Saturday, September 06, 2008

How the Biz Works, How the Pooh Crew was Doubly Screwed

There's been some good points by commenters in the Diz post below. Like this back-and-forth:

Tigger and Pooh crew member: "And people went out and spent money based on the promise of another year of work. So now there are people in economic trouble because of this" ...

Anonymous: Why do people do this?!? DON'T SPEND MONEY YOU DON'T HAVE! It's really not a difficult concept.

I don't disagree with the sentiment above. It's a good idea to be frugal, honestly it is. But a larger point is skipped over ...

The animation marketplace is a jumble of projects, many of them ending at different times of the year. Work goes on year-round, but the worst time to try and find work is moving into and out of the holiday season.

You know, like the Fall?

The artists, writers, and directors on My Friends Tigger and Pooh are all top notch, and they'll find other gigs. They'll get their portfolios out there, work contacts, pound the sidewalk, and sooner or later come up with something. But they all would have been doing job searches months ago if the pinheads in upper management had given them a heads up that the series was ending.

Instead, everyone was informed that the show was greenlit for another season, so everyone planned accordingly. And regardless of whether people were "spending money they didn't have" and that was a bad idea, for sure they weren't looking for work at a time the pickings were fatter because they had jobs, and we're told they would last another year.

One more fine gift from the smooth professionals at Disney TVA/Disney Channel. Thanks ever so much.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Even if they were laid off months ago, they wouldn't have been in a different position from now. The television sector is horrible right now.

Steve Hulett said...

Actually, there are a few shows out there. I know people who've been off for months who are now working.

Obviously, many other aren't. But it's never a glass empty/glass full situation. Always something in-between.

But your larger point, that t.v. animation is now weak, is correct.

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