Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Disney buys LucasFilm

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Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 10-30-2012, 03:25 PM:

Since I can't post in industry news [Wink]

http://blog.sfgate.com/bottomline/2012/10/30/disney-buys-lucasfilm-for-4-billion/

quote:
From The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd. in a stock and cash transaction worth $4.05 billion.

“It’s now time for me to pass ‘Star Wars’ on to a new generation of filmmakers,” said George Lucas, 100 percent owner, founder and chairman of Marin and San Francisco-based Lucasfilm.

Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney stock on October 26, the transaction value is $4.05 billion, with Disney paying approximately half of the consideration in cash and issuing approximately 40 million shares at closing.

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Lucasfilm, including its massively Star Wars franchise and its operating businesses in live action film production, consumer products, animation, visual effects, and audio post production. Disney will also acquire the substantial portfolio of cutting-edge entertainment technologies.

Kathleen Kennedy, current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally she will serve as the brand manager for Star Wars, working directly with Disney’s global lines of business to build, further integrate, and maximize the value of this global franchise.

Ms. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.

The acquisition combines two highly compatible family entertainment brands, and strengthens the long-standing beneficial relationship between them that already includes successful integration of Star Wars content into Disney theme parks in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris and Tokyo.

Yes, but will Disney move to San Francisco — or maybe Marin — or will George Lucas move to Burbank?

Of maybe George Lucas will just go away!

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-30-2012, 05:34 PM:

The Disney-bashing is sure to be far and wide, but you have to admit they've done a wonderful job with the Star Wars universe in their theme parks. The new version of the "Star Tours" attraction in Hollywood Studios (WDW) is fantastic.

The bright side is, the Star Wars saga has nowhere to go but up, after the reception to the prequels.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 10-30-2012, 05:39 PM:

Wonder if the plans to release the originals in converted 3D is still going ahead. Disney/Pixar are very heavily invested in 3D so my guess is it will still happen.

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 10-30-2012, 06:40 PM:

It's a trap!

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 10-30-2012, 06:45 PM:

So, whom do I call to book Star Wars? Oh, wait, it's unavailable for booking. [Mad]

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 10-30-2012, 07:27 PM:

I know Episode 4 is owned by Fox and most likely 5 and 6 but I am not sure about the three prequel 1, 2 & 3. The article states Fox will still control the STAR WAR films they own

-Claude

Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 10-31-2012, 01:43 AM:

I'm surprised that Fox didn't get it given the long time relationship. Now we get to look for all the Disney characters hidden in the backgrounds.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 10-31-2012, 05:38 AM:

If Disney wanted to release all 6 Star Wars titles, they would just buy Fox....heh heh.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 10-31-2012, 08:16 AM:

I haven't looked at the fine print in the film credits lately, but if I recall correctly Lucasfilm Ltd. owned the copyright to the Star Wars movies, thus really owning the movies. Fox owned the distribution rights in North America.

Perhaps Fox will get to distribute these upcoming Star Wars installments while Disney retains the copyright (and a good share of the box office pie) -kind of like what took place with The Avengers movie release (Paramount distributed while Disney really owned it).

With Disney gaining control of the Star Wars titles, I wonder if fans will eventually/finally get to buy original cuts of the movies in high definition.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 10-31-2012, 08:44 AM:

It's been my understanding for the last, let's say, forever, that Lucas owned the rights to Star Wars and would not allow the originals to be shown (even before he mucked with them) unless you were a close personal friend or something. Art/Rep houses have been locked out of them for years. I was also told by Fox some years ago that he had all the 35mm prints destroyed.

We don't know from the story, but I assume he maintains the copyright. How he's licensed it to Disney is the question, and will provide the answer as to wether the originals are re-released in any form.

Of course, Disney just moved its rep catalog over to Swank. It would be hilarious if Swank ended up in control of the original Star Wars films.

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 10-31-2012, 09:38 AM:

One of the big questions here in San Francisco is what this merger means to the
hundereds of employees at the LucasFilm facility here in The City.

News footage on TV last night showed all of the employees arriving back at the
LucasFilm campus after being taken somewhere off-site for the official merger announcement
and company-wide meeting. As was obvious from the pictures and as the news anchor
pointed out, none of them looked happy as they got off the busses.

Many just looked downward and shook their heads as they walked inside.

It's unknown at this time if some or all will loose their jobs or if Disney will shut
down the production facilities here in SF and move operations to Los Angeles.

Maybe they'll all wind up working at the Disney Museum, which is about a 10min walk
from the present Lucas building. Time will tell, I guess. But they didn't look happy.

Here's a picture I took of the main Lucas Bldg back in June:

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 10-31-2012, 09:49 AM:

A New Hope..?

