Hand-Drawn Animation Dead at Disney

[estefan]

It's amazing how on this one subject, they never actually answer the question. Why can they never give a straight answer, instead of tip-toeing around it. Though I'm sure it's more of a corporate mandate and it bothers them, too, that they can't answer these kinds of questions properly.

[Warm Regards]

Ah, Reddit AMAs. The perfect balance on insightful inquiries and anonymous animosity.

As for the side stepping, I am sure some higher up is previewing and filtering the answers. Nothing is ever purely confidential, except maybe a PM...

But even then they probably wouldn't read them.

So I guess the higher ups consensus is, "2D is awesome! As long as it goes to making more CG films."

[TsWade2]

Ah, Reddit AMAs. The perfect balance on insightful inquiries and anonymous animosity.

As for the side stepping, I am sure some higher up is previewing and filtering the answers. Nothing is ever purely confidential, except maybe a PM...

But even then they probably wouldn't read them.

So I guess the higher ups consensus is, "2D is awesome! As long as it goes to making more CG films."

They're a bunch of cowards! They're scared of doing hand drawn animation because of Bob Iger, Jay Rasulo, and those evil greedy executives. And I don't know if I can trust Tom Staggs as the new CEO unless if he has love hand drawn. Well, he better be.

[DisneyJedi]

So I guess the higher ups consensus is, "2D is awesome! As long as it goes to making more CG films."

So they're cool with wasting an animator's talent and potential?

[SWillie!]

A little off topic, but thought I'd post in here since everyone here is obviously a big hand-drawn fan.

Steve Thompson is a Disney artist currently working as a designer for the Disney Store. He started his career as a 2D animator on movies like Hunchback, Mulan, and Tarzan. When traditional was shut down after Home on the Range, he went to Disney Store where he still works completely traditionally designing stuff like ornaments, figurines, and other merchandise. I absolutely love his stuff, and even though it's not animation, he's definitely keeping the art of pencil lines alive. Check out his work here.

One of my favorites:

[TsWade2]

A little off topic, but thought I'd post in here since everyone here is obviously a big hand-drawn fan.

Steve Thompson is a Disney artist currently working as a designer for the Disney Store. He started his career as a 2D animator on movies like Hunchback, Mulan, and Tarzan. When traditional was shut down after Home on the Range, he went to Disney Store where he still works completely traditionally designing stuff like ornaments, figurines, and other merchandise. I absolutely love his stuff, and even though it's not animation, he's definitely keeping the art of pencil lines alive. Check out his work here.

One of my favorites:

Thank you for showing that to us. It's very nice. But I don't think it'll help our Disney losing hand drawn animation crisis, but thank you just the same.

[Atlantica]

Wow, thank you for posting the link to his work! Always wanted to know more about the process that goes into the designing of Disney products. I wonder if he has any involvement in the new Princess designs? (As I can see on the first page he has styled Belle in the 'new way', but haven't been able to read the whole blog yet).

Also, does anyone know who creates the cover art designs? Does that start in sketch form ? I presume it must do, as the art we've been getting recently have been new creations instead of the usual slightly altered clipart.

[estefan]

So, on the Google Hangout yesterday, they actually mentioned that a hand-drawn animated feature could potentially happen in the future and that they're always working with hand-drawn, specifically mentioning either old characters and even new ones. Which I think means that at the moment, they're experimenting with hand-drawn on short films which have a strong chance of convincing executives that a full-length feature is worth investing in. I actually think Get a Horse winning the Oscar would do well to convince them that there is an audience for it.

[TsWade2]

So, on the Google Hangout yesterday, they actually mentioned that a hand-drawn animated feature could potentially happen in the future and that they're always working with hand-drawn, specifically mentioning either old characters and even new ones. Which I think means that at the moment, they're experimenting with hand-drawn on short films which have a strong chance of convincing executives that a full-length feature is worth investing in. I actually think Get a Horse winning the Oscar would do well to convince them that there is an audience for it.

You really think so?

[Sotiris]

I actually think Get a Horse winning the Oscar would do well to convince them that there is an audience for it.

We said the same thing about Paperman but nothing came out of it. I don't think Get a Horse winning the Oscar will increase the chances of Disney producing a hand-drawn feature in the slightest.

So, on the Google Hangout yesterday, they actually mentioned that a hand-drawn animated feature could potentially happen in the future and that they're always working with hand-drawn, specifically mentioning either old characters and even new ones. Which I think means that at the moment, they're experimenting with hand-drawn on short films which have a strong chance of convincing executives that a full-length feature is worth investing in.

The Special Projects division doesn't do theatrical shorts but educational shorts, commercials, that sort of thing. They've always been doing that. Nothing has really changed on that front. They're not experimenting with hand-drawn animation or anything like that.

Here's what was actually said during the Google Hangout which I don't find encouraging at all.

Q: What kind of future do you see for 2D animation in the industry?

