Disney Animation Department Reorganization(Talkback)

[Captin "Hank" Murphy]

Disney's animated division will now be split and the feature animation division will be folded into Disney's live-action feature operations, while the television animation studios will be merged with the Disney Channel.

Here's the article (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=61904)


My Thoughts:
Well the poop has really hit the fan now because I don't see anything good coming from this. Also, anybody hoping for a Disney animated series done as good as their movies can kiss that dream goodbye. *Sarcasticly*Thanks alot Di$ney. *Sarcasticly* :mad:

[RZetlin]

Looks like one of my predictions for 2003 is correct. The spirit of Nostradamus never lies!

Do you realize that an Official Animation Department does not exist at Disney anymore.


Disney says that the reorganization is part of a drive to increase the production of cartoon series,


So does we are going to get more factory-style, paint by numbers cartoon series?

[Mad Monkey 7]

The Orlando Animation Studio is still here. :)

[Drachentöter]

The king is dead. None hail the king.

[Captin "Hank" Murphy]

Originally posted by RZetlin
So does we are going to get more factory-style, paint by numbers cartoon series?

If you mean poorly made, cheesy plot line, better-safe-than-sorry policy on violence, kiddie-only cartoons like "Toad Patrol, Ultimate Book of Spells, Teamo Supreamo, and Mary Kate and Ashley in Action", then it would most like be a definet Yes!

[Weatherman]

*cues a fuge*



The king is dead, all will mourn. :(



What a bunch of low watts. The marketing dept screws up badly, so they screw over the people who make the product, real smart Disney. Keep it up and you'll be "reorganizing" alot more, like the office equipment auction. :mad:

[RZetlin]

Originally posted by Mad Monkey 7
The Orlando Animation Studio is still here. :)

The physical animation studio is still there, but the title, "Disney Animation Department" doesn't exist anymore.

You can't phone up the Disney Animation Department, you have to call the Disney Channel now.

It's a sad day where a company founded on animation doesn't have its own animation deptment.

[kzanth]

I'm glad to see so many people who have no idea what they're talking about. Sorry to disappoint you, but this can only mean GREAT things for disney tv series.

Why? Let me share some personal experience...

Barry Blumberg was one of the great proponents of "Fillmore!". Many executives at the Disney Channel was less than enthusiastic, but Barry still managed to get it on the air. There are some great things in development, but because of the previous ladder of approvals needed, many things were shot down early.

Now that Barry has been promoted to President, my impression is that he can personally can approve more GOOD shows and get them into production. The 'approval' ladder has been greatly reduced. Plus, more money has been promised to make QUALITY shows.

This is a step in the RIGHT direction - less executives = more creative shows.

And for the legal record, my opinions are my own and in no way reflect those of the Walt Disney Company or its affiliates.

Now what this means for Disney features is a whole other ball of wax...

[mbaker]

Originally posted by kzanth
I'm glad to see so many people who have no idea what they're talking about. Sorry to disappoint you, but this can only mean GREAT things for disney tv series.

Why? Let me share some personal experience...

Barry Blumberg was one of the great proponents of "Fillmore!". Many executives at the Disney Channel was less than enthusiastic, but Barry still managed to get it on the air. There are some great things in development, but because of the previous ladder of approvals needed, many things were shot down early.

Now that Barry has been promoted to President, my impression is that he can personally can approve more GOOD shows and get them into production. The 'approval' ladder has been greatly reduced. Plus, more money has been promised to make QUALITY shows.

This is a step in the RIGHT direction - less executives = more creative shows.

And for the legal record, my opinions are my own and in no way reflect those of the Walt Disney Company or its affiliates.

Now what this means for Disney features is a whole other ball of wax...
I sure hope your right. When I was young, I wanted to work on some of the Disney Afternoon show back in their hayday. (God, I miss those days.) Kim Possible is the only decent thing they got going at the moment, and is probably the only show I would work for if I had A choice. Of course if thing get worse, there'a always Cartoon Network Studios.

