Oscar Nominee Bill Plympton Boards ‘Guard Dog’ Series From Quirino Winner Cesar Cabral (EXCLUSIVE)

Emilio Mayorga
·2 min read
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Two-time Oscar nominee Bill Plympton (“Your Face,”“Guard Dog”) has boarded the series “Guard Dog & Bill Plympton in Brazil,” directed by Brazilian animator Cesar Cabral.

Cabral’s stop-motion “Bob Spit: We Do Not Like People” won best feature at the Quirino Awards last May.

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Currently in pre-production, “Guard Dog” follows the celebrated over-anxious or just neurotic yellow canine of te title alongside his creator Plympton. “The series’ general idea is to bring Guard Dog and his owner –in this case Plympton himself – to tour Brazilian cities and draw their tourist and artistic impressions of our country,” director Cabral told Variety.

The Coala Filmes and Cup Filmes co-production is backed by Federal incentive body Fundo Setorial do Audiovisual (FSA).

To air on pay TV Canal Brasil, the three-minute, 18-episode series will mix 2D and stop-motion techniques and will complement a 52-minute documentary on Plympton traveling through Brazil in the company of Cabral and Cup Filmes producer, Ivan Melo.

“Brazil will be seen from the point of view of Bill Plympton’s famous character, Guard Dog, who tries to protect his owner from the unexpected dangers of this country,” Cabral explained.

“It’s going to be very similar in terms of the dog’s humor. The difference is that it doesn’t take place in America, but in Brazil,” Plympton told Variety, adding: “One of the interesting things is that in this country, people enjoy a lot more freedom, so the series, I assume, will have some nudity scenes at beaches, among other things.”

A regular attendee at Annecy for many years, New York-based Plympton serves as “Guard Dog’s” co-creator, creative consultant and is responsible for the story-board. In terms of animation, “Cesar is the boss; he’s a great artist,” Plympton said.

The legendary Plympton, whom “The Simpsons’” Matt Groening calls “God,” is considered by many as one of the leading lights of independent animation and has established a prerequisite for projects to be “cheap, fast and funny.” His credits include seven features and over 70 shorts.

Plympton is currently in post-production on his new feature “Slide.” Produced by his label, Bill Plympton Studios, it’s expected to be ready for delivery by next spring.

The feature is a Western set in Plympton’s native Oregon with songs from singer-songwriter Hank Williams. It will follow “a mystical cowboy who comes into a very corrupted town with his guitar and is beaten up by the bad guys,” Plympton said.

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