Finishing Touches: A Look Back at Disneytoon Studios with Drew Taylor & Jim Hill

Animation Awards and Accolades

• 🏆 Steven Universe made history by becoming the first animated series to win the Outstanding Kids and Family Programming award at the GLAAD Media Awards.
• 💡 The show, created by Rebecca Sugar, is praised for its inventive and unique approach to characters and storytelling.
• 🎬 A masterful piece of animation by James Baxter was featured in the final episode of Steven Universe's fifth season.

Legal Rulings and Studio News

• ⚖️ A significant ruling determined that animation artists who worked on Sausage Party are entitled to overtime pay, impacting the Vancouver animation market.
• 💰 This ruling followed a legal precedent set by the book "Fatal Subtraction" concerning profit sharing for creative works.
• 👻 The first poster for Nitrogen's animated Addams Family film was released, featuring a stylized look inspired by Charles Addams' cartoons.

The History and Demise of Disneytoon Studios

• 🗓️ Disneytoon Studios, originally known as Movietoon Studios, opened on April 1, 1990, and operated out of Glendale, California.
• 🎬 Early productions included direct-to-video sequels like "The Return of Jafar" and "Aladdin and the King of Thieves," as well as theatrical releases such as "The Goofy Movie" and "Tarzan."
• 📉 The studio faced an "inevitable decline" with numerous sequels and prequels, leading to layoffs and eventual closure in June 2015, despite the impending launch of Disney+.
• 🎨 Under John Lasseter's leadership after the Pixar acquisition, many planned sequels and series, like the "Disney Dwarves" series, were canceled in favor of creating new, original content.

Dumbo, Hercules, and Danny DeVito's Experience

• 🐘 Danny DeVito discusses his role in the live-action Dumbo and his past experiences voicing characters in Disney animated films like "Hercules" and "The Lorax."
• 🎭 DeVito reflects on his collaborations with Tim Burton, particularly on "Batman Returns," "Mars Attacks!," and "Dumbo," highlighting their shared appreciation for oddity and artistry.
• 🎶 A musical adaptation of Hercules is being developed for Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.
• 🎙️ The hosts also plug their respective podcasts, "Light the Fuse" (Drew Taylor) and "Disney Dish" and "Marvelous Disney" (Jim Hill), encouraging listeners to rate and subscribe.