A prohibited decision during the production of Korra He made the series a pioneer without Nickelodeon
Sometimes, to make a difference, you have to skip the rules. This was exactly what they did Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan KonietzkoThe creators of Avatar: Korra’s legendWhen they decided produce the series in HD and panoramic formatDespite the fact that Nickelodeon had strongly told them that they did not do it. The fun thing is that, when they break the rules, they ended up anticipating the entire sector.
During a speech in the podcast Challenge the elementspresented by Janet Varney (Voice of Korra) e Dante Basque (Zuko’s Avatar), The creators revealed that their desire to increase the visual level of the animation has clashed frontal with the orders of the study. Nickelodeon remained anchored in the traditional definition standard for international distribution reasons. But then an unexpected hero appeared: Mark TaylorA manager who simply told them “foul”, even disobeying the chain guidelines.
The forbidden jump to HD
“We shouldn’t have done it”Konietzko confessed, remembering that they have already tried to implement high definition at the end of Avatar: the legend of Aangwithout success. But when it was time to create KorraThey launched without a network. “When we went back to Korra, Mark Taylor simply told us to do it, even if they told him he shouldn’t have”Dimartino added.
The comedy went well. While Nickelodeon was still in SD mode, Korra’s legend It has become a visually impressive product, with enveloping plans and a much more cinematographic aesthetic. So much so that when the study wanted to update the rest of his productions, it was too late. “We had scenes in which you seemed to be inside something, with more feeling of three dimensions”Varney commented on the result.
Japanese influences and top technology
The bet was not alone in resolution. The team also sought inspiration outside the United States, in particular in Japan. There they contacted Michael AriasDirector of the acclaimed film TequisTo polish the technical approach. It was Arias who teaching them to apply Digital effects such as After Effects To generate dynamic and complex movements of the Chamber, such as that flat sequence of the first episode in which the Ciudad República Survera.
That technical work was the key so that Korra’s legend He had a completely different visual identity from his predecessor. While Aang Was inspired by traditional Asian animation, Korra He embraced a more modern, bold and cinematographic language, which still surprises today.
Korra Legend and her visual innovation
Today, Korra’s legend is available in streaming through Paramount+And he continues to obtain recognition not only for his more mature and complex history, but for his pioneering role in western television animation. Breaking the rules not only allowed them to innovate, but forced Nickelodeon to keep up with a sector that was already changing.
What seemed to be a simple technical improvement at the time to make an abysmal difference. The commitment to the High definition And the most elaborate effects were not just an aesthetic decision: it was a declaration of intention that was Korra As an advanced series at your time.
Korra’s legend It has often been compared to other entertainment sequences that try to go beyond the tone of original children. Cases like She-Ra and the princesses of power or Star Wars: Rebels They also bet on deeper stories and upper quality animation, but Korra was one of the first to take that road without permission, literally. That creative courage has not only marked a milestone for its creators, but has raised the level for the entire western animation industry.
