DVDizzy Forum

TheAge.com has a four-page article about John Lasseter and Cars. I haven't read the whole thing yet, but check out what it says in the last two paragraphs on page four:

Considering the nce of computer- generated animation, including the Shrek movies from DreamWorks and the Ice Age movies from 20th Century Fox, it's surprising to learn there's still a place for conventional 2-D movies.

"We'll still definitely be doing some hand-drawn animated films at Disney, without question," Lasseter says.

Something tells me this isn't just direct-to-video sequels that John Lasseter is talking about...

Wow. That has been speculated for some time now but every time news of 2-D's return is so pleasant to hear. This just made my day!
Just imagine another hand drawn animated feature starring Glen Keane's new character. Sigh!

Here's even more proof:

http://www.laughingplace.com/News-ID510530.asp

Below are excerpts from the article. There are three pages to this article, so make sure to read them all.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The tide has fully turned and an authentic vision is well in place at Disney once again. Reports are that John Lasseter’s approach to developing, motivating and supporting his creative colleagues – from the top down – has everyone so excited and so committed that the atmosphere is once again jubilant under the Sorcerer’s Hat. Not only is the age old pixels vs pencils battle blown over entirely, the morale is high and staffers once again think of themselves as part of a creative family working in tandem to imagine entertainment and magic that has been the hallmark of the Disney name for nearly 100 years. For anyone who ever thought that Disney’s acquisition of Pixar was going to turn the Mouse House into a poorer southern California cousin to the Emeryville digital giant, well…think again."

"Disney officials have now confirmed to me that Lasseter, after reviewing projects currently in development at Feature Animation, singled out at least two works now brewing that could be appropriate for being produced in traditional hand-drawn animation. This wasn’t some strategic move spurred by the synergy or net-present value of anything, but a solid artistic choice made with calm and intelligence and good old common sense. In a town where sense is neither common nor actually sensible, I vote for everyone drinking the same water as John Lasseter."

"Next up was Lasseter’s offer to directing and writing team Ron Clements and John Musker, currently at work penning the screenplay for The Frog Princess. Described as a decidedly “American fairy tale”, the project is currently in the very earliest stages of development, and not yet green-lit for production, per se. Nevertheless, Lasseter was confident enough to have made mention of the project at a division wide meeting held on one of the studio’s sound stages recently, and it is confirmed that the Ron and John project was given the option of being produced in either hand drawn or CG. With a script expected from the Ron and John (and only Ron and John) sometime in the late fall of 2006, and with no artistic staff yet in place for even visual development or storyboarding, its nonetheless official - Musker and Clements have elected to produce their project in the traditional hand-drawn approach, and Lasseter is 100% behind that choice!"

"Imagine this, a studio creative chief who not only has brought back into the fold the creative team that single handedly revived the art of great storytelling with The Little Mermaid, but gave them free reign to craft the story on their own without bringing in a screenwriter from outside, and then offered them a choice, repeat – a choice of what look they thought was best for their film."

"Both Rapunzel and The Frog Princess are quite a ways down the road, as production takes time, but make no mistake that animation is truly an inclusive term at Disney. Exactly how long it will take before we see the wonders of great traditional animation on the big screen isn’t completely predictable, as most features take three to five years from script to screen......"

"Word is that Lasseter has a very smart and productive approach to getting the division used to seeing pencils in the building again: he’s approved production of two short films to be produced in hand-drawn animation (and one of them will bring back to the big screen one of the studio’s most successful short-format stars) thus creating both a production pipeline for one of animation’s most rewarding forms of entertainment and a kind of artists’ gym for getting into shape and getting ready to tackle what will doubtless be the glorious and triumphant return of the Disney of old. This is similar to the R & D attitude Pixar has toward short films, and one that Walt himself believed in right up until he died."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is very exciting news, indeed. It will be interesting to see which will be the first new project to be released in traditional 2-D animation! Long live 2-D animation!

Making my night, one article at a time.

*tlm

Wow! That is great news, time to bring traditional hand-drawn animation back to the drawing board for the first time since "Home on the Range" back in 2004. Kudos to John Lasseter and the rest of the crew.

I almost cried when I read that. Good thing I didn't since I'm at work...

This is GREAT news! As long as my 2 favorite animators, Glen Keane & Andreas Deja, are animating someone/something, I'll be SUPER happy!

On the one hand...yippee! 2D animation is coming back! And in a potential new golden age as well.

On the other hand...damn. I wish that I had still done art and could have gone into animation now it's probably not going to be a mucked-up-by-executives CGI hellhole.

Oh Gosh! This is incredible!!!!

So they're actually are going to re-start 2D Animation!!

I'm ecstatic!!! Well and truly ecstatic!! I'm going to get arrested for drug abuse as the police are going to think I'm taking ecstasy!

I've got to tell my father, my brother and everyone I know....

Oh Dear! I can't believe it!!

No smiley can full justify my emotion!!

I keep making misprints.

This is so thrilling!!!! I feel elated for the first time in 17 years!!! (My life in other words).

If I could meet Glen Keane, John Lasseter and all the rest of them, I'd kiss them all. (Regardless of the fact that they'll think I'm some sort of loony).

EXCELLENT news! From the sound of it, Lasseter's appealing to both markets in that some projects will be CGI and some 2-D depending on what the directors of each film want to go for. I think that's perfect because I don't think Disney should completely abandon CGI, either; a story like Meet the Robinsons seems better suited for CGI than 2-D. It's also great seeing them back on the fairy tale wagon, even if these will be more tongue-in-cheek versions. I think Disney's dark age is coming to a close, and if it is, then this dark age wasn't so bad in retrospect compared to the 80s.

AWESOME news!!! My only concern is looking at the last batch of 2D movies Disney has made... which have not been stellar. Hopefully not only will this bring a fresh look to 2D animation but a fresh good story which I think was one of the reasons of 2D's downfall.

Julian Carter wrote:

I FEEL THE SAME, MAN!!!! WHAT I HAVE TO SAY IS;

HOORAYYYYYYYY!!!

WOO HOO! Once again, I'm pretty sure all of us feel the way Julian Carter does! I'm not worried one bit that the new hand drawn animation will be mediocre. John Lasseter seriously knows what he's doing and who to work with to make sure things will turn around. Its gonna go back to the way it should be. Finally "Disney" will be Disney again.

It seems certain that some "good will" has returned at Disney - I hope they know what they're doing. I hope it's something to be happy about.

Yes, 2-D Animation has return!!!!
Thank You!!!

Yes, 2-D Animation has return!!!!
Thank You!!!

well...it migth get back, but will the stopries be as good as the "old good ones" or as crappy as the new ones?

Isidour wrote:well...it migth get back, but will the stopries be as good as the "old good ones" or as crappy as the new ones?

I'm willing to get the new movies will be as good as the Disney movies we all know and love because now the filmmakers will have artistic freedom to say what they want as opposed worrying about how marketable a story or cast will be. Lasseter cares about story first. Eisner's primary concern was always about stock and budgets. I'm not completely blaming him, though, because there was a reason why he was the financial person when he teamed with Frank Wells; it's his forte. I'm just glad we have someone running animation, now, who cares about quality firsthand (hence why the Disney films produced when Roy Disney and Frank Wells were around were so good).

Well I am only cautiously optimistic. Does anyone remember this thread:

<a href="http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/vie ... rt=60">The End of Disney Animated Films?</a>

That just broke my heart.

Well, THAT thread is old news. THIS thread is the newer news, as far as I understand.

But there still could be reason to be "optimistic with caution", of course.