Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Studios, Round and About

Disney, Cartoon Network and Robin Red Breast have all been graced by my smiling presence this week ...

The Hat Building was going over to Google's calendar and e-mail when I walke through, leaving the older company-based systems behind. And board and development artists reaffirmed that A) Development has kicked up, and B) Ron and John's picture, though not in "bright green light" phase, is still moving along ... and the development art is terrific. (It ain't about Jack the Ripper, if you're wondering.)

Cartoon Network has a variety of new shows in development (always a good thing) and seems to be working with the subsidiaries of the Mother Conglomerate in ways that always seemed obvious to me, but they never did. But hey. Now they are!

Warner Bros. Animation’s Green Lantern: The Animated Series is heading to Cartoon Network for a one-hour special event.

The CG animated special will premiere November 11 with the series ultimately debuting on Cartoon Network next year as part of the new DC Nation programming block. ...

For years I was bewildered by Time-Warner's refusal to put Warner Bros. Animation product on Cartoon Network's cable pipeline. Now, happily, T-W is practicing a little synergy and doing what they should have done ... oh ... a decade ago.

But better late than never. Just because CN reports to Turner's Atlanta headquarters, while WBA checks in with Warner Bros. in Burbank, is no reason to be stupid.

Lastly, there is Robin Red Breast, subsidiary to Titmouse, an up-and-coming cartoon studio that has branches in New York (where it originated) and Hollywood, where Titmouse/Robin Red Breast is doing two Disney shows under union contract and other work without benefit of collective bargaining agreement. The studio is a beehive of activity, and expanding. They have multiple buildings in the heart of Tinseltown. (An interview with Chris Prynowski, who co-owns the studios with his wife Shannon, is here. And yeah, we'd like to have a contractual with Chris and Shannon's whole studio.)

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really hope that troll who thinks Ron and John's picture is about Rumpelstiltskin doesn't come around anymore.

But, this is just wishful thinking.

Hat Building said...

Working overtime to keep the corporate family secrets hidden, eh?

Yes, the Cone of Silence must prevail, as always. God forbid the outside world find out about Rumpelstiltskin before the official announcement, right?

Whatever. I don't feel constrained by John and Ed's silly obsession over secrecy. I looked at Mark Kennedy's boards for an awesome sequence on Rumpelstiltskin today. Plus they recently hired the Animation Supervisor (hint: it's someone who hasn't worked at Disney since the early 80's).

Everything about this project screams "return to form."

Mesterius said...

Does "return to form" include "return to hand-drawn"?

Anonymous said...

Please don't listen to post #2. He's a resident troll and is intentionally spreading misinformation. He's learned a couple names and thinks he's clever

Floyd Norman said...

Hey! I didn't get my Google T-shirt.

Anonymous said...

I wonder why WDAS didn´t release Pooh in 3D stereo, that was a great oportunity to test the market on a new 2D stereo feature, not that I didn´t tell them.The numbers on the Lion King tell there is a market for it.I hope Rumpelstiltskin is thought out in advance that way.

Anonymous said...

Floyd - are you back at feature animation? That's awesome! What are you working on?

Anonymous said...

It ain't Rumplestiltzkin anymore.

Sorry, there was a re-write. Rumplestiltskin was too "classic" a title.

It's now going to be called "Spun".

The 'old mysterious' character Rumplestiltzkin has been changed to reflect a more youthful demographic.

His name's now just "Rump" (Rumpy for short). And he's a young outcast misfit who sings of his longing to fit in.

He goes on a journey and meets a whole band of ragtag misfits, learns a lesson about himself (tear-jerking moment alert!) and then all the misfits join up in a wacky fight scene to win the day. Songs by Prince, Alan Menken and Jon Bon-Jovi. Special dance-number choreographed by Julianne Hough!

To be released in 3D, 48fps and smell-o-vision. It'll combine hand-drawn, stop-motion and a dream-sequence crowd-sourced from You-Tube.

Special cardboard cut-out animation of Eddie Fischer by Mike Gabriel!

Anonymous said...

Back in the 90's any new project by Ron and John would have got me jumping for joy. But after TP&TF and Treasure Planet, I'm actually kinda scared. God, I hope it's not Rumpy, because all I can think of is Shrek 4.

What Disney needs is a traditionally-animated piece that makes audiences shocked by its originality. Something that has a new look, and (unlike TP&TF and Tangled) a film with a soundtrack worth buying.

Mesterius said...

