Editing Batman: The Animated Series (section)

==Production==
===Development===
In 1990, following the success of the ''[[Tiny Toon Adventures|Tiny Toons]]'' series, Warner Bros. Animation president Jean MacCurdy announced to the animation team that Warner wanted to develop several of its licenses, including Batman.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last1=Huls |first1=Alexander |last2=Perkins |first2=Will |date=June 6, 2017 |title=Batman: The Animated Series |url=https://www.artofthetitle.com/title/batman-the-animated-series/ |access-date=December 20, 2024 |website=[[Art of the Title]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":522">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/live/dZLpDvQ6vFI?si=aIfJCWD1LRyW5UwO |title=Batman The Animated Series {{!}} The Heart of Batman Documentary Livestream {{!}} Warner Bros. Entertainment |date=June 17, 2020 |last=Warner Bros. |first=Entertainment |type=Video |language=en |access-date=December 21, 2024 |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> Following this news, [[Bruce Timm]] was tasked with designing Batman, and [[Eric Radomski]] was assigned to design the sets.<ref name=":4" /> Radomski, who knew Batman primarily from the [[Batman (TV series)|1966 series]] and the [[Batman (1989 film)|1989 Tim Burton]] film, was particularly inspired by the latter.<ref name=":522"/> At the request of Jean MacCurdy, Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski, who had never worked together before, produced a silent short film called ''[[The Dark Knight's First Night]]'' in about six weeks to pitch the series to [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]. They decided to draw inspiration from the 1940 ''[[Superman (1940s animated film series)|Superman]]'' series and received assistance from the studio [[Lightbox|Lightbox Animation]]. Fox greenlit the project before they saw the short, but this led to Timm and Radomski taking charge of the project, despite having no prior experience producing a series.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":522"/> Since the series had no writers at this stage, MacCurdy recruited [[Alan Burnett]], who was considering leaving animation due to his frustration with the restrictions imposed by the [[Broadcast Standards and Practices]] department. It was the short film, along with MacCurdy's assertion that the series would feature guns and fighting, that convinced Burnett to participate. At the time, animated series were generally not very diverse, being mainly aimed at children and constrained by numerous restrictions, especially concerning violence.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":522"/> The production had to navigate these censorship guidelines; although weapons could be shown and characters could shoot, the series was not allowed to depict bullet holes or show characters dying, for example.<ref name=":522"/>

Unlike most other animated series, the artists, directors, and writers worked closely together to ensure effective communication. Each writer received a "scripture bible" written by Bruce Timm, along with writers [[Paul Dini]] and [[Mitch Brian]], to outline the overall vision of the series and its characters.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The World's Finest - Batman: The Animated Series |url=https://dcanimated.com//WF/batman/btas/backstage/wbible/ |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=dcanimated.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 13, 2017 |title=Check out the entire Batman: The Animated Series writer's bible full of details and concept art. |url=https://geektyrant.com/news/check-out-the-entire-batman-the-animated-series-writers-bible-full-of-details-and-concept-art |access-date=January 18, 2025 |website=GeekTyrant |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Visual style and themes===
Originally, the series was partly inspired by [[Tim Burton]]'s blockbuster ''[[Batman (1989 film)|Batman]]'' (1989), which portrayed Batman's universe as darker than in previous adaptations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kendall |first=Gene |date=2019-06-16 |title=Could Batman: The Animated Series Exist Without The 1989 Film? |url=https://www.cbr.com/could-batman-the-animated-series-exist-without-the-1989-film/ |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":522"/> The series also took influence from Burton's [[Sequel|follow-up]] film, ''[[Batman Returns]]'' (1992).<ref name="bof2">[http://www.batman-on-film.com/historyofthebatman_tv_animated_btas.html Batman-On-Film] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722143405/http://www.batman-on-film.com/historyofthebatman_tv_animated_btas.html|date=July 22, 2010}}, ''Batman: The Animated Series''.</ref> The creators abandoned some of the [[Gothic fiction|gothic]] aspects of the film, instead incorporating more [[Art Deco]] elements inspired by 1940s New York, coining this unique aesthetic "Dark Deco." Without a precise temporal setting, the city features a blend of 1940s cars, police "[[blimp]]s," and [[Retrofuturism|futuristic]] helicopters, alongside Batman's advanced vehicles, while television broadcasts are shown in black and white. The backgrounds were drawn on black paper to create darker settings, whereas white paper is typically used.<ref name=":522"/><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" /> Radomski issued a standing order to the animation department that all backgrounds be painted using light colors on black paper as opposed to the industry standard of dark colors on white paper.<ref name="LeatherWingsComm">Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski, audio commentary for "On Leather Wings", ''Batman: The Animated Series'', Warner Bros, Volume One box set DVD.</ref>

