Ain't it Cool News reports that Pixar is starting their own 2D Animation Division.
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Pixar going 2D?
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Interesting.
It could be like those Flash animated shorts. There's one cartoon that comes to mind that uses that sort of technique: "¡Mucha Lucha!"
http://www2.warnerbros.com/lucha/home.html
But, whatever!
It could be like those Flash animated shorts. There's one cartoon that comes to mind that uses that sort of technique: "¡Mucha Lucha!"
http://www2.warnerbros.com/lucha/home.html
But, whatever!
Why? I like 3d computer animation better. Well i guess Pixar started with 2D when they did the color filling for older disney movies.
Might give an insight into their future relationship with Disney. Looks like they might be going into competition with them in that area of the game! Disney better watch out!
I was told just last week this same rummor only it came from a very respected expert on the industry who actually trains people at all the major studios, Dreamworks, Disney and pixar. He said that dreamworks have sold all there animating desks and light boxs at an auction as they have publicly announced they arn't making any more 2d movies. Pixar apparently bought most of these tables. And as for pixar disney relationship, pixar have been dying to get out for years i think, the pixar logo holds far more than disneys, Jobs managed to negotiate the most spectacular deal with disney for the five movies, Jobs has disney wrapped round his finger, he can either stay and get anything he wants or leave and put disney in the shadow, i think option 2 is what will happen. Jobs just wants to prove to disney its not the technique you use its the story. and i believe it will be a huge success. There are no large 2d films in production, pixar will grab the market
If anyone can do it, Pixar can.
I'm just dying to find out who they will be distributing with after the deal w/ Disney is up. Its interesting to hear the rumor that Dreamworks auctioned their equipment and Pixar bought it. Wonder if thats true?
But hey, artists are artists no matter if they are using a computer or pencil to do it.
I'm just dying to find out who they will be distributing with after the deal w/ Disney is up. Its interesting to hear the rumor that Dreamworks auctioned their equipment and Pixar bought it. Wonder if thats true?
But hey, artists are artists no matter if they are using a computer or pencil to do it.
Story...Story...Story....Regardless if its traditional 2-D animation or CG films ....Story drives the film.....
It makes sense for Pixar to release films in 2-D in the near future because Disney (can you believe it!) and Dreamworks are pulling the plug on traditional (hand drawn) animation. Pixar can and will be a successful animation juggernaut in years to come.
It makes sense for Pixar to release films in 2-D in the near future because Disney (can you believe it!) and Dreamworks are pulling the plug on traditional (hand drawn) animation. Pixar can and will be a successful animation juggernaut in years to come.
:: so true ::
Spot on chewbaccapits! I think the problem with a lot of the crap these days, is the need for flash rather than content. The have the new, cool technique or effect and /force/ it into a story that really could be told without the extra embellishments.. (i.e. bullet time in laundry detergent commercials)
Spot on chewbaccapits! I think the problem with a lot of the crap these days, is the need for flash rather than content. The have the new, cool technique or effect and /force/ it into a story that really could be told without the extra embellishments.. (i.e. bullet time in laundry detergent commercials)
Pixar going 2D
I am a Disney Employee. Recently all of our 2D animation staff were told they their department was being shutdown. All the staff were trained in the new 3D tools, those who did not make the grade got an invitation to leave. Most of the staff were given several weeks off pending the official cut.
Shortly before the Thanksgiving holiday
Pixar and Dreamworks staff setup temporary office space here in Orlando; they dissected the phone list of the animation department, and called anyone who was getting laid off in for an interview. Its looks as if they got the pick of the crop, as some really fine people were being let go.
Last week, a friend who was interview let me know that she had a) accepted a position with Pixar, and b) that Pixar would shortly be announcing that they were opening a 2D studio.
I would not be the least bit surprised by this news, or the Pixar / Disney deal NOT getting re-signed.
To set the record straight for a previous poster, Pixar will be release 2 more films under the Disney banner. The Incredibles and Cars, both of which are currently In Production. If you are keeping count, the sequels do not count per the original contract.
I am a Disney Employee. Recently all of our 2D animation staff were told they their department was being shutdown. All the staff were trained in the new 3D tools, those who did not make the grade got an invitation to leave. Most of the staff were given several weeks off pending the official cut.
Shortly before the Thanksgiving holiday
Pixar and Dreamworks staff setup temporary office space here in Orlando; they dissected the phone list of the animation department, and called anyone who was getting laid off in for an interview. Its looks as if they got the pick of the crop, as some really fine people were being let go.
Last week, a friend who was interview let me know that she had a) accepted a position with Pixar, and b) that Pixar would shortly be announcing that they were opening a 2D studio.
I would not be the least bit surprised by this news, or the Pixar / Disney deal NOT getting re-signed.
