Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Animation: Eternally Second Class

The Nikkster lays it out succinctly.

... Disney/Pixar's Up is ineligible for the Writers Guild awards because the animation studios are not signatory members of the union. (Kinda bites them in the ass at awards time, eh?) Up is technically eligible for the Directors Guild and Screen Actors Guild awards. "But it'll be a cold day in hell before the directors or actors nominate an animated film," one source tells me ...

So the various writers and board artists who do story for the animated features now making your friendly neighborhood monster conglomerate a sizable fortune? They can kiss off getting one of those shiny gold trophies that the different guilds, academies and film institutions hand out on a yearly basis.

Academy Award for Best Screenplay? Forget about it. No self-respecting live-action/ WGA writer will vote for you. No matter how good your writing is.

Best Picture? Over the live-action branches' dead bodies.

Best actor? Cripes, it's only voice acting, man. Nobody is going to get a little gold man for that.

Animated features. They might make truckloads of money, but they are always and forever going to be the bridesmaids who don't catch the bouquet, no matter how comely and compelling they might be. Learn to live with that sad reality.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

The directors of "Madagascar", "Up" and "Ratatouille" are just as much DIRECTORS as are Tim Burton or Zemeckis or indeed any other live action director of any film. To say the least.

I hope Nikki is exaggerating the supposed animus. I really do.

Anonymous said...

She's exaggerating. It's far worse. The idea that an animated film might win one of these doesn't even enter in to their minds. Ever.

Anonymous said...

The vast majority of WGA, DGA, and SAG members are struggling artists. They're not going to vote themselves out of a job (whether it's real or percieved). But I agree, there's no real "animus." It's just not on their radar, and never will be.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe this town!!

It all seems to be about box office receipts and trophies??!?!??

Who cares about "winning" a POPULARITY contest???

What about animation?!?

Who the HELL in this town is here to make quality animation???

money.......power.......prestige?

I guess there aren't any artist's left.

PROVE me wrong.

PROVE IT!
Please!

Anonymous said...

I care about animation. I really do.

I dont care about awards either.

I would like a raise though.

Anonymous said...

I don't disagree about the awards comment. Receipts allows us to keep working.

But NO one really cares about "quality animation." Least of all the audience.

I care about QUALITY FILMS . Make a film that makes me think or feel something out of dog poop and corn, and I'm there.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe this town!!

It all seems to be about box office receipts and trophies??!?!??

Who cares about "winning" a POPULARITY contest???


Welcome to Hollywood. Enjoy your stay.

I have a dream said...

"Learn to live with that sad reality."

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You will always give up your seat to a live-action filmmaker. Those are The Rules , always have been, always will. Move to the back of the bus, Mrs. Parks.

What's that , Mrs. Parks? You won't move ? Please don't cause trouble Mrs. Parks. Learn to live with the sad reality. Nothing can ever change.

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(*before someone jumps on this, I'm in no way suggesting that this situation is morally equivalent to the horror of racial discrimination, but I just can't stand this beat down plantation worker mentality of 'nothing will ever change, learn to live with it'. For sure nothing will ever change if no one tries to change it . That's true. )

Anonymous said...

Sometimes Steve can be a wet noodle.

Nothing will ever change, learn to live with it.

Steve Hulett said...

Sarcastic hyperbole is lost on this crowd.

Animation, in fact, has lots more respect in the industry than when I started.

The last holdout is the awards area, and even that has changed somewhat. Animation has its own categories.

That might not be "change we want", but it's certainly change.

Anonymous said...

Animation studios can't bilk animation writers out of residuals by not letting them work with a WGA contract and then expect awards from that organization.

Anonymous said...

Weren't The Incredibles and Ratatouille nominated for Best Original Screenplay? Can Up be nominated, or is this a new rule now?

Anonymous said...

_Animation studios can't bilk animation writers out of residuals by not letting them work with a WGA contract and then expect awards from that organization.

Then organize the animation studios not already covered by another labor contract. Like the WGA is trying to do with Pixar.

You are responsible for your own bilking. Then you can bilk both the WGA award AND the money that apparently already has your name on it.

Anonymous said...

"You are responsible for your own bilking."

What does that mean?

Anonymous said...

The awards shows are a joke. nobody watches them anymore and most are bought and paid for, like the golden globes.

I am not an animator, I'm a human being said...

Chart of Fame showing the place animators occupy in the pecking order ---

Chart of Fame


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