The document provides details about the history and operations of Walt Disney Studios. It discusses:
1) How Walt Disney founded the company in 1923 and expanded it over time, building the studio lot in Burbank, California which housed all production facilities under one roof.
2) The studio's organizational structure today, led by CEO Bob Iger and divisions including Disney Pictures, Pixar, and Marvel Studios.
3) Common elements of Disney films like relatable characters, good vs evil plots, and themes of fantasy and achievement of goals.
2. Hollywood Studios
Golden Era
Fox Films Corportation
Loew’s Incorporated
Paramount Picutres
RKO Radio Pictures
Warner Brothers
Universal Pictures
Columbia Pictures
United Artists
Today
Warner Brothers
Paramount Picutres
20th Century Fox
Walt Disney Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Universal Pictures
3. Company Origins
The Walt Disney Company began in 1923, in a
small office in Vermont, where Walt Disney and
his brother Roy created short animated movies.
After just 4 months, the company was growing
rapidly, so they moved from their $10 a month
office to a large space next door which was called
‘Disney Bros. Studio.’ A year later, they had
upgraded again to a lot in the Silver Lake District
in LA, which they called the Hyperion Studio,
where a new studio was constructed. It was here
that the famous Mickey Mouse was born.
After production of the first full length feature
film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt
Disney decided he needed to increase the size of
his studio. So with the profits of the film, he put
a deposit on a 51 acre lot in Burbank, and began
designing a studio which would fit his needs. His
main concern was to produce a self-sufficient,
state-of-the-art production factory that provided
all the essential facilities for the entire
production process.
Walt designed the Animation Building, housing the Disney Artists and animators,
which was planned in the center of the lot. Across a small street were built the
Inking and Painting and the Camera buildings, where the artwork was completed
and photographed. Next to Camera, in the Cutting building, the post production
process occurred. Sound facilities included dubbing, scoring, effects, and voice
recording studios. Many of the buildings were linked together by an underground
tunnel, so even in bad weather, the process of making animated films was not
disrupted. To enhance the campus-like setting, all of the utilities were placed
underground which was an innovation for 1940.
From then on the Disney Company expanded. In the late 1940’s Disney
began creating live-action features and TV programmes, meaning the studios were
expanded further.
4. Key Personnel
Walt Disney - Founder
John E. Pepper jr. - Chairman
Robert Iger – CEO & President
Board of Directors
Susan Arnold
John S. Chen
Judith Estrin Brent Woodford – Senior Vice President,
Robert Iger Planning and Control
Fred Langhammer Jayne Parker – Executive Vice President
Aylwin Lewis and Chief Human Resources Officer
Monica C. Lozano Zenia Mucha – Executive Vice President,
Robert Matschullat Corporate Communications
John E. Pepper, Jr., Chairman Richard Bates – Senior Vice President,
Orin C. Smith U.S. Government Relations
Sheryl Sandberg Christine M. McCarthy – Executive Vice
President, Corporate Finance and Real
Senior Executive Managment Estate and Treasurer
Kevin Mayer – Executive Vice President,
Robert Iger – President and CEO Corporate Strategy, Business
Jay Rasulo – Senior Executive Vice Development and Technology Group
President and CFO Leslie Goodman - Senior Vice President,
Alan N. Braverman – Senior Executive Corporate Citizenship
Vice President, General counsel
Ronald L. Iden – Senior Vice President,
Security
5. Aims & Ideologies
Walt Disney Pictures has the objective of becoming one of the worlds leading producers
and providers of entertainment for all the family. They also aim to focus on the future, and
produce films for the ‘time.’ Therefore, their films and techniques of production are
modernising over time, resulting in films that are more and more successful.
‘You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown
up, anyway.’
Walt Disney
‘Animation can explain whatever the mind of man can conceive.’
