Hand-Drawn Animation Dead at Disney

[Kyle]

I'm not sure its that expensive. Any more so than other independent projects, I mean you have people like Harry Partridge doing quality stuff for next to nothing, almost entirely on his own.

[estefan]

Don Bluth and his team started off in his garage after leaving Disney, so it's not out of the question. He even managed to acquire $7 million to make The Secret of NIMH at a time when only Disney was doing elaborately produced animated features and it's worth remembering the 1970s and early 1980s is probably the darkest period in animation history. Of course, Bluth had poor business sense and a lot of his studios went bankrupt very quickly.

Glen Keane's studio seems to be having the same beginnings as Bluth, so maybe he will get funding for his own Secret of NIMH-like project (hopefully without the financial hardships that continually befell Bluth).

[Sotiris]

It's sad that the handful 2D animators left at Disney have been relegated to pencil tests, and working on commercials and theme park projects.

Q: With Get a Horse finally completed, what are the plans for Disney veteran Eric Goldberg?

Eric Goldberg: Right now I'm doing some work for the theme parks, and exploring some further shorts ideas.

Source: https://twitter.com/DisneyAnimators/sta ... 2909539328


Mark Henn is also pitching shorts ideas. Hopefully, he'll get one of his ideas greenlit soon.

Q: Has Mark Henn ever thought to doing an independent 2D feature or short? Something similar to what Andreas Deja is working on at the moment?

Tom Bancroft: Yes, he's thought of doing shorts and has pitched a few to Disney. He directed "John Henry" for them, which was based on one of his pitches, BUT does he want to do an INDEPENDENT short? No. That's not Mark. I'd work on it if ever he did one though!

Source: https://www.facebook.com/thebancroftbro ... omments=55

[PatrickvD]

At least he's still working there. He's incomparable as far as I'm concerned.

[TsWade2]

Well, I guess what we have right now is the hand drawn shorts with CGI technique.

[estefan]

Honestly, I don't think we can call hand-drawn animated features dead at Disney unless we get to 2021 and they haven't made or announced a single one. Then, maybe I'll start believing it. However, I'm optimistic that won't happen.

I'm sure there were folks back in 2003 after the initial announcement that made that same bet, except switch the date to 2014. Well, we got a couple. And I think we'll get more than a couple. So, if 2021 comes along and they haven't started production on another hand-drawn animated feature, feel free to quote this down the road and tell me I'm wrong. But I don't think I will be. I'm that confident and optimistic.

[TsWade2]

Honestly, I don't think we can call hand-drawn animated features dead at Disney unless we get to 2021 and they haven't made or announced a single one. Then, maybe I'll start believing it. However, I'm optimistic that won't happen.

I'm sure there were folks back in 2003 after the initial announcement that made that same bet, except switch the date to 2014. Well, we got a couple. And I think we'll get more than a couple. So, if 2021 comes along and they haven't started production on another hand-drawn animated feature, feel free to quote this down the road and tell me I'm wrong. But I don't think I will be. I'm that confident and optimistic.

2021? Damn that's long!

[disneyboy20022]

It's sad that the handful 2D animators left at Disney have been relegated to pencil tests, and working on commercials and theme park projects.

Q: With Get a Horse finally completed, what are the plans for Disney veteran Eric Goldberg?

Eric Goldberg: Right now I'm doing some work for the theme parks, and exploring some further shorts ideas.

Source: https://twitter.com/DisneyAnimators/sta ... 2909539328

Here's a link that shows his commercial

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/advertising/ ... 91477.html

[Kyle]

Mickey's new voice sounds weird.

Always cool to see stuff from Eric Goldberg though.

[TsWade2]

It's sad that the handful 2D animators left at Disney have been relegated to pencil tests, and working on commercials and theme park projects.
Source: https://twitter.com/DisneyAnimators/sta ... 2909539328

Here's a link that shows his commercial

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/advertising/ ... 91477.html

Nice!

[Warm Regards]

While I'm glad Eric Goldberg is still animating, I can't help but feel he's been relegated by making commercials.

I guess if he's working...

