The future of Disney: New chief

[RZetlin]

There's an article on David Stainton, the new chief of animation at Walt Disney.

He has some interesting things to say about his views on animation.

On Monday, the new boss roiled the ranks when he told a gathering of 525 animation employees that he wants them to produce lush, classic fairy tales -- perhaps "The Snow Queen" or "Rapunzel" -- entirely on computers.

Stainton was plucked by Disney Chief Executive Michael Eisner largely because of his success in turning TV animation into a money machine with such low-cost direct-to-video sequels as "Lion King II" and inexpensive feature films that include "Piglet's Big Movie" and "Return to Never Land."

One thing Stainton said he knows for sure: The studio's core audience for animation is 4- to 10-year-olds and their parents. "If you think you're making a movie for everybody, you're making a movie for nobody."

There you have it, the future of Disney -- cheap CG fairy tales aimed at 4 to 10 years olds.

[czyznyck99]

This has been the intention of Disney's animation department for some time. The videos sequels may have stunk, but they were cheap (on a TV animated episode budget rather than a movie budget). Moving to CG entirely is going to be costly.

That last quote really bugs me, how Stainton is only going for the family of 4-10 year olds. While his vision could be somewhat successful, it does puts a gash in the hope of some of the more adult stuff Disney animation has done, namely shows like Gargoyles. However, if I were someone like Cartoon Network, I would laugh at this, knowing I don't have to worry about compete for anyone over 10....

Later.

[David Lucas]

"If you think you're making a movie for everybody, you're making a movie for nobody."

This guy just joined my list for that one line alone. Walt Disney never wanted to make movies for little kids, he wanted the medium of animation to be appreciated by everyone. I'm 19 and I could watch some of those old movies 100 times, there was just something magical about Disney.

Eisner started the downfall but this new guy seems like he should be the one that we should be blaming all Disney's problems on. He was the one that tainted the greatest Disney movie of all time and turned it into the horrible "Lion King II" and is no doubt responsible for "LK 1.5". He had no right at all to even go NEAR Peter Pan though, I hope he rots in a hundred hells.

Basically, he's the Disney version of Jamie Kellner.

[John Miles]

This guy perfectly represents everything that is wrong with animation today: he thinks it's for children only, he disregards classic animation methods in favor of trendy CG animation, and he thinks profit is more important than creativity. Even worse, he's gone and tainted countless classic films like Peter Pan by sucking all the creativity from them and turning them into nothing but profit machines. It's a crying shame to see them make a complete mockery of the work of so many hard-working and visionary people and the values that Disney once stood for.

I think David Lucas summed it up pretty well when he said "I hope he rots in a hundred hells."

[Daniel P]

I'm a 14-year-old boy, and I love all of their animated movies (except the crap sequel & TV-produced stuff).

I wonder how Roy Disney feels about this?

[Rune]

Looks like Disney's on the slippery slope with this directive. I heard they had laid off a huge part of their animators a long while back as it was cheaper to get it done on computer (in the long run) it feels like its come a long long way from Walt's original vision.

That last line gets my back up too, my daughter was 11 last week which means for the past few years both she - and presumably I as parent - have been included in his target bracket. Well, without any input from me she came out and said that Jungle Book 2, Return to Never land etc looked like a load of rubbish and 'embarrassing' clearly something she would never want to see under any circumstances. Maybe he's pitching his audience parameter too high at 10 years, most kids have far more sophisticated tastes these days. CN, Fox etc must be laughing up their sleeves.

[DisneyBoy]

In related news, I'm on anti-depressants.


(sarcasm)

EDIT:

(never mind, there's no need for sarcasm)

[Obi]

I hate this man already.

More than Eisner, just from that one thing he said.

[Tobias]

You've... got to be kidding me.

Disney's really gone downhill in the last few years. Treasure Planet will most likely be the last great project at Disney Pictures. Yes, I did enjoy Treasure Planet.

I'll just make myself content will my old collection of Disney movies (Lion King, Little Mermaid) and unedited cartoons (Ducktales, Talespin, Gargoyles) on home video.

[Daniel P]

You've... got to be kidding me.

Disney's really gone downhill in the last few years. Treasure Planet will most likely be the last great project at Disney Pictures. Yes, I did enjoy Treasure Planet.

I'll just make myself content will my old collection of Disney movies (Lion King, Little Mermaid) and unedited cartoons (Ducktales, Talespin, Gargoyles) on home video.

At least we still have Disney Treasures. Once that goes away, Disney is dead. They only have two more films that will be their feature animation.

