Originally Posted By dagobert According to Cartoon Brew Disney is gutting the Animation Studios. <a href="http://www.cartoonbrew.com/disney/breaking-disney-just-gutted-their-hand-drawn-animation-division-81043.html" target="_blank">http://www.cartoonbrew.com/dis...043.html</a>
Originally Posted By mawnck Yep. Astoundingly short sighted. I take back everything I may have said defending them. And meanwhile, this: <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2013/04/10/can-20th-century-fox-and-dreamworks-combined-challenge-the-disney-animation-empire/" target="_blank">http://www.forbes.com/sites/sc...-empire/</a> Disney/Pixar has been galloping toward being "just another animation studio" for some time. Now they're toying with turning themselves into an also-ran. Good finances, perhaps, but horrendous strategy. Since they weren't clever enough to find a productive use for all that talent, they laid 'em off. They're once again letting their competitive advantage walk out the door. Rather Eisner-esque if you ask me.
Originally Posted By mawnck Forgot the quote from the link: >>With this new deal between Fox and Dreamworks, the animation landscape has shifted. It’s no longer about Disney/Pixar versus a handful of studios who are attempting to depose them as rulers of the animation kingdom, but rather Disney/Pixar vs. 20th Century Fox/Dreamworks vs. everyone else fighting for scraps against the two relative titans. It will be interesting to see how this plays out over the next few years. But this deal was indeed a proverbial game-changer in the realm of American animation. Stay tuned, folks.<< And Disney is laying off their top artists. Brilliant move, Mousehouse.
Originally Posted By dagobert It's really a sad move. As for Fox/Dreamworks, when did this happen? Wasn't Dreamworks associated with Paramount? However their movies haven't been good as well in recent years. I wonder if Steve Jobs ever regreted that he sold Pixar to Disney.
Originally Posted By utahjosh I wonder how many of these artists were excited about the world of computer animation.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Wait - isn't this just solid and sound business practice? Like the other studio layoffs? And the shuttering of LucasArts? As Robert Iger will be quoted on his plaque: d 'You can design, create the most wonderful place in the world, but if you have to layoff the staff who helped create it because shareholders need to see a ROI, then so be it'
Originally Posted By Manfried So here is the question: Is it the animators or the story people? As much as I hate layoffs, if the stories are not hand-drawn animated films, then they don't need the animators for that. Now if they have the ability to develop really good stories, then keep them. It's not the animation folks, it's the story first.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan I truly hope and pray that somewhere out there, there are people someone out there with the means and desire to launch new animation studios. Art schools are still pumping out truckloads of extremely talented animators and artists. I am hoping that these creative individuals will have a very entrepreneurial spirit and launch future competitors to the Disney throne. I would love to see an animation channel filled with work by these fresh start-ups and innovators.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan It's not the animation folks, it's the story first.<< Yes and no. Over the years, animated features have become fairly "safe" and CGI has developed a very particular look. Animators used to be quite involved in the process of adding gags and helping to mold the story as well. I'd love to see a new wave of animated films that breaks this mold and lets animators have a little more fun. Perhaps a little less realism and a little more way out stuff.
Originally Posted By mawnck Another interesting article on the topic. It claims the Blu Ray release of Cinderella underperformed expectations. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/disney-layoffs-led-by-poor-dvd-sales-2013-4" target="_blank">http://www.businessinsider.com...s-2013-4</a>
Originally Posted By utahjosh ***I would love to see an animation channel filled with work by these fresh start-ups and innovators.*** See: <a href="http://www.cartoonbrew.com/" target="_blank">http://www.cartoonbrew.com/</a>
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I've wondered aloud before about Iger's plan for TWDC after he leaves. The closer we get to the 2015 date, the more I'm afraid that he's slowly using up all of the Company's resources to make it look great when he leaves office, but leave little behind for its future. He's increasingly relying on synergizing existing content, while at the same time reducing the Company's creation of new content to synergize in the future. It seems like it won't be too long before they simply have nothing left to sell to us. I would like to be proven wrong on this one, but I'm really questioning Iger's vision and goals for TWDC
Originally Posted By utahjosh Looks to me like TWDC's plan is the following: Make tons of money off of Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars. Make their own animated CG films, and hope they can contribute to the pantheon of characters. Make a few of their own big movies, like Pirates and Oz. Continue to run the theme parks and make them awesome. Doesn't sound like an awful plan to me, but I will miss the incredible tradition of hand-drawn animation and the best of the best being at Walt Disney Animation.
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 It seems like the original content at least animation wise comes from the tv side. There's no doubt that Phineas and Ferb has been a success both financially and creatively. And I think Gravity Falls is a cute little show. But my guess is their cheaper to produce and thus that's why they were safe.
