Studio Showrunners and Talent jumping to Streaming Services

New gold rush? New brain drain? Streaming (a.k.a. the new cable TV) seems to be the technology we should focus on. The L.A. Times reports on how showrunners are leaving TV production for the streaming service companies. This is concerning since good animation jobs will depend on these new studios. On Star Trek, the Next Generation, commander Data mentioned that television became obsolete by 2040 as a popular form of entertainment. Looks like it will be much sooner than that.

 (By Thomas Suh Lauder and David Ng)

https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-et-netflix-job-report/?fbclid=IwAR0cF6erLuldRlG_jD92KuistK69yGS_7ZMyW0b8TRyhop2VPCVPAIgJa00

In the meantime, Carl Beu created this nifty chart showing how timers form the heart, or maybe the backbone of TV animation employment.

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10102690632423247&set=p.10102690632423247&type=3&theater

Carl used Gephi to create this cool chart.

https://gephi.org/ 

Streaming Animation - Rights for Artists and Viewers

Credit where credit is due: I think this article by Alex Dudok de Wit on Cartoon Brew gives a thorough rundown on the situation of streaming sources and their rates. Excellent research.

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/streaming/the-ultimate-guide-to-streaming-animation-comparing-netflix-amazon-prime-video-hulu-disney-apple-tv-hbo-max-177645.html

 Alex's article took me back to my concerns about the rights of animation artists working in new media, and the rights of consumers. It looks like we have simply gone back to paying for a new type of cable TV, on top of paying our internet bills. And will the new media studios try to continue in nickel and diming the artists to death? My Spidey-Sense says yes.

https://animationre-creation.blogspot.com/search/label/corporate%20mergers

And then there's this: After months of negotiations with ShadowMachine, animation artists finally succeeded in signing a Guild labor contract on Bojack Horseman. Now, after a six year run, Netflix is pulling the plug on the show.

(copyright Netflix)

https://ew.com/tv/2019/09/28/aaron-paul-says-netflix-decided-end-bojack-horseman/

https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/bojack-horseman-final-season-netflix-1203351456/ 

https://www.cinemablend.com/television/2481223/why-is-netflixs-bojack-horseman-ending-aaron-paul-seems-to-have-a-different-explanation

With the financial and technology situations changing so rapidly, I can see why the studios want to hedge their bets on labor and other production costs. But I still think animation artists and technicians need representation in new media, and citizens still need a Digital Bill of Rights. Especially when it comes to our savings, and our privacy. And just our plain old satisfaction when we plunk down in front of whatever screen we choose for entertainment.

https://www.awn.com/news/bojack-horseman-crew-votes-unionize

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/artist-rights/breaking-bojack-horseman-crew-is-victorious-in-unionizing-with-animation-guild-176148.html

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/netflixs-bojack-horseman-animators-push-union-wages-1205833

Discord - the Uber/Facebook/Kickstarter of Animation?

The next big change in animation?
The future of animation?
Meet Discord - the Uber/Facebook/Kickstarter of Animation

https://discordapp.com/

While designed as an online app for gamers, I met a student who was doing animation for the new animated TV project "Hazbin Hotel". It looks like it's being funded and managed through this system. I didn't ask, out of manners, how they were being paid. I'm wondering if this could sidestep the entire current studio system. I'm just concerned that labor is being managed this way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeOWxqYp80A
 (Caution - adult themed material)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discord_(software)

Here's my animation history rant in a nutshell:

 First, the Zoetrope invented by William E. Lincoln,
Next, animation drawn with pencil and paper, shot on black and white film,
Then acetate cels, shot in color,

Next, animated features,
Multiplane cameras,

TV limited animation,

Then came the first computer animation made with old military technology,

Soon, video games,
The internet and world wide web,

Next animated features Tron, Toy Story,

Massive layoffs of traditional artists - "Learn Maya"

Virtual reality and Augmented Reality

Games and animation for smartphones,

Plus, streaming new media.

