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Disney Shuts Down 2D Animation Studio

Posted by simoniker on from the four-dimensions-are-where-it's-at dept.

sofakingl writes "As mentioned in this Slashdot article, Disney has been planning to shut down their 2D animation studios. Just recently, Disney shut down their Florida studio, with some animators transferred to Disney's Burbank studio, and others being left out of a job. This has brought criticism from Roy Disney, the nephew of Walt Disney. And to top it off, Disney may be facing new competition from Legacy Animation, a new animation studio that was formed by ex-Disney animators."

9 of 335 comments (clear)

  1. It's an insane decision. by Teddy+Beartuzzi · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Disney thinks that it's computer animation that has led to the success of Finding Nemo, Shrek etc.

    It's good story, humour and characters that have led to success. Their hand animated flicks bombed because they were bad, not because they were 2D.

    1. Re:It's an insane decision. by krymsin01 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Mabey some of those animators, now that they have some time on their hands, will decide to group together to work on some non-family animation here in the US. Limiting the scope of animation to family friendly themes is such a waste of the artform, in my opinion.

      --
      stuff
    2. Re:It's an insane decision. by Golias · · Score: 5, Insightful
      After seeing the art and animation from such films as "Tarzan" "Hercules" and "The Emperor's New Groove", I put it to you that many of the Disney animators deserved to be laid off. Feel free to hold whatever opinion you like about the writing and voice acting, but the bottom line is that those movies looked like ass.

      Animated feature-length movies are not made for adult audiences very often in the US because the truth is, they just don't sell very well. You could make the case that movies like "Final Fantasy" and "Titan AE" bombed because they were painfully dull and poorly written, but the fact remains that there has yet to be a successful American full-length animated feature which wasn't considered a "family" movie in the US. Ever. The closest you could possibly get is "Heavy Metal", which enjoys a cult following (mostly among 12-year old kids and stoners, both of whom like looking at the cartoon boobies.)

      --

      Information wants to be anthropomorphized.

  2. Save Disney site. by AchmedHabib · · Score: 5, Informative

    Save Disney Save Disney site for those who cares.

  3. "Disney" != The Walt Disney Company by LostCluster · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If Walt Disney were alive today, he likely wouldn't recognize the company that has his name. Roy Disney certainly doesn't think so...

    The Disney of today is not a pure family-friendly company by any means. The "Disney brand name" is reserved for G-rated projects only, but companies such as Touchstone Entertainment and Miramax Pictures exist under the Disney company's ownership to publish PG to R-rated fare. Everything that goes out over The Disney Channel is family friendly, but you can't say the same about ABC.

    And from that view of the world, it's easy to see why 2D animation is out the door. It's not a money-maker today.

    The original Disney works are living on borrowed time right now. Mickey Mouse quietly celebrated his 75th birthday this year. Why didn't the Disney theme parks hold a big celebration for that event like they do for every other excuse to hold a big celebration? Because 75 years old used to be the retirement age for copyrights, until the Sonny Bono Copyright Extention Act made it 95 years. The company knows that they're not going to be able to get extentions forever, so they've already started to diversify while they still can...

  4. To make it even funnier..... by Dark+Nexus · · Score: 5, Interesting

    They close down their 2D studios, and it looks like they won't be renewing their deal with Pixar. They're closing the studios down because "it isn't profitable", as I recall.

    And what's Pixar doing? Possibly opening a 2D animation studio.

    I think it's the Disney studios that aren't profitable anymore, since most of the good animated movies out of Disney in the past 5 years or so were from Pixar...

    --
    Dark Nexus
    "Sanity is calming, but madness is more interesting."
  5. Blame Y2K by macgyvr64 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Top Ten Ways Y2K Affected Disney World

    10. Accidental switch back to 19,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
    9. Messed up computers report EuroDisney turning a profit.
    8. Air traffic control glitch causes Dumbo to smack into a DC-10.
    7. The "It's a Small World After All" creatures go on a rampage.
    6. The Hall of Presidents keeps chanting "Kill Clinton, kill Clinton."
    5. When you wish upon a star, nothing happens.
    4. Unexpected power surge brings an angry Walt Disney back to life.
    3. "Main Street Electrical Parade" becomes "Main Street Two Guys With Plastic Flashlights Parade."
    2. Ticket machine accidentally dispenses day passes for less than $600.
    1. Two words: catapulting teacups.

  6. Rampage by pangu · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hopefullly, Stitch will go on a rampage at Disney headquarters.

  7. Issues with the Florida Studio Shutdown by WebGangsta · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Fine, let Disney shut down the (practically brand-new) Florida animation facility. What other effects does this have?

    We all know that the Florida studio was responsible for creating "Lilo and Stitch". As WDW moves forward with a retrofit of the screamingly-fun "Alien Encounter" ride to a more family-friendly "Meet Stitch" format, they ran into a small glitch.

    With all the animators gone from the Florida studio, they ended up having to out-source the pre-show animation to some non-Disney company.

    On the plus side, it gives Disney one more building to reuse for yet another cartoon-based stage show in the Studios theme park. Better get that created soon while they still have popular films that haven't been used yet. That's right, you can't have too many stage shows that all end before 5pm at a theme park open until 10pm to entertain the masses.

    The reason Pixar is considered a threat to Disney is not because they have succeeded in 3D computerized animation where others (except Shrek) have not, but because they excel at the exact same things that the best Disney works did just as well: the storytelling. Toy Story 2 was supposed to go direct-to-video, but its story was so well done and compelling that Disney told Pixar to remake it as a feature.

    The medium is not the problem here. It's the message. 2D vs 3D is not what Disney should be concerned with, but rather how to get back to telling a quality story instead of some rehashed dreck. If the story is good, then the audience will come and Disney can continue to build *original* park rides based on those stories.

    Yes, Disney needs Pixar because Pixar "gets" what Walt did and will be terribly sorry if they can't come to terms with Pixar on the contract renewal. But Pixar also gets a benefit from the Disney association that they may not get with another studio distribution as the Disney name still carries a bit of class with it, so they may not want to play *too* hard to get. Being independent (like Lucasfilm) may allow you the freedom to create whatever you want and distribute it on your own terms, but it may not be the best solution for everybody.