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somenerdfromwhatever · 7 months ago

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I’m glad you got something and that you guys managed to get three specials regardless. But, and no disrespect here, do you still see the bigger issue here?

When things get shortened or even canned because of business interests, there really is three big losers here: the fans, the crew, and the big one; the artist’s vision. It gets compromised, and in some cases dies and we lose out on what could have been. We really don’t get to see their original vision as intended in the end.

That’s my big problem: Business and how it correlates to us artists (cast, crew, runners, you name it).

As of the time of me writing this, I still haven’t seen the show but I was there when the whole news went down. You guys put up a great fight. Plus, given the Animation Guild is fighting as hell, and considering how my post blew up on Instagram (like 60 likes and counting), the resentment is still high as it was before. People aren’t going to forget that. It’s like the highest betrayal you can literally ever do.

As someone aiming to work in the industry, it’s hard to ignore that creators are often forced to give up control of their work in exchange for distribution. It's a necessary evil. Heck, this is coming from me who loves the Netflix show Wednesday! I would like to see the showrunners from it make the show they envisioned no problem. But if the same thing happened to it like how you guys got in The Owl House, we’d be pissed too, if not more considering the show. Especially given why I want to be a part of the Wednesday project itself.

We've seen this a lot, stuff getting canceled abruptly, cut down for corporate needs, or never seeing the light of day for maybe a tax write off like Coyote vs. ACME. The more we accept these compromises, the more we risk allowing corporations to decide how much of an artist’s work gets to be seen.

Given the fierce pushback from the animation industry, it's clear this is a major issue.

I’m grateful you guys got your end to the show. I’m afraid if I watch the three specials, it’ll be a rushed mess (considering Disney forced their hand anyway). If that is the case, if the rest is really good, I will make it known that it is not okay.

Like I said, keep fighting, maybe a little IRL movements at D23 and cons where Dana Terrance and their cast and crew are at. Online activism can do so much, so please, don’t let that flame die out.

Thanks for the response though!

I haven’t seen The Owl House but can we just talk about how Disney did this show dirty?

Let me preface this by saying that, as of the time of me writing this, I have NOT seen The Owl House in its entirety l yet. I could be in the progress of it after posting, but honestly as an outsider looking in given the entire Season 3 fiasco, Disney did this show dirty.

Like three specials only? Nothing more nothing less? With that happening due to outcry because originally it was going to get canned after the release of Season 2?

I don’t think it was a fair deal to end with three specials. Season 3 should’ve gotten the fanfare it deserved even with the outcry. Like, it is the weakest compromise possible even with mass support.

I’m going to paraphrase some bits of what I addressed to people on discord and additional information I learnt.

I’m surprised there wasn’t more of an active effort to fight back against the cancellation since it first blew up upon announcement. Like “doesn’t fit the branding?” Didn’t Gravity Falls face something similar? By that logic, this doesn’t make sense at all. I feel like Disney’s “brand theming” excuse is really dodgy, and it seems like there was some foul play involved. But I didn’t see the fandom actively pushing back, even the creator, who did speak out about it. (Note: I haven’t been on Twitter for over a year and a half, so I might not be fully aware of everything.) If I watch it and it’s as amazing as people say… given how I am passionate about things in this world, I won’t let Disney live this down. It’s like treating art as a joke just to fill their pockets and the corruption the industry has over artists. We saw this last year with the strikes and given the current state with the companies running the industry nowadays (the streaming bubble, and that the whole cartoon mass purge thanks to Max)... artists are now having their creativity die out because of industry folk like Disney.

If there was pushback, I’m glad there was at least some effort to score these three specials. But if this is how far it went, it feels like an unfair compromise. Three specials aren’t enough, honestly. Even if they’re good, it doesn’t negotiate anything at all as it still feels like Disney did this show dirty. Let me be clear here as well: I am NOT beating down anyone who has taken the effort to get this. Why the hell would I do that? I'm happy you guys managed to get your voice out there and left and impact. Those three specials were hard fought, I just wish there was more because honestly, it isn't enough. And if the resentment I'm seeing is anything to go by a year later, I say keep fighting. I am also not beating down Dana, the showrunner. Dana is an amazing creator, and the fact that she stood her ground at all with her cast and crew is incredible. My problem is with the corporation, with Disney, and how they put her in a position where that fight couldn’t be won in the way it should have been. I understand the fight it takes to get your foot in the door of the industry. If I were to turn around and beat down someone like Dana, who fought for her vision just like I’m fighting for mine? I would never live that down. It would stain me for life. Considering the industry itself is small and how I am going into it in post-production, sometime down the line, I will be faced with working with her. The last thing I want is burning a bridge inadvertently. I can understand why she acted the way that she did with her crew, it's just with a lot more vocality and support, things might've been different.

Like I don’t get Disney’s thought process here. You have a big, popular show, and then you “old yeller” it, giving it this slow death and then dragging it out with this… in my honest opinion; weak compromise. That is scummy and why us artists and creatives need a reform to the entertainment industry where we drive the vision and what Disney and others do come second.

At best, it did what it was supposed to do. At worst… it’s not enough.

With everything that the fanbase done including the cast, crew, and even Dana, while I'm happy they managed to end it, I feel like there should have been more active effort. I do notice there is still a lot of resentment and I mean A LOT OF RESENTMENT. I noticed a lot of the fandom got a hashtag trending, some fanart mailed into Disney itself, but I'm surprised there isn't like a full on physical protest. Online can only do so much. Like imagine a D23 but everyone is in their cosplay of the show with signs having references to whatever the show has going on. I mean, sure, it is unheard of, but consider the compromise, how it was censored in other countries, maybe even how mistreated it got during the making of Season 3. Go to the heart of where decisions are made. If you feel strongly about the compromise, take that energy and turn it into real action. As an outsider who is about to come on, I feel you so much. I hope the show is really good when I watch it, but in case if I don't, you guys really deserve better. Honest. I could be wrong in all this there's more to the story then I realize, so please go easy with this. Thank you.

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