Toy Story 3

[MKCustodial]

Originally posted by MrPromey
Oh, that would be dandy.

Disney could permanently retire Mickey and the gang and replace them with a human character that always has a 12:00 shadow, wears a lot of vests and dances around a lot.

On the bright side, as Disney looses more market share, Stevo would be able to convince all of us Disney loyalists that they are the greatest company on the planet doing whatever they are doing at the moment.

In all seriousness, Disney is much much larger and more complex than Pixar and Apple combined. Why would anyone think that Steve Jobs has the experience or knowledge to run one of the largest companies in the world?

The Eisner bashers may not want to admit it but there is more to running a company like Disney than ego. The guy makes more decisions in a week that could directly affect the lives of tens of thousands of people than most of us will make in our lifetimes.

D'oh! I'm embarassed now... I'm sorry, Mr. P, someone wrote Steve Jobs and I pictured someone else entirely. And then you mentioned Apple, so I connected the name to the face... :dazzle: Ok, I'm leaving now...






I was thinking of the OTHER Pixar guy... Lasseter? But he wouldn't know how to run a large company either, just like you said, so I'll be crawling back to under my lil' rock... Boy, what a scene I created.

 

[aim]

Originally posted by BenS
Imagineers.

NO WAY! :hammer: :lol: Just playin. I know an Imagineer actually.

I don't really like the straight to home video movies. They just don't look the same (yeah yeah, I know, not as much money went into them). But ya know what I'm saying?

 

[MrPromey]

Originally posted by MKCustodial
D'oh! I'm embarassed now... I'm sorry, Mr. P, someone wrote Steve Jobs and I pictured someone else entirely. And then you mentioned Apple, so I connected the name to the face... :dazzle: Ok, I'm leaving now...






I was thinking of the OTHER Pixar guy... Lasseter? But he wouldn't know how to run a large company either, just like you said, so I'll be crawling back to under my lil' rock... Boy, what a scene I created.

Actually, I should have thrown a few silly little faces in there. Jobs is someone I am really, really not fond of. I like to think that he keeps a picture of himself in his wallet but that is my problem. A lot of people have similar issues with Eisner but what I don't like about Jobs is how he seems to happily accept credit for things that both Pixar and Apple do when he as an individual has always been more of a mouth piece than an innovator...

Anyway, Eisner was recently quoted as saying that the only thing Pixar has that Disney doesn't is Lasseter and to a large extent I agree. I think the two best possible outcomes for Disney in this whole Pixar thing would be either to buy Pixar or get Lasseter to go back to Disney. I don't think either is incredibly likely. Personally, I think ownership of Pixar would be a good thing for both companies. They are a good match and such an arrangement would effectively eliminate the type of financial disputes they are having now... As long as Disney were to keep Pixar as they are and not attempt to fold them into the mother ship... I doubt Jobs will allow this to be a possibility as long as he has any say in the matter though.

 

[NowInc]

The only problem with Disney OWNING pixar would be that its would be DISNEY running it. Both companies are run VERY differently..

Why is this important?

The average disney animator doesnt go to work because he WANTS to...they do it because they HAVE to.

The average PIXAR animator looks forward to work each day.

 

[MrPromey]

Originally posted by NowInc
The only problem with Disney OWNING pixar would be that its would be DISNEY running it. Both companies are run VERY differently..

Why is this important?

The average disney animator doesnt go to work because he WANTS to...they do it because they HAVE to.

The average PIXAR animator looks forward to work each day.

Why would Disney have to “run” it? They have a formula that has worked flawlessly since day one. I don’t understand why the paychecks couldn’t continue to say “Pixar” at the top. Do you think they would need to monkey with a company that is already making them lots of money? Pixar strikes me as a sizable company that is run like a small intimate studio. Clearly, that process benefits them in everything they do. It seems to me that it doesn’t take a genus to recognize this and as long as the company isn’t being mis-managed, I don’t see why Disney would need to step in anymore than they do now.

Is this just something that you don’t think is possible with Disney? I mean, they own a lot of companies and I’m sure they don’t have their finger in the pies of all of them. They are already getting their theme park attractions and meet and greet characters and merchandising. I know that Disney has already gotten into the full 3D ring on their own but Pixar has a specific unique style and it seems like the two could coexist. I mean, if they continue a contract they are going to be coexisting anyway, right?

I know you know more about life with Disney than I do so I’d be interested in your input. Do you think Disney could continue the hands off approach if they had the keys to the front door?

I know exactly what you mean about working because you have/want to. I’m in the have to camp as is it for most of the other people I work with. A lot of it is because of our clients and that isn’t something the company can control but a lot of is also how management treats us. (seemingly not realizing that we are responsible for producing the product that keeps then and everyone else in the company employed) I can sort of imagine those poor Disney artists slaving away in the same kind of corporate h e l l, loosing a piece of their soul each and every day; sitting cold faced at their desk crying like a little baby inside.... :lookaroun Er, um...

I work for a company that owns a few companies and is in and of itself owned by a huge media company of which my company consists of less than a complete sentence in the annual report of. <- quite humbling, let me tell you.

