Monty Oum - Tumblr Posts
Ok apologies in advance if I get anything wrong I'm just here to discuss Rwby specifically and why some of the community has turned against it.
To be frank Rwbys situation compared to indie animation is... Vastly different. RWBY yes is indie but that doesn't mean it is like its brethren here that face unnecessary overwhelming backlash.
This is due to one thing-
Rt can't write to save their lives. (They especially can't write women)
Crwby is notorious for making really shitty decisions. For instance.
Turning ironwood into a dictator despite him never being shown as one before.
Completely missing the point when it came to suicide allegory.
And the most baffling to me-
Turning Adam into a petty manipulative ex and just throwing out the fact he cared for his people. Also ignoring previous statements (IN THE SHOW) where it's stated he and blakes relationship was mentor and student.
Add that with crwby being unable to write women yet choosing to treat every straight white (or white presenting) male character as a piece of shit.
Crwby has made it abundantly obviously they cannot write their characters, they cannot write their story, and they sure as the shit I left in my toilet, never should've be allowed to write for this show.
So Thus some members of the fandom turned against, and while I pray none of them are harassing anyone (can people for the love of God quit being braindead hive mind imbeciles who don't understand what the fuck an opinion is)
I certainly understand why those people defected. RWBY is in a really shitty state and has been horribly mishandled by it's company and now has just been left to die alone.
So.. hooray I guess?
Thats just my shitty two sense but anyway I'm gonna go before I accidentally crucify myself.
Why does Indie Animation lend itself to such intense discourse?
If I had to speculate from my own observations (feel free to call me out on an overgeneralizations), it would be that the harsh turn against any given indie project would be akin to a mother scolding a child with, "I expected this from your sibling but you?!"
See also the "We were rooting for you" gif often tossed around.
Indie Animation be it from a small studio or crowdfunded is seen as bypassing the hoops and hurdles of getting your foot in the door of the highly corporatized entertainment industry. With the likes of Disney or Nick or any given streaming service, creator driven projects are subject to the whims of the company who holds the IP.
And those whims are often to said IP's detriment. It'll more often than not be willfully neglected at best or treated as just something to fill a time slot or shove onto a streaming platform as "content." Enough may be allowed to flourish but their either uncerimoniously cut short at best or being dragged out as a franchise at worst.
To keep from going on about the whole Legend of Korra vs. Spongebob thing (I was there people, there was an LoK fandom believe it or not), indie animation has often been seen as small scale but also within the creator's general control since they control how long it goes or how it's written.
Many cartoons like Gravity Falls, Owl House and Amphibia have talked about trying to get their vision across while contending with a lot of Standards and Practices. Their story which had a "kids and adults alike" target audience would have the top brass insist on something more just for the former category.
While they find work arounds, often to stick their tongue out at the FCC, this can be a hard reminder of who has the final say despite it being what you want. Indie animation is seen as an answer to "What if Alex Hirsch didn't have to comprimise elements of Gravity Falls for the FCC?" or "What if Dana Terrence could just blaze her own trail with The Owl House with little to no notes?"
Especially when it comes to animation with queer characters. Animation made to be "fit for kids" have it tough enough even today but adult animation has to "play it for laughs" since comedies have been the defacto standard for that type of cartoon.
However... a show being creator driven or creative team driven comes as a double edged sword for the fandoms they form. Not all stories that play out across multiple episodes of varying lengths are going in the direction YOU might want to.
Creators might tire of a certain direction or formula and mix things up with things that come to mind almost on the spot. Even with a solid plan, the status quo will get a shake up that can and will alienate those who fell in love from episode one.
Indie Pilots spark the imagination something fierce. There's theories as to what any little detail could mean going forward and speculation on what a character's arc could be. These go wild because Fandom is all about the hypothetical, the unknown, the what could've/should've/would've been. Whole phenomenon would be dead in the water otherwise.
Thing is that not all theories will be proven right if any at all. The creators aren't mind readers and even if it isn't a legality like in corporate, they don't read fanfics if only because they don't want their vision to be totally compromised. Any good creator knows not to just give fans what they want. However... trampling over all these fanfics and theories makes it feel like any given fan had their "child" dragged into the streets to be shot.
A harsh phrasing but that's how a lot of fans act when continuing episode bump up against initial impression of this character or that storyline. It was their creation but new lore, new backstory or what have you is liable to override them. It's been an occupational hazard of being a member of fandom for ages yet it's become the center of a lot of discourse now more than ever. Say thank you to social media for creating such a combative environment everybody.
It's this... feeling of ownership that has existed in fandoms of other shows owned by corporations but amplied by the smaller scale of it, how creators seem more... approachable. And THIS is how the YouTube "critic" scene comes in to capitalize.
So... yeah.
Let's also not forget the fuckin fact the fanatics decided to act like HBomberguy made an entire hit piece despite him not doing so, instead he stated his criticisms in a understandable way and has even said "it's not the worst show ever made".
The fucker made it clear he had no I'll will towards this fuckin show yet instead the fanatics acted like overgrown toddlers because someone didn't say the exact thing they wanted.
This only continues to remind me the fanatics do not understand what the fuck an opinion is and that they are just a bunch of fuckin babies who actively enjoy making this fandom look bad.
God just
WTF.
"Hbomberguy had a personal vendetta against Monty Oum"
If anything, canonseeker is the one who has a personal vendetta. A vendetta because of a 4 year old video.
R.I.P. Monty Oum. Thank you for being a huge inspiration to me as well as many others. Your memory and your creations shall live on.
anyways rb and tag when you started watching / got into rwby
I have been wanting to make a post like this all day, but haven't been able to find the words. There are many others in the RoosterTeeth community who have expressed their feelings about Monty's passing much more eloquently than I every could. But I know that I have a handful of followers (I love and appreciate all of you) who have been affected by this terrible tragedy and I wanted to extend my open arms to you. If you need someone to talk to, even if its a stranger like me, please feel free to contact me. Everyone grieves differently, and I may not have the panacea for what ails you, but I am a good listener. I will do anything I can to help you through this difficult time. It's been said time and time again, but Monty Oum was a true inspiration. His creativity and his tenacity are truly emblematic of what it is to be an artist. He produced beautiful works that brought smiles to the faces of people around the world. The first time I witnessed his animation I was truly mesmerized. In addition to releasing so much creative energy into the world he was, by all accounts, a wonderful person. He was insightful and very considerate towards his fans. I never had the pleasure to meet him, but his work has inspired me in so many ways. I hope one day to become half of the person Monty Oum was. I can't tell you not to be sad, not to mourn. Those are normal feelings and we all have to deal with them in our own way. Still, I think it is important that we honor the request of his friends and family and try to do something creative! The world lost a great creative mind today and we are all going to have to work extra hard to fill the gap that is left. Be strong, my friends. You're not alone in your struggles! I and many, many others are here for you. Let Monty's memory continue to inspire you, and strive to become the person he would have wanted you to be. My heart goes out to Monty's friends and family. I can't begin to understand your loss. Rest in peace, Monty Oum. (In case anyone would like to talk outside of the confines of Tumblr's messenger system, my email is: siamesexneko@hotmail.com)