Multimedia Animation

Multimedia Animation (also known as Multimedia Feature Animation) was an American animation studio owned by media company Multimedia. Initially established as the Toon Group Inc. in 1975 by a small animation team of several CalArts graduates led by animator Michael Wildshill, the studio negotiated with Jack Kromen and Austrafilm to make the animated feature Topia alongside fellow animation studio Hanna-Barbera. After the release of Topia, the Toon Group was bought by Hanna-Barbera under the new name Michael Wildshill Productions during production on the studio's second feature film, Density. After Density, the studio severed its connection with Austrafilm and negotiated with Paramount Pictures, which invested in and distributed two additional features, The Master of Colors and The Workers. In 1988, Hanna-Barbera sold the studio to media company Multimedia, where it was split into two teams: Multimedia Animation and the television animation unit Gingo Animation.

Wildshill was later drawn away from the studio when he was approached in early 1993 to set up a new animation studio for Universal Studios. Multimedia Animation's films continued to suffer losses at the box office, and the studio was closed down in 1996 after the release of their final feature, Ghost Vision following Multimedia's merger with Universal's then-parent company MCA Inc. Wildshill and much of the staff went on to head up Universal Feature Animation in Universal City, California to work on Ama and the Mysterious Crystal. As of 2020, Universal currently owns the rights to most of its back catalogue.

History
In 1975, a small team of CalArts graduates, led by fellow animator Michael Wildshill who wanted to realize his dream of producing an animated feature-length film on his own, established an independent animation studio called the Toon Group Inc. to begin production on the animated feature film Topia for a 1981 release, with backing from 20th Century Fox and Austrafilm and additional input from Hanna-Barbera founders William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, who had worked with writer and director Jack Kromen on the initial story treatment. Though generally well received by critics, who praised the richness and fluidity of the animation, some found the narrative unsatisfying. Topia returned only a modest box office performance, which was blamed on distributor Fox's poor promotion, regionally staggered releases and competition from Clash of the Titans and Raiders of the Lost Ark, which both had been released on the same week.

In 1982, following the completion of Topia, the Toon Group was purchased by Hanna-Barbera and renamed Michael Wildshill Productions, which would develop characters, stories, and productions.

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Direct-to-video films
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Short films
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Television series
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Video games
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Other
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Cancelled projects

 * The Little Mermaid - During the production of Topia in late 1978, Michael Wildshill and Jack Kromen began work on an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale The Little Mermaid, which was closer to Andersen's story, notably in its preservation of the original and tragic ending. However, production was cancelled due to problems with studios when Toon Group Inc. became Michael Wildshill Productions.
 * The Loathsome Dragon - In 1989, an animated feature film adaption of the children's book The Loathsome Dragon by David Wiesner and Kim Kahng was in the works at Multimedia Animation, but was canceled when Multimedia decided to make East of the Sun and West of the Moon as their next movie instead.
 * Arzach - In 1993, an adult animated film was in the works at Multimedia Animation that was based on the French Arzach comic book series by artist/author Jean 'Moebius' Giraud, which was originally published in the French sci-fi/fantasy comics magazine Métal Hurlant. However, its production was shut down after no news came and due to problems at Multimedia.
 * The Snowman - Around this time, Multimedia considered making a feature-length animated film adaptation of the children's picture book The Snowman by English author Raymond Briggs.
 * Tarzan of the Apes - In early 1994, Gabriel Garza writer Dianne Dixon was hired by Multimedia to write the screenplay for an animated film adaption of the story Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs, but it was canceled when Multimedia heard the news of Disney making an animated film adaption of Tarzan. After that, Multimedia Animation was folded into Universal Feature Animation.
 * Vixa and the Beast Hunters - This proposed concept was to be Multimedia's first computer-animated feature, but the film did not get beyond its planning stage. The canceled project was revealed 19 years after the film's conception.
 * Galaxy Melody - Took inspirations from Star Wars and Disney's Fantasia, this proposed CGI film was intended as a sci-fi comedy musical film, and to prove Multimedia's ability to create CGI films other than hand-drawn films. Multimedia spent six months on the project, developing several concept art and animation tests. However, most staff members, beside Michael Wildshill, were not passionate about the project, and thought it was "one-dimensional". As a result, Galaxy Melody was scrapped. According to Wildshill, Galaxy Melody is a lesson for Multimedia and its first failure.

Trivia
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