Monday, September 20, 2010

DreamWorks Animation, the Walk Through

What's simpler (and nicer) about going to DWA's Glendale campus these days is, most of the artists and TDs are tucked into the ginormous Lakeside building, so I just have to go in through the double doors and hope I don't get hopelessly lost in the hallways and dark, cavernous rooms where cubicled animators, layout artists and tech directors go about their work ....

Megamind is pretty much done, most of it completed at PDI in northern California, some of it done in Glendale. Kung Fu Panda is the feature that is chugging full-bore at the moment, and two supervisors told me:

"We've got a lot of projects going on. We're interviewing three Disney artists this afternoon who just got laid off from Walt Disney Animation Studios. ..."

"Disney's loss, our gain ..."

I told one supe that I run across a lot of old Disney employees everytime I wander through the building. But then, Jeffrey Katzenberg is an old Disney employee himself, so maybe it all fits together.

Tomorrow I go back to DWA for a 401(k) enrollment meeting. It's happening in a commissary dining room at one o'clock PDT, for any DreamWorkers who are interested.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's "Gianormous."

and it is...

Anonymous said...

Disney might as well just close up shop and just have their movies animated overseas a la Sony with Despicable Me.

How anybody could stay at Disney instead of trying to jump ship to Dreamworks (who seem to gladly take all of them anyway; they've got enough projects) is beyond me.

Anonymous said...

I just wish dw made better cartoons. Kids are tired of the same old same old--especially lazy rip offs of Pixar films like this new one.

Anonymous said...

I hear Megamind has a great chance of winning the Annie Award for best picture this year!

Anonymous said...

How anybody could stay at Disney instead of trying to jump ship to Dreamworks (who seem to gladly take all of them anyway; they've got enough projects) is beyond me.

Being a part of a smaller team has it's benefits too, and if Tangled does well, it could mean advancements (for those who didnt get laid off) on future projects. Better pay, bigger roles.

Besides, some people dont LIKE Dreamworks, believe it or not.

Anonymous said...

I hear Megamind has a great chance of NOT winning the Annie Award for best picture this year!

Anonymous said...

^ I don't think you got the joke. With Disney/Pixar pulling out of the Annies, it leaves the awards open for this film to have a better chance of winning.

Of course it was sarcasm...

Anonymous said...

Besides, some people dont LIKE Dreamworks, believe it or not.

You mean fanboys right? Because it sure seems like animators would trade their left nut to work there instead of the Scroogely empire called Disney/Pixar (given the choice between the two).

Anonymous said...

Maybe thats the perception from the outside. But everyone has their own preferences. Plus, there are some people who are paid very highly having senior roles elsewhere, and would have to take a cut to go to DW.

But it all comes down to preference. But I do have colleagues who have turned Dreamworks down.

Steve Hulett said...

That's "Gianormous."


Either way, I don't think it's an actual word.

Anonymous said...

"That's "Gianormous."


Either way, I don't think it's an actual word. "

It's a Sarah Palin word.

But then again, I dont think she's an actual.....

Noah Webster said...

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Ginormous

Anonymous said...

Perhaps it should be "Ginormic", like all such ginormica... :)

Anonymous said...

Or in Sarah Palins world of diction: V*ginormic

Anonymous said...

universal released "despicable me," not sony. sony makes their theatrical releases in the US, mostly in culver city.

Anonymous said...

I think Megimind looks like a very cute children's cartoon.

Anonymous said...

I agree. And I really enjoyed that other cute children's cartoon, Toy Story 3, earlier this year. I can't wait for that cute toddler's cartoon, Cars 2, since my 2 year old has gotten bored with the original Cars.

Anonymous said...

No offense to those who worked on it but megamind looks plain terrible. Extremely obnoxious. Will Ferrel has jumped the shark for sure

Anonymous said...

No offense to anonymous at 10:54^, but your review based on a film you haven't seen is just obnoxious as, I assume, you are as well. No offense.

Anonymous said...

I might generally be an idiot, but when I dont like a comedian, I dont like anything he or she does in movies. I think Steve Carrol is in this, and I dont think I would like it if I saw it. It may have its moments, and he may have his moments in this movie as well as anyhthing else he does. But I generally dont like him, as well as many other comedians. Too much talk. ha ha ha. yak yak yak. unfunny unfunny unfunny. blah blah blah.

Anonymous said...

The above review was brought to you by someone who hasn't seen the feature but already knows it's bad based on voice talent he doesn't like.

Makes sense to me.

Anonymous said...

Jason Segal was a pain in the ass in Despicable Me. Horrible voice actor. But as least his character kept his pants on. (I still have horrible flashbacks from his, um, biggest joke in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall".) :P

Anonymous said...

No offense to anonymous at 10:54^, but your review based on a film you haven't seen is just obnoxious as, I assume, you are as well. No offense.

Hey brainless, pay attention, you're about to get schooled.

They didnt say "megamind IS plain terrible," they said "megamind LOOKS plain terrible." So therefore, this comment isnt a review of the film, simply a reaction to the trailers, and therefore a perfectly valid response with no pretense to the quality of the actual film.

Clearly, you're attached to the film and have precious feelings about it, and thats fine, but your assumption about this person's reaction is incorrect.

So take your knee-jerk reaction elsewhere.

PS) megamind looks terrible.

Anonymous said...

'PS) megamind looks terrible.'
And Steve Carroll acts terrible.

Anonymous said...

The guy who is judging the film by the lead actor does have a point... The studios love having big names in their movies, but what if it hurts more than helps? I've seen many many comments from moviegoers that suggest that Miley Cyrus may have hurt Bolt's box office. Does Will Ferrel have enough of a backlash yet to drive part of the audience away from Megamind?

Anonymous said...

To Anon (September 22, 2010 6:40:00 AM) and others,

I think "Steve Carrol or Steve Carroll" is a pretty good actor/comedian but that is irrelevant here because he plays no role in this movie.

Anonymous said...

I think "Steve Carrol or Steve Carroll" is a pretty good actor/comedian but that is irrelevant here because he plays no role in this movie.


How about Steve Carrell? Is he in it?

Anonymous said...

Its CARRELL ont carrol you ignorants.
And NO, he is not in this film.

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