Longtime Disney Animator Glen Keane Quits

COMMENTS (23)

• I hope he isn’t leaving because he was forced out. I know a woman who used to be an animator at Disney, and she said Disney pretty much doesn’t like older people to stay around. They make things really miserable on them hoping they’ll leave. Sadly, too many corporations use that terrible tactic on older workers who have amazing experience but probably cost more than some manager wants in their budget.

  Comment by Mary — Sunday March 25, 2012 @ 2:33pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • and that is why most animated illustrations today are terrible. I can’t believe the trash they have on tv now it’s sad.

    Comment by Matt Mcintosh — Saturday December 29, 2012 @ 1:41am PST  Reply to this post

• What did Jeffrey offer him?

  Comment by captain Lashout — Sunday March 25, 2012 @ 2:34pm PDT  Reply to this post

• While anticipating the “Blame Rich Ross” postings to begin, am secretly hoping people see Lasseter’s fingerprints all over this.

  I find it funny that everyone thought acquiring Pixar would mean the destruction of Pixars culture. Too bad that it was Disney Animation culture that would get swallowed.

  I hope Glen follows Chris Sanders over and makes amazing films.

  Comment by Kelley — Sunday March 25, 2012 @ 4:22pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • Not “everyone” thought that.

    Comment by burrrbank — Sunday March 25, 2012 @ 5:24pm PDT  Reply to this post

    • Actually, Disney’s acquiring Pixar has proven to have destroyed BOTH Pixar’s and Disney Feature’s cultures.

      Cars 2 can now be admitted to be a soulless abomination. Keane’s Rapunzel would probably have been more old school, a lyrical, slow burn classic (ideally) that could have shined up the now quite trashy Disney identity (due to its stable of teen creatures). Instead we get the mangled Tangled.

      The priority at Disney is now churning out atmosphere-free Marvel pics. With Pixar’s connections to the $ gusher that was John Carter of Underwrites, there will be no more experimentation or ‘overreaching’ at Pixar. The devil will collect its due of Pixar, its executives now forced to produce production line family pics that take few narrative chances. And so Pixar is digested into Disney, with Disney Feature vanishing in the process, as expected. Laika will fill the ‘alternative classic animation’ void.

      Comment by clip — Sunday March 25, 2012 @ 7:15pm PDT  Reply to this post

      • I saw Keane’s “Rapunzel” version when I worked there a few ago, the screenings were promising but the story was super dark and had major problems.

        Judging from Disney’s press released he was given the option to resign or be fired, hence the sudden resignation. Probably had a lot to do with his $2 million annual salary, which the studio didn’t want to stomach anymore. At the end of the day it comes down to money unfortunately. Such a colossal shame though, he will be sorely missed.

        Comment by sad panda — Monday March 26, 2012 @ 1:48am PDT  Reply to this post

  • sanders quit because he couldn’t grasp that his project, american dog, was an incomprehensible mess. He took his ball and left–but he wasn’t “fired.”

    Mr. Keane’s career at Disney is a long one, and it’s not the first time he’s left. He’ll be doing amazing things on his own. I look forward to seeing them.

    Comment by Grant — Sunday March 25, 2012 @ 6:49pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Didnt he animate the Beast in Beauty and the Beast? He’s is the last connection to, and heir to the legacy of, the Nine Old Men… His animation of Tarzan in the jungle trees leaves you breathless. Like watching Da Vinci or Michaelangelo come to life…

  Comment by Anon — Sunday March 25, 2012 @ 5:08pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • Couldn’t agree more about Tarzan. What a fantastically-animated character. Everything about his man-ape movements and positioning rang true. Amazing stuff. A most underrated Disney movie.

    Comment by Tarzan cool — Sunday March 25, 2012 @ 8:27pm PDT  Reply to this post

• 

  Damn it.

  Comment by wg — Sunday March 25, 2012 @ 6:11pm PDT  Reply to this post

• I blame it on John Carter.

  Comment by Irving Thalberg — Sunday March 25, 2012 @ 7:13pm PDT  Reply to this post

• This started last summer when Andreas Deja left (guy who animated Scar, Jafar, Roger Rabbit, etc.). Disney Studios Animation has been blowing in the breeze for a while but hey, maybe they want the Old Guard to leave. Too bad, reallyy.

  Comment by bounder — Sunday March 25, 2012 @ 9:39pm PDT  Reply to this post

• It’s John’s sandbox — play his way or go home. Sad.

  Comment by ToonerA — Sunday March 25, 2012 @ 9:47pm PDT  Reply to this post

• In addition to the failure of John Carter, its interesting that Keane’s resignation comes a couple days after a long-unseen documentary “The Sweatbox” about the making of the Disney movie “The Emperor’s New Groove” ended up on youtube and various other online venues.

  Not that Keane had anything to do with either of those, but perhaps the atmosphere around Disney is becoming toxic and he figures he doesn’t have to put up with it.

  Really unfortunate though, that he and Andres Deja (probably among others) are not enough appreciated. Why there is this attitude that 3 dimensional animation is ‘better’ than old-style “2D” is understandable but stupid – its like saying art galleries should get rid of all the paintings, drawings and photographs because sculpture is just inherently ‘better’.

