Disneys western-themed HOME ON THE RANGE, which opens April 2, signals the last of the studios 2D animated theatrical features, according to studio chief Dick Cook. He told REUTERS that there are currently no more hand-drawn projects on the film slate. It is where things are going, Cook said about 3D animation. "I don't think it is the end of an era. I think hand-drawn animation will continue in one form or another," he added. Yet Cook defended RANGE, calling the comedy a kick.
But former Disney animator Peter de Seve maintained in a separate interview that technique is not to blame for the studio's inability to produce successful hand-drawn features. "There is such an aim for the bottom line and so much census-taking and poll-taking that the stories get diluted," he said.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
