Print Page - Ask questions about the original LBT script

The Land Before Time => 1988 Theatrical Release => Topic started by: Mumbling on October 30, 2024, 06:51:01 AM

Title: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: Mumbling on October 30, 2024, 06:51:01 AM

Hello everyone! :rainbowwave

We got a message from Stu Krieger (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0471217/), one of the writers of the original Land Before Time movie! He is very happy to have found this community and is touched by all the love we still have for this movie.

As a small thanks, he would like to do a special "Ask Me Anything" on here. Here you can ask any question you'd like to ask him about the original movie, and he will try to answer your questions. Please note he has signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for his work on the movie, so he may not be able to answer every question, but he will do his best to answer within those limitations.

This is truly a unique opportunity to learn more about the development of this movie, and I'm sure we can learn a lot from him! If you have any questions about the development of the original movie, questions about changes in the script, questions about what it's like to work as a script writer, or perhaps questions even about the infamous deleted scenes, feel free to leave them in this topic.

If you want to have a look at older scripts that we have previously uncovered, you can check out these topics:
Script from April 1987 (https://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=18053.0)
Script from May 1987 (https://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=15912.0)

The current schedule is for him to answer these questions on 5pm Pacific Time on 14 November, 2024.
Thanks again, Stu, for offering to do this for our little community. We are very greateful! :^^spike

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: Mumbling on October 30, 2024, 07:11:36 AM

I might as well kick this off!

We've uncovered several scripts from 1987 for the movie where Littlefoot is called Thunderfoot. There is some information about this on the Land Before Time fandom page, but perhaps you as a writer can shed light on the name change and how this was received by the team?

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: Sneak on October 30, 2024, 08:26:03 AM

This is one of greatest news of this year!!!!!!!! :^^spike
Thank you everyone who made this happen!!!! :)littlefoot

I have billion questions in my mind... But I have to think what should I pick... (We all should do, I guess. Since sending billion questions won't be polite, I gues. :taunttroll)

And, of course, main questions would be about early or deleted stuff during film development.

I think I will write couple days later.

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: Sporeguy97 on October 30, 2024, 05:29:39 PM

hi there, Stu Krieger :rainbowwave i'm glad you found the forum and know that there are fans out that love this franchise you helped to create and so i have three questions

1. was there going to be more scenes of littlefoot bonding with his mother (i call his mother the name stardust since she does not have a name in the movie :MomCompassion )

2. we get to see all the main characters hatch in the movie except for Petrie, was there going be a scene for Petrie hatching that was cut perhaps

3.do you think the cut ending where littlefoot finds the valley first before finshing off sharptooth with his friends and then going back to the valley with his friends was a better ending then the original?

once again, thank you for helping work on creating our childhoods!

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: ImpracticalDino on October 30, 2024, 09:53:44 PM

Mo-o-o-o is super duper excited! Wow! Certainly did not expect this, but it's a very welcome surprise. :feelsgoodman :Mo

Nice to meet you, Stu Krieger. :duckyOK
I'm happy to know that you found our little niche community and that you are touched by our continued love for the movie. Thank you as well for your contributions to create the movie that have made the childhoods of mine and other people here.

Anyway, since this is an AMA, it is only appropriate that I ask you some questions that I am curious about. May add some more later on.

1. Not exactly related to the original movie itself, but are you still in touch with other writers or anyone else who had contributed to the first Land Before Time movie?

2. Based on the deleted scenes, the movie was supposed to have more gruesome/frightening scenes, especially ones related to Sharptooth and his attack. My question is, was the pressure to keep adherence to a "G" rated movie standard the main reason why the scenes had to be dialed down a bit? Were you guys considering at one point to make the movie "PG" in favor of keeping the movie's integrity intact? Correct me if I'm wrong, but Universal was the main culprit behind the decisions that the team had to make regarding the scenes that were deleted? (Hopefully this isn't too much for your NDA)

3...