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 10-31-2012, 09:51 AM:

Another way to look at this is everything has come full circle and Pixar will end up running Lucasfilm.

Certainly Pixar makes better films than either Disney or Lucasfilm.

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 10-31-2012, 09:53 AM:

^^ Like.

Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 10-31-2012, 01:26 PM:

Will ILM continue to be the lead VFX company in the industry? Will it become another Dream Quest Images (look it up)? And will Howard the Duck become an animated series?

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 10-31-2012, 02:23 PM:

quote: Martin McCaffery
We don't know from the story, but I assume he maintains the copyright. How he's licensed it to Disney is the question, and will provide the answer as to wether the originals are re-released in any form.

If I paid $4 Billion bucks, I'd damn sure want to own the copyrights as part of the deal.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 10-31-2012, 02:30 PM:

it's entirely possible for Lucas to own the copyright but lease it to Disney for 40 years, or whatever.

Inasmuch as we have about the worst copyright laws in the world thanks to Disney, I suspect your position is the one they took [Wink]

Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 10-31-2012, 03:32 PM:

quote:
One of the big questions here in San Francisco is what this merger means to the hundreds of employees at the LucasFilm facility here in The City.

On the one hand, Disney is one of the most virulently bottom line oriented, anti-labor and anti-rank-and-file companies in America. They try to pass themselves off as a pro-family company with their amusement parks and such, but the devastation they wreak on their employees families has been hard to watch. I have three buddies at ABC that had long careers there, but after Iger and Company forced a devastating change in the NABET contract they all were laid off, as well as most of the engineering staff. They WERE told that they could come back as per-diems with no benefits or pensions, a scumbag move if ever there was one. Come to think of it, I don't personally know a single Disney employee that has ever said a single positive thing about the company, ever. In fact, if you watch The Simpsons, every so often there will be an inside-industry joke about how lousy Disney treats people.

On the other hand, when they took over Pixar they seem to have left everybody as they found them. So maybe Kathleen Kennedy will be left alone to run things as they are now. I hope so.

Posted by Paul H. Rayton (Member # 1817) on 10-31-2012, 03:45 PM:

With reference to Mark's comments about happy employees at Disney, I know a [former] Disney employee who once commented to me: "You know that sign they have over the entranceway, 'Welcome to the happiest place on earth'? That's *not* the sign over the *employees* entrance!" I think the sign to which he was referring is over the entrance to Disneyland, not the studio, but the observation is right on!

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-31-2012, 06:51 PM:

Eh. If Disney was the hell-hole that people like to think it is, they'd never be able to keep any good employees and they'd constantly be plagued by walkouts. I'd bet you could find at least two dozen people who love working for the company for every "disgruntled" employee.

I think people look at Disney's public image and forget that it is a profit-making BUSINESS, just like any other large company. They're there to make money. The fact that they do it by creating "magic" is secondary.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 10-31-2012, 08:12 PM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
Eh. If Disney was the hell-hole that people like to think it is, they'd never be able to keep any good employees and they'd constantly be plagued by walkouts.

Working at Disney is a "glamour job." Lots of students fresh out of art school want to work at Disney as animators or in some other creative capacity. Because of the glut of talent wanting to get in, Disney doesn't have to offer great benefits packages, etc. Of those who get jobs there, not many spend their entire careers there. Those who leave do so for various reasons, like finding better jobs elsewhere, starting their own business, etc.

Working in the broadcast industry is pretty much the same thing. Limitless supply of students getting out of some kind broadcast school. Only so many TV stations. That equals slogging it out, paying one's dues in small market TV stations for shit pay and shit hours. One has to leapfrog from one station to the next hoping to eventually land at a major market, network owned station for presumably better pay/hours/benefits. Or the broadcast worker thinks outside of the box and finds some sort of niche that pays a hell of a lot better than dinking around in a TV station.

I imagine Disney has left Pixar alone (for now) since the company still does much to define the cutting edge in movie animation. If Disney cuts pay/benefits in big ways there Pixar would experience one hell of a brain drain. And the results would show on screen in subsequent movie projects. Someone who really knows his stuff with 3D movie animation and related software engineering could get snapped up by a rival studio or gaming company.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-31-2012, 10:30 PM:

quote: Bobby Henderson
Working at Disney is a "glamour job." Lots of students fresh out of art school want to work at Disney

Yeah, but that's only maybe less than 1% of the people who work for Disney. I was talking about their workforce as a whole. They employ something like 65,000 at Disney World alone. There can't be all that many unhappy workers -- if there were, they'd make a noise loud enough to hear clearly. Instead they usually come off sounding like spoiled kids. And if they are TRULY unhappy, and they're good at what they do, going somewhere else shouldn't be a problem (well except in this down economy, but normally it shouldn't).

