You can’t spell entertainment without “AI.” At least, that’s how AI proponents think. You can’t spell animation without those letters, either. Veteran animator Uli Meyer has taken his anxiety and perhaps anger over AI coming for his art form and turned it into a horror comedy pitch. First revealed to Cartoon Brew, Tricky & The Cereal Killers mixes live action and hand-drawn animation for a story of AI-driven cereal mascots gone mad.
At this point it’s only the proof of concept trailer, but Meyer has begun pitching it to possible production partners so he and his talented friends can create a feature version. Like a very evil Who Framed Roger Rabbit, the film pours several anxieties into a bowl. In addition to AI, the pitch also tackles the concern over targeting advertising to children, especially of unhealthy foods. Look, I buy my General Mills monster cereals every year, but I suffer no illusion that it’s a good thing that I do.
Cartoon Brew describes the film:
Starting in 1990s London, Tricky follows a husband-and-wife animation team whose careers collapse overnight when new laws ban ads featuring unhealthy products aimed at children. Their most beloved creation, Tricky the Leprechaun, is shelved along with their dreams. Decades later, their teenage granddaughter Charli discovers Tricky’s old animation art and uploads it using AI tools — accidentally opening a digital portal that unleashes the once-cute cereal mascots, now monstrous and self-aware, into the real world.
All of it is in Meyer’s background. He did work on Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, so knows the careful craft that goes into effectively melding the real world with animation. Having his hand in a lot of styles, he also worked with many of the cereal mascots he parodies here, including Lucky Leprechaun. Though that may influence Tricky, Meyer cautions “…It’s less about nostalgia for the past and more about finding a creative way through the present moment.”
Watch the teaser and join me in hoping he finds people with money who share his vision.
These are the talents behind Meyer, taken from Cartoon Brew:
Animation
Ryan Fairbanks
Michael Schlingmann
Dean Roberts
Uli Meyer
Gary Dunn
Boris Hiestand
Ole Christian Loken
Panagiotis Rappas
Sandro Cleuzo
Character Design
Uli Meyer
Gary Dunn
Craig Kellman
Tricky cel painted by Lucie Julliat
Live Action
Maya: Margaret Clunie
Ben: Tom Ashley
Charli: Jessica Prentice
Tricky Rob Rackstraw
Kids: Julius Meyer
Charlotte Isabell Parker
Kai Roberts
Cinematographer: Markus Ilschner
Focus Puller: Alexandra Voikou
2nd AC: Esther Mitchell
Gaffer: Henry Young, Nicolas Hambleton
Sparks: Edmund Bishop, Oliver Young, Jordan White
On-Set Art Direction: Daniela Topham
Sound Recordist: Charlie Hinde, Olly Kent
Sound Recordist Assistant Ariya Beecham
Special FX Supervisor & Props: Mark Bailey
Vfx clean-up: Olpamish Bazarbaev
Hair & Make-Up: Lisa Meyer, Emma Leon
Runner: Anya Chung, Korede Alaran
Stills Photographer Niki Bruckner
BTS Seun Pinheiro
Composer Lindsay Whright
Casting Tom Medcalf
Colourist Garry Maddison
Grade producer: Steve Faulmann
Sound designer: Giorgos Mikrogiannakis
Bagpipes: Lorne MacDougall
Special thanks to:
Paul Chung & Daniela Topham for the use of their home.