The series employs "[[vintage (design)|vintage]]" colors, partly inspired by the 1940s ''[[Superman (1940s animated film series)|Superman]]'' cartoons, as well as [[film noir]] classics like ''[[The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari]]'' (1921), ''[[Citizen Kane]]'' (1941), and ''[[Metropolis (1927 film)|Metropolis]]'' (1927).<ref name=":522"/> Background designer [[Ted Blackman]] cited [[Eyvind Earle]] and [[Bruce McCall]] as influences, particularly for their ability to depict "cartoonish settings."{{sfn|Dini|Kidd|1998|p=169}} The distinctive visual combination of "noir" imagery and Art Deco design was dubbed "Dark Deco" by the producers.<ref name="btas2">[http://www.batmantas.com/ ''Batman: The Animated Series''], an explanation of "Dark Deco".</ref>

The show depicts outright physical violence against antagonists, including realistic firearms (though only one character, [[Jim Gordon (character)|Commissioner Gordon]], was ever depicted as having been shot, in the episode "I Am the Night"). First-time producers Timm and Radomski reportedly encountered resistance from studio executives, but the success of Burton's first film allowed the embryonic series to survive long enough to produce a pilot episode, "[[On Leather Wings]]", which, according to Timm, "got a lot of people off our backs".<ref name="LeatherWingsComm" />

===Animation and character design===
For the first 65 episodes, [[Warner Bros. Animation]] outsourced the series to several animation studios around the globe. These studios included [[Spectrum Animation]], [[Sunrise Animation|Sunrise]], Studio Junio, and [[Tokyo Movie Shinsha]] in Japan; [[Dong Yang Animation]], [[Koko Enterprises]] Ltd., and [[AKOM]] in South Korea; Jade Animation in Hong Kong; Blue Pencil in Spain; and Network of Animation (NOA) in Canada. Tokyo Movie Shinsha (TMS) also animated the opening credits for the first season. However, AKOM was fired due to inconsistent animation quality in several episodes, such as "[[Cat Scratch Fever (Batman: The Animated Series)|Cat Scratch Fever]]" and "[[Moon of the Wolf (Batman: The Animated Series)|Moon of the Wolf]]."<ref>{{Cite web |title=The World's Finest - Batman: The Animated Series |url=https://dcanimated.com/WF/batman/btas/backstage/animato/ |access-date=2024-12-21 |website=dcanimated.com}}</ref> 

Much of the short film ''The Dark Knight's First Night'' was reused for the series introduction. Its final shot, showing Batman overlooking Gotham City with a lightning bolt behind him, evokes both the cover of Frank Miller's ''[[The Dark Knight Returns|Batman: The Dark Knight Returns]]'' (1986) and the closing scene of the 1989 ''Batman'' film.<ref name=":4" /> The credits omit the series title, as Bruce Timm and Tom Ruegger believed Batman's iconic nature made it unnecessary. This decision reflects the creators' intent to tell a story through visuals alone, avoiding expositional dialogue. Similarly, each episode features a unique intertitle, typically designed by Eric Radomski, which conveys themes or significant events without the use of words, staying true to the series' visual storytelling approach.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":522" />

For season 2, titled ''The Adventures of Batman & Robin'', the twenty episodes were primarily animated by Dong Yang, with exceptions including "[[A Bullet for Bullock]]," "[[Avatar (Batman: The Animated Series)|Avatar]]," and "[[Baby doll (batman the animated series)|Baby Doll]]," animated by Studio Junio, and "[[The Terrible Trio]]," animated by Jade Animation. The opening credits initially display the season's name before showing several scenes from season one, retaining only the bank explosion from the original credits.<ref name=":5" />

Bruce Timm described feeling frustrated by having to realistically draw animated characters in his previous projects: "I knew that at twenty-four drawings per second, each little line had to be drawn thousands of times; the more lines on a character, the less time an animator has to draw those lines correctly, especially on a television budget and schedule. The result: bad animation."{{sfn|Dini|Kidd|1998|p=169}} As a result, the characters were simplified to facilitate animation—everything had to be reduced to the essentials.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 5, 2024 |title=Kevin Nowlan lifts the cowl on his Batman animated designs |url=https://13thdimension.com/kevin-nowlan-lifts-the-cowl-on-his-batman-animated-designs/ |access-date=January 18, 2025 |website=13th Dimension |language=en-US}}</ref>{{sfn|Dini|Kidd|1998|p=169}} For example, instead of Two-Face's plaid shirt, he wears a suit with one side white and the other black to emphasize his internal conflict.<ref name=":522"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Leon |date=2019-05-13 |title=Batman: 10 Best Changes BTAS Made To The Comics |url=https://www.cbr.com/batman-changes-animated-series-comics/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref> Poison Ivy does not wear a leaf-covered costume; instead, she dons a simple one-piece outfit.<ref> A conversation With Bruce Timm - Pretty Poiso, 2018, Blu-ray</ref>

