The Transformers production timeline

 

4023-4024-4025 The Transformers (More Than Meets The Eye)

Script revisions by George Arthur Bloom: 13th March 1984

MP 700

01 Transport To Oblivion

First draft script: 4th June 1984

Revised by Malek and Robbins: 8th June 1984

Final revised script: 22nd June 1984

02 Roll For It

First draft script: 15th June 1984

Revised by Ron Friedman: 26th June 1984

Finalised: 2nd July 1984

03 Divide And Conquer

First draft script: 21st June 1984

Revised by Ron Friedman: 29th June 1984

Finalised: 2nd July 1984

04 Fire In The Sky

First draft script: 9th July 1984

Revised by Ron Friedman: 11th July 1984

Finalised: 19th July 1984

05 S.O.S Dinobots

First draft script: 29th June 1984

Revised by Ron Friedman: 7th July 1984

First draft storyboards: 25th July 1984

06 Fire On The Mountain

First draft script: 2nd July 1984

Revised by Ron Friedman: 9th July 1984

07 War Of The Dinobots

First draft script: 6th July 1984

Revised by Ron Friedman: 15th July 1984

Finalised: 22nd July 1984

08 The Ultimate Doom, Part 1

First draft script: 11th July 1984

Revised by Ron Friedman: 18th July 1984

Finalised: 27th July 1984

09 The Ultimate Doom, Part 2

First draft script: 16th July 1984

Revised by Ron Friedman: 25th July 1984

Finalised: 27th July 1984

10 The Ultimate Doom, Part 3

First draft script: No date on cover

Revised by Ron Friedman: 28th July 1984

Finalised: 5th August 1984

11 Countdown To Extinction

First draft script: 23rd July 1984

Revised by Ron Friedman: 26th July 1984

Finalised: 9th August 1984

12 A Plague Of Insecticons

First draft script: 27th July 1984

Revised by Ron Friedman: 6th August 1984

Finalised: 13th August 1984

13 Heavy Metal War

First draft script: 27th July 1984

Revised by Ron Friedman: 1st August 1984

Finalised: 13th August 1984

Dialogue recording: 23rd August 1984

Season 2 

18 City Of Steel

First draft storyboards: 17th October 1984

Storyboards revised: 2nd November 1984

Dialogue recording: 12th November 1984

23 Atlantis, Arise!

First draft storyboards: 7th January 1985

Dialogue recording: 8th January 1985

24 Day Of The Machines

First draft script: 29th November 1984

Revised by Ron Friedman: 6th December 1984

25 Enter The Nightbird

First draft script: 4th December 1984

Revised by Ron Friedman: 8th December 1984

Finalised: 11th December 1984

27 The Core

First draft script: 21st December 1984

28 The Insecticon Syndrome

First draft script: 28th December 1984

Revised by Ron Friedman: 4th January 1985

29 Dinobot Island, Part 1

First draft script: 7th January 1985

Revised by Ron Friedman: 13th January 1985

30 Dinobot Island, Part 2

First draft script: 9th January 1985

Revised by Ron Friedman: 15th January 1985

31 The Master Builders

First draft script: 25th January 1985

Computerised revisions/inserts by Flint Dille: 30th January 1985

Handwritten revisions by Ron Friedman: 31st January 1985

Dialogue recording: 11th February 1985

32 Auto-Berserk

First draft script: 31st January 1985

Computerised revisions by Flint Dille: 1st February 1985

Handwritten revisions by Ron Friedman: 9th February 1985

33 Microbots

First draft script: 15th February 1985

34 Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1

First draft script: 12 February 1985

Revised by Ron Friedman: 17th February 1985

Story inserts by Flint Dille: 22nd March 1985

35 Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2

First draft script: 20th February 1985

36 Desertion Of The Dinobots, Part 1

First draft script: 25th February 1985

37 Desertion Of The Dinobots, Part 2

First draft script: 4th March 1985

Revised by Ron Friedman: 7th March 1985

38 Blaster Blues

First draft script: 13th March 1985

Revised by Ron Friedman: 18th March 1985

39 A Decepticon Raider In King Arthur's Court

First draft script: 8th March 1985

Revised by Ron Friedman: 13th March 1985

40 The Golden Lagoon

First draft script: 29th March 2985

41 The God Gambit

First draft script: 15th March 1985

Revised by Ron Friedman: 19th March 1985

42 Make Tracks

First draft script: 11th March 1985

Revised from Ron Friedman: 14th March 1985

43 Child's Play

First draft script: 22nd April 1985

44 Quest For Survival

First draft script: 17th April 1985

45 The Secret Of Omega Supreme

First draft script: 4th April 1985

46 The Gambler

First draft script: 17th May 1985

47 Kremzeek!

First draft script: 10th May 1985

48 Sea Change

First draft script: 28th May 1985

Revised by Doug Booth: 30th May 1985

First draft storyboards: 8th June 1985

Dialogue recording: 20th June 1985

49 Triple Takeover

First draft script: 23rd May 1985

Dialogue recording: 10th June 1985

50 Prime Target

First draft script: 10th May 1985

51 Auto-Bop

First draft script: 31st May 1985

52 The Search For Alpha Trion

First draft script: 28th June 1985

53 Hoist Goes Hollywood

First draft script: 31st July 1985

Dialogue recording: 16th August 1985

60 Cosmic Rust

First draft script: 10th September 1985

