In recent years, animated features have enjoyed an enormous financial success: the three top-grossing animated films of 2013 accounted for 10% of the total U.S. box office. Despite this unprecedented success, critics and filmmakers have complained of a sameness creeping into the design and story of many films. Charles Solomon, an internationally respected critic and author of 16 books on the subject, will lead the discussion about the state of the animated feature and its future as both a medium of artistic expression and a financially viable form of filmmaking. David Silverman (director, The Pink Panther), Doug Sweetland (director, Storks), and Morishima Taro (associate producer, Paprika) will join the discussion.