User:Phil A. Fry/Sandbox 4

Spatula Madness (also known as Spatula Madness: The Original Short) is a Flash animated short film and viral video directed, produced, animated, written, and voiced by Jason Steele of independent film company FilmCow. The short film is centered on Edward, an accountant spatula who is fired from his job and attempts to find the true purpose of life. After he is killed, Edward descends into the afterlife of "New France" and, after escaping, uncovers a journey of destiny.

Originally conceived as a feature-length film, Spatula Madness was converted into a smaller format as a FilmCow video by Jason Steele. However, due to the video’s success, Steele partially revived the concept by planning a Spatula Madness movie. Production began in July 2006, and was intended to be released in November, but constant delays and pitches for a potential Charlie the Unicorn television series continuously delayed his progress. It has since been rebooted.

The video was a viral hit, accumulating 50 million views as well as winning the "Best Short Film" award at the Melbourne International Animation Festival. A merchandising line was later produced featuring the video's characters and famed quotations. A feature film is currently in production.

Plot
In the universe of Spatula Madness, spatulas are involved in a war with their counterparts the spoons, over major differences and beliefs. The central protagonist, Edward, is an everyman spatula who works as an accountant at FULP Industries. In the middle of a normal day, he is inadvertently fired, causing him to question the moral values of life, and triggering a search for true purpose that causes Edward to realize his fate is to join the military through two pieces of evidence; the first piece of fate is discovered when Edward meets a hobo and manages to communicate with his allegedly telepathic dolphin carcass that informs him to join the United Secret Spatula Resistance and fight against the Spoon Army. The second piece of fate is found the next morning, when Edward receives a call from a military spokesman asking him to rendezvous with the Spatula Ressistance.

Realizing fate has caught onto him, Edward travels to the USSR outpost in a small field outside of town. Suddenly, a spatula private appears, warning the soldiers that the spoons have discovered their outpost. Virtually all of the soldiers are fatally wounded or killed, including Edward, who dies when he is crushed by an attacking spoon. Edward then descends into the afterlife, which appears in the form of "New France", much to his dismay due to his hatred for the French. A French spatula greets Edward and gives him a tour of New France via musical number, putting emphasis on how he cannot escape no matter what. Edward does not heed the spatula's words, and climbs down a manhole cover; however, he is repeatedly killed in comical fashions.

He finally succeeds, however, when a spatula walks through the nearby and breaks Edward's fall. This spatula introduces himself as Max and discusses why he has been walking through the forest alone. Edward decides to part ways with him, but is lured back when Max brings up the topic of a possible end to the Spatula-Spoon War. According to Max, a scientist named Drake has been working on a project that is guaranteed to end said conflict. However, he doublecrosses Edward by tranquilizing him and bringing him to Drake's laboratory. Once Edward awakens, he finds Drake and Max charging the project: a genetic alteration device that will transform all spatulas into spoons. However, Edward believes the spatula legacy should be preserved, and never be sacrificed for any mere safety. He guns down Max and the machine; Drake gets caught in the line of fire and mutates into a group of dedicated Scientologists. Drake's clones taunt Edward with various Scientology phrases, prompting him to murder every one of them.

After returning home, Edward discusses his travels to his companion (who he didn't recognize her and only acknowledged the fact that she was living in his house). After reaching the end of his story, he then gives a profound speech about how although war can always lead to death and physical injuries, he is still happy to be alive, and grateful that he, at the very least, isn't French.

Cast and characters
All of the voices in Spatula Madness were provided by director, writer, and producer Jason Steele.
 * Edward the Spatula is the main protagonist of Spatula Madness. He is an anthropomorphic spatula who works as an accountant among ninety nine other spatulas at FULP Industries.
 * Drake is the main antagonist of the film. A cyborg mad scientist, he is intent on ending the Spatula-Spoon War by using a genetic alteration device that would transform all spatulas into spoons.
 * Tom is Edward's employer and the owner and CEO of FULP Industries.
 * Peterson is a general for the United Spatula Secret Resistance who leads his own squadron.
 * Max is a former child psychologist who was banished from civilization due to allegations of psychological abuse.
 * DuPont is a private of General Peterson's squadron in the United Spatula Secret Resistance.
 * An unnamed hobo billed as the "Crazy Homeless Guy" is, as his nickname suggests, a homeless man who lives in the alleyways.
 * An unnamed Frenchman billed simply as "French Spatula" is, as his nicknamed suggests, a spatula who guides those who die through the afterlife (which appears in the form of "New France").

Feature film
Originally conceived as a feature-length film, Spatula Madness was converted into a smaller format as a FilmCow video by Jason Steele. However, due to the video’s success, Steele partially revived the concept by planning a Spatula Madness movie. Production began in July 2006, and was intended to be released in November, but constant delays and pitches for a potential Charlie the Unicorn television series continuously delayed his progress. Since then, Jason Steele has rebooted production as of April 6, 2009, the release date of Charlie the Unicorn 3. It has been confirmed that Jason Steele will reprise his role as the major characters, but it is also confirmed that Melanie Steele, Robert Benfer, Matt Books, Stephanie Steele, Chris Alex, and Joshqua Steele will make voice cameos.