Hand-Drawn Animation Dead at Disney

[thedisneyspirit]

Lol at all the drama around here

Keep it up you guys

[disneyprincess11]

^Can I have some of your popcorn?

[Sotiris]

Laika has made a name for themselves with their hand-crafted stop-motion animated feature films like Coraline, ParaNorman and the upcoming movie Boxtrolls. But the Portland-based animation studio wants to help hand-drawn animation make a comeback. During the Boxtrolls Hall H presentation at 2014 San Diego Comic Con International, Laika head Travis Knight would like to do a 2D hand-drawn animated feature film. He says that every one of the Laika stop-motion movies feature small bits of hand-drawn animation composites, but he would like to one day do a whole movie in the medium. It seems like they don’t have any definite plans but you could tell from his tone that it’s something he’s been considering for a while now.

Source: http://www.slashfilm.com/laika-hand-drawn-animation/

Q: Do you see Laika sticking with stop-motion, or experimenting with different animation styles?

Travis Knight: I do think that we don't want to have a house style, in the sense that we want different aesthetic points of view with each of our films, and I think we've been successful in doing that with each of them so far. I'm excited by the general processes that we use, which is using emergent technologies -- we use stop motion, we use hand drawn, we use CG, and other technologies all in this swirling gumbo. The great thing about it is you can't really tell. It doesn't call attention to itself at all because it has a unified sensibility. What excites me moving forward is thinking about how we can vary the different levels of those ingredients. Could something potentially be more of a classic hand-drawn animation? Those are things I think we'll explore, how we can take the medium to different places by changing up the formula.

Source: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/201 ... -interview

Tom Bancroft: Laika's got rumors right now that they want to do a 2D film. Tony and I both know somebody that works internally there who is a 2D guy and he’s talked to them and backs that up. And says yeah, that’s a serious rumor. Whether or not they do it is totally different. There’s money involved and all that. But do they want to? I think we can all say yes, they definitely do.

Source: http://taughtbyapro.com/episode-1-the-b ... n-podcast/

Q: Is LAIKA considering doing a 2D animated film in the future?

Travis Knight: We clearly have an affinity for more art forms. You know where that came from? I’ve had those conversations with Rick Farmiloe, the brilliant 2D animator, in private. We were at this panel at Comic-Con and he announced it to the world. It’s something we didn’t really want even getting out until we were ready to announce something real, that this was really happening. I’ve always loved hand-drawn animation; I’ve always loved it. I think even with all the advancements that’s happened in technology over the last 20-30 years, the best animation that’s ever committed in film is hand-drawn animation. It’s the most expressive, the most beautiful form of animation. So, as a fan of animation, it’s a real shame that virtually nobody’s doing that, certainly in long-form, anymore. I think it’s horrible. It’s always been a part of what we do; 2D is always a part of our process and so, the logical extension is: “If a story warranted it, if we could find a story that made sense to do in this medium, how could we apply the same prism that we applied to stop-motion which is a way to reinvigorate this incredible art form and apply that same idea to hand-drawn animation?” It’s something we’re very quietly – less quietly now thanks to Rick Farmiloe – working to do. I don’t have an announcement to make at this point other than to say it is an ambition of ours and ultimately we hope we can do that. It’s a beautiful way to make a movie. For generations that was the form that animation took and it’s only over the last 20-some-odd years that’s changed but that’s not to say that you couldn’t tell an incredible, viable story, beautifully told using hand-drawn animation. I think it absolutely can and should be done. It would be the boldest thing out there if someone could do something really interesting in hand-drawn animation ‘cause nothing else looks like that. […] There is still an ongoing love that people have with that medium.

Source: http://taughtbyapro.com/podcast-5-the-t ... interview/

Q: Is 2D animation a possibility for a feature at Laika?

Travis Knight: There may be. I love 2D. I absolutely love 2D. It’s been a part of our process right from the beginning. A lot of the stuff is hidden under the surface but there’s been 2D and CG, and stop-motion in every single one of our movies. I absolutely love 2D. I still think some of the best animation that’s ever been done, has been in 2D. In fact, when I was a young animator and I was learning how to animate, I didn’t actually look at stop-motion; I looked at 2D animation. I thought that was the greatest teacher for me to understand these principles. And that’s where all began, really. So, one of my greatest teachers was frame-by-framing through 2D animation to figure out how they did it. So, I love it. I think it’s just a really rich and evocative way to tell a story and unfortunately in our modern era it’s virtually non-existent. Maybe I have a fascination with resuscitating moribund art forms but I would absolutely love to do a 2D film. It’s been a part of our process from the beginning. The idea of telling a Laika story and doing something different with this medium that I love is really exciting. Now, I’m not making any announcements but in the fullness of time it’s something that I’d absolutely love to do.

[…] It’s interesting because we do most of the movie in essentially this one-form of filmmaking and working in 2D that’s hard in a different way. That’s its own unique discipline. It’s just as hard as what we do in CG as what we do in stop-motion but also it’s exquisite. I think it’s beautiful and I love the way our end credits came together.

