Comedy, Quebec Style

An Interview With Michel Beaudet, creator of TAC.tv

by Marc Ostrick

I like to start these by having people introduce themselves. Can you tell us a little about your background and how you became interested in animation?

I worked in advertising for 15 years. I climbed all the steps, from junior copywriter to creative director. I spent 15 years creating ideas for clients, and at one point I decided to use my creativity for myself. So I quit my director's job and started to dream up strange concepts in my basement.

Can you please share some of your creative influences and tell us how they have helped shape your vision?

I am a big fan of Gary Larson (the Far Side Gallery) and Jim Unger (Herman). I was blown away by Aardman Studio's Creature Comforts. Closer to home, François Pérusse, Claude Meunier and Daniel Lemire (three famous comics from Quebec) were a big influence.

I'm curious, are the characters in your episodes based on real people? If so, who are they? And if not, how did you come up with these characters?

They're no one specific, but rather everyone I know! My characters depict the average Joe, and I truly believe that this is why we've succeeded in engaging the audience. While absurdly rendered with outsized eyes and facial features, TAC.tv characters strike a chord of familiarity. Also, although we love to recreate ordinary and everyday situations, we never depict existing characters—you'll never see John McCain or Céline Dion spoofed on TAC.tv; plenty of people do that very well already.

Video: TAC TV's "The Hostage"

 

How long does it take to make an episode? I'm sure readers are very interested in your process; can you please tell us about how you put an episode together?

Ah-ha!

Can you please discuss the qualities that make up a "stereotypical" Quebecer?

It may be just the Quebec sense of humour, but I truly think it's universal. Lots of people are crazy about mangas (Japanese style of animation and comic books), and there's no need to know anything about Japanese culture to enjoy them.

But it is true that TAC.tv has become a huge phenomenon in Quebec and France, with catchphrases entering the French language lexicon. The actor playing the English characters, Bruce Dinsmore, told me once that it was like having people around repeating Homer Simpson's 'D'oh!' In Quebec and France, you hear people saying (Uncle Tom's catchphrases) 'C'est pas amazing' or 'C'est beautiful.'

When making Web-centric films, is there anything specific in your creative process that is taken into account for working in the medium?

Yes, we are aware that most of the content that is viewed online must be limited to 2-3 minutes in length. In addition, we've created a recognizable style with these characters, where only heads and torsos are shown on screen. No legs, few arms or body movements, one or two camera angles, and not many camera movements. We keep things very simple and focused on the story and dialogues. These are great clips to watch on small screens such as cell phones or PDAs.

What appeals to you about showing your work online?

The Internet is an amazing creation and communication tool. It has allowed me, as a creator, to produce on my own and with little means, video clips viewed millions of times, without having to wait for a producer or a broadcaster to greenlight me. As a businessman, I am able to control my operations via the Internet. This medium allows me to control distribution and avoid middlemen and intermediaries in my value chain. Because of this, I own my brand and have greater negotiation leverage when doing business outside of the Internet.

What are some of your favorite original online videos at the moment? It could be animation, docs, comedy, etc.

Itsjerrytime.com
Angry Kid
Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy

Video: "Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy"

 

Finally, is there any final idea you can leave us with to help us foster greater creativity online?

Don't listen to people who say you can't accomplish your goals. If you have a great idea, be creative and find a way to make your product special so you can draw attention to it.

Video: TAC TV's "The Willi Waller"

 

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