Wild Brain to world: We’re Ready!
Today finds several interesting bits of work related news. First, on the
non-Wild Brain front the
href=”http://movies.yahoo.com/movies/feature/robots.html”>Robots trailer
was released today. My friend KP has
href=”http://speak.pushmedia.com/archives/2004/09/30/robots.php”>more
information on it all. I’m glad to see it looks so great and that I
actually laughed at the trailer. Of course having worked on it I want it to
do well. I’ll be there in March to see it, that’s for sure.
Now, on to the Wild Brain goodness. Today the news that I’ve been holding on
to for months was finally released. Wild Brain has a multi-picture
co-production deal with Miramax. The press stories have more information so
here you go:
CGI ‘Opus’ blooms at Dimension
Variety
September 30, 2004
By MICHAEL FLEMINGMiramax and Dimension Films have inked a multi-year agreement with San
Francisco-based animation company Wild Brain to co-finance and co-produce
CGI-animated films.The venture will get under way with “Opus,” based on the cynical
wisecracking penguin character from Berkeley Breathed’s Pulitzer
Prize-winning comicstrip “Bloom County.”The timing of the Wild Brain alliance with Miramax and Dimension seems
curious given the stalemate between those studios and Disney, as well as
the impending exit of Disney’s primary CGI provider, Pixar.Miramax and Dimension would not comment on that issue, or whether Wild
Brain would follow Harvey and Bob Weinstein if they make films elsewhere.In a statement, Miramax co-chairman Bob Weinstein said the deal was an
outgrowth of its interest in family fare.“There is a tremendous demand for animated family films,” Weinstein said.
“We’re impressed by Wild Brain’s creativity, storytelling prowess and
sheer imagination and look forward to working together.”Dimension co-prexys Andrew Rona and Brad Weston will oversee the deal for
the studio.While the gestation period for animated films is usually long, “Opus” will
likely happen quickly. A script by “Scary Movie 3″ scribe Craig Mazin is
due next week, and Breathed has already done animatronic tests and
character designs.Each party will provide 50% of production financing for projects they
agree upon. Wild Brain will animate them; Miramax/Dimension will
distribute worldwide. The studios will also distribute Wild Brain’s
self-financed direct-to-video productions over the next three years, with
Wild Brain also able to use the Miramax/Dimension distribution pipeline
for its
self-financed and produced films, with Wild Brain paying releasing costs.The alliance gives Miramax and Dimension its first foothold in CGI
animation family fare, and the game plan is to make viable product for a
reasonable price.Financed by Europe-based private equity firm Syntek Capital, Wild Brain
has produced commercials for the likes of Coca-Cola and Nike, such short
films as “Hubert’s Brain” and 15 animated TV series that includes the new
CGI Disney Channel series “Higglytown Heroes.”Wild Brain was founded by creatives Jeff Fino, John Hays and Phil
Robinson, and they brought in as chairman Jim Miller, who spent 21 years
at Warner Bros., supervising the studio’s relationship with production
companies such as Village Roadshow Pictures, New Regency and Morgan Creek.“This is similar to the business model I used at Warners, only we’re the
guys raising money and making a deal with a major for as low a fee as we
can get,” Miller said. “This is about putting all our money into content
and building a portfolio of pictures. Family entertainment is the biggest
seller in DVD, and so you can have economic success without a ‘Finding
Nemo’ or ‘Shrek.’ ”Wild Brain will do its animation from its 38,000-square-foot facility in
San Francisco. Fino, Hays and Robinson said they will start recruiting
talent, eventually raising their creative staff from 100 to as many as
175.Miller said having the Miramax/Dimension affiliation should help the
recruitment of animators, as well as stars that are becoming increasing
staples of CGI films.“At Pixar and DreamWorks, there is an oversupply of talent waiting for
that day when they can be lead animator and director,” Miller said. “And
Bob and Harvey will enable us to get great actors to be part of our films
right away.”
