Category: General (Page 1 of 5)

Disney’s Mickey Mouse Debut ‘Steamboat Willie’ Now Public Domain

January 3, 2024 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Disney’s Steamboat Willie, released in 1928, introduced the world to Minnie and Mickey Mouse. And now, as of January 1, 2024, that short film is public domain.

When books, movies, music, artwork, and photographs enter the public domain, it means that their copyrights have expired. This allows anyone to access, use, modify, or build upon that work without needing permission or paying fees.

Artists and filmmakers should note that only the 1928 version of Steamboat Willie has entered the public domain. If you’re working on a commercial project, it’s best to consult with a copyright lawyer to avoid legal issues such as cease and desist letters or copyright infringement lawsuits.

2017 Academy Award Animation Nominees

January 27, 2017 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Here are the animation nominees for the 89th Academy Awards, airing Sunday, February 26, 2017.

Animated Feature Film
Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
My Life as a Zucchini
The Red Turtle
Zootopia

Animated Short Film
Blind Vaysha
Borrowed Time
Pear Cider and Cigarettes
Pearl
Piper

NBCUniversal Acquires DreamWorks Animation

April 28, 2016 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

NBCUniversal today announced the acquisition of DreamWorks Animation. The studio will become part of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, which includes Universal Pictures, Fandango, and NBCUniversal Brand Development. Under the terms of the agreement, DreamWorks Animation has an equity value of approximately $3.8 billion. DreamWorks Animation stockholders will receive $41 in cash for each share of DreamWorks Animation common stock.

The acquisition includes popular DreamWorks Animation film franchises, such as Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon. It also includes hundreds of hours of original animated content distributed across linear and SVOD platforms in more than 130 countries. Additionally, DreamWorks Classics, a large library of classic characters, including Where’s Waldo, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, will become part of the NBCUniversal portfolio.

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Thank You For Your Contributions

January 22, 2016 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Just wanted to say thanks to the three readers (C.Y., S.M., and M.L.) who contributed financially through the PayPal Tip Jar. Because of them, The Animation Blog’s back-owed fees have been paid and hosting is now paid up till May 14th.

If you too would like to contribute, simply click the PayPal Donate button at the bottom of this page. All contributions go toward paying the hosting and domain fees. Thanks.

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2016 Academy Award Animation Nominees

January 14, 2016 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

The nominees for the upcoming Oscars (Feb. 28) have been announced.

For Best Animated Feature, the nominees are: Anomalisa, Boy & The World, Inside Out, Shaun the Sheep Movie, and When Marnie Was There.

For Best Animated Short, the nominees are: Bear Story, Prologue, Sanjay’s Super Team, We Can’t Live Without Cosmos, and World of Tomorrow.

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‘Peter Pan’ Live Action Reference Photographs

February 1, 2013 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

In anticipation of the February 5th release of the 60th Anniversary Edition of Peter Pan, Disney has released the following slideshow featuring 1950s live action reference photographs.

Mel Blanc: The Man of a Thousand Voices

December 27, 2012 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

John Lasseter Honored with Hollywood Walk of Fame Star

November 2, 2011 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Two-time Academy Award-winning director and CEO of Walt Disney/Pixar Animation Studios John Lasseter today received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Joining the celebration were Bonnie Hunt, Owen Wilson, Brad Paisley, Emily Mortimer, John Ratzenberger, Patton Oswalt, Don Rickles, Randy Newman and Cheech Marin whom have worked with Lasseter on various Pixar projects. Lasseterâ€™s star is the 2,453rd on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is located in front of the El Capitan Theatre.