The Mysterious Cities of Gold: season 2 (2013)

Bernard Deyriès: Hello everyone

Routard: Let's be direct: when do you plan the MCoG2 sequel?

Bernard Deyriès: Nothing within 2 years.

Tolkien: Soon the movie?

Bernard Deyriès: I am aware of nothing

Routard: When you came to this idea for the MCoG series?

Bernard Deyriès: It was a flash of interest because it is the Japanese who have proposed the Cities of Gold series

Nemo: I have a question about the DVDs: there are a lot of problems. Are you aware?

Bernard Deyriès: I heard about this: on episode 17? In any case I'm sorry. Sony tries to fix the bugs and I have myself an old DVD set

Mannn: A videogame with the MCoG or Ulysses?

Bernard Deyriès: No question for now, but it would please me very much

Bouben: Ulysses 31 was an idea of you and Chalopin?

Bernard Deyriès: Ulysses 31 was an idea of Jean Chalopin which excited me immediately

JPiG: Do you think that a collection of all MCoG BGM is plausible and acceptable to Saban?

Bernard Deyriès: The only problem is that I think Saban has lost the original tapes

Bouben: Do you know the numerous websites about your mythical series? What does this inspires you?

Bernard Deyriès: Yes, and I find it very touching. I did not think there were so many people interested in my series

PaPa: Congratulations for your work and thank you for chatting with us

Bernard Deyriès: It is normal to respond to the public and it is a new technique that interests me a lot

Routard: Concerning the sequel, would it be the same: 39 episodes, with documentaries?

Bernard Deyriès: I think the documentaries don't interest the TV channels any more

Nemo: There is an audio CD project. Saban would not have lost the tapes!

Bernard Deyriès: I confirm, yes, mid January 2001

Tolkien: Do you plan to use the same doublers as the first series?

Bernard Deyriès: I intend to work with the same teams as for the first series, if possible (eg the voices if not too old)

Vkempf: Did you find a coproducer for the sequel?

Bernard Deyriès: Today, the producer would be TOON and the french TV channel M6

Wishmerhil: In which languages were translated the MCoG series?

Bernard Deyriès: The Mysterious Cities of Gold have been translated into Japanese, English, Italian. In Spain, I do not even know if they were broadcasted, for obvious reasons

Nemo: Apart from the MCoG2, what are you working on right now?

Bernard Deyriès: I'm working on a feature film "Little Hippo" for 6 year old children, to be released on April 4, 2001. I am developing a series for France 3 about "The Countess de Segur" ("A Good Little Devil") and a series with artist Jacques Tardi, the background will be the second world war

Routard: You liked the concept of Ulysses 31 because it is similar to the Mysterious Cities of Gold one: a cartoon with an historical background?

Bernard Deyriès: It is the opposite: we first made Ulysses 31 before the Cities of Gold

Popu: Why DIC has stopped the series Jayce and the wheeled warriors?

Bernard Deyriès: Because the series had ended!

Esteban99: Do you have the same motivation as 20 years ago to make this long awaited sequel? Do you still have the same vision? Is it out of passion as before or for profit?

Bernard Deyriès: I can assure you that if I can not afford to make the sequel as I want (faithful to the first series), I give up to achieve the MCoG2 series

PaPa: Do you meet famous people? If yes, who are they?

Bernard Deyriès: I meet interesting people, yes. Famous, I do not know. First, there is my children, my grandchildren, and people I work with: decorators, designers, etc.

Mannn: There were rumors for a film of Ulysses 31? What about?

Bernard Deyriès: Following the series in 81, we started to develop a feature film of Ulysses 31, which was not done for reasons of disagreement between different people

Bouben: When I see what has been done with Inspector Gadget, I fear for Ulysses 31! What do you think?

Bernard Deyriès: I also fear, but we will be very cautious

Indiana: When do you plan a release of the Cities of Gold series on DVD?

Bernard Deyriès: We will give you the release date

Maxagaz: Do you always give the same importance to the soundtrack?

Bernard Deyriès: Yes, it think that the soundtrack is 60% of the film. With a ordinary image and a bad soundtrack you have a bad film, whereas with an ordinary image and a good soundtrack, you have a good movie

Xael: For the MCoG, were you influenced by Hergé?

Bernard Deyriès: Honestly no. Instead, we have watched the documentaries provided by NHK (Japanese TV channel). But I think he had subconsciously his influence

Tolkien: The soundtrack of the MCoG2 would include new tracks or would be exactly the same?

Bernard Deyriès: The soundtrack would be richer and would be re-orchestrated for the tastes of today but the spirit would remain the same

Mendrelane: Don't you think that the cartoons of today are much less stylized than 10-20 years ago?

