Grab Bag

Sorry about another delay. With my schedule lately, it has been impossible to keep this blog filled with new information. I'm sorry. I'll just start talking and see where this goes. ...continued...

Madagascar opens this weekend. It is a fun movie, therefore I recommend everyone go see it. It has some really nice/snappy animation that will keep any geeks salivating. The story is pretty good too. Go see it. If for any other reason, support our industry.

A week or two ago I spoke about an animation studio trying to open up in LA. Nothing new to report on that front. However, I've just heard of a deal that is about to potentially happen that would result in ANOTHER studio opening in LA. This time they are selling it as a 2 picture deal, with some very low budgets (under $25 million each). Some of the work will be outsourced to other countries, but most of the work will take place in LA. You know how I feel about outsourcing, so I won't even bother to get worked up over it. I know very little about the projects other than the name of the first movie and a synopsis. I won't divulge that information until after a public announcement has been made. It is simply enough to say that I'm not overly impressed. We'll see what happens.

Is Vanguard back in business?! An announcement from Cannes made it sound like John Williams is doing a CG movie called "Ribbit". It is about... you guess it... frogs. I don't quite know if they are going to outsource it or start another facility in the UK. It isn't exactly efficient to break down and build up studios for each movie, but John seems okay with it.

Speaking of building up a studio for each production. This is something that live action does all the time, and you wouldn't believe the number of producers I talk to that want to pattern CG productions in the same way. A LLC is created each time a movie is made, the crew/equipment/etc/etc are brought together to make the film, then it all disbands and nothing is left. This is asking for trouble when you do it for CG films. The infrastructure is enormous and the time lost to putting all of those computers together is frightening. Whether it will save any money or not, remains to be seen.

How is this for an idea for a new company?

Someone buys and configures a ton of computers. They are all hooked up and ready to go, complete with a CG pipeline (software) in place to make it run. They simply rent/lease the hardware/pipeline to producers who insist on building a team and dumping them for every project. You could even make it transportable so that the equipment can be sent to whatever country/state needs it. I'm only half kidding. If anyone takes this idea and runs with it. At least credit me for giving you the inspiration and provide a link to this website. :)