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 11-01-2012, 11:13 AM:

The "normal" in terms of job market dynamics is changing. IMHO, it's now every bit as risky, if not even more so, to work for a large corporation as it is working for any small business. You don't typically hear of small businesses arbitrarily shedding 10% or 20% of their workforce to please stock shareholders or terminate a bunch of American employees to send the production off to India or China.

A lot of people just keep quiet about any displeasure they have working for a big company. It's not so easy to switch jobs these days, especially if you have your life complicated with a home mortgage, kids, etc. I'll bet a lot of people in managerial positions at Disney are in this boat. Maybe even a lot of lower level employees too.

Creative fields are under attack from different directions. Some companies are trying to figure out ways to send such work overseas for cheap. But that usually doesn't work because of the tremendous cultural disconnect. Amateur hour is undercutting professional creative workers here at home. Anyone with enough cash to buy a DSLR and able to acquire some creative graphics apps legally or illegally can jump into the field whether he has the talent to justify the move or not. The end result is professionals have a tougher time charging fair prices for their work. I remember seeing an article on Yahoo listing 10 professions with surprisingly not so great pay on average. Photography was in the list.

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 11-01-2012, 01:09 PM:

LucasFilm acquired all rights to Star Wars (A New Hope) from Fox in return for choosing Fox to distribute Episodes 1, 2, 3. Fox never had the rights to Empire and Jedi, they were only the distributor, so LucasFilm now owns them all.

Disney will soon be able to do for Star Wars what they did for the Muppets...

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 11-01-2012, 03:37 PM:

A new Christmas Special? [evil]

Posted by Michael Gonzalez (Member # 593) on 11-01-2012, 07:19 PM:

StarWars Episode 7: The Search For More Money

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 11-01-2012, 08:57 PM:

I don't see anything wrong with making more money as long as they put out a good product. It's certainly better than Lucas re-jiggering the original movies every couple of years.

All these people who are upset about Disney buying Lucasfilm. It's so stupid! Four days ago, there was never going to be another Star Wars movie. Now, we can look forward to a future containing several, and maybe many more movies, all based on stories and ideas from George Lucas. Yet people are complaining, without having seen a single image of what's coming.

Then there are the theme parks. Most people who have seen "Star Tours" at Hollywood Studios think it's awesome. (I'm not even a huge Star Wars fan, and I think it's awesome.) Now there is the possibility of rides, lands, even maybe whole parks based on Star Wars. Just think of those possibilities. It boggles the mind. Anyone who's seen Cars Land at California Adventure knows what Disney can accomplish when they set their sights high. People were thinking Disney would be on the ropes thanks to Universal's acquisition of Harry Potter...this changes that game completely.

Then on top of all that is the Indiana Jones series. I'll bet there's a whole future of new goodies there, too. Disney's already got some very high quality attractions based on that series as well.

If people are going to hate, the solution is very simple: Continue to cherish your videos of the originals and ignore Disney's new output.

At the very least, why not give Disney a chance and see what happens?

Posted by Michael Gonzalez (Member # 593) on 11-01-2012, 10:00 PM:

Um, I am not sure you got the movie reference I was making there Mike... I didn't think it was that obscure.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 11-02-2012, 02:42 AM:

I didn't realize you were making a movie reference. And, I was responding just as much to all the general hysteria around the web from Star Wars fans. Not just your comment.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 11-02-2012, 11:57 AM:

To add a couple of thoughts to what I wrote in my previous post -- I get irritated when I hear the comment, "they're just doing it for the money." HELLO.....every single movie that's ever been made has been done in the hope of making money.

Am I against stupid cash-in sequels? Absolutely. But if there are good stories, they're better being on the screen than tucked away in a file drawer somewhere.

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 11-02-2012, 10:23 PM:

There are lots of good stories out there in the "expanded universe" of books and what not already. I can see any of those being great movies. Or if not, I'm sure some of those authors could come up with some great tales. Even if they came up with a way to work some of the new characters or alien races into them.

I'm excited about the deal.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-02-2012, 10:35 PM:

I've got to agree wholeheartedly with Mike here. Besides, it isn't as if Disney could POSSIBLY come up with anything worse than Jar Jar. [Razz]

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-03-2012, 01:28 AM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
To add a couple of thoughts to what I wrote in my previous post -- I get irritated when I hear the comment, "they're just doing it for the money." HELLO.....every single movie that's ever been made has been done in the hope of making money.

People say that about others in every field.

