Brenda Chapman Left Pixar

[qindarka]

From the same poster who I quoted regarding Sanders earlier, on Brave:

"So I have it on good authority that the problems with Brave were two-fold:

1) Pixar (not Disney as I said earlier) wanted her to get with a prince

2) It was dark. Like, really dark. Too dark, even.

The second reason is why the directors were swapped - Pixar wanted it to have a little more humor and light-heartedness. I don't know what exactly it was that made Pixar so uncomfortable with it, all I know is that it was just way past what they were willing to put out."

"You probably mean to the characters, but this is also the reason the movie had such development problems - it was much, much too personal a story to Brenda Chapman. Now, there's nothing wrong with making a personal story at all, but it can give you tunnel vision, and it can make you much more sensitive and resistant to criticism, and the movie will suffer from it. Brenda and her daughter have a very strained relationship so this movie was incredibly personal to her and when the Brain Trust tried to change things up for the good of the film she balked hard core and that's what led to the director change, troubled development, and her eventual exit from Pixar."

Source: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread. ... 93&page=17

[Sotiris]

I've been getting this dictatorial vibe from Lasseter and Stanton for a while, they act like they are above reproach, like they are infallible.

I agree. It's frustrating watching him professing about how Pixar and WDAS are director-driven studios when in actuality he's micromanaging every single project.

Another thing that annoys me is how Lasseter has been handling his public image. He's trying to present himself as the next Walt Disney. Perhaps he even believes that. That sort of ego and entitlement is never a good sign. Micheal Eisner also tried to do that and we all know how he ended up.

Pixar (not Disney as I said earlier) wanted her to get with a prince.

That seems really odd considering Pixar's claims of deliberately wanting to deviate from the traditional Disney princess formula.

It was dark. Like, really dark. Too dark, even.

There is a pattern here. It was for the same reason Glen Kean's Rapunzel was scrapped. Personally, I would have loved a darker version of Brave since the film as it is now is one of Pixar's weakest.

Now, there's nothing wrong with making a personal story at all, but it can give you tunnel vision, and it can make you much more sensitive and resistant to criticism, and the movie will suffer from it. Brenda and her daughter have a very strained relationship so this movie was incredibly personal to her and when the Brain Trust tried to change things up for the good of the film she balked hard core and that's what led to the director change, troubled development, and her eventual exit from Pixar.

Well, Chapman has given a different account as to why Pixar demanded so many changes.

It does get difficult when a project goes on too long. Brave’s release date kept getting pushed back after Disney bought Pixar to accommodate sequels of other Pixar films and other Disney animated films. Ideas that were once thought brilliant or funny started to feel tired and not so funny--not because they had changed, but because people got bored with seeing them so often. It’s heartbreaking some of the ideas that we lost just because people couldn’t remember their initial good reaction to them.

Source: http://www.omnivoracious.com/2012/08/br ... brave.html

[BK]

Pixar and Lasseter have lost their way a little, without a doubt.

Kind of like Apple. They were innovators, then they reached the summit and are now trying to sue competitors out of business whilst doing nothing to improve their product.

Look at Dreamworks constantly trying to improve themselves. Funny, really. I mean, I still don't really care for a lot of their recent work and actually prefer the despised Shark Tale for instance, but you can definitely see the effort put into the story and characters and the struggle to make it more timeless and less flash in the pan.

Though I hated Cars 2, I still really liked Brave but we'll see. Lasseter hasn't a project in awhile and the non-existent support given by most Pixarians on Cars 2 suggests they're not all aboard the Lasseter Yes Man Express like Mark Andrews.

They are on shaky ground but they still are talented so they may yet make it out of this. Pete Docter's, Bob Petersen's and Lee Unkrich's projects all sound interesting even if Monsters Uni is a bit blaise.

[Lnds500]

Pixar and Lasseter have lost their way a little, without a doubt.

Kind of like Apple. They were innovators, then they reached the summit and are now trying to sue competitors out of business whilst doing nothing to improve their product.

Correction, they've done plenty to improve their products. And they are suing the competition because the competition is blatantly copying them. Every company does that (even Disney)

[DisneyAnimation88]

Another thing that annoys me is how Lasseter has been handling his public image. He's trying to present himself as the next Walt Disney. Perhaps he even believes that. That sort of ego and entitlement is never a good sign. Micheal Eisner also tried to do that and we all know how he ended up.

It's all a matter of opinion but I can't recall anything that suggests to me that John Lasseter is presenting himself as the new Walt Disney; what do you think he has done to do that? Maybe one of his faults is he over micromanages but from what I know and have read of the two men, personally I think there's a huge difference between John Lasseter and Michael Eisner.

Well, Chapman has given a different account as to why Pixar demanded so many changes.

