Showing posts with label jobs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jobs. Show all posts

Saturday, April 09, 2022

Discovery Aquires Warner Media From AT&T

Hello group, I'm grateful to the readers who still follow this blog. Health and work issues have kept me away again, but I felt this article deserved some attention. The course of the old Time-Warner corporation has always has always held my interest, mainly due to its animation history. And the old WB was me bread 'n' butter back in the 1990's.

But now, Bugs Bunny, Batman and the whole Warner media empire will go to work for the Discovery Channel. This group includes the Food Network, Animal Planet and TLC. Do they know they will be inheriting skeletons in the closet like Pepe Le Pew? Will they actually see the real ingredients of a Scooby-Snack? Maybe Superman will show how he bakes one of his giant super cakes? 

I'm just bellyachin' here folks, bear with me.

 (original copyright Warner Brothers)

At first, I was surprised that AT&T would sell off a library like Warner's when they still have all these digital arteries to fill. But now I'm wondering if the ol' "Ma Bell" isn't doing well with streaming. It looks like they have some big bills to pay off. And it's not like Discovery is a young, agile, cutting-edge new media entity like Amazon or Netflix either. This purchase looks more like another incident of buying up competitors, selling off the new surplus resources, and cutting jobs. 

Meanwhile, the remnants of the old Hollywood studios only seem to be flashy accessories that get passed around, like old antiques.

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/discovery-warnermedia-merger-close-warner-bros-discovery-1235200983/?fbclid=IwAR1e3zcxH9IizjuSMSb9MNMs82yKCRYSb0Tz4w4A_YoAloP4q3IvfJw28uw

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/discovery-warnermedia-merger-shareholders-approve-1235097326/

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

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.

 


Carl used Gephi to create this cool chart.

Sunday, May 12, 2019

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?

Saturday, June 23, 2018

E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo 2018 - Digital Village 90.7 KPFK

 Ric and Doran discuss high tech topics on their radio show, Digital Village. They also have Britney from Game Talk Live give a review of the E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo 2018.

Topics include:
The end of Net Neutrality
Tesla
AT&T/TimeWarner Merger
Uber pedestrian fatality
More female players, animators and game characters

With apologies, you have to search for Digital Village's latest show on KPFK's audio archive page.



Fortnite is reported to be the big game right now from Epic Games.

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

L.A. ACM SIGGRAPH - An Evening at the Technicolor Experience Center

 As an animation artist originally from the traditional pencil and paper world, I felt like I was in a classic James Bond movie when I visited the Technicolor Experience Center in Los Angeles. This was back on Tuesday May 8th, 2018


I must admit, VR headsets I've tried a few years ago gave me headaches and eyestrain, not to mention motion sickness. But the headsets at Technicolor seemed to agree with me, and the motion simulation chair worked in a very smooth, but dynamic way. The sensation of flying was pretty convincing. I was placed in the Alien: Covenant in Utero, a virtual reality experience. Not for the squeamish.

http://tec.technicolor.com/projects/alien-covenant-utero


It looks like VR games can be downloaded same as  downloading a movie, or any other video game. For Oculus, Vive and Stlan? Playstation? I'll try to clarify and update this ASAP.


Digitally insert an actor into a scene when their schedule prevents them from being filmed during a production.


VR stage for filming and tracking at Tecnincolor. The camera rig transmits its angle and position to Technicolor's tracking system. This can be matched up with the original camera's motion data.


Augmented Reality: objects from a video can appear to be in the room with you, if you have the AR app on your phone or tablet.

The reason is jobs, jobs, jobs! This is where the future is. Will update, correct and try to flesh out more details on this post soon.

Many thanks to L.A. ACM SIGGRAPH, and the staff at the Technicolor Experience Center!

http://tec.technicolor.com/about


http://la.siggraph.org/

Technicolor Experience Center
3237 South La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90016

Sunday, May 06, 2018

ASIFA-Hollywood’s General Membership Meeting - Animation Educators Forum 2018

Here's video that was live-streamed concerning the future of animation jobs in games, VR and new media. http://www.asifa-hollywood.org/animation-educators-forum-general-membership-meeting-will-take-place-may-5-2018/

Friday, August 14, 2015

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.










