2025 NOTE: This was never finished, and is a tie-in to a now-unlisted video I made around the time.
Hi, a while back, I uploaded a video on YouTube about the two screenshots that seem to be for the 2016 pilot of Bluey. These were not discovered by me. These are available here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BNGVM_bD86I/ and https://www.instagram.com/p/BNF_io4jDgm/
This is not related to the infamous 1-minute long swing pilot that's also from 2016, as that one was made way earlier by Joe Brumm and his small team at Studio Joho to be pitched to Ludo Studio. The image is for a 5-minute long expanded version based on the plot of the swing pilot.
What makes me confused to hell is the fact that the art-style in the two screenshots do not match with other images that are often attributed to this pilot. I wouldn't care that much if it weren't for the fact that Bandit's fur in the "We finished this today" animation matches the final 2018 version, while the other images from 2016 show the same design that was later used in the 2017 pilot and further polished in 2018.
Additionally, the more square look of Bluey in the 2016 pilot is similar to one used in the "Bluey, ruff ruff" intro from the 2017 pilot. However, that intro is unlikely to be from 2016 as the only known other photo discovered seems to be Bluey doing a jumping pose that is very similar to the one in the final 2018 intro.
This could have been either an intro leading to the pilot, or some sort of semi-related animation test made around the same time that was showcased alongside it.
So, what the hell was going on with the development? Well, I'll try my best to guess, using whatever is available on the Wikipedia article and trivia sections of articles on Blueypedia.
- 2015-ish?: The series was first conceptualized with Rusty being the first character created(?), he was planned to be the main character.
- Early-to-mid-2016: Joe Brumm decides to base the series on his two daughters. Bluey and Bingo were created (along with the parents) and they become the main characters. The first pilot, a 1-minute pilot involving Bandit pushing Bluey and Bingo in swings, was created and pitched to Ludo Studio. No confirmations if this was animated or just rough storyboards.
- Late-2016: Ludo Studio produces a 5-minute pilot which was an expanded version of the swing pilot.