[Drachentöter]

Now what this means for Disney features is a whole other ball of wax...

And that ball of wax looks ugly.

If you're going to split up the department and focus on pet projects that may or may not reach the excellence of such programs as Filmore and Kim Possible, then the guaranteed money-makers, Disney feature films are done for. From there, it'll be dominos. No Disney classic films means no Disney mascots which means no themes for their theme parks or for spin-off shows. All this will result in a lack of creativity that will drive customers away and will cause the entire company to collapse.

Disney should have never focused on the television market because that drove them to become much more mainstream and money-driven. If you want proof that they can't handle television, look at ABC's ratings.

[kzanth]

If you're going to split up the department and focus on pet projects that may or may not reach the excellence of such programs as Filmore and Kim Possible, then the guaranteed money-makers, Disney feature films are done for.

Huh? They're spliting up DISNEY TELEVISION, not FEATURE FILMS. DTV did both Direct-to-videos and Series. Direct-to-Video started when Tad Stones, director on the Aladdin series, called the Home Video department and asked if they'd like to take the first three episodes of the series and sell them as a 'sequel' to Aladdin. It sold like gang-busters, and thus Direct-to-Video was born within the Television unit.

Did you see the returns for Treasure Planet and Atlantis? Guaranteed money-makers!? all the press releases have said Disney feature is going to focus more on stuff like 'Lilo & Stitch'...creator driven projects. Who knows if they'll stick to this or continue to 'tinker' incessantly with their films.

But as far as series is concerned...believe me, with Barry in charge, his pet projects WERE Fillmore and Kim Possible; the excellence will still be there.


If you want proof that they can't handle television, look at ABC's ratings.

While ABC Prime Time generally gets bad ratings, ABC Saturday morning comes in consistently second among the major networks.

(not including Nick or Cartoon Network, and to be honest, WB is always first by a WIDE margin over the other networks)

[kzanth]

Originally posted by mbaker
I sure hope your right. When I was young, I wanted to work on some of the Disney Afternoon show back in their hayday. (God, I miss those days.) Kim Possible is the only decent thing they got going at the moment, and is probably the only show I would work for if I had A choice. Of course if thing get worse, there'a always Cartoon Network Studios.

What, you don't like Fillmore?

[mbaker]

Originally posted by kzanth
Huh? They're spliting up DISNEY TELEVISION, not FEATURE FILMS. DTV did both Direct-to-videos and Series. Direct-to-Video started when Tad Stones, director on the Aladdin series, called the Home Video department and asked if they'd like to take the first three episodes of the series and sell them as a 'sequel' to Aladdin. It sold like gang-busters, and thus Direct-to-Video was born within the Television unit.

Did you see the returns for Treasure Planet and Atlantis? Guaranteed money-makers!? all the press releases have said Disney feature is going to focus more on stuff like 'Lilo & Stitch'...creator driven projects. Who knows if they'll stick to this or continue to 'tinker' incessantly with their films.

But as far as series is concerned...believe me, with Barry in charge, his pet projects WERE Fillmore and Kim Possible; the excellence will still be there.

While ABC Prime Time generally gets bad ratings, ABC Saturday morning comes in consistently second among the major networks.

(not including Nick or Cartoon Network, and to be honest, WB is always first by a WIDE margin over the other networks)
Your right about Disney's TV division producing the "cheapqules" as we call them. (I've watched the Disney Afternoon shows, so I can tell.) They may not be up to par with the features, but they look way better than 80's Hanna-Barbera stuff by comperison. I hven't seen "Filmore" yet, and won't make A judgent until I've seen A couple of episodes. However, I have seen "Teamo Supreamo", and I was not impressed with it. It struck me as A "Powerpuff Girls" ripoff with very little violence, or clever jokes to keep me interested.

[loyalheart]

This is just one those things people who hate disney can pick on. ..

I don't work at Disney and probably never will but i think they know what their doing...