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: MoonGoji on November 03, 2024, 11:42:42 PM

Hey Stu Kriegler,

The Land Before Time is THAT kids movie for me. It spawned my Dino love since 5 years old, and I am now an aspiring Paleontologist. It's a movie I have shown my younger cousin, and one I hold very near to my heart. I only have a few, not so insightful, questions.

1. What are some cool inside jokes that happened in the writing room during the production of this movie.

2. Have you had any cute or cool fan experiences, and what's the story.

3. What is being a writer for a movie like, where you have to collaborate ideas between writers, directors, etc. Is there one person who creates a general outline and writers fill in. Or is a finished manuscript brought in to writers, who add or take story elements.

Thanks you so much. I'm so glad I've had this opportunity to ask questions to someone who has impacted my life in a meaningful way. I wish you and your family the best of health and good lucks.

Gratefully,
MoonGoji
:DD

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: Littlefoot1616 on November 05, 2024, 06:32:19 PM

Wow! What an honour to speak to an official member of the production crew. A true pleasure Mr Krieger!

1. What was it like working with such big names in the industry at the time? I.e. Don Bluth, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas

2. What were some of the highlights of making the original Land Before Time movie? Any interesting stories/ancedotes?

3. Were there any shortcomings or production issues whilst making the original movie?

4. Any thoughts on how LBT has progressed since the 1988 original movie?

5. Did you actually enjoy working on the original LBT movie?

Greatly appreciate Mr Krieger taking the time to chat to this old fan forum. Can't wait to hear what he has to say.

Thank you and kind regards,

Littlefoot-1616 :)littlefoot

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: DiddyKT2 on November 07, 2024, 08:09:11 PM

Hey there, Stu Krieger! What an honor to speak to one of the guys who brought our favorite young dinos to life! Growing up as a 90s toddler fascinated with dinosaurs, The Land Before Time forever became one of my favorites, thanks in part to you!

The only question I can think of from the top of my head is this ...

Aside from Spike (because we see him hatch midway through), the movie established backstories for Littlefoot, Cera and Ducky, but we never got one for Petrie. On top of not seeing him hatch, he never even mentioned his family during his introduction. I've always been curious about the little Flyer's backstory prior to his introductory scene, and I was wondering if he was meant to have his own small scene or story that ended up being cut from the film. If so, I'd be intrigued to find out.

Thanks so much for the prehistoric movie magic of my early childhood!

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: Rattymon on November 08, 2024, 03:52:44 PM

Hello, Mr. Krieger! :rainbowwave

Did you have a favourite character from the film?

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) on November 11, 2024, 05:44:59 AM

Hi Stu! Thank you so much for having an AMA for us :D

Were there any deleted characters/scenes from older drafts of the script you were bummed got left on the cutting room floor?

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: ImpracticalDino on November 11, 2024, 06:54:30 PM

This just in, Mo-o-o-o has many mo-o-ore questions incoming from other dedicated Land Before Time fans! :Mo :CeraHAPPY :Dducky

Individuals will be kept anonymous as I've stated to those who I've shared this with. :)

1st person asks:

1) If you were writing the story of the original movie today, what changes would you make?
2) Have you ever had interesting ideas for a sequel movie?
3) Do you have any ideas for how the franchise could continue and reinvent itself?

2nd person asks:

