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 1978 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 Mastress 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.

History
In 1975, a small team of CalArts graduates, led by fellow animator Michael Wildshill who wanted to realize their dream of producing an animated feature-length film on their 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 Universal Pictures 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 Universal'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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