During preproduction, character designer [[Kevin Nowlan]] stated that his challenge was to convey as much as possible using as few lines as possible.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-05 |title=Kevin Nowlan lifts the cowl on his Batman animated designs. |url=https://13thdimension.com/kevin-nowlan-lifts-the-cowl-on-his-batman-animated-designs/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=13th Dimension, Comics, Creators, Culture |language=en-US}}</ref> He also mentioned that real people served as inspirations, such as [[Rhea Perlman]] for Jesse and George Will for [[Ventriloquist (character)|The Ventriloquist]]. Initially, Nowlan designed [[Penguin (character)|The Penguin]] and [[Riddler|The Riddler]] based on the 1966 ''Batman'' series, but his designs were ultimately rejected. Instead, The Penguin's appearance was modeled after his depiction in the film ''[[Batman Returns]]'', featuring deformities and slicked-back black hair. Similarly, Catwoman adopted [[Michelle Pfeiffer]]'s blonde hair.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kevin Nowlan dévoile ses designs originaux pour Batman: The Animated Series {{!}} COMICSBLOG.fr |url=https://www.comicsblog.fr/28130-Kevin_Nowlan_deevoile_ses_designs_originaux_pour_Batman__The_animated_Series |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=www.comicsblog.fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kendall |first=Gene |date=2019-06-16 |title=Could Batman: The Animated Series Exist Without The 1989 Film? |url=https://www.cbr.com/could-batman-the-animated-series-exist-without-the-1989-film/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-05 |title=KEVIN NOWLAN Lifts the Cowl on His BATMAN Animated Designs |url=https://13thdimension.com/kevin-nowlan-lifts-the-cowl-on-his-batman-animated-designs/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=13th Dimension, Comics, Creators, Culture |language=en-US}}</ref> Bruce Wayne was inspired by [[Walter M. Baumhofer]]'s ''[[Doc Savage]]'' and ''[[Dick Tracy]]'', created by [[Chester Gould]].{{sfn|Dini|Kidd|1998|p=169}} The appearance of the Gray Ghost was largely inspired by the hero [[The Shadow]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gelman |first=Samuel |date=2024-09-21 |title=Batman: The Animated Series: The 20 Best Episodes Ever, Ranked! |url=https://tvline.com/lists/batman-the-animated-series-best-episodes-ranked/double-talk-the-new-batman-adventures/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=TVLine |language=en-US}}</ref>  Other character inspirations include the [[George Metesky|Mad Bomber]], who was based on Bruce Timm, while Charlie Collins was based on [[Alan Burnett|Alan Burnet]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Padnick |first=Steven |date=2012-12-16 |title=Batman: The Animated Series Rewatch: "Joker's Favor" & "Vendetta" |url=https://reactormag.com/batman-animated-series-rewatch-jokers-favor-and-vendetta/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=Reactor |language=en-US}}</ref> Harvey Bullock's appearance was inspired by one of the criminals Batman fights in the short film ''[[The Dark Knight's First Night]]''.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Tom Ruegger {{!}} BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES |url=https://www.starburstmagazine.com/features/tom-ruegger-batman-complete-animated-series/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=[[Starburst (magazine)|Starburst]] |language=en-GB}}</ref>

