You know, this movie could've been finished a year ago. We could've sent this whole thing to Korea, knocked it out, had it been on the screen, used the songs, done the thing, uh, and probably done very good business. As the people that are here know, our goal was not to put out a glorified Saturday morning show, which we could've done a lot faster and a lot cheaper, but to do something that the studio could be proud of. And unfortunately, unless the people here, uh, take pride in that, and I don't just mean 8 hours a day, five days a week, but when it comes time, like it has been for the last couple of months, take pride in that that is what is required in order to insure the level of quality that we're going to want to see on this picture. If that's not there then, um, it's a shame. But, in order to get it done you're going to now have to start flinging this thing around, uh, the, the, the globe and that wasn't what I was hoping to do and, um, and I don't honestly also know what more I can say about this thing.
I've been as honest and, uh, clear and truthful and, and whatever as I know how to be. I am not any more inspiring than I've been before so I'm either not getting people involved in what we're doing or I'm talking to maybe a lot of people that don't care about what it is we're doing. I'm not sure exactly where this whole thing is falling in the toilet.
But there shouldn't be a Saturday when I'm here with three or four people. Um, something is very, very wrong. Um, and given what is remaining to be done it can't be done this way and if we're going to decide that we're not going to care about how it gets done then I'm going to have Skip and Andy and a couple of the other guys who are here on the weekends with me uh, just sit and we're going to crank through this stuff. We're going to pose it all out, um, and send it to God-Knows-Where in order to get it animated, uh, because as I've mentioned before I'm very serious about this thing coming out on the date that it is because too much has been set up for it to come out that way and for that promotion to be there.
I don't, uh, personally want any reaction to this conversation. Uh, I don't want uh...uh...I would just like each of you to consider what I'm saying.
As I say, those of you who have been in here, uh, over the weekend, uh, will just tune it out- it isn't meant for you. Those of you who haven't, uh, need to consider your commitment to the project and if you are deciding not to come in on the weekends, uh, I would like for you to give a list of your names, uh, to Hope or Sue or somebody just so I can see...
'Cause when we talked about this coming in on Saturdays and, and, uh, most everyone didn't have a problem with that when I asked a few three four weeks ago before and many, many, many of you who did not have a problem with that point aren't coming in so just let Hope or Sue know if you are going to continue not to plan on coming in extra or if you are going to plan to come in at 9:00 and 9:15 and so like today. It was a ghost town until about 9:00 today. Uh, we had talked about 8-8:30. Um, that isn't working for the most part either.
Um, so, uh, if you'll give your names to Hope or Sue then we'll have a clearer picture as to what amount of this, uh, crew we'll be able to depend on, who we won't be able to depend on, and then based on that be able to figure out how much of the show, uh, in whatever phases those will be, we're going to need to farm out, uh, because, uh, uh, a..as I say, I've got to get the thing done and, uh, obviously no one can put into this film more than they feel for it.
Um, I just expected there to be more feeling for this movie than there is, and, uh, and if it's just business and that's what it's about and, uh, "You know, if we're not getting overtime, and, uh, the thing, well then, uh, son of a gun, it's not interesting and uh, um."
As we said before on the overtime thing if you can get more than what we consider a very reasonable amount of footage which is 8 feet or 80 dollars a foot times your, your salary- if that's not working out and you're not able to get overtime and therefore you don't want to come, uh, that's uh, uh, a personal business thing that works for...for you people you should make that known, uh, so that we've got a sense of that.
Um, but the only way a studio like this really becomes effective is to have people that are committed to that studio and the product that it's doing and if that's not there and it certainly isn't right now the fact here, um, then that's something that we should know. We shouldn't be under the illusion that, uh, that most people are planning to help come in early, work on Saturdays, etc. etc. because I think we're just bullshitting ourselves and I'd rather see the harsh reality, uh, as I did on Saturday if that is, if that is the reflection of people's feeling. Better we know that then to think we got a group of people who are really, uh, earnest about having the movie get done on time.
Um, as I say, I don't mean to turn this thing into a sermonette or... It isn't even that. You know, or, uh, "Gee Whiz, uh, I never have seen him so emotional about the thing."
It's just, it's disturbing, and it's, uh, it's not the sort of, uh, support that I would've been looking for but, um, if it's not there then it's not there. No more of these pitch...pitches or talks or, "Come On Guys" or anything else is gonna get it done.
So, um, anyway, you guys that don't plan on being here more than the requisite amount of, you know the, "Hey, I do my eight hours, I come in, I get my coffee break, I do my thing and I go home." Just make sure that either Sue or Hope knows who you are because otherwise we'll expect to see the other people in and uh, and then if you're not in I'm figuring someone's been in a bad accident and it must've been a busload because it was the whole studio Saturday.
Um, that's really about it. Uuuum.
(long strained pause)
I'm..I'm sorry about this.
Voice from beyond: Can we come in Sundays?
RB: Yeah. Yeah.
VFB: I mean, if we have a problem with Saturdays?
RB: Yeah! Yeah! I mean, this is, of course! Of course.
Um, anyway, so you guys decide what you're doing here cause, uh, cause I can't figure it out for you and I can't, uh, give one more of these speeches....uhhhh, when I'm talkin' to the walls.
Um...yeah, that...that's...that's it for me. And those of you who are here and are putting that in, uh, not only is it appreciated but it's, it's, it's what I always hoped this place would be.
There's a miserable, shitty world out there and it was my hope that you'd be able to put a few close-knit people together who cared enough about what they were doing, uh, to make a studio worth working at. And if that's, uh, if that's not possible then we can all go back with a lot more..al..a..a...alo..a lot less wear and tear on ourselves pumping out those Saturday morning shows that take us two seconds to do and pay a whole lot more money. Uh, that wasn't my goal but this place can't be done, uh, just by me.
So, um, that's it for me.
Thanks.
Addendum:
After this speech the crew went back to their desks and continued working on the film. No names were given to Hope or Sue. Morale continued at its usual all-time low.
When a copy of the tape recording surfaced, a scapegoat was cornered and fired to prove that Ross meant business.
On the night of the movie's premiere a majority of the crew, most of them cut from the film's credits even after working thru the duration of the project, were having a 'Rag the Bag' party to celebrate the conclusion of what had been the worst nightmare of their animation careers. Alvin dolls were burned, a Chipmunk cake happily dismembered, and horror stories shared. The evening ended with a listen to the infamous Pep Talk showcased above. It was an uncomfortable listen, but deeply theraputic.
In the mad rush for copies, somehow the cassette was lost that very evening. As the years passed it seemed certain it had been lost for good, but in 1993, some six years later, the tape was recovered, the animation industry finally getting back a bit of its ugly history.
The movie received expected reviews. Siskel and Ebert likened the film to sitting through someone scratching their fingers on a chalkboard for an hour and a half.