Our rules and policies come down from and are dictated by our own upper management – not from the mother ship, so I know that this kind of thing is possible (of course, Pixar would be a lot more than four words in Disney’s AP which I guess could be the problem)

Or better yet, maybe Disney could take a closer look at why Pixar is so good at doing what they dol and take a few things to heart themselves. Maybe Feature Animation could use a small dose of independence themselves.

 

[NowInc]

Disney would stick their noses where it doesnt belong if they owned pixar. Its a strong financial support for them, and they would slowly but surely taint it with their corporate input. Remember Dreamquest (aka..the secret lab)? They got so heavily influential in that devision that it ended up killing them.

Granted..pixar is a MUCH larger chunk of pie..but it doesnt take much to ruin a good thing. Most of the people I met at pixar were QUITE happy mostly for the fact that they DIDNT work for disney. (I wont get into the large amount of pixar employees who are in fact ex disney animators). I think the general knoledge of "big brother" being in charge will be enough to ruin the general good spirits of those who are employed at pixar. The vibe there is that of free spirited and openly creative people without worry that by them mentioning an concept or idea, that immediatly SOMEONE ELSE owns it (this is the case at disney...whatever you think of or design while employed by them..on your own time or not...they own it). This is probobly why creativity flows so vastly over at PIXAR..because you arent afraid to share what you are thinknig.

..not sure of any of this is making much sence..long night and im quite tired..so ask me if you want me to clarify on anything

 

[JLW11Hi]

Originally posted by NowInc
Disney would stick their noses where it doesnt belong if they owned pixar. Its a strong financial support for them, and they would slowly but surely taint it with their corporate input. Remember Dreamquest (aka..the secret lab)? They got so heavily influential in that devision that it ended up killing them.

Granted..pixar is a MUCH larger chunk of pie..but it doesnt take much to ruin a good thing. Most of the people I met at pixar were QUITE happy mostly for the fact that they DIDNT work for disney. (I wont get into the large amount of pixar employees who are in fact ex disney animators). I think the general knoledge of "big brother" being in charge will be enough to ruin the general good spirits of those who are employed at pixar. The vibe there is that of free spirited and openly creative people without worry that by them mentioning an concept or idea, that immediatly SOMEONE ELSE owns it (this is the case at disney...whatever you think of or design while employed by them..on your own time or not...they own it). This is probobly why creativity flows so vastly over at PIXAR..because you arent afraid to share what you are thinknig.

..not sure of any of this is making much sence..long night and im quite tired..so ask me if you want me to clarify on anything

Is that the way it is with most of the productions that come out of Disney Feature Animation? I mean, who is it, specifically, that is making the place less fun to work at? Is it the management, or is it the people that are actually producing, or maybe directing, or somehow heading the movies? And what exactly do you mean when you say anything you come up with is automatically considered to be owned by the company? Do they just take credit for the idea, or is it something else? How long has Disney Animation been like this? I mean, just since recently, or has it been for quite a while, like during some of the 90's?

Sorry to be bombarding you with all these questions! I'm just seriously into these things, but I find it hard to really find out what exactly is going on at Disney. I mean, I always hear "Oh, people don't like to work at Disney" or maybe "Oh, its great there!" I'm just really interested in why that is. Do you have any, say , reccommended web sites or something where one can find out some of these things? It would be appreciated Thanks

 

[NowInc]

Disney managment is a great reason to feel "uncomfortable" at the studios. Another good factor would be by simply looking around and seeing people who have been t here for 30 years and still do the SAME job (usually tweening). Promotions dont come easy there, and you are expected to be happy about it 24/7. They have "motivators" who walk around to try and keep everyone happy..but in actuallity, its just obnoxious. (Imagine someone who is TOO awake at 10am coming into your office and giving you a pep talk about how nice of a day it is outside...thats his job).

As for the "disney owns everthing you do". Its in your contract. Pretty much, while under disney employment..any idea you come up with or any design you make..weather its on paper or even a dennys napkin at 3 am on your day off...they automatically own the rights to it. Its been like this for YEARS..not sure exactly when it started tho..id assume around the time of the little mermaid tho.

 

[Yellow Shoes]

Originally posted by NowInc
They have "motivators" who walk around to try and keep everyone happy..but in actuallity, its just obnoxious. (Imagine someone who is TOO awake at 10am coming into your office and giving you a pep talk about how nice of a day it is outside...thats his job).

Ok--that's just gross. But imagine if that was YOUR job. I think it is even worse on the other side. Imagine the stuff people throw at the motivators!

Originally posted by NowInc

As for the "disney owns everthing you do". Its in your contract. Pretty much, while under disney employment..any idea you come up with or any design you make..weather its on paper or even a dennys napkin at 3 am on your day off...they automatically own the rights to it. Its been like this for YEARS..not sure exactly when it started tho..id assume around the time of the little mermaid tho. ).

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that is Standard Operating Procedure at many companies. Not just creative places like Hallmark or Disney, but also places like 3M, Ford, or Kraft Foods.