Hand-Drawn Animation Dead at Disney

[estefan]

Kubo only opened $2 million below ParaNorman, so the reports of it not doing well are exaggerated, in my opinion. Laika's films traditionally have good staying power and it will probably get to $50 million like their last two films.

I think it also helps that Laika's films are distributed by Focus Features, which is the indie film division of Universal Pictures. As such, the expectations aren't as high as, say, how Universal expects Illumination's films to perform. Every Laika movie thus far has grossed over $100 million worldwide and that's enough justification to keep financing them. Plus, with likely awards recognition and home video sales, the films will keep having longevity and generate revenue in the years to come. They're good titles to have in one's back catalogue.

[unprincess]

Btw, looking at how their other films panned out, K&tTS doesn't look to be doing any differently than their other three films (for worse or better). Where did you read it was doing badly, unprincess?

Cartoon Brew

I hope it at least gets an Oscar nod, it deserves some recognition at the least. Somewhere I read mentioned it may have done better if it hadnt been released the same weekend before school starts. Most parents and kids were probably too busy preparing for school to go to the theater.

[Disney's Divinity]

I think the film will be fine. Its opening weekend take-in was little less than their first three films, but not a significant drop.

[Jules]

I hope it at least gets an Oscar nod, it deserves some recognition at the least. Somewhere I read mentioned it may have done better if it hadnt been released the same weekend before school starts. Most parents and kids were probably too busy preparing for school to go to the theater.

This is off-topic, but it never ceases to strike me as horrifying when I am reminded that American kids start the scholastic year in friggin' August! It's still summer time! Sun and sea and whatnot!

Please tell me at least you guys break-up for the summer holidays in late-May/early-June.

Regarding Kubo, I was mad yesterday when I read the CB article about its underperformance. Glad to hear that Amid was being at least a little hyperbolic and that the film is doing better than I thought.

[Tangled]

It's not like Focus Pictures is giving the movie the shaft, either. The marketing blitz for the film has been quite heavy. I visited Manhattan over the weekend, and I was shocked to see so many ads for it everywhere. Covering so many NYC tour buses with Kubo-themed overlays can't be cheap.

I know that the marketing costs aren't typically included in a film's budget, but Laika's films are generally much cheaper than other mainstream animated releases from American studios, and Laika's animation is just as high (if not higher) quality. So, more money can be saved for marketing purposes. The fact that they're able to afford to thoroughly advertise their films is actually a really good sign that Universal/Focus has faith in Laika. Laika films generally make less than the typical CGI blockbuster, but at the same time, their films cost less than a third of a budget of a typical Pixar film and get just as much critical-praise anyways. Also, I believe that Laika films generally sell well on DVD/Blu-ray.

Also, this is completely unrelated, but I saw Fun Home on Broadway during my trip, and I believe that it would make a fantastic hand-drawn animated film. It's based on a graphic novel so the art style's already in place, and I feel like the musical numbers would be amazingly animated. The problem is, however, the story is very mature and hard to market. It'd probably be too niche, even compared to other art-house animated films (especially if it were kept as a musical). Still, I just can't stop thinking about how effective and moving the musical's staging and script are, and how the craft of animation could elevate it to an even higher level. Plus, it would introduce a very worthwhile story to people who aren't fans of autobiographical comics or realistically tragic Broadway musicals.

[kiseki]

Please tell me at least you guys break-up for the summer holidays in late-May/early-June.

We do.

[Sotiris]

If they only took into account 2D-animated films, the numbers would be even lower. Whenever there's a peak post-2005, a stop-motion feature was released at that time. How are hand-drawn films supposed to make money when no one's making them?


Source: http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the ... owerhouse/

[Kyle]

James Lopez uploaded this proposal for a 1960's spy film style project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LGRjDONL_o

[tweeb²]

I listened to the Bancroft Brothers podcast and they had one about the end of animation with Nik Ranieri and he had great lines for this situation. On one hand he said that John Lasseter had and has great pressure over him from the CEO and the investors and stuff and when Disney bought Pixar and made him the big guy, he was really happy and giving hugs and everything but then he started to be like ashamed of being in the middle.

He has a great line about the short Feast, they show a behind the scenes and some 2d animator had some great sequences for the little dog, and it's showing them to the 3d animators and says : "yeah, thats the way to do it!" And Nik explodes in the interview and it's like...the magic is there!! Right there!! do it now, why change it to 3d!!

He also says that when they where presented with the idea to make Big Hero Six to the press they talked about being like an homage to anime, and the press went like : "oh so it's 2d?" and John and the other guys went like "oh no, it's 3d" and he noted they said that like "duh!". That part of the interview was really tense, you could sense he was bitter because he said sarcastically : "yeah great homage, because you know, all anime done in Japan is 3d!"

I've been thinking about that and I would love to see them make some scene from The Little Mermaid For example on 3d and other from Toy Story 2d. Just a little scene and for the heck of it, to show people that a great movie is a great movie, and that this big fuzz about audiences preferring 3d is a really lame excuse, because now it's cheaper to make them in 3d than 2d.