===Casting===
The series is also notable for its supporting cast. Numerous known actors provided voices for a variety of recognizable villains. Most notable was [[Mark Hamill]], previously famous for his role as [[Luke Skywalker]] in the original ''[[Star Wars]]'' trilogy, whose prominence as a voice actor was heightened through his "cheerfully deranged" portrayal of the [[Joker (character)|Joker]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Kubin |first=Jacquie |date=April 1997 |title=An Interview With Mark Hamill |url=http://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.1/articles/kubin2.1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012221837/http://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.1/articles/kubin2.1.html |archive-date=October 12, 2007 |access-date=October 14, 2007 |website=Animation World Magazine}}</ref> The role was originally given to [[Tim Curry]], but he developed [[bronchitis]] during the initial recording sessions.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lis |first=Martin |date=September 2, 2017 |title=Exclusive: Tim Curry Reveals Why Mark Hamill Replaced Him as JOKER |url=http://www.screengeek.net/2017/09/02/tim-curry-reveals-why-mark-hamill-replaced-him-as-joker/ |access-date=September 6, 2017 |publisher=ScreenGeek}}</ref> [[John Glover (actor)|John Glover]], who later voiced the Riddler, also auditioned for the Joker role. Hamill, who found himself to be the biggest fan of the Batman comics among the cast, credited the laughs he had honed on stage in ''[[Amadeus (play)|Amadeus]]'' with landing him the role. The recording sessions, under the supervision of voice director [[Andrea Romano (voice director)|Andrea Romano]], were recorded with the actors together in one studio instead of taking separate recordings, as is typical. This method would later be employed for all subsequent series in the [[DC Animated Universe]]. [[Al Pacino]] was considered to voice [[Two-Face]] in the series, but he declined the offer;<ref>{{cite web |last=About_faces |date=January 24, 2012 |title=The Origins of (the Origins of) Harvey Dent in "Batman: The Animated Series" |url=http://about-faces.livejournal.com/68401.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108121935/http://about-faces.livejournal.com/68401.html |archive-date=January 8, 2015}}</ref> [[Richard Moll]] was instead cast in the role. Other actors included [[Ron Perlman]] as [[Clayface]], [[Roddy McDowall]] as the [[Mad Hatter (DC Comics)|Mad Hatter]], [[David Warner (actor)|David Warner]] as [[Ra's al Ghul]], [[Michael York]] as [[Count Vertigo]], [[Kate Mulgrew]] as Red Claw, [[George Murdock (actor)|George Murdock]] as [[List of DC Comics characters: B|Boss Biggis]], [[Ed Asner]] as Roland Daggett and [[George Dzundza]] as the [[Ventriloquist (comics)|Ventriloquist]]. Romano initially wanted [[Christopher Lee]] to voice Ra's al Ghul, but he couldn't work out his schedule to voice the character, Warner was cast instead.<ref>https://bleedingcool.com/tv/batman-beyond-andrea-romano-working-with-kevin-conroy-mark-hamill-finding-that-right-voice-interview/</ref>

===Writing and voice recording===
One of the intentions of the series was to make the audience feel empathy for Batman's enemies, so even if Batman were to win, the episode was not necessarily a happy ending.<ref name=":522"/> Some characters notably had their stories reworked, while others were created for the series. Supposed to appear in a single episode, Harley Quinn remains the most successful and impactful character created in the Batman mythos. First appearing in the episode "Joker's Favor," she serves as the Joker's assistant and sidekick. The character is partly based on the one played by Arleen Sorkin, a friend of Paul Dini, during a dream sequence in an episode of Days of Our Lives. Paul Dini wanted to put a henchwoman with the Joker, similar to what was seen in the 1966 Batman series. Her real name is Harleen Quinzel, and she is named Harley Quinn in reference to the character Harlequin from the Commedia dell'arte, whose costume shape she is modeled after. Her black and red colors are inspired by the character Daredevil from the 1940s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Before Harley Quinn There Was... You Guessed It... The Harlequin! |url=https://www.comicsineducation.com/home/before-harley-quinn-there-was-you-guessed-it-the-harlequin |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=COMICS IN EDUCATION |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Couch |first=Aaron |date=2016-08-05 |title=The Story of Harley Quinn: How a '90s Cartoon Character Became an Icon |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/harley-quinn-history-917464/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Soundtracks===
The series initially took a variation of music written by [[Danny Elfman]] for the Burton films as its theme; later episodes of the series used a new theme with a similar style by [[Shirley Walker]], an occasional collaborator of Elfman. The score of the series was influenced by Elfman's work on the Burton films, as well as the music of 1940s film noir.<ref>{{cite web |last=Roberson |first=Chris Chan |date=September 25, 2017 |title=Batman The Animated Series: 15 Uncovered Pieces Of Early Artwork |url=https://www.cbr.com/uncovered-batman-animated-series-art/ |access-date=September 25, 2017 |website=Comic Book Resources}}</ref> Walker's work on ''[[The Flash (1990 TV series)|The Flash]]'' series (1990) caught the attention of Bruce Timm. Although initially hesitant, she joined the project after being impressed by the show's art and character depth. While collaborating with Elfman to incorporate his Batman film score, she also created her own "memorable" theme for the series.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Polo |first=Susana |date=2017-09-05 |title=Batman: The Animated Series owes half its charm to one unsung composer |url=https://www.polygon.com/tv/2017/9/5/16228590/batman-the-animated-series-music-composer-shirley-walker |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref>

Walker's approach to composing was notably sophisticated. She crafted character-specific themes based on traits, voice acting, and design, mirroring the techniques of composers like [[John Williams]] and [[Howard Shore]]. Beyond ''Batman: The Animated Series'', she went on to contribute to ''Superman: The Animated Series'' and ''Batman Beyond'', helping to define the sound of the [[DC Animated Universe]].<ref name=":7" />