Home on the Range preview: proves 2-D animation is not dead!

[CTXRover]

A great article over at Jim Hill media describes a review sent in from a reader who had a privledge to see a screening of Home on the Range at the Pleasure Island AMC theaters on October 1st. He describes the film as proof that 2D animation is not dead and that it is one of the funniest movies Disney has done since Aladdin. He also describes the musical score and songs from Alan Menken as being topnotch and the blending together of computer and traditional animation as "seamless".

This is great news. I always thought this film could be funny from just the storyboards at the Animation tour. Looks like Disney may have a great film here!

 

[General Grizz]

2-D animation was supposed to be dead after HOTR.

What am I excited about? The songs.

Are characters going to be singing? I found it hard to figure out whether they do.

Anyway, what's the next 2-D film planned after HOTR going to be? I heard it was all going to be CG... :veryconfu

 

[CTXRover]

Unfortunately, you're right Grizzlyhall, all of the most current projects from WDA are CG. However, if Brother Bear and/or Home on the Range can make just as much or more than recent CG efforts or even just as good as animation in Disney's second golden age (Aladdin, Lion King, etc.), then perhaps execs will reconsider this CG push and allow hand drawn animation to continue. I am hopeful for this. Stainton, head of WDA, has said himself 2D won't be completely forgotten. 2D is just going on the backburner because it is the belief that audiences want CG not 2D. However, I think it is more that current CG movies have better storylines and are just better movies than recent 2D efforts out of Disney and Dreamworks. If BB or HOTR can show Disney that 2D films can make just as much as CG films, perhaps it will make them reconsider and allow 2D to return faster. At least Disney provides a glimmer of hope with 2D, Dreamwork's chief Jeffrey Katzenburg has already declared 2D dead! That's why it is big news that HOTR may show everyone 2D isn't dead. Let's hope BB or HOTR proves just how out of touch Mr. Katzenburg really has become with the world of animation.

In fact, Disney's Rapunzel, a CG movie, is currently being tested to utilize hand drawings that are converted to CG. Some type of new animation technique that would allow Glen Kean's hand drawings to be converted into CG.

 

[prberk]

Story, story, story... with a little help from timing and marketing...

That is the key.

Right now, CGI is hot. But that was also the case when Lilo and Stitch came out.... and L&S would not have been the same as a CGI movie.

We can't forget that none of this would be anywhere if Disney hadn't created the CGI feature animation market with Toy Story (which Pixar could not have done alone at the time). Once again, a good story and good timing and marketing.

 

[mkt]

2D animation will always have a place at Disney Feature Animation. It's far from dead... it's just taking a break at the moment. Disney needs to have a solid 3D hit under its belt if they intend to compete in that field without any assistance from Pixar