Amblimation

Amblimation was a British animation production company created by Steven Spielberg in May 1989. It operated as the animation subsidiary of Amblin Entertainment and was established in collaboration with Universal Pictures, drawing on the commercial momentum generated by Spielberg-associated projects including An American Tail, The Land Before Time, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The studio was based in the former Eaton Yale and Towne factory in Acton, London, and assembled an international production staff of approximately 250 people from 15 nations. The company's principal purpose was to develop and produce animated feature films for theatrical distribution. Its filmography consisted of three released features: An American Tail: Fievel Goes West, We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story, and Balto. All three were distributed by Universal Pictures and featured music by composer James Horner. Amblimation's production logo used Fievel Mousekewitz, the central character of the An American Tail films, as its mascot, linking the studio's identity to Spielberg's earlier animation collaborations. The studio emerged after Spielberg and animator Don Bluth separated over creative differences following their work on the original An American Tail and other projects. Spielberg then selected Phil Nibbelink and Simon Wells, both of whom had worked as supervising animators on Who Framed Roger Rabbit, to direct the proposed An American Tail sequel. The project became Fievel Goes West and served as the first major production to be developed through Amblimation. The studio also explored additional projects, including an adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats and an animated version of William Steig's book Shrek!, although neither was completed by Amblimation. Fievel Goes West was released in 1991. Amblimation's second feature, We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story, reached cinemas in 1993 after substantial changes in its directing and story teams. Its disappointing commercial performance created budgetary pressure for the studio's next project. Balto, directed by Simon Wells, was released in 1995 and became Amblimation's final completed feature. The film followed a sled dog involved in an emergency medicine delivery in Alaska and later developed a lasting home-video and family-audience profile, despite a weak initial theatrical performance. Amblimation's short life reflected the difficulty of establishing a new feature-animation operation during a period of intense competition in Hollywood animation. In October 1994, Spielberg co-founded DreamWorks Pictures with Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. As Balto approached completion, approximately 120 Amblimation personnel moved to Los Angeles to help establish DreamWorks' animation operation. In 1997, after the commercial failure of We're Back! and Balto and a change in the strategic relationship between Universal's corporate parent and the DreamWorks venture, Amblimation was closed. Most remaining staff joined DreamWorks and worked on projects including The Prince of Egypt; the planned Shrek adaptation was also later developed by DreamWorks and released as Shrek in 2001. Amblimation therefore remains a defunct but historically relevant link between British animation production, Amblin Entertainment, Universal Pictures, and the formation of DreamWorks Animation.

Spielberg's involvement in animation developed through his executive-producer roles on Don Bluth's An American Tail and The Land Before Time, as well as Robert Zemeckis's Who Framed Roger Rabbit. After these projects demonstrated the commercial potential of animated features, Spielberg planned to continue working with Bluth on an An American Tail sequel. Creative differences ended that partnership, prompting Spielberg to establish a separate production structure. In May 1989, Spielberg formed Amblimation as an animation subsidiary of Amblin Entertainment in association with Universal Pictures. The company occupied the former Eaton Yale and Towne factory in Acton, London, and recruited approximately 250 crew members from 15 countries. Phil Nibbelink and Simon Wells, who had worked on Who Framed Roger Rabbit, were appointed to direct the sequel that became An American Tail: Fievel Goes West. The studio's logo featured Fievel Mousekewitz, reinforcing its connection with the earlier franchise. While Fievel Goes West was being completed, the studio developed We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story. Nibbelink and Wells initially worked on its storyboarding, while Dick and Ralph Zondag later took over directing duties. A proposed animated adaptation of Cats was also developed, but repeated delays and dissatisfaction with its story direction led to its cancellation. Nibbelink and Wells ultimately returned to We're Back!, although Wells later left to direct Balto and Nibbelink completed the dinosaur film alone. Fievel Goes West was released in 1991, followed by We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story in 1993. The latter performed poorly commercially, which constrained the resources available for Balto. Spielberg's creation of DreamWorks Pictures with Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen in 1994 accelerated the movement of Amblimation personnel into a new American animation operation. Approximately 120 employees relocated to Los Angeles as Balto neared completion. Balto was released in 1995 and became Amblimation's final feature. In 1997, after the studio's limited theatrical results and a change in the relationship between Universal's corporate parent and the DreamWorks venture, Amblimation was shut down. Most of the remaining staff joined DreamWorks and worked on The Prince of Egypt, while others moved to different animation companies. DreamWorks also took up the abandoned Amblimation development project based on William Steig's Shrek!, eventually producing the 2001 feature Shrek. Amblimation's legacy is therefore concentrated in three released films and its contribution of personnel and development work to the later DreamWorks animation enterprise.

