My childhood just died

[modage]

Home on the Range: What's expected to be Disney's final animated feature film (at least for the immediate future) hits cinemas next Spring and is a throwback to both an older style design and a more quirky over the top comic tone last used in the likes of "The Emperor's New Groove". Its an unlikely swan song for the biggest player in the beleaguered genre of traditional animation but it'll hopefully be a fun last ride. A first glimpse of it can be found exclusively on the upcoming DVD release of "Finding Nemo" and Animated Movies has posted some nice screen caps from said trailer.








i loved Emperors New Groove, so if this is in that vein, i'm excited.  its such a shame that this is their last traditionally animated movie (for now).  it has to be better than Dinosaur.

[bonanzataz]

they look like the fairies from sleeping beauty, kinda.

[modage]

saw a bunch of 30 sec trailers for Home On The Range yesterday.  the animation style seems really cool and vintage.  however "Roseanne Barr" (as the surveys listed) being the lead voice is more than a little worrisome.  the movie comes out APRIL 2nd.  which also shows that disney the mighty beheamoth has clearly taken a fall.  november and april are not exactly the big movie seasons.  but after a string of flops i guess they arent willing to take any chances with summer.

[modage]

interesting article about the future of 2D animation...

The future of 2D Animation? Apparently not Disney or Dreamworks... then where?
Source: AICN

Hey folks, Harry here... I've had a lot of folks asking me to comment on this whole Roy Disney & Stanley Gold exodus from Eisner's Mouse of Ill Repute, and frankly... it's sad. I look in Roy's face and I see the entire history of DISNEY behind his eyes. I look into Eisner's face and I see the face of a man that seems to not represent those same ideals. DISNEY wasn't meant to be an evil corporation. It has just been drawn that way by current management.
One can only imagine the disgust that Roy must feel as he has seen Disney's animation division laid waste by micro-management, gestapo-esque security measures, test marketing of every minutae and the cut backs that force the very heart and soul of what made DISNEY such a great company... those folks that draw love & soul at 24 frames per second. The Ink & Paint departments. And what's the next Animated Classic to carry Disney's name? TEACHER'S PET! Joy.
Personally, right now I'm hoping that PIXAR just walks away... the same way that Roy and Stanley just walked away. Sometimes if you love something, you have to let it crash and burn on it's own accord, but then return to it when it's ready to be reborn, not based on spreadsheets, but based on ideas, soul and innovation. The very things that made the Disney Animation and the Disney Company so wonderful, for so many years.
Ok, sorry about the soap box... I know, you're curious about the headline... The Future of 2D Animated Film? Well, the odd thing is... the future for this seemingly "dying" form is nestled firmly in the alleged stake that has been so publicly thrust through its chest... PIXAR.
The word is that PIXAR is starting their own 2D Animation Division. A company that will use the PIXAR brand... that name which stands for supreme excellence, innovation and soul in animation today... and putting it behind the form that everyone there loves. 2D Animation.
The first film? Well, Brad Bird, who is wrapping up work on THE INCREDIBLES for Pixar is apparently going to be the goto guy on this to kick it all off. RAY GUNN!!! What is RAY GUNN? Here's what Moriarty gleamed from Brad Bird - 5 Years Ago!

MORIARTY What can you tell me about RAY GUNN, and is there any chance we'll ever see it?

BRAD Well, uh, I hope so. I think it could be a really great film. Essentially, for a long time I've believed that there is an audience for animation that Hollywood has been very slow in recognizing is there. The success of SIMPSONS and KING OF THE HILL say that there is an older audience for animation, but Hollywood tends to be very myopic, and it's change is slow. You can make the arguments for more distinctive, more adult animated projects on TV now, but you've still got all these preconceived notions to overcome trying to get it to features. IRON GIANT basically represents a halfway step for me between what Hollywood can understand about feature length character animation and where I think animation can go. It has enough of the stuff that Hollywood traditionally recognizes as being in a children's film, but hopefully we've been able to kind of squeeze some adult stuff in there in a way that doesn't put kids off. There was so much misinformation about RAY GUNN...

MORIARTY It was one of those projects that I kept hearing the name of over the years, so it's sort of taken on a life of its own if you know the animation community.

