Animation biz in Celebration is ready to fly
Firm hires Donny Osmond, signs deal with Jeep for 500-screen debut of film in July
Cindy Barth
Managing Editor
CELEBRATION -- A tiny digital animation company based in Celebration appears to be headed for a really big year on a national level.
Genesis Orlando is in post-production on the first installment of a series of eight, 65-minute computer-generated animation films that follow the adventures of Tugger, a Jeep 4x4 whose dream is to fly. Genesis already has signed a licensing and marketing agreement with the Chrysler Group's Jeep brand to co-market the new film, which is expected to show on 500 Regal Cinema screens nationwide -- including in Orlando -- next July.
And now, the 3-year-old company has landed singer and television celebrity Donny Osmond to do the voice of the Jeep for the series and sing the film's four original songs.
But even better for the local film and television industry, the Tugger film's entire creative content will be handled in Central Florida, says Jeffrey Varab, chief executive officer of Genesis.
That's not an opportunity the local film industry has been able to capitalize on very often, notes Suzy Allen, managing director of the Metro Orlando Film & Entertainment Commission.
"Disney was our only (animation) outlet for years," says Allen. "Now to have a chance for these animators to be successful on a national level is a really big step forward for the professionals who stayed here after Disney closed its animation studios."
Field of dreams
Varab, in fact, joins a rather crowded field of former Disney animators.
Since the Disney Florida animation division officially closed its doors in early 2004, new companies have sprung up, much like the tech startup flurry in the late 1980s, as large defense companies faced contract slowdowns.
Among Genesis' local competitors: Project Firefly, a group of five former Disney animators with offices now at Universal Studios; Legacy Animation, a new animation company launched by former Disney animators in Winter Garden; and Raven Animation, a subsidiary of Raven Moon Entertainment, which also has hired a number of former Disney animators.
The background of these animators places them in a class second to none.
"The training we got from Disney was the best there is, the best in the world," said Firefly President Dominic Carola in a previous interview with Orlando Business Journal. "Now we look forward to using what we learned there to build our own creative success."
While the success or failure of any film can be attributed to numerous factors, Varab at least brings with him the type of credentials that make many in Hollywood stand up and take notice.
The veteran animator began his career at the Disney Animation Studios in 1977 studying under Walt Disney's "nine old men" as part of the animation team for Pete's Dragon. In the 1980s, Varab left Disney to start an independent animation company in Copenhagen, Denmark, which produced the first major animated Scandinavian film, Valhalla.
In the late 1980s, Varab sold his company and joined Steven Spielberg's Amblin Animation, which produced films such as American Tail 1 and 2, The Land Before Time, All Dogs Go To Heaven and Titan A.E.
After a return to Orlando, Varab had another Disney run as supervising animator for the Granny Fa character in Mulan.
Tugger's tale
For their first "installment" of the Tugger series -- titled Tugger, the Jeep 4x4 Who Wanted to Fly -- Varab and company will tell the tale of a little Jeep that, after being injured in service to his country during World War II, has his engine fan replaced by a real airplane propeller. From that day on, Tugger is convinced that his destiny is to one day fly like a real airplane.
After being sold as war surplus, Tugger spends his time towing airplanes at a local airport, where he's always in trouble with the tower chief and his crazy dog, Max. Tugger also shares the airport with his friends, Ma and Pa, two grandparent-type vintage gas pumps; Bob, an ex-World War II bomber converted into a firefighter who is Tugger's hero; and his best friend, Shorty, a shortwave radio.
"It's just a really nice movie for the entire family," says Varab.
To build some buzz for the July nationwide screenings of the film, trailers will appear starting next year on 2,500 screens nationwide. A distribution deal with Regal Cinemas will bring the Tugger film to 300 locations and 500 screens nationwide for 30 days. And talks are under way with additional Hollywood well-knowns Varab hopes to sign on to do voiceover work for the just under-$2 million film.
Although he is no stranger to the movie business, Varab says Genesis' first project still brings with it a certain level of excitement.
After all, notes the well-known animator, "You can't create value for your company without your own ideas. This is our first step into making that a reality."
