Animated features in '04 - Post Script

Post, Dec, 2003 by Marc Loftus

For the third straight year now, our December issue follows a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats theme, giving industry pros an opportunity to voice their opinions on subjects such as HD, DI, editing, DVD and the like. The pieces make for interesting reading because they address both the good and the bad in each category, as well as offer an optimistic outlook for the year ahead.

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Looking back at 2003, it's tough to say what the biggest story was for the post industry. Considering the announcement of numerous new products, an assortment of acquisitions, a war and an unexpected blackout, I'd say 2003 was a collection of many influential events.

I had a chance to visit Skywalker Sound last January as they were preparing the soundtrack for what was probably the year's most popular movie--Finding Nemo. These animated family films have really carved out a place in the post world. Software makers want their tools to be the ones responsible for making entertaining characters. Workstation manufacturers want to represent the power behind them. And studios want the accolades as well as the opportunity to cash in.

IDT Media and its DPS unit realize what opportunities these animated films offer. The New Jersey-based company spent a good portion of 2003 acquiring heavyweights--in this case the animation studios Mainframe and Film Roman--which, I'm guessing, will come together to create a longform animated property.

Here in New York, another animation house, Luminetik, is developing its own animated property--Dis-Konnected--which it hopes will attract teen and young-adult audiences with a sexy, empowered heroine named Alex (See News on page 8). The Luminetik team conceived the story as well as designed all of the characters for Dis-Konnected, and once they secure financing, they hope to move ahead quickly, assembling an animation support team that can get their vision of Alex and her adventures onto the big screen.

Looking at the "Animation SWOT" on page 34, many of our interview subjects are also excited about the prospects of animated features. But the question arises as to whether the medium can evolve beyond its current "for kids only" status? It's tough to tell.

Meanwhile, Blue Sky is working on a follow-up to Ice Age, and DreamWorks' Shrek 2 is expected to hit theatres this summer. Looks like 2004 will offer lots to talk about.

By

MARC LOFTUS

SENIOR EDITOR

moflus@advanstar.com