1) What was it like working with Don Bluth, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and so forth?
2) What are some scenes you wish had been kept?
3) Were there any characters that were going to appear but were scrapped?
4) What was the inspiration behind naming Ducky, Littlefoot, Petrie, Spike, and Cera?
5) If you could, what names would you give Littlefoot's mother and grandparents, Ducky's parents, Petrie's mother, and Cera's mother and sisters?
6) There's a bit of inconsistency with the number of Ducky's clutchmates seen upon their hatching and later at the end, how many are there truly in her clutch?
7) What do you think happened to Cera's mother and sisters, since we only ever see her reunite with her father at the end?
8) Was Littlefoot's mother always planned to die?
9) What do you think happened to Spike's parents, and any clutchmates he may have had?
10) Is there a reason why Spike seemed to grow so quickly despite being smaller than Littlefoot and Cera when he was hatched?
11) What do you think happened to Littlefoot's herd that only left his mother and grandparents alive?
12) Did Ducky and her family live in a herd, since we see three Saurolophus in the scene where she hatches?
13) How do you think the story could've gone if Littlefoot's mother had survived?
14) How do you think Ducky and Petrie became separated from their families?
15) Is there a reason why Littlefoot's father is absent?
16) I've seen storyboard art of a Saurolophus family cutting through the scene of where Grandma and Grandpa Longneck are searching for their daughter and Littlefoot before the earth beneath buckles. Was that perhaps Ducky and her family?
17) Do you know how the Sharptooth chases Littlefoot and Cera, fights Littlefoot's mother, and the great earthquake was originally supposed to go before it had to be cut?
18) Is there a reason why it was decided to call the dinosaurs by made-up titles like "longneck" and "threehorn", or natural phenomons "the bright circle", "the mountains that burn", and "greenfood"?
19) What sorts of things were Grandma and Grandpa meant to say, as we see Bill Erwin credited for Grandpa in the credits?

3rd person asks:

1) Is there a thought for another movie?
2) Do you have any information on the lost Land Before Time show at Universal Studios?
3) If you're familiar with the Persona series, what do you think the gang's Personas would be?
4) Have you played any of the LBT PS1 games? Which one's your favorite? Do you know if there were plans for a Nintendo 64 release?

4th person asks:

1) How many movies were initially planned for the franchise? Now that it has reached up to 14 films, [that is].

5th person asks:

1) What is your favorite dinosaur?
2) What species of dinosaurs would you add if you did do more sequels?

6th person asks:

1) Were Ducky, Littlefoot, Petrie, Spike, and Cera always intended to be the main characters even in the early drafts?

7th person asks:

1) Did you or the rest of the crew try to fight for the preservation of the deleted footage and make the higher-ups see how nonsensical the decision most likely was? Surely if the scenes were completed, they could have been re-released in some form later and earned Universal extra income? I get that Spielberg thought the scenes were scary but destroying complete animation sounds pretty crazy as the footage could have been stored somewhere with very little cost to wait for some way to monetize them. Especially if someone like Spielberg, Bluth or Lucas or you were allowed to keep them.

2) Also, can you guarantee on your part that the footage is totally and irrevocably lost?

3) I understand that this is a big question but I'd appreciate some kind of list concerning the deleted scenes and the spots where they were located in the film.

8th person asks:

1) This is some art a friend made featuring versions of the Gang (plus Chomper, a young Sharptooth who appears in some of the sequels) from an alternate universe of mine set in the late-16th century, in what would later become the area of the municipality of North Cowichan, British Columbia, located specifically in the east-central part of what would later be known as Vancouver Island. The way each member can be identified is through the hair colour.

What do you think of it, Mr. Krieger?

Spoiler: Show

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: StardustSoldier on November 13, 2024, 01:21:18 AM

Hello Mr. Krieger. As others have said, what an honour it is to be able to talk with one of the official production members. Thank you for taking the time to come by and chat with us, we all really appreciate it!

The two questions I had thought of have in fact already been asked (if Petrie ever had a hatching scene, if the deleted scene footage still exists somewhere or not).

But regardless, I can remember the original film from my childhood in the 90s. My family used to own it on VHS and I can remember watching and loving it as a kid. Then I didn't see it again for a very long time, around 18 years or so passed, although I never forgot about the film either. It was in 2019 when I finally saw it again and fell in love with it all over again, which was what brought me to this very community as well. And in fact, the original film has become my all-time favourite animated film, so thank you very much for being part of the team that brought it to life.

Hope you have a fantastic day,
~ Ian

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: Sneak on November 13, 2024, 12:13:37 PM

Good afternoon, Mr. Krieger.

Thank you for your contribution in film production, and thank you very very much for taking your time to make a conversation with dedicated fans and answer some questions. :)

All my questions are related eather to early production scenes or to cut scenes:

1) Many fans would like to know more about the state of all deleted scenes from the film, especially those that were in the final stages of production. Many Land Before time additional and related materials, such as various TV commercials, illustrated books, official soundtrack, early script, etc - they show fragments of these scenes, some of them even colored and voiced. Is there a chance they still exist somewhere, and is there any chance to see them in any form in the future?