Bernard Deyriès: I think rather the contrary: they are more stylized today

Gwenl: In the Cities of Gold series, how to justify the appearance of Scott O'Dell in the credits while the scenario is actually very far from his book (The King's Fifth)? Apart from the names of characters and some very rare situations, the two works have little in common!

Bernard Deyriès: Gradually the scenarios were similar

PaPa: Do you work a lot?

Bernard Deyriès: It depends on the day!

Nemo: Will the Japanese participate in the MCoG2? As for the first series?

Bernard Deyriès: It would be the same, half and half

Maxagaz: What do you think of cartoons today?

Bernard Deyriès: What I like in cartoons today is that the influence of Japanese animation is more important

Bouben: Your studio DIC has disappeared?

Bernard Deyriès: DIC still exists: it's a U.S. company sold in 1987 and is owned by Disney after several resales ... And Andy Heyward, whith whom we have developed the company in the United States, is still the president!

Routard: The Cities of Gold series is foremost: the search for Esteban's father, the quest for the great legacy of Mu, a cartoon with a mythological background or the initiatory journey of a young boy of 12 years?

Bernard Deyriès: If it is the quest of the father of Esteban and the pursuit of great legacy of Mu, with a mythological background, by a young boy of 12 years, so it is his initiatory journey

Bouben: Why never have been a voice doubler ... Your voice is the same as Jean Topart in the documentaries! A new career, right?

Bernard Deyriès: Doubling is a very difficult job, you must be a very good actor and also know how to read a rythmoband (the scrolling text below the image)

PiTbuLL: What do you think about the merger between Time Warner and AOL? In your opinion, does the Europeans can compete with U.S. and Japanese majors?

Bernard Deyriès: For me, the merger between Warner and AOL is dangerous for the freedom of creation. But fortunately these big companies tend to stagnate and there will always be independent designers to bring fresh ideas. I think that the production of cartoons must stand out from others to have a chance of survival. European creation is rich, even if the funds are not equal to the U.S., the success of Kirikou is a good example

PiTbuLL: Which computing tools do you use?

Bernard Deyriès: Until now, softwares as PEGS, TOONS, U.S. Animation, which are a valuable assistance for 2D render. But soon I'll move to 3D softwares like Maya or 3DSmax with a 2D rendering which will bring more wealth in terms of animation

Routard: In what historical context lies the sequel?

Bernard Deyriès: First, the starting point is the same as the ending point of the last series. Then, the heroes travel to North America to go to Japan across the Pacific

Bouben: The search of the father is a theme apparently dear to your heart: Esteban, Ulysses ... Can you tell us more?

Bernard Deyriès: I think I must go see a psychoanalyst

Nemo: Are not you a little disappointed that France has lost so much weight in animation today?

Bernard Deyriès: On the contrary, at that time, France was the 25th producer of animation in the world, while today it is the 3rd largest producer after ... the U.S. and Japan

Manu: What you stones shaped with 36 faces and assembled at 3000 meters high? And Nazca drawings used to land the great condor, visible only from the sky?

Bernard Deyriès: We were inspired by all these legends (or true stories?) which deal with Maya and ancient inhabitants of Central and South Americas

Routard: I remember the series when I was little and I found it sad that Tao is alone, compared to Esteban and Zia! Esteban seems very distant from Tao and Zia speaks little! The characters will evolve during the 2nd series?

Bernard Deyriès: I think there is a little rivalry between Esteban and Tao: jealousy toward Zia? There is no reason that characters evolve since the series resumes where we left it

Maxagaz: The audience who watches cartoons has changed?

Bernard Deyriès: Yes, part of that audience has specialized. The cartoon became a show like others ...

Laurent: Is there a video game on the Cities of Gold?

Bernard Deyriès: No, and it is unfortunate

PiTbuLL: Do you think the video game may be the medium that can save the animation industry? Would you later partnered with renowned publishers such as Infogrames, Ubisoft, Kalisto, Microids or Cryo?

Bernard Deyriès: The Videogame is a tool that will help (but not save!) producers and animation for funding future series

Nemo: When can we meet? Will you attend to the Cartoonist in Toulon on Easter?

Bernard Deyriès: Not at the moment

Wishmerhil: Solaris and the Great Condor are fantastic! Is there going to be other vehicles?

Bernard Deyriès: The concept is not advanced enough to answer with certainty

Esteban99: Through passion, I am trying to re-orchestrate the Cities of Gold soundtrack, with present-day instruments, sampling and vocals. The passion can go a long way, isn't it?

Bernard Deyriès: Ooooohhhhhh yeeeeeees!!!

Bernard Deyriès: Thank you all: I'm surprised and touched that you pay so much attention to the MCoG series. Two years ago, I discovered there was a whole world of fans and I did not expect so much. Even if 20 years ago, I thought it would be the best series I've ever done (I say the same thing for every series). Thank you all