Musker & Clements Left Disney

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estefan
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

Post by estefan »

I think it's too early in Jennifer Lee's tenure to judge her capabilities at running the studio. Frozen II and Raya had already been greenlit when Lasseter was in charge, so we'll have to wait until the post-Raya line-up to really get a handle on how she runs the studio.

I also think the days of the Nine Old Men when an animator would stay at one studio for almost their entire career is long gone. It seems it's a lot more common nowadays for an animator or director to work at a variety of studios, which makes sense as there are so many more animation studios doing feature work. Before, Disney was the rare game in town for animated features. UPA and Warner Bros would dabble a few times, but not to the same extent as Disney. Now, we have Disney, Pixar, Blue Sky, DreamWorks, Warner Animation Group, Sony Pictures Animation, Paramount Animation, Skydance Animation, Illumination Entertainment and Laika, not to mention Netflix investing a lot in feature animation. And those are only US-based companies I mentioned. I can understand wanting to work at other places in an effort to flex one's creative muscles. And that can lead to great things.

Ron Clements and John Musker left an incredible legacy at Disney Animation (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and The Princess and the Frog are three of my favourite animated films, after all), but I'm excited to see what they bring to Warner Bros. Their comedic sensibilities do seem an appropriate fit for the home of Bugs Bunny. And I'm excited for what the new talent brings to the future animated movies at Disney.
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DisneyJedi
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

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I just find it ironic how John and Ron end up going to work for one of Disney’s biggest competitors. Also, I’m pretty sure it is the case, but I kind of hope the movie they’re working on isn’t a straight-to-DVD movie. Too many of Warner Bros’ animated films have been getting that treatment.
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

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I wish they could have worked on The Ice Dragon but there haven't been any updates on that one since it was announced two years ago, so I guess it's not happening after all.
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

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Escapay wrote:
Sotiris wrote:Musker & Clements are working on a DC superhero movie. The project is at an early stage. I know which title it is, but I was asked not to reveal it before it's officially announced. Hint: it's an obscure team like what Big Hero 6 was to Marvel.
CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN?!?!

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Disney's Divinity
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

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@Jules: I agree, that Jennifer Lee didn't really deserve it over M&C; I remember several of us on the forum talked about that when it first happened. But I knew to begin with that Disney would never pick M&C because they would likely push hard for things Disney was not on board with (hand-drawn animation, in particular). Besides, Lee was a woman, which was likely a calculated choice to offset criticism of how women are treated at the studio following Lasseter's ouster. She's also behind the biggest hit of the Revival. So I wasn't really surprised, and I think she's better than other options I thought they might have gone with. I was/am quite happy with the decision to put her and Docter in charge of WDAS and PIXAR, respectively. My impression isn't that she was being snakey or angling for the job behind-the-scenes. Things just turned in her favor and fell right in her lap, basically. She's been really lucky. I think she talked about how she was only brought in on Frozen to begin with for a small job and ended up getting a bigger one unexpectedly, too, and then now she's in charge of the whole studio. :lol:

@D82: I don't think Lasseter's departure was planned for Musker to have known that months ahead before he left. Even for a while after the story first broke, it was clear they were waiting to see if the story would blow over before Lasseter was officially pushed out. He was on "leave" for half a year at least, from what I remember.

To no one in particular: I'm glad they're out of the studio and working somewhere else, tbh. TP&TF and Moana both just come across as if there was a lot of interference to blandify those films--nearly all the WDAS Revival and PIXAR films have that bland quality... And we know they were never going to be allowed to use hand-drawn animation at Disney again either because they already tried. Even though they'll be working on properties I don't have much excitement for and the animation quality won't be as great as Disney's hand-drawn was, at least maybe they can make something with more of their own touch this way.
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

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Mooky wrote:Will it be live-action or animated?
So, because my source works at Warner Bros. Animation, I assumed that for them to know about Ron and John's project, they must be working at the same studio. As it turns out, they don't. After you asked me, I contacted them again to confirm the medium and they told me Musker & Clements' movie is going to be live-action. I guess people working for the same company know about the work going on in other divisions as well. Sorry, I misled you, everyone. :embarrassed:

The news they're doing live-action is certainly disappointing. I wasn't even aware they were interested in live-action filmmaking. They've always been so passionate and vocal about animation, it never crossed my mind they might want to do live-action.
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

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Oh wow. To be honest, I thought that even a DC animated superhero movie was an odd fit for them, especially for what I assumed would be a DTV output. I have yet to watch one of those and see something resembling a director's signature style. Saddest thing is, most of them have been directed by one guy, Sam Liu, but they all ended up being rather bland and sterile. Serviceable, though.

So with Musker and Clements at the helm, I thought they'd be able to inject some life and passion and their kind of humor into that kind of movie. It's quite disappointing that it won't be animated, but perhaps it being live-action is not that bad. They might even have more freedom to do what they want to than if they were directing, say, an MCU movie.
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

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Darn. Well, I'll still see it regardless. Too bad though.
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

Post by blackcauldron85 »

FIrst Don Bluth's/Gary Goldman's Dragon's Lair will be live-action, and now Ron 'n John will have a live-action film. The stories on Ron 'n John's films are all really good, I think, so as long as they're writing on it, I think we can expect good things. But yeah, I'm bummed, but I'm glad they're still working if they want to be, you know? And maybe we'll expect a really good movie.
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