2) Two early deleted sequences caught my interest notably: Littlefoot and snake scene (exists on some shared storyboards), and Oasis scene where two kinds of dinosaurs refused to share food and water with each other and kids but Ducky, because of their race (exists in couple illustrated books). In what stage of production these scenes were planned and when were they cut? (they weren't even mentioned in any other materials, like early script).

3) One more noticeable thing I wanted to ask. In released Land Before Time Soundtrack, If We Hold On Together song is placed in the middle of track list, while at the end of the list, End Credits theme is much longer that in the movie, and fits with actual end credits in terms of length. Was there some moment in production where the song was supposed to be played in some scene in the middle of the movie? And if so - what was that scene? (As I understand, usually, movie soundtracks are created in late stages of development, so, if some extra scene existed, then it was in late stages of production, am I right?)

4) And the last thing that bugs me for years: Littlefoot's Grandfather was credited in Voices List in film credits, but he never had a spoken role in the film. Was there some scene where he had a speaking role, and it was cut right before the release?

Thank you. :littlefoot:)

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: Serris on November 13, 2024, 07:55:08 PM

Hello, Mr. Krieger.

I have two questions.

For The Sharptooth, I've seen debates over his characterization, whether he was a serial killer in dinosaur form, an animalistic predator, or a force of nature in the shape of a dinosaur. How did you interpret The Sharptooth?

What was your inspiration behind this movie?

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: CappyGaming on November 14, 2024, 08:09:09 AM

Hi there! This truly is an honor to talk to somebody on the movie.

My questions are piled in with the Discord questions, but I just wanted to express how grateful I am for these movies.

I'm glad somebody hears us. I know this is an old series but I want it to keep being loved by everyone to this day.

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: Serris on November 14, 2024, 06:09:31 PM

Also, I have some other questions.

What is your opinion on the inclusion of a friendly carnivore in Land Before Time II?

Was it planned at any time to include a friendly carnivore in the original film?

Was there anything in the film that you wish you could have removed or redone?

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: StuKrieger on November 14, 2024, 08:00:38 PM

Hi folks,

Thank you for interest and your fantastic questions, I'm truly touched by how you have all kept the the spirit of Land Before Time alive. Looking forward to answering as many of these as I can within the next hour!

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: StuKrieger on November 14, 2024, 08:06:10 PM

Quote from: Mumbling on October 30, 2024, 07:11:36 AM

I might as well kick this off!

We've uncovered several scripts from 1987 for the movie where Littlefoot is called Thunderfoot. There is some information about this on the Land Before Time fandom page, but perhaps you as a writer can shed light on the name change and how this was received by the team?

Hi Mumbling, thank you for the great question! We often used placeholder names when working out the characters, and Thunderfoot happened to already be the name of a character in an English children's book. When we realized we would need to change it, we thought about how the character has important scenes where he encounters his mother's large footprint, hence the name "Littlefoot" was born.

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: StuKrieger on November 14, 2024, 08:20:00 PM

Quote from: Sporeguy97 on October 30, 2024, 05:29:39 PM

hi there, Stu Krieger :rainbowwave i'm glad you found the forum and know that there are fans out that love this franchise you helped to create and so i have three questions

1. was there going to be more scenes of littlefoot bonding with his mother (i call his mother the name stardust since she does not have a name in the movie :MomCompassion )

2. we get to see all the main characters hatch in the movie except for Petrie, was there going be a scene for Petrie hatching that was cut perhaps

3.do you think the cut ending where littlefoot finds the valley first before finshing off sharptooth with his friends and then going back to the valley with his friends was a better ending then the original?

once again, thank you for helping work on creating our childhoods!

1. Although the script went through many drafts, there was never any plans for extended interactions between Littlefoot's mother. With a young audience in mind, it was important to get Littlefoot on his journey as quickly as possible.

