"The 2-D business is coming to an end, just like black and white came to an end."
Michael Eisner, at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. 20th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference, Wednesday, June 2, 2004.
The Barefaced Executive
By Dave Pruiksma - one of the
Well, just when you thought Michael Eisner had proven his arrogance and ignorance to all, he opens his mouth again and what should come out? More stupid, ill-informed inflammatory statements, clearly meant to shock, rile and insult those who oppose his iron, (albeit rusty) will.
This time he states that 2D, (or more precisely, classically hand drawn) animation is dead. That it has gone the way of black and white film, etc. Obviously Michael has not seen "Manhattan" or "The Elephant Man" or “ Raging Bull” or “The Man Who Wasn’t There” or any of the many other rich and beautiful films that have been made, for artistic reasons (something Eisner would know little about), in black and white, (yes, even after the invention of color film).
So, once again Eisner seems to be compelled to flaunt his ignorance to the world, as if anyone believes or even cares what he has to say anyway. And what makes Michael Eisner think he is even qualified to make a judgment against classical animation? After all, he made a similar judgment in 1985, when he first came to the studio. He was ready, even then, to throw in the towel on feature animation and, if anyone had listened to him at that time, there would have been no "Little Mermaid" or "Beauty and the Beast" or "Aladdin" or perhaps even Pixar! Thankfully, smarter heads prevailed and the renaissance of classical feature animation was allowed to unfold and make billions and billions of dollars for Mr. Eisner to pocket and throw away on his own, short-sighted business endeavors and foolish acquisitions too numerous to mention. Of course, it is now obvious, (to all who choose to see) that the man is a greedy, short-sighted corporate loud-mouth, filled with little more than contempt for anything he does not understand and the good name of Disney as well as the will of the shareholders are two things Eisner clearly does NOT understand.
So, it's time to shut up, Michael, and just go away. You are a lame duck. The majority has spoken out against you and you now reign on bided time. Your cronies cannot protect you from the truth forever and, at some point soon, you will be replaced by someone more capable. In the meantime, sell your crap, push recycled merchandise and film projects; "brand" the life out of the good name of Disney. Hell, sell the doorknobs off the doors of the studio or anything else that is not nailed down in a futile effort to bolster the sagging value of Disney shares and create the appearance of your regime's success. You cannot kill the spirit of Disney. It lived before you. It lives in spite of you and it will live on long after you.
David Pruiksma
Retired Directing Animator
Walt Disney Feature Animation (1981-2001)
Visit Pruiksma.com
Some more Eisner bits from Mr. Pruiksma: http://www.pruiksma.com/ketchup.html
Pruiksma was supervising animator for Cranium Command.
Michael Eisner, at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. 20th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference, Wednesday, June 2, 2004.
The Barefaced Executive
By Dave Pruiksma - one of the
Well, just when you thought Michael Eisner had proven his arrogance and ignorance to all, he opens his mouth again and what should come out? More stupid, ill-informed inflammatory statements, clearly meant to shock, rile and insult those who oppose his iron, (albeit rusty) will.
This time he states that 2D, (or more precisely, classically hand drawn) animation is dead. That it has gone the way of black and white film, etc. Obviously Michael has not seen "Manhattan" or "The Elephant Man" or “ Raging Bull” or “The Man Who Wasn’t There” or any of the many other rich and beautiful films that have been made, for artistic reasons (something Eisner would know little about), in black and white, (yes, even after the invention of color film).
So, once again Eisner seems to be compelled to flaunt his ignorance to the world, as if anyone believes or even cares what he has to say anyway. And what makes Michael Eisner think he is even qualified to make a judgment against classical animation? After all, he made a similar judgment in 1985, when he first came to the studio. He was ready, even then, to throw in the towel on feature animation and, if anyone had listened to him at that time, there would have been no "Little Mermaid" or "Beauty and the Beast" or "Aladdin" or perhaps even Pixar! Thankfully, smarter heads prevailed and the renaissance of classical feature animation was allowed to unfold and make billions and billions of dollars for Mr. Eisner to pocket and throw away on his own, short-sighted business endeavors and foolish acquisitions too numerous to mention. Of course, it is now obvious, (to all who choose to see) that the man is a greedy, short-sighted corporate loud-mouth, filled with little more than contempt for anything he does not understand and the good name of Disney as well as the will of the shareholders are two things Eisner clearly does NOT understand.
So, it's time to shut up, Michael, and just go away. You are a lame duck. The majority has spoken out against you and you now reign on bided time. Your cronies cannot protect you from the truth forever and, at some point soon, you will be replaced by someone more capable. In the meantime, sell your crap, push recycled merchandise and film projects; "brand" the life out of the good name of Disney. Hell, sell the doorknobs off the doors of the studio or anything else that is not nailed down in a futile effort to bolster the sagging value of Disney shares and create the appearance of your regime's success. You cannot kill the spirit of Disney. It lived before you. It lives in spite of you and it will live on long after you.
David Pruiksma
Retired Directing Animator
Walt Disney Feature Animation (1981-2001)
Visit Pruiksma.com
Some more Eisner bits from Mr. Pruiksma: http://www.pruiksma.com/ketchup.html
Pruiksma was supervising animator for Cranium Command.
