A brief ... and semi-comprehensive ... look at what's going on at various studios TAG reps -- and a few we don't -- here in the L.A. area (since we haven't done this for awhile):
Adelaide Productions is producing its new run of Spiderman half-hours.
Car Talk -- Director Tom Sito has wrapped the initial order of Car Talk half-hours for PBS.
Cartoon Network doing episodes of Chowder, Flapjack and a new order of Ben 10. Foxter's Home for Imaginary Friends is nearing the end of its latest season.
Disney Animation Studios has Bolt scheduled for a November 2008 release, and a sizable animation and tech crew as story and character revisions give way to pedal-to-the-metal production. Early animation has commenced on Princess and the Frog as story work goes on, with Rapunzel also in story. (Joe Jump and King of the Elves are two features in early development...)
Disney Television Animation winding down The Replacements, continuing on Phineas and Ferb, Inspector Oso Yin Yang Yoh!. My Friends Tigger and Pooh Mickey Mouse Clubhouse striding on to new seasons (in other words, still going.)
Disney Toons continuing with Tinkerbells 2 & 3
DreamWorks Animation has Shrek IV, Monsters and Aliens, How to Train Your Dragon and Crude Awakenings (Chris Sanders' new project) in various phases of work. Madagascar II and Kung Fu Panda are pretty close to done.
Fox TV Animation, now that the Writers Guild strike is over, will be pushing ahead with new episodes of Family Guy and American Dad.
Imagi Studios is retooling Gatchaman and speeding ahead with Astroboy. (Of late, Imagi has expanded the square footage of its Sherman Oaks studio).
Nickelodeon has nine series in various stages of work.
Sony Pictures Animation is still working on Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Open Season II, and another feature in early development.
Starz Media will be welcoming back crews now on hiatus to complete episodes of The Simpsons now that the WGA is back to work. Two other series, Bufu and Wow Wow Wubsie continue in work. (King of the Hill, though a WGA show, was able to complete its full order of shows.)
Tom T. Animation working on feature The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus.
Universal Cartoon Studios doing the third-season order of Curious George.
Warner Bros. Animation working on series Batman Anime (13 episodes) and a direct-to-video Scooby Doo feature.
And a few tidbits about a few L.A. studios not under our wing: Many Things Productions doing the sci-fi feature Terra, Rough Draft Studios doing direct-to-video Futurama(s). Whatever is going on at Rhythm and Hues is beyond the scope of my knowledge.
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37 comments:
Ok, I thought I was hooked in to what's happening, but I've never heard of Terra and Many Things Productions. Any other info on that?
RE: Development projects at Disney Animation.
That information is undisclosed. Its poor judgment on your part to comment on any development projects without the the approval of the companies. Informing fellow members of TAG of production is one thing, but to discuss projects that has not been announced to the public is another. I suggest you remove that info immediately.
Bent out of Shape
^ Where the hell do you think you are working? The damn CIA? Christ, ever since Pixar joined up with Disney they think they are above the discussion that all studios are a part of. News flash: your secrets at Pixar have been kept in part due to your geographic distance from LA. Get used to the news leaks.
Steve,
Do you know how much of the crew for The Simpsons is returning?
Oh no, this "leak" is going to cripple Disney and the entire animation industry! Quick Steve delete it at once...but knowing you've touched a nerve I'm going to save it, link it, and send to the trade papers!
Get over it, nobody cares and nobody ever has...stuff goes in and out of production virtually every day.
What's gonna happen, some guy in his bedroom's gonna steal the idea, change the title and produce it in his basement?!...wait a minute...yeah, yeah...a story about an Elf...yeah, see, he's like the king of elves! "Note to self, register the title 'Elf King'...MOM, I'm gonna eat lunch in my room!"...gotta go.
It's too late -- a bunch of guys in dark suits and sunglasses just burst in and dragged Steve away.
Do you know how much of the crew for The Simpsons is returning?
Not specifically. Several of the shows went to animatics and need rewriting and further work. I don't know specifically how long before the revisions kick in.
Terra and Many Things Productions. Any other info on that?
A feature in production on Wilshire Blvd. I know some animators on it. It's in the last few months of production.
That information is undisclosed.
But not by me.
Uh. The link above is kind of incoherent.
What I meant was, the Disney projects have been in development for a while now ... as has been noted elsewhere.
Rumors from random websites are often based on second or third hand information and are often incorrect and as such are viewed with skepticism. You however have access to people and places that no one else has due to your position. You also don't usually post rumors so when you post information it is most likely because you have seen or heard about it first hand.
Projects in development at Disney are considered "in development" until the time that Disney chooses to announce them officially, which it has not done with either of these movies.
Pixar of course has the same policy. Pixar has chosen to announce WALL-E, Up, and Toy Story 3 while Disney Animation has chosen to announce Bolt, The Princess and the Frog, and Rapunzel. Everything else is considered internal information.
R+H is working on the
Incredible Hulk
Mummy 3
They came from upstairs and
Cirque de freak
and Land of the lost
How about Pixar? What they are doing now?
Honchos at places like Disney like to keep the wraps on upcoming projects so they can get their a--k---ing pals hired before the more competent artists (you know, the ones with talent and spines) can find out the jobs are available.
That's the reason management shills like Anonymice #2 and #6 above get such a snootful of 'tude about the news getting out. Why else would anyone care?
Batman Anime? I thought they were just making some shorts for a direct-to-dvd release
As folks have said before... even the perception that your union rep is a leaky sieve causes people to clam up around him.
Hey Steve. I heard that Lasseter put another director on Bolt. Byron Howard will co-direct Bolt with Chris Williams.
Is this true?
