Wednesday, April 19, 2006

El Disney Toons at Sonora

There's a half acre of empty cubicles on the second floor of Disney's Sonora Building... Because there's not a lot of productions going on at the present time. A board artist I encountered pinning up story boards said: "They're probably only ten board people up here now..." "Mermaid III" has some people working on it. Also "Disney's Princess Stories" (this is a direct-to-video with a compilation of new half-hour featurettes starring Mulan and other Disney heroines.) The crews wondered aloud what Toons Prez Sharon Morril's future was -- since there are many rumors but no hard info -- and what shows were going to be going into work next (etc.) I was pleased to answer promptly: I told them I didn't know.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think its great that you comment on whats going on in the industry, but posting unsubstantiated rumors about a studio head can only put those crew members in an uncomfortable situation. As an advocate for the continuing employment of union members maybe you should consider removing this post.

Anonymous said...

How does a conversation with a "board artist" endanger crew members?

Will management track down and interrogate employees because they may be speculating about the future of their bosses?

The fear factor at the mouse house seems to be growing.

Anonymous said...

As somebody working there, I can tell you we're already "uncomfortable" not knowing what going to happen. This blog isn't the problem.

Steve Hulett said...

No "unsbustantiated rumors" coming from this blogger.

I wrote "...crews wondered aloud about Toons Prez Sharon Morril's future..."

I can tell you that I personally witnessed people up on the second floor wondering. Out loud.

Anonymous said...

Is this fear about what is going to happen at disney specifically related to Disneytoon Studios?

and is this because John Lassiter and Ed Catmull are now calling the shots, and not wanting Direct to video sequels anymore?

Steve Hulett said...

Might have something to do with it. Point is, nobody knows with certainty -- I'm speaking of the animation artists here -- what will happen next at DisneyToons Studios.

Jim Hill at his Media claims to know far more than I do...and probably does. I am, after all, only a lowly union rep who just wanders around and talks to people. Jim has a vast network of informers and spies...

Site Meter