And im more focused on were Nickelodeon is going as.. I have seen Nickelodeon's fanbase breaking apart in 2002. Alot of fansare still there... so far...

[Samurai Rocko]

This can only mean one thingCartoon Network Studios is Ruler !!! :knd1: :bcup: :tom: :frylock: :shake: :meatwad: :dexter: :deedee: :blossom: :bubbles: :knd4: :sheep: :general:

[Allen's Nickname.]

Originally posted by Samurai Rocko
Cartoon Network Studios is Ruler !!! [/B]

Bull Crap.

Powerpuff Girls Movie: $11.411m (USA) (1 September 2002) (9 Weeks.)

Lilo and Stitch $145.771m (USA) (24 November 2002) (22 Weeks.)

[Allen's Nickname.]

Originally posted by nothing
here is an apple.

here is an orange. *Looks on as everybody flocks to the orange.*

[Dee]

Originally posted by Spaz13_88
Bull Crap.

Powerpuff Girls Movie: $11.411m (USA) (1 September 2002) (9 Weeks.)

Lilo and Stitch $145.771m (USA) (24 November 2002) (22 Weeks.)


Lemme argue this. They were really stupid to release the same day as Men In Black 2.

Even though the sequel stunk for reasons I can go on forever about, it still raked in the viewers of all ages.

Lilo was out in june, before MIIB hit. PPG suffered the slaughter of the sequel, thus ensuring it's pathetic intake of money.


oh yeah... don't start up with the dollar sign in the Disney word. I thought we were doing really well and not using that :(

[sun]

Not having a Feature Anninmated Film Department, means just that....they do not care about Feature Animated Films to have a department for it....The significance of this is huge...The creater of animated movies, does not want a separate department for its creation.....That is really sad....I guess the evil queen in Snow White wins after all.

[kzanth]

Now I see what's wrong here...

Walt Disney Features is NOT being folded into the Live Action department. I work at the studio. No one here has said this. Every other article, in Forbes and Yahoo and any other I can find, says NOTHING about the Feature Department being dissolved. Not even the 'official press release'.

I didn't read the Wall Street Journal article, and I can't find it. The Toon Zone "news" report is grossly erroneous.

Staiton is the new HEAD OF WALT DISNEY FEATURE ANIMATION. Doesn't that imply that there's a department to head? Sheesh!

Perhaps the thought of feature being folded into live action came from the TRUE report that TV series animation is being folded into the Disney Channel.

[mbaker]

Originally posted by kzanth
Now I see what's wrong here...

Walt Disney Features is NOT being folded into the Live Action department. I work at the studio. No one here has said this. Every other article, in Forbes and Yahoo and any other I can find, says NOTHING about the Feature Department being dissolved. Not even the 'official press release'.

I didn't read the Wall Street Journal article, and I can't find it. The Toon Zone "news" report is grossly erroneous.

Staiton is the new HEAD OF WALT DISNEY FEATURE ANIMATION. Doesn't that imply that there's a department to head? Sheesh!

Perhaps the thought of feature being folded into live action came from the TRUE report that TV series animation is being folded into the Disney Channel.
Thanks for clearing things up. Some of the other claim people made in this thread were blown way out of proportion.

[sun]

Since there has been clarification, I will admit that I went with the flow, and was wrong. The evil queen has not won, she awaits in the wings...or has arrisn from the fall she took, a typical Disney tool to get rid of the villian...I hope that Disney, never gets rid of a separate department for animation. No matter what kind of films they produce, eventually, there is enough creativity there to hit a winner.....And surprisingly, Lilo and Stitch was a winnner.....Who knows what future lies ahead...The more full lenght animation, the better..the more choices we have...Best to all...Stuart

[Captin "Hank" Murphy]

Ok Kzanth, I do agree that I overblowen my opion a bit. So I'll give your Filmore maker guy a chance to prove himself(I kind of like Filmore when I see it, kind of like Recess meets a G-rated NYPD Blue).

