Jan 21, 2006

If You Can’t Beat Em’, Buy Em’

Apparently, the Disney board is going to officially consider the purchase of Pixar, according to the LA Times (reg req).

Wow, what a change since the Jobs-Eisner wars of 2004… This makes me nervous for a few reasons the largest of which are 1) I’d hate to see Pixar screwed up by Disney and 2) I’d hate to see Pixar screwed up by Disney.

The Pixar and Disney relationship worked because each company was exactly what the other was not. In my opinion, a purchase of Pixar, while probably good for Steve Jobs, is bad news for everyone else. Why?

  • Pixar will loose because it will be stifled and constricted to conform with the souless mantra of today’s Disney
  • Disney will loose because it will kill the very thing it currently values so much
  • The animation industry will loose because the primary example of critical and monetary success will be gone, once again bringing in to question its value as an entertainment medium
  • The public will loose because we won’t be dazzled by movies like Finding Nemo anymore.

Now, I’m no fan-boy of Jobs, but I’ve got to hand it to the man. His turn around of Apple and the success of Pixar are an amazing testament to his abilities. Abilities despite his faults, I might add. In this case, I’m hoping that his reportedly massive ego will keep him from selling Pixar and that the whole thing will simply result in a lucrative distribution agreement that will keep the movies flowing for benefit and enjoyment of all.

5 comments

1 TC Lynch { 01.22.06 at 7:13 am }

I gotta disagree, Andrew. If the deal goes through the way it is being portrayed, Jobs becomes Disney’s largest shareholder, and can kick that moribound company square in the ass, waking them out of the doldrums while he repurposes Disney’s inventory to generate gabillions of dollars as future iPod downloads and allows the Pixies to take control of Disney’s animation division.

2 Andrew Milo { 01.22.06 at 3:10 pm }

That is a possibility, isn’t it? Good point!

My fear is that even as the largest shareholder (he’ll have 6%) that he won’t have enough power to make real changes. 6%, while huge, is not nearly enough to control them…

We may see if Jobs has the mettle to play the field from the top position rather than as the upstart… You could say that he is used to it with the iPod, but that’s really only 1 product in a company that is the perennial consummate underdog.

I hope you are right TC! That sure would be a boon for everyone!

Thanks for the comment! :)

3 Sal Flores { 01.24.06 at 2:57 pm }

As of today it’s offical and they got it at the bargin price of 7.5 Billion dollars.

Though I think the infusion of Jobs in the Disney hiarchy is a welcome change, Jobs’ success at Apple wasn’t that he was creative, it was that he was smart enough to get out of the way of the creative people and let them do their job, no pun intended.

However Disney is wanting for creative leadership and creative individuals within the trenches, and since they have neither, I fear that Pixar might become a relegated corporate company doing direct to DVD crap.

Sigh… let’s hope not.

4 Andrew Milo { 01.26.06 at 9:41 am }

Hey Sal!

Thanks for stopping by! :)
Yeah, I hear your fear man… There is a lot at stake for the industry and for pop culture in general.

Lets hope Jobs gets it right!

-A

5 Sal Flores { 01.26.06 at 11:10 am }

Well reading the press lately on this it looks like they are on the right track. They’ve made John Lasseter the Head of Creative at Disney, reporting only to Iger. That means he will over see Feature Animation as well as Imagineering.

Could it be we might actually start seeing some inventive rides again at Disneyland? Hmmm we’ll have to see

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