Toy Story 3

• animation powers: open windows to the future

I posted this earlier today on CG-Char regarding Disney's sequel division

I would not be surprised if the Disney sequel division does NOT do Toy Story 3. Apparently they are looking for animators. Seems kind of early for a film that's due out in 2008. Pixar doesn't deliver their last film under the present contract until 2006, making 2007 the year of their first potential non-Disney film. Bob Iger will be taking over as CEO of Disney on Sept 30 and has said he and Steve Jobs have been in communication; which seems contrary to what was in the press months back of "its over...blah blah". I'm sure in these the discussions the topic of Toy Story 3 has come up. So what if they put the brakes on TS3? It can happen. Remember the Disney FL studio was doing My Peoples...then one day they weren't. But to not do TS3 may not be the kiss of death to the sequel studio. Disney has made 2D sequels to all their 2D films....logic would suggest they would want the same for all their 3D films.

So here is my prediction: Iger will strike a new deal with Jobs by the end of the year. He will do what Eisner could not and instantly become beloved by Disney fans and stockholders. It will be seen as a sign that the company is on a upswing. Not a bad way to kick off your reign eh? The sequel studio will either A. continue with Toy Story 3 with Pixar's blessing (not likely) or B. start preproduction on Chicken Little 2. Remember Chicken Little? It comes out this fall.I think the idea of Pixar sequels without Pixar was Eisner's way of saying FU to Jobs....we don't need you. With Eisner heading for the door....that could change......

I could be wrong......but if I'm right....well...then someone owes me a cookie....

Clone Wars

• animation powers: filled with the dark side

After a pretty bleah Monday at worked I came and rewatched some of Cartoon Networks Clone Wars, which if you haven't seen them race on over : http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/promos/200503_starwars/index.html

The first series aired last spring and was comprised of 20 episodes clocking in at about 2-3 minutes. The new series are only five episodes at around 10 or so minutes each. They are, in my opinion, much more rewarding than the first 2 prequels movies. It's what we want to see. The Jedi in their prime. There was glimpses of this in the first 2 movies but nothing like what we see in Clone Wars. We see why the Jedi are protectors of the galaxy.....because they kick ass!! No standing in a circle deflecting shots....they actually use the force to throw back swarms of battle droids, to crash ships into each other and to pick crap up and throw it at bad guys.

Remember when Vader tore shit up in Cloud City and threw it at look Luke.....sweeeeet.

They are masters of the force and they know how to use it (remember the force George.....you came up with it)....in the first run of Clone Wars episodes there was a whole bit of Mace vs an army of battle droids...he wiped em out....Yoda didn't appear with reinforcements...he did it all himself. Watching this animated series gets me excited about Star Wars...and yes the 3rd movie....but then I realize that I shouldn't get my hopes too high. Damnit George I want to believe, but from the moment Jar Jar popped on screen....bouncing around like Goofy with a speech impediment, I've been skeptical. However with talk of a future Star Wars something-something coming to TV, I do hope its an animated series...

..sigh..

• animation powers: low
  

It's monday. What else is there to say? I'm still recovering from all the chocolate goodness of Easter; curse you peanut butter eggs!! About the only thing exciting happening today is the simple thought that there is a new episode of LOST on Wednesday.....sweet..finally. I pretty much only watch three shows with any regularity. LOST, which rules, Smallville, which sucks more each week and 24. 24...dear dear 24..I just haven't been feeling it this season..its seems a little "been there done that". And you know that no matter what the hell happens Jack will save the day in that last hour. Have the world asplode in that last hour or maybe Jack gives birth....that would be unexpected.

Well not everyone is having a bleah Monday. I want to give a shout out to 2 of our production assistants, Tonymator and Bluebarry, who offically start as animators today. They will be working on two Jimmy Neutron specials that recently went into production here. God be with you....er...congratulations.

The View from Down Here

• animation powers: weaken by excess chocolate eggs

Happy Easter everyone! Yes I'm talking to both readers of this blog. I had a revelation in Church today. I was sitting with my daughter at a point when everyone else was standing. As I looked around and noticed other children...some sitting...some standing...I realized that from roughly age 1 to maybe 5..our entire lives our made up of us looking at crotches and butts. Its true. At the eye level of a child that is all they can see. As I kinda slumped down to get more at the eye level of my daughter, I looked around thinking "how do they get along like this, its a people forest at this height. With crotches and butts as far as the eye can see." It made me hope that when aliens invade the planet and start living among us, they are not taller than humans. Having alien crotches and butts at my eye level is not something I can live with...

Death by Chocolate

• animation powers: weak and defeated

Tonight my wife and I went out to dinner. While at face value this is not something extraordinary we have a daughter who is almost 2. So typically going to dinner is the three of us climbing into the Animato-mobile and heading out someplace kid friendly where we can sit down and eat in about 30 seconds. However tonight was our bi-annual "go out without Wonder-pea". So we went to Saltgrass Steakhouse...ate at a relaxed passed and did the unheard of...we got desert. After reviewing the desert tray of plastic replicas, we made our superpowered decision: brownie sundae.....yummy. When it arrived and we began diving into it, I began to reflect on the tray o plastic we had looked at earlier. Every desert was perhaps 3 times bigger than any mere mortal could eat alone. When did this happen? At what point did they start injecting steriods into the deserts. No no a 2 layer cake isn't big enough...make it 10 layers! So during the course of eating my wife did the "spoon release/push back from the table" signaling she was finished and at last I could pull the goblet close and go to town. Its the signal men wait for during any "desert sharing" experience. In fact when the desert first arrives we are already calculating in our heads how many bites it will take to fill up her wee tummy. And now that it had happened and it was all mine for the taking..mine mine mine. Oh how glorious. But as I looked inside the goblet of fat, I realized there was a lot left and my stomach had just about reached critical mass. But I....must...finish...I.....caaaaaaaaaaaaaan not. The shame. I summoned all the powers a animator sidekick is allowed to have but alas all I could muster was a few wee bites......at which point my stomach damn near asploded.

The Blog Begins

• animation powers: soggy

Yes its a rainy Saturday here in Texas. What better time to start a blog. I've never had my own blog before so it may take me a bit to get it going the way I want. I am but a simple animator-hero sidekick. This strange new world with its....blogs and mini Macs frighten and confuse me. I mean have you seen that mini-Mac? Its like a little candy tin. Give it a look :http://www.apple.com/macmini/