The intertube rumors percolate up to The Media:
Is Disney animation legend Glen Keane being wooed by DreamWorks Animation? -- L.A. Times ...
... [L]egendary Disney animator Glen Keane is reportedly not too happy with Disney’s upcoming slate of animated films and is being actively wooed by DreamWorks Animation. ... -- Slash Film
I've got no idea if the rumors are true or not. I'm just a simple union rep, stumbling around various workplaces. (I saw Glen on the second floor of the hat building, and he gave no hint of departure. Of course, this was months ago, and he was mainly talking to other people about other stuff.)
As you can see, I'm right in the loop.
Add On:So I bopped over to the hat building a bit of a while ago to see what's up about Glen. Came up empty, but one of the animators told me this:
"I haven't heard a thing about Glen leaving. He's off in another part of the building. But it wouldn't surprise me. There's not much for animators to do around here, and it drives people nuts. Mike Surrey left. And Glen? Like I say, wouldn't surprise me ..."
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56 comments:
The original source for this is Blue Sky Disney, which has a pretty good track record, as Steve confirmed their breaking of some of Disney's future slate.
Of course, it doesn't say that he's gone, but that DreamWorks is agressively persuing him. I personally home he stays with WDAS because be is one of the many reasons that young animators go there. He leaves a very big hole.
Glen has told several people that he has an offer from Jeffrey Katzenberg. It's known inside the Hat Building. Surprised it took this long to vet out.
Why wouldn't Glen leave? The Disney studios are just a bunch of buildings, the Great Ones are long gone.
Glen is not the only current big league Disney animator who has had an offer from Jeffrey Katzenberg. Jeffery is wooing those guys like the stars of animation they are (were) , while the present management team at Disney apparently doesn't want anyone to be thought of as "stars" and would very much like to level the playing field (i.e. bring down wages, for "stars" and everyone else) even more than it has been leveled already.
Thats absolutely not true. If you WERE in the hat building, you'd know the studio is in the midst of a pay restructuring to get people MORE money
And everyone, executives included, are doing whatever they can to keep Glen.
This is horrible news! And right after the success of Tangled. Don't go, Glen!!!
Glen heart is at Disney. I know because he told me last week. Slow the rumor mill...slowwww...
Boy, the whole Chris Sanders thing has really gone to JK's "One idea for the next six years" head--
Every time Jeffrey goes on his used-Disney-animator buying spree, you just keep waiting for Jimmy Stewart to burst into WDFA headquarters saying "No, no, y-y'see what he's tryin' to do?"
Maybe Steve should start trolling Blue Sky Disney instead of the Hat Building. It seems they know more about what's going on than the people wandering the halls! Hehe..
Yeah, Well his heart may he there, but his mind is on that offer. Otherwise he's lying to his co-workers about it.
Actually BOB... He isn't leaving Disney.
Then he needs to tell everyone that he has turned down the offer. As of last week, he was still mulling it. You must have talked to him since Friday.
This is under no circumstances anything that should be discussed on the UNION's blog.
Really, Steve, please think about it. You have the option to not point it up one way or another. I don't give a damn whether it's already on the "intertube", on Blue Sky whatnot or Deadline or anywhere else; this isn't-or shouldn't be-a gossip site.
I say this as a 20 year member of this union, as a person who's worked and is currently working for the major employers. I say this as a colleague and coworker and professional. This sort of post addressing one well-known member's private (and it IS private-as in NOT disseminated by him) business.
Leave it to the pundits and gossip colunists. Don't make it emanate from our union.
In my haste and dismay I left off the end of one sentence. It should read
This sort of post addressing one well-known member's private (and it IS private-as in NOT disseminated by him) business is not kosher.
This sort of post addressing one well-known member's private (and it IS private-as in NOT disseminated by him) business is not kosher.
Tell that to Slash Film, Blue Sky Disney and the L.A. Times.
Frankly, we came late to the party. But nice to know you're all nipply about it, whoever you are.
