tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906998.post526711603169011582..comments2024-03-26T22:42:06.412-07:00Comments on TAG Blog: Canadian Animation StrategiesSteve Huletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05537689111433326847noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906998.post-38106885959461673422009-09-08T12:53:28.434-07:002009-09-08T12:53:28.434-07:00James Cameron, Jim Carrey, Keith Sutherland, Keanu...James Cameron, Jim Carrey, Keith Sutherland, Keanu Reeves, Mike Myers, Dan Aykroyd...<br /><br />This is a tough one: name a famous animated character created in Canada? <br /><br />As a canadian animator, the state of the animation industry in Canada depresses the crap outta me.<br /><br />r.rnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906998.post-63245441721159672622009-09-05T15:20:38.653-07:002009-09-05T15:20:38.653-07:00A majority of animation studios in Canada are job ...A majority of animation studios in Canada are job shops.<br /><br />So are the majority of animation studios in the U.S.<br /><br />That's neither an insult to Canadian artists nor U.S. artists. It's just a fact.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906998.post-85689435304315759782009-09-04T15:29:35.168-07:002009-09-04T15:29:35.168-07:00very poor argument steve.
Acutally, I'm not t...<b>very poor argument steve.</b><br /><br />Acutally, I'm not trying to argue one way or the other. And I'm not slamming Canadians (though you perceive it that way) or Canadians' talent. They've got as much on the ball as anyone; Sheridan is first rate. <br /><br />So I'm sorry if you took it that way. My baseline opinion is that, in most ways, Canada is a more enlightened country than the U.S. of A.<br /><br />But enlightened or not, Canada is still a job shop for U.S. money, U.S. studios, U.S. networks. Why? Because the U.S. has a way larger population and economy. Therefore our gravitational pull is larger. <br /><br />That's not good or bad. It simply acknowledges reality. (Just ask Bill Shatner, Michael J. Fox, Seth Rogen, Shania Twain, etc. etc. They all migrated south because that's where the moolah is.)<br /><br />But you acknowledge that yourself:<br /><br /><b>Toronto studio Yowza just finished major work on Princess and the Frog.</b>Steve Huletthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537689111433326847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906998.post-70553597732096446432009-09-04T15:02:42.527-07:002009-09-04T15:02:42.527-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Steve Huletthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537689111433326847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906998.post-45286312554593467992009-09-04T14:48:38.520-07:002009-09-04T14:48:38.520-07:00Mark, meet Anon.Mark, meet Anon.Steve Huletthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537689111433326847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906998.post-65790602790921719362009-09-04T11:47:41.229-07:002009-09-04T11:47:41.229-07:00I'm an American who has lived in Toronto since...I'm an American who has lived in Toronto since 1980 and I have railed against the Canadian branch plant mentality on my blog and elsewhere.<br /><br />Steve, you are exactly right. Tons of money is being poured into an industry that is dependent on the vagaries of subcontracting. That money should be spent on nurturing companies that are creating original properties that are successful in the international market. Canada has no equivalent of Studio Ghibli or Aardman, much to our collective shame. <br /><br />The problem is not talent, as Canadian artists are successful at leading American studios. The problem is managements that are risk-averse and governments that are too happy to subsidize their small-mindedness.<br /><br />I hope I live long enough to see something ignite original Canadian animation into an international success. Canada will be a very formidable competitor if it ever has the guts to get into the game.Mark Mayersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00065971589878678848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906998.post-636349620620167832009-09-04T11:33:30.339-07:002009-09-04T11:33:30.339-07:00very poor argument steve.
I don't look at th...very poor argument steve. <br /><br />I don't look at this industry as US vs THEM like you do. I spent a great many years in L.A., under 839 and finally washed my hands at the whole thing and left during the tossing of classical artists. I have never been out of work since I returned. And everyone I know here is working too. I can't say the same for alot of folks I talk to down there.<br /><br />A lot of canadian studios are major players on the global market, but I think to you the global market falls within the confines of the American border. Nelvana, Cookie Jar, Studio B, Elliot Animation, to name a few all sell globally. The problem is our content doesn't always hit the american<br />broadcaster but seems to sell everywhere else. So my guess is you never see half of what is produced.<br /><br />Toronto studio Yowza just finished major work on Princess and the Frog. Many ex Disney/DW folks on the project and Disney came here because the talent exists. Even though I know<br />tons of clean-up folks not working in L.A. So who is to blame for that?<br /><br />Toronto's FreshTV's Total Drama Island was number one on Cartoon Network. And this studio continues to be producing some of the freshest original content in years. Live-action is on the table there now with their first series. <br /><br />And just so you know Steve, all the feature projects produced out of Toronto, The Wild, Everybody's Hero etc all were written and developed in Los Angeles, not here. They were poorly conceived projects driven on the L.A. movie model which is to figure things out as you go and throw lots of money at it. Top talent wasted on mindless projects.<br /><br />Wage scales here are still less than L.A. Our dollar near parity with the US is a poor argument for a perceived lower cost. You know who isnt cheap for subcontract work....INDIA!<br /><br />You keep preaching as you did when I was part of the guild, that this is a global industry, but you keep slamming us even in guild meetings I went to, because Hollywood is doing nothing to protect the very industry it created.<br /><br />Don't blame us for your problems.<br /><br />You continue to be blinded because you simply cannot see that the very producers in L.A. are supporting home grown work less and less.<br /><br />One big happy family...but only when times are good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com