Another source noted that Tumblr was “UNEQUIVOCALLY” the base for new talent. Women from the social media site were quickly scooped up and placed on
Raya and the Last Dragon, along with other animated shows and features. Talent was always an afterthought. It was more important that these women could pad the quotas and become useful foot soldiers for the cause of DEI. Once in, the activists were asked for referrals, and now they were in a position to hire other artists from their “friend squads.” They were now hiring based seemingly on their politics; these “friend squads” quickly created a powerful contingent not just at Disney.
The existence of these “squads” began to radically shift the power structure at Disney Animation, which led to radical changes in the long-held Disney traditions of animation (more on this in
the D-Files, Part 4).
Let’s talk about quality. The vast majority of the newly hired Tumblr talent is self-taught. There’s nothing wrong with that as an artistic starting point. Successfully copying your favorite artists is the first indicator that one has minimal talent. The problem is that Tumblr is not art college and will not give you the proper training required to grow. Tumblr-based artists are constantly being affirmed by fellow Tumblr artists…which breeds an unhealthy level of narcissism and bad habits. Constructive criticism is the key to growth, but online criticism of one’s art is always taken personally and inevitably sparks drawn-out struggle sessions of hurt feelings followed by personal attacks. Best to keep your criticisms to yourself if you want to be part of the “friend squad.”
It is well-known in the art community Tumblr has a bad reputation. In fact, “Tumblr cartoons” is a term for awful animation featuring bad design and uninspired storytelling. One source told me, “Tumblr was Ground Zero for this mess we’re in. Along with a sub-part portfolio, these artists had not yet completed their ‘ten thousand hours,’ and they brought bad art habits with them into the big animation studios.” Some artists also find Tumblr cartoons too preachy or heavy-handed, sacrificing subtlety and nuance to align with “The Message.”
Social media isn’t exactly the breeding ground for building a healthy community and interpersonal interactions. Tumblr communities foster an echo chamber effect where certain ideas or ideologies are reinforced without much critical discussion or diversity of thought. Relevant here is a new form of woke storytelling where villains are no longer needed, or female protagonists don’t need no man to save them. Can someone remind me what the definition of “incel” is? Tumblr became the perfect breeding ground for activists perfect for Disney’s new “reimagined” storytelling.