Sources describe Lee as very cunning in how she conducted herself with those on her s**t list. If you could get a conversation in with her, she would nod and acknowledge you, and then end the conversation quickly. Then, in a typically passive-aggressive move, she would have you taken off the project for being a “problem.” This happened to many veteran talents who dared to express their opinion, particularly in matters of how things used to be.
Lee’s New Legacy
As much as Wish was meant to be an homage to Walt Disney’s Legacy, it appeared to be the final move in Jennifer Lee’s ascension to Walt’s Throne. When I first started reporting about Disney’s toxic work environment on the Film Threat Livestream, it was soon brought to my attention that I got some of the crucial facts wrong. Wrong, yes, but the reality was far worse.
My first mistake was when I revealed that Wish took four months to animate and that the final product looked rushed. Insiders told me that four to six months for the bulk of actual animation is pretty standard. Zootopia had a similar six-month production time. Even at other studios, like Dreamworks, big hits like How To Train Your Dragon suffered a similar fast production fate. The fact is animators work long hours all the time.
The truth is that with Wish, it was the production and production support staff being pushed to the edge and conspiring to unionize as a result. They supported over 100 animators and had to cram a normal 8 to 12-month schedule into a 4-month schedule specifically for Wish with a hard July 31 deadline to meet the 100th-anniversary release date. At this point, the production staff wanted to unionize, and Disney ignored their requests during the production of Wish.
When discussing the new, inexperienced talent being ushered into Disney Animation, I said that this inexperience showed, and Wish‘s art style and direction reflected that. It turns out that many insiders within the production said that the amateurish look of Wish came directly from the top…Jennifer Lee, and it was intentional! Facts that would be backed up in the “Making of” documentary coming on the Wish DVDs and Blu-rays. With decrees coming from the top, they told artists and animators that Wish was going to be a 2D animated feature created with 3D technology.
2D animation using 3D animation technology. Bland and flat © 2023 Disney. All Rights Reserved.
“…the amateurish look of Wish came directly from the top…Jennifer Lee, and it was intentional!”
The “Making of” documentary points out that background art was always meant to look flat, that depth of field would be eliminated to mimic Walt’s classic animation art style, and that all characters would have a line-art look to them. This begs the question: Why make a 2D hand-drawn animated feature with CG when you could hand-draw it in the first place?
The “Making of” documentary prominently featured Lee’s loyalists, who would never dare question Lee’s judgment regarding the animation style (on camera). They spoke constantly about how they had to shift their approach and sensibilities to animation with Wish compared to every film they worked on prior. Artists who did not appear in the documentary knew Lee’s artistic vision was in trouble from the start and were helpless to fix it. They felt like they were on a sinking ship. When I asked the artists who worked on the film if they had seen Wish in the theaters, practically all of them said “NO!” They didn’t even bother to take their children to attend early screenings for cast members.
Straying from Walt’s Artistic Vision
All creative decisions were decided from the start by Disney Animation President and Wish co-writer Jennifer Lee and directors Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthron. I can almost imagine the initial creative meetings. Lee, Buck, and Veerasunthron come in with a marginally “good” idea, and everyone in the room starts to build upon this bad foundation of a film. Anyone who would ask commonsense questions or push back on the ideas had been removed long ago. Instead, everyone nods their heads and agrees it’s the greatest idea ever, and excitement and synergy abounds. Nothing was going to stop this crappy art train, so shut up and draw!
There were those who tried to right the ship, but unfortunately, they were not allowed in the room. When speaking to current and former Disney artists, they raised concerns about the film’s use of a static, fixed camera or the fact that foregrounds and backgrounds were in focus. Every time these concerns were raised, they were immediately dismissed as these decisions had already been made—so shut up and draw!
As someone who was at animation for 11 of the Eisner years, I can say for certain she would have been fired (or demoted) long ago. This is what happens when you let a newish screenwriter run an animation studio. If it weren’t for her luck that Frozen had good lyricists she would not be in this position. They need to LET HER GO. And where is Clark Spencer (head of the animation studio)? Hiding out until Zootopia 2 is done and he can slip out the door?
Reading theses files makes so much sense of what is happening in industries worldwide. Men with knowledge and experience being pushed aside for inexperienced and completely unqualified women. In the mining company my husband works for the story is the same with a document controller suddenly becoming head of help desk. My husband has been shoved aside and the reporting to HR on minor transgressions has seen him lose money. Luckily he is still employed but in a lower role – still doing the sane job while a less qualified female takes the credit. I have no idea how this is going to end.
Excellent article, but as a life long lover of Disney, this breaks my heart. And, it seems so illogical that there can be flop after flop, and yet no one seems to be held accountable. What’s worse is that those in charge double down on their “vision”, e.g Jennifer Lee, Kathleen Kennedy, Leslye Headland. I can’t remember ever seeing a similar scenario in any major studio.
Hello from Barcelona (Spain). Great Job Alan. Disney is doomed right now. I “Wish” they will return to make good movies again.
Great work Alan.
Outstanding and infuriating. This is the best, most insightful reporting on the insane ‘descent’ of Walt’s place.
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