Wildfires Impacting Los Angeles Film and Animation Community

Since Tuesday, numerous wildfires fueled by strong winds have swept through Los Angeles, leading to extensive damage with thousands of homes and businesses destroyed, over 130,000 people evacuated, and five fatalities.

The Eaton Fire, which is either actively burning or causing mandatory evacuations in Altadena, Pasadena, and La Cañada Flintridge, has a significant effect on the animation sector, as many industry professionals live in these areas.

While ensuring the safety of individuals is the top priority, the following outlines the repercussions the fires are having on the animation and film sectors. The Cartoon Brew team extends its thoughts to all those impacted by the L.A. wildfires and hopes for everyone’s safety.

Production Halts and Event Cancellations

Walt Disney Studios, Universal, and Warner Bros. have closed their lots today and halted production on film and television projects. The Walt Disney Company has informed employees that all offices in Los Angeles and Ventura County will remain shut until Friday, January 10.

A new fire in the Hollywood Hills has led to mandatory evacuation orders in the Hollywood area, affecting locations such as the Dolby Theatre, home of the Academy Awards.

The Critics Choice Awards, scheduled for this Sunday in Santa Monica, have been postponed to January 26. This event includes significant animation categories, recognizing animated features, animated series, and visual effects (vfx). A complete list of animation nominees is available here.

Final voting for the Oscar nominations, which commenced this morning, has been extended by two days. Originally set to conclude at 5 PM Pacific on Sunday, voting will now continue until next Tuesday, January 14. The announcement of the Oscar nominations has also been delayed from Friday, January 17, to Sunday, January 19.

The Academy has canceled the in-person Visual Effects Branch Bake-Offs in Los Angeles and the Bay Area, originally scheduled for Saturday, January 11. This bake-off is crucial for vfx branch members to determine Oscar nominees in the vfx category. Instead, a virtual discussion with shortlisted contenders will take place on the same date, with further details to be provided to branch members soon.

Paramount has canceled tonight’s Los Angeles premiere of the Robbie Williams hybrid biopic Better Man, which features a motion-capture CG animation lead.

Netflix has also canceled most of its in-person events in L.A. this week, including a conversation scheduled for tomorrow with Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham, directors of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, which was to be presented in partnership with Cartoon Brew. A new date will be announced shortly.

Several art and industry-related institutions were closed today, including Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design (located in a mandatory evacuation zone), the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, and the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park.

Tragically, the Bunny Museum, a unique Altadena-based museum housing nearly 50,000 bunny-related items, including a wealth of animation memorabilia, has been destroyed by the fires, according to its owners.

Person

Nick Park, Merlin Crossingham, Robbie Williams

Company Names

Walt Disney Studios, Universal, Warner Bros., The Walt Disney Company, Paramount, Netflix, Cartoon Brew, Art Center College of Design, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Universal Studios Hollywood

Titles

Better Man, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, Critics Choice Awards, Oscar nominations

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