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Monty Oum

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Monty Oum
Monty Oum at PAX 2013
Born
Monyreak Oum

(1981-06-22)June 22, 1981
Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
DiedFebruary 1, 2015(2015-02-01) (aged 33)
Austin, Texas, U.S.
Cause of deathAllergic reaction
NationalityAmerican
OccupationAnimator, screenwriter, animation director, voice actor
Years active2007–2015
EmployerRooster Teeth Productions
Notable work
RWBY
Red vs. Blue
Haloid
Dead Fantasy
Spouse(s)Sheena Duquette Oum (m. 2014–2015; his death) [1]
Parent(s)Mony Oum
Haruka Kashibuchi Oum
Websitemontyoum.net
Signature
File:Mounty Oum signature.png

Monyreak "Monty" Oum[2] (/oʊm/; June 22, 1981 – February 1, 2015) was an American web-based animator and writer.[3] A self-taught animator, he scripted and produced several crossover fighting video series, drawing the attention of internet production company Rooster Teeth, who hired him. There, he provided custom animations for Red vs. Blue, and created the original animated series RWBY. Oum married Sheena Duquette on May 10, 2014.[4]

Oum attracted attention within the gaming community after releasing the hit video Haloid in 2007 on GameTrailers, which a Destructoid article called "the most interesting Halo-related fan movie in existence".[5] The video has received more than 4 million views and is the most watched user-created content on GameTrailers.[6] In October of the same year, he released the first video in his Dead Fantasy fan series which, like Haloid, featured fantastical combat sequences between characters from two different established games series (this time Tecmo's Dead or Alive/Ninja Gaiden vs. Square Enix's Final Fantasy/Kingdom Hearts).[7] He released five episodes of Dead Fantasy, a preview of an additional episode and two music videos featuring the heroines of the series. After Oum announced that he had started working for Rooster Teeth, the series was put on hold.

Oum suffered a severe allergic reaction during a medical procedure and fell into a coma on January 22, 2015.[8] He died on February 1, 2015.

Early life[]

Sheena and Monty Oum at PAX Prime 2014 (15157153681)

Sheena and Monty Oum at PAX West 2014

Oum was born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1981.[9] According to Oum, he was "Cambodian, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Japanese".[10] He had four older brothers and two older sisters.[11]

Career[]

Independent work[]

Oum dropped out of high school and began putting together fan videos as early as 2002.[12] In January 2007, he discovered some reverse engineering techniques online that allowed him to extract models from Halo 2 and, utilizing assets from Super Smash Bros. Melee, created the "ultimate showdown" between a SPARTAN (Halo) and Samus Aran (Metroid) in Haloid, a portmanteau of their respective franchises.[13] In the years following Haloid, Oum released a number of similar mash-up combat videos in which characters from the Final Fantasy franchise fought against others from the Dead or Alive franchise of fighting games, under the title Dead Fantasy.[14] In total, five full videos in this series were produced, along with two music videos in which various of the series' heroines dancing to pop music—a preview of an additional episode that was never completed was later leaked online but never officially released by Oum.[citation needed]

Industry work[]

Two months after the premiere of Haloid, many gaming companies sought Oum,[13] and he was eventually hired by Midway Games as a combat designer. In 2008 he was hired by Namco Bandai Games as a combat designer and animator for Afro Samurai.[15] The brief experience in the gaming industry frustrated Oum,[13] and in 2009, he met Rooster Teeth co-founder Burnie Burns at a panel during San Diego Comic-Con International and the two discussed the possibility of Monty working for the company.[16] It wasn't until PAX East 2010 that it was announced that Oum had been hired as an animator for the company's long-running web series Red vs. Blue.[17] Despite its military science fiction setting, Red vs. Blue had been light on combat, emphasizing humour and storytelling. With Oum's involvement, the series began to feature elaborately choreographed fight sequences similar to the content of Oum's fan videos. This trend continued through the completion of the 10th season of the show in 2012.[13]

Previous to the conclusion of season 10 of Red vs. Blue, Oum had pitched an idea for a series of his own; anxious to see the production deadline for Red vs. Blue met, Burns told Oum that if he could complete work on season 10 of Red vs. Blue on schedule, Oum would be given the opportunity to make his series.[18] At PAX East, that new series was announced as RWBY with Oum serving as lead animator and over-all creative director for the project.[19] Like his previous work, RWBY featured highly involved and fantastical combat sequences between super-powered characters that garnered strong fan and critical praise.[citation needed] However, unlike all the series that Oum had worked on previously, the show had no thematic or stylistic links to an existing game franchise. Instead, the show featured characters and storylines of Oum's own design, which he chose to base upon existing fairytales and folklore from both western and eastern cultures. In the lead-up to the release of RWBY's first season, Oum and Rooster Teeth generated buzz for the show through the release of four trailers, each of which featured one of the show's main four female protagonists. The show itself premiered in July 2013, available for free viewing on Rooster Teeth's website and on YouTube.

