The state and future of animation

[GeffreyDrogon]

Is there some conspiracy that Pixar controls the American animation industry? Did Pixar sabotage Foodfight! and Alpha and Omega because they knew they were going to be huge successes? Also, did Disney refuse to market the Studio Ghibli films out of fear of them breaking out in the United States?

[Ben]

No. To all.

[GeffreyDrogon]

Is there any hope for independent animation?

[Ben]

Yes. Always.

[EricJ]

Did Pixar sabotage Foodfight!?

...No.

[Dacey]

Okay, Eric, you made me smile with that post.

[GeffreyDrogon]

It's amusing with how troubled Foodfight's production was, and the mysterious circumstances with the disappearance of the original files. It's the complete opposite of the whole Toy Story 2 incident.

[GeffreyDrogon]

When I always browse Cartoon Brew, I find it repetitive and annoying how so many of the commentors have a bias against mainstream American animation. They always want a foreign independent animated film to be nominated, and get upset when one doesn't.

[Ben]

Nothing wrong with that. They’re often more interesting than the cookie-cutter CG films.

[GeffreyDrogon]

Then why doesn't the Academy nominate any foreign animated films then?

[ShyViolet]

Actually, it has quite often: two examples are Spirited Away (2003) and Paprika (2007).

Also, a ton of shorts have been nominated: don’t forget about “Creature Comforts” and “The Wrong Trousers” from Aardman.

[GeffreyDrogon]

Spirited Away came out in 2001.

[ShyViolet]

Oops! Sorry about that. I didn’t see it until ‘03 so I got a bit confused. Lol.

Anyway, I still stand by my points.

[Dacey]

Paprika wasn’t nominated either.

But it has gotten a lot of replays in my house this year. It’s great fun.

[Ben]

Then why doesn't the Academy nominate any foreign animated films then?

Because at the end of the day, AMPAS is an American organisation originally founded to promote Hollywood product. Despite their growing reach in the decades since and the semi-facade of global inclusivity and wanting to reward that "art", the Oscars still really is about promoting that same Hollywood product. Other countries have their own awards at which their homegrown films get recognition.