But really it's a vicious circle. As less people know the art of animation in 2d it becomes more expensive and as 3d becomes a standard it gets cheaper. Like saying that if you ride a bicycle you will fall, and then you push them and say "see? told ya" the prophecy fulfills because you forced it to happen and it's not fair at all

It hurts me to see it happen, because I love 3d as well but I also think that there is still something that you can do in 2d that you can't do with 3d and you should, at the very least give a proper send off to 2d and leave it on a high note, rather than throw it to the garbage can while nobody is looking.

[kiseki]

CGI movies made at the (American) industry's current standards are bound to be much more expensive than movies that are hand-drawn, so budget really isn't an excuse anyway.

[REINIER]

I think one has to take into account that sequels are a huge influence in long term earnings. With existing 3D-models already in play to tangle with again without drawing them anew as in 2D my guess is that might be a factor ...less time consuming to produce.

[Sotiris]

A new hand-drawn animated feature from Korea called "Moonlight Palace" is getting released on September 7th. You can watch the trailer, here.

[kiseki]

I think one has to take into account that sequels are a huge influence in long term earnings. With existing 3D-models already in play to tangle with again without drawing them anew as in 2D my guess is that might be a factor ...less time consuming to produce.

I'll admit I'm speaking out of ignorance, so I can't construct a proper argument with sources. I'll just agree to disagree here.
In the long run, as in for TV series, CGI can certainly be cheaper, but definitely not at the quality of Hollywood's output. (The only one I can agree with is the Minions franchise due to the crowd animation being easier?)

A new hand-drawn animated feature from Korea called "Moonlight Palace" is getting released on September 7th. You can watch the trailer, here.

I remember reading a statement (that I'm unable to find) from someone in the Korean animation industry, lamenting over Korea's status of being the go-to for outsourced animation, yet lacking in original, domestic material. I believe he blamed the lack of creative talent, whereas LeSean Thomas blames the lack of funding.
This looks like a standard kids/family movie funded by the government. You really can't help but compare it to Spirited Away with that setting and design, so it's rather disappointing how the animation doesn't live up to the art.

There are two recent mainstream anime films that have a chance of being distributed outside of Japan. I take that back upon learning Kizu's release was thanks to Aniplex. (And remembered how Ano Hana was also distributed by Aniplex.) I still think it's possible since Shinkai is similar to Hosoda in that they're idiosyncratic directors who release feature films every few years, and (all of?) Hosoda's original films have received limited releases. A Silent Voice has ranked on the NYT Bestseller's list, so there's already an existing audience for that. Both movies feature rich character animation and a heavily photography-influenced art direction.

I'm not sure why Shinkai's films have never received theater releases outside of Japan when he's been dubbed "the next Miyazaki" ( ) along with Hosoda. Kimi no na wa. / Your name. (8/26) is currently dominating the Japanese box office and is set to become one of the highest grossing anime films, up with the franchise movies and Ghibli films (as well as Hosoda's latest feature).
Trailer 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4xGqY5IDBE
Trailer 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KR8_igDs1Y

KyoAni is adapting Koe no Katachi / A Silent Voice (9/17), an award-winning manga that deals with the topics of Deafness, bullying, and suicide. Schools in Japan are even promoting it to spread awareness about bullying and suicide.
Long PV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Klp3kzCM-OA

[Sotiris]

Artist Patrick Schoenmaker will release on September 29th, a 2D-animated proof of concept short titled "The Adventures of Indiana Jones". This is just a fan-made project but from the art available it looks well-made. Update: The video is now available to watch, here.




Articles

Indiana Jones gets animated in brand new adventure...created by Dutch artist Patrick Schoenmaker
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainmen ... -1.2801050

Animator unearths incredible — but unofficial — Indiana Jones cartoon concept
http://www.ew.com/article/2016/09/29/in ... -unearthed

Indiana Jones and the Groundbreaking Animation
https://www.inverse.com/article/21474-i ... cheonmaker

The Adventures of Indiana Jones Animated Short
http://www.traditionalanimation.com/201 ... nes-short/

[Mickeyfan1990]

And if some people have not been aware yet:
http://collider.com/moana-maui-disney-2d-animation/

[Disney's Divinity]

2D's live and well, you guys! Maybe in Gigantic the light of the giant girl's eye will be the next hand-drawn smorgasbord for us to feast on? And then the next movie, the enitre eye. The next film after that could totally be hand-drawn.

[Sotiris]

2D's live and well, you guys! Maybe in Gigantic the light of the giant girl's eye will be the next hand-drawn smorgasbord for us to feast on?

[Semaj]

"Hey lookit, folks! We got some neat HAND-DRAWN special effects coming for our next movie!

See, we told you we didn't give up on hand-drawn animation!"

[Sotiris]

Aaron Blaise is working on a new 2D-animated short called "Snow Bear".

[unprincess]

Aaron really likes bears huh? I cant wait to see his new short, I loved the one he made for John Lewis, The Bear & the Hare.
https://vimeo.com/84441438

the Indiana Jones concept looks awesome judging by the art! Im not a big IJ fan but Id watch it! does Disney own Indiana Jones? b/c they might force Patrick to remove it if they do(if he shares it online). There was a guy who made these awesome X-men 90's series style shorts, partly b/c he loves X-men & Disney refuses to make a new X-men animated series and he wanted to give fans something new albeit fan made (but very well made!) Well Disney forced him to take them down or face legal consequences.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXx0pk9EthI
what the shorts look like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2sYtAojZds