ABC - PIXAR TO OPEN VANCOUVER STUDIO

PIXAR TO OPEN VANCOUVER STUDIO

Taking advantage of Canada's and British Columbia's generous tax incentives -- as well as an extensive talent pool of local filmmakers -- Disney's Pixar's unit plans to launch a 20,000-square-foot animation studio in Vancouver by fall. The studio, the company said, will develop computer-animated projects for Disney's theme parks, ABC television shows, websites, and DVDs. Theatrical features will continue to be produced in Hollywood and at Pixar's studios in Emeryville, the company said. Amir Nasrabadi, who will oversee the studio, told the Vancouver Sun "First and foremost for us is to concentrate on Pixar legacy characters," like Woody and Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story, and Lightning McQueen and Mater from Cars . "We want to keep these well-known and well-liked characters alive without creating a distraction to those working on the full-length motion pictures in California."

08/05/2009