RWBY was fairly well received, being a commercial success for Rooster Teeth and garnering Oum his greatest mainstream recognition yet.[20] The series was popular with Rooster Teeth's existing fanbase, but being a coming-of-age story featuring four young female protagonists, the show also proved popular with a younger female demographic.[citation needed] Two seasons of the show were produced, with a third in production at the time of Oum's death in early 2015. Despite Oum's key roles in several aspects of RWBY's development, Rooster Teeth announced on March 9, 2015 that the show would remain in production and that work on a third volume was already underway. The company stated that Oum had shared much of his vision for the future of the story with the rest of the production staff and that these ideas would remain the basis for future work on the show.[21]

Animation style[]

Oum's animation was noted for both extensive detail in character design and for the frenetically fast-paced nature of his combat sequences, which were major components of his work.[13] A dancer, a martial artist and a cinephile, Oum himself claimed to adapt the style of his animation from a wide variety of sources, citing classical action and martial arts films (particularly Hong Kong action films), video game combat and various forms of animation as all having had an influence on his own work.[22] RWBY featured characters with generally normal human body proportions, but occasionally featured exaggerated features for comic effect (similar to conventions often found in anime) as well as other visual humor.[original research?] Numerous of Oum's co-workers at Rooster Teeth referenced him as having an obsessive work ethic with regard to his art and projects, with numerous Rooster Teeth podcasts (a weekly segment giving insight in the company's inner workings) making reference to his "machine-like" qualities with regard to his work.[23]

Death[]

On January 22, 2015, Oum was hospitalized following a severe allergic reaction during a routine medical procedure that rendered him comatose.[24] On January 30, Rooster Teeth co-founder Burnie Burns stated that Oum was "in critical care and it is not known if he will recover".[8] A donation page was set up for the medical expenses on GoFundMe, which received over $210,000. On February 1, 2015 at 4:34 PM, Oum died as a result of the allergic reaction.[24][25][26] His funeral was held on February 7.[4]

Tributes[]

A tribute podcast to Oum took place the day after his death.[26] An episode of the popular series Death Battle – whose animator and cast were heavily influenced by Oum[citation needed] – dedicated the episode "Boba Fett vs Samus Remastered" to him and also had an animated dance sequence that paid tribute to his work, though the song used ("Real Emotion" from the Final Fantasy X-2 soundtrack) was removed due to copyright violations some weeks after.[27]

One of his brothers, Neath, replaced him as the voice of Lie Ren in RWBY following his death.[28] A tribute to Oum was included in the intro to Volume 3 of RWBY. It contains a piano-ballad with a rose petal falling from the sky towards his name on the ground. The opening scene in Volume 3 shows the main character, Ruby Rose, speaking at the grave of her dead mother. When she leaves to join her father, a flock of birds flies into the sun, recreating Oum's signature.[29]

The YouTube channel RocketJump also made a tribute out to Oum in a video entitled "Keep off the Grass"[30]

The TeamFourStar abridged version of Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks begins with a dedication to Oum.[31]

On February 1, 2017, the "Monty Oum Performance Capture Stage" at Rooster Teeth Animation's new facility was dedicated in his honor.[32]

The last episode of Season One of Camp Camp, another Roosterteeth production, featured the song 'Keeper of the Flame. In Verse five of the song the lyrics "We just trying to get by, but we pray for you all day (Monty)" can be heard.

Filmography[]

Year Name Director Writer Animator Actor Other Notes
2007 Haloid Yes Yes Yes Yes Producer, cinematographer, editor, visual effects
2007–09 Dead Fantasy Yes Yes Yes Yes Creator
2009 Afro Samurai Yes Additional designer
2010–12 Red vs. Blue Yes Yes Yes Yes Cinematographer
2010–14 Immersion Yes
2013 Internet Box Panel, RTX 2013 Yes Yes P. F. Chang's Deliveryman
2013–15 RWBY Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Creator, voice of Ren (Volumes 1 and 2)

Accolades[]

List of awards and nominations
Year Award Category Title of work Result
2014 Streamy Awards Best Animated (Channel, Show or Series) RWBY Won
2014 International Academy of Web Television Best Animated Series RWBY Won
2012 Producers Guild of America Outstanding Digital Series Red vs. Blue Nominated

References[]