There are usually two sides to every story which is why I try not to comment too much on things on this. I really do sympathise with Brenda Chapman but I just think that none of us can be sure of what exactly went on during Brave's production and maybe there's more to the story than what we do know. Perhaps there is a little bit more to it than will ever be known publicly but I actually really liked the finished film; it's not Pixar's best but I still find it to be very enjoyable.

[qindarka]

It could just be that I like Brave more than most but it would not be accurate to assume that the version of the film that we didn't get was automatically superior. Meddling could have been done to resolve genuine problems.

[Sotiris]

From what I know and have read of the two men, personally I think there's a huge difference between John Lasseter and Michael Eisner.

I didn't argue otherwise. They are indeed vastly different personalities. I simply noticed a similarity regarding how the two tried to handle their public image.

It's all a matter of opinion but I can't recall anything that suggests to me that John Lasseter is presenting himself as the new Walt Disney; what do you think he has done to do that?

It's an impression I got from watching various interviews and profiles of him in the press through the years. They way he presents himself as the godfather of animation and the heir of Disney storytelling; how he saved animation and revolutionized the industry; how he presents concepts like 'likeable characters', 'believable worlds', 'heart' as his own conceits; how he presents the work environment at Pixar as ideal and how different Pixar is from the corporate culture of Hollywood; how he claims of being a 'storyteller' and a 'child at heart'; how he presents his success story, from being fired by Disney to now being head at Disney etc. It's various small things like that.

And I'm not saying that some of these things aren't true; I'm just questioning the established narrative that has been created around Lasseter. It's always the same thing. Anything that deviates from that doesn't get voiced in the press.

[DisneyAnimation88]

I didn't argue otherwise. They are indeed vastly different personalities. I simply noticed a similarity regarding how the two tried to handle their public image.

Okay, I can understand that and see what you mean. I probably see it a little differently due to Eisner being a bit more obvious in doing things like presenting the Wonderful World of Disney and choosing himself to be the host of the One Man's Dream attraction at Disney's theme parks but it's all a matter of perception. Personally, I do see Lasseter as the closest there has been to Walt in terms of the impact and legacy he has had on the animation industry but I still don't consider that as close to Walt; put simply there will never be another Walt Disney. But I must admit to being a huge fan of Lasseter so perhaps my opinions on the matter are kind of skewed by that.

And I'm not saying that some of these things aren't true; I'm just questioning the established narrative that has been created around Lasseter. It's always the same thing. Anything that deviates from that doesn't get voiced in the press.

That's fair, a mystique does form around people like Lasseter who become figureheads and are seen as pioneers in some way.

It could just be that I like Brave more than most but it would not be accurate to assume that the version of the film that we didn't get was automatically superior. Meddling could have been done to resolve genuine problems.

I think the same.

[Sotiris]

Personally, I do see Lasseter as the closest there has been to Walt in terms of the impact and legacy he has had on the animation industry but I still don't consider that as close to Walt; put simply there will never be another Walt Disney.

I see what you mean although I always cringe when people compare Lasseter to Walt. Lasseter may have revolutionized the technology of computer animation but Walt practically invented the long-form animated film as well as all those storytelling elements and techniques that now Pixar has appropriated. Walt also dabbled in live-action filmmaking, documentaries, TV, merchandise, and theme parks. His impact on the entertainment industry as a whole is immensely more profound and meaningful than that of Lasseter's.

[DisneyAnimation88]

I think the same, there will never be another Walt Disney because he was a pioneer in so many different fields. I think John Lasseter has created his own legacy within the animation industry but it will never compare to Walt's, I don't think anyone in the entertainment industry will ever have a legacy like Walt's purely because, aside from his achievements and accolades, no one will ever have the incredible instinct and foresight that Walt had.

[Linden]

I'm so happy that Brenda will be going back to DreamWorks. I feel like she will get more respect there, and I can't wait to see what she will be working on next.

[Sotiris]

Chapman, a 20-year Hollywood vet, worried the firing was a fatal blow to her career.

“I really thought, ‘Oh my god this is it for me,” Chapman said. “I thought it was going to kill my career. But it was quite the opposite – I got so much support. And now this!”

Chapman, said the time leading up to the Oscars was fraught with anxiety, as she didn’t know if she would get a chance to speak if Brave won.

“It was kind of stressful up until that very moment,” she said. “Mark Andrews did try to give me a few seconds at the end to speak. That meant so much to me.”

Chapman, who works as a story consultant with Lucasfilm and part-time at Dreamworks, is shifting to full-time at Dreamworks’ facility in Redwood City in May.

“They want me to develop a project with the eye to direct it,” she said. “I will also be helping out on other projects as a story eye. That’s my passion.”

Source http://millvalley.patch.com/articles/ta ... o-13641428

She currently looks forward to future projects with Dreamworks. But she may even do her own thing, writing her own novel and possibly turning that into another movie.

