Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation (or MGM Animation for short and formerly MGM/UA Feature Animation) is the animation division of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture studio in Hollywood, California, United States, that specializes in animated productions for theatrical features and television. It was established in 1982 and primarily involved in producing children's entertainment based upon MGM's ownership of properties, such as The Pink Panther, The Lionhearts, The Secret of NIMH, and All Dogs Go to Heaven as well as original properties including the films Dragon Rampage, The Hero of Toytown, Darkness Awakening, and The Forests Between Mountains. It was initially started off as a feature animation studio, but later expanded to TV Productions, direct-to-video films and short films.

The title's first film The White Bride and the Black One (1985) was owned by Warner Bros. through Turner Entertainment Co., who controlled the pre-1986 library. The remaining features starting with Hidden Caves (1987) were owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, who controlled the post-1986 library.

History
In 1982, following the success of The Secret of NIMH, MGM/UA announced its plan to launch a feature animation division, and hired some of the employees formerly held by Chuck Jones Enterprises to join the company, and approached Ted Harp to join the studio, initially called MGM/UA Feature Animation.

The first film The White Bride and the Black One, an adaptation of the fairy tale of the same name was released in 1985 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The following two films, however subsequently released in 1987 and 1988, were Hidden Caves and Amelia Bedelia.

In 1993, MGM decided to go on a major reprocessing of its animation studio. Paul Sabella, formerly of Hanna-Barbera joined the studio, while Jonathan Dern, formerly of DiC joined the studio. It was renamed to simply "Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation" upon expansion. Among these major box office hits made were All Dogs Go to Heaven 2, Darkness Awakening and The Hero of Toytown. In 2000, Sabella and Dern left to start out SD Entertainment.

It was announced that in 2000 that Steve O'Connell exited his post at Zoetrope Feature Animation after the release of The Ruins of Ambrai. Steve O'Connell however filled the void left over by Sabella and Dern that O'Connell said that he hoped that the studio will going to be similar to the early years of United Artists. O'Connell had the task of hiring SD Entertainment, DKP Effects and Mainframe Entertainment to co-produce films two or three animated films per year. O'Connell however forced to rename the studio to MGM Animation Studios. Meanwhile, in the November of 2000, MGM Animation Studios set up shop, with its first clients signed were DKP Studios, a Canadian computer animated studio, Sensation Animation, a division of Bear Bones Entertainment, and SD Entertainment, a studio formed by MGM Animation founders Paul Sabella and Jonathan Dern. In 2001, Mainframe Entertainment was signed on as client of the studio.

In 2003, Steve O'Connell exited his post at the company to start out Frenzy Animation. Meanwhile, Edward Sinfell signed on to join the studio in order to fill the vacany left by O'Connell. Sinfell had the task by acquiring the American distribution rights to a wildlife project from Vanguard Animation via financer IDT Entertainment, and decided to release it under the label. Sinfell signed in 2008 that Radium/Reel FX signed on to became a registered MGM client to animate Swan Dream Pool. Sinfell quit in 2009 with Jim Bryan joining the studio to fill Sinfell's seat, and Mikros Image signed on as client of the studio.

Process
In a similar manner to 20th Century Animation, Sony Pictures Animation, Warner Animation Group, Frenzy Animation and Paramount Animation, MGM Animation outsources their feature films to other animation studios.