To set the record straight for a previous poster, Pixar will be release 2 more films under the Disney banner. The Incredibles and Cars, both of which are currently In Production. If you are keeping count, the sequels do not count per the original contract.
Thanks WOpro for all that info. Hope you are doing ok job/career wise. Are you an animator ?
What strikes me is how Disney seems to have lost any sense of direction in their animation divisions. After the success of Pixar, they seem to think that the key is 3D and decide to stop making 2D movies. Now Pixar is starting a 2D studio... that must hurt. But at least it is great news for all animators out there.
I am a 3D artist, but 3D for 3D's sake is just ridiculous. Good to see that some big studios still have a vision.
What strikes me is how Disney seems to have lost any sense of direction in their animation divisions. After the success of Pixar, they seem to think that the key is 3D and decide to stop making 2D movies. Now Pixar is starting a 2D studio... that must hurt. But at least it is great news for all animators out there.
I am a 3D artist, but 3D for 3D's sake is just ridiculous. Good to see that some big studios still have a vision.
Disney has basically decided that 2D is dead to the horror of many. I swear Eisner is the worst thing to ever happen to that company. Apparently the share holders agree since there is a very large lawsuit again Eisner and the BoD. I can now fully understand why Roy Disney got the heck out of dodge before the fhit hit the san.
As for the 2D vs. 3D thing. Please. Both have their time and place. Well done 2D can be a fantastic experience. 3D also has its place but it can be overdone and I've seen too much 3D crap override the story. OOOO pretty graphics. Great where's the story?!?!
Some of Disneys classics are easily on par with any current Disney/Pixar work in terms of story. The animation work is starting to show its age but just last Wednesday I did a Disney marathon with Robin Hood, Lion King, Little Mermaid and they were just as enjoyable as Toy Story/Nemo/etc. (Which I also own.)
Disney seems to believe that 3D is what will sell a movie in the future. They seem to have forgotten that its the STORY that sells a movie. Animation method be damned. If Pixar is going 2D I say more power to em.
As for the 2D vs. 3D thing. Please. Both have their time and place. Well done 2D can be a fantastic experience. 3D also has its place but it can be overdone and I've seen too much 3D crap override the story. OOOO pretty graphics. Great where's the story?!?!
Some of Disneys classics are easily on par with any current Disney/Pixar work in terms of story. The animation work is starting to show its age but just last Wednesday I did a Disney marathon with Robin Hood, Lion King, Little Mermaid and they were just as enjoyable as Toy Story/Nemo/etc. (Which I also own.)
Disney seems to believe that 3D is what will sell a movie in the future. They seem to have forgotten that its the STORY that sells a movie. Animation method be damned. If Pixar is going 2D I say more power to em.
Yeah, and colour movies are better than black and white, right?
People - Pixar's big selling point for me has hardly EVER been the 3d animation. It's the fact that when I see a Pixar movie, I know three things:
1) I'll laugh my ass off
2) It will have a great, great story with enough kiddie humour to keep it a U rated film, but enough grown up geeky head-nods to the kids who grew up with ET and StarWars to keep me chuckling.
3) There will be NO FORCED CHARACTER SINGING.
Compare and contrast with Disney-sans-Pixar, who consistently give me none of the above.
Pixar going 2d can only be good news for 2d artists everywhere. There's a mass of room for excellent 2d animation, and frankly Disney needs the competition if it's going to be anything less than complacent and staid. Remember Don Bluth Studios? Possibly one of the best things that ever happened to Disney - kept them on their toes.
If Disney shuts down 2d and loses Pixar, what's it going to do, aside from throw masses and masses of cash at bad 40s-style musicals rendered in glorious 3dovision?
Disney will ownz, as ever, but it's going to take a pounding from Pixar in the next decade.
Given that, can anyone now see Jobs stepping in at Disney?
People - Pixar's big selling point for me has hardly EVER been the 3d animation. It's the fact that when I see a Pixar movie, I know three things:
1) I'll laugh my ass off
2) It will have a great, great story with enough kiddie humour to keep it a U rated film, but enough grown up geeky head-nods to the kids who grew up with ET and StarWars to keep me chuckling.
3) There will be NO FORCED CHARACTER SINGING.
Compare and contrast with Disney-sans-Pixar, who consistently give me none of the above.
Pixar going 2d can only be good news for 2d artists everywhere. There's a mass of room for excellent 2d animation, and frankly Disney needs the competition if it's going to be anything less than complacent and staid. Remember Don Bluth Studios? Possibly one of the best things that ever happened to Disney - kept them on their toes.
If Disney shuts down 2d and loses Pixar, what's it going to do, aside from throw masses and masses of cash at bad 40s-style musicals rendered in glorious 3dovision?
