Remember the promise of the internet? Entertainment was going to get 
a hi-tech makeover. We were supposed to see new avenues of content delivery, creative twists on storytelling; power would shift from the many to the few, and the web was going to incubate projects and ready them for television and even the silver screen.
Well, lo and behold, 7 or 8 years later, the internet is finally delivering on it’s promise. Every studio and network either has a broadband network or one in the works, cell phone content is growing by leaps and bounds, small studios and 
individuals are making big money on their own web shows, and a few have even transitioned off the web and onto TV or film.
Take, for instance, ‘Queer Duck.’ Back in 2000, when the internet was going to cure cancer, Icebox.com had assembled an army of big names to help kickstart entertainment on the internet. Whether it was the lack of broadband access, lack of good jokes, or maybe just bad timing, it sputtered. Nothing to be ashamed about, really. It happened to just about everyone back then.
But Icebox.com refused to quit. 
They released a ‘Mr. Wong’ DVD, put together a deal with Showtime to broadcast ‘Queer Duck,’ and kept the dream alive. And now Paramount Home Video has just announced a feature-length ‘Queer Duck - The Movie’ project. On board is Mike Reiss, the creator of ‘Queer Duck’ and a writer on 15 seasons of ‘The Simpsons,’ and Xeth Feinberg, the director and animator of the ‘Queer Duck’ series.
Xeth recently took a few minutes to share his experiences so far on ‘Queer Duck: The Movie,’ and how he and a small team of artist are producing a Flash-animated feature film.
AARON: How did ‘Queer Duck’ get from the web to a feature film?
XETH FEINBERG: The original 5 shorts first aired in 2000 on Icebox.com. (Icebox is now producing the movie.) In 2002 Showtime commissioned 15 more shorts for online (sho.com) and for broadcast around their show QUEER AS FOLK.
Mike Reiss created the show and has written every line of every episode. He had a version of the the movie written back in 2002. It’s just taken years for all the pieces to come together.
AARON: How long have you been in production on the feature?
XETH: We started in mid-May 2004, with storyboarding.
AARON: When we hear the phrase ‘animated feature’ we think of a rather large crew working for 3-4 years. Sounds like it’s a bit different on the ‘Queer Duck: The Movie.’
XETH: It’s a very small crew, partly virtual, working for under a year. A tough deadline. But there’s a very solid script written by creator/writer Mike Reiss. It’s basically my job to visualize and draw it, which is an interesting and fun task. The scale of the production is maybe comparable to an indie feature, which is kind of refreshing. Lots of work, but lots of creative input and freedom too. There may be a last minute influx of staff to finish the movie, but all the design and preparation is being done by me and a handful of others.
AARON: How much re-use of pre-existing artwork have you managed for the movie?
XETH: The basic designs of the main characters (Queer Duck, Bi-Polar Bear, Openly Gator and Oscar Wildcat) are the same, and other characters make return appearances, but all of the old symbols and elements are being reworked. And there is an updated, upgraded look to the overall design of the movie. To the best of my ability, I don’t want to just make the world’s biggest circa-2002 webtoon.
AARON: What limitations did you have for the web shorts that you no longer deal with for the movie?
XETH: On the webtoons we always had to deal with file size and compensate for potential problems on the web. In 2000, I was designing for dial-up. In 2002 I could push it a little bit more. For the movie, that sort of stuff is irrelevant, thankfully.
AARON: Were the web shorts altered for the original Showtime broadcasts?
XETH: No. We just took of the preloader. It would have been nice to maybe tweak some things, but there was never time. I should mention I did each episode from storyboard to delivery in an average of 2 weeks with one assistant animator.
AARON: Are you planning a title sequence?
XETH: The goal is to give the movie a mind-blowing opening sequence. Time will tell how that plays out.
AARON: For the musical numbers - are you guys animating to completed musical tracks?
XETH: Yes, we have completed musical tracks already. Sam Elwitt, who did all the instrumentation for the original shorts, has done an amazing job putting Mike’s lyrics to music. We’re now working to get all the incidental music together.
AARON: Will you and your team be using any other software on the production besides Flash?
XETH: So far it is all Flash. But there are sequences that might get additional treatment.
AARON: Can we expect to meet some new characters in the movie?
XETH: There are a ton of new characters and situations. It’s a very funny script that really expands the world of ‘Queer Duck.’ I compare it to the way it worked on the ‘South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut’ feature, if you liked ‘South Park’ and the idea of ‘South Park,’ then you liked the movie and appreciated where they went with it. Anyone who liked ‘Queer Duck’ is going to really enjoy the movie. But I think it also takes it beyond any kind of ‘one joke’ idea. It’s not just a movie about gay cartoon characters, it’s a cartoon where some of the main characters are gay. It’s actually a pretty complicated story.
AARON: Some of your crew is working virtually. Tell us how this works.
XETH: Basically, I spend a lot of time using email!
It’s you, the pencil, the paper and the idea - battling away for hours on end. 
feature “in 19 parts that brims with action and adventure in a future world much like our own… that is, except for all the giant alien robots.”