Wild Brain: Toe Fungus to Tinseltown
BusinessWeek
SEPTEMBER 30, 2004
By Peter BurrowsThe digital animator’s biggest credit has been a TV ad. Now a deal with
Miramax and a low-cost strategy have put it in the big leaguesPixar Animation Studios (PIXR ) is known for its digital animation
virtuosity — masterful storytelling (Toy Story, Finding Nemo), with
memorable characters such as Buzz Lightyear and Nemo, the clownfish. Rival
DreamWorks SKG has the loveable troll Shrek, the biggest animated
box-office star of all time.Then there’s Wild Brain of San Francisco. Never heard of it? Perhaps
you’ve seen its best-known character on TV — Digger, the cretinous
microbe burrowing under toenails in ads for Novartis’ (NVS ) foot-fungus
treatment.BALLOONING BUDGETS. Now Wild Brain has landed a big movie deal with
Miramax — a deal that suggests the business of digitally animated movies
is maturing. For years, Hollywood has known that the market for such films
is a gold mine that has just barely been tapped. That’s why six such
flicks will be released in the next six months. Parents know full well the
appeal such technologically sophisticated, cartoon-like cinema holds for
their children.Profit potential is huge — not only because digital characters can be
easily recycled, but because these films produce hugely lucrative video
sales. Indeed, seven of the all-time top-selling videos are digitally
animated movies.Wild Brain figures it can help Hollywood fill the pipeline, and do so in a
far more efficient manner. Pixar and DreamWorks take a high-cost approach,
spending more than $70 million per film. DreamWorks’ Shark Tale, due out
on Nov. 1, will cost north of $80 million, while Pixar’s upcoming The
Incredibles and Warner Bros.’ The Polar Express will top $120 million.LITTLE KIDS, BIG MONEY. All that moola pays for development of advanced
animation technologies and cadres of high-priced animators creating
sumptuous, detail-filled scenes — not to mention free lunches and other
perks. Every Pixar employee, for example, can take acting classes to hone
their craft and get the occasional on-site massage.Wild Brain will take a very different approach. Their deal with Miramax
calls for the production of five films, each at a total budget of less
than $50 million. The outfit will share production costs, as in Pixar’s
deal with Disney (DIS ), with Miramax taking a 12%-plus distribution fee
off the top. And while Pixar says it may never try to make more than one
film a year to maintains its quality standards, Wild Brain CEO Jim Miller
hopes to make as many as possible. He figures his team will be able to
crank a new flick every nine months, including direct-to-video fare for
toddlers.Miller, a 30-year Warner Bros. veteran who joined Wild Brain in early
2002, makes no secret of his strategy: “I believe in portfolios.” Besides
making films, Wild Brain also will continue producing animations for TV
shows, commercials, and will look to work with other studios that want to
field their own movies. “If you do it right,” he says, “this business
should be relatively risk-free, with huge upside — if you control your
costs.”FOX FORMULA. How to do it? Certainly, Wild Brain has successfully met its
budgets during a 10-year history of producing animation for the likes of
Coca-Cola (KO ), McDonalds (MCD ) and the Wall Street Journal (DJ ).While Wild Brain’s executives admire the complex artistry of Pixar and
DreamWorks films, they argue that it’s not necessary for commercial
success. By having fewer characters, more close-ups rather than sprawling
landscapes, and scripts that don’t require any epic battles with casts of
thousands, they can hold down costs and still engage audiences. They cite
Ice Age, a Fox hit in 2002 that featured a tiny cast of animated players
against an icy backdrop that was pretty much detail-free.Miller’s formula will require crafty marketing to succeed. That’s where
Dimension, run by Miramax co-founder Bob Weinstein, comes in. Responsible
for three trilogies with pop-culture appeal — Scream, Spy Kids, and Scary
Movie — Dimension has a reputation for making the most of its content.
And Wild Brain also must prove it can make good movies, which is a far
different task than producing TV ads.ROMANCING THE MOUSE? That’s a very high bar, but insiders say Wild Brain
has the right stuff. Talks of a deal began after Miramax founder Harvey
Weinstein saw a short pilot film by Wild Brain called Hubert’s Brain, says
the animation outfit’s co-founder, John Hays, who pitched to Weinstein.
After coming up with movie ideas that lent themselves to animation,
Miramax got serious about doing a deal.“Wild Brain has an extraordinarily talented team, a proven track record
for bringing projects in on time, and they brought money to the table,”
says Charles Layton, Miramax executive vice-president. And when it comes
to the most difficult element of movie-making — telling a good story –
Wild Brain plans to lean heavily on Miramax. “Bob [Weinstein] and Harvey
are going to make sure the stories are top quality,” says the outfit’s
co-founder, Phil Robinson.Striking a deal with Miramax raises another question: What role may Wild
Brain have in Disney’s future? Pixar has announced plans to end its
lucrative partnership with Disney. While many Hollywood insiders think the
pair will find a way to get back together, Pixar’s departure could create
a golden opportunity for Wild Brain. Disney has 500 employees in its own
animation group and will be releasing Chicken Little next June. Disney
also has deals with other small studios, such as Vanguard Films.“SINGLES AND DOUBLES.” No doubt, denizens of the Magic Kingdom will be
watching Wild Brain’s work closely in the months ahead. Indeed, Wild
Brain’s first movie — most likely based on Opus, the duck-billed platypus
from the Bloom County comic strip — could be ready in 2006. That would be
just months after Cars, Pixar’s last release for Disney, hits theaters.Wild Brain’s third co-founder, Jeff Fino, says all dealings have been with
Miramax, and he denies his team is looking to replace Pixar. “We’re just
an up-and-coming company. We have no right to compare ourselves to Pixar.
Those guys are heroes,” he says. But he does point out that Disney is
aware of Wild Brain’s work, via a Higgleytown Heroes cartoon that has been
earning good ratings on the Disney Channel since it debuted on Sept. 12.Nor do the folks at Wild Brain rule out the possibility that someday they,
too, may turn out a Pixar-style classic — one that earns boffo results
both financially and creatively. That would be nice — but not necessary.
“We can build a very successful company by hitting singles and doubles,”
says Miller. Time for Wild Brain to go to bat.