Rumors from random websites are often based on second or third hand information and are often incorrect and as such are viewed with skepticism. You however have access to people and places that no one else has due to your position.
Again. The Disney projects mentioned above have been in the press and on the internet for some time.
If you think I posted something above that was gained by my access to the studio, you're wrong.
Hi Steve, I have a question for you:
Directly John Lasseter said you, 'Joe Jump' and 'King of the Elves' Disney films will be coming after 'Rapunzel'?
I heard that in April 2007 were reviewed 'Snow Queen' and 'Uncle Stiltskin' ...but finally 'Uncle stiltskin' was cancelled because it seemed much 'Rapunzel'.
Thank you for your attention.
snydely a. asked:
"Hey Steve. I heard that Lasseter put another director on Bolt. Byron Howard will co-direct Bolt with Chris Williams. Is this true?"
But this is another one that is already out there on the internet . You don't have to ask Steve about it and he's not "leaking" anything if he does mention Byron Howard co-directing Bolt .
Look here:
http://movies.go.com/byron-howard/f1184868
(do I need to remind anyone that go.com is owned by Disney ?)
And what about Gnomeo and Juliet? Is this project still alive?
I read that it should have been released under the Miramax label.
Any news?
Thank you....
A few points:
Lots of people talk to me about lots of things going on in the industry. (I'm around a lot, it happens.) I stay clammed up about most of it.
We have been putting out "What's happening at the studios" -- projects/titles at different companies -- for 18 1/2 years. In The Peg-Board. On the TAG blog.
Everything that I posted the other day was in the public domain (i.e., in press releases, on entries in Wikipedia and/or blogs, etc.).
I don't know a thing about Gnomeo and Juliet. Last I heard it was at Miramax, but that was a while ago.
Hi Steve,
Regarding my comment #11 above: I am not suggesting that you used your studio connections to reveal any new or inside information. I am saying that your studio connections give credence to what previously were just internet rumors and speculation. No one is going to believe what they read on mania.com, but they are going to believe you.
For example it probably is not coincidence that www.disneygossip.com posted this today: "The big news to come out of Burbank is the name of two other animated projects under development. "Joe Jump" and "King of the Elves" are both in early stages of development."
I enjoy reading your studio updates and I hope you continue doing them.
A review of a version of Terra.
Last month, I mentioned to the reviewer that the film was not completely finished, and she was rather surprised, since she already felt it was cohesive last year.
Again. The Disney projects mentioned above have been in the press and on the internet for some time.
NO, you are incorrect! ONLY Projects in production have been mention to the press, NOT DEVELOPMENT! If other sites are mentioning it, then link those pages. It looks poorly on your part because you are legit representative of TAG.
Come on! “KotE” is a very known old project, the same “Joe Jump”. Just read “Variety”.
Please… I’m sure that Kopytzenberg knows these long ago...don`t worry.
NO, you are incorrect! ONLY Projects in production have been mention to the press, NOT DEVELOPMENT! If other sites are mentioning it, then link those pages.
Ah, I linked above, chief.
As others say around here, these things aren't new. "Joe Jump" was in development during the time of David Stainton.
But look, I'm stumped. It wasn't my intention to get into a sh*t-fight about what's in development, what's not, and what may be. I was doing an overview that I believed to be non-controversial and inoffensive, and I'm really sorry that someone was offended.
So let's stipulate that I was wrong, it was a huge deal, and that, as a representative of TAG, it looks poorly on my part.
gotta love how self important some execs are.
Mussolini would've been proud.
(to anom #2) Sorry, but your corporate "secrets" are irrelevant in real life. Yet they're being treated with more care than nuclear weapons systems. LOL
R.
Hey Steve, I’m glad to hear Chris Sanders' project is moving forward at DWA because a little while back I thought I heard ‘Master Mind’ (Ben Stiller’s project) had gone ahead of Chris’ project.
So let's stipulate that I was wrong, it was a huge deal, and that, as a representative of TAG, it looks poorly on my part.
A. You weren't wrong.
B. It's not a huge deal.
C. Informing the membership of potential work opportunities is part of your job. Doing your job does not reflect poorly on TAG.
D. If you weren't doing your job, the management k.a.'s wouldn't be upset at you.
FYI (again): it's spelled "Wow Wow Wubbzy" not "Wubsie"
Wait a minute. Bolt has a new co-director? Byron Howard is helming with Chris Williams? It there any other verification than a couple of websites like this. I mean, anything official, Steve?
FYI (again): it's spelled "Wow Wow Wubbzy" not "Wubsie"
Next time I see him, Fred S. is going to slap me silly.
Apologies to Wubbzy for mangling the name.
Wait a minute. Bolt has a new co-director? Byron Howard is helming with Chris Williams? It there any other verification than a couple of websites like this. I mean, anything official, Steve?
I have no official word, therefore no word. Somebody linked to go.com (above) and Howard listed as co-director.
Draw your own conclusions.
But, you are "The Man" Steve!
You HAVE to know.
Ask those pesky artist in the Hat building if this Howard guy is directing. Could this show us a lack of confidence in Willaims?
Anonymous (Feb21, 4:46 PM) writes:
Ask those pesky artist in the Hat building if this Howard guy is directing. Could this show us a lack of confidence in Willaims?
How so Anonymouse ? Most Disney features are co-directed (in the Walt era some features had three credited directors) . It's a huge undertaking and Bolt is up against a tight deadline. Byron Howard is one of the most talented people working at Disney now (as is Chris Williams) so why wouldn't they play to their strengths and have him co-direct ? It has nothing to do with "lack of confidence" in Chris Williams . Why would you say that ?
Interesting post!
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