Source: http://taughtbyapro.com/animation-podca ... is-knight/

And what about making a hand-drawn feature, an idea that Knight first floated in 2014? He’s still enthused by the idea, though it doesn’t seem likely to happen anytime soon:

Travis Knight: I hope within the fullness of time, before I shuffle off this mortal coil, I absolutely hope that we do a 2-D film. They’ve always been a part of what we’ve done. I guess I just have a fixation for moribund art forms. Because nobody is working meaningfully in 2-D feature films anymore. [S]ome of the most beautiful animation ever in existence was done in 2-D. As I was telling you earlier, that’s effectively how I learned to animate. By studying the great 2-D animation. It’s a real shame for me to see this beautiful art form that gets neglected, when you could still so beautifully tell a story. We just don’t see it done very often. I would love to take the same prism that we apply to stop motion—take what we love about this medium, and try to do find a way to do something new with it. In the fullness of time, I would absolutely love to do that.

Source: http://www.cartoonbrew.com/studios/excl ... 42586.html

[TsWade2]

Laika has made a name for themselves with their hand-crafted stop-motion animated feature films like Coraline, ParaNorman and the upcoming movie Boxtrolls. But the Portland-based animation studio wants to help hand-drawn animation make a comeback. During the Boxtrolls Hall H presentation at 2014 San Diego Comic Con International, Laika head Travis Knight would like to do a 2D hand-drawn animated feature film. He says that every one of the Laika stop-motion movies feature small bits of hand-drawn animation composites, but he would like to one day do a whole movie in the medium. It seems like they don’t have any definite plans but you could tell from his tone that it’s something he’s been considering for a while now.

Source: http://www.slashfilm.com/laika-hand-drawn-animation/

Hmmmmmmmmmmm! Interesting. Thank you, for the news, Sotiris.

[2Disney4Ever]

Laika has made a name for themselves with their hand-crafted stop-motion animated feature films like Coraline, ParaNorman and the upcoming movie Boxtrolls. But the Portland-based animation studio wants to help hand-drawn animation make a comeback. During the Boxtrolls Hall H presentation at 2014 San Diego Comic Con International, Laika head Travis Knight would like to do a 2D hand-drawn animated feature film. He says that every one of the Laika stop-motion movies feature small bits of hand-drawn animation composites, but he would like to one day do a whole movie in the medium. It seems like they don’t have any definite plans but you could tell from his tone that it’s something he’s been considering for a while now.

Source: http://www.slashfilm.com/laika-hand-drawn-animation/

See, this is exactly what I want to see in people these days. Somebody who has the kind of determination to push for getting 2D animation back the way it rightfully should be. Anyone doing that can be considered a hero in my eyes. I'd like to say the same for Lasseter for getting Princess and the Frog made, but I don't see him helping anymore.

[TsWade2]

Source: http://www.slashfilm.com/laika-hand-drawn-animation/

See, this is exactly what I want to see in people these days. Somebody who has the kind of determination to push for getting 2D animation back the way it rightfully should be. Anyone doing that can be considered a hero in my eyes. I'd like to say the same for Lasseter for getting Princess and the Frog made, but I don't see him helping anymore.

I'm sure Lasseter still loves hand drawn animation. Let's just say he's been controlled by Lord Hand Drawn Hater himself, Bob Iger.

[PatrickvD]

If we reach 100 pages, can we close this thing and create a "hand drawn animation memorial service thread"?

I think some people have not completed the 5 stages of grief yet and this thread isn't very constructive.

[2Disney4Ever]

If we reach 100 pages, can we close this thing and create a "hand drawn animation memorial service thread"?

I think some people have not completed the 5 stages of grief yet and this thread isn't very constructive.

No.

[PatrickvD]

If we reach 100 pages, can we close this thing and create a "hand drawn animation memorial service thread"?

I think some people have not completed the 5 stages of grief yet and this thread isn't very constructive.

No.

Stage 2: Anger

[tweeb²]

I'm sure Lasseter still loves hand drawn animation. Let's just say he's been controlled by Lord Hand Drawn Hater himself, Bob Iger.

Id compare what is happening now to what happened to the console market in the crash of '83. You also know that the public opinion and the media want a simple story, not all the intricate details, only the ones that really care want to know everything about these type of events.

Go investigate what they said back then...That games where a fad!! The american market had grown over videogames!! If you think about it now it sounds like they didn't even care to do a little research of what really happened.

All the real events that occurred the oversaturation from bad games, with ET as a flag carrier, a hundred different consoles all almost clones of each other. And they where also in a hard competition with the new market of home computers, the PC and arcades and those three devices weren't sold at a loss, if you add things up, you see why the crash happened and why Nintendo, with it's seal of approval and their chip that prevented making a game without their permission took the videogame market by storm.