“I’ll be happy to do a project that interests me that the studio doesn't already have, as long as it fits my criteria of having a strong, female protagonist,” Chapman said. “I’ve decided that’s what I need to do.”

Source: http://www.lincolncourier.com/news/x141 ... an-returns

[SWillie!]

I'm glad to hear she will be at Dreamworks full time. I thought Lucasfilm seemed like a strange fit for her, but I think she'll be given the freedom she wants at Dreamworks.

[estefan]

Awesome! I look forward to any project she gets to direct and it's great to read that she will also help contribute to the stories of their films.

[Sotiris]

Q: You are working for DreamWorks and consulting for Lucasfilm. Could you reveal your current project?

Brenda Chapman: My plans are to develop a project at DreamWorks. Right now, I am at the beginning of writing on that project – adapting a children’s book- with my longtime friend Irene Mecchi, with whom I worked on The Lion King and Brave; and on a Lucasfilm project. I can't tell you which book it is. The project is very different than Brave, but yet has a strong female protagonist. It’s funny with magic and heart.

Q: Is it great for you the project is adapted from a children’s book, instead of a musical?

Brenda Chapman: Yeah, it is harder to adapt a novel because you need to weed it out — there is always more material than you need. Doing a children’s book gives you room to expand and explore. Working on musicals back in the ’80s and ’90s was the norm. The Prince of Egypt was the only choice I had. At Disney, they were just the films I worked on. Now it is kind of nice to have a choice.

Q: This project gives you more freedom?

Brenda Chapman: Yes. I have been in the business a long time, so it’s nice finally get there to make some decisions for myself, instead of people making them for me.

Q: Did winning the Academy Award give you freedom not to have to work on just blockbusters projects but on projects with more personal passion?

Brenda Chapman: It actually came before the Oscar. Jeffrey Katzenberg called me immediately after I left the project on Brave. He offered me to come back to DreamWorks. I have a reputation of not being difficult to work with within the industry — where people respect me for what I have done and like to work with me. The Oscar maybe helped to enhance that freedom.

Q: You said Brave is your dearest and most difficult film, and still feels as your film.

Brenda Chapman: I had the fear they would change the characters a lot when I left. It was truly my biggest fear that they would ruin it. The project is very dear to me, because it is inspired by my daughter. But they put a lot of my work and intention back in for the characters and story. In the bigger picture it is very much what I had. They didn't ruin the movie.

Q: How do you watch it?

Brenda Chapman: It is still painful, sometimes, to see the changes they made. It still hurts a little and probably always will.

Q: Could you ever return to Pixar?

Brenda Chapman: That door is closed. I made the right decision to leave and firmly closed that door. I have no desire to go back there. The atmosphere and the leadership doesn't fit well with me.

Source: http://www.animationmagazine.net/people ... a-chapman/

[Lnds500]

Spill the beans already...

[PatrickvD]

I LOVE her honest answer at the end. Let's not pretend her exist from Pixar was pretty.

Burn that bridge, Brenda, BURN IT!!!

[DisneyEra]

I LOVE her honest answer at the end. Let's not pretend her exist from Pixar was pretty.

Burn that bridge, Brenda, BURN IT!!!

Chris Sanders got thrown off American Dog, goes to Dreamworks & directs How to train your Dragon & The Croods! American Dog is reworked as Bolt & grosses only $310mil worldwide, while Dragons & Croods make over $500mil & are now franchises with sequeals upcoming! I expect nothing but great things for Brenda over at Dreamworks Animation.

[Sotiris]

Chapman says that Pixar had initially pushed to make Brave a father/daughter story instead of a mother/daughter one.

A major challenge was that the leaders at Pixar were mostly men with sons. It was hard for them to relate to the mother/daughter relationship. Powerful forces wanted it to be a father/daughter film. The marketing department said they did not know how to market a film about two women quarrelling. Fortunately, many of the staff who had daughters and similar experiences as me, supported me.

Source: http://rushprint.no/2013/06/kampen-for-merida/


She also talks about being removed from the director's seat.

It was heartbreaking. I was terrified of what they would change. It was eighteen months until release - plenty of time to make changes. They tried to add and remove a number of things. Fortunately, test audiences reacted negatively to most of the changes. What was initially removed was mostly put back in again. Some subtleties disappeared, but the finished movie remains pretty much my own story. I am very proud of the result. The protagonist Merida is a different princess and a healthy role model for girls.

Source: http://rushprint.no/2013/06/kampen-for-merida/

[PatrickvD]

I'm so glad Brenda isn't staying silent on the matter. I never liked how Pixar is a 'boy's club'.

There's a reason Ratatouille is my favorite PIXAR film, because if you examine it closely, it's a Disney film in disguise. While their other films are great, the representation of women is, up until Brave, mediocre at best.

And besides, we've already seen the father/child relationship in Nemo and The Incredibles. I'm glad they stuck with Brenda's original vision by having the mother central to the story.