|
Illumination Entertainment isn’t the only independent
studio that’s hoping to capture a slice of the
animation pie. Since the growth in popularity of animated
films, many other independent animation studios have
also sprung up- while some have gone as quickly as they
came, others have proven that they may just have what
it takes to stand up against the giants like Pixar,
DreamWorks and Sony Pictures Animation. In this next
section, we evaluate the prospects of five other independent
animation studios to see how their Illuminated their
future looks.
Aardman
Animations - Well before Pixar became a household
name in the animation industry, this British animation
studio was already gaining acclaim for their clay-modelled
shorts featuring the adventures of Wallace and Gromit-
Wallace the naive English inventor always wearing a
green knitted vest and Gromit his best friend, the intelligent
but silent dog. Their adventures include A Grand Day
Out (1989), The Wrong Trousers (1993) and A Close Shave
(1995), the latter two winning Academy Awards for Best
Animated Short.
They
teamed up with DreamWorks in 2000 for their first theatrical
feature, Chicken Run. An unexpected worldwide box-office
hit, Aardman soon signed a three-picture deal with DreamWorks
Animation. The first of these collaborations was the
return of Wallace and Gromit after a ten-year absence,
this time in a full-length theatrical feature Wallace
and Gromit: The Curse of the Were Rabbit (2005).
Aardman’s
maiden venture into computer animation was the next
DreamWorks co-production, Flushed Away (2006), which
despite positive reviews, was considered a disappointment
at the box-office in light of the performance of other
family-oriented fare. It also marked the end of the
partnership between DreamWorks and Aardman, citing creative
differences.
Nevertheless,
Aardman was quick to sign a three-picture deal with
Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2007. Due in 2011 is
the CGI animation Arthur Christmas that depicts Santa's
North Pole as a high tech installation with a highly
trained army of elves. Chicken Run director Peter Lord
is also working on another Aardman theatrical feature
Pirates! (2012) based on the Gideon Defoe book about
a cheerful but unlucky pirate band who strive to win
the Pirate of the Year trophy.
Aardman
may not have had much luck in the feature film department
but don’t be too quick to dismiss them just as
yet. There’s a lot of creative folks in Aardman,
including Peter Lord and Wallace and Gromit director
Nick Park, so with the right film and the right franchise,
Aardman may just join the ranks of the bigwigs.
Potential:
Ilion Animation Studios - A newcomer
to the animation industry, Ilion Animation Studios made
their debut last fall with the alien adventure Planet
51 (2009). Ilion was set up by the folks behind video
game development studio Pyro Studios to create computer-animated
movies using purpose-built technology. Planet 51 was
made on a budget of US$70 mil and made US$105 mil worldwide,
not a number to boast about going by the usual performance
of Pixar and DreamWorks. Still, that’s good enough
for its second movie due in 2011- though few details
have emerged. Based in Madrid, Spain, it will take a
lot more for Ilion to make its name known in the competitive
industry.
Potential:
Kanbar
Animation - So named after
its founder Maurice Kanbar, Kanbar Animation did not
have a conventional genesis. Better known as the American
entrepreneur and inventor behind SKYY vodka, Maurice
Kanbar was persuaded by his longtime friend Bea Montgomery
to set up Kanbar Animation specifically to produce a
full-length animated feature by the Edwards brothers,
Todd and Cory. Montgomery had met the Edwards brothers
on the comedy-drama Chillicothe and was impressed by
their talent- and so she introduced them to Kanbar with
their 45-min animated feature Wobots.
Kanbar was immediately taken and gave
them one month to come up with a concept for a full-length
animated feature- which they did with the Rashomon-like
take on the classic Red Riding Hood tale. Armed with
Kanbar’s financing, the Edwards joined hands with
veteran Disney producer David Lovegren (Little Mermaid
II; Fantasia 2000) to create their own animation studio
in a 5,000 square foot rented house in Manila. With
that can-do spirit came Hoodwinked!, which though criticised
for stiff and unrealistic animation, was nonetheless
praised for its original premise and story. Considering
its rumoured US$15 mil budget, its worldwide gross of
US$100 mil was good enough for it to be a hit- and warrant
a sequel.
Hoodwinked
Too! Hood Vs Evil was scheduled for a early Jan release
this year but unfortunately, like many of the Weinstein
Brothers releases, has been pushed back to an indeterminate
date. That delay has caused Kanbar Animation to take
up a lawsuit against The Weinstein Company, alleging
that they were never consulted on the delay of the release.
With no release date yet fixed for Hoodwinked Too! or
another upcoming project from Kanbar, it looks like
Kanbar’s days are numbered.
Potential:
Crest
Animation Productions - Crest
Animation Productions is the US subsidiary of the Indian-based
animation studio Crest Animation Studios (CAS). CAS
is one of the leading Asian animation studios which
does mainly work for television, while Crest Animation
Productions has so far done 6 full-length animated features
including the 1999 Warner Bros film, The King and I-
though none of them have been particularly successful.
After
a hiatus, Crest Animation Productions is back with a
new animation this year, Alpha and Omega in 3D, about
two mismatched young wolves (the voice talents of Hayden
Panettiere and Justin Long) thrown together by circumstance
and made to rely on each other. Due for worldwide release
in Sept by Lionsgate, the trailer suggests a very kid-friendly
movie that will unlikely appeal very much to adult audiences
so don’t expect Alpha and Omega to be a breakout
hit anytime soon.
Potential:
Starz
Animation - Part of Starz Media, this Canadian-based
animation studio built its way into the industry from
its work on television series such as Veggie Tales.
Its first full-length theatrical feature was Space Chimps
(2008) which despite its kooky brand of humour was unable
to find much of an appreciative audience, winding up
with US$64 mil worldwide.
Starz’s
sophomore theatrical feature also did not have much
luck the box-office- based on the acclaimed short film,
9 (2009) only managed a paltry US$41 mil worldwide despite
having producers Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov. More
promising is its 2011 release Gnomeo & Juliet, Shakespeare's
tragic romance with a garden-gnome twist with original
music by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. Directed by Kelly
Asbury (one of the co-directors of Shrek 2), it features
the voices of James McAvoy and Emily Blunt.
Starz
will have to bank on Gnomeo & Juliet to turn its
fortunes around- its other animation, Hoodwinked Too!,
co-produced with Kanbar Animation, is as mentioned earlier
stuck in limbo with the troubled Weinstein Company.
Potential:
If
You Missed Part one of "Illuminating The Future
of Animation"...
Despicable
Me opens 8 July and is reviewed here.
|
