Computer animation?

[epcotfan23]

Hey There,

This question came up at my dinner table last night and boy did the fur fly!!
Have a grand ol' time duking this one out...

Too much computer animation at Disney or is it just about where it should be?

[Figmentathm]

I think for somebody like me who grew up when I did (Child of the 50's), computer animation is a nice novelty. But I miss real animation. I know it is more expensive than computer animation, but the the results are so good and I think show more of a human touch. I thought Cars was amazing with some of the scenery, and I am glad that Disney and Pixar are together. I just can't put it in the same class as Snow White and Fantasia. (Please don't take South Park as an example of animation.)

This is even more apparent to me now that I am collecting Disney movies through the Disney Movie Club.
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[DisneyDave]

I think it's just a sign of the times. It seems like too much now, because it is new, and we are set in our old ways.

However take a look at the Comp Animated movies of late, and try to imagine them in 2D. It just wouldn't be the same. The capabilities are so much more with 3D, and I think we are in for some amazing cinematic adventures with the new format.

Keep in mind that most of the things that Disney does are ahead of the curve, and have always met with resitence... until they suddenly become mainstream and the norm. Our kids will be having this same argument with the next wave of technology that replaces CGI animation.
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Dave....

[daveypoo]

The times, they are a changin...

Cartoons used to be black and white. and people were not too keen on color...then color was upgraded...then the process changed from hand-painted and hand drawn to Xerox processes, then to computer painting and drawing. Animation has been changing for years and will continue to change.

But also keep in mind, there will ALWAYS be a place for 2D animation.
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When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.
--Walt Disney

[WDWFan]

I think both have thier place. I think a lot of it is based on what you grew up with, and how comfortable you are with change. I'll be honest. I still can not get use to 3D Mickey, but I still enjoy Philharmagic and the new Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. It just does not look like the Mickey I know and love. My son, who is not as exposed to Traditional 2D just accpts both as a given.

[Brownieboy69]

My wife and I have a 4 1/2 mo old and we watch The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse all the time .. (Mouseketool and Hot Dog Hot Dog Hot Diggity Dog and all the other songs that stick in my head...) Watching Mickey in 3D is tough... I also have a 16yr old a 13 year old and an 11 year old They are all products of The lion king and Aladdin, Little Mermaid and such.... I thought when Toy Story came out that I was amazed at how they could do animation like that.. Now it is becoming second nature and we should just accept it..... We still have our classics to share with our children on just how animation got its start and where it is now and moving towards.... Maybe I am just partial Because its MY CHILDHOOD and I bet Our kids will speak of 3D animation when they are grown like We do of 2D when they invent another type of imagination ( Holograms maybe in your own living room???) but I digress.......

[WDWFan]

Of Course, much of this must be based on the quality of the 3D generation. While I like the new Mickey Clubhouse. It is awful annoying that they did nor program realistic ears for Mickey and Minnie.

No matter what the position they are in, the ears always form the "Classic" Mickey outline. THis means that: a) his ears are magically moving around on his/her head, and b) it is acceptable to have your ears growing in a row out of the top of you head down your back.

With all of the other things factored in, you would think thier ears would not have been too much to include or too difficult.

I suspect a 2D animator would not have done that.

[daguru]

I think there is too much cgi animation in the whole industry. There are what, 7-8 cgi animated movies a year now, it has become too watered down.

There is a beauty and elegance to most traditional animation, you can see that the animators really cared for their craft and their projects... they took there time and made sure everything meet their own high standards

That care or commitment is difficult to portray with CGI animation (although I think Pixar does a good job with theirs). Most of the animated features in the last several years (including traditional animation) just seems rushed, sloppy, and that they just threw something together to make a quick buck.

I think that is one of the factors that doomed most if not all of the animated features Disney has produced since Lion King. When you go back and watch the older animated features (old classics through the 80s), there just seems to be something different about how they were drawn, painted... you can see the care that the animated took to make sure everything worked. Hercules, Emperor's New Groove, and even Lilo and Stich just looked like they rushed them and just look "different" from Disney's classic animation (they tried to bring that back with Lilo and Stitch, but it feel way short).

Most of the CGI today just looks, I dunno how to say it... blah. I actually perfer traditional animated to CGI animation, because CGI looks so impersonal.

Pixar has done an excellent job in portraying their care and commitment in their films, like how much and realisticlly Sully's hair moves with his motion, things like that... I think that is the biggest reason why Pixar movies are so much more popular than other CGI animation (including Disney's in-house releases).

Does any of that make sense, or do I need more coffee this morning...?
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[Brownieboy69]

I was just commenting this weekend as we were watching Mickeys Clubhouse about the ears he would turn his head and his ears would look as if they went from the middle of his forehead down to the back of his neck. Poor job , but I suppose when your entertaining 2-6 year olds they would never notice .....

I agree Daguru, Too much CGI Pixar does a great job and I think the detail in the Toy Story movies was the beginning of what we were to see in the future. Some do look poorly thrown together and rushed through production. I think Pixar puts the best out but I do miss the "old style" of animation.

[daveypoo]

To be fair, Disney Feature Animation is really stepping up quality with "Meet the Robinson's". From what I've seen, it's right up there with Pixar work (not to mention a really good story).
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When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.
--Walt Disney

[swarlock]

[fireurgunz]

I think Computer Animation is at its peak and it should be taken advantage of.
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[swarlock]

I believe Computer Animation has saturated the animation industry way too much and everybody and their third cousion wants to be Pixar.

I miss cel animation a lot these days too and it is far and few between
for me.
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