And now, Discord.

Not that Discord!

Are you ready for what's next?

How to Fix the Future by Andrew Keen

Managed to catch this on KPFK; Ralph Nader interviews author Andrew Keen.

https://ralphnaderradiohour.com/how-to-fix-the-future/

 (from Technological Threat, directed by Bill Kroyer 1988)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096238/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32508662-how-to-fix-the-future

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/WesternAnimation/TechnologicalThreat

VR: Game Changer. Virtual Reality on NPR

Can VR be used for more than just blasting bad guys? Joshua Johnson hosts the show "1A" where he interviews Stamford professor Jeremy Bailenson, and discusses his new book "Experience on Demand". Tune in and find out!

https://www.scpr.org/programs/1A/2018/05/07/59796/

Siggraph 2015

Didn't get there in time for any seminars or movies, but lots of learning opportunities for students to make their own toys, robots, gadgets, etc. Young people are doing more with laser cutters and 3D printers.

 

Also demos on more total immersion with virtual reality systems. The vendor floor was smaller than usual, but the Foundry, Autodesk , Mocha and some pipeline system companies were there.

Charlie Hebdo Attack in Paris

Will try to get more info asap. I don't want to go off half cocked on this. But what a way for artists to start off 2015.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/07/paris-terror-attack-huge-manhunt-under-way

http://abcnews.go.com/International/deadly-shooting-reported-french-satirical-newspaper-office/story?id=28050771

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/08/world/europe/charlie-hebdo-paris-shooting.html?_r=0

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/paris-magazine-attack/charlie-hebdo-shooting-12-killed-muhammad-cartoons-magazine-paris-n281266

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30710883

http://animationguildblog.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-attack-on-cartoonists.html

President Obama supports net neutrality

With such a pro-corporate bias in Washington, it's amazing that President Obama is taking a stand on net neutrality. But I applaud him on this, since he's been too eager to give in on so many other issues.

Craig Aaron's talk on KPFK's Uprising with Sonali Kolhatkar caught my ear; I think he outlined the situation very clearly.

Sonali Kolhatkar

Sonali Kolhatkar

Sonali Kolhatkar

Sonali Kolhatkar

Sonali Kolhatkar

 

http://uprisingradio.org/home/2014/11/11/obama-pleasantly-susprises-progressives-for-once-on-net-neutrality/

Our society depends so much on phones, electricity, radio and TV, the premise of not reclassifying the internet as a Title II telecommunications service seems extremely unfair. And kind of absurd. Especially with the media mergers like the Comcast/Time-Warner deal still in the works.

http://deadline.com/2014/11/writers-guild-obama-net-neutrality-protect-free-speech-1201280513/

One thing that puzzles me is how they expect us to buy stuff online if our connections are slow. It would take forever to see the merchandise!

http://animationguildblog.blogspot.com/2014/11/better-net.html

The FCC's Chairman Tom Wheeler is still basically in favor of a two tiered system; "big pipes" for corporations who can afford to pay more...

And let the rest of us eat cake...

Time to keep calling your senators on this! And Tom Wheeler as well.
http://act.freepress.net/letter/internet_fcc_nprm_oliver/?source=faq

 (my pinwheel of death)

A world without books

Still getting used to a generation of animation students who don't rely on books. While there is a huge amount of material and tutorials online, I wonder how they "index" it all in their minds.

And I don't just mean bookmarking websites. Growing up with books made me learn how to "index" which specific material was in which particular book. My point is, what will they do when they are in a situation where they might be cut off from the web? Of course that might be in the midst of a huge natural disaster. Don't mean to be so gloomy, but what will the human race become?

 "Books? Yes, we have books."

(screenshots from George Pal's Time Machine, copyright 1960 Galaxy Films, Inc. Originally distributed by MGM, now handled by Warner Home Video )

Eric Hoffer - learners will inherit the earth

'Nuff said.