Since the announced closure of ImageMovers Digital last Friday, the Animation Guild staff has been assisting IMD employees who are now looking at their last three ... or six ... or nine months of work with the Novato-based studio (which will wrap up operations when Mars Needs Moms is completed.)
Employees have been offered "Completion Packages" that offer assignment end-date guarantees, retention bonuses if folks stay to the end of the production, and sweetened severance pay. All of these things are to the good.
But it's not as if the company is being generous because of a sudden surge of corporate guilt. The Mouse needs CG artists to stick around the 2 1/2-year-old studio until the completion of Mars. It wouldn't help Diz Co. much to have key personnel bailing while there are still shots to be executed ...
On the TeeVee cartoon studio front, people are still complaining about tight boarding and production schedules, and I'm reciting my usual mantra.
* Time cards are legal documents, so fill them out accurately.
* If overtime is due under the Collective bargaining Agreement, (time-and-a-half after eight worked hours; time-and-a-half on the 6th and 7th days worked for "on Call" employees, etc., etc.) TAG will willingly file a grievance if the o.t. is not paid.
(Employee reluctance to stick their heads over the company parapet because of o.t. issues remains an on-going issue.)
Another recent sore point: The march of streamlined animatics and the erosion of timing direction (you know, slugging and exposure sheets?) Some shows are throwing those things overboard and relying solely on the digital animatics. Many directors with whom I talk think this will end up increasing retakes in a major way and ballooning show budgets on the back end. But of course, it wouldn't be the first time a cost-cutting measure resulted in cost escalations ...
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31 comments:
That's nice, I'm glad the employees still have some security after they leave.
So does anybody know what's next for Disney or Pixar just to discuss future projects. I'm honestly interested in what's next.
So far from Disney:
Tangled (2010)
Winnie the Pooh (2011)
Ron Clements & John Musker Project (201?)
So far from Pixar:
Toy Story 3 (2010)
Cars 2 (2011)
Brave (2011)
So does anybody know what's next for Disney or Pixar just to discuss future projects. I'm honestly interested in what's next.
Right now I believe nothings definite. Mainly rumors as of now. Monsters Inc. 2 for Pixar and The Snow Queen for Disney.
Man, I wish Disney do something dark for once. I want to try and pitch Dante's Inferno to them. I know a little graphic, but have any of you read the original fairy-tales/novels/myths of Disney films?
"Man, I wish Disney do something dark for once. I want to try and pitch Dante's Inferno to them."
Might I suggest some marketing taglines?
"Hell, Yes!"
"Purga-Story"
"Hot Hot Hot!"
"Who's On Faust?"
"Sinner's Ready"
"Fired Up"
The Snow Queen for Disney
Actually, even though people say its shelved there are still rumors floating around out there.
The lastest ones are:
1) Kirk Wise (apparently a long-time friend of John Lasseter) expressed interest in directing The Snow Queen.
2) Linda Woolverton (screenwriter of Beauty and the Beast and Alice in Wonderland) was offered to write the screenplay. Unknown if she accepted or not.
3) Glen Keane has also expressed some interest in the film by filling the roll as Supervising Animator of The Snow Queen and Gerda.
4) John Lasseter is still very interested in making The Snow Queen into a film.
5) Michael Eisner offered the rights of The Snow Queen to Lasseter so Pixar could make it.
You forgot to mention Rich Moore's project and Chris Buck's project at Disney.
You forgot to mention Rich Moore's project and Chris Buck's project at Disney.
Yeah sorry about that one forgot about Chris Buck since well he's my least favorite director at Disney.
Also what is Rich Moore's project exactly?
Re: The Snow Queen rumors.
Every single one of these rumors is false. Don't believe rampant speculation generated by animation fans.
Since Disney has a new film boss all bets are off. Nobody - and I mean nobody knows what's gonna happen next.
Rich Moore's project is "Joe Jump" about an 8-bit era video game hero who travels through games to reach today's high-tech graphic video game world.
While Elves and Snow Queen are both for sure shelved, I haven't heard any news one way or the other about Joe.
Considering the boy appeal in it, who knows?
Rich Moore's project is "Joe Jump" about an 8-bit era video game hero who travels through games to reach today's high-tech graphic video game world.
Interesting but it doesn't appeal to me all that much. Maybe if I can see some concept art my opinion will change.
