I don't think it's necessarily quicker and cheaper. I think it gives greater power to studios to control a library of assets and make artists disposable. They'd replace them altogether with computers if they could. I have a feeling that it's gotten harder and harder to make small/mid-budget movies, with shrinking theater business and bloating budgets. It leads them to put all bets on a single $100+ million budget movie with a proven brand instead of making ten $10 million movies that take chances. There's too much saturation of choice and low attention spans to make money that way. Europe still manages to make some 2D animation at lower costs.
I have no idea if anything would bring a resurgence of the drawn look as a creative choice. But, I am following two nifty indie 2D animated feature film productions at Dogpatch Press that look really promising, Dawgtown and The Saga of Rex. One is an american indie, the other being produced with Europe's co-production methods. Check 'em out. :)
I don't think it's necessarily quicker and cheaper. I think it gives greater power to studios to control a library of assets and make artists disposable. They'd replace them altogether with computers if they could. I have a feeling that it's gotten harder and harder to make small/mid-budget movies, with shrinking theater business and bloating budgets. It leads them to put all bets on a single $100+ million budget movie with a proven brand instead of making ten $10 million movies that take chances. There's too much saturation of choice and low attention spans to make money that way. Europe still manages to make some 2D animation at lower costs.
I have no idea if anything would bring a resurgence of the drawn look as a creative choice. But, I am following two nifty indie 2D animated feature film productions at Dogpatch Press that look really promising, Dawgtown and The Saga of Rex. One is an american indie, the other being produced with Europe's co-production methods. Check 'em out. :)