2. Since Petrie was not part of the original herd (his family was from elsewhere) and not a newborn like Spike, we always intended for the audience to meet him the same way Littlefoot did, in the tree. So nope, no hatching scene was ever planned.

3. Great question! Originally my intention was to have Littlefoot reach The Great Valley, but then choose to go back and save his friends, which felt like an important character moment. But we ultimately decided to save the reveal of the The Great Valley until the very end, which I think worked pretty well too.

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: StuKrieger on November 14, 2024, 08:35:13 PM

Quote from: ImpracticalDino on October 30, 2024, 09:53:44 PM

Mo-o-o-o is super duper excited! Wow! Certainly did not expect this, but it's a very welcome surprise. :feelsgoodman :Mo

Nice to meet you, Stu Krieger. :duckyOK
I'm happy to know that you found our little niche community and that you are touched by our continued love for the movie. Thank you as well for your contributions to create the movie that have made the childhoods of mine and other people here.

Anyway, since this is an AMA, it is only appropriate that I ask you some questions that I am curious about. May add some more later on.

1. Not exactly related to the original movie itself, but are you still in touch with other writers or anyone else who had contributed to the first Land Before Time movie?

2. Based on the deleted scenes, the movie was supposed to have more gruesome/frightening scenes, especially ones related to Sharptooth and his attack. My question is, was the pressure to keep adherence to a "G" rated movie standard the main reason why the scenes had to be dialed down a bit? Were you guys considering at one point to make the movie "PG" in favor of keeping the movie's integrity intact? Correct me if I'm wrong, but Universal was the main culprit behind the decisions that the team had to make regarding the scenes that were deleted? (Hopefully this isn't too much for your NDA)

3...

1. Yes! Although I never even met the previous credited writers on LBT, I had a long working relationship across multiple projects with both Steven Spielberg and Don Bluth, who I still speak to today. I also recently reconnected with John Pomeroy, a lead animator and producer on the film. We're all pretty proud of how the movie has lived on.

2. Here's the truth: After years of being asked about the fabled "more violent" cut of the movie, I recently went back into my archives and uncovered what is perhaps the earliest cut of the movie in existence. It's so early, in fact, that some scenes aren't fully animated yet. I can now reveal....

Though there are a few extra moments the Sharptooth fight (some shots are held for slightly longer, there's a brief scream from Littlefoot's Mom that's slightly different to the theatrical release, etc), there are no violent deleted scenes! In fact, the early cut of the movie was shorter than the theatrical release.

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: CappyGaming on November 14, 2024, 08:37:34 PM

Quote from: StuKrieger on November 14, 2024, 08:35:13 PM

Quote from: ImpracticalDino on October 30, 2024, 09:53:44 PM
Mo-o-o-o is super duper excited! Wow! Certainly did not expect this, but it's a very welcome surprise. :feelsgoodman :Mo

Nice to meet you, Stu Krieger. :duckyOK
I'm happy to know that you found our little niche community and that you are touched by our continued love for the movie. Thank you as well for your contributions to create the movie that have made the childhoods of mine and other people here.

Anyway, since this is an AMA, it is only appropriate that I ask you some questions that I am curious about. May add some more later on.

1. Not exactly related to the original movie itself, but are you still in touch with other writers or anyone else who had contributed to the first Land Before Time movie?

2. Based on the deleted scenes, the movie was supposed to have more gruesome/frightening scenes, especially ones related to Sharptooth and his attack. My question is, was the pressure to keep adherence to a "G" rated movie standard the main reason why the scenes had to be dialed down a bit? Were you guys considering at one point to make the movie "PG" in favor of keeping the movie's integrity intact? Correct me if I'm wrong, but Universal was the main culprit behind the decisions that the team had to make regarding the scenes that were deleted? (Hopefully this isn't too much for your NDA)

3...

1. Yes! Although I never even met the previous credited writers on LBT, I had a long working relationship across multiple projects with both Steven Spielberg and Don Bluth, who I still speak to today. I also recently reconnected with John Pomeroy, a lead animator and producer on the film. We're all pretty proud of how the movie has lived on.

