Thursday, August 29, 2013
D23 Expo Exclusive: Leslie Iwerks Creating Documentary About Walt Disney Imagineering
Disney Parks Blog: During a gathering of Disney fans at D23 Expo on August 10, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs premiered a trailer from an upcoming movie that explores the past, present and future of Walt Disney Imagineering by noted documentary filmmaker Leslie Iwerks. Ms. Iwerks comes from a family with deep Disney history — her grandfather was an early Disney animator and her father is a former Imagineer — and her previous work includes profiles of Pixar Animation Studios and visual effects house Industrial Light & Magic.
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5 comments:
As someone who has wanted to work for WDI since I was 8, I love the idea of making a feature length movie all about imagineering. Disney world is the most popular vacation destination in the world and the largest single site employer in the US, so I think giving disney fans an insight into how it all works and what goes on behind the scenes will be really fascinating. Over the years there have been countless TV specials and other smaller programs on everything from the travel channel to the history channel, but they often overlap large sections and by large use the same or very similar footage. Having seen all of these specials, I'm really hoping this movie will be something that I havent seen before, and includes stuff that i never knew. Walt Disney once said, "It's kind of fun to do the impossible" and I hope this movie will show the inner workings of that mission.
I think this movie is a great idea. I'm not a Disney enthusiast like a lot of people in the School of Drama, but I still find it fascinating to see where the ideas come from that end up turning out theme parks, attractions, movies, and tv shows that have most of the world enthralled. I've never known exactly what Imagineering is, though I've heard a lot about the products and ideas they come up with, and I think a feature length documentary about it is a great idea that will give fans a look behind-the-scenes and let people know what Disney is all about. I also particularly liked the quote in the trailer about Disney coming up not with attractions or shows, but with experiences.
To say that I can't wait for this movie to come out would be an understatement. I have always found the thought process and ideals behind Disney Imangineering to be one of the most spectacular things in the world. The attention in detail and story-making along every part of their creative process is what makes Disney the largest and most loved entertainment company in the world. I completely agree with Jess about the fact that Disney did not want to come up with attractions or shows, but rather create experiences. I think that is what makes this company so popular around the world today. They don't exhaust all their resources on a ride. The exhaust all their resources on the ride, the cue, the tickets, the plants, the Cast Members, the trash cans, and even the smell to make the entire world become exactly what they want it to be.
I am so incredibly excited to watch this movie over and over again. I grew up in California and therefore spent a great deal of my childhood at Disneyland. Its my favorite place on earth and one day I hope to work as an imagineer. This movie looks incredibly exciting and like a journey into the depths of the immense disney corporation. Even with all the negative opinions and critics of Disney, I still strive to work for this company that has inspired me to study art, design, and has harbored a love within me for storytelling and magic.
I am honestly surprised that I was previously unaware of the making of this documentary up to this point. I am a massive disney lover, and how exactly the magic happens has always entranced me. I honestly will always marvel at Disney and it's success. I have always been extremely curious about what it took to be an imagineer, the selection process, and just how long they each held jobs. It is unclear to me what makes one qualified for an imagineer. The whole thing appears to be kept so down low although glorified. With this new documentary, I wonder just how much we will find out, as I know Disney likes their secrets. It is strange to me however, that I felt like this was a minuscule, unknown thing which makes me wonder if I am just oblivious despite my rapt interest, or if the film did not do well. This is absolutely something I am planning to look into.
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