Disney out of CGI movies?
Everyone in Animation World freaked out when Disney pulled Chris Sanders off the upcoming CGI flick American Dog. But what's really going on?
(Source: jimhillmedia.com)
Wha' happened? The Walt Disney Film Animation division, and its chief creative officers John Lasseter and Ed Catmull, pink-slipped director Chris Sanders (Lilo and Stitch) and 166 animators off the upcoming animated flick American Dog
, which was supposed to be Disney's big summer flick for 2008. Considering that Lilo and Stitch has been a rare bright
spot for Disney animation, and Sanders commands a great deal of respect in the industry, Lasseter & Catmull started to look like the Grinch Who Stole Christmas ("You're as cuddly as a cactus . . .).
However, a closer look reveals some interesting details. Now that Pixar is essentially a Disney subsidiary, there's no need for Disney to stay in the CGI animation business. In fact, there's a very compelling reason for Disney NOT to stay in CGI animation. If Disney and Pixar release CGI animated pictures side-by-side, what happens? You got it: the two pictures split any potential audience and both films suffer at the box office.
Pixar is currently top dog in the CGI field, but that field is filling up fast. DreamWorks is now a credible contender with its Shrek franchise, Warner Bros. struck gold with Happy Feet, Fox/Blue Sky has the Ice Age series . . . you get the idea.
So what's Lasseter and Catmull to do? When in doubt, play to your strengths. The Mouse House may have an iffy rep in the CGI world but when it comes to traditional cel animation, Disney's golden. Both Lasseter and Catmull want to bring back traditional animation and what better way than to tie the Disney name (and history) to a new cel animated feature?
Keep in mind this is not a done deal. Disney CEO Robert Iger spent a lot of money to put Disney in the CGI business before buying Pixar, and he won't be happy if that money is wasted. However, if the live-action/animation hybrid Enchanted and the in-production Frog Princess (both of which use cel animation) do well at the box office, then Iger will roll with it. However, that means that Lasseter & Catmull will have to ensure both those movies are successful, and that Disney's last CGI gasp, Meet the Robinsons, doesn't perform to expectations. A real gamble.
Herein lies the rub for Chris Sanders and crew. Sanders was adamant that American Dog was going to be a CGI feature. Now, to have a CGI American Dog coming out in 2008, the same year that Pixar unleashes Toy Story 3, is simply not good business. It's a pisser, but studio bean counters are going to give greater priority to a sequel to a successful series, rather than a new project. When movies cost somewhere around the $90 million mark (before promotion costs), that tends to breed a certain conservativism. Besides, Toy Story 3 is Lasseter's baby, and everyone who dropped coin on the first two films will be salivating for this one. That's a losing proposition for Sanders.
What's the downside to all this? Chris Sanders will probably take his animation smarts to another studio, and Lasseter and Catmull will mourn the lost opportunity (and box office).
What's the upside? Pixar will put out great CGI movies without any competition from Disney, and Disney will bring back its beloved cel animation division. If Enchanted, Frog Princess and Rapunzel have good stories and do well at the box office, then it could mean a new "animated revival" for Disney. Interesting times are ahead.
The copyright of the article Disney out of CGI movies? in Hollywood Animated Films is owned by Dominic von Riedemann. Permission to republish Disney out of CGI movies? must be granted by the author in writing.
(Source: jimhillmedia.com)
Wha' happened? The Walt Disney Film Animation division, and its chief creative officers John Lasseter and Ed Catmull, pink-slipped director Chris Sanders (Lilo and Stitch) and 166 animators off the upcoming animated flick American Dog
, which was supposed to be Disney's big summer flick for 2008. Considering that Lilo and Stitch has been a rare bright
spot for Disney animation, and Sanders commands a great deal of respect in the industry, Lasseter & Catmull started to look like the Grinch Who Stole Christmas ("You're as cuddly as a cactus . . .).
However, a closer look reveals some interesting details. Now that Pixar is essentially a Disney subsidiary, there's no need for Disney to stay in the CGI animation business. In fact, there's a very compelling reason for Disney NOT to stay in CGI animation. If Disney and Pixar release CGI animated pictures side-by-side, what happens? You got it: the two pictures split any potential audience and both films suffer at the box office.
Pixar is currently top dog in the CGI field, but that field is filling up fast. DreamWorks is now a credible contender with its Shrek franchise, Warner Bros. struck gold with Happy Feet, Fox/Blue Sky has the Ice Age series . . . you get the idea.
So what's Lasseter and Catmull to do? When in doubt, play to your strengths. The Mouse House may have an iffy rep in the CGI world but when it comes to traditional cel animation, Disney's golden. Both Lasseter and Catmull want to bring back traditional animation and what better way than to tie the Disney name (and history) to a new cel animated feature?
Keep in mind this is not a done deal. Disney CEO Robert Iger spent a lot of money to put Disney in the CGI business before buying Pixar, and he won't be happy if that money is wasted. However, if the live-action/animation hybrid Enchanted and the in-production Frog Princess (both of which use cel animation) do well at the box office, then Iger will roll with it. However, that means that Lasseter & Catmull will have to ensure both those movies are successful, and that Disney's last CGI gasp, Meet the Robinsons, doesn't perform to expectations. A real gamble.
Herein lies the rub for Chris Sanders and crew. Sanders was adamant that American Dog was going to be a CGI feature. Now, to have a CGI American Dog coming out in 2008, the same year that Pixar unleashes Toy Story 3, is simply not good business. It's a pisser, but studio bean counters are going to give greater priority to a sequel to a successful series, rather than a new project. When movies cost somewhere around the $90 million mark (before promotion costs), that tends to breed a certain conservativism. Besides, Toy Story 3 is Lasseter's baby, and everyone who dropped coin on the first two films will be salivating for this one. That's a losing proposition for Sanders.
What's the downside to all this? Chris Sanders will probably take his animation smarts to another studio, and Lasseter and Catmull will mourn the lost opportunity (and box office).
What's the upside? Pixar will put out great CGI movies without any competition from Disney, and Disney will bring back its beloved cel animation division. If Enchanted, Frog Princess and Rapunzel have good stories and do well at the box office, then it could mean a new "animated revival" for Disney. Interesting times are ahead.
The copyright of the article Disney out of CGI movies? in Hollywood Animated Films is owned by Dominic von Riedemann. Permission to republish Disney out of CGI movies? must be granted by the author in writing.
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