Hand-Drawn Animation Dead at Disney

[estefan]

Maybe it's my complete lack of knowledge of Rihanna's work, but I didn't find the song choice as jarring as others. I felt they just picked a generic pop song that fit the scene because it was about driving.

[SWillie!]

Riiiight... "Driving"

[DisneyJedi]

Riiiight... "Driving"

Technically, it has something to do with driving.

Anyhow, concerning the Dreamworks situation, I'll admit that I love sequels.

Well.... Most of them. Looking at you, Hangover Part 2.

But that doesn't mean the studio should stick to only those kinds of movies. Because in all honesty, I admire their original ideas.

[Elladorine]

Riiiight... "Driving"

Here we go again.

[Disney's Divinity]

Riiiight... "Driving"

(I do like Wreck-It Ralph though.)

[Sotiris]

Sylvain Chomet talks about The Simpsons couch gag he worked on and 2D animation.

Q: As an artist and a director, what can you say with 2D that you can't say -- or can't say as well -- in 3D/CGI?

Sylvain Chomet: They are very different techniques. 3D is essentially a “puppet” animation, more akin to stop motion. I like the 2D technique as it allows for plenty of freedom in the animation. A single drawing is funny, but it’s funniest when it moves. It is very hard for a single frame of a CGI animated character to be as funny.

Q: Describe the “unforgiving nature” of hand-drawn animation in relation to television production. What are some of the biggest challenges?

Dominic Buttimore: Hand-drawn animation is probably the most difficult type of animation to create at a high level. Unlike 3D CGI, we are unable to adjust scenes, camera moves, etc. without complete reanimation. The techniques used by Sylvain and our artists remain unchanged for over 90 years. Basically, the skill of the animator is revealed through a piece of paper and a pencil. Having said all this, drawn animation is not particularly slow in comparison to any other type – it’s clear stages (design/ boarding/ animatic/pencil test) need careful consideration before moving on. The ultimate challenge is always getting the best work done creatively, within the time and budget, and that’s nothing new!

Source: http://www.awn.com/news/qa-director-syl ... -couch-gag

All of the animation for the sequence was done by hand, as is traditional with Chomet's work, the idea being to create as much texture and personality as is possible. Hand-drawn frame-by-frame with pencil, movement is created by carefully flicking between the different drawings, much like a flip book. Despite the laborious nature of this technique, in an increasingly digital world Chomet insists this type of animation is “coming back” – although Hollywood heavyweight Disney, which revealed in 2013 that it had no plans at present to make any more hand-drawn animated films, might disagree.

“A lot of studios are going back to it [handdrawn] after going down the CGI route,” he argues. “CGI is starting to change as it has reached a point where it is almost too realistic; hand-drawn animation is always more unique. When you go from one CGI movie to another you realise it is quite plain, whereas hand-drawn animations can be whatever you want them to be. It's absolutely endless.”

Regardless of Disney’s approach, Chomet believes the “authenticity” and “heart” of handdrawn animation will win out as it “takes you back to your childhood”. He continues: “As a child, drawing is the only way you can express yourself – long before you know how to write, you are drawing. Hand-drawn is closer to the human being. Really good hand-drawn animators want to do CGI and they lose a little bit of what made their work special. In hand-drawn animation you become part of it, you recognise the little things that are yours. CGI animation doesn't have that uniqueness, it's almost too polished, and with this project I wanted the team to really enjoy seeing their animations as part of The Simpsons.”

Source: http://www.thedrum.com/news/2014/05/15/ ... french-and

[Lady Cluck]

Shut Up and Drive isn't about driving at all and that's not up for debate, but it's implicitly sexual so I don't care if it's in a children's movie because kids won't understand the subtext anyway. I despised it being in Wreck-It Ralph though since Disney usually produces original music. It did feel very...Dreamworks. I almost hurled my popcorn at the screen and stormed out, but the rest of the movie was pretty okay so I'm glad I calmed down.

[thelittleursula]

Robert Lopez and his wife had written an original song for the movie but for reasons unknown, it was cut.

Yeah, it was a song for King Candy and how he ruled Sugar Rush and why they race. It was cut because Rich Moore thought the song was too random for a non-musical movie.

What a shame! Of all of the Disney villains, King Candy is most likely the one to sing. I just hope they release a demo of it.

So a song in within a Disney movie is too random, but a song about sex is not ?