"Please don't listen to post #2. He's a resident troll and is intentionally spreading misinformation. He's learned a couple names and thinks he's clever"

Okay, I'll ask you instead, then: Is Ron and John's new film (or any other WDAS feature in development at the moment) going to be hand-drawn?

el diablo maloso! said...

Cue in the never ending question: "What about 'Snow Queen'?"


d

Anonymous said...

Okay, I'll ask you instead, then: Is Ron and John's new film (or any other WDAS feature in development at the moment) going to be hand-drawn

Dude. Any employees arent allowed to answer those questions. All I can say is there's lots of work. If you're a student and want to work here someday, having 2d abilities can make that happen, though CG is more likely.

If you are just a random fan of Disney, we appreciate your enthusiasm, but you'll just have to wait to find out!

Steve Hulett said...

It ain't Rumplestiltzkin anymore.

Sorry, there was a re-write. Rumplestiltskin was too "classic" a title.

It's now going to be called "Spun".


Hey, everybody! It's the misinformation Pixies! Come gather 'round!

Anonymous said...

Okay, I'll ask you instead, then: Is Ron and John's new film (or any other WDAS feature in development at the moment) going to be hand-drawn?

Here's a thought:

Go get a life.

Mesterius said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mesterius said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mesterius said...

Anonymous said...
"Here's a thought:

Go get a life."


I have one, thank you very much. And if the conversations I have with anonymous people on this forum is gonna be on that level, I'd appreciate not hearing any more thoughts from you at all.

That's my thought for ya. Instead of getting offended, you should appreciate that people care about Disney producing more hand-drawn features. I'd love to see that happen. The original promise by Lasseter was a new hand-drawn feature every second year - but so far, no hand-drawn films seem to be lined up for the next few years. We're all hoping more hand-drawn films will be produced alongside the CGI films. The two mediums should co-exist at Disney.

Anonymous said...

There are currently two hand-drawn feature projects in development at Disney (that I know of).

1) Burny Mattison's 'Mickey Mouse & Friends' Movie

2) Ron & John's Movie

John Musker who recently gave a lecture at the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley confirmed that his next film with Ron will be a) hand-drawn and b) a musical.

Of course with Disney everything is subject to change. The movie may even not see the light of day afterall. Who knows?

Anonymous said...

"Does "return to form" include "return to hand-drawn"?"

WHO CARES? No one, that's who. Least of all the paying public audience.

Just make a great movie. Hand drawn or not.

Sorry to hear about snow queen being shelved permanently. But then again, there's really no such thing at Disney!

And with Brad Bird and Andrew Stanton continuing to make live action into the next few years (according to the trades), there will be no more animation from them.

Steve Hulett said...

Without giving too much away, Ron and John's next animated feature ....

Is not Rumplestiltskin or Jack the Ripper. ...

Is a departure from their previous work ...

Has exciting visuals and animation (in development) ...

May or may not get made since it hasn't been "greenlit" for production.

Anonymous said...

And Snow Queen isnt shelved. That comment I found particularly funny.

Anonymous said...

Hey, what shows are Cartoon Network Studios working on?

I know they're working on:


Secret Mountain Fort Awesome
Adventure TIme
Ben 10
Generator Rex
Regular Show

Any more, besides the shows mentioned?

Anonymous said...

Disney's seriously switching to google calendar & gmail for corporate stuff? Any company I've worked for is terrified of ANY digital asset being on something other then their own servers. I know a lot of colleges are switching over & google's not too bad (but they have been hacked in the past & gmail isn't impervious) I just never expected a giant like Disney to do it. wow. But then it's free or close to it, right? so there ya go. Internet spoilers be damned! we're saving money!

Steve Hulett said...

Yep. The Mouse is switching to the Google. As it was described to me by an administrator, Disney thought it was an improvement over their internal corporate system.

Anonymous said...

I don't like it. What we had worked great. Now it's slow and buggy. I hope it at least saves money.

Anonymous said...

So as a student that has spent the last couple years networking, does the switch to Google mean that the email addresses for the contacts I've made at Disney will be changing? That would be extremely helpful info.

Anonymous said...

No. Just different back end servers. No addresses changed.

Anonymous said...

Robin Red Breast is hard at work producing an upcoming XD show called Motorcity. From what I've seen so far, it's some of the best quality TV animation in a long time.

Steve Hulett said...

Robin Red Breast is hard at work producing an upcoming XD show called Motorcity.

I looked at some of the visuals and animation on this show last week. Quite nice.

And a lot of the animation is being done in Los Angeles.

Anonymous said...

Fraidy Cat? Velveteen Rabbit? Mort?

Site Meter