RobertoOrtiz
03-31-2004, 02:01 PM
Quote:
"For decades, Southern California was the ultimate destination for self-described "animation geeks." But shifts in the industry — a growing appetite for computer-generated graphics and the chronic issue of outsourcing — have eliminated 1,000 jobs in the past three years.
It's a frustrating time for animators: Television appears to be a lively circus of work, with new shows, concepts and packages arriving seasonally, but much of the work is being done overseas. According to the Animation Guild, there are about 1,600 union members currently employed. But for the first time in 70 years the Walt Disney Co. doesn't have a traditional animation feature in the pipeline. ("Home on the Range," Disney's last-in-the-can 2-D feature, is due out Friday.) There is only one hand-drawn feature in production — "Curious George," for Universal Pictures. Disney began streamlining its traditional animation units nearly four years ago; since then several hundred jobs have vanished from Southern California and Florida.
Some animators have been out of work for 18 months or more. Some have taken part-time jobs in art supply shops or bookstores. Others have become gardeners, chefs, teachers and real-estate agents. While a number are making strides to transition into 3-D, or computer-generated imaging, others figure it looks like a good time to delve into long-sidelined projects. Then there are those who are simply stuck, lost or in denial. They vent and carp with friends or on the busy Web site www.AnimationNation.com, or sit at home and obsess.
In the past couple of years, it had become catch as catch can, with many bouncing from studio to production company. Goral had worked as a cleanup assistant on "Osmosis Jones" in 2000 and on "Austin Powers in Goldmember" a couple of years later. But when a steady flow of projects failed to sync, Goral had to think creatively.
"My wife got tired of me sitting around complaining and said, 'Look, the people at Trader Joe's seem like nice people. Maybe you'd like to work there,' " he says with a chuckle.
Goral considers himself lucky. Though it has been a lesson in improvisation for him, his wife and their two children, he has a steady schedule, health benefits, a regular paycheck and a roof over his head. He's also been teaching art and drumming up commissions. "I've begun to shamelessly promote myself," he says of the portfolio he keeps at the ready. "
>>link<< (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/artsentertainment/2001890778_animators30.html)
-R
"For decades, Southern California was the ultimate destination for self-described "animation geeks." But shifts in the industry — a growing appetite for computer-generated graphics and the chronic issue of outsourcing — have eliminated 1,000 jobs in the past three years.
It's a frustrating time for animators: Television appears to be a lively circus of work, with new shows, concepts and packages arriving seasonally, but much of the work is being done overseas. According to the Animation Guild, there are about 1,600 union members currently employed. But for the first time in 70 years the Walt Disney Co. doesn't have a traditional animation feature in the pipeline. ("Home on the Range," Disney's last-in-the-can 2-D feature, is due out Friday.) There is only one hand-drawn feature in production — "Curious George," for Universal Pictures. Disney began streamlining its traditional animation units nearly four years ago; since then several hundred jobs have vanished from Southern California and Florida.
Some animators have been out of work for 18 months or more. Some have taken part-time jobs in art supply shops or bookstores. Others have become gardeners, chefs, teachers and real-estate agents. While a number are making strides to transition into 3-D, or computer-generated imaging, others figure it looks like a good time to delve into long-sidelined projects. Then there are those who are simply stuck, lost or in denial. They vent and carp with friends or on the busy Web site www.AnimationNation.com, or sit at home and obsess.
In the past couple of years, it had become catch as catch can, with many bouncing from studio to production company. Goral had worked as a cleanup assistant on "Osmosis Jones" in 2000 and on "Austin Powers in Goldmember" a couple of years later. But when a steady flow of projects failed to sync, Goral had to think creatively.
"My wife got tired of me sitting around complaining and said, 'Look, the people at Trader Joe's seem like nice people. Maybe you'd like to work there,' " he says with a chuckle.
Goral considers himself lucky. Though it has been a lesson in improvisation for him, his wife and their two children, he has a steady schedule, health benefits, a regular paycheck and a roof over his head. He's also been teaching art and drumming up commissions. "I've begun to shamelessly promote myself," he says of the portfolio he keeps at the ready. "
>>link<< (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/artsentertainment/2001890778_animators30.html)
-R