Ok Disney

Shut Up and Drive isn't about driving at all and that's not up for debate, but it's implicitly sexual so I don't care if it's in a children's movie because kids won't understand the subtext anyway.

True, but parents would get it and understand it.

[tweeb²]

Sylvain Chomet talks about The Simpsons couch gag he worked on and 2D animation.

Q: As an artist and a director, what can you say with 2D that you can't say -- or can't say as well -- in 3D/CGI?

Sylvain Chomet: They are very different techniques. 3D is essentially a “puppet” animation, more akin to stop motion. I like the 2D technique as it allows for plenty of freedom in the animation. A single drawing is funny, but it’s funniest when it moves. It is very hard for a single frame of a CGI animated character to be as funny.

Q: Describe the “unforgiving nature” of hand-drawn animation in relation to television production. What are some of the biggest challenges?

Dominic Buttimore: Hand-drawn animation is probably the most difficult type of animation to create at a high level. Unlike 3D CGI, we are unable to adjust scenes, camera moves, etc. without complete reanimation. The techniques used by Sylvain and our artists remain unchanged for over 90 years. Basically, the skill of the animator is revealed through a piece of paper and a pencil. Having said all this, drawn animation is not particularly slow in comparison to any other type – it’s clear stages (design/ boarding/ animatic/pencil test) need careful consideration before moving on. The ultimate challenge is always getting the best work done creatively, within the time and budget, and that’s nothing new!

Source: http://www.awn.com/news/qa-director-syl ... -couch-gag

Yeah, I think that the reason why Disney wants to get over hand drawn is that CGI works in layers, one guy can design a character, and then 3 guys that don't have good painting or designing skills can animate it perfectly, as long as they have good timing and eye for animation. In the case of hand drawn, even the least talented artist working on a Disney film needs to have an amazing design and drawing skill, so they are as not as easily replaceable as in CGI, thus they are expected to be paid a higher salary compared to those guys that have a good eye for animating a character but they don't have any other skill.

[PatrickvD]

Sylvain Chomet talks about The Simpsons couch gag he worked on and 2D animation.

Q: As an artist and a director, what can you say with 2D that you can't say -- or can't say as well -- in 3D/CGI?

Sylvain Chomet: They are very different techniques. 3D is essentially a “puppet” animation, more akin to stop motion. I like the 2D technique as it allows for plenty of freedom in the animation. A single drawing is funny, but it’s funniest when it moves. It is very hard for a single frame of a CGI animated character to be as funny.

Q: Describe the “unforgiving nature” of hand-drawn animation in relation to television production. What are some of the biggest challenges?

Dominic Buttimore: Hand-drawn animation is probably the most difficult type of animation to create at a high level. Unlike 3D CGI, we are unable to adjust scenes, camera moves, etc. without complete reanimation. The techniques used by Sylvain and our artists remain unchanged for over 90 years. Basically, the skill of the animator is revealed through a piece of paper and a pencil. Having said all this, drawn animation is not particularly slow in comparison to any other type – it’s clear stages (design/ boarding/ animatic/pencil test) need careful consideration before moving on. The ultimate challenge is always getting the best work done creatively, within the time and budget, and that’s nothing new!

Source: http://www.awn.com/news/qa-director-syl ... -couch-gag

Chomet is easily the most talented and interesting man in animation today. Miyazaki and Ghibli may be last big brand in hand drawn animation, for me Sylvain Chomet's work comes closest to what hand drawn animation should be about. He is also more directly influenced by classic Disney than anything that comes from Japan.

The couch gag was absolutely stunning. And hilarious.

[Fflewduur]

Chomet is easily the most talented and interesting man in animation today. Miyazaki and Ghibli may be last big brand in hand drawn animation, for me Sylvain Chomet's work comes closest to what hand drawn animation should be about. He is also more directly influenced by classic Disney than anything that comes from Japan.

The couch gag was absolutely stunning. And hilarious.

I get uncomfortable with tossing around superlatives, but Chomet is a hugely talented and intriguing stylist, and an auteur among animators. (Agree about the couch gag.)

[ce1ticmoon]

Loved the couch gag as well. They've actually had some pretty talented animators take on the couch gag lately.

As for Chomet, I'm anxiously awaiting Swing Popa Swing. Last I read, it's still in development, but hopefully we see some news regarding it soon.