2. Here's the truth: After years of being asked about the fabled "more violent" cut of the movie, I recently went back into my archives and uncovered what is perhaps the earliest cut of the movie in existence. It's so early, in fact, that some scenes aren't fully animated yet. I can now reveal....

Though there are a few extra moments the Sharptooth fight (some shots are held for slightly longer, there's a brief scream from Littlefoot's Mom that's slightly different to the theatrical release, etc), there are no violent deleted scenes! In fact, the early cut of the movie was shorter than the theatrical release.

Don't mind me, just gonna save this for the rest of the community.

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: StuKrieger on November 14, 2024, 08:43:08 PM

Quote from: MoonGoji on November 03, 2024, 11:42:42 PM

Hey Stu Kriegler,

The Land Before Time is THAT kids movie for me. It spawned my Dino love since 5 years old, and I am now an aspiring Paleontologist. It's a movie I have shown my younger cousin, and one I hold very near to my heart. I only have a few, not so insightful, questions.

1. What are some cool inside jokes that happened in the writing room during the production of this movie.

2. Have you had any cute or cool fan experiences, and what's the story.

3. What is being a writer for a movie like, where you have to collaborate ideas between writers, directors, etc. Is there one person who creates a general outline and writers fill in. Or is a finished manuscript brought in to writers, who add or take story elements.

Thanks you so much. I'm so glad I've had this opportunity to ask questions to someone who has impacted my life in a meaningful way. I wish you and your family the best of health and good lucks.

Gratefully,
MoonGoji
:DD

1. Though there was no traditional writer's room on this movie, Steven, Don and I had a lot of funny conversations and disagreements about what a dinosaur would or wouldn't say!
2. Truthfully, for many years I had no idea of the depth of the love fans have for this movie. It's only since joining social media, and interacting with folks there (@StuKrieger on Instagram), that I've had countless touching interactions with fans.
3. Every movie is different! In this case, working out the story and relationships was very much a collaborative effort between myself, Don, Steven, John Pomeroy, George Lucas, Frank Marshall, and Kathy Kennedy. In the beginning of the process, we spent several weeks around a conference table hashing out big picture ideas for the movie. Then I wrote a draft of the story, got notes from the team, and it all evolved from there!

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: StuKrieger on November 14, 2024, 08:58:29 PM

Quote from: Littlefoot1616 on November 05, 2024, 06:32:19 PM

Wow! What an honour to speak to an official member of the production crew. A true pleasure Mr Krieger!

1. What was it like working with such big names in the industry at the time? I.e. Don Bluth, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas

2. What were some of the highlights of making the original Land Before Time movie? Any interesting stories/ancedotes?

3. Were there any shortcomings or production issues whilst making the original movie?

4. Any thoughts on how LBT has progressed since the 1988 original movie?

5. Did you actually enjoy working on the original LBT movie?

Greatly appreciate Mr Krieger taking the time to chat to this old fan forum. Can't wait to hear what he has to say.

Thank you and kind regards,

Littlefoot-1616 :)littlefoot

1. It was my version of grad school, getting to learn from the masters. I'd already worked with Steven on Amazing Stories, so I was thrilled to continue learning from the very best.
2. Don is such a fundamentally kind and decent person, that he made the environment an absolute joy to come to work in every single day.
3. Like any production with big personalities, there were some creative disagreements along the way. But we were always able to put aside our differences to find the best version of the movie together.
4. I'm amazed by its longevity and how many sequels and spinoffs it has spawned. But I have to say, I'll always be biased towards the original ;)
5. Yep yep yep!

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: StuKrieger on November 14, 2024, 09:00:08 PM

Quote from: Rattymon on November 08, 2024, 03:52:44 PM

Hello, Mr. Krieger! :rainbowwave

Did you have a favourite character from the film?

I've always had a special soft spot for Cera, because she had the most to learn in order to overcome the chip on her shoulder, and become a member of the team.

