The first project for the Vancouver studio will be the highly anticipated Moana series for Disney+
Article content
Eight years after Pixar shut down production in Gastown, Walt Disney Corporation announced Wednesday that it would be opening in a new animation studio in Vancouver early next year.
Advertisement
Article content
Walt Disney Animation Studios says the new Vancouver facility will focus on long-form series work and special projects created for the Disney+ streaming service.
Disney says its feature films will continue to be made at the company’s Burbank studio.
The Vancouver studio’s first project will be a highly anticipated Moana series for Disney+.
Israeli animation producer Osnat Shurer, who earned an Oscar nomination for the Moana feature film in 2016, will serve as showrunner on the project.
“With Burbank and Vancouver both home to some of the world’s most talented artists and technicians, we believe the storytelling and visual quality created within each location will meet the incredibly high standards we set for ourselves and audiences have come to expect from Disney Animation,” said Jennifer Lee, Disney’s chief creative officer.
Advertisement
Article content
Disney did not reveal where exactly the new studio would be located or how many people it would employ, but the company says it is recruiting talent to be in place for the studio’s official opening in January 2022.
Pixar, a subsidiary of Disney, opened a Gastown studio in 2010 with a mandate to produce short films based on established Pixar characters. Close to 100 animation workers lost their jobs three years later when Disney shuttered the facility.
The same space at 21 Water St. is now the Vancouver home of Industrial Light and Magic, the Disney-owned visual effects firm founded by Star Wars creator George Lucas in 1975.
Vancouver-based animation veteran and former Disney executive Amir Nasrabadi has been put in charge of Disney’s new Vancouver studio.
Advertisement
Article content
“I am so honoured and excited to be joining the Disney family again,” said Nasrabadi. “I can’t wait to dive in and collaborate with the talented teams at Disney Animation on a new slate of projects for Disney+ starting with Moana. I continue to be amazed at the high level of artistry and technical advancements coming out of the animation industry here in Vancouver and I am so proud to be a part of this community. This is really a dream come true for me.”
Nasrabadi spent 10 years, 1999 to 2009, in Disney’s finance department and another five years, 2009 to 2014, as head of Pixar Canada.
He’s spent the last three years serving as executive vice-president and general manager of WildBrain Animation, producing series such as The Snoopy Show for Apple TV+ and the upcoming Sonic Prime for Netflix.
CLICK HERE to report a typo.
Is there more to this story? We’d like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Email vantips@postmedia.com.
Hollywood North: Disney opening new animation studio in Vancouver - Vancouver Sun
Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment