Please note that I just linked some of his works on the post to existing YT videos that pays tribute to the works. Due to the copyright strikes tagged by YT bots, it is possible that anyone looking at this post in the future would see broken links.
This a compilation of Dead Fantasy episodes (the main object of the post). The Dead Fantasy series was my first encounter with Monty's work and one episode stuck with me even after months from watching. This was a time when I didn't really know much about the creator.
If you've been consuming content about a certain niche for too long, you'd be able to tell which creator really puts effort into what they put out. Learning bits about behind the scenes of how animations are done, producing a 1 minute action filled scene is already a tough order especially for a hobby like how Monty started out.
These episodes were a product of years learning animation and predominantly being self taught and limited to the tech of his time.
Monty Oum was a star that died too young before they could shine brighter than what legacy he left. I don’t think I’m overestimating how much potential he could’ve grown given what he was able to do with just less than a decade in the spotlight. He shaped future animators interested in fight scenes and other content creators from the works he left behind.
He set the bar for creating 3D fight scenes for hobbyist animators. I got to give the man a lot of credit for learning all this on his own from what started as just a hobby and persistence. Like the old masters, I only got to know him better through his works years after he died.
As the lead animator for the show RWBY, his death was around the time Volume 3 was finished. The succeeding volumes had a dramatic difference in how the fight scenes are carried out. This made Monty’s loss in the show even more impactful as the fight scenes (which what RWBY was known for) had lost a lot of its charm. The succeeding volumes weren’t that bad but when you factor how much drop in quality the fights have been you can’t help but feel it’s no longer the same RWBY you once knew.
This was how much the man mattered to the show.
As an animator, Monty has been consistently providing better content with each episode he puts out. I took the time to watch his old interviews, work ethics, how he approaches the project, and the likes to see what else I could pick up. He is one of the few people that I can don’t doubt when he claims he loves his job. And this is evidently after tracing his progress as a content creator throughout the years.
Monty’s Dead Fantasy, Haloid and RWBY taught me what how character can be communicated beyond punch and kick action. He was the one that inspired to make an old post about what makes a good fight scene. Whenever I come to an art block, rewatching his works re-inspired me by taking a different approach. I did dream of wanting to become an animator because I watched his works. The same way he wanted to be an animator because he saw someone else’s work.
I think this is the peak level of being a content creator. Not just being inspired but to inspire the future generations of creators. I’m sure in the fighting animation community, the name Monty Oum would be brought up often as a benchmark. Heck, you may just find terms like “just like Monty” thrown around in reference to this legend.
If you really love what you do and want to share the passion with others, the rewards just come second because it’s the opportunity provided by a platform to share your content that matters more.
If you made it this far reading, thank you for your time.
