[1] Also, Miramax, an independently operating unit of the Walt Disney Studios, also purchased US rights to foreign animated movies.

[9] The Secret Lab was an American special effects company that operated from 1979 to 2005, and was the result of a merger between Dream Quest Images and Walt Disney Feature Animation's Computer Graphics division.

DQ Films, the company's television commercial production division, remained in Santa Monica.

[16] In October 1999, Dream Quest Images merged with Walt Disney Feature Animation's computer graphics division to form The Secret Lab,[17][10] with Millstein continuing as general manager and vice president.

[18] The Lab being passed over for Disney work (and general industry decline) led to the unit being closed in 2005.

The Secret Lab's last work with Disney was for the Touchstone Pictures/Spyglass Entertainment film Reign of Fire and the Castle Rock Entertainment/Warner Bros. comedy Kangaroo Jack.

[10] An artist at The Secret Lab purportedly confided to Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News that the studio was shut down by Disney when it proved to be too expensive.

[19] VFXography Pixar (/ˈpɪksɑːr/) is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California.

Pixar began in 1979 as the Graphics Group, part of the computer division of Lucasfilm before its spin-out as a corporation in 1986 with funding by Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs, who became its majority shareholder.

[20] Jobs announced in January 2004 that Pixar would not renew their agreement with Disney and would seek out other distributors for releases starting in 2006.

[26] Following the arrival of Michael Eisner,Walt Disney Pictures Television Animation Group was established on December 5, 1984.

In January 2003, Disney initiated a reorganization of its theatrical and animation units to improve resource usage and continued focus on new characters and franchise development.

Initially, Animation Australia worked on various television shows including Aladdin, Timon & Pumbaa, and Goof Troop.

With work handed out to the Australia animation studio, the opening story was instead greenlit for a direct-to-video release.

A second sequel, Aladdin and the King of Thieves, provided work to both the Sydney and Japanese animation units.

The company's first feature film was Return to Never Land in 2002 grossing over $100 million worldwide at the box office.

Disney Animation Australia was closed in mid-2006 after finishing Brother Bear 2, The Fox and the Hound 2, Cinderella III,[36] and The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning.

Industry Canada rules were dispensed by the Canadian Government with a multi-year commitment from Disney for the company.

[39] WDAC produced in 1997 Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas then worked with Australia and Japan subcontractors on Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World.

In 2003, the company produced Piglet's Big Movie for DisneyToon Studios and 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure.

In September 2003, Disney announced the closure of the studio, with Pooh's Heffalump Movie (2005) to be its final work.

[57][56] DAJ was closed in June 2004 with 30 employees expected to be transferred to one of the two Disney's remaining animation units.

[61] In 2007, The Walt Disney Company and ImageMovers set up a joint venture animation facility, ImageMovers Digital, a Marin County-based film company, where Robert Zemeckis would produce and direct 3D animated films using performance capture technology.

[2] ImageMovers Digital closed operations by January 2011, after the production was completed on Mars Needs Moms.