Dreamworks Animation Is Laying Staff Off And Hopes To Return To Normal Size In 2025
Image Source: Spectrum News 1
Despite expecting success with the opening of Kung Fu Panda 4 and the well-received trailer for Chris Sanders’ Wild Robot, an untold number of workers, possibly numbering into the hundreds, have been informed that they will be let go between mid-April and July. Many departments are being cut in half with staff on creative features could be reduced by nearly as much. Exact numbers have been difficult to come by, however, workers from different departments have been comparing notes with others.
DreamWorks animation chief operating officer, Randy Lake, disputes the characterization of the staff cuts as layoffs, referring to them as downsizing through “natural attrition” and contracts not being renewed. However, the sheer number of contracts not being renewed has demoralized and increased concern about the overall direction of the company.
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DreamWorks has pointed to the timing of multiple projects winding down with no new projects immediately available to work on, as well as the decision not to greenlight one of its in-house films, the Bollywood-themed Another Me (working title) as factors in the downsizing. Additionally, DreamWorks does not have any in-house productions scheduled for 2025, further reducing the need for staff.
Although some workers have been informed that the studio hopes to return to “normal size” in 2025, they have also been told that it will likely not grow to its current size anytime soon, especially because of the shifting away from fully in-house animation productions as part of cost-cutting measures ordered by Comcast-Universal.
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Source(s): Cartoon Brew
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