[estefan]

Well, Goldberg did get recruited to Disney based on his own studio which produced commercials for quite a number of years. So, he's gone full-circle. However, I do think he will work on another feature again, just give it time.

Of course, there's no shame in doing commercials. Richard Williams worked on so many commercials, all of them quite impressive. Williams' studio made a Care Bears commercial that was better animated than the Nelvana series. Seriously.

[Warm Regards]

Didn't know where to post this, but...

http://animationguildblog.blogspot.com/ ... lding.html

According to artists up in the story department, there are six (maybe more) features in various stages of development. (Don't ask me what all the titles and subjects are, because beyond Big Hero Six and Zootopia, haven't really kept up.)

And one of the story artists said this:

"We finally have a lot of story development going on, because it's taken a long while for John [and Ed] to have confidence, I think, in what we can do.

"Back when we were working on Bolt, we were taking the picture up to Pixar all the time, to show Pixar the brain trust what was happening. That's not happening now. I don't mean that nothing gets taken up to Emeryville these days, but John is a lot more comfortable with the artists here. And because he's more comfortable, more projects are in work, and there's not as much input from Pixar.

"Because John trusts what the Disney artists can do now. I don't think he did, a few years ago." ...

That last line, if true, sounds promising.

[TsWade2]

Didn't know where to post this, but...

http://animationguildblog.blogspot.com/ ... lding.html

According to artists up in the story department, there are six (maybe more) features in various stages of development. (Don't ask me what all the titles and subjects are, because beyond Big Hero Six and Zootopia, haven't really kept up.)

And one of the story artists said this:

"We finally have a lot of story development going on, because it's taken a long while for John [and Ed] to have confidence, I think, in what we can do.

"Back when we were working on Bolt, we were taking the picture up to Pixar all the time, to show Pixar the brain trust what was happening. That's not happening now. I don't mean that nothing gets taken up to Emeryville these days, but John is a lot more comfortable with the artists here. And because he's more comfortable, more projects are in work, and there's not as much input from Pixar.

"Because John trusts what the Disney artists can do now. I don't think he did, a few years ago." ...

That last line, if true, sounds promising.

Well, at least the news from that animationblog is not as bad as it seems, but the only question that still remains, will John Lasseter give hand drawn a chance? I guess time will tell.

[unprincess]

this is why Im hoping Frozen is a huge success. The more succes they have the more confident theyll be. And the more they will be willing to try riskier out of the box concepts, & maybe even want to go ahead & get one of those upcoming projects done in the hybrid technique or even full 2d again.

[TsWade2]

this is why Im hoping Frozen is a huge success. The more succes they have the more confident theyll be. And the more they will be willing to try riskier out of the box concepts, & maybe even want to go ahead & get one of those upcoming projects done in the hybrid technique or even full 2d again.

Well, so far I heard Frozen's box office is having great start. It may not beat the Hunger Games, but I think it'll make it to number 2.

[JTurner]

Honestly, I don't think we can call hand-drawn animated features dead at Disney unless we get to 2021 and they haven't made or announced a single one. Then, maybe I'll start believing it. However, I'm optimistic that won't happen.

I'm sure there were folks back in 2003 after the initial announcement that made that same bet, except switch the date to 2014. Well, we got a couple. And I think we'll get more than a couple. So, if 2021 comes along and they haven't started production on another hand-drawn animated feature, feel free to quote this down the road and tell me I'm wrong. But I don't think I will be. I'm that confident and optimistic.

**Best Phil Hartman as Jack Nicholson voice impression**
"Optimistic?! Somebody untie the antenna in this guy's cord!"

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Yeah, the only real way Disney will start again on handdrawn animation is if there's a demand for it. If we have to wait ten years, so be it.

[jpanimation]

I wish Disney had as much pride in what they do as Laika. Just look at the latest trailer for The Boxtrolls. If only Disney were to make a traditionally animated film and put out a trailer like that honoring the craft.

At this point I'd settle for a DTV that's hand drawn, as even those are all CG now.

[TsWade2]

I just hope Get A Horse wins the Oscar which will help Disney get back on the traditional animation, even though it has CGI elements. But so far, Frozen was doing great at the box office.

[TsWade2]

This will make me feel better if this thread is closed.