Monday, October 15, 2012

Back to the Hat

I returned to Disney this morning, since the new Disney-IA contract (named the "TSL Contract*") has been negotiated, and I'll be helping out with getting the document ratified later this week. (Not to puncture anybody's balloon, but it looks remarkably like many of the union contracts over the past ... oh ... two or three years. But we'll supply the details to the employees of Disney Toon Studios and Walt Disney Animation Studios, since they're the artists, writers and technicians who will be voting on it ...)

Re Disney animation, the L.A. Times had this earlier today:

“Phineas and Ferb” movie, originally slated to be released July 28, 2013, has been pushed back to 2014, the exact date to be determined. “Saving Mr. Banks,” about the origins of Disney’s “Mary Poppins,” is now to be released on Dec. 20, 2013, and Disneynature’s “Bears” is due out April 18, 2014.

Two as-yet-untitled animated films from Disney Animation and Pixar Animation are slated for Nov. 7, 2014, and Nov. 25, 2015, respectively.

While I was running around, a veteran staffer told me a about projects in various stages of work.

There's Big Hero Six and Frozen going into production, and then three projects after that. One of them Ron and John's feature, and two more. Nobody knows what order they'll be in, John Lasseter hasn't decided. But we've got more features in development. Three or four more beyond those three ..."

At which point my informant hurried off and I kept shambling around, telling people about the oncoming ratification vote.

Add On: For those wondering what "TSL" means, it' the anacronym for "The Secret Lab*" -- a visual effects division that was embedded inside Disney Feature Animation from 1999 to 2003. The division created visual effects for a number of live-action films, and then was allowed to die a quiet death.

But the contract under which The Secret Lab operated lives on, and today covers the animation work done at Disney Toon Studios (Glendale) and Walt Disney Animation Studios (Burbank).

The name "The Secret Lab" comes from The Emperor's New Groove. Disney also holds a contract named "The Traveling Lab." (TTL) which mirrors the TSL contract.

* You can find a long-winded account of the beginnings of The Secret Lab here. Some of it's inaccurate, but when Jim H. is telling a good yarn, why would he want to stick to ... you know ... facts?

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Besides the Ron & John pic, do you know who's directing the other projects?

Is it Byron Howard? Nathan Greno? Dean Wellins? Someone else?

Megan said...

I think Byron Howard and Nathan Greno will direct one feature. I read last year they will do another feature for Disney.

I hope to see one day Rumpelstiltskin adapted by Disney. I hope Disney will do others fairy tales or others well-know story based on books or myths.

I'm curious to know something about Ron & John movie, especially if it will be a movie with human characters like for example Aladdin, Hercules, Little Mermaid or it will be an animal movie like Basil of Baker Street, Robin Hood or Lion King? Steve, do you know something about that? I hope they will do a movie with human characters. I love their movies with human and I think they will do great job with animation of human characters.

Steve Hulett said...

I've seen designs and footage, but I think it best if I keep my yap shut.

Anonymous said...

Do you know if there'll be another Prep & Landing special?

Kevin & Stevie said they were working on another one before Naughty vs Nice had debuted but since it didn't get as high ratings as the first one, it may have been cancelled.

Unknown said...

I lost interest in the Ron & John project after finding out that it isn't traditional animation or even Paperman style.

Of course, we may see the Paperman style down the line, and we may even get another classic Disney fairy tale, but knowing Lasseter's recent decisions, I wouldn't be surprised if these "other two" projects are simply CG cash grabs of Iron Man and Avengers: totally, completely, uninspiring.

Anonymous said...

"it isn't traditional animation or even Paperman style."

False. Don't believe everything you read from Steve. He's sneaky about what he does/doesn't reveal.

"and we may even get another classic Disney fairy tale"

You mean Frozen?

"I wouldn't be surprised if these "other two" projects are simply CG cash grabs of Iron Man and Avengers"

Nope.

"totally, completely, uninspiring."

That's like, your opinion man.

Anonymous said...

Last comment was quite confusing that's for sure. Glad to know they are starting to stock pile stories to turn into films. Not sure what Ron And Johns film is, I did see a test they did last year that combined hand drawn and CG and no it was not Paper man. It was a tiki guy and it was awesome but again it was only a test so who knows what they have up their sleeves at Disney but good things seem to be happening.

Alice Marie said...

Kenneth: shouldn't the goal be to have entertaining characters and a solid story, regardless of the specific visual style?

Megan said...

@ An Animator and his view:

what is the test about the tiki guy? how is it? could you tell me more about this test? there is only a tiki guy or also a girl? it's very interesting. I'm too curious.

@ Steve: thank you for your answer, dear Steve.

Anonymous said...

I only saw the test loop like 3 times and I liked what I saw. I believe it was more of a proof of concept but non the less it was cool and it very much 2d taken in a new direction. That is really all I know of it. Disney like other studios do proof of concepts but it does not mean it will be a film or not. It is just nice to know that Ron and John are still doing something 2d but hey that could change as all things do. You have to remember that people dont want to say too much on here especially Steve about what projects are at studios as they really havent been released to the public.

Steve Hulett said...

Kevin & Stevie said they were working on another one before Naughty vs Nice had debuted but since it didn't get as high ratings as the first one, it may have been cancelled.

My understanding that the Prep and Landing team is developing a feature.

Anonymous said...

That's great. Will it be a brand new feature or will it be like the original Winnie the Pooh movie and incorporate the previous specials?

Megan said...

@ An Animator and his view:
it's great to know something about that. I really appreciate what you told me. I understand Steve and you could not tell me more about Ron and John movie. I'm curious but I will respect this.

@ Steve: I hope Prep and Lading team is working on a great feature. I hope one day people will see a Disney version of Rumpelstiltskin!

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