8mm Forum: Disney animation

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Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on November 16, 2003, 08:33 AM:

It was announced today in the "Orlando Sentinel" that Disney is closing its Orlando based animation division. Also Disney has laid off over 1000 animators world wide. The reason given is that Disney is no longer going to produce hand drawn animation films, they are going 100% to CG animation. Apparently the public prefers computer generated animated films such as Toy Story and Nemo. This is really bad news. In my opinion CG animation is nowhere near as good as hand drawn animation. Look at Snow White or Pinochio and compare it to Nemo. Each frame of the hand drawn and painted animation is like a beautiful work of art. CG animation is slick and clever, but is as cold and flat as the computer terminal it was generated on. Anyway we will never see hand drawn Disney features again. All the more reason to hang on to your Super 8 Disney's, or buy them now while they are still available.

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on November 17, 2003, 02:55 AM:

Good God! Is this serious? Are they really going to succumb to this computer generated rubbish ahead of real drawings?

Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on November 17, 2003, 09:32 AM:

Dreadful news. Snow White would never have looked the same produced on a computer. I agree with Paul and John the Disney films were a work of art and none of the later computer generated films have that same feel to them.
What very bad news. [Frown]

Kevin.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on November 17, 2003, 10:39 AM:

Unfortunately the bottom line is money, and today's Disney is a huge international corporation, not the same Disney when Walt was in control. To hell with art, Disney want's to maximize returns to its shareholders, and the last few hand drawn features have not done well at all, whereas Nemo and Toy Story have been huge financial hits. I think its Disney's own fault, after the huge success of "Beauty and the Beast" and the "Lion King" in the 90's, they flooded the market with mediocre hand drawn features such as "Pocohantis" and the "Hunchback". There is one last hand drawn feature to be released, but apparently that will be the last one. Talk about turning your back on your own legacy-Walt must be turning in his grave (or his cryo-capsule!).

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on November 17, 2003, 10:59 AM:

What a loss!,
I enjoy CGI, but I've always considered it a different artform from traditional animation.

It's interesting to think that with the amount of computer animation which appears even in live action films we face a future where we won't have two kinds of film: animated and live action, but rather a continuous percentage of CGI content all the way from nearly zero to 100%. Also that as CGI technology improves it might not always be possible to tell the difference.

-Brave New World!

[ November 17, 2003, 07:07 PM: Message edited by: Steve Klare ]

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on November 18, 2003, 02:05 AM:

CGI technology itself has improved at an amazing rate since its first use. Sadly the standard of the finished product in most cases is mediocre to downright awful. Most CGI work now is blindingly obvious - the sign of a poor special effect. Computer cartoons are, in my opinion, crap. I can't stand the look of them and the more I see the less I like them. Toy Story was enjoyable when it first came out but hasn't stood the test of time; A Bug's Life is doing better in that regard but is already a bit dated. Lady & The Tramp by comparison is timeless.

If Disney really are putting all their eggs in the PC basket then I hope they have several financial disasters on the trot. They'll deserve it.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on November 18, 2003, 09:43 AM:

John,
Disney are already in severe financial difficulties. Attendance at the Orlando and Los Angeles theme parks is way down since 9/11. Also the US television network ABC, which they own, is doing poorly in the ratings. I do not wish Disney bad luck, they have given too much joy and happiness to the World. They are still by far the best at what they do. I just wish that money was'nt always the bottom line in today's corporations, and CEO'S would have more passion and vision about their products.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on December 01, 2003, 06:25 PM:

The Headlines from today's Orlando sentinel:

Roy Disney quits company, calls for Eisner to step down

Apparantely Roy Disney has had it with CEO Michael ($20 million a year) Eisner. In a blistering letter of resignation Roy said Eisners leadership has led to a widely held perception of the company as "rapacious, soul-less, and always looking for the 'quick buck' rather than looking for long term value. He called for Eisner's resignation saying that under Eisner the Disney Company had "lost focus, it's creative energy, and it's heritage".
It looks like Disney's anouncement a couple of weeks ago that it was no longer going to make hand drawn animation features and was going 100% to CGI, was the last straw for Roy, who heads the animation unit and who obviously has a strong emotional tie to the legacy left by Walt Disney. Eisner is a typical souless bean counter, who earns a fortune , and cares only about money. Here's hoping the shareholders demand Eisner's resignation, and persuade Roy to stay with the company to return it to it's former greatness with the world's best hand drawn animation films.

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on December 02, 2003, 02:26 AM:

Three cheers for Roy Disney. At least someone understands what Disney is all about.

It's about time they dug up a good fairy story and did a proper animation film again - perhaps this will give them the kick they need.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on January 13, 2004, 03:13 PM:

Well it's official. The headlines from today's (Jan 13 2004)Orlando Sentinel:

THE END

In the article, the Sentinel's film critic, Roger Moore, announces that the Disney hand drawn animators have all been given their pink slips, that the Disney animation studio in Orlando is closing forever, and they are even selling off the animation tables! How cheap and scrimping can a corporation get! Apparently there is no desire at the corporate level to preserve Walt's art form. Moore takes CEO Michael Eisner to task for killing off hand drawn animation and trashing Walts legacy.
I have written a blistering letter to the Sentinel, denouncing Eisner and his money grubbing bean counters. I hope they print it.

Posted by Alan Rik (Member # 73) on January 19, 2004, 05:26 PM:

That is really sad news. My favorite Disney film storywise is probably Beauty and the Beast, but my favorite animation is Pinocchio. On the big screen it looks just beautiful.

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on January 20, 2004, 02:16 AM:

Mine is "Lady and the Tramp". We'll never see the like of it ever again.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1) on January 20, 2004, 02:25 AM:

Not to fret, they've all just moved down the street.

Legacy Animation Studios

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on January 30, 2004, 04:19 PM:

Huge Headlines in Today's (Jan 30 2004) Orlando Sentinal:

"Pixar Studios slip away from Disney"

Pixar animation studios on Thursday abruptly ended talks to extend it's 13 year partnerhip with Walt Disney Co. " after 10 months of trying to strike a deal with Disney, we're moving on ," Pixar CEO Steve Jobs said. Pixar's move stunned Wall street analysts, and comes as particularly bad news for Disney Chairman Michael Eisner, who is under pressure from Roy Disney to resign.

So now , it would appear that Eisners "leadership" has resulted in Disney having neither hand drawn animation or CGI animation capability! Oh by the way, he will still get his $6 million annual stock bonus.
Roy Disney has set up his own web site www.savedisney.com

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