The new animation studio

[Rumpelstiltskin]

I remember when Eisner decided to shut down the part of the studio that produced handdrawn animation. These animators then joined together and opened their own animation studio, but I think it was relatively short lived. Anyone who knows what happened?

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Never mind, I found some information myself in an article from 2004:

While Disney as a company seems interested in getting out of the traditional animation business, many of it’s now-former employees are not. Several animators who were let go during an earlier round of layoffs at Disney’s Orlando studio joined together to form Legacy Animation Studios.

“We believe that traditionally animated films are still a viable form of entertainment,” states Legacy Animation Studios Directing Manager, Eddie Pittman in a company press release. “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.”

The studio currently consists of 15 animators whose work experience dates back 25 years and spans over 25 Disney and non-Disney animated productions. Legacy currently has three projects in development including a short film that will begin production in late January 2004.

http://www.filmbuffonline.com/News/2003 ... Studio.htm

But I still havn't found out what happened to them. Maybe I will try to search for it tomorrow.


By the way, the article also says about the Disney animation studio in Florida:
Among the projects completed by the studio include the musical segment “I Can’t Wait To Be King” for The Lion King, the feature films Mulan, Lilo And Stitch and Brother Bear, the three Roger Rabbit short features Tummy Trouble (1989), Rollercoaster Rabbit (1990) and Trail Mix-Up (1993) and the short John Henry (2000).

I assume all these projects were made in Florida only (and it looks like it could have made even more stuff). But what about the studio in France? It was involved with Tarzan, but most of the work with this movie was still being done in California. Also The Emperor's New Groove, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Treasure Planet were movies that the Paris studio cooperated with. Did they complete any features all on their own, without any of the other studios, like the sister studio in Florida did?

[jpanimation]

But I still havn't found out what happened to them. Maybe I will try to search for it tomorrow.

I hate to break it to you but they folded back in '04. Legacy Animation Studios was a small independent animation studio formed by 15 Disney artists that were let go when Eisner shut down their most profitable studio (Walt Disney Animation Florida). This small studio - located in Florida and led by story artist Eddie Pittman - was working on a short titled Lucky. Unfortunately, their investor dropped out at the last minute before the short could be finished and unable to get another investor in time, the group had to move on. Here is the short:

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/__BdJmY7RH0?fs ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/__BdJmY7RH0?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

and here is a link to Eddie Pittman's blog documenting production on Lucky and the legacy of Legacy Animation Studios:

http://www.luckyanimated.blogspot.com/

By the way, the article also says about the Disney animation studio in Florida:
Among the projects completed by the studio include the musical segment “I Can’t Wait To Be King” for The Lion King, the feature films Mulan, Lilo And Stitch and Brother Bear, the three Roger Rabbit short features Tummy Trouble (1989), Rollercoaster Rabbit (1990) and Trail Mix-Up (1993) and the short John Henry (2000).

I assume all these projects were made in Florida only (and it looks like it could have made even more stuff). But what about the studio in France? It was involved with Tarzan, but most of the work with this movie was still being done in California. Also The Emperor's New Groove, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Treasure Planet were movies that the Paris studio cooperated with. Did they complete any features all on their own, without any of the other studios, like the sister studio in Florida did?

No DACs were completed in entirety at Walt Disney Animation France, but A Goofy Movie was. When it was renamed Walt Disney Feature Animation Paris, they contributed to many of the DACs, but never made their own (like the Florida studio).

[Jules]

No DACs were completed in entirety at Walt Disney Animation France, but A Goofy Movie was. When it was renamed Walt Disney Feature Animation Paris, they contributed to many of the DACs, but never made their own (like the Florida studio).

This. I've always wished WDAS France might have had the chance to make their own feature. We would have gotten a French-flavoured DAC! I wonder if A Goofy Movie would have been considered canon had it been made after the studio being renamed.

In any case, I find the animation in A Goofy Movie to be very pleasing and expressive. And, I assume it was made on CAPS, too.

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Well, I assumed that they didn't exist any longer since the only time I heard about them was when they were still new. I just didn't know when or why. Too bad their supporters got cold feet. They should have completed at least one project, and made their own contribution to the animation history.

Like Julian Carter, I would have liked to see a French title in the Disney canon. Had they been given relatively free hands, maybe something refreshing, like Lilo and Stitch, could have been the result.

And thanks for the links.

[Semaj]

This brings back haunting memories of all the press that came with Disney abandoning hand-drawn animation, and a top priority Roy E. Disney made to bring it back with his Save Disney campaign.

[milojthatch]

This brings back haunting memories of all the press that came with Disney abandoning hand-drawn animation, and a top priority Roy E. Disney made to bring it back with his Save Disney campaign.

There are moments I wonder if we still need "The Save Disney" campaign, but it had it's day.