Disney to Close Robert Zemeckis’ IMD Studio

With the economy being what it is, everyone has had to make cut backs. Disney is no exception as the company announced the closure of ImageMovers Digital studio in Northern California.

IMD was co-founded by Robert Zemeckis with Disney's bankroll. They will continue to work until January, finishing up work on Mars Needs Moms! which will be released sometime in March 2011. Closure of the studio will result in the loss of 450 jobs, over five percent of Disney’s movie studio division.

The studio is responsible for the motion-capture animation technology used in films such as Disney’s 2009 A Christmas Carol, The Polar Express, and Beowulf. Problem is that their techniques have become outdated compared to the techniques recently used in Avatar.

However there is some hope for the IMD group. Zemeckis and his IMD partners are “hoping to create a long-term production deal” with Disney. The plan is to create a 3D adaptation of The Beatles’ 1968 film The Yellow Submarine.