[DisneyEra]

I hear a lot on this board saying that WDAS should take more risks. Well, Dreamworks had this risky film set which would of had the human world in CGI & the shadow world in 2D, but it has since been pushed back indefinitely in favor of more sequels & property films. You would think the $153 million they had to write off for flops like Turbo & Peabody could of went to this film.

[TsWade2]

I'm sorry if it's a broken record, but Disney needs to go back doing hand drawn animation. And I wish Walt Disney is resurrected.

[Semaj]

I hear a lot on this board saying that WDAS should take more risks. Well, Dreamworks had this risky film set which would of had the human world in CGI & the shadow world in 2D, but it has since been pushed back indefinitely in favor of more sequels & property films. You would think the $153 million they had to write off for flops like Turbo & Peabody could of went to this film.

It's a shame DreamWorks is NOW hitting on hard times, because it seemed like they were finally getting away from their Shrek-era anti-Disney agenda, in favor of some REAL storytelling. The last thing they need to do is MORE sequels.

[TsWade2]

I hear a lot on this board saying that WDAS should take more risks. Well, Dreamworks had this risky film set which would of had the human world in CGI & the shadow world in 2D, but it has since been pushed back indefinitely in favor of more sequels & property films. You would think the $153 million they had to write off for flops like Turbo & Peabody could of went to this film.

It's a shame DreamWorks is NOW hitting on hard times, because it seemed like they were finally getting away from their Shrek-era anti-Disney agenda, in favor of some REAL storytelling. The last thing they need to do is MORE sequels.

Dreamworks is hopeless anyway.

[ce1ticmoon]

I hear a lot on this board saying that WDAS should take more risks. Well, Dreamworks had this risky film set which would of had the human world in CGI & the shadow world in 2D, but it has since been pushed back indefinitely in favor of more sequels & property films. You would think the $153 million they had to write off for flops like Turbo & Peabody could of went to this film.

Yeah, that sounded like a very interesting and intriguing project. I guess it technically went back into "development," but I wouldn't be surprised if we never hear of it again.

But I'm not sure it was actually pushed back to make more room for sequels and property films.... Most of their films on their current roster were already there prior to Me and My Shadow being sent back to development. If anything, they were probably having problems moving the project forward. I'm not holding my breath, but I'm hoping it can come through again.

It's a shame DreamWorks is NOW hitting on hard times, because it seemed like they were finally getting away from their Shrek-era anti-Disney agenda, in favor of some REAL storytelling. The last thing they need to do is MORE sequels.

I think the problem is market saturation. I mean, it's kind of wierd to say that the market is saturated with animated films when we're probably getting an average of one film a month, if even that much. But we are getting a lot more than just a few years ago. WDAS, Pixar, Dreamworks, Illumination, Sony Pictures Animation, Blue sky.... They're all basically releasing one film per year. Dreamworks has been releasing 2-3 films a year. Plus, there are smaller studios like LAIKA and Aardman releasing films every couple of years, plus a bunch of other studios trying to get a piece of the pie by releasing lower budget CGI films, like the horrendous-looking Free Birds, Nut Job, and that beyond-horrendous-looking Return to Oz or whatever it is. Since animated films are marketed to families, and it pretty much costs a small fortune for families to spend one night at the movies, I'm not surprised that we are seeing a lot of these films from major studios struggling to crawl past the $100 million mark domestically.

[DisneyJedi]

Dude, come on. I'm looking forward to Legends of Oz.

[JTurner]

The director of an indie hand-drawn animated feature called Dawgtown, who is currently seeking funding, talks about why he chose this medium for his film.\

Now THAT'S a project that looks really really interesting!

Like estefan said, it's not a question of whether Disney is going to do another 2D animated feature. It's a question over whether the 2D animated feature is a feasible area anymore, period. It seems that as of right now indie studios in America are the ones who are being gutsy about doing handdrawn animation, and frankly, I like that. Everyone wants Disney to go back to 2D animation, but the only way for that to happen is for a revitalized interest in the trend.

It's not just ONE film. We need to see other indie animated films like these, not just Dawgtown. If they can be successes -- I repeat, IF -- then maybe we'll see Disney return. Until then, indie animated films, or Japanese animated feature films or even stuff from GKids -- is a best alternative.

[disneyprincess11]

Dude, come on. I'm looking forward to Legends of Oz.

I think we are the only ones. The CGI is actually really good for a first-time company. The animation improved a lot throughout these 4 years. But, the music to the movie isn't that good.