May
14
2009
Fatkat’s Final Meow
Fatkat Animation Studios’s work has been featured here at least a few dozen times, so it’s with heavy heart that we announce their demise. Over at the Fatkat blog you can read how it all went down, and Cartoon Brew is also reporting on the story.
The response around the web is expected – venom mixed with sadness – but from where I sit, that’s less animation jobs and I never like to report on that. I hope everyone up there finds work soon and congrats on a great run.
For more on Fatkat, read our interview with founder Gene Fowler, who is reportedly starting a new studio called Loogaroo.
May 14th, 2009 at 10:57 am
I see a lot less venom over the doors closing than Space Knights or Three Delivery news. Either people don’t wanna beat a dead horse or the blog sites I check out are not allowing anonymous posts anymore.
May 14th, 2009 at 11:43 am
It never is easy to see people let off work.. but i heard this Gene guy over work his employes and didn’t pay them for some time. Not nice. Better luck with new place i guess.
May 14th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
saw it coming…. not surprised. move to ontario or something; way more animation work out here & they pay better and work you less.
May 15th, 2009 at 2:07 am
Hey Roberto,
Every single Fatkat got paid for every single frame they animated. All vacation was paid and everyone recieved ample notice.
Don’t spread shit you have no idea about.
Gene
May 15th, 2009 at 7:44 am
It’s hard to see another canadian company bite the dust. And i dont know the whole story about what Roberto is trying to say but the issue of overworking animators to meet unrealistic schedule AND artistic deadlines is all too familiar. And this seems like a growing trend with studios here in canada(*and maybe in the US i dont know) They take on projects to help people stay employeed but in the end “grind” their workers to a pulp to get a project done, hence some leaving. Again, its unfortunate decisions had to be made to keep people employed, but in the long run, “everyone” gets shafted because nobody would want to work there anymore(*no matter how bad the market is) Talented and nice animators are turning sour by the minute, i’m witnessing, to this sort of decision making. I sincerely do wish Gene and his new venture luck though. It’s never easy in a “creative” field.
May 15th, 2009 at 9:30 am
It sure is Michael,
We’ve all made poor decisions. All it takes to stop all this overworking bullshit it the choice not to take the gig and then live with it, or without it.
We chose to take the gig, we all suffered for it, including our families and loved ones. It’s a business risk we all take.
May 15th, 2009 at 11:39 am
I believe all it takes to stop this “overworking” of your employees are smart, creative decisions made by upper management, period. Were there absolutely no other options out there in the world of tv series? I find that hard to believe.
All too often i’m seeing friends being thrown into productions they can’t handle, all because of artisticly mis-informed studio heads with over-ambitious production schedules. I don’t know if that was the case here, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
THe entire industry is suffering so i won’t go on squabbling about the obvious.
May 15th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Well I’ve said it elsewhere but I’m sad to see Fatkat go and wish them all well.
I know almost nothing of their working practises so can’t comment on the actual studio, though I do know some who Fatkat did work for and they had nothing but good things to say about them.
But, just in general, I’ve often said if animators need to work late on any kind of regular basis, you need more animators. If it happens and you can’t afford more animators, you’ve buggered up severely and that is a major management problem.
Unhappy workers are not good workers and discontentment spreads like the plague.
June 2nd, 2009 at 8:07 pm
@ Roberto
3 years, 40-60 hours per week.
3 seperate television series during that time.
6 weeks paid vacation (NOT COUNTING HOLIDAYS)
Even with the studio closing I never went without my paycheck. I’m not saying you are misinformed, but the information you have been given is wrong.
October 21st, 2009 at 12:55 am
FATKAT = PRICELESS
Pirated software ..tens of thousands of dollars.
Wasting tax payer money…At least 3 million.
Embarrassment to Canadian Business…Priceless.