Circle 7 - Disney CGA

[Ezra]

Since Disney's merger with Pixar is near completion, the future of Circle 7, Disney's computer generated animation unit, is very unstable. Will people who work there go up to Emeryville to join Pixar or just loose their jobs? Either way the executives will most likely be unnecessary.

Layoffs have already started according to this article at O-meon:
New Round of Layoffs at Disney Animation and Circle 7 (http://www.o-meon.com/pages/news&features/n&f_03-15-06.html)

[Ezra]

It's official. The studio set up by Disney to crank out sequels to Pixar films, Circle 7 (aka Pixaren't) is closing March 26th. Here's a link to the LA Times story hosted at the Orlando Sentinel's website: Disney closes Pixar sequels unit (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/custom/tourism/orl-fi-pixarent21mar21,0,2475824.story?track=rs s) At least it wasn't as big a layoff as it could have been, and plenty of those people will work on Rapunzel. This thread didn't last very long :icon_roll

[RU42]

I am glad to see Circle 7 go. They were tasked to make the sequals. I haven't seen a sequal out of Disney in a while that was worthy of the Disney name. Having all of that coming under the Pixar brain trust means that if something is coming out - it should be good.

RU

[Ezra]

Why create Circle 7 in the first place? Especially when Glen Keene was building an in-house CG unit anyway?

I expect the people hired on there knew that Circle 7 was just a bargaining chip tossed out there to bring Pixar back to the bargaining table. I doubt they were ever serious about it. It was just alot of chest beating on Michael Eisner's part. It was a really nasty negotiations ploy:

Oh yeah, Pixar? You won't sign? Well how about this? We'll make a sequel to Toy Story about the toys being recalled to the sweatshop in Taiwan were they were made! How 'bout dem apples? Huh? Huh? I'll get you, my pretty! and your little Toys, too!

It backfired. Pixar walked away from the table right after the announcement. And wouldn't return until Eisner was officially gone. Can't say I blame them. What a way to make friends and influence people!