Walt Disney
Walt aims to produce films that recreate historical and important events, sometimes with
animals, that aren’t ‘too childish’ but that also add in some adult satire to make the films
for the whole family. This way, children don’t understand the sarcasm but are learning
about historic events of watching wonderful stories, whilst the parents are still enjoying
the film in a different way.
6. Size & Resources
The Walt Disney Studios are a huge, all designed by Walt Disney, and still used to
this day. The studios include all the original features and buildings, as well as the
following to help with the production of films.
SOUND STAGES: - Live action sound stages were created for the filming of interior
scenes. Stage 1 was created in the original 1940 studio, and used for filming live
action scenes for films such as Fantasia, and the TV show, The Mickey Mouse Club.
Stage 2 is one of the largest sound stages in LA, at around 31,000 sq ft. Stage 3 was
built specifically for 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea in 1954. Stage 4 was created in
1958, but then split into two stages (Stage 4 and Stage 5) in 1988. These stages
were used in the production of the following – Mary Poppins, Davy Crockett, The
Love Bug, Blackbeard's Ghost, Bedknobs and Broomsticks etc.
RIVERSIDE LOT: - Walt had plans to create Mickey Mouse Park opposite the
studios where there would be a train ride and statues of the characters. This is
where the Feature Animation Building and The ABC Building now stand. With his
growing ideas, he realised he needed more room to fulfil his dreams, so he bought
200 acres of orange groves in Anaheim, California, which is now the sight of
Disneyland.
SHOPS: - Walt created ‘back-lot’ shops that housed the many crafts and services
required to produce his films. The Machine Shop – camera and production objects
along with cars/trams for Disneyland, Electric/Plumbing Building – repairing and
maintenance, Staff Shop – plaster casts, fibreglass figures, Special Effects Shop –
flying cars, spaceships, The Paint Shop – spraying cars and sets, Sign Graphics, Craft
Services and The Mill.
BACK LOT: - This included exterior sets such as ‘Town Square’ and ‘Residential
Street’ produced for production. However as ‘on location’ filming became more
popular, the back lot sets were gradually replaced with offices, production
buildings, parking and Stages 6&7.
GOLD OAK RANCH: - This 500 acre area was purchased in 1959 for use of it’s
natural settings which have been used in The Parent Trap, Pirates of the Caribbean
2, Pearl Harbour etc. This ranch included feature such as a bridge over a lake, farm
houses, barns, fields, country roads, forests, a running waterfall and much more.
7. Filmography
Financing
Disney Pictures is owned by The Walt Disney Company, the largest media conglomerate in the
world in terms of revenue. This company owns television channels, publishing's, 14 theme
parks, merchandising as well as the Disney Pictures. Therefore, Disney Pictures is funded by
The Walt Disney Company.
Production
In terms of production, Disney Pictures do a lot of this themselves. The Walt Disney Company
own one of the largest and well known studios in Hollywood, where a huge number of
their films are produced and edited. This was created by Walt Disney himself in 1924.
Distribution
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures is the Disney distribution company owned by Disney
Enterprises.
From 1929 – 1932, Walt Disneys productions were distributed by Columbia Pictures, between
1932 – 1937 distributed by United Artists, and 1937 – 1954 by RKO Radio Pictures.
However, after a disbute with RKO Radio Pictures, Walt and his brother Roy formed their
own distribution company – Buena Vista Distribution Company Inc to handle the U.S
distribution of their own productions. Buena Vista International was formed in 1992 after
Disney ended a joint venture with Warner Brothers.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture distributes all features produced by the following: -
• Walt Disney Pictures
– Walt Disney Animation Studios
– Pixar Animation Studios
– DisneyToon Studios
• Disneynature
• Marvel Studios
• Touchstone Pictures
– Dreamworks Pictures
• Hollywood Pictures
• ESPN Films
9. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is an animated film
about a princess who ends up living in the forest with
seven dwarfs. It is the tale of her life with them and how she
meets her prince charming. It is a simple fairytale, yet it is
one you could watch 1000 times without getting bored.
