Disney/Pixar Plans Revealed

Friday, February 09, 2007
By: Ryan Ball

For years, studio heads have been saying it’s all about story, not technique. That notion will be put to the test as Walt Disney Feature Animation makes a historic return to hand-drawn animation. Rumors of a 2D rebirth at the studio that have been floating around for months were confirmed Thursday by Ed Catmull, president of Pixar and Disney Walt Feature Animation, as he spoke at the Mouse House’s 2007 Investor Conference. It was also announced that Toy Story 3 is on track for a 2009 release, but John Lasseter won’t be at the helm.

Catmull and Pixar’s chief creative officer, John Lasseter, took over the Feature Animation unit when Disney acquired Pixar last year. Since then, there have been a number of shake-ups including the layoffs of some 300 artist and a restructuring of the slate of animated projects coming down the pipeline. The removal of director Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch) from his CG-animated American Dog suggested that the new bosses didn’t want the Disney and Pixar operations competing in the 3D field, but Catmull says Disney’s productions will include both hand-drawn and CG works.

Explaining the changes at the Magical Kingdom, Catmull said, "At Disney, you have these remarkable artists who were there, but in all candor were were not kneaded together in the right way. At the heart of it there has to be a director and the director has to have a vision."

American Dog is now being helmed by veteran Disney story artist Chris Williams and is slated for release in 2008. It may be immediately followed by The Frog Princess, Disney Feature Animation’s first 2D theatrical release since the poorly received 2004 effort Home on the Range. Frog is being developed by Ron Clements and John Musker, the team behind Aladdin and Treasure Planet.

The presentation to investors included clips from American Dog and other upcoming films including the next release, Ratatouille, as well as Meet the Robinsons, Wall-E and Toy Story 3.

For the third Toy Story installment, Lasseter is handing directorial duties over to Lee Unkrich, who served as co-director on Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc. and Finding Nemo. The script is being written by Michael Arndt, who was recently nominated for an Oscar for penning Fox Searchlight’s Little Miss Sunshine, his first produced screenplay.

Reader Comments

• Dennis : The Man : Starving Artist Studios

  Friday, February 09, 2007

  WOW! That\'s great news.

• Boyke Eliza : 2D Animator : Infinite Frameworks Studios

  Friday, February 09, 2007

  Great News too! I think it\'s about time Disney go back and grab what they do best in the past! Never bored by the 2D thing!

• Justin Furlong : Jack of All Trades Animator : Freelance

  Saturday, February 10, 2007

  I\'ve been saying for years that the CG bubble could burst at any time. I even redirected my education from 3D to traditional because I saw the overabundance of 3D artists and the boredom expressed in the theaters. I, for one, couldn\'t be happier with this solution. Traditional animators will finally be able to find non-flash jobs and the wealth of 3D animators won\'t be left completely without a paddle.

• Khalid Al Dakheel : Illustrator - Cartoonist - Animator - Director : Khalid Al Dakheel :: K.D

  Saturday, February 10, 2007

  Great news!. Hand drawn 2D, will always be a magical world that will never die...

• Daryl : animation student : ravensbourne college

  Saturday, February 10, 2007

  Great News. Shame about Chris Sanders though. I wonder why that happened

• Joseph O Brien : Student : BCFE college Dublin, Ireland.

  Saturday, February 10, 2007

  Thats certainly great news for the animation world in general, 3D has been quite over done and due to less production time we have seen companies churn material out...i believe there exists a market for both 2d and 3d, i hope this continues.

• Jon William Lopez : Former 2D Special Effects Assistant :

  Saturday, February 10, 2007

  Finally! My question is - will Disney hire back any of the 300 artists it laid off???

• Erik Elvgren : Animator/Sr. Producer : University of Virginia

  Saturday, February 10, 2007

  Great news. Choosing Arndt to do the TS3 script is a really smart move. We have needed a resurgence of good 2D - I hope they go bold in the color palette and use of shading like \\\"Curious George.\\\" I say this as a 3D only artist.

• Gary Perkovac : Gary Perkovac Animation

  Saturday, February 10, 2007

  Love 3-D. But finally, the pendulum is swinging back! 2-D WILL find it\'s place again as the amazing artform it was meant to be.

• Clare :

  Sunday, February 11, 2007

  AWESOME!!! its about time they got back into 2D. :D

• Dana Lamb : Coordinator, Animation Program : CSU Fullerton Visual Arts

  Sunday, February 11, 2007

  This is gratifying news in light of our expansion of 3D training folded into our classic character animation program. Content once again wears it\'s crown. Let either medium serve it well.

• James Elston : Freelance illustrator : James W. Elston Illustration

  Monday, February 12, 2007

  WOO HOO!
  that\'s great.
  I was part of Disney Feature Animation for about 7 years.
  
  I am so happy to hear about this.
  j.

• Ira Owens : Storyboard Revisionist : O Entertainment

  Monday, February 12, 2007

  I\'m looking forward to seeing what Pixar can do with the remains of what Walt Disney had set in motion.
  
  I also look forward to hearing about less layoffs for the Disney artists, if Pixar artists can have job security will the same happen for WDFA artists?
  
  And where is Chris Sanders now? Why not bring him into the Pixar fold instead of pulling rug out from under him?
  
  Good luck to ya Ed, the animation community is looking to you now.
  
  ...i

• Cam Ford : Animation Director : Cinemagic Animated Films

  Monday, February 12, 2007

  About time too! Producers have recently been vastly overusing 3D animation to push out mediocre stories, just because they can.
  That\'s not to say 2D hasn\'t turned out some stinkers too (\"Home on the Range\", for example), but nothing can match the \"feel\" of a beautifly crafted hand-drawn film.
  The pencil rules!
  Cam Ford

• B Sinclair :

  Tuesday, February 13, 2007

  I\'m glad to see that 2D will make somewhat of a comeback, even if it is in a limited capacity (1 2D film every 3-4 years from Disney isn\'t going to create a huge need for traditional animators). What it will do is take the 2D animators that are working in 3D, but never enjoyed it, always complained about it, and get them out of there. I was so sick of the complaining. It will be nice to see them leave.

• Sarah : illustrator :

  Sunday, February 25, 2007

  Great news! I love the 2d! Frankly, it was never lost, it just took someone to realize that 2d is the heart of disney and animation.

• Marco Cohen : Future 2-d animator :

  Monday, March 05, 2007

  I am super exited!!! It would be great to see the come back of an art form that has inspired me forever. Disney was 2d and will be 2d. It\'s like the Phoenix. It\'ll never die

• Zarina Orbon : Freelance 2D Animator, RafflesKVB student : Walt Disney Sydney

  Sunday, March 11, 2007

  I am glad and looking forward for 2D animation be still part of the industry. I\'m fortunate to work traditionally at Disney Studio, Sydney for 2 yrs but the studio had to closed last August 2006 and I felt so sad for my friends who recently lost their jobs and they have to educate themselves with 3D, including myself.
  Still, I will always love 2D and it\'s like a new beginning, I feel so relieved that 2D Animation will stay for new generations to come, CHEERS!!!