  Not really sure why all the hate for John Lassiter in all this though – putting aside the “Cars” movies Pixar has had an amazing string of very good to excellent films. A lot of this is because Pixar values good screenplays – something Disney has a history of often falling short on (just see “The Sweatbox” for a shining example of this).

  Comment by DB — Sunday March 25, 2012 @ 10:37pm PDT  Reply to this post

• When you have someone like Rich Ross tell people in Board Meetings that “We Suck At Making Movies and Always Have” …. it’s hard for me to understand a) why anyone would want to work there b) why Mr. Ross would even be there.

  Ross needs to drown with John Carter. Whether he pushes the blame to the old regime , his ability as a taste-maker is worse than 96% of first year interns in Hollywood. Perhaps Disney has always been the hardest company to work at, but nostalgic passion was what made people fight to work there. Eisner’s Wonderful World of Disney is more appealing than what Ross has brought to the studio slate.

  The fact of the matter is that Disney Channel had success but wasn’t main-stream entertaining to the masses. Pixar is looking at “pencils down” and that’s the only hopeful thing in the near future.

  Bruckheimer’s lack of energy is the other issue. They need to get someone like JJ Abrams back. Or give Bird an Abrams like deal (even though I think Bird will go to Warners). The company is too terrific at marketing and distribution to be bringing out such medicore movies.

  Comment by a113 — Sunday March 25, 2012 @ 11:26pm PDT  Reply to this post

• I don’t know the specifics of his leaving, however, I have worked with Glen in the past and I’m frankly surprised he’s lasted in this culture this long. He’s a genius. Magic literally flows from his fingers. His story sense, however, is, well, not exactly exciting. His passion project had long been Rapunzel, he was slated to direct it for years. he was yanked when his vision for the movie did not meet some enigmatic hipness quotient by the new disney brass and he was taken off directing duties. Of course, rapunzel was made and was a success, but it was not his vision for the film.

  My hunch is even though he stayed and made the digital transformation (Deja and many other geniuses walked rather than do the digital mandate) he’s finally realized he is in the wrong culture.

  Comment by mde — Sunday March 25, 2012 @ 11:26pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Glen is a great animator, and a great rep for disney animation, but that does not automatically make him a great storyteller. After 6 years on Rapunzel he was taken off as the Director, and quickly finished up by the new Director team. A LOT of money was spent on that project. So hopefully he ends up somewhere appreciative of his talent and let him do what he does best.

  Comment by freddy moore — Monday March 26, 2012 @ 5:09am PDT  Reply to this post

• We can still be happy about all the wonderful, great work that Mr. Keane did at Disney. Even if the ‘old guard’ (which once referred to the Nine Old Men) is leaving, there is still an amazing body of work to celebrate. Mr. Keane will be missed.

  Comment by Nick — Monday March 26, 2012 @ 6:59am PDT  Reply to this post

• If anything, Pixar rescued Disney animation, which was willing to rush sub-par crap onto to DVD to make a quick buck, never thinking about the long-term damage to the brand.

  John Lasseter’s insistence on great storytelling, first and foremost, is what has elevated the animation landscape today. Even Pixar’s “duds” are better than 90% of everything else out there.

  Say what you will about Cars 2, but I guarantee you, it was not a ca$h grab, it was born out of Lasseter’s deep love of cars (his dad was a parts manager at Toyota); perhaps that clouded his vision a bit…and the fact that, well, who is going to tell the big cheese that his own script needs some work…?

  Still, I consider his creative integrity impeccable…can’t wait to see Brave! Trailers look fantastic.

  Comment by jennab — Monday March 26, 2012 @ 10:31am PDT  Reply to this post

• I am GLAD to hear that an animator who contributed SO MUCH would even get a salary in the seven figure range! It is not unheard of that artists who contributed greatly to the success of major projects get peanuts! I, personally, don’t want want to see him follow Sanders to Dreamworks and do 3D movies. I sincerely hope he goes off and does something Plympton style, rough lines and all, and ALL HIS OWN CREATION! I would pay money UPFRONT to see that!

  Comment by Terrence Walker — Sunday June 3, 2012 @ 4:57am PDT  Reply to this post

• i really like the little mermaid i wish they could put it back on disney channel that would be the best thing ever. I really like oll the movies like sleeping beauty and beauty and the best and most of all the litle mermaid. But i still dont get why vceryone is blaming rich ross maybe it was him making Keane leave or just maybe he really just wants to leave. BUt i know that Keane well do something great and i wish he wold still stay because every little girl we every met well like his creations. I well miss you Keane even though you dont know me

  Comment by jasibeth — Thursday July 26, 2012 @ 12:47pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Working at Disney animation studios just sucked.
  People there are holes who think they are very important.
  If you don’t fit into “the culture” you get black balled.
  (At least at the lower levels)
  I had one Technical Support Engineer actuall attack me.
  I didn’t go to HR because I am not that kind of person.
  However, I am the one who got in trouble.
  PH – UCH – UUU , Walt Disney Animation.

  Comment by gg — Thursday October 18, 2012 @ 6:10pm PDT  Reply to this post