Keep the Animators, Lose Some Execs

Re: “Disney Plans Big Cuts in Feature Animation” [April 24]:

Instead of cutting back on animators (whose work is actually seen by the audience), how about Disney trimming more executives, such as executive producers, senior producers, supervising producers, creative producers, coordinating producers, line producers, consulting producers, associate producers? These out-of-water MBAs have utterly no training or understanding of even basic animation, yet are required to sign off on simple stories and action way over their heads.

As for Cartoonists Local 839, they’re still trying to figure out why 95% of U.S. animation is done overseas.

Daniel Stryker

Burbank

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Disney Chief Executive Michael Eisner was quoted, in reference to laying off an estimated 30% of the company’s animators, as saying, “We are able to improve an already profitable business by looking at the cost of that labor,” and “We’re pretty pleased with ourselves that we are managing it financially as well as creatively” [Disney Says Profit Up, Confirms Plan to Cut 4,000 Jobs,” April 25]. To which Walt Disney replied more than 40 years ago, “You know, the only way I’ve found to make these pictures is with animators--you can’t seem to do it with accountants and bookkeepers.”

Dan McLaughlin

Hermosa Beach