Bolt

[ShyViolet]

Also, here's something someone wrote on the comments part of CartoonBrew, under that story's headline:

It might just be heresay, but I found it interesting:

02/15/07 4:27am

The Lurking Fear says:


I’m told it’s all true.

This ‘bolt of lightning down the side’ of a character is left over from the original version of HOME ON THE RANGE. Everything else seems to be an amalgam of 101 DALMATIANS II, TOY STORY (Buzz Lightyear was also deluded about his ‘powers’) and any number of TV cartoons.

The original AMERICAN DOG may have needed story work (perhaps) but it looked pretty and interesting. This does not.

The Disney Renaissance will be a very short one unless they get some new blood in the story department and quit recycling old characters and ideas.

[american dog 4 life]

Thanks shyviolet.Ive seen all of those before but its trully refreshing seeing them all together.Their amazing and thats just concept art.I mean u could change the story but at lest dont change the style and designs.Their absolutely breathtaking.

[ShyViolet]

You're welcome american dog 4 life!

Yeah, I hope they keep the visual style too!

[Daniel]

I'll take what you posted, with a grain of salt, Vi. But if it is *true* than I already own American Dog.

Sigh, those screenshots are georgious. I miss Chris again!

Yes, please, keep the visual style!

[Ben]

Figures.

Rather than help the quirky kid in back of the class, the teacher throws his ideas out and turns it into a class play.

I actually didn't have a problem with Dalmatians II, but I don't want to pay to see it again on the big screen.

[american dog 4 life]

Why did they fire chris in the first place.Does anyone know for sure.I mean the original story may have needed work but hey are there alot of original stories these days.But at least the characters are original.Cmon people a one eyed cat and a radioactive oversized bunny.Weve never seen that before.

[ShyViolet]

Figures.

Rather than help the quirky kid in back of the class, the teacher throws his ideas out and turns it into a class play

Do you think this has to do with the insecurity over Pixar's position and not wanting Disney's style to eclipse Pixar's, as well as

If you're a Lassetter fan don't read this!

not wanting anyone at Disney Feature, (their competitor, regardless of economics) to be hailed as the "bright young talent" "genius", or "modern Walt"?

I'm not trying to put JL down, it's just that all this "well there were story problems" stuff rings hollow with me....we ALL know that Chris is enormously talented, original and gifted....OK, it's one thing for people to have creative clashes on films, that's normal (look at all the changes and tension on Aladdin, Pocahontas and Lion King) but to totally axe this guy?



I don't care what anyone thinks, and I'm sorry if this offends people, but I really, really think either Don Hahn or Glenn Keane should be running Disney Feature Animation.....plus bring back James Baxter, Mark Dindal, Chris Sanders, Andreas Deja.....these guys ARE the Nine Old Men of today. Suppose that Milt Kahl or Woolie Reitherman actually were alive and came back to WDFA....and Lassetter disagreed with their ideas. Would you tell them: sorry, he's a Pixar guy, he's the new Walt, Pixar's seven for seven, what have YOU done lately??

[Daniel]

Oh, Vi.

I actually didn't have a problem with Dalmatians II, but I don't want to pay to see it again on the big screen.

That's nice to know! I actually thought Dalmations II was cute. Love Patch!

[Ben]

I agree with Vi here. I'd love to see Don Hahn running WDFA mach I, not WDFA Pixar mach II.

[Daniel]

For the record, I agreed with Vi as well. I just didn't want to sound repititive.

[Meg]

Their amazing and thats just concept art.I mean u could change the story but at lest dont change the style and designs.Their absolutely breathtaking.

Yah, they are...Although I don't like the design of the dog. I mean, it's good and everything, but he looks more like 'the mixed-breed family dog' than 'Hollywood hot-shot'.

[Whippet Angel]

On the subject of JL "not being a fan" of the Sanders style:

I'm not saying that I think it's true, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was. Lilo and Stitch had a certain "quirkiness" to it that many people just couldn't appreciate for some reason. Despite the film's success, I've heard quite a few people say that they just didn't like it.

JL could have just been one of the handful of those people that don't really care for Disney films with that level of "quirkiness".

It's such a shame..... I really liked Lilo and Stitch just because it was so different. I would have loved to see more of Sanders' work in this style.

Oh well.......

[ShyViolet]

For the record, I agreed with Vi as well. I just didn't want to sound repititive. Embarassed

Oh, it's OK Dan I understand. I also didn't want to sound repetitive, just elaborate on Ben's comment.









BTW that is an awesome avatar Angel! Ah, The Last Unicorn!







****************************************************





Yeah, WDFA Mach I.....it's still in reach IMO, all they have to do.... is...click their heels together and.....

1.) Transfer Lassetter back to Emeryville, have him do Pixar, and Pixar only. Maybe collaborate with WDFA on a FEW features, sort of like the whole Aardman/DreamWorks collaboration. If it doesn't work, nix it. They CAN do this if they want to. Lassetter can't just walk away anymore, Disney OWNS Pixar, they own Pixar property, if Lassetter wants to pick up and leave he's basically on his own. Pixar no longer has the bargaining power they once did, they've already been bought by Disney. It's finished.

2.) Put Don Hahn in charge of Disney Feature, hire back Keane, (long-term) Baxter, Dindal, Allers, Sanders, Fullmer, Minkoff, Trousdale, the whole gang!




3.) Bring back personal service contracts again. What in the world did Lassy/Catmull get rid of those for? How could that possibly help anything? Yeah, Pixar doesn't have them for their guys, but how many of THEIR guys have been fired in the last six years so years? The old Eisner/Katzenberg system of having talents/directors/animators stay for a long time under contract is the best thing IMO....it lets you plan for WDFA's future LONG TERM instead of just these start-stop "oh well you've been hired to work on Rupunzal, after that you're history" kind of deals. How can they possibly plan for films years in advance if they don't even know who's going to stay and who's going to leave? "Pixar is still Pixar--no one left." Yeah, no s****.


Pixar's also non-unionized BTW, it has to do with how they operate, they try to fix problems themselves instead of having unions get involved. Maybe that's why they want to do away with personal contracts at WDFA, to make it more like Pixar....


http://animationguildblog.blogspot.com/ ... bably.html


IMO, how can they possibly expect WDFA to deal with them in the same way (with no long-term contracts) while still not offering them any of the job security that Pixar gets?? It's just mind-boggling to me....I know people don't like to hear these things, and don't want to talk about it....I'm just trying to advocate Disney's position. Pixar isn't "bad", they're just doing what's best for them in the short and long-term....(cutting WDFA down and thus making them easier to control) and unfortunately it's just not what's in WDFA's best interests.


OK....be gentle now.....

[Daniel]

Yeah, Thanks, Vi.

[YCougar]

I dunno, I do like the design for the dog. He'd make a good plushie. He also looks fun to draw, even though he was going to be CG. The bottom picture has awkward lighting that makes him look like a cow, but overall he looks cool.

*sigh* I'm finding myself neither pro- or anti- Lasseter right now... but I do know this. Under Chris Sanders this film would have had a really cool visual style. They'd better not lose that with the final version, or I will be very disappointed.