Apply that to the animation market. What happened? At the beginning of the 2000s all studios where making movies that either were not understood, were bad or mediocre . They had the perceived "rules" that you had to have songs, and you had to be a fairy tale and use a very specific formula, which is complete BS for me, animation is a medium, nor a genre, and even in a genre, you can change the rules.

On the other hand you had he brand new thing. 3D animation, improving it's technology with each film, without those "rules" restraining them they could have better stories...

What decision did the big studios took?? They told the media "American taste doesn't like 2D anymore" (sound familiar?) and everyone swallowed that pill until this day, the hope is one day one director will be supported by one studio to make the "bold decision" to go 2D again, everyone will drool and say that 2D is new and hip again.

The same applies to rock, it takes one good band to get rock from being perceived as "old people music" to becoming popular again.

[disneyphilip]

I'm sure Lasseter still loves hand drawn animation. Let's just say he's been controlled by Lord Hand Drawn Hater himself, Bob Iger.

IGER DOES NOT HATE HAND-DRAWN ANIMATION!

Stop jumping to conclusions and quit the false accusations, Wade. This is why it's so difficult to take posts like yours seriously.

[2Disney4Ever]

I'm sure Lasseter still loves hand drawn animation. Let's just say he's been controlled by Lord Hand Drawn Hater himself, Bob Iger.

IGER DOES NOT HATE HAND-DRAWN ANIMATION!

Stop jumping to conclusions and quit the false accusations, Wade. This is why it's so difficult to take posts like yours seriously.

Like your posts aren't hard to take seriously either. You've got a temper that seems to show a lot more than anything I've ever posted since I came here.

[disneyprincess11]

Like your posts aren't hard to take seriously either. You've got a temper that seems to show a lot more than anything I've ever posted since I came here.

Now you mentioned it, you know what? Everyone here has grown tempers, aggressiveness on their posts, and angriness around here. And some people are growing to be really bad lately. We all need to cool down.

[TsWade2]

I'm sure Lasseter still loves hand drawn animation. Let's just say he's been controlled by Lord Hand Drawn Hater himself, Bob Iger.

IGER DOES NOT HATE HAND-DRAWN ANIMATION!

Stop jumping to conclusions and quit the false accusations, Wade. This is why it's so difficult to take posts like yours seriously.

Calm down, dude! Seriously! You're as bad as me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Isye5-k6P8I

[2Disney4Ever]

Like your posts aren't hard to take seriously either. You've got a temper that seems to show a lot more than anything I've ever posted since I came here.

Now you mentioned it, you know what? Everyone here has grown tempers, aggressiveness on their posts, and angriness around here. And some people are growing to be really bad lately. We all need to cool down.

That bitterness comes from everything going on around us in the animation/entertainment industry that I'm not happy with anymore. That's where it comes from for me anyway. So blame all the studios and their tiresome CG movies for making me this way.

[Warm Regards]

Like your posts aren't hard to take seriously either. You've got a temper that seems to show a lot more than anything I've ever posted since I came here.

Now you mentioned it, you know what? Everyone here has grown tempers, aggressiveness on their posts, and angriness around here. And some people are growing to be really bad lately. We all need to cool down.

[disneyprincess11]

^^^ Exactly

That bitterness comes from everything going on around us in the animation/entertainment industry that I'm not happy with anymore. That's where it comes from for me anyway. So blame all the studios and their tiresome CG movies for making me this way.

I'm really sorry, but you have nothing to blame, but yourself to get yourself worked up in a petty, little thing like 2D vs CGI.

[2Disney4Ever]

^^^ Exactly

That bitterness comes from everything going on around us in the animation/entertainment industry that I'm not happy with anymore. That's where it comes from for me anyway. So blame all the studios and their tiresome CG movies for making me this way.

I'm really sorry, but you have nothing to blame, but yourself to get yourself worked up in a petty, little thing like 2D vs CGI.

Losing 2D animation should not be considered a petty thing. Unless it's from people who don't care about art.

[Fflewduur]

Losing 2D animation should not be considered a petty thing. Unless it's from people who don't care about art.

I’m sure the people involved in CG production take their art quite seriously, too.

So blame all the studios and their tiresome CG movies for making me this way.

Your behavior is the only thing about the situation that is entirely within your control.

[unprincess]

Source: http://www.slashfilm.com/laika-hand-drawn-animation/

See, this is exactly what I want to see in people these days. Somebody who has the kind of determination to push for getting 2D animation back the way it rightfully should be. Anyone doing that can be considered a hero in my eyes. I'd like to say the same for Lasseter for getting Princess and the Frog made, but I don't see him helping anymore.

this is cool, Id love to see a 2d film from Laika.

as for Lasseter, I used to defend him b/c I felt he had little power in the studio despite being depicted as Walt's "heir" & the guy in charge.

but then I read about the wage fixing scandal at Cartoon Brew...Guy is definitly no "hero"...