Thanks for your article “Redrawing Animation” – I’m a big fan of anything animated and it’s nice to see The Daily embracing the local (if small) animation scene. I’m looking forward to going to see the New Voices event you mentioned.
However, I just wanted to clarify something you mentioned in the article – I know this isn’t your main point, but it still bothers me a bit, so here goes. Studio Ghibli, which you call an alternative to Disney-Pixar, has actually turned over a majority of their distribution rights to said conglomerate. I still agree that Ghibli is in part an artistic alternative to Disney, but I think it’s important to note the new distribution management, since a lot of the handling of Ghibli in North America (all theatrical releases, subtitling, dubbing, release of DVDs, et cetera) is now done exclusively by Disney. For example: Ponyo, Studio Ghibli’s latest film, was released in the U.S. with a cast of voice actors which included Noah Cyrus, the younger brother of the current cash-cow of Disney “talent” Miley Cyrus. While Ghibli’s visuals present an alternative, I think it is important to consider that what a non-Japanese-speaking audience hears (or reads) of Ghibli’s message is and will continue to be edited through the lens of Disney-Pixar, often with the goal of simply making more money or generating publicity for the next generation of Disney stars.
Cheers!
Michelle ScharlockU3 Drama and Theatre