Dialogue recording: 30th September 1985

First draft storyboards: 3rd October 1985

Final revision/Shipped to Toei: 9th October 1985

61 Starscream's Brigade

First draft script: 16th September 1985

Dialogue recording: 2nd October 1985

62 The Revenge Of Bruticus

First draft script: 16th September 1985

Finalised: 26th September 1985

4034 The Transformers The Movie

First script outline by Ron Friedman: revisions from 15th August 1984 to 19th September 1984
First draft script by Ron Friedman: submitted November 12th 1984. Revised February 13th 1985.
Reference photos of Powered Convoy toy designated as Ultra Magnus, provided to Ron Friedman: Taken 18th March 1985
Second script outline by Ron Friedman: revised 28th March 1985
Second draft script by Ron Friedman: completed 27th April 1985. Revised 2nd May 1985
Model sheets approved 14th June 1985: Cyclonus, Galvatron (Marvel model with revised head), Hot Rod, Kranix (the pre-final model, can be seen with Granix name on it), Quintesson Judge (colour approved on 18th November 1985 by J. Bacal), Rodimus Prime, Scourge/Sweep, Sharkticon, Unicron robot mode, Wheelie, Wreck-gar
Model sheets approved 24th June 1985: Ultra Magnus robot mode(first Powered Convoy version)
Model sheets approved 2nd July 1985: Ultra Magnus (Initial Toei design. Colour revised on 20th July 1985)
Model sheets approved 19th July 1985: Arblus robot mode, Spike (final model), Ultra Magnus vehicle mode(first Powered Convoy version)
Model sheets approved 29th July 1985: Quintesson Prosecutor (a.k.a Quintesson leader. Approved by J. Bacal on 18th December 1985)
Model sheets approved 31st July 1985: Arblus spaceship mode
Model sheets approved 6th September 1985: Rewind flip side of the cassette mode
Dialogue recording (main sessions): 10th and 11th September 1985
Model sheets approved 3rd October 1985: Rewind and Eject
Model sheets approved 8th October 1985: Lithonian Scientist, Lithonian Woman no.1
Storyboard sequence 1 (Attack on Lithone): Final 31st October 1985
Storyboard sequence 2 (Title sequence): Final 31st December 1985
Storyboard sequence 3 (2005): Final 31st October 1985
Storyboard sequence 4 (More Than You Imagine): Final 31st October 1985. Revised Final 14th November 1985.
Storyboard sequence 5 (Attack On The Shuttle): Final 31st October 1985
Storyboard sequence 6 (Gone Fishin'/Dare): Final 4th November 1985. Revised Final 14th November 1985
Storyboard sequence 7 (Battle Of Autobot City, part 1): Final 14th November 1985. Revised Final 25th November 1985
Storyboard sequence 8 (Battle Of Autobot City, part 2): Final 31st October 1985. Revised Final 14th November 1985
Storyboard sequence 9 (Death Of Optimus Prime): Final 7th December 1985
Storyboard sequence 10 (Witness To A Funeral): Final 7th December 1985
Storyboard sequence 11 (Contest For Leadership): Final 4th November 1985. Revised Final 13th November 1985
Storyboard sequence 12 (Transformation): Final 11th November 1985. Revised Final 26th November 1985
Storyboard sequence 13 (Coronation): Final 10th December 1985. Revised Final 18th December 1985
Storyboard sequence 14 (Destruction Of Moonbase One): Final 10th December 1985. Revised Final 19th December 1985
Storyboard sequence 15 (Escape): Final 16th December 1985. Revised Final 24th December 1985
Storyboard sequence 16 (Pursuit): Final 12th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
Storyboard sequence 17 (Nothin's Gonna Stand In Our Way): Final 11th November 1985. Revised Final 25th November 1985
Storyboard sequence 18 (Arrival On Junk): Final 12th November 1985. Revised Final 25th November 1985
Storyboard sequence 19 (Unwelcome Visitors): Final November 14th 1985. Revised Final 27th November 1985
Storyboard sequence 20 (The Matrix Survives): Final 12th November 1985. Revised Final 25th November 1985
Storyboard sequence 21 (An Unexpected Friend): Final 18th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
Storyboard sequence 22 (Destruction Of Moonbase Two): Final 17th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
Storyboard sequence 23 (Ambush): Final 11th December 1985
Storyboard sequence 24 (Judgement/Rescue): Final 12th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
Storyboard sequence 25 (Another Leader Dies): Final 9th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
Storyboard sequence 26 (Unusual Allies): Final 19th December 1985. Revised Final 31st December 1985
Storyboard sequence 27 (The Enemy Revealed): Final 12th December 1985. Revised Final 26th December 1985
Storyboard sequence 28 (Confrontation): Final 19th November 1985. Revised Final 6th December 1985
Storyboard sequence 29 (United Against The Enemy): Final 20th November 1985. Revised 4th December 1985. Revised Final 6th December 1985
Storyboard sequence 30 (In The Belly Of The Monster): Final 20th November 1985. Revised 3rd December 1985. Revised Final 6th December 1985
Storyboard sequence 31 (Their Darkest Hour): Final 2nd December 1985. Revised 19th December 1985. Revised Final 31st December 1985