I must admit when I first heard this last week I would have been very shocked if Glen left disney's. But this week, I'm not as surprised anymore because there is so much chatter on the web about it I guess. It would be a big deal if it does happen.
You do realize Glen left Disney before, right? This isn't his first time outside the 'sacred halls' of Disney.
Of course that was to go work on the Chipmunk Adventure 9and other crap), not to lower himself into the evil clutches of DW and Jeffrey.
Oh, wait. It was Jeffrey who brought him back to Disney that time as well....
Steve, read the OTHER part of that comment-the part about this is the blog of the Animation Guild, NOT Deadline Hollywood, Slashfilm, and so on. No, you didn't break this "story" but that's no reason to repost it ON OUR UNION BLOG, is it?
There's being up in the animation business news, which I know you want to be and want us to be, and there's being out of bounds as a member's union Business Rep openly discussing this when, whether you know anything or not or claim to, you are in the various studios and have privvy access.
Tell me which other business manager of which other creative Hollywood guild would post this on his union's blog-reports of a member looking at competitors to change jobs after decades.
It doesn't matter who I am-it matters who Glen is and who you are-the business representative. I think there's things that you shouldn't post about here even if Slashfilm and other blogs are doing it. It doesn't do anyone any service.
^ panties all in a twist: check
Sounds like Clay is a little upset.
Given that Disney and Dreamworks had an illegal "no poaching" agreement with each other up until the ILM-Pixar agreement was revealed and prosecuted, is it no surprise that poaching is now happening? It is long overdue.
And with the desired effect--it sounds like wages will be raised at Disney, in an attempt to keep their employees from bolting to undeniably greener pastures elsewhere.
Glenn is merely the most visible and highest profile. This is all good news for animators. Finally, the free market will decide the value of our wages, rather than being artificially dampened by illegal collusion between the studios.
No, not Clay.
I'm curious-just why do you guys write those kinds of comments? Do you really think it's a good idea to post about this stuff here? Why? Just because you want to know?
Btw, it's not "poaching" for anyone to go looking around at other studios. No one would suggest that. It can, however, be compromising to have it discussed worldwide before you yourself do it.
Also, for some people the free market has always decided their wage, not collusion. That really only applies to people further down the line.
If Steve had broken the news, I'd probably have a bigger problem with it. From Keane's perspective, he probably would've preferred this all remain quiet and private. (Or maybe not--who knows, but him?)
Nonetheless, he's as public a figure as animators get. As you say yourself, he's not "down the line." The rules are a little different for him, because he's practically a household name. He's a director now, not merely a staff animator. And it is common, accepted practice for mainstream publications like Variety, Hollywood Reporter, or LA Times (NOT gossip rags) to report the job searches of high-end folks like directors or A-list talent. Both of which Glen Keane qualifies as.
So I just can't get too worked up about the fact that it appears on Tag's blog. It's legitimate news.
Morley, first of all-you'd have a "bigger problem" if Steve had broken it? Are you actually admitting there might be something uncool in blogging an artist's rumored private matters?
No, because everything else you write explains you have NO problem at all.
You "can't get too worked up"? It's "legitimate news"? Yet you also say that "from Keane's perspective he probably would have preferred this all remain quiet and private". WHY do you think that would be, hmm? I wonder.
Yes, this animator is a well-known figure. Yes, that makes "the rules" (whatever those are) different for him--as far as the 24/7 entertainment newscycle and animation fans and gossip blogs are concerned.
I'm not surprised that a blog like Blue Sky Disney, which has weirdly proprietary feelings of ownership of all things pertaining to Disney animation, would publish such a rumor on the web.
What is dismaying is that for Glen Keane, or ANY OTHER so-called "public" figure who is a member of our guild, this blog, a union blog, follows suit with republishing such "hot" info-while saying he has "no idea if it's true or not".
This isn't speculation or tidbits about upcoming movies, TV shows in development or generalities about layoffs or management beefs; it's a very specific story about a real person. There's no benefit to this member by repeating this, and it would be respectful to just let it stay out of this forum. For now, anyway.
