Disney recently laid off several employees, including Galyn Susman. She had saved the film Toy Story 2 when it was accidentally deleted.
Disney laid off 75 employees from the animation studio Pixar, as the news site Reuters reports.
Among those laid off were Angus MacLane, the director of Lightyear (2022), and the well-known producer Galyn Susman. She was part of the team that worked on Toy Story 2 and even once saved the entire film.
In Disney Dreamlight Valley, players can meet various characters from films. Buzz Lightyear and Woody are also included:
Animator accidentally deleted the film files
During the production of Toy Story 2 in the late 90s, one of the animators accidentally deleted the film’s files by executing an incorrect computer command. Although the team had made backup tapes, those were also defective, and the restored animations did not work properly. A new solution had to be found.
Then supervising technical director Galyn Susman had an idea: Since she had recently become a mother, she had worked from home a lot and made her own backups. Maybe these could save the film.
So Oren Jacob, the former chief technical officer of Pixar, and Galyn Susman went to her house, packed up the computer, and drove back to the studio:
„You and I just got up and walked out, back to her Volvo, drove over the bridge, got the machine. We grabbed a few blankets, I secured [the machine] with seatbelts across the back seat. We drove at about 35 km/h with flashing headlights, hoping to get a police escort. No police saw us, so it didn’t help us.”
via thenextweb.com
In the Volvo at that moment was a cargo worth 100 million dollars and the entire previous work of the team on Toy Story 2. Back at the workplace, the files were received: „Eight people came towards us with a plywood board in the parking lot and carried it like a litter, like the pharaoh being carried, into the machine room.”
In fact, the team managed to save the film with the help of the backup, and Toy Story 2 could still be released.
Why were the employees laid off? According to Reuters, the layoffs were made on May 23, 2023.
They are part of a plan that Walt Disney chief executive Bob Iger had already announced in advance: They aim to cut 7,000 jobs and reduce costs by 5.5 billion dollars.
Anyone who likes Disney movies should also check out this recommendation from a well-known director: „Better than any Disney movie I have ever seen“ – Steven Spielberg encourages everyone to watch this animated film