Season 3

86 Five Faces Of Darkness, Part 1

First draft script: 4th March 1986

87 Five Faces Of Darkness, Part 2

Finalised/Approved script: 20th March 1986

Memo from Sunbow New York requiring story changes affecting miniseries from Part 3 onwards: 17th March 1986

88 Five Faces Of Darkness, Part 3

Finalised script: 27th March 1986

89 Five Faces Of Darkness, Part 4

Revised script: 22nd April 1986

90 Five Faces Of Darkness, Part 5

Dialogue recording: 16th May 1986

91 The Killing Jar

First draft script: 22nd April 1986

Revised script: 30th April 1986

92 Chaos

First draft script: 12th April 1986

Revised script: 28th April 1986

Finalised by Flint Dille: 29th April 1986

Dialogue call sheet prepared: 5th May 1986

Dialogue recording: 19th May 1986

First draft storyboards: 4th June 1986

93 Dark Awakening

Dialogue recording: 29th May 1986

96 Thief In The Night

Revised script: 30th May 1986

Dialogue recording: 4th June 1986

105 The Big Broadcast Of 2006

Finalised script: 9th July 1986

106 Fight Or Flee

Finalised script: 11th July 1986

Dialogue recording: 31st July 1986

110 Grimlock's New Brain

Script finalised by Marv Wolfman: 16th September 1986

115 The Return Of Optimus Prime, Part 1

First draft script: 10th November 1986

116 The Return Of Optimus Prime, Part 2

Finalised script: 24th Nobember 1986

Super Sunday, December 1985

At the following Internet Archive link are well-preserved VHS recordings of the four editions of Super Sunday, airing in December 1985.  Each episode contains a 5-6 minute segment of Jem, Bigfoot And The Muscle Machines and Robotix.

Internet Archive: Super Sunday

01/12/85

Jem: MP 4042-B, The Mansion (Episode 5)
Bigfoot And The Muscle Machines: The Final Battle, Episode 9
Robotix: MP 4039-A, Episode 13

08/12/85

Jem: MP 4042-C, The Yacht (Episode 6)
Bigfoot And The Muscle Machines: Cryptic Cargo, Episode 1
Robotix: MP 4039-B, Episode 14

15/12/85

Jem: MP 4043-A The Video Clip (Episode 7)
Bigfoot And The Muscle Machines: Episode 2
Robotix: MP 4039-C, Episode 15

22/12/85

Jem: MP 4043-B Defections (Episode 8)
Bigfoot And The Muscle Machines: Episode 3
Robotix: MP 4035-A, Episode 1

G.I Joe: Operation Dragonfire miniseries scripts

With thanks to Rich Helscher, the Sunbow Marvel Archive now hosts all five scripts from Operation Dragonfire: the miniseries that kicked off DiC Entertainment's continuation of G.I Joe: A Real American Hero.

