Business Archives Page 45 of 215

DreamWorks Vets Bibo Bergeron and Mike de Seve Launch Monkey’s Uncle

Animation veterans Eric “Bibo” Bergeron and Mike de Seve have partnered to launch a new venture called Monkey’s Uncle, which they announced at Annecy a couple weeks ago.

The One Thing That Could Save DreamWorks Animation: China

At least one DreamWorks animated film has lost money for the past three years in a row: “Rise of the Guardians” in 2012 had an $87 million writedown; “Turbo” in 2013 resulted in a $13.5 million writedown; and this year’s “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” caused a $57 million writedown. This is rather obviously not a sustainable trend from a business standpoint, and investors are beginning to worry about the studio’s long-term prospects.

Sony Pictures Animation Will No Longer Animate Its Films in the US

Animation and visual effects studio Sony Pictures Imageworks has confirmed what many in the industry had suspected for a long while: the studio is moving its headquarters from Los Angeles to Vancouver, Canada to take advantage of generous tax credits provided by the Canadian government. This move, combined with Digital Domain’s jump to Vancouver and Rhythm & Hues’ bankruptcy, prompted “Variety'”s VFX chronicler David S. Cohen to say that the Los Angeles feature film visual effects industry is “in full collapse.”

‘Legends of Oz’ Investors, Who Each Paid $100,000, Believe Hollywood Conspiracy Destroyed Film [UPDATED]

Although Greg Centineo, the producer of “Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return,” had hoped for a big second weekend, the film plummeted 48% this weekend and ended up with a sophomore frame of $1.9 million. The movie has struggled to find a fan following, except for the film’s Facebook page which is filled with a curiously large number of middle-aged and elderly people who absolutely adore the film.

How Will Vinton Lost His Studio to a Rapper Named Chilly Tee

Laika does amazing work as an animation studio, no doubt about it, but the studio’s history is somewhat less admirable. The company was built on top of Will Vinton’s eponymous Portland studio in a shrewd corporate takeover by multi-billionaire Nike co-founder Phil Knight. After Knight took control of the company in 2002, he placed a failed rapper named Chilly Tee with slight experience in animation, who also happened to be his son Travis Knight, in charge of the entire company.

In 3 Decades, CalArts Animation Alumni Have Generated $30 Billion For Hollywood Studios

Directors who have graduated from CalArts’ character and experimental animation programs have generated over $30 billion in box office grosses since 1985. However you slice it, that’s a remarkable amount.

“Movies Are Not A Growth Business,” Admits Movie Studio Owner Jeffrey Katzenberg

In 2011, Jeffrey Katzenberg proclaimed that moviegoing audiences would embrace 3-D and would continue to attend theaters despite higher ticket prices. Three years later, it’s obvious that his prediction was a little off.

British Studios Locksmith and Double Negative Plan To Make CG Features

There are big developments in the UK animation industry in the wake of a much-heralded tax break received by the British animation industry that went into effect last year. Sarah Smith, the former creative director of features at Aardman Animations, is setting up a studio named Locksmith Animation. She bills it as the UK’s “first high-end CGI feature animation studio,” and it is focused on creating a long-term slate of films for worldwide distribution.

Patreon Offers a New Way to Crowdfund Animation

There are countless crowdfunding sites nowadays, but none have offered a viable alternative that challenges Kickstarter and Indiegogo’s dominance. Patreon may change that though. The crowdfunding site offers a twist on the crowdfunding model that may prove attractive to filmmakers who want to produce content regularly.

First Look at $2.4 Billion Oriental DreamWorks Complex in Shanghai

Last week DreamWorks revealed the first renderings of the Dream Center, a 40-acre, $2.4 billion development in Shanghai, China. Scheduled to open in 2017 (or early-2018), the site will house the Oriental DreamWorks production studio, which is currently working on “Kung Fu Panda 3,” as well as the world’s largest IMAX screen, eight outdoor plazas, hotels, restaurants, theaters, galleries, and tourist attractions.

Farewell To Stu Snyder, The Man Who Tried To Make Cartoon Network Cartoon-Less

In a world of dumb animation execs, Stu Snyder made a sincere effort to be the dumbest. He was the genius who led a campaign to remove cartoons from Cartoon Network. Now, he’s leaving Cartoon Network.

Disney Interactive Lays Off 700 People

It’s been known since last month that Disney Interactive was planning to lay off several hundred employees, but the job slashing is far more extreme than had previously been anticipated.

Can Jamaica Become A Force in Global Animation?

Animation may not be the first thing that pops to mind when you hear the word Jamaica, but the Caribbean island of nearly 3 million people is making an effort to position itself as a player in the global animation industry.

“Angry Birds” Feature Will Be Produced at Sony Imageworks Vancouver

The “Angry Birds” feature film that was announced last October will be animated at Sony Pictures Imageworks in Vancouver, Canada.

DreamWorks Animation Launches Children’s Publishing Unit

DreamWorks Animation has announced the launch of DreamWorks Press, an in-house publishing operation that will produce digital and print books based on their popular properties like “Kung Fu Panda,” “Madagascar,” and “Shrek,” as well as upcoming films like “B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations.”

Disney Will Lay Off Hundreds In Interactive Division

Several hundred people will lose their jobs at Disney Interactive as part an effort to make the division profitable.

Why DreamWorks Animation Bought AwesomenessTV

If you’re still wondering why DreamWorks Animation spent $33 million last spring to buy the YouTube channel AwesomenessTV, an article about Netflix in the latest issue of the “New Yorker” offers an explanation that I found to be succinct and worth sharing.

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