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: StuKrieger on November 14, 2024, 09:07:32 PM

Hi folks,

Thanks again for all your great questions! This was a lot of fun, and I couldn't be more moved to see your continued love for this very special story.

I'm sorry I couldn't get to everyone, but you can always find me at @StuKrieger on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/stukrieger/) where I share stories from Land Before Time, and try to answer fan questions whenever I can. If your question didn't get answered, feel free to leave a comment there.

May all your journeys be filled with friendship and tree stars,
Stu

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: ImpracticalDino on November 14, 2024, 09:22:37 PM

Omg! I loovee your sendoff message, haha! :cozy

But anyways, thank YOU for answering my questions and for answering as many questions from this thread as you can. I appreciate the time you have set aside out of your busy schedule to touch base with the fans of the LBT movie that have made our childhoods.
:spikeblush

Quote from: StuKrieger on November 14, 2024, 08:35:13 PM

Quote from: ImpracticalDino on October 30, 2024, 09:53:44 PM
Mo-o-o-o is super duper excited! Wow! Certainly did not expect this, but it's a very welcome surprise. :feelsgoodman :Mo

Nice to meet you, Stu Krieger. :duckyOK
I'm happy to know that you found our little niche community and that you are touched by our continued love for the movie. Thank you as well for your contributions to create the movie that have made the childhoods of mine and other people here.

Anyway, since this is an AMA, it is only appropriate that I ask you some questions that I am curious about. May add some more later on.

1. Not exactly related to the original movie itself, but are you still in touch with other writers or anyone else who had contributed to the first Land Before Time movie?

2. Based on the deleted scenes, the movie was supposed to have more gruesome/frightening scenes, especially ones related to Sharptooth and his attack. My question is, was the pressure to keep adherence to a "G" rated movie standard the main reason why the scenes had to be dialed down a bit? Were you guys considering at one point to make the movie "PG" in favor of keeping the movie's integrity intact? Correct me if I'm wrong, but Universal was the main culprit behind the decisions that the team had to make regarding the scenes that were deleted? (Hopefully this isn't too much for your NDA)

3...

1. Yes! Although I never even met the previous credited writers on LBT, I had a long working relationship across multiple projects with both Steven Spielberg and Don Bluth, who I still speak to today. I also recently reconnected with John Pomeroy, a lead animator and producer on the film. We're all pretty proud of how the movie has lived on.

2. Here's the truth: After years of being asked about the fabled "more violent" cut of the movie, I recently went back into my archives and uncovered what is perhaps the earliest cut of the movie in existence. It's so early, in fact, that some scenes aren't fully animated yet. I can now reveal....

Though there are a few extra moments the Sharptooth fight (some shots are held for slightly longer, there's a brief scream from Littlefoot's Mom that's slightly different to the theatrical release, etc), there are no violent deleted scenes! In fact, the early cut of the movie was shorter than the theatrical release.

Dang! Was hoping the community could've gotten all the deep juicy lost content from the archive! But nonetheless, this was more of answer than I thought I was gonna get, so I'm pretty satisfied. :D :lol

Anyways, I guess this is our goodbye for now. Thanks again for everything. You're always welcome to secretly poke around this community if you're interested, haha. Nobody would know! :P

Long live Land Before Time! :Mo

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: Mumbling on November 15, 2024, 01:15:18 AM

Thank you very much for taking your time to answer our questions, Stu! What a lovely experience for our little corner of the internet :DD

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: Sneak on November 15, 2024, 04:23:13 AM

Thank you very very much for this Q&A session!

It was fun and informative. Always good to learn something new about our beloved movie! :^^spike

Especially, I am amazed to learn how Littlefoot got his name. :)littlefoot

Title: Re: Ask questions about the original LBT script - Stu Krieger writer AMA
Post by: Rattymon on November 15, 2024, 03:30:54 PM

Thank you so much for answering my question! :CeraHAPPY

The Gang of Five

The Land Before Time => 1988 Theatrical Release => Topic started by: Mumbling on October 30, 2024, 06:51:01 AM