Disney will ownz, as ever, but it's going to take a pounding from Pixar in the next decade.
Given that, can anyone now see Jobs stepping in at Disney?
Jobs @ Disney
Actually, there is a rumour circulating that Roy Disney is planning on divesting himself of all of his Disney stock. If Steve were to buy it, we would see the biggest pssing match in corporate history, as Roy owns about the same % of the company as Eisner does...
I personally would love to see the two of them go toe to toe; but not an the expense of Apple (they seem to be doing well again with Steve at the helm)
For whoever asked about my career, I am not an animator, and I am doing well thanks!
Someone perviously mentioned the early Disney movies being about Good Stories. You are absolutely correct. However, look at those early stories (Cinderella, etc). None of them were written by the Disney Marketing Department. They were either fariy tales, or classics of literature. Now please compare and contrast with Beauty and The Beast 6: Direct To Home Video.
Actually, there is a rumour circulating that Roy Disney is planning on divesting himself of all of his Disney stock. If Steve were to buy it, we would see the biggest pssing match in corporate history, as Roy owns about the same % of the company as Eisner does...
I personally would love to see the two of them go toe to toe; but not an the expense of Apple (they seem to be doing well again with Steve at the helm)
For whoever asked about my career, I am not an animator, and I am doing well thanks!
Someone perviously mentioned the early Disney movies being about Good Stories. You are absolutely correct. However, look at those early stories (Cinderella, etc). None of them were written by the Disney Marketing Department. They were either fariy tales, or classics of literature. Now please compare and contrast with Beauty and The Beast 6: Direct To Home Video.
Re: Jobs @ Disney
True but if you were to compare them to the original stories they bare as much resemblance as Lion King does to Hamlet.
I would love to see them do a King Lear...
True but if you were to compare them to the original stories they bare as much resemblance as Lion King does to Hamlet.
I would love to see them do a King Lear...
I fully realized how stupid Disney has been under Eisner a few years ago when they bought out three successful local radio stations and promptly destroyed them. They changed the playlists, talent and focus of each of them to insure their failure. One was Radio AAHS, an award winning childrens programming station that was the favorite of all parents I know. It was changed to Radio Disney and now is unpopular with both kids and parents. I used to listen to another station, REV 105, over twelve hours each day because it was simply that great. After Disney bought it they again dropped the playlist and the DJs with disastrous results. I hardly ever listen to the radio anymore. Most local stations have either very short or uninspired playlists. This debacle was apparently repeated across the US with dozens of stations. Disney had lost several hundred million dollars from these takeovers last I checked. This was a loss for both radio listeners and Disney shareholders.
This debacle was apparently repeated across the US with dozens of stations. Disney had lost several hundred million dollars from these takeovers last I checked. This was a loss for both radio listeners and Disney shareholders.Well, I for one am not as thrilled as some seem to be about Pixar going flat. I can;t think of many 2D (american) movies recently that rocked. THat horse movie sucked, the pirate sinbad movie sucked, that little bear cub movie sucked, and even Pocahantas sucked. Pixar made cartoons rock by making them animated. CGI is the future and not all 2D cartoon styles are interesting. Lion King was OK, but I hated the soft airbrushed feel on everything and I haven't seen a goo US cartoon in I'm not sure how long. Metropolis was kinds OK, not sure I like the 2D characters with 3D backgrounds, doesn't work right, they look pieced together. Besides, Metropolis wasn't american IIRC. <Iron Giant was the last great 2D movie>
My question is, will the 2D style be flat Disney, (no shadows), Lion King style (shadows are all soft airbrush) or anime style (shadows are hard edged) Pixar is awesome in it's realism, so I'm not sure I'll like the 2D style if it's flat.
My question is, will the 2D style be flat Disney, (no shadows), Lion King style (shadows are all soft airbrush) or anime style (shadows are hard edged) Pixar is awesome in it's realism, so I'm not sure I'll like the 2D style if it's flat.
Disney/Pixar 2D
Disney is very much still in pursuit of 2D feature films. Using 3D design tools and advanced cell shading renderers, one can achieve spectacular 2D style results. This is where I believe Dreamworks, Pixar, and Disney are going with 2D animation. Pixar's rendering engine, Renderman is definitely getting some advanced cell shading features. We'll see what happens. I also think Pixar does want to stay with Disney and that Disney will give Pixar the deal they want when the time comes.
Disney is very much still in pursuit of 2D feature films. Using 3D design tools and advanced cell shading renderers, one can achieve spectacular 2D style results. This is where I believe Dreamworks, Pixar, and Disney are going with 2D animation. Pixar's rendering engine, Renderman is definitely getting some advanced cell shading features. We'll see what happens. I also think Pixar does want to stay with Disney and that Disney will give Pixar the deal they want when the time comes.