Cartoon Brew published this great photo a couple of years ago, it was taken on May 1, 1989, in Orlando. On that day the Disney/MGM studio park opened. I believe this backdrop is the entrance to the then new Feature Animation Building, which later would became my home during the production of Lilo and Stitch.
Here Ollie Johnston, Frank Thomas, Ward Kimball, Ken O'Connor and Marc Davis personalize cement blocks before leaving their handprints on them.
The West Coast Burbank versions of these prints are pictured below. Naturally Kimball wouldn't do things according to protocol. Hilarious.
As some of you might know the Orlando Animation Building closed early in 2004. It was a beautiful place to work in with a great floor plan, spacious offices and of course a terrific team of artists.
But times change... and then you find yourself working on a plan B as far as your animated future. Part of my own plan B involves a 1/2 hour hand drawn film, which is coming along very nicely. It is a passion project, and I can't wait to share it with audiences.
Andreas, I'm very anxious to see your film, Mushka. I'm curious though as to how I will be able to do so. At half an hour I don't suppose many mainstream type theaters will be playing it. Do you have any distribution plans you can share?
ReplyDeleteWard Kimball looks very funny in this picture. He could be a funny character in an animated film; I'm already having visions of a toy salesman caricatured as Ward Kimball, and behaving like the Mad Hatter and the Peddler in Aladdin.
ReplyDeleteGuess you're too humble to mention that you are one too, Andreas! You've got a hell of a "plan B"!
ReplyDeleteIf the Orlando Animation Building had a pathway alongside windows for visitors like me to look down on and view the artists working, then I was in that building in 1990. What a shame it closed. THAT was what I remember about my trip!
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