  1. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/roosterteeth/comments/2x6ac1/i_am_sheena_duquette_oum_ask_me_anything/
  2. ↑ "Rooster Teeth · Farewell Monty". Rooster Teeth. Retrieved 20 March 2015. {{cite web}}:
  3. ↑ Burns, Burnie (2011-06-22). "Birth of A Legend". Red vs. Blue. Rooster Teeth Productions. Retrieved 2011-07-05. {{cite web}}:
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Duquette, Sheena. "Monty". RoosterTeeth. RoosterTeeth. Retrieved 2015-02-07. {{cite web}}:
  5. ↑ Devore, Jordan (2007-04-18). "Haloid: the craziest fan movie you'll see this week". Destructoid. Retrieved 2011-07-05. {{cite web}}:
  6. ↑ "Popular User Movies". GameTrailers. Retrieved 2011-07-05. {{cite web}}: ; publisher
  7. ↑ Kietzmann, Ludwig (2007-10-13). "Haloid creator mashes up Final Fantasy and Dead or Alive". Joystiq. Retrieved 2011-07-05. {{cite web}}:
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Monty Oum hospitalized". January 30, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  9. ↑ Slotnik, Daniel E. (February 3, 2015). "Monty Oum, Web-Series Animator, Dies at 33". New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/04/arts/video-games/monty-oum-web-series-animator-dies-at-33.html?_r=1. Retrieved February 6, 2015. 
  10. ↑ "Monty Oum on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 20 March 2015. {{cite web}}:
  11. ↑ "Passing". Retrieved 24 March 2015. {{cite web}}:
  12. ↑ Sweet, Meredith (2009-07-07). "GD at AX: Interview with Monty Oum". Gaming Dead. Retrieved 2011-07-05. {{cite web}}: ; publisher
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Solomon, Dan. "The Full Monty" (July 19, 2013), Austin Chronicle
  14. ↑ https://kotaku.com/5313636/dead-fantasy-iii-the-epic-final-fantasy-doa-cat-fight-continues
  15. ↑ Monkelban, Andrew (2009-07-29). "Monty Oum – Hail to the King". Popten. Retrieved 2011-07-05. {{cite web}}: ; publisher
  16. ↑ Dean, Sam (2010-04-21). "Monty Oum Interview (PAX East 2010)". Retrieved 2011-07-05. {{cite web}}:
  17. ↑ Burns, Burnie (2010-03-29). "Monty Oum signs on with Rooster Teeth". Red vs. Blue. Rooster Teeth Productions. Archived from the original on 2012-07-13. Retrieved 2011-07-06. {{cite web}}: ; deadurl
  18. ↑ Oum, Monty. "Monty Oum Moments at Rooster Teeth". Rooster Teeth. Retrieved 2017-03-13. {{cite web}}:
  19. ↑ Oum, Monty. "Rooster Teeth - RWBY". Rooster Teeth. Retrieved 2012-11-10. {{cite web}}:
  20. ↑ Monty Oum Dies: Rooster Teeth Animation Director, ‘RWBY’ Creator Was 33
  21. ↑ "Rooster Teeth · The Future of RWBY". Rooster Teeth. Archived from the original on 10 March 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2015. {{cite web}}: ; dead-url
  22. ↑ Slotnik, Daniel E. (February 3, 2015). "Monty Oum, Web-Series Animator, Dies at 33". New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/04/arts/video-games/monty-oum-web-series-animator-dies-at-33.html. Retrieved 20 March 2015. 
  23. ↑ Ryzik, Melena (February 4, 2015). "An Animator’s Death Releases a Flood of Sadness". New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/05/arts/monty-oum-dies-at-33-and-his-fans-grieve.html. Retrieved 20 March 2015. 
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Monty Oum has passed away". February 2, 2015. Retrieved February 2, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  25. ↑ Klepek, Patrick (February 2, 2015). "Rooster Teeth Animator Monty Oum Dies At 33". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Retrieved February 3, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "Rooster Teeth · RT Podcast #309". Rooster Teeth. Retrieved 20 March 2015. {{cite web}}:
  27. ↑ "Boba Fett VS Samus Aran (Remastered)". ScrewAttack - DEATH BATTLE!. February 25, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2016. {{cite web}}:
  28. ↑ Wanted to share my thoughts and feelings. =), Neath Oum
  29. ↑ Rooster Teeth (2015-11-01), RWBY Volume 3, Chapter 1: Round One, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9wyWgvyp0s&feature=youtu.be&t=2m29s, retrieved 2016-02-07 
  30. ↑ RocketJump (2016-01-13), Keep off the Grass, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWQGkNjbWGY, retrieved 2016-06-03 
  31. ↑ Team Four Star (2015-03-19), TFS SPECIAL – THE HISTORY OF TRUNKS, http://teamfourstar.com/tfs-special-the-history-of-trunks/, retrieved 2016-10-17 
  32. ↑ "The Monty Oum Performance Capture Stage". Rooster Teeth. Retrieved 2017-02-02. {{cite web}}:

External links[]

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