By the way, I don't know if he's going anywhere or not. I'm curious, too-but it's none of my business until/if it happens-or doesn't.
Just my opinion. If it's worth a blog post here, it's worth my bothering to say why I wish it weren't posted.
"And it is common, accepted practice for mainstream publications like Variety, Hollywood Reporter, or LA Times (NOT gossip rags) to report the job searches of high-end folks like directors or A-list talent."
Yeah, but this was reported by Blue Sky Disney, not a mainstream publication. Is it a gossip rag? They've been very reliable before.
Apparently, Sony has just doubled what dw offered Glen. GO GLEN!
Wow, first a step down, then a fall into the cellar.
What next, the people that made Astro Boy asking him to run their animation department?
I think glen has many good reasons to leave disney.. especially since john lasseter and his story trust never really let glen make the film he wanted to make! Ditto to chris sanders, brenda chapman, ..etc. and many other great talents
Dreamworks doesn't have to do much to woo glen away from disney.. how bout "we'll give you more money and we'll actually let you direct a movie.."
"Thats absolutely not true. If you WERE in the hat building, you'd know the studio is in the midst of a pay restructuring to get people MORE money "
Wake up, man. The ONLY reason the Dis management might be making some noises now about raising people's pay is because of the moves Jeffery is putting on the A-list animators (like Glen). You probably weren't around to remember the last time anyone's pay went up was because of Jeffery hiring people away. If the Northern California anti-union contingent had their way they'd get everyone's wages down to on par with Emeryville and get rid of the union.
"If the Northern California anti-union contingent had their way they'd get everyone's wages down to on par with Emeryville and get rid of the union."
Absolutely 1000% true.
These are very good news.
Glen: Be free , it's so sad but you deserve it!
You know...we love you anyway!
Lets do talk about wages at Disney. When I was there I was titled an "assistant animator" yet I was never doing any assistant work I was animating sequences. All this was done to save themselves a measly $200 a week. Not only did I animate my own shots I also assisted and inbetweened them all myself as well. Many people did this and that is the way it is. Studios need to pay you for the job you do and not classify you as something lesser to then turn around and have you animate. Obviously they have enough faith in your skills yet are unwilling to pay for them 100%.
Anything that has the potential to affect the jobs of union members should be fair game for this blog.
So how can anyone think that Glen's employment situation isn't going to affect members employed at Disney, or wherever he ends up?
So, if it were YOUR name being discussed on this board, that'd be okay with you?
Where did Glen say "sure-discuss it"? or do we not care what he might think because he's "famous"
Any way you slice it, it's cheesy. Just because "you can" doesn't mean the union blog should.
Members being affected can't be changed one way or another by discussing something before it happens.
I think there's a Family Circus cartoon in this somewhere.
"Thats absolutely not true. If you WERE in the hat building, you'd know the studio is in the midst of a pay restructuring to get people MORE money "
Funny. Just last week, a Disney staffer in the hat building was complaining about his lowered pay.
Pay goes up and down all the time. As long as the studio is paying at scale or above, it's following the rules. I don't follow every hiccup about wages.
"I don't follow every hiccup about wages."
No and why why should you? You're only the business manager.
And then there's this blog to update.
This is under no circumstances anything that should be discussed on the UNION's blog.
Really, Steve, please think about it. You have the option to not point it up one way or another. I don't give a damn whether it's already on the "intertube", on Blue Sky whatnot or Deadline or anywhere else; this isn't-or shouldn't be-a gossip site.
I say this as a 20 year member of this union, as a person who's worked and is currently working for the major employers. I say this as a colleague and coworker and professional. This sort of post addressing one well-known member's private (and it IS private-as in NOT disseminated by him) business.
Leave it to the pundits and gossip colunists. Don't make it emanate from our union.
If you're truly upset about it, feel free to call me.
(818) 845-7500
I don't respond a lot to anonymous posts, but I don't see what the deal is, linking to an L.A. Times story. Like it or not, this is out there, and to ignore it is, in my view, silly.