Every single one of these rumors is false. Don't believe rampant speculation generated by animation fans.
Even though they're rumors they do have some truth to them.
1) Kirk Wise did work with Lasseter on the Brave Little Toaster. Not sure if they're friends though.
2) Linda Woolverton, this one sounds plausible. There was complaints from the female community about how Disney portrays Queens as villianous. So a feminist writer writing the film could resolve the issue. But I'm sure she's already working on something else by now.
3) Glen Keane, now I know this one's false or maybe old news made new. This was Keane's old project, but I highly doubt he would take it on again. Makes me wonder if anyone would want to take on a film like The Snow Queen.
4) Now I don't know if he's that enthusiastic about it, but Lasseter is still interested in making the film.
5) I heard this one too but I wasn't sure if it was true or not. I mean if Lasseter wanted the film then I don't think Eisner would object. I mean he didn't seem all that interested in making fairy-tales look at Rapunzel Unbraided.
Lasseter is still interested in making the film.
I'm not sure about this one though. Lasseter shelved it in the first place, people say it was "story problems". But I think it was from this sudden DISNEY NEEDS MORE BOYS scare.
Oh well, I liked the idea of The Snow Queen, but let's let it die now.
P.S. Proposed Snow Queen cast, lol.
Gerda - Sierra Boggess?/
Kay - James Roday
The Snow Queen - Sarah Brightman
The Troll - Ian McKellen/Patrick Stewart
I took Ian and James from another post I love Psych, Ian's voice is just so decidant, and Patrick Stewart has been considered for several Disney roles couldn't hurt to give him one.
For the last time, Lasseter is NOT interested in making Snow Queen.
Look, not to be rude, but you're telling people who work in the same building as John Lasseter and have meetings with him and hear it straight from the source that you know better than us?
Snow Queen. Not being made at this time. Move on.
For the last time, Lasseter is NOT interested in making Snow Queen.
I think we established this a LONG time ago. Let people think what they want to think. I for one believe The Snow Queen will be made someday. Probably not this decade, probably not the next, but someday it will. Look at Beauty and the Beast it took about five decades before it was finally made. Same could be said about this film.
Snow Queen. Not being made at this time. Move on.
Exactly, people are already moving on from the film. In fact nobody stated the film was being made at all. IN FACT, all they stated was some rumors. And just like the users above have done, I will say those rumors are just GUESS WHAT? RUMORS.
So take it from me, nobody said this film was being made. But Thank you for clearing up things.
It is a FACT that Snow Queen is dead. That is not a rumour.
Stop your fanboy rumouring. It's a horrible idea for a movie, too.
It is a FACT that Snow Queen is dead. That is not a rumour.
Stop your fanboy rumouring. It's a horrible idea for a movie, too.
Well isn't this a fine kettle fish we have here... I think we all know the film is not being made. And no it's not dead it's simply shelved. That doesn't mean it won't be made in the future. And as the user above stated they're just false rumors. Hell, even I know that.
-Aurora
PS: I know you mean well strange, angry, animator man, but people still gossip about the happenings of the animation community you can't censor them. Also who said the film was being made?
Talked to a principal at Disney Feature who said that Snow Queen got shelved on orders from the lot. That Lasseter hadn't looked at it yet.
That Lasseter hadn't looked at it yet.
HaHaHa! Yeah, Disney execs don't bother to show anything to Lasseter until it's in full production. Wouldn't want him to have a say in what actually gets greenlit, and what gets canceled. Exactly.
Who's your Disney principle, one of the gardners?
"Yeah sorry about that one forgot about Chris Buck since well he's my least favorite director at Disney."
Harsh. Lima and Buck did a fine job with Tarzan.
If Buck can direct another solid film for Disney like Surf's Up for SPI, I'm all for it.
So who is your 'most' favorite Disney director? Ron and John with 3 flops in a row?
Okay, obviously what has been percolating for some time has finally blown out into regular nonsense here on the TAG blog: we have "fans" hanging out asking the same "inside" questions over and over, whittling away their animation fantasies here among the professionals.
It's pretty nauseating. This keeps up and it might as well be an annex of Blue Sky-Whatnot or AN or some other such dispiriting fanbase.
And just so you get it, annoying ones, my invective isn't lobbed at "real fans" of animation or at our actual audience-regular, average filmgoers who simply pay for and enjoy the work we do.
