Contents

Colossal Pictures

Television production company

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The evolution of WildBrain

1968	FilmFair London is founded
1971	DIC Audiovisuel is founded
1972	Strawberry Shortcake brand is first developed
1974	CPLG is founded
1976	CINAR and Colossal Pictures are founded
1982	DIC Enterprises is founded
1984	Ragdoll Productions is founded
1987	DIC Audiovisuel closes
1988	Studio B Productions is founded
1992	Epitome Pictures is founded
1993	DIC Enterprises becomes DIC Entertainment
1994	Wild Brain is founded‚ and Red Rover Studios is founded, DIC Entertainment brands as The Incredible World of DIC
1995	Platinum Disc Corporation is founded
1996	CINAR buys FilmFair's library
1997	Decode Entertainment is founded
1999	Wild Brain acquires Colossal Pictures' employee base
2002	Nerd Corps Entertainment is founded
2004	Halifax Film Company is founded, CINAR rebrands as Cookie Jar Group
2005	Platinum Disc Corporation merge as Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
2006	Decode and Halifax Film merge as DHX Media, DIC acquires CPLG, and Ragdoll Worldwide is formed with BBC Worldwide
2007	DHX Media buys Studio B Productions and Wild Brain becomes Wildbrain Entertainment
2008	Cookie Jar Group absorbs DIC and House of Cool absorbs Red Rover Studios
2010	DHX Media buys Wildbrain Entertainment‚ and Peanuts Worldwide is founded
2011	Decode Entertainment and Red Rover Studios closes
2012	DHX Media buys Cookie Jar Group
2013	DHX Media buys Ragdoll Worldwide
2014	DHX Media buys Epitome Pictures, Nerd Corps, and Echo Bridge Home Entertainment's family content library; Cookie Jar Group is absorbed
2016	The WildBrain multi-channel network launches and Studio B and Nerd Corps merge as DHX Studios
2017	Wildbrain Entertainment closes; DHX Media buys Peanuts Worldwide and Strawberry Shortcake
2018	Halifax Film becomes Island of Misfits
2019	DHX Media rebrands as WildBrain, Epitome Pictures closes, and the WildBrain MCN becomes WildBrain Spark
2020	CPLG becomes WildBrain CPLG
2021	Echo Bridge Home Entertainment closes
2023	WildBrain acquires House of Cool
2024	WildBrain Spark merged into its parent company as WildBrain London through its YouTube network, digital studio and media solution businesses
v t e

Colossal Pictures (also styled as (Colossal) Picturesor(C)P) was an American entertainment company^[1] that developed and produced television programming, advertising, network branding, and visual effects. Colossal's work has won every major industry award, from the Clio, Emmy, and Grammy Awards to the Cannes Gold Lion and Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Top Honor.

History[edit]

In the mid-1970s, Drew Takahashi and Gary Gutierrez were working with John Korty on animated shorts for children's programs such as Vegetable Soup. When Vegetable Soup was renewed for a second season, Korty began working on a movie, and suggested to Drew and Gary that they start their own production company. The two founded Colossal Pictures in 1976 and worked on projects such as shorts for Vegetable Soup, the opening sequence of The Grateful Dead Movie and commercials for Boise Cascade, KQED, KSAN-FM, and Gap Inc.^[2] The Boise Cascade commercial received national attention and attracted many businesses to Colossal.

In 1981, Colossal began producing dozens of network IDs for MTV, which led to the company receiving more high-profile clients including Nickelodeon, Levi's, and Coca-Cola. The following year, Gary Gutierrez launched USFX, a new division of Colossal, while he was working on The Right Stuff. Colossal started producing computer animation in 1983, when they collaborated with Pacific Data Images to produce a commercial for the Atari game Joust and a network ID for MTV. In 1986, Colossal began working with Western Images using a Quantel Harry unit, resulting in Colossal being able to create state-of-the-art computer graphics. Colossal also launched a new division, BIG Pictures, which produced television programs. In January 1989, New York City production company Noyes & Laybourne became Colossal's East Coast division. In September, Colossal began representing Pixar to produce CGI-animated commercials. As part of the deal, Colossal would receive a project and develop the storyboards, while Pixar animated the project.^[3] Colossal terminated its relationship with Pixar in 1992 when they started production on Toy Story for Walt Disney Pictures.

During the early 1990s, well-known artists like Caroline Leaf and Henry Selick were hired to direct commercials at Colossal. In 1991, Colossal began representing Sculptoons and the Brothers Quay, but their relationships with Colossal did not last very long. That same year, after Colossal's relationship with Pixar ended in 1992, Stuart Cudlitz and Brad DeGraf launched a new digital media division, which produced projects such as The Moxy Show, RoboCop: The Ride, and a Living Books game. Colossal closed BIG Pictures in 1994; that October, Colossal employees John Hays, Phil Robinson, and Jeff Fino left the company and launched a new animation studio, Wild Brain.

Earlier in 1994, Colossal created exhibits for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Due to cost overruns, production delays and other problems, the museum refused to pay all of Colossal's bills. In April 1996, Colossal laid off a third of its staff, including co-founder Gary Gutierrez, and on May 30, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Colossal sued the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for $1,200,000 in damages plus $10,000,000 in punitive damages. That year, Colossal signed a development deal with the Disney Channel to produce content for the network. Colossal produced the interstitial series Frankenguy and the Professor and The Mix-Ups plus the Zoog Disney block for the Disney Channel. After Colossal decided to restructure itself into a smaller company, consolidating all of its activities into one building in the process, they emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy on December 1, 1997. Jamie Hyneman, manager of Colossal's model shop, took over the facility and turned it into M5 Industries.^[4]

Although Colossal was able to sustain itself the following year with a lean work force, the company experienced a downturn in revenue at the beginning of 1999. On August 31, Colossal closed after 23 years in business. The decision was made in order to liquidate property and honor outstanding debts. Many of Colossal's employees, such as Ed Bell, Charlie Canfield, and George Evelyn moved to Wild Brain as a result.

Work[edit]

Filmography[edit]

Noyes and Laybourne

Formerly known as Cyclops Films (1969–1978) and Eliott Noyes Productions (1978–1983).

Music videos[edit]

• "Calling All Girls" (Hilly Michaels, 1980)
• "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" (The Power Station, 1985)
• "Raspberry Beret" (Prince, 1985)
• "All Around the World" (Robert Palmer, 1985)
• "Color of Success" (Morris Day, 1985)
• "Mutual Surrender (What a Wonderful World)" (Bourgeois Tagg, 1986)
• "Partners, Brothers and Friends" (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, 1986)
• "Touch of Grey" (Grateful Dead, 1987)
• "Airhead" (Thomas Dolby, 1988)
• "Don't Worry, Be Happy" (Bobby McFerrin, 1988)
• "Good Lovin'" (Bobby McFerrin, 1988)
• "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" (They Might Be Giants, 1990)
• "Living in the Promiseland" (Joe Cocker, 1990)
• "The Garden" (Bobby McFerrin, 1990)
• Kevin Volans: Hunting:Gathering (Kronos Quartet, 1991)
• "Steam" (Peter Gabriel, 1993)
• "Get a Haircut" (George Thorogood, 1993)
• "George of the Jungle" (Presidents of the United States of America, 1997)

Commercials[edit]

Noyes and Laybourne

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Archive of Colossal Pictures website
• 1993 demo reel
• 1994 demo reel
• 1996 demo reel
• 1998 demo reel