Saturday, March 29, 2014

Digital Village Radio on KPFK

Check out Digital Village on KPFK.

 http://www.digitalvillage.org/

Even though they hardly discuss animation, this show is a good source of info regarding how people and technology can work together.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

VFX Workers protest at Oscars 2014

After the "Life of Pi"/Rhythm and Hues fallout last year, the strife goes on...

http://www.deadline.com/2014/02/oscars-vfx-rally-visual-effects-adapt/


                        ("Modern Times" copyright Roy Export SAS)
http://www.charliechaplin.com/en/contacts/articles/130-Roy-Export-SAS 

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/documentary-2/life-after-pi-documentary-exposes-flawed-vfx-business-model-96579.html

http://entertainment.time.com/2014/02/26/oscars-2014-protest-vfx/

Of course, the police are concerned with any potential outbreaks of violence. As though a bunch of computer art geeks are going to cause another L.A. riot...

http://animationguildblog.blogspot.com/2014/02/rally-again.html

Undercutting to get film deals, and maybe due to not developing original properties? And the "big" studios squeezing every penny they can to get those blockbusters...

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Space Jam 2 - update

Too much up in the air. No one can confirm if LeBron is in or out. If it means jobs in Los Angeles, that's fine. But there must be a way to give Bugs and Daffy relevant exposure without turning them into second bananas to celebrities who will become quickly outdated.

(My cleanup of Taz for a Kool-Aid commercial, Taz copyright Time/Warner)

Story ideas: Have Bugs take on world hunger, organic foods and factory farming? Put Daffy Duck on Wall Street? (He should have gone there years ago after Chuck Jones turned him into a whiny, greedy, little backstabber). Have Elmer Fudd confront the NRA? The sky's the limit, but remember the grief Brad Bird went through with the Iron Giant.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/animationscoop/warner-bros-developing-space-jam-2?utm_source=asDaily_newsletter&utm_medium=sailthru_newsletter&utm_term=Blogs%3A%20asDaily%20V2&utm_campaign=Blogs%3A%20Animation%20Scoop%20Daily%202014-02-22

Update:

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/space-jam-sequel-is-in-the-works-96410.html

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Space Jam 2

Back in the 1990's, I was still new to animation. My days working at Warner Brothers Classic Animation were some of my happiest and proudest times of my life. (Although some folks there thought I was a naive fool for believing that. That's their problem.)


                     (Foghorn Leghorn copyright Time-Warner)

Here's one of my cleanups of Foghorn Leghorn in a Space Jam uniform. It's actually from a McDonald's TV ad we did at Warner Classics, although I did freelance on the film.

But the news of a Space Jam sequel leaves me with mixed feelings. Will it be hand drawn? Will the work be done in the U.S.? Will it be a dud like Looney Tunes-back in Action? (Although I appreciate the work in LT-BIA. I even sort of like it, especially the scenes on the Warner backlots, and the plot device of Daffy Duck getting "fired" to go on an adventure with Brendon Frasier.)

At the time, I was glad to be working on another animated feature. Then a friend pointed out that a star like Bugs Bunny (yeah, he's a fictitious character) should NEVER play second banana to any live action actor or sports celebrity. After taking her to see a private screening at the Warner lot, she nearly clawed my eyes out. It seems I helped write a big corporate love letter to Micheal Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Oi vey.

I admit, the excitement and hoopla at the time completely carried me away. I wanted to show my devotion to animation, and the success of the project. Live and learn I guess.

Just recently, there was a rumor that LeBron James might be in the sequel. But now the news is he is out already. Being a Cleveland area native, it's even harder these days to root for my home teams, especially after LeBron abandoned the Cavaliers. Hey, it's just business right?

http://www.deadline.com/2014/02/lebron-james-space-jam-sequel-dick-ebersol/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/254411461352100/

http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/22/space-jam-2-is-happening?utm_campaign=fbposts&utm_source=facebook

Monday, November 23, 2009

The Creative Talent Network Animation Expo 2009


...has left the building. It was fun, met some cool people, and even a few old friends...

But,

How do we help animation people get back to work?