With the massive success of 3D, CGI animated films like "Frozen" and every Pixar film ever made, it is no surprise that Disney has all but abandoned the traditional 2D animation that gave the world classics like "The Lion King" and "Aladdin."
Leave it to one group of veteran Disney animators then to embark on a revival of 2D animation, and they are going straight to the people via an IndieGoGo campaign to make their dream project a reality. It's called "Hullabaloo," and it sounds all kinds of awesome.
Set in a steampunk, science fiction world, "Hullabaloo" will be the story Veronica Daring, the daughter of a brilliant inventor who must find her missing father. To do so, she partners up with fellow inventor Jules and takes on the super-hero identity of Hullabaloo, a "goggled crusader" who uses her courage, wits, and technology to bring down the nefarious men who kidnapped her father.
Looking to bring this story to life are some of the most talented animators in Disney history, who collectively have worked on classic Disney films like "Aladdin," "Tarzan," "The Lion King," "The Little Mermaid" and countless others, including work on CGI films like "Frozen" and "Kung-Fu Panda."
The team hopes that by using funds from the IndieGoGo campaign to create a top-notch short film, they can show investors that 2D animation is still in demand and is not, in fact, a dying art form. When that happens, the team hopes that a full-length feature film will be a possibility.
"Unfortunately, the film industry has developed the misconception that 2D animation is a dead art form that should be neither preserved nor perpetuated," the campaign page reads. "We believe that they are wrong, and by joining us you can help us prove that people still love and want 2D animation."
In addition, the team hopes the movie might serve as a positive role model for young girls by encouraging them to explore science and engineering.
"The film's two protagonists are both young women and both scientists who use their intellect, wits, and courage to fight greed and corruption," the campaign says. "We hope that Veronica Daring and her friend Jules will serve as positive role models for girls of all ages and encourage them to get excited about science, engineering, and sci-fi."
The campaign has already blown past its initial goal of $80,000, currently sitting at just over $118,000. Better yet, the campaign still has 28 days to go, and is already adding stretch goals in the form of additional Hullabaloo shorts should even more money come in. Backing the project includes numerous rewards, with those who donate $25 receiving a digital copy of the film upon its release as well as the soundtrack.
