Wait a minute... I was right?
Entry posted by Guest
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Well, I wasn't exactly "right" about Disney buying Pixar, since I thought that it was an outside long shot at best:
And here's a long shot (although I think it's Disney's best option):
- Disney Feature Animation is taken over and run by Pixar, to make films for Disney as "Pixar Animation Studios, Burbank". Pixar's current studio would continue operating as-is.
The Burbank studio would be funded by Disney, located at Disney, making films exclusively for Disney, but Pixar would be running the productions and making the decisions. This ties in with Pixar's desire to expand and make more films, and Disney's move to CGI-only animation. If Disney and Pixar re-sign a deal, there's no reason not to combine the studios.Whether this happens or not is, again, a long shot. But I think Steve Jobs would go for it in an instant (what better way to satiate his ego and hatred of Eisner at the same time?), and Disney would instantly regain respectability in the animation industry and Hollywood, by having the top animation studio in the country supervising their creative efforts.
But essentially, that's what happened today. I think someone's gonna owe me a steak. (Hi Frank!) As I mentioned in my previous blog entry about this, I figured the only way Pixar would make this deal is if they took over creative control of Disney Feature Animation, and much to my surprise, Disney agreed to pretty much that.According to the press release:
Pixar President Ed Catmull will serve as President of the new Pixar and Disney animation studios, reporting to Iger and Dick Cook, Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios. In addition, Pixar Executive Vice President John Lasseter will be Chief Creative Officer of the animation studios, as well as Principal Creative Advisor at Walt Disney Imagineering
Now exactly what "reporting to" is going to involve will determine how well this all works out. As long as Iger and Cook can keep from meddling with how Pixar runs the creative end of things, it may end up saving Disney's bacon.
This could potentially restore Disney to what it once was - the premier animation studio in the country. That's a title they've not held in some time.
What particularly interests me is that John Lasseter will also be involved in Imagineering. I'd love to see what a fresh perspective could bring to Disney's theme parks. I always thought Toy Story's "Pizza Planet" should have been built at Disneyland. They need a good arcade there again.
Jobs being on Disney's board (with considerable stockholder's clout, I might add) should help the deal from turning sour. Although I suspect his day-to-day involvement will be fairly minor.
It's going to an interesting time at Disney. I suspect there will be some major shakeouts in the animation studio. Lots of firing, lots of projects cancelled or completely reworked. Hopefully though, lots of hiring too. Many talented people have left Disney because of the oppressive atmosphere there. With Pixar running the place, that could change dramatically.
Maybe it's time to update my resumé.
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