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Sotiris wrote:The news they're doing live-action is certainly disappointing. I wasn't even aware they were interested in live-action filmmaking. They've always been so passionate and vocal about animation, it never crossed my mind they might want to do live-action.
I'm surprised too. It's interesting how they're willing to try completely new things at this late stage of their careers. First a CGI movie and now a live-action one! I would've much preferred it was an animated film, but I'm still excited they're doing a new movie, regardless of the medium. And maybe it'll be positive for their careers, given that live-action movies are usually taken more seriously than animated ones.
Disney's Divinity wrote:I don't think Lasseter's departure was planned for Musker to have known that months ahead before he left. Even for a while after the story first broke, it was clear they were waiting to see if the story would blow over before Lasseter was officially pushed out. He was on "leave" for half a year at least, from what I remember.
Yes, Musker left the studio during Lasseter's leave of absence. I think it's possible they could've taken a decision by then given that more than half of those six months had passed, or at least decided who would succeed him in the position in case he had to be ousted, but you could be right too.
farerb wrote:Maybe they expected to be the ones in charge after Lasseter left but it was given to Lee?
That's also an option I had considered, but now I think it's possible that the only reason why they decided to leave the studio could've been that they received this offer/wanted to do a live-action movie. It seems that making a live-action movie is seen like a promotion for animation directors, as many who have done a very successful animated film have then make the leap to live-action (like Rob Minkoff, Kevin Lima, Andrew Stanton, Brad Bird, etc.), so I wouldn't be surprised if they left just because of that.

Regarding Jennifer Lee, I think what both you, farerb, and Disney's Divinity pointed out is true; Disney needed a woman to run one of the studios for publicity's sake. And, to tell the truth, she was probably the most qualified of the women there given that she was the only woman at WDAS that had directed a film. I personally like her too, and I don't judge her for praising Lasseter either, but I haven't loved any of the projects she has been involved with and that's why I've been a bit worried about the future of the studio since she was promoted as chief creative officer. However, I agree with estefan that it's too early to judge her capabilities at running the studio. I sincerely hope she does a great job and proves me wrong.
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rodrigo_ca
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

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How interesting that they're doing live-action now. Hope they manage to push out a great film without too much interference.
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

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D82, to me it depends on how much she'll intervene with the production of the films. If she'll allow filmmakers do what they want and passionate about. While I liked Frozen, I think Lee is a terrible screenwriter so I hope she'll be less involved with that process at least.
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

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farerb wrote:D82, to me it depends on how much she'll intervene with the production of the films. If she'll allow filmmakers do what they want and passionate about.
I think you're right. I have the impression she's not as controlling as Lasseter and she'll give the directors more freedom to carry out their vision, but we'll see. I'm a bit worried about her initiative to bring directors from outside the studio, though. On the one hand, it can be refreshing for the studio, but I fear it can make it lose its identity a bit.
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

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Their next film is a live action one instead of animated? I’ not sure why, but that’s kind of disappointing to find out. :(
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

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I think they want to experience directing a different medium while they still have a chance. They made 7 animated films so I can see why they'd want to do something different.
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

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Confirmation that Ron Clements left Disney as well.
Both directors have left Disney Animation and John Musker has been animating his own three-and-a-half minute short film from home, which he hopes to premiere at a future Annecy Festival. Ron Clements is working on a retrospective book about his forty-five years at Disney Animation.
Source: https://www.laughingplace.com/w/article ... -festival/
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Re: Musker & Clements Left Disney

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I would definitely buy that book.
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Re: Musker & Clements Left Disney

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Is there any further info on that book?
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Re: Musker & Clements Left Disney

Post by Farerb »

I listened to The Bancroft Brothers Animation Podcast where they talk with Musker and Clements, it's actually an old one from March 2017, but I only learned about it today. It was really great, they talk about their experience at Disney going back to the 80's, and I learned new things that I didn't know before, mainly because I was misinformed. I'll try to transcribe some of the things they said if/when I have time, but here it is for anyone who's interested:
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cH ... yNDk?ep=14
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Re: John Musker Left Disney

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blackcauldron85 wrote:FIrst Don Bluth's/Gary Goldman's Dragon's Lair will be live-action, and now Ron 'n John will have a live-action film. The stories on Ron 'n John's films are all really good, I think, so as long as they're writing on it, I think we can expect good things. But yeah, I'm bummed, but I'm glad they're still working if they want to be, you know? And maybe we'll expect a really good movie.
I’m probably the biggest Don Bluth stan under the sun but I’m furious that he’s allowing Dragon’s lair to see the light of day using the live action media.
I mean, for the fans who invested in his campaign to support both him and traditional animation ,that is beyond unfair. He’s been advocating for 2D animation for years now even after ,the failure of Titan A.E, giving online seminars, classes but also opening a university and recently a studio that would focus on short films but I’m not even sure that will happen.
When I saw the pitch for the Dragon’s Lair animated film, I was quite disappointed as it seemed very rushed and underwhelming but I still hoped that something would come out of it and yet after six years, we’re given a live action film that will probably be Don’s last feature film.I would even take a CGI film over this live action version, especially if Netflix is handling the production as they proved that they can produce quality animated films.



Also ,that’s kinda Disney’s fault if more artists are leaving them.. Sure animation studios are more common out there than before but by creating Disney plus and limiting their catalogue to that site kinda forced people to invest in their own animated films so they could have family titles on their streaming services.
By hiring Glen Keane for Over The Moon, Netflix wanted to show that their vision for their animation division is based on quality and good storytelling so props to them.
Aside from that, artists like Jim Kim left the studios because they felt like they were creatively limited by the production of sequels and that’s why they left with Kim having a major influence on the locus production Red Shoes And The Seven Dwarfs.
Regarding Jennifer Lee, I’m sorry but I don’t think she deserved her position at all, she only got it thanks to Frozen’s huge popularity , her a-la-mode feminist views and great timing with Lasseter’s missteps. I’m not a fan of any of the films that came out since she got hired for the job and many other people would have been a better choice such as Don Hann or Rogers Allers. I think Brenda Chapman could have been good as well but she seems too kind for the position and I would say the same for John Musker and Ron Clements.
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