At one time, DreamWorks Animation Studios was beyond the moon. Today, we discover there’s an eclipse as it eliminates 70 positions–4% of its entire staff.
“DreamWorks Animation reduced its workforce by approximately 70 positions,” a spokesperson told THR. “Roles affected were across corporate functions, feature, television, and technology departments as part of an overall cost-reduction.”
The cost-cutting layoffs affected people in corporate, features, television, and technology. Additionally, a new corporate strategy is shifting away from producing films in-house completely. DreamWorks Animation will begin to partner with more third-party studios. This will be an effort to streamline costs (and possibly make a better product).
News of this magnitude is a stark reminder Hollywood can never rest on its laurels. This was a studio that owned the big screen for a moment. DreamWorks Animation was behind award-winning franchises, such as How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, and Shrek.
In the Oughts, they set a blistering pace churning out blockbusters one after the other. In the 2010s, they sustained that momentum with excellent sequels and a few originals that surprised fans, like Monsters & Aliens, The Croods, and the fantastic Rise of the Guardians.
Today, the hit factory is praying that Trolls Band Together is more than just a good time at the movies when it releases nationwide on November 17. The third of what appears to be a trilogy (and ushering in the NSYNC reunion) may be the reason those pink slips stop in Glendale, California. If it’s not, there will be many more people at DreamWorks Animation saying “Bye, Bye, Bye.”
(C’mon. We couldn’t let that one slip by. It was a tee shot. You’re welcome.)
Since he saw ‘Dune’ in the $1 movie theater as a kid, this guy has been a lover of geek culture. It wasn’t until he became a professional copywriter, ghostwriter, and speechwriter that he began to write about it (a lot).
From the gravitas of the Sith, the genius of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, or the gluttony of today’s comic fan, SPW digs intelligent debate about entertainment. He’s also addicted to listicles, storytelling, useless trivia, and the Oxford comma. And, he prefers his puns intended.
