Jim Hill
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In the wake of "Titan A.E." 's dismal domestic performance, Fox studio head Bill Mechanic was actually forced to resign. Fox then shut down its feature animation facility in Phoenix, AZ. As of the moment, the only animated project that this studio currently has in production is "The Ice Age," a CGI comic adventure (which features TV's Ray Romano as the voice of a woolly mammoth) that's being produced for Fox by the folks at New York's Blue Sky Studio.
So -- given how many other studios have had animated action adventure films crash and burn lately -- why would Disney dare to attempt a project in this genre? It's simple, really, folks. Production of this film was already well underway when "The Iron Giant" and "Titan A.E." began tanking at the box office. Given the time and money that Disney had already invested in "Atlantis," the studio really had no choice but to go forward with production of the film. So push forward, they did.
Of course, that doesn't mean that the Mouse didn't try to limit its potential losses on this project. Midway through production, Disney Studio executives asked the "Atlantis" production team to do some serious "reduction of scope" work on their film. (TRANSLATION: Disney executives wanted "Atlantis" 's animators to drop a few special effects laden sequences that -- while they may have been crucial to the plot as well as being great fun for movie-goers to see -- these scenes would have driven the film's production budget right through the roof.) This, the "Atlantis" production team reluctantly agreed to do. But only because they wanted to prove to Disney Company management that the animation staff could be team players too. That these artists were willing to work with studio executives to try and contain costs on all future feature length animated films.
Atlantis
(c) Disney
So how did Mouse House executive decide to reward this generous gesture by Disney's animation staff? By announcing earlier this year that the company was looking to lay off upwards of 30% of its feature animation production staff. (So much for the benefits of being a team player.)
Of course, Disney's marketing staff doesn't have time right now to worry about such petty issues as "Atlantis" animators potentially losing their jobs. They're far too concerned with really important things like ... How to make sure all the 13 year old boys who are supposed to be going to "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" on its opening weekend aren't distracted by Laura Croft's big, bulging ... holsters.
NEXT WEEK ... Jim takes a closer look at how Disney's marketing staff carefully crafted an "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" promotional campaign that deliberately aimed to undercut the appeal of Paramount Pictures' live action film version of the "Tomb Raider" CD-ROM games.
Discuss It
-- Jim Hill
Jim Hill can be reached using the Talkback form below or by emailing him at [email protected].
Jim Hill is this guy who lives 'way out in the woods of New Hampshire. (Hey, it's not like he wants to live there. But the Witness Protection Program has got rules, you know.) He has one beautiful daughter and three obnoxious cats. When he's not looking for real work, Jim writes about the Walt Disney Company and related matters for LaughingPlace.com, AmusementPark.com, "Orlando Weekly" and Digital Media FX.
The opinions expressed by Jim Hill, and all of our columnists, do not necessarily represent the feelings of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the past decisions and future plans of the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.
-- Posted June 7, 2001