But like I say, I'm happy to discuss.
Members being affected can't be changed one way or another by discussing something before it happens.
Are you really sure that Glen is a TAG member? Seems I heard a while ago that he wasn't.
"I don't follow every hiccup about wages."
No and why why should you? You're only the business manager.
And then there's this blog to update.
Good snark. Steve explains that the company raises and lowers wages all the time, and that as long as they pay above the negotiated scale minimum there isn't anything the union can do about it, and you misrepresent what he said. There are several thousand active members of TAG. Do you expect Steve to have his finger on the pulse of the individual salaries of every one, and negotiate for each person when their over-scale wages are cut or their hours increased?
I love how, when people are making good money, it's all their own doing, and when they're not making such great money, it's all the union's fault. Grow a pair, or STFU.
Funny. Just last week, a Disney staffer in the hat building was complaining about his lowered pay.
You're getting bad info. Come back around and ask more than the 2 people you always talk to.
oh snap!
Boy, Blue Sky Disnet sure knows how to stir up a big fuss, don't they? He he .
I don't know about Blue Sky Disnet, but Blue Sky Disney? Yeah, I guess they do.
All the stuff about this being a UNION blog? You might wanta read this:
The thoughts and observations of the leaders of The Animation Guild (TAG) ...
This weblog reflects their INDIVIDUAL PERSONAL opinions and does not necessarily represent the official position of the Animation Guild.
So it's not TAG. It's Hulett.
(Let's string him up! Who's with me?! ...)
Yes, other anonymous guy, I KNOW all the sidebar stuff. It's been cited before.
This is still "TAG Blog" written by our Union's business rep. That's why he blogs about walking around the Hat building and Dreamworks. because he's employed as a union rep. Which is why he has this blog.
If it were called The Hulett Blog and these same matters were discussed by Steve it'd still be kind of a dodgy call IMHO.
But what they hell. obviously it's totally cool. Everyone wants to hear the gossip about what Glen's up to and if it's on a fan blog or Slashfilm or the LA Times picks up a piece of gossip on it, well hey-it's stupid not to copy and paste it here before anything happens. That's why the internet is fun yes? Why everyone who bothers to read this is here, right? For all the inside juicy stuff.
Fun for all. because if a guy is quietly taking meetings we all NEED to know. he's famous!
I bet you're the life of any party you go to - oh, wait, i doubt you ever get invited to anything.
Yeah baby-ad hominum FTW!
Who would get so twisted up about this except a company troll?
Fun for all. because if a guy is quietly taking meetings we all NEED to know. he's famous!
You don't like what I put up, whoever you are, don't read it.
But you want to go on whining about it, you can put up all the comments you like.
And I'll still disagree with you.
As was already explained to this cro-mag, Glen Keane is a producer, director, and A-list talent. He is a public figure.
Yes, indeed, that makes this legitimate news, and perfectly acceptable to discuss in an industry forum like this.
He knows it. We know it. You are apparently the only one who does not. Find yourself a box of Kleenix to console your dainty sensitivities.
Ditto (Anonymous 8:40:00 PM)
but... Steve -
Seems odd saying you won't respond to anonymous posts about an article you posted from an anonymous writer? who is BlueSkyDisney and HonorHunter? why take this serious? Call Glen and get it straight from the horses mouth and then report that.
you can count me out of reading this blog anymore.
you're taking it to a new low.
disappointed in our Union Rep.
*sniff* You will be dearly missed, faceless anonymous commenter.
"who is BlueSkyDisney and HonorHunter?"
He's the guy that broke the news about Ron and John doing the next hand drawn film. He revealed the next film by Ron Moore. He revealed the first image of Princess and the Frog and several other scoops that have to do with the theme parks as well. It's a very credible blog.
Like this one. ;)
you can count me out of reading this blog anymore.
you're taking it to a new low.
Buh bye.
disappointed in our Union Rep.
You'll have a few bad nights, crying yourself to sleep with all the disappointment and all, but then you'll get over it.
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