The Change in RWBY - Shane Newville's Open Letter

After watching a few random videos on YouTube like I do every night, I came across a video about the change in RWBY. RWBY, for those who don't know, is an American animated series created by Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum. Episodes air on Rooster Teeth's subscription service, Rooster Teeth First, and on YouTube a week after. Season 6 is currently in development. I still rather enjoy the show, however a large majority of the fan-base have noticed a change sweep it. It is no longer the RWBY we once knew.

This change occurred when Monty Oum, the show's creator, the one who wrote scripts for over 10 seasons of the show, the one who helped put Rooster Teeth on the map, passed away February 1st, 2015. I was at school when I learnt the news, I felt terrible for his family as the death was sudden and out of nowhere. I immediately thought that everything Monty created would remained unfinished, as no one could replicate what he made. But Rooster Teeth, who owned the IP of RWBY, wanted to 'honor his legacy' and keep making the show.

Season 3 began to air in October 2015, with a lovely touching tribute to Monty at the start of the first episode. Season 3 was mostly alright (the ending was EPIC to say the least) but cracks had already formed, changes were already noticeable and no one knew how to react. Now, I'm not here to talk about how or why the show has gone downhill without Monty. There are plenty of in-depth YouTube videos on the subject and I would be sitting here writing for weeks if I did wish to write about it.

No, I am here to talk about an open letter written by Shane Newville, who worked with Monty for 7 years and was a head animator for RWBY. He was let go from Rooster Teeth in early 2016, around the time season 3 ended. Shortly after, he released a 36 page letter online talking about his experiences with Monty and with Rooster Teeth. I have just read this letter, all 36 pages, and it is eye-opening on so many levels.

I believe in respecting and honoring those who put in the work. You make something, you get the credit for it. Someone who was not honored enough is Sheena Duquette-Oum, Monty's wife. She was rarely mentioned or credited for any production in RWBY, however she was beside Monty every step of the way, as told by Shane in his letter. Which I believe is true.

If the love of your life has a passion and a goal, you support and help them. I believe Shane's words. I believe that Sheena assisted both Monty and Shane in the production, script writing and concept art for RWBY's 2nd season and didn't take any credit because the show was Monty's passions project, not hers. I have a huge amount of respect for her for doing this.

One thing that struck me while reading this open letter, is the care that Shane had for Monty and Sheena. Working alongside them, all of them acting like a family, creating something that thousands of people loved and still love to this day despite its changes and flaws. Shane clearly cares for the Oum's. So he was willing to spill what Rooster Teeth did after Monty Oum passed away that changed the show for the worse.

Sheena knew the ins and outs of RWBY's lore, characters, history, hell she was even meant to voice a character introduced in season 3! However, according to Shane, a higher-up in Rooster Teeth made a statement to everyone who worked on RWBY: “Just so you know, Sheena has absolutely no business, whatsoever, with any part of RWBY.”

They didn't want Sheena to continue working on RWBY, after she sat beside and aided the man who created the damn thing.

Without Monty, without Sheena, without Shane, the show changed. I still enjoy RWBY for what it is, a fictional, anime-ish show with an intriguing story and awesome action-packed fight scenes. However, the fights have become mediocre without Monty's understanding of fight choreography. The show's pacing is getting worse and exposition is becoming more and more frequent. I could go on, but like I said, YouTube has that covered.

Whoever is in charge of RWBY now isn't doing what they promised, that they would "honor Monty's memory." Instead, they are treating it like it's a cash grab. Not like a passion project. There is a lot more I want to say on this topic, but I believe two quotes from Shane's letter explain my thoughts perfectly:

"They thought the wheel Monty invented was not good enough and attempted to start over in their own way."

"I understand that changes were going to happen either way, but I thought they would at least take place gradually and with respect for Monty on his own show. But no, it all happened too fast and with little to no respect."

An Open Letter to All Who Treasured Monty Oum, written by Shane Newville: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-H0KuOwKFYwZTJxbXg0SG5CTEE/view?pref=2&pli=1