Monday, January 19, 2015

Speaking of DreamWorks Animation

The L.A. Times says:

... DreamWorks Animation plans a substantial number of layoffs, two people familiar with the matter said..

In a move to cut operating costs, the Glendale studio intends to significantly reduce the size of its workforce, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to discuss the plans.

While the precise number of people who will lose their jobs has yet to be finalized, the number is expected to exceed the 350 layoffs that occurred in 2013 after the studio shelved production of the movie "Me and My Shadow."

Layoffs are expected to include animators, story-board artists and other production personnel and support staff at the studio's Glendale and Redwood City facilities, which employ about 2,200 workers. ...

Besides the Los Angeles Times, there have been the same kinds of articles here, here, and over here (among other places). ...

I've gotten a lot of calls from reporters after this story broke. What I've told them is

1) Last week, I started getting calls from DreamWorkers who were getting laid off;

2) The employees said there were other people getting laid off besides them, but nobody could tell me what the number of folks were.

3) Third parties (not DreamWorks Animation workers) have told me that upwards of 300 to 400 people will be let go over the next several months.

To date, I have no way of confirming number 3. I contacted DreamWorks Animation last week about the layoffs, but as of this writing I have not gotten a response from anyone acting in an official capacity. As more becomes known, we will pass it along. (And so will a plethora of newspapers and industry publications.)

Add On (Tuesday night): I continue to get phone calls regarding DreamWorks, but know nothing new. I called the studio today for info, but heard nothing back. And so it goes.

1 comments:

Steven Kaplan said...

This comes on the heels of VFX Soldier's ending the ADAPT effort due to lack of funds.

https://vfxsoldier.wordpress.com/2015/01/19/adapt-legal-effort-on-subsidies-ends/

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