Firm hires Donny Osmond, signs deal with Jeep for 500-screen debut of film in July
Cindy Barth
Managing Editor
CELEBRATION -- A tiny digital animation company based in Celebration appears to be headed for a really big year on a national level.
Genesis Orlando is in post-production on the first installment of a series of eight, 65-minute computer-generated animation films that follow the adventures of Tugger, a Jeep 4x4 whose dream is to fly. Genesis already has signed a licensing and marketing agreement with the Chrysler Group's Jeep brand to co-market the new film, which is expected to show on 500 Regal Cinema screens nationwide -- including in Orlando -- next July.
And now, the 3-year-old company has landed singer and television celebrity Donny Osmond to do the voice of the Jeep for the series and sing the film's four original songs.
But even better for the local film and television industry, the Tugger film's entire creative content will be handled in Central Florida, says Jeffrey Varab, chief executive officer of Genesis.
That's not an opportunity the local film industry has been able to capitalize on very often, notes Suzy Allen, managing director of the Metro Orlando Film & Entertainment Commission.
"Disney was our only (animation) outlet for years," says Allen. "Now to have a chance for these animators to be successful on a national level is a really big step forward for the professionals who stayed here after Disney closed its animation studios."
Field of dreams
Varab, in fact, joins a rather crowded field of former Disney animators.
Since the Disney Florida animation division officially closed its doors in early 2004, new companies have sprung up, much like the tech startup flurry in the late 1980s, as large defense companies faced contract slowdowns.
Among Genesis' local competitors: Project Firefly, a group of five former Disney animators with offices now at Universal Studios; Legacy Animation, a new animation company launched by former Disney animators in Winter Garden; and Raven Animation, a subsidiary of Raven Moon Entertainment, which also has hired a number of former Disney animators.
The background of these animators places them in a class second to none.
"The training we got from Disney was the best there is, the best in the world," said Firefly President Dominic Carola in a previous interview with Orlando Business Journal. "Now we look forward to using what we learned there to build our own creative success."
While the success or failure of any film can be attributed to numerous factors, Varab at least brings with him the type of credentials that make many in Hollywood stand up and take notice.
The veteran animator began his career at the Disney Animation Studios in 1977 studying under Walt Disney's "nine old men" as part of the animation team for Pete's Dragon. In the 1980s, Varab left Disney to start an independent animation company in Copenhagen, Denmark, which produced the first major animated Scandinavian film, Valhalla.
In the late 1980s, Varab sold his company and joined Steven Spielberg's Amblin Animation, which produced films such as American Tail 1 and 2, The Land Before Time, All Dogs Go To Heaven and Titan A.E.
After a return to Orlando, Varab had another Disney run as supervising animator for the Granny Fa character in Mulan.
Tugger's tale
For their first "installment" of the Tugger series -- titled Tugger, the Jeep 4x4 Who Wanted to Fly -- Varab and company will tell the tale of a little Jeep that, after being injured in service to his country during World War II, has his engine fan replaced by a real airplane propeller. From that day on, Tugger is convinced that his destiny is to one day fly like a real airplane.
After being sold as war surplus, Tugger spends his time towing airplanes at a local airport, where he's always in trouble with the tower chief and his crazy dog, Max. Tugger also shares the airport with his friends, Ma and Pa, two grandparent-type vintage gas pumps; Bob, an ex-World War II bomber converted into a firefighter who is Tugger's hero; and his best friend, Shorty, a shortwave radio.
"It's just a really nice movie for the entire family," says Varab.
To build some buzz for the July nationwide screenings of the film, trailers will appear starting next year on 2,500 screens nationwide. A distribution deal with Regal Cinemas will bring the Tugger film to 300 locations and 500 screens nationwide for 30 days. And talks are under way with additional Hollywood well-knowns Varab hopes to sign on to do voiceover work for the just under-$2 million film.
Although he is no stranger to the movie business, Varab says Genesis' first project still brings with it a certain level of excitement.
After all, notes the well-known animator, "You can't create value for your company without your own ideas. This is our first step into making that a reality."