This summer could certainly be considered a transitional period for Brendon Small. The fourth and final season of his first series, "Home Movies," came to DVD in June. And on August 6, his newest series, "Metalocalypse," will premiere on the Cartoon Network programing block [adult swim]. Brendon agreed to an interview with the Weekend to discuss the end of Brendon, Jason and Melissa, and the beginning of Dethklok.
Rob O'Connor: So, Any chance of a Home Movies reunion?\nBrendon Small: I think as long as everyone is still alive you can't rule it out. I like the idea of doing Home Movies Babies. Where like everyone is the same age but their babies, like Coach is a baby and everyone is a baby, that is what I'd like to see.
RO: So like Muppet Babies...\nBS: Ah, I think it's gonna be different. Like we wouldn't use words. The babies cannot talk.
RO: Do you think a show with no words would really fly for a medium like television?\nBS: Well I don't think Home Movies worked on Television and that had words. You know, I looked at [Home Movies] and asked 'why is this show a failure?' I think it's because we used words.
RO: So could you explain the plot to [Metalocolypse].\nBS: The show is about the biggest metal band in the world, and their called Dethklok. Their half American and half Swedish and Norwegian members. They are the biggest band in the world and death and destruction follow them around. There will be a lot of murder and a lot of metal. It is going to be very different from Home Movies. It is going to be a very grandiose epic. It is going to be awesome.
RO: Have you had any trouble making the switch from a 30 minute cartoon to a 15 minute one?\nBS: It is tough, it is different because you have half as much time and I like to write a lot of ideas. Me and Tommy [Blacha] the co-creator, we would like to cram a lot of stuff into this small amount of time. I wish the show were an hour. I mean, two seconds is a huge unit of time, and a lot of times we have to find two seconds to cut out of an episode or we can't broadcast it. Sometimes finding those two seconds of time is a very difficult thing to do. My other thing is this, I don't care how much time you give me, I will still write to much. No matter what. I just think that is the process, you write too much and you pare it down.
RO: So over all do you think it is a hindrance to the storytelling process?\nBS: No, it is a good challenge is what I think it is. I think no matter what you do or what type of time you are given, you have to make it work for whatever you are doing. Some shows on TV there is no reason for them to be that length. I was thinking about the three Star Wars prequels. There is no reason that had to be three movies.
RO: I think it could have actually been a half a movie.\nBS: It is arbitrary how much time a network allots you to do a subject. It is a good discipline for me to have to write within a certain format. I am sure I would complain about any amount of time I am given.
RO: Will you be using a lot of the same talent that you used in "Home Movies?"\nBS: No. I'd like to. The one thing about the show is that we have a very small budget, which is sort of how we sold the show. And there is a lot more music than there was on "Home Movies." There is a lot more score driven stuff and a lot more classical score stuff, and it's just got a different vibe and a different sound, and it promises new music each episode. So We don't have the budget to put in as many people as we want to, me and Tommy the co-creator are doing tons of the voices ourselves and well pick up a couple of people here and there. I think in the future I am sure to get some of the "Home Movies" people aboard, but for now with the budget I think it is going to be a pretty small group of people.
RO: Will you still be using a lot of improv like you did on "Home Movies?" \nBS: Yeah, the way we do it here is a different system. Home Movies was more ensemble stuff, so there are a lot fewer voices. You know I am talking to myself a lot of the time, so I have to overlap my own dialog so I have to find like new ways to do that. So what I'll do is prerecord some lines and go back and kind of question and answer myself. But I think no matter what I do there is a level of improve, just because I wrote something at one point doesn't mean that it is the final version. There's no little stamp that says, "this is finished" it is always developing I think. And even when I record something I will find a better take on a line or find some thing funnier or more appropriate. Me and Tommy are constantly challenging ourselves to make it better.
RO: How was it working with the guys from Metallica?\nBS: It was Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield. I've been a Metallica fan since I was 14-years-old, so I was pretty nervous meeting them. They did a great job, and they're going to be doing a lot of guest voices in tons of different episodes. They aren't playing themselves, they are acting as like, characters and stuff. So you'll see a lot of their names in the credits. It was awesome, they were great and I am a huge Metallica fan.
RO: If I remember correctly, I think they also did a "Space Ghost Coast to Coast" episode.\nBS: Well I think the thing is that they are really drawn to that stuff. I mean, when I was there they were working on a new album, and it was incredibly fun. There was smiles and they were eager to please and they really did a great job.
RO: Sounds great.\nBS: Yeah, this is the ultimate dream job as far as I'm concerned. When this show gets canceled, which all shows do, I think I'll have to stop being in show business, because I will have done the coolest job that I can do.
RO: [laughs] Fair enough. Are you still doing stand up?\nBS: Yeah, I do a regular show out here in L.A. every Saturday night with Ron Lynch, who played Mr. Lynch in "Home Movies." We do a midnight show and we have a bunch of weird guests and different people and music acts and stuff. It's at the Steve Allen Theater in LA. It's Fun, It's completely unwritten and completely absurd and bizarre. We've been doing it for about nine months.
RO: Thanks Brendon.\nBS: Yeah, have a nice day and, uh, Rock n' Roll.