BRAD Well, it's two things that are hard to sell in Hollywood. Part of it is sort of film noir, even though to me it's only that in the surface details. Really, it's more of an action movie, and it had a substantial amount of comedy in it. I see it as being very mainstream, but Hollywood saw it as being almost experimental, like, "Whoa, what the heck is this?" In animation, you're always fighting against, "Well, that might upset a 5-year-old." My feeling is, "Well, then, the 5-year-old shouldn't go. Come on, can't we make some other things?" RAY GUNN was not it was PG, you know? Maybe PG-13.

This has been one of Brad's Passion Projects for quite some time and now... At the company that is most held responsible for the pronounced "DEATH OF TRADITIONAL ANIMATION" it is looking like it is getting a new lease on life... Odd, given 5 years ago, Steve Jobs apparently told Brad that 2D animation was "basically going the way of the Buggy Whip." Well, things change... PIXAR to me has always been about story, ideas and soul. If RAY GUNN has that, it's gold whether it is rendered, drawn or acted out with sock puppets. DISNEY may not have the spirit, heart or vision to see that, but thankfully everything that was once best about Disney pulses a healthy beat in the chests of everyone at PIXAR! Thanks goes out to "Kirby" for the heads up!

[modage]

trailer for (final?) 2D disney animated movie....

http://www.apple.com/trailers/disney/homeontherange/

[modage]

Good News for traditional animation....

Ex Disney Animators Form Own Studio in Florida
Source: imdb

A number of animators fired by Disney when it closed its Florida animation studios last year have formed their own company, Legacy Animation Studios, and announced Thursday that they plan to set up shop in Winter Garden, Florida later this month. "We believe that traditionally animated films are still a viable form of entertainment," Legacy's directing manager, Eddie Pittman, said in a statement. "Our goal is to create quality animated films with compelling stories and strong characters and to continue Walt Disney's legacy of hand drawn animation."

[Jeremy Blackman]

That sounds great.

Down with Eisner!

[cron]

In an episode of Family Guy called "Brian Goes to Holywood"  , Brian decides to go to Holywood in search of a carrer as a filmmaker and in the meantime ,he works at a carwash. He gets to clean Eisner's car and offers him his  script .  Eisner  asks "What's your name?"  and Brian answers "Brian", then Eisner looks for a Mickey Mouse hat in his  pocket that has the name Brian and gives it to him.    Eisner gets in his car and says "See you at Disneyland! BRING MONEY!"

[Just Withnail]

Good News for traditional animation....

Ex Disney Animators Form Own Studio in Florida
Source: imdb

A number of animators fired by Disney when it closed its Florida animation studios last year have formed their own company, Legacy Animation Studios, and announced Thursday that they plan to set up shop in Winter Garden, Florida later this month. "We believe that traditionally animated films are still a viable form of entertainment," Legacy's directing manager, Eddie Pittman, said in a statement. "Our goal is to create quality animated films with compelling stories and strong characters and to continue Walt Disney's legacy of hand drawn animation."

Yes!

[MacGuffin]

Disney Set to Close Animation Studio Monday
Source: Reuters

Disney is expected to close its feature-animation studio in Orlando, Florida, on Monday, jeopardizing the jobs of nearly 260 animators. Some artists will be transferred to Burbank, California, where Disney's corporate headquarters is located, but most of the employees, whose credits include the films Brother Bear and Lilo & Stitch, are expected to lose their jobs.

Disney was a pioneer in hand-drawn animation, producing classic movies such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella and Fantasia. In recent years, however, computer-generated animation has become increasingly popular as evidenced by movies like 2003's Finding Nemo, made by Pixar Animation Studios.

[Just Withnail]

Disney Set to Close Animation Studio Monday
Source: Reuters

Disney is expected to close its feature-animation studio in Orlando, Florida, on Monday, jeopardizing the jobs of nearly 260 animators. Some artists will be transferred to Burbank, California, where Disney's corporate headquarters is located, but most of the employees, whose credits include the films Brother Bear and Lilo & Stitch, are expected to lose their jobs.

Disney was a pioneer in hand-drawn animation, producing classic movies such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella and Fantasia. In recent years, however, computer-generated animation has become increasingly popular as evidenced by movies like 2003's Finding Nemo, made by Pixar Animation Studios.

No!

[Derek]

Some things are just told better in 2D. Can you imagine the Simpsons being shown in 3D?

[cron]

[Derek]

Yeah, I knew someone would come up with that, but my point remains.

[cron]

Yeah, I knew someone would come up with that, but my point remains.

I knew too, and someone had to do it.