Thread by @SBarrBrisebois

In the DVD Les Trésors Cachés de Michel Ocelot, the director speaks of his first animated series project.
The TV series Gedeon. About a Duckling with a super long neck. Who befriends animals around the farm and the countryside and lives many adventures with them. Some dangerous.

Based on a book series by Benjamin Rabier, the series Gedeon was produced and launched by Yves Rousset-Rouard, who produced the movie Emanuelle, a successful erotic French movie that made so much money he decided to make an animation studio.

As explained by Michel Ocelot, the work conditions were some of the best the director ever witnessed. However, the climate turned sour after someone badly advised the animators that they were mistreated by the producer.

Those employees complained 2 the government, who sent an investigator 2 see those so-called horrendous work conditions.But after his investigation,the investigator asked Michel Ocelot if these employees were stupid as their complaints were bogus & their work conditions impeccable

Due to that investigation, the producer Yves Rousset-Rouard became furious at those animators & swore that he would never employ any animators, nor make any other cartoon series again. & he kept his word. Even though Gedeon was a success & the public/📺 asked for more episodes.

Over 60 episodes, Michel Ocelot animated his series with paper cut-outs. Some of them all already pre-built to save time and energy. So that he just had to switch model after each photo taken on the multiplane camera.

And for each animals in the show, they had different expressions and animations cut out for them. With the mouths flapping according to the words they would pronounce. Forewarning what Michel Ocelot would do in all his movies like Princes and Princesses.

Here you can see Michel Ocelot's background work. Very detailed plants and garden accessories. A precision very influenced by the French painter Henri Rousseau. And for the night scenes, you just had to flip the imaged around as their back side is covered with black paper.

Real shame that the series Gedeon is not available for sale on DVD or on Itunes. As a debut project for Michel Ocelot, before he did his short films, it was a great masterclass for him regarding how to helm a big animation project.

If the series is ever offered again on DVD, you can be sure I will purchase it. The series is well written from what I heard. But as Michel Ocelot said, due to legal reasons, it was impossible to offer the series on the "Les Trésors Cachés de Michel Ocelot" DVD set.
Quite sad.