Disney Pixar launch Vancouver animation studio

[ALIASd]

This fall Disney Pixar will open a animation studio facility in Vancouver.

"The operation will be small in size and dedicated to producing short-form quality computer animation for theme parks, DVDs, television and theatrical exhibition ... for several different divisions of the Walt Disney Co.," Disney/Pixar president Ed Catmull said.

Full story at:

Disney/Pixar launching new studio

[Coheteboy]

whoa. i almost feel that they should just keep it in house?

[ALIASd]

Oh Canada! That was my immediate reaction as well. However if there were ever a company that had a surplus of top-flight animators, directors, writers and producers stockpiled and waiting for their chances at the next steps forward it would have to be Pixar. It would appear that this additional facilty will at least supply greater and more frequent opportunities.

Not crazy about the idea of JL being pulled in yet another direction though, that has to be one already very full plate. When will he have time to make wine?!

[migy21]

Whoa! That is so cool.

What is in Vancouver that makes the entire entertainment industry so into it? (just asking...)

[WOKcreative]

Another link to a Vancouver paper - mostly the same info, but some other stuff, too.

Pixar to open Vancouver studio

(for those that want even more info)

It is still "in-house", just in a new house. The article says that JL probably won't be there that much.
Sounds like they won't be taking many existing people with them, but hiring more locals, just out of school. Interesting approach.
Great for all of them, but bad for those that are already out of work, with much experience. Probably a business decision to save money for Disney and Pixar, but will they be able to keep the same quality? Probably depends on how many others are going up there with experience. Better tax incentives keep eating away at local production - backed up by the unions, since they represent Canada also. At least more Canadians will be working. Vancouver is a very nice place.

[C. Andrew Nelson]

Originally Posted by migy21

What is in Vancouver that makes the entire entertainment industry so into it? (just asking...)

Well, mostly it's the fact that the cost of doing business is cheaper in Vancouver than it is in Hollywood or New York. For example, for what it would cost you to shoot one modestly budgeted commercial in Los Angeles you could literally shoot five commercials in Vancouver, Canada. I did exactly that a few years ago.

Another reason it makes sense for some studios, in this case Disney, to open a facility in Vancouver is because there is already a thriving film & TV production and post-production industry in that town.

And there are some darned good film/animation schools in the Vancouver region as well that could easily supply a new Disney animation facility with fresh young (and inexpensive) talent just like Pixar in the San Francisco Bay Area often hires students from the Academy of Art University (which I used to teach for) and Ex'pression College for Digital Arts (just a mere mile or so from Pixar).

[Barbossa]

Hmm, first Club Penguin here in Kelowna and now Pixar in Vancouver. I guess all the people that got laid-off at EA might get new work. Maybe they could give us a Disney Theme park next.

Vancouver might be a cheap place to do business, but not cheap to live in. Vancouver's probably the most expensive city in Canada and more so now with the Olympics coming up next year.

Here's what CBC posted about Pixar in Vancouver:
Pixar plans new animation studio in Vancouver