Treasure Planet was great, it is too bad the DVD commercials are so misleading (makes it look like a comedy).

[Ludicris]

I totally agree with some of you. Disney is probably now one of the worst animation companys, quality wise. They just throw things together and call it a movie. It must take like 15 minutes to write a script for one of these projects.

[rmarti3926]

There's an article on David Stainton, the new chief of animation at Walt Disney.

He has some interesting things to say about his views on animation.



There you have it, the future of Disney -- cheap CG fairy tales aimed at 4 to 10 years olds.

If this is the future of Disney, then...

I think the apocalypse is fast approaching!

[j32885]

Well...from this new guy's statement, that he'll end Disney's tradition of 2D animation. It's a shame that this guy believes that animation is ment to be only for young children and their parents.

I guess after seeing Mickey's appearence in 3D at this years Oscar show, was a another sign that Disney will now be animating in CGI. This guy, has driven the final nail into Disney's 2D coffin.

[Mek]

Ahh Disney... how the mighty have fallen. *shakes head*

[Pilmedium]

Disney is only going to get worse, but I do not think this new guy is the only one to blame. Eisner alone would have been able to convince animation workers to change like this. Fairy tales in CGI would be weird, and there is no way I would ever watch them. The most disturbing part, however, is that he says that animation is only for young children and their parents. By targeting such an audience, the Disney company will lose many potential viewers.

[RZetlin]

Stop panicking! Is this really as bad as we're making it out to be?

Switching to fully CG animation is likely just a cost cutting measure. (Yes, you can make 2D CG look just as good as those big-budget Disney animated features and at a huge savings.) Honestly, how many people can tell the difference between hand-drawn 2D animation and digital 2D animation?

Also, note that almost every Disney feature ever made has been for 4- to 10-year-olds and their parents. Most of them just happened to have secondary audiences of "everyone else". What makes everyone think that it will be any different in the future?

When Walt Disney made his animated movies he made them for everybody---not just for 4 to 10 year olds.

David Stainton seems to be taking Disney back into the mother's womb and hunched in a fetus positon.

The fact that "His vision was greeted with dropped jaws by the roomful of artists steeped in the traditional style of hand-drawn animation pioneered by Disney.", is an indication that there is going to be some personal fiction between the artists and the new chief.

Also his style of management may cause more breaking of nerves in an environment that is already under strain.

For his part, Stainton said he was simply "throwing another grenade into the pot." He knows that his message has "caused anxiety here because what I'm asking doesn't currently exist -- and that frightens people."

Some who have worked with Stainton say his blunt style and occasional impatience can be off-putting. He said he resents being "surprised by problems" and will "definitely get brusque" if he has to repeat directions. Some of Stainton's co-workers say his blunt style doesn't sit well with the fragile egos of artists.

Personally a person that is impatient and inconsiderate of people's feelings, usually doesn't make good leader.

I think if you want to add more oil to the fire, this is it.

[Senbei Norimaki]

" The studio's core audience for animation is 4- to 10- year olds and there parents. " This line represents every thing thats wrong with animation in this country. I'm sure when he means parents he is not talking about cool parents like mine. My parents let me watch what ever I wanted to as a kid.

You can do 2D animation on computers too. Love Hina is a 2D animation done on a computer. Also My Neighbor the Yamadas is anouther 2D movie done on Computers. The New Dr. Slump also. So Computer animation doesn't automaticly = 3D.

Does this mean we will see more censorship on classic Disney movies when they are released to DVD?

[Bakasama]

" The studio's core audience for animation is 4- to 10- year olds and there parents. " This line represents every thing thats wrong with animation in this country. I'm sure when he means parents he is not talking about cool parents like mine. My parents let me watch what ever I wanted to as a kid.

You can do 2D animation on computers too. Love Hina is a 2D animation done on a computer. Also My Neighbor the Yamadas is anouther 2D movie done on Computers. The New Dr. Slump also. So Computer animation doesn't automaticly = 2D.

Does this mean we will see more censorship on classic Disney movies when they are released to DVD?

Gee, what makes people think CGI IS 3D? Don't thousands of video games have CGI?!

Dreamworks must be happy over this.

[DarthNuriko]

I have to register to read that article so I didn't bothering trying to read it. Judging from the reactions here though.... I haven't been inclined to see a Disney movie in quite some time, and I don't think I'll be seeing another one for quite a while yet.

4-10 year old demographic... Eh... That's quite narrow isn' it... =\

[oranthal]

What's great is that Disney put all of their good movies in the vault, so you have no choice but to watch the new stuff. Very clever on Disney's side.