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It’s great to see Pixar expanding. From a 40 employee start-up to an 1,000 employee animation powerhouse, the world renound animation studio is getting bigger as other companies are drastically downsizing.

Now Pixar is taking the next big step, they’re opening a new animation studio in Vancouver, Canada! The operation will focus on short form projects based on Pixar’s "legacy characters" like Buzz, Woody, Lightning and Mater. They will also create animation for DVD content, theme park rides, television and more.

To accommodate a growing slate of nonfeature projects, Disney and Pixar will launch an animation studio in the fall in Vancouver.

The focus will be on Pixar's legacy characters, including Buzz and Woody from the "Toy Story" films and Lightning McQueen and Mater from "Cars."

"The operation will be small in size and dedicated to producing short-form quality computer animation for theme parks, DVDs, television and theatrical exhibition ... for several different divisions of the Walt Disney Co.," Disney/Pixar president Ed Catmull said.

Amir Nasrabadi, vp operations and finance at DisneyToon Studio, has been tapped as GM of the new facility, and Dylan Brown -- previously a supervising animation director at Pixar, with credits including "Ratatouille" and "Finding Nemo" -- will serve as creative director. Darwyn Peachey moves from technical lead on the 3-D versions of "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2" to chief technology officer at the Vancouver location.

The trio will report to Ali Rowghani, Disney/Pixar's CFO and senior vp strategic planning.

Pixar GM Jim Morris said he expects the staff to reach 75-100. He added that feature work and all stereoscopic 3-D work will still be done at Pixar's headquarters in Emeryville, Calif.

The move marks the latest company to open a VFX or animation facility in Vancouver. Other residents include Rainmaker, an animation company; CIS Vancouver, a Deluxe-owned VFX business; and Moving Picture Co., a Technicolor-owned VFX facility.

Tax incentives, a local talent base and proximity to Pixar contributed to the decision. Pixar will receive incentives offered for animation production and research and development.

"Canada, and Vancouver specifically, has had terrific tax incentives for this type of work," Morris said. "I think they have a desire to grow this sort of business activity and get a critical mass. This will allow us to do more with the budgets that we have."

He said the intent is to build the studio as a start-up with local talent. "There is a great animation community in Vancouver, as well as postproduction, visual effects and good schools," he added.

Morris said Pixar would step up production of its character-based ancillary content at the new venue.

"We have a somewhat unfulfilled demand," he said. "We wanted to do various things with 'Toy Story' to keep the characters alive. People like to see them somewhat regularly." He pointed to Pixar chief creative officer John Lasseter, who would like to do more with the "Cars" characters.

Pixar has a full slate of upcoming titles -- some sequels and some introducing new characters. "Up," the studio's 10th computer-animated feature and first to release in digital 3-D, opens May 29 and introduces new characters, including elderly Carl Fredricksen and young wilderness explorer Russell.

The 3-D releases of "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2" bring Woody, Buzz and the toys back to theaters Oct. 2.

Current film projects at Pixar, which employees about 1,000, are the 3-D features "Toy Story 3," "Cars 2," "The Bear and the Bow" and "Newt." The studio also is developing a series of shorts based on the Mater character from "Cars" as well as theme park projects.

The creative talent will be headed by accomplished Pixar animator, Dylan Brown, most famous for his work on Ratatouille and Finding Nemo. Amir Nasrabadi, ex-VP of finance at DisneyToon Studios will become General Manager and Darwyn Peachey, ex-head of 3D, will become the company’s CTO. All of which will be reporting to Pixar CFO Ali Rowghani.

The reasons cited for the satellite’s location are tax incentives, the close-ish proximity to Emeryville and the great amount of talent in the area. The Vancouver location, which is still being scouted, will employ 75-100 talented individuals.

It is of note that Pixar General Manager Jim Morris said that all feature production and 3D production will stay at Pixar in Emeryville. You can expect such things as TV interstitials like Cars Toons and UPisodes from Disney/Pixar’s brand new animation studio in Canada.

What do you think about this announcement? Do you think it was a good move on Pixar’s part?

(via The Hollywood Reporter)


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