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We’re back with a special guest for episode 95, in which we’re talking about the animation industry, capitalism, and the critiques we’re seeing in children’s media. Thank you so much to our guest for bringing personal insight and professional knowledge to our discussion!
You might notice some choppiness throughout this episode. To protect our guest’s identity, we decided it was in everyone’s best interest to edit her name out. Though it might sound a little unusual, it’s not a problem with your speakers or connection, just the natural result of taking a second or so out of a sentence. Same with the fuzziness that comes up midway through and fades in and out —we’re sorry for the technical problems! Hope you enjoy the discussion regardless!
Some Links You Might Find Interesting:
We didn’t discuss all these pieces during the episode, but they’re all worth reading!
Leading Hollywood movies based on merchandise sales revenue as of January 2016 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Pixar’s Art Leaves Profit Watchers Edgy by Brooks Barnes
‘Star Wars,’ ‘Minions’ to Lead Record Year for Toy Industry by Alex Ben Block
‘Minions’ Could Become One Of The Highest-Grossing Animated Movies Ever by Natalie Robehmed
List of highest-grossing animated movies
Animating Hierarchy: Disney and the Globalization of Capitalism by Lee Artz
Steven Universe creator has done more for LGBTQ visibility than you might know by Nick Romano
That Time Disney Remade Beauty and the Beast by Linday Ellis
Wage theft coverage from Cartoon Brew
‘Sausage Party’ Animators’ Pay Dispute Prompts Union Complaint by Tobias Burns and Etan Vlessing
The working conditions for some ‘Sausage Party’ animators were pretty terrible by Stephanie Merry
6 Ways ‘Sausage Party’ Got Away With Screwing Its Artists by Christina H
Vancouver Animation Industry Survey Reveals Alarming Low Wages and Unpaid Overtime Practices by Amid Amidi
Pocahontas Was a Mistake, and Here’s Why! by Lindsay Ellis
The Revisionist World of Disney: Mary Poppins, Walt Disney and Saving Mr. Banks by Lindsay Ellis
Disney CEO asks employees to chip in to pay copyright lobbyists by Joe Mullin
The Tragedy of the “Commons” by Mexie
Ending The Tragedy of The Commons by Big Think and Elinor Ostrom
Wall-E is an eco-dystopian gem — an anti-consumption movie (from Disney!) by Joe Romm
Wall-E as Sociological Storytelling by Pop Culture Detective
‘The Lego Movie’ Isn’t Just Anti-Capitalist. It’s Anti-Fox, Too. by Emmett Rensin
The LEGO Movie is Practically Communist by Bilge Ebiri
Disney, 21st Century Fox Shareholders Approve $71.3 Billion Merger by Amid Amidi
Mister Gotcha by Matt Bors
Stop Asking “Is This Feminist?” by Lindsay Ellis
Disney Strike History and the Animation Guild:
Cartoons and Class Struggle by Kenneth Bergfeld
On This Day 75 Years Ago, Disney Animation Changed Forever: The Disney Artists’ Strike of 1941 by Amid Amidi
The Disney Strike of 1941: How It Changed Animation & Comics by Tom Sito
The Animation Guild History
What animation unions do
A Tale of Two Titmouses: A Cartoon Brew Investigation by Amid Amidi
Bad Takes:
EconPop – The Economics of WALL-E by EconStories
Your guide to the WALL-E controversy by Sean O’Neal (okay, they’re not ALL bad takes, but there are some real stinkers in here)
WALL-E: Economic Ignorance and the War on Modernity by Gennady Stolyarov II
5 secret political meanings hidden in ‘The Lego Movie’ by Kyle Smith (again, not all bad, but beware the ones that are)