Doctor A: I'm better than those other doctors. I'm not just doing this for the money; those guys spend a bunch of time marketing and all that bullshit. I just focus on helping people.
Doctor B: Oh you're better than me because you lose money and I don't? And since I market, I get more patients and help more people than your good intentions do.

Few months pass and Doctor B notices that the other guy is out of business and no longer helps anyone.

Although I shouldn't throw stones. I'm the person trying to get marketing going for my practice.

Posted by Sean Weitzel (Member # 244) on 11-03-2012, 01:57 PM:

My co worker who sits in the cubicle next to mine worked in IT at Lucasfilm for 5 years before coming to my employer. He still has close friends who work at Lucasfilm. This is all that has come out to the employees so far:
1. Everything remains the same for now
2. The deal does NOT include the buildings/ranch. There is speculation that George will lease the buildings to Disney
3. The transaction included the copyrights to the existing SW movies
4. George has stated that he intends to put a majority of the $4b into the GLEF (George Lucas Education Foundation)
5. All employees will receive bonus cuts of the money

Needless to day everyone there still feels pretty nervous. The big questions have become what will happen with Skywalker sound and the remains of LucasArts

Posted by Danny Yancey (Member # 5499) on 11-07-2012, 06:38 PM:

I retired after 23 years from WDW as a projection/Sp effects Tech. and I enjoyed working there. Most of the maintance people also liked working there. It was always intrestering and sometimes would stress your brain trying to fix problems in the shows, but the equipment was the best available at the time it was installed and sometimes one of a kind.

Posted by Jake Spell (Member # 5294) on 11-07-2012, 08:55 PM:

I met a former Projection engineer that was working for Sony Pictures at the time. He loved working for them, said they give you a full machine shop and nearly unlimited funds and tell you to make it perfect. The only problem is they don't tolerate ANY mistakes. He was making projectors to test the 35mm master prints.

I also know someone that worked in distribution I believe that hated Disney, cant remember the reason though. Ill ask the next time I see him.

All in all I think its a good thing. Disney has a very high standard that they want to keep.

Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 11-08-2012, 05:51 PM:

quote: Mark J. Marshall
There are lots of good stories out there in the "expanded universe" of books and what not already. I can see any of those being great movies. Or if not, I'm sure some of those authors could come up with some great tales. Even if they came up with a way to work some of the new characters or alien races into them.

I've already heard that they are not using any of the expanded universe and maybe even be screwing with the continuity of whats already out there. I don't know if its still or ever was true, but I had heard Lucas was very diligent in making sure that all the expanded universe materials have continuity. I've personally only read the first 3 and the novels by Timothy Zahn.

Posted by Olivier Lemaire (Member # 5579) on 11-08-2012, 06:32 PM:

Sam: pixar ... wasn't it a Lucasfilm company at the very beginning, later (later) on bought back by Disney?

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 11-08-2012, 09:52 PM:

Pixar was sold by Lucas to Steve Jobs for $5.6 Million. Pixar was sold to Disney fairly recently.

Ike Lassiter of Pixar sits on the Disney board so the creative aspect will remain good one hopes.

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 04-03-2013, 04:28 PM:

Latest update to the Disney/Lucas Saga:
"DISNEY LAYS OFF STAFF AT LUCASARTS"

Disney is laying off folks at LucasArts here in San
Francisco. (Gee, I was just at that facility last week!)

Story Link

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Four months after acquiring "Star Wars"
maker Lucasfilm, The Walt Disney Co. is shutting down video game
production at subsidiary LucasArts and laying off staff as it focuses
on the less-risky, less-expensive path of licensing its characters
and stories to other developers.

A Disney spokesman confirmed the layoffs Wednesday, but didn't say
how many people were affected. LucasArts has development facilities
in San Francisco's Presidio and in Singapore.

Website Kotaku said 150 people were laid off, citing an
unnamed source. Two games that had been in production, "Star Wars:
First Assault" and "Star Wars: 1313," were canceled, Kotaku said.

Disney has been moving away from games that are expensive to
make for consoles, like the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3,
and toward apps.

One example of the licensing model is Rovio Entertainment
Ltd.'s November launch of "Angry Birds Star Wars."

<END>

I have a good friend who works in the Singapore office.
I had sent him an e-mail last week & haven't heard back.
I'm not sure that's a good sign. . . .

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 07-28-2013, 10:13 PM:

From starwars.com

quote:
Star Wars Celebration VII AnnouncedAt the end of Star Wars Celebration Europe's closing ceremonies this weekend, Lucasfilm officially announced the details of its next official convention: Star Wars Celebration VII will be held in Anaheim, California, from April 16-19, 2015. Timed with the release of Star Wars: Episode VII, this promises to be a Star Wars Celebration like no other.