• 1997

  Studio closes

  [1]Amblimationen.wikipedia.org

  Amblimation ceased operations, with many remaining employees moving to DreamWorks or other studios.

• 1995

  Balto is released

  [4]Baltoen.wikipedia.org

  Balto became the studio's third and final theatrical feature.

• 1994

  DreamWorks animation operation begins absorbing Amblimation staff

  [1]Amblimationen.wikipedia.org

  Around 120 employees relocated to Los Angeles to help form the animation operation connected with the newly established DreamWorks Pictures.

• 1993

  We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story is released

  [3]We're Back! A Dinosaur's Storyen.wikipedia.org

  The studio released its second feature after changes to the film's directing and story teams.

• 1991

  An American Tail: Fievel Goes West is released

  [2]An American Tail: Fievel Goes Westen.wikipedia.org

  Amblimation's first completed feature was released as a Universal-distributed sequel to An American Tail.

• 1989

  Amblimation is established

  [1]Amblimationen.wikipedia.org

  Steven Spielberg formed the London-based studio as an Amblin Entertainment animation subsidiary associated with Universal Pictures.

A London-based production studio for internationally distributed, family-oriented animated feature films, combining British production talent with the commercial and distribution resources of Amblin Entertainment and Universal Pictures.

• Animated theatrical feature · 1991

  An American Tail: Fievel Goes West

  Amblimation's first completed feature was a family-oriented western adventure continuing the story of Fievel Mousekewitz and his family. The film transferred the characters to the American West and was directed by Phil Nibbelink and Simon Wells. It was distributed by Universal Pictures and established the studio's connection with internationally marketed animated features.

• Animated theatrical feature · 1993

  We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story

  This family adventure follows several intelligent dinosaurs brought into the modern world and drawn into a children's story. The production underwent changes in its directing team, with Dick and Ralph Zondag involved during development before Phil Nibbelink completed the film. It was released by Universal Pictures in 1993 and became associated with the commercial difficulties that later affected the studio.

• Animated theatrical feature · 1995

  Balto

  Balto is an animated adventure about a sled dog in Alaska who undertakes a dangerous journey connected with the delivery of medicine during severe winter conditions. Directed by Simon Wells, it was Amblimation's final completed feature and was released by Universal Pictures in 1995. Although its theatrical performance was weak, the film became one of the studio's most recognizable titles through later home-video and family-audience circulation.

• Uncompleted animated feature project

  Shrek! adaptation

  Amblimation developed an animated adaptation of William Steig's book Shrek! but did not complete it before the studio closed. DreamWorks later acquired and reworked the project, producing the independently developed 2001 animated feature Shrek.

• Uncompleted animated feature project

  Cats adaptation

  The studio planned an animated adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats and assigned Phil Nibbelink and Simon Wells to the project after their work on Fievel Goes West. Production was repeatedly delayed because of dissatisfaction with the story direction, and the project was eventually abandoned.

• 1997

  Discontinue AmblimationStrategy

  Background

  The commercial underperformance of We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story and Balto coincided with a reorganization of animation activities around DreamWorks.

  Action taken

  Amblimation was closed and its remaining personnel were dispersed, with many joining DreamWorks.

  Aftermath

  The former staff contributed to projects such as The Prince of Egypt, and DreamWorks later developed the Shrek concept that had originated as an Amblimation project.

  Source

• 1994

  Transfer animation personnel to DreamWorksStrategy

  Background

  Spielberg's co-founding of DreamWorks Pictures created a new strategic home for feature-animation production as Balto approached completion.

  Action taken

  Approximately 120 Amblimation employees relocated to Los Angeles to help establish DreamWorks' animation operation.

  Aftermath

  The personnel transfer weakened Amblimation as an ongoing standalone studio while contributing experienced staff to DreamWorks projects.

  Source

• 1989

  Create a dedicated London animation studioStrategy

  Background

  After successful Spielberg-associated animation projects and the separation from Don Bluth, a new production base was needed for an An American Tail sequel.

  Action taken

  Spielberg established Amblimation in London as an Amblin Entertainment animation subsidiary associated with Universal Pictures.

  Aftermath

  The studio assembled a large international crew and produced three theatrical features during the 1990s.

  Source

1. 1Amblimationen.wikipedia.org
2. 2An American Tail: Fievel Goes Westen.wikipedia.org
3. 3We're Back! A Dinosaur's Storyen.wikipedia.org
4. 4Baltoen.wikipedia.org