Written by former Sunbow producer Doug Booth, this miniseries follows Sgt. Slaughter and his Marauders as they battle Cobra over the mysterious Dragonfire energy.  All the while contending with the return of Cobra Commander, restored to humanoid form after his mutation in G.I Joe: The Movie.  And with a traitor in their midst, the double-agent Scoop.

Day 1 script

Day 2 script

Day 3 script

Day 4 script

Day 5 script

Briefing/Reference Binder galleries

 Following on the heels of the storyboard galleries, I am also testing out galleries for the various briefing/reference books sent to either Sunbow or Marvel by their various clients.  Containing any of the following: product descriptions, character profiles, concept art and full model sheets.

Head to the Briefing/Reference Binder Index page

Storyboard Viewing Gallery

A new feature at the Sunbow Marvel Archive are viewing galleries of all full and single-Act storyboard sets currently available.  Featuring episodes of Transformers, G.I Joe, Inhumanoids and Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends.  All storyboards will still be available as PDFs from the respective show pages.

At time of writing the pages are currently being put together and filled.  All current storyboard sets should be included within the next couple of days.

Head to the index page at: Storyboard Viewing Gallery

Uncovered Mysteries: The first version of Blaster's tapes

A script released to the public via the Archive this month has revealed an interesting twist in the development of the 1986 Transformers toyline.  As anyone familiar with the G1 toyline will know, 1986 saw Autobot boombox Blaster paired up with his own quartet of transforming cassettes: Rewind (robot), Eject (robot), Ramhorn (rhino), Steeljaw (lion).  To have parity with 1984 Decepticon tapedeck Soundwave and his well-established cassette force.  The Autobot quartet made their US media debut in The Transformers The Movie, fighting their Decepticon counterparts in The Battle Of Autobot City.

However, mounting evidence shows an earlier version of the tapes that very nearly appeared in two pieces of fiction.  The earliest mention coming at the end of March 1985, in the outline for the second script for TFTM.  Handed to Ron Friedman by Sunbow and detailing new product he was required to work into his script.

The outline lists the tapes (without names) as a lion, a tiger, a scorpion and a robot.  Friedman carries out the task and includes the four in his script with placeholder names (Hasbro would have final say on the names for new product).  Last revision dated 2nd May 1985:

For the 12 years that this script has been in the public eye, it seemed to be the only place where this version of the Autobot cassettes could be found.  Leading many to believe they were creations of Ron Friedman's imagination.

However the script for the season 2 episode Auto-Bop - submitted by David Wise a month after the movie script - reveals that the team were scheduled to be the earliest 1986 product included in the series.  Preceding the four combiner teams who would be showcased in the last ten episodes of the season.

The script makes clear these are Transformer products that had undergone enough development that Hasbro required them to be promoted early.  While the fourth cassette - the unnamed robot - does not appear in the script, a model sheet was drawn up by Marvel's model design team (reposted with permission of Jim Sorenson):

As the Auto-Bop script is David Wise' first draft, it is unknown at this time how far the cassettes' appearance made it through the production process.  Whether they were removed in story-editing, or were retained long enough to be included in the first draft storyboards and simply be cut for time.

If it was indeed the latter scenario, it was most fortuitous that the Auto-Bop script ran 52 pages (roughly 26 minutes) and thus required much material to be cut.  As the early team's inclusion in The Transformers The Movie survived through the many revisions undertaken by Story Consultant Flint Dille over the summer of 1985.  The changeover to the finalised team coming during the Autumn, in time for the movie to be storyboarded.  There could have been a possible scenario where the early dropped team would have appeared on television nearly a year before the actual product debuted in the movie.

As for the questions of how far the Lion/Tiger/Scorpion/Robot team progressed through development at Takara, and what prompted the late change to the Lion/Rhino/Robot/Robot Team?  Those remain unanswered.  As Optimus Prime once said: "Every answer just led to a bigger question..."

For the Auto-Bop script, along with all other season 1 and 2 material, head to The Transformers, Part 1

For the movie material, head to The Transformers: The Movie

Transformers storyboards: Atlantis, Arise!

With thanks to Rich Helscher, the Archive now hosts the full storyboard set for Transformers season 2 episode Atlantis, Arise!

Drawn not by Marvel Productions, but outsourced to Toei Animation.  This 143-page set was sold off by the episode's writer Doug Booth.

View the full boards at: The Transformers, Part 1