In with the Old, out with the New

[futuremartymcfly]

Well, according to Jim Hill himself on his website (jimhillmedia), Disney is going to avoid competition with its Pixar unit, and revert back to traditional 2-d films following Meet the Robinsons. I quote part of the article (the rest can be found here http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hi...can-dog.aspx):

These guys are running two animation studios that are -- in effect -- in direct competition with one another. Think about it. If Pixar's making CG films and WDFA is also producing computer animated features, doesn't that basically mean that these two studios are now competing for the same customers? That they're both lusting after the same dollars?

That doesn't seem like a very smart business plan to me. Competing directly with yourself.

Wouldn't it be smarter (in the long run, anyway) to create a way that consumers could differentiate between these animation studios? So that they'd know to associate a certain sort of film with Pixar and an entirely different type of production with Walt Disney Feature Animation?

Well, that's the way that Catmull & Lasseter are thinking these days. Which is why they've begun applying the brakes over at WDFA. Shifting that animation studio's production schedule over from a one-new-film-every-year routine to a slower paced one-new-film-every-18-months production schedule. So that they can then buy themselves a little more time before the next Disney Feature Animation production after "Meet the Robinsons" is due to hit the screen.

Now -- as to the real reason that Ed & John pulled Chris off of "American Dog" ... Sanders deliberately designed that film to be a CG feature. And Catmull & Lasseter ... Well, they don't really want Disney Feature Animation to be in the computer animation business as of 2008.



"Wait a minute ..., " you sputter. "You don't mean ... You can't mean ..."

Yep. Following the release of "Meet the Robinsons," Ed & John would like WDFA to go back into the traditional animation business. Full-time. With their battle plan being that -- from here on in -- Pixar would do all of the CG features while Disney Feature Animation would then become a strictly traditional operation.

Obviously, this is a pretty bold plan. One that (given the $100-million-plus that WDFA spent over the past three years to retrain that studio's staff as well as to change Disney Feature Animation into a start-of-the-art CG operation) Bob Iger reportedly hasn't entirely embraced yet. The way that I hear it, Disney's new CEO wants to see how well "Enchanted" does at the box office next November as well as how the story reels for "The Frog Princess" turn out before he officially commits to Catmull & Lasseter's new scheme.

So again ... When you take in the view from a thousand feet back ... And you realize that animated features are like ocean liners. In that they both take years to build & then launch ... If Disney Feature Animation really is going to get back into the traditional animation business ... Well, that means that -- at some point -- WDFA actually has to stop working on those CG-only projects that it already has in its development pipeline.

[avastkeith]

Omg WOOT WOOT! I'm so happy about this!

You just don't get the same magic with the 3-D Stuff!

I'm looking forward to 2-D masterpieces.

So Take That, Evil Pixarazation Or However You Spell It

[MissKeyKey]

Yay! Thats total awesomeness!

*Ultrakiki*

[jsmall]

the only bad thing about hand drawn is that it takes about 5-7 years to make a movie

[Prince_Sabastian]

I believe it has to do more with the story than the vehicle of animation. With the cgi animation the writers work vigorously to make their stories interesting and complext. In the successful traditional animation, much care is given to the love story (with some exceptions) - fantasies about princes and princesses, knights, and conquest over evil. The cgi films are typically set in modern times, imagining "What ifs?" with toys, animals, cars, and such. If the traditional animation forces writers to return to what made Disney magical to begin with, I'm all for it. Just don't create another Home on the Range!

[gone_batty]

Very insightful post, Prince Sebastian. I, too, am a fan of the classic Disney "love conquers all, Good triumphs over Evil" plot. But what I found very refreshing about one of the more recent hand-drawns, Lilo and Stitch, was that there was no "Great Evil" to vanquish, just for the most part, people trying to do their jobs and the battle they face every day just dealing with life (with some extraordinary circumstances thrown in to make a more interesting story ). It's going to be interesting to see where modern Disney Animation will go, plot-wise. But hey, as far as I'm concerned, it's ALL good.

[dslvr]

hmm what was the last 2-D disney movie released?

[Reokre]

HA take that pixar!!

[GreatGatsby]

Originally Posted by dslvr

hmm what was the last 2-D disney movie released?

Home on the Range.

[fantasylion]

Hahahaha!!! Take that Pixar!!!
I'm getting sad that there are not a lot of traditional hand-drawn 2-D films anymore

[gone_batty]

I like hand-drawn animation, too, but why is everyone hating on Pixar? Was Toy Story not a good movie? What about Monsters, Inc.? I loved both of them. I believe there is enough room in this world for both types of animation.

[Adventurebry]

Originally Posted by gone_batty

I like hand-drawn animation, too, but why is everyone hating on Pixar? Was Toy Story not a good movie? What about Monsters, Inc.? I loved both of them. I believe there is enough room in this world for both types of animation.

Well, I am one of thoes Pixar dis-likers. ( I will not say I HATE anything, it is too strong of a word). Anyway, I dislike Pixar is because sure, Toy Story and Finding Nemo were great movies. It's just that Disney is MUCH better then that. Toy story was great, but in my eyes Cinderella was a lot better than all the Disney/Pixar moviess put together. It just does not seem like Disney quality when I watch a Pixar movie. Disney's movies should be getting better, not worse, am I right? This, of course, is all just tin my eyes, my opinion.

[PrincessWall]

Originally Posted by AstroShadyKid1

HA take that pixar!!

But Disney owns Pixar...
♥Wall

[GreatGatsby]

Originally Posted by Adventurebry

It just does not seem like Disney quality when I watch a Pixar movie.

Except the problem is Disney animated films have not been Disney quality for many many years.

I am pleased with Pixar films on the most part, but in their right place. For computer animation, they are excellent. And for story, they can't be beat.

But art they ain't, which is something Lasseter apparently recognizes, too. That's why he wants DFA to go back to ink & paint production.

But I'll believe it when I see Fantasia III.

[brainfreeze972]

I agree with Great Gatsby. Pixar is good at what it does which is computer animation. All the movies it has created have been hits. Disney, on the other hand, is an expert and hand-drawn cel animation. They have been doing it for decades. Disney should stick with its traditional animation movies. Although it will take a little more time and definitely more money, it's worth the effort. The quality is so much better along with the music and plot. There are still people who are true to the traditional animation movies.

Also, I think Disney should not create so many direct-to-DVD movies like Lady and the Tramp 2, Mulan 2, Cinderella 2, or all those sequels to Disney classics. It's a waste of time, money, and effort. They might as well spend the time, money, and effort on the cel animation to create more classics.