Disney in Orlando lays off some more animators

[leigh]

That's a real shame :(

You'd think that of all the companies out there, Disney would be expanding not pruning its staff.

This is certainly a sad thing to see.

Incidently Floyd, how come you always seem to hear so quickly about these things? Do you have a lot of friends at these studios? :curious:

[FloydBishop]

Originally posted by Leigh

Incidently Floyd, how come you always seem to hear so quickly about these things? Do you have a lot of friends at these studios? :curious:

I actually read this on the Animated Movies (http://animated-movies.squareworld.com/News.html) website, but I do have a lot of friends at different studios... but more and more at the unemployment office these days.

:eek:

[shapeshifter]

I feel really sad to hear these news. I spoke with A. Deja this summer (at the FMX) and he told me that he is learning Maya right now - back then I couldn't believe that they were really going to shut their 2D department down...

It would be interesting to hear some more details from the artists who worked / are working at Disney. For example how is Disney deciding who is staying with them (and learning CG) and who has to go? Or are they planing to extend their existing 3D department with an entirely new staff that is already trained in CG animation?

[leigh]

Originally posted by shapeshifter
It would be interesting to hear some more details from the artists who worked / are working at Disney. For example how is Disney deciding who is staying with them (and learning CG) and who has to go? Or are they planing to extend their existing 3D department with an entirely new staff that is already trained in CG animation?

I was also wondering about that...

At any rate, I hope that having Disney on their resumes helps them to find new jobs soon. Such a waste of what is no doubt a hell of a lot of talent.

Originally posted by Floyd Bishop
I actually read this on the Animated Movies website, but I do have a lot of friends at different studios... but more and more at the unemployment office these days.


That's sad to hear about your friends, Floyd. Weren't you also a victim of layoffs at Blue Sky? I seem to remember hearing that last year... Well, at least Ice Pond seems to be kicking some ass! It's good to see people bouncing back from misfortune :thumbsup: I certainly have a lot of admiration for you.

[Ckerr812]

Originally posted by shapeshifter
For example how is Disney deciding who is staying with them (and learning CG) and who has to go?

How most companies (or Corporations like Disney, not sure about specific studio of Disney) do layoffs, is simply you are assigned a employee number the day you are hired, so the lower your number the more seniority you have. The big wigs up stairs decide to lay off 50 people to save money, they look at the list and take the highest 50 numbers and so on and so forth.

This is a good way and is how bigger companies do it, because A) You know exactly were you stand. B) It cuts down on ass kissing and C) It's just plain fair. Not to mention it saves any legal issues a former employee might try.

[gruvsyco]

Instead of firing animators they should fire writers. That's where the recent crop of animated feature failings are.

[jeremybirn]

When most companies do lay-offs, it is not just by a fixed factor like senority, but instead depends on a number of factors: what position or department you are in, you personal performance or review status from your supervisors, your rate of pay compared to others considered equally valuable, the value of your particular skills or strengths - seniority is only one factor.

-jeremy

[Ckerr812]

Yea, I guess it depends on the company you work for and there policies. I work for a major Car manufactuerer ATM, and that's the company policy for the reasons I mentioned. I have heard it's similar to what Disney does, but that's from 2d animators here in Toronto when they closed the studio 2 year ago or so and they had to decide who to move to other places and who to let go. :shrug:

[shapeshifter]

Ckerr812 & jeremybirn:

Thanks for the info. Sounds logical. Hopefully Leigh is right and they find new jobs soon.

gruvsyco:

I know what you mean but one has to keep in mind that the "general direction" a film / story is taking has to be approved by the management. So a "crazy new story" that breaks with typical Disney characteristics might not be considered because it wouldn't have been approved.
I have heard that "Emperors New Groove" for example has been produced with much less financial resources as usual. The management just felt a story with some kind of selfish anti hero was not the typical Disney one - they are right, but I for my part liked the film because of that.

[cgwolf]

I would have to agree about firing the writers and whoever comes up with the story concepts instead of the animators. The reason Disneys been putting out flops is because of story and character development. Not the artwork.

[FloydBishop]

Originally posted by cgwolf
I would have to agree about firing the writers and whoever comes up with the story concepts instead of the animators.


The writers are usually not on staff, and they write what the execs let them write. Also, by the time the story makes it's way through the production process, it's often quite different than the original script.

Sid the Sloth was a lot more like a Jerry Springer guest in the initial script.

[FloydBishop]

Originally posted by Leigh
That's sad to hear about your friends, Floyd. Weren't you also a victim of layoffs at Blue Sky? I seem to remember hearing that last year...

Yep. I was out of the studio before "Ice Age" even opened... along with 100+ of my co-workers. It was in November of 2001, one week after my birthday! :surprised

That's a whole 'nother thread though...

Well, at least Ice Pond seems to be kicking some ass! It's good to see people bouncing back from misfortune :thumbsup: I certainly have a lot of admiration for you.

While we haven't "hit the big time" just yet, we haven't starved yet either. We'll see what the future brings for Icepond.

[richcz3]

I am not sure if anyone around here has heard the saying.

You want to be able to say you used to work for Disney, Not that you work for Disney.

It's been years since I heard that, sorry if I wrote it wrong.

The point being made as I was told is that Disney is real cheap on the pay scale in comparison with comparable studios. The work you produce never leaves the studio, so your portfolio is reduced to "I worked on ... feature. There are serious content controls in place.

The belief is that experince working at Disney would/should tend to carry more clout. Of course, this applied to more conventional art work. Now that 2D is being ruled out, it may be a much different game.

richcz3

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