces on the avatar look hideously deformed. If a person's avatar has primitives worn (polygons basically), the shape of the said primitives will be disfigured, making the avatar look deformed until it fully loads.

In American cartoons of the 80's and early 90's, it became the norm to send animation overseas to studios in Korea, Taiwan, The Philippines, Australia and other countries to cut costs even further. The budget problems were thus exacerbated by language and cultural barriers, which resulted in nearly every cartoon of the era having animation errors of differing sizes. Japanese studios came to be seen by American studios as the top-drawer of overseas animation studios because of their consistant aversion of this trip.

In American cartoons of the 80's and early 90's, it became the norm to send animation overseas to studios in Korea, Taiwan, The Philippines, Australia and other countries to cut costs even further. The budget problems were thus exacerbated by language and cultural barriers, which resulted in nearly every cartoon of the era having animation errors of differing sizes. Japanese studios were treated as the top-drawer of overseas animation studios because of their consistant aversion of this trip.

In American cartoons of the 80's and early 90's, it became the norm to send animation overseas to studios in Korea, Taiwan, The Phillpines, Australia and other countries to cut costs even further. The budget problems were thus exacerbated by language and cultural barriers, which resulted in nearly every cartoon of the era having animation errors of differing sizes. Japanese studios were treated as the top-drawer of overseas animation studios because of their consistant aversion of this trip.

In American cartoons of the 80's and early 90's, it became the norm to send animation overseas to studios in Korea, Thailand, Australia and other countries to cut costs even further. The budget problems were thus exacerbated by language and cultural barriers, which resulted in nearly every cartoon of the era having animation errors of differing sizes. Japanese studios were treated as the top-drawer of overseas animation studios because of their consistant aversion of this trip.

In American cartoons of the 80's and early 90's, it became the norm to send animation overseas to studios in Korea, Thailand, Australia and other countries to cut costs. The budget problems were thus exacerbated by language and cultural barriers, which resulted in nearly every cartoon of the era having animation errors of differing sizes. Japanese studios were treated as the top-drawer of overseas animation studios because of their consistant aversion of this trip.

In American cartoons of the 80's and early 90's, it became the norm to send animation overseas to studios in Korea, Thailand, Australia and other countries to cut costs. The budget problems were thus exacerbated by language and cultural barriers, which resulted in nearly every cartoon having animation errors of differing sizes. Japanese studios were treated as the top-drawer of overseas animation studios because of their consistant aversion of this trip.

In American cartoons of the 80's and early 90's, it became the norm to send animation overseas to Korea, Thailand, Australia and other countries to cut costs. The cheap budgets were thus exacerbated by language and cultural barriers, which resulted in nearly every cartoon having animation errors of differing sizes. Japanese studios were treated as the top-drawer of overseas animation studios because of their consistant aversion of this trip.

-->-- '''A bunch of ninjas''' in the final episode of ''Manga/NininGaShinobuden''.

See also UncannyValley. Contrast AnimationBump, where the animation is suddenly much ''better'' made than usual. Compare SpecialEffectFailure, a similar trope, but with live action (and with animation that mixes more than one form of it). For animation studios that screw up constantly and unintentionally, see {{AKOM}}, StudioDEEN, DongWooAnimation, {{GONZO}}, Creator/StudioShaft, {{Sunrise}}, {{Actas}}, TokyoKids, WangFilmProductions and Creator/ToeiAnimation[[note]]Though unlike the others, the last two still have reasonable fanbases[[/note]]. For a studio whose supporters and critics often argue about whether their animation is this, see Creator/KennedyCartoons.

However, TropesAreTools; Cartoonist Creator/JohnKricfalusi has repeatedly stated that "staying on model is only for wimps and communists", or more subtly, if you don't break the character's model to emphasize some emotions, it'd be just as good done live action. The result of staying true to off-model animation is [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR6KjNmN2BA fantastic]], in Kricfalusi's case. [[Creator/WaltDisneyAnimationUnits Walt Disney Animation Australia]], CarbunkleCartoons and StarToons are also examples. However, their use of it is DependingOnTheArtist taken UpToEleven, rather than accidental off model.

-->-- '''A bunch of ninjas''' in the final episode of ''NininGaShinobuden''.