Dave Bossert: I have to tell you, heading up the Special Projects group at Walt Disney Animation Studios, we are doing tons of 2D animation with a lot of our classic characters as well as our contemporary characters whether it’s from Beauty and the Beast or Aladdin… We’re still doing 2D animation. The studio doesn’t currently have a 2D feature in the pipeline. Whether there will be one at some point in the future is anybody’s guess. Right now, they don’t but it doesn’t mean we’re not doing 2D. We still have 2D artists working at the studio, we are just not doing a feature film.

You got to realize when you make films… We’re making films at Disney to appeal to the widest possible audience so the audience in some sense is driving what we are going to see.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7wLH1ir0yo

[estefan]

...Well, that's one way to interpret things. But my interpretation falls more into the optimistic side of things.

[unprincess]

there's that "tiptoeing" they do again. They never can admit a flat out "no" just a "sort of, maybe, kind of," type answer.

Sotiris, you really think nothing will come out of Paperman? not even more hybrid shorts?

[Sotiris]

Sotiris, you really think nothing will come out of Paperman? not even more hybrid shorts?

We'll have to wait and see, I suppose. More shorts are much more likely to happen than a feature.

[unprincess]

In semi-related news, two Pixar artists are making a short that seems to be utilizing the hand-drawn/ CGI hybrid technique. (At least, this video shows some CG blocking with the drawings added after.)

Source: http://www.rotoscopers.com/2014/02/07/b ... -released/

Two Pixar visual development artists, Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi, have come together to release their own animated short titled The Dam Keeper. The first trailer and a clip of the short were just released in time for the short’s premiere at the Berlin Film Festival later this month.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTd3J1GFC5M[/youtube]

I totally missed this. Um, it looks cute, though I dont think I could watch a whole feature lenght film in this style. I like stuff with more prominent graphic linework(like Paperman.) I do like how morose the lil piggy's voiceover is.

[Warm Regards]

Speaking of Get a Horse, I'm forever intrigued by this animation test, and how far CG has come:



Source: http://tonywda.tumblr.com/post/76659499 ... dam-greens

[Kyle]

I didn't like get a horse as much as most here, but that, that makes me laugh.

[TsWade2]

I actually think Get a Horse winning the Oscar would do well to convince them that there is an audience for it.

We said the same thing about Paperman but nothing came out of it. I don't think Get a Horse winning the Oscar will increase the chances of Disney producing a hand-drawn feature in the slightest.

Just you wait, Sotiris. Just you wait. Disney will do another hand drawn animated movie. You'll see.

[MovieMan995]

So, on the Google Hangout yesterday, they actually mentioned that a hand-drawn animated feature could potentially happen in the future and that they're always working with hand-drawn, specifically mentioning either old characters and even new ones. Which I think means that at the moment, they're experimenting with hand-drawn on short films which have a strong chance of convincing executives that a full-length feature is worth investing in. I actually think Get a Horse winning the Oscar would do well to convince them that there is an audience for it.

That's true. And if you think about it, all the new WDAS shorts (Ballad of Nessie, Paperman, and Get A Horse!) have been hand-drawn or have hand-drawn elements in them. I just hope that the short that is attached to Big Hero 6 (I'm pretty sure there'll be one), is also hand-drawn so Disney is more confident in releasing a hand-drawn feature in the future.

[TsWade2]

So, on the Google Hangout yesterday, they actually mentioned that a hand-drawn animated feature could potentially happen in the future and that they're always working with hand-drawn, specifically mentioning either old characters and even new ones. Which I think means that at the moment, they're experimenting with hand-drawn on short films which have a strong chance of convincing executives that a full-length feature is worth investing in. I actually think Get a Horse winning the Oscar would do well to convince them that there is an audience for it.

That's true. And if you think about it, all the new WDAS shorts (Ballad of Nessie, Paperman, and Get A Horse!) have been hand-drawn or have hand-drawn elements in them. I just hope that the short that is attached to Big Hero 6 (I'm pretty sure there'll be one), is also hand-drawn so Disney is more confident in releasing a hand-drawn feature in the future.

Thank you. I just don't understand why Sotiris is always a hope killer.

[TsWade2]

Q: What kind of future do you see for 2D animation in the industry?

Dave Bossert: I have to tell you, heading up the Special Projects group at Walt Disney Animation Studios, we are doing tons of 2D animation with a lot of our classic characters as well as our contemporary characters whether it’s from Beauty and the Beast or Aladdin… We’re still doing 2D animation. The studio doesn’t currently have a 2D feature in the pipeline. Whether there will be one at some point in the future is anybody’s guess. Right now, they don’t but it doesn’t mean we’re not doing 2D. We still have 2D artists working at the studio, we are just not doing a feature film.

You got to realize when you make films… We’re making films at Disney to appeal to the widest possible audience so the audience in some sense is driving what we are going to see.

I don't know how I say this, but, Animators,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwBWqp81btk