Imagi Debunks Rumors of Halt to Astro Boy

Tuesday, January 27, 2009
By: Thomas J. Mclean

Amid reports of financial problems plaguing Hong Kong-based Imagi, president of the company’s U.S. operation Erin Corbett denied in an interview with io9.com that the Astro Boy feature film has halted production.

Corbett told the site that the studio has the money to finish the film, due out in October through Summit Entertainment, which she says is about 50 percent rendered and completed.

The company did have to temporarily shut its U.S. offices for a week while it awaits its next round of financing to kick in. The company had sought a bridge loan to fund the interim but was unable to secure that financing.

The closure will have a minimal impact on the film, Corbett said. While U.S. operations were put on hold for a week, the main studio operation in Hong Kong was already scheduled to be closed during this period to celebrate Chinese New Year.

Reader Comments

• Confused : Animator :

  Wednesday, January 28, 2009

  Interesting -- so the president of Imagi acknowledges that the substantial US crew was told not to come in to work because they were was no money to pay them, and the entire Hong Kong crew is also at home on hiatus for a holiday that is normally celebrated with a single day off (really, was the studio planning to shut down in Hong Kong for the ENTIRE WEEK of the Chinese New Year? Is that done at ANY Chinese business?). This somehow doesn\'t constitute the production shutting down?
  
  Doesn\'t AWN purport to be a source of information for the animation community? Did anyone ask why elsewhere Corbett has stated that Imagi doesn\'t know if they\'ll have the money next week, but here it\'s stated that the US shutdown is just for a week? Did AWN talk to any of the crew? Did AWN check on reports that most of the US crew is already seeking other work? Did AWN seek any comment from Imagi execs or crew in Hong Kong to find out how long this \"New Year\'s\" break was going to last? Wasn\'t the holiday Monday, the 26th. Wasn\'t that was two days ago?
  
  C\'mon, I know we\'re all trying to be optimistic, but the only thing being debunked here is that AWN is willing to do more than propagate company press releases.

• Davewriter :

  Wednesday, January 28, 2009

  Well, with my wife being Chinese, I get to see News China every night... and, yes China all but closes for their New Year. Imagine our Thanksgiving - on steriods. Chinese workers feel cheated if they are not allowed at least two weeks off.

• Soyeon :

  Wednesday, January 28, 2009

  Wow, I\'m really surprised that they don\'t see the future when it comes out. I grew up with watching Astro Boy on TV. I believe a lot of people whom I grew up with will watch it no matter what. If it\'s done 50%, they\'ve got to finish it!

• Biff : Buttmaster : Bunghole Pictures

  Wednesday, January 28, 2009

  Is the film bonded?

• Splinter :

  Thursday, January 29, 2009

  To set the record straight, mainland China has a one week holiday that starts last Sunday and ends this Saturday (yes, they are going in this Sunday to make up for lost time). In Hong Kong, official holidays runs from Monday to Wednesday this week (and the normal weekend off that precedes it).
  
  Therefore, Imagi HK is indeed taking more time off than usual, but whether that means anything is up to anybody\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s interpretation...

• Davewriter :

  Thursday, January 29, 2009

  Depends on the company. A Mom and Pop operation would carry on right on through the holiday. But my wife used to work for a large company that would close for 3 weeks, but you could take 4 if you wished.
  And baby, are the train lines maxed out at this time of year!

• show me the money :

  Thursday, February 05, 2009

  Not only has Imagi extended their \"one week hiatus\" to two- with no idea of when the studio will reopen, BUT!!!! No one has yet been paid for work done the week before the studio was shut down.
  How is it that their CFO didn\'t see this comming or worse yet, perhaps, just didn\'t care!