Back At Warner Bros. Animation

I haven't been to WB Animation at the old Columbia (now Warners) ranch for the longest time. There just wasn't much to see there, actually. A few artists doing Batman and the occasional DVD, but outside of that ... lots of empty cubicles.

But that's changed ...

I bopped through WBA this week and discovered the place is, if not bursting at the seams, is way busier than it's been for quite awhile. Lots of cubicles are occupied, lots of offices are humming.

"It's hectic and crazy right now, but better hectic than semi-ghost town."

Warners has got three series happening or about to happen, each with 26 episode orders. And there are three DVD features soon to be in work. One of the super hero staffers informed me: "I'm getting laid off next week, but I'm getting recalled for the newer shows in May. Usually I get laid off without any recall, so this is a good feeling ..."

Another artist said:

"You know, they're finally doing some synergistic stuff around here, getting more shows on Cartoon Network. Sam Register, our new top-kick, is a creative guy, a good development guy. He knows story and he's pushing to get more quality things going. They've had some real glitches in the recent past, and Warners has been fallow way too long, but the place is coming back to life ..."

Warner Bros. Animation is located -- if you didn't know -- in an expansive cluster of trailers at the Ranch, also in a building near the corner of the property. (This is about a mile and a half from where the new Warner Bros. Animation mural is stapled to the end of a sound stage on the main lot. They unveiled the art piece last night, and I don't suppose it qualifies as some of the "art" that the Burbank City Fathers require Burbank businesses to put up.)

I'm only glad that my whining about "no synergy" between Time-Warner animation companies has now proven to be somewhat inaccurate. Now ... if we can just get rid of some of the damn live action cluttering up Cartoon Network, we'll be all set ...