Prompt 1
Disney and other big studios closed their 2D animation divisions by the late 1990s/early 2000s. Why did they make this decision? Do you believe it was a good one? Can you find/describe examples of 2D animation thriving today?
The reason that Disney and other notable studios decided to close their 2D animation divisions has to do with their animated films no longer making the same amount of money as they used to in comparison to the 3D animation that Pixar did and the financial success of their movies such as Toy Story 1 & 2, Bug’s Life, and Finding Nemo. For Disney and other studios, the amount of money that they needed to use in order to make 2D Animated films were very costly and their box office numbers wouldn’t be enough to make their profits back or see it as a success for their studio.
In my opinion, I believe that the decision of shutting down the 2D animation divisions wasn’t a great idea for these companies to make. 2D Animation still has the potential to be appealing towards a broader audience and is still capable of telling wonderful stories while looking absolutely phenomenal, studios that are from European and Asian countries continue to produce 2D Animation films because it is seen as an artistic form that can be used to be creative with the way they present their stories. There is also the potential of continuing to innovate 2D Animation by combining it with 3D animation to make it feel more expressive or to have both co-exist with one another, creating new tools that can make 2D feel similar to CGI / 3D Animation and provide more depth for the film.
An example of how 2D animation continues to thrive today would be through streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll but Youtube also serves as a way for animators to show their 2D animation work and shows as well. Streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll allow their viewers to watch 2D animation that were created by studios outside of America, the movies and shows from those studios would gain a cult following and become popular by critics and fans alike. With Youtube, many animators are able to post their work whether that is their own independent show that gains plenty of views or animations that are simply meant to be for fun so that others may view it as art.