As one of Disney’s oldest films, the attention to detail in the
animation is incredible. It shows just how much care and love went into
the production of the film.
Personally, this is one of my favourite Disney films; one of their classics.
Release Date : - February 4th Cast: - Adriana Caselotti
1938 Lucille La Verne
Director: - David Hand Harry Stockwell
Producer: - Walt Disney Pinto Colvig
Roy Atwell
Writer: - Ted Sears
Target Audience: - Primarily children, mainly
Budget: - $1,488,423
girls who admire princesses/want to
Box Office: - $184,925,486 become princesses – imaginative. Age
Genre: - Fantasy/Fairytale between 5-12.
Animation
10. Mary Poppins is the story of two children, Jane and Michael,
who are in need of a new nanny, who ends up being Mary
Poppins. She isn’t an ordinary nanny, she takes them on
strange adventures where they have tea parties on the
ceilings, dance with cartoon animals and sing
‘Supercalafrajalisticexpealadotious,’ while still following their
fathers instructions and being firm.
This is a timeless Disney film, and for something made in the 60’s, an extraordinary
production. With animation, the illusion of flying, this is shows the beginning of a new era
of film.
It is definitely worth the watch, and will have you whistling for days.
Release Date : - August 27, 1964 Cast: - Julie Andrews
Director: - Robert Stevenson Dick Van Dyke
Producer: - Walt Disney David Tomlinson
Glynis Johns
Writer: - Billy Walsh Karen Dotrice
Budget: - $6 million Matthew Garber
Box Office: - $102,272,727 Target Audience: - familes, specifically
Genre: - Musical young girls 7-12. Fun, outgoing, like
singing, fantasy loving.
11. Finding Nemo is one of the best Disney animation films so far in my
personal opinion. From the comedy throughout, to the gripping storyline of a father’s aim
to reunite with his son, Finding Nemo will have you both laughing and crying.
You’ll discover what life is really like under the sea, and how fish can be as stupid as
some humans; Dory, the fish who thinks she can sing like a whale. When Nemo and his
dad are torn apart, the film follows the obstacles Marlin has to overcome in order to
reach his son who has ended up thousands of miles away. When all hope is lost, is there
still light at the end of the tunnel for Nemo? Or is it too late?
This film had me gripped to the edge of my seat from beginning to end, something
that is unusual for an animated Disney film, yet with the cute animations and heart
warming, it’s hard not to relate to this fantastic film.
Release Date : - Cast: - Albert Brooks
Director: - Andrew Stanton Ellen DeGeneres
Producer: - Graham Walters Alexander Gould
Writer: - Andrew Stanton Target Audience: - family film, specifically
young children, 7-12. Adventurous,
Budget: - $94 million outgoing, like exploring.
Box Office: - $867,893,978
Genre: - Animated Comedy -
Drama
12. Film Features
All Disney films are similar in one way or another, whether it’s through use of
animation, special effects, the storyline about princesses and princes. Disney films have
many features that make them stand out from other films. Their focus is generally at
children, whereas other film studios have a wider range. However, Disney are very
successful, and the features of their films make them very recognisable globally.
FANTASY – all Disney films are make-believe stories, with elements of fantasy. Many of the
original films are based on fairy-tales, with the more modern films based on modern day
fantasies (girl meets boy/their goal is achieved etc.)
RELATABLE CHARACTERS - all Disney films seem to have characters that the audience
will be able to relate to. For example, Mary Poppins has a young girl and a young boy, a
mother and a father. Even if it isn’t a family, there are characters that the audience can
relate to and find similarities within them and themselves.
GOOD CHARACTER V BAD CHARACTER – the storyline of all Disney films are generally
about a good character or group of characters having to defeat a bad character, and achieve
a goal. For example, Cinderella has to defeat her wicked step mother and step sisters, and
meet her prince charming.