It's purely for people who rumormonger, nitpick, argue and fantasize about a profession they usually totally misunderstand.
Keep it up and there'll be no one but yourselves to respond to posts or comments. Which seems to be the way you want it, right?
Okay I have to say something. I'm glad animators realize despite this is THE ANIMATION GUILD BLOG fans come here to learn what exactly is going on in the animation community. And yes the gossips on here are very annoying, but why are you so angry about this. The people above have stated many times they are aware that THE FILM THAT MUST NOT BE NAMED is not being made and are aware that the rumors above are false. I just think you're taking it too personally. Sorry, but you're acting like a zealous animator. You just got to get used to the fact that fans use these boards to ask questions about rumors they heard. They come hear for clarification, not to be bullied.
"So who is your 'most' favorite Disney director? Ron and John with 3 flops in a row?"
Don't have one.
I respect several.
You appear to respect none.
"So who is your 'most' favorite Disney director? Ron and John with 3 flops in a row?"
Who's YOUR favorite?--Gary & Kirk with one hit? ;)
"Who's YOUR favorite?--Gary & Kirk with one hit? ;)"
Pssst...that was actually Jeffrey's hit - he operated as the de facto director at that film and several others during his tenure. That's why, after he left, the films directorally took a huge nose dive.
You want to know what type of diretors Gary, Kirk, John and Ron are look at the films after JK left. If you like those better than the films made while JK was there then you like their directoral/storytelling abilities - otherwise you probably like JK's directoral/storytelling abilities
Problem is, people who are outside the industry post rumors. People who are in the industry post rumors.
Then "animation bloggers" repost rumors that are taken as news sources.
Best to operate on the principle that anyone posting rumors doesn't know shit.
Also, my FAV FAVE casting would be Robin Pattinson or Zach Ephron for the Goblin King in an animated remake/mashup of The Goonies with Labrynth, done motion-capture!!! SQUEEEEEL!!! With Sir Ian Mac-Kellin as Golem and or Sloth!!!
Please MAKE THIS HAPPEN JOEN LASSITER AND SEVEN SPIELBERG!!!
Also givw me story by credit!!
SQUEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
Problem is, between the labor-disgruntled anti-Lasster Fox-News'ers ("Ha, another flop for PatF!--So what happens when JL causes the studio to collapse?"), and the pro-JK Balloonatics ("One look at Dragons, and all those fanboys' eyes will be opened as to how much they didn't want to see Titans anyway!"), it's getting harder to tell the Fanboys from the Animators, and vice versa.
The best we can tell is, seems to be the Fanboys that LIKE the upcoming features.
Some of us under the job-saving Anonymous banner are just trying to be the slightly industry-geeked voice of Reason (which can be hard to do, on a Union blog, for those who aren't really into the whole Pajama Game thing), and when threads start devolving into dopey "callouts", it's hard to tell which of the two you'd ended up wasting your time responding to.
So, we just try to let the goofy schoolyard stuff die on the vine, and keep posting the Facts. The other stuff just looks too silly, especially when it's supposed to be working adults posting them.
PUH-LEASE Katzenburg sucks, he's been constantly trying to recreate his success at DreamWorks and it is very annoying.
My favorite animation director is Roger Allers, director of The Lion King. I actually looked forward to the Kingdom of the Sun project it sounded very interesting, plus IT HAD STING (major Sting fan, lol). I wonder where he is now?
Also on the whole The Snow Queen debate. Liked the concept, sad it's gone now, and yes there still rumors floating around. I think the above rumors sound kind of true, but again are false. DON'T ASK. Anyway as for JL interested in making the film in the future, I thought that was a released statement, oh well.
PS: This is for clarification don't yell at me, but is Jack in the Beanstalk being made at WDAS. Just needed to clarify that and again don't yell at me just a simple yes or no.
Katzenburg sucks, he's been constantly trying to recreate his success at DreamWorks and it is very annoying
God, but you're a moron.
"Annoying" to who? All the people who buy tickets to their films and the resulting DVDs, earning the place millions?
Dreamworks Animation is a super-successful studio-the only independent one in the US making features. Whether you "like", "hate" are "annoyed" with or think any studio exec "sucks" means nothing and has zero relationship to reality.
earning the place millions?
Nay. Billions.
Is it getting stuffy in here?
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