Articles have surfaced that Sony Imageworks and SPA are going up for sale. Or at least a portion of them. This obviously is a result of a shortage of cash. Surf's Up and Open Season didn't do as well financially as expected. Their for-hire work on various films have slowed to a trickle. The company needs money to stay afloat. Layoffs have already happened and you can only assume more will take place unless something happens quick. Two of their CG feature films are still in development, but a ways off and realistically, they may never see the light of day. The moral at this studio must be low.
I know of one group that is seriously contemplating sending money their way. Whether it will surface or not depends on a lot of factors. Mostly it depends on what they would get out of it. Let's assume that it does happen and this company comes in with a wad of cash, what happens then? Will the company continue as it has been? Or will new management take over and clean house and streamline the company? The latter choice would suggest more layoffs as they try to start somewhat fresh. The first choice would suggest continued problems.
If I were in charge of several hundred million dollars and had the option of either buying part of Sony Imageworks/SPA or starting a brand new animation studio... It would be a hard decision. On one hand you can start completely fresh without the baggage. On the other, you are able to get into a company with decent infrastructure and more importantly, a well known name. My choice would all come down to what where in the details of the contract. I have a feeling that Sony would want a high dollar figure for not a (relatively speaking) lot in return and make it very unattractive.
I know of one group that is seriously contemplating sending money their way. Whether it will surface or not depends on a lot of factors. Mostly it depends on what they would get out of it. Let's assume that it does happen and this company comes in with a wad of cash, what happens then? Will the company continue as it has been? Or will new management take over and clean house and streamline the company? The latter choice would suggest more layoffs as they try to start somewhat fresh. The first choice would suggest continued problems.
If I were in charge of several hundred million dollars and had the option of either buying part of Sony Imageworks/SPA or starting a brand new animation studio... It would be a hard decision. On one hand you can start completely fresh without the baggage. On the other, you are able to get into a company with decent infrastructure and more importantly, a well known name. My choice would all come down to what where in the details of the contract. I have a feeling that Sony would want a high dollar figure for not a (relatively speaking) lot in return and make it very unattractive.
1 comment:
If Yair Landau hadn't greatly offended Bob Zemeckis, Zemeckis might still be at Sony. Yair knows nothing about producing animated features, as evidenced by his hiring of Penny Finkleman Cox and Sandra Rabins. Thanks to him, a bunch of talented artists are soon to be out on the street.
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