Also, since you work at the studio, could you please see if you can get the original TMNT cartoon and Digimon seasons 1-3 on Toon Disney? PLEEEEEEAASE?:D

[kzanth]

I can promise nothing, nigh-omnipotent though my powers may be...there are many a good toon snatched up by Disney that they sit on, jealously guarding the reels of film, locked away in deep vaults next to Walt's frozen head...

[kzanth]

FYI:

President's Day Marathon
On Monday, February 17, it's a President's Day
marathon double-header featuring Teamo Supremo
(9:00 am - 7:00 pm ET)

and the new animated series,
Fillmore (7:00 pm - 11:00 pm ET), which currently airs
as part of the "ABC Kids" Saturday morning
programming block on the ABC Television Network.

[loyalheart]

what channel?

[Tommy Lawson]

The Fillmore! marathon will air on Toon Disney. The whole Valentine's Day/President Day marathons on the Disney cable channels is being done to help promote ABC Kids more IMO, especially with Power Rangers Ninja Storm premiering on ABC Kids on February 15th. There's a Lizzie McGuire marathon on Disney Channel on Valentines's Day, a Power Rangers marathon on ABC Family that weekend, and of course, the aforementioned President's Day marathon on Toon Disney.

I agree that Disney does like to hold a lot of stuff in its library, such as most of the Saban library right now. They paid $5.2 billion for the rights to that programming and to get Fox Family, and they're holding on to it and not putting it to use on outlets like Toon Disney. Go figure. I personally hate it when some programs get entangled in a change of strategy. The perfect example of that is "Totally Spies" IMO. ABC Family's current kids' programming now primarily target boys, as evident by the promotion for the Power Rangers right now. According to www.tvtome.com/TotallySpies , the producers of that series were told that ABC Family wanted "boy action heroes" only. Still, there were other Disney outlets for the show such as the Disney Channel that currently appeal to girls. Does Disney Channel view the series as a threat to Kim Possible's success? That's the first reason I can think of as to why it isn't on now, after being bumped from ABC Family.

Oh, and since no one's mentioned something about ABC Kids ratings that Kzanth posted earlier about ABC Kids, I'll post some comments now.

Originally posted by kzanth
While ABC Prime Time generally gets bad ratings, ABC Saturday morning comes in consistently second among the major networks.

(not including Nick or Cartoon Network, and to be honest, WB is always first by a WIDE margin over the other networks)

Expect for last Saturday, when the gap between Kids WB and ABC Kids ratings different decreased signficantly, helped in no small part to The Proud Family ranking #1 among kids 2-11. I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out how that happened against Kids' WB programming, especially since they aren't as restricted to air E/I programming on Saturdays. While Fillmore unforunately was not mentioned in this specific release, the fact remains that total viewership for ABC Kids has remained relatively constant, while Kids WB has decreased signficantly in the past couple of months. Of course, since we're not in a sweeps ratings period (Nov., Feb., or May) right now, ratings for KWB will likely go up next month, but it's still worth noting the decline IMO.

1-4-2003
http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=62616

12-7-2002
http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59401

11-9-2002
http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56184


In related news, Anne Sweeney has been promoted to head all Disney kids' TV programming and production at Disney, according to Broadcasting & Cable. The article was posted to Usenet earlier this week. The article is located here:

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=anne+sweeney&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&as_drrb=b&as_mind=1&as_minm=1&as_miny=2003&as_maxd=10&as_maxm=1&as_maxy=2003&selm=17991-3E19D768-313%40storefull-2273.public.lawson.webtv.net&rnum=1

Personally, the one thing I would like to see happen is for Totally Spies to get back on the air alongside Kim Possible on Disney Channel. I'd love to see that happen. Plus, it would help to make sure that another company would not instantly get what they perceive as a Kim Possible clone. But, would Disney see it that way? Hey, if it can work for Disney Channel Asia ( www.disneychannel-asia.com ), then why not here in America?