I was walking through the hallways of DreamWorks Animation this morning, and an artist points to his computer screen and says: "DreamWorks is giving up its partnership in the Indian Studio." What he was referring to was this:
Technicolor has taken sole ownership of its Bangalore, India-based animation studio Paprikaas, it was announced by Technicolor Digital Productions president, Tim Sarnoff.
You wouldn't know it from the Variety story, but DWA is (from what I know) giving up its co-ownership of Paprikaas ...
I knew that DWA was involved in production down in India, and will (apparently) still be involved as a client, but employees said to me: It wasn't really working out for them, not the way they expected."
I have no idea why the company is giving up its stake, but there it is. (And it's fine to see that Tim Sarnoff, late of Warner Bros. Animation and Sony Imageworks, is still out there in the animation game.)
Add On: Variety's print version makes clear that Technicolor purchased DWA's part of Paprikaas, and that the companies created the studio in 2008.
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11 comments:
DWA is merely a tenant & client at the Paprikaas facility and has no ownership. They're not even incorporated in India.
All this article indicates is Technicolor bought out the remaining stakes of the Indian founders of Paprikaas, probably a mandatory follow on purchase three years post the original majority aquisition.
So we can still expect some wonderful, high quality feature animation from Dreamworks and India teaming up together?
Yes definitely you can!!!
you already have
"Merry Madagascar" christmas special was 75% done by the India team
Id love to see India further develop their animation industry...
...But not at the expense of American jobs.
I've deleted the State of the Union comments, since I don't know what the hell they have to do with the topic at hand.
If Congress passes a jobs bill giving tax breaks to businesses including animation studios (read: "entertainment conglomerates"). I'll be the first to applaud. I doubt it will happen soon, but I'll be the first to applaud.
I didn't watch the State of the Union and don't plan to post on it. I was off at an IMAX theater watchig "Avatar."
So that's why Merry Madigascar looked like it was animated by students...
I've yet to be impressed with any film coming from India. So far, it's mostly crap'ola.
I do love roti though...
jack
......
"I've deleted the State of the Union comments, since I don't know what the hell they have to do with the topic at hand."
......
Wow, that's never kept you from leaving up off-topic comments before. ( I should have included a grossly insulting remark about Jesus or somethin' to make sure you'd leave it in place .) This blog is well known for it's lack of moderation and tolerance of totally off-topic comments. Why suddenly so sensitive about this one that you managed to find the seldom used delte button ?
I think the point was that the President said in his speech that it's time for American businesses to start employing American workers first and foremost before they send work out of the country , and he intended to push for tax breaks for businesses (which could include animation companies like Dreamworks and Rhythm & Hues, etc.) who create new jobs for American workers instead of sending work to countries like India . How is that not the least bit relevant to this discussion about Dreamwork's involvement with an animation studio in India?
I thought this was a positive statement from our President and I was proud of him for bringing up the subject of runaway off-shoring , and if what he was proposing happens (which I admit is probably doubtful, but hope springs eternal) it would be a good thing for many American workers including the ones who animate mice with a pencil or use a mouse to animate mice (or penguins, etc.)
No need to beat around the bush. If you dislike Tim, just say so.
India studio is still running, and DWA is tied up with Technicolor from day one and they always wanted Technicolor to take over Paprikaas. So its for good.Though the studio runs cheap like any other indian studios.....
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