Now before I begin, this is NOT a rant. I may seem heated and miserly because of my love for animation and the art world in general. Some parts of this entry I am upset about, but it's nothing that I lose sleep over. In actuality, I'm just expressing my view on the issue, that's it. Now that's out of the way, I'll begin.

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I will not be looking at Ratatouille when it releases in theaters. I have not looked at Cars at all...even after it's been released on DVD. I have no desire to do any of these. The same goes with Shrek the Third.

As a matter of fact, I can actually say the same about the rest of these big time animation or film studios out there. I just won't see something "because so-and-so studio did it" or "because so-and-so is doing voices for this character". To me, that takes away from the entire experience of it all. And the product from that is (Sad to say it) is animated features that are all the same to me.

It's easily forgotten (both outside the industry and within, mind you,) that animation is an art form. As a matter of fact, all "commercial art" is still an art form. It's not some trove of cultural references thrown into one digital pot and simmered for 105 minutes. Every once in a while, when asked by someone what I went to school for or what my career goals are, I tell them that I went to school for Animation or something along the lines of it. In response to that, I get something like, "oh, you're gonna work for Pixar?" It upsets me to no end. Not just because ignorance behind the question, but of what it means to me. I mean is the words Pixar, Dreamworks, or the name Brad Bird or John K. all of what someone thinks when the word “animation” is uttered? In a perfect world, I’d confidently say “No” to that question, but in reality, that is becoming more and more of a reality and that disappoints me. I can’t bring myself to blindly idolize any person or entity. To be quite honest with you, I have seen more talent in independent animated shorts than those released to the big screen.

The same applies to what I see here on DA and various other art sites on the net with these supposed “rockstar artists” out there. I’m sorry, I can’t bring myself to that and to be honest with all of you, I strongly think that none of you should either.