Disney Tokyo is being shut down. I believe Tokyo did the uninspiring Hunchback of Notre Dame II (which probably wasn't their fault - we don't know how much time and money Disney allocated them) and are just finishing the Heffalump movie. Once this is finally in the can... bye bye Tokyo.
But look at this:
AnimationNation wrote:WD just proudly announced a new series being done for their Asian channels. Rumor (UN-verified, I MUST add) is that the Indian studio doing the job is producing the first episodes FOR FREE, just to have an in with the almighty Disney. I know for certain that other bidders for the job offered better quality work in their bid packages. But you can't argue with the winning price.
Next Disney will be demanding that animation studios pay THEM for the privilege of doing the work, in exchange for having the Disney name on their showreels. Having produced stuff for Disney, I'd say they're not far off from that already.
This, as it says is a rumour, but it could explain all the shut downs. Not content with getting animation done at laughable third world prices, Disney have now found a way to get work done for nothing! For Nothing!
Glad I looked here first, I was just about to post this over in the international thread.
Yup, sorry news indeed. And even though this is a rumour, that stuff about the free Indian animation is what I was trying to get at in other threads. India is one of the countries that have pretty much ripped their local employment laws up to cater to the large MNEs (multi-national enterprises).
Disney don't seem to be bucking the trend - they seem to be embracing it with gusto!
The Hollywood Reporter wrote:Disney to Shut Japan Animation Unit
Tues Sept 23, 2003
By Gregg Kilday
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The Walt Disney Co. is bidding sayonara to Walt Disney Animation (Japan), its Tokyo-based animation studio that has turned out such projects as the theatrical releases "Piglet's Big Movie" and "The Tigger Movie" as well as direct-to-video titles like this year's "101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure."
In an internal memo distributed Friday, Disney revealed its plans to shut down the animation facility, which employs 103 local animators and artists. The closure will take effect once the studio completes work on its current project, a "Winnie the Pooh" spinoff called "The Heffalump Movie." It has not yet been determined whether that project will be a theatrical or video/DVD release.
In a statement, Disney acknowledged the studio's closure but added: "Our experience working in Japan for the past 14 years has been outstanding, primarily because of the world-class artists and executives who have produced exceptional animation. However, after reviewing our business plans and production requirements, we determined we no longer can support this additional production capacity."
The Japanese studio produced features for DisneyToon Studios, the Disney division charged with creating spinoff properties from established Disney characters.
Disney recently laid off about 50 animators at its Orlando animation studio following the completion of "Brother Bear," a 2-D animated feature that will debut in limited release Oct. 24 and then roll out in November.
- - - -
(c) 2003 Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Apparently Disney Japan did:
Hunchback of Notre Dame II: The Secret of the Bell
Cinderella II
101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure
The Tigger Movie
Piglet's Big Movie
The Heffalump Movie (coming soon)
and various episodes of various TV series including:
Gargoyles
Tarzan
