27 Comments »   posted in Business, Disney, Bob Iger, Jay Rasulo, Thomas Skaggs

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This is one of the most fascinating stories I’ve encountered in a while. For the past three years, Disney has been running a network of research labs in Zurich, Pittsburgh and Boston under the banner of Disney Research. The locations were chosen so that they could attract the brightest scientists from top institutions like the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon, Harvard and MIT. The facilities operate in addition to the ongoing research being done at Pixar, Disney Feature Animation and Imagineering. There are roughly 200 total people working in Disney Research including 50 senior research scientists. Here’s a look at their Zurich operation.

It’s surprising how little I’ve read about the group considering that Disney Research has a website with extensive details about their activities. I initially learned about them at FX Guide, which published a lengthy piece about Disney Research last week. The article also includes a highly recommended audio interview with Dr. Markus Gross, the director of Disney Research Zurich.

Dr. Markus Gross

Gross credits Disney chief Bob Iger for initiating the push for broader research that wasn’t directly tied to the immediate needs of divisions like animation or theme parks. When Disney purchased Pixar in 2006, Iger took notice of Pixar’s academically-inspired science culture, which contributed and published extensively within the computer graphics community, and he realized that might be a smarter approach for certain areas of the company as opposed to Disney’s traditional across-the-board secretiveness.

Iger’s willingness to embrace the Pixar culture, and technological research in general, appears to be having a transformative effect in all areas of the company. Even Disney Feature Animation now publicly shares its animation research with the community and has open sourced some of its software. The fruits of Disney Research’s work may not be evident for years to come, but Iger’s long-range investment in technology shows that he has a shrewd understanding of running the company. It also appears that he has taken to heart John Lasseter’s oft-repeated maxim, “The art challenges the technology, and the technology inspires the art.”

Also of note, in the FX Guide interview, Gross makes a compelling argument for 3-D, but in terms of auto-stereoscopy, which is 3-D without the need for glasses. He points out the irony that theatrical exhibitors created 3-D as a way of distinguishing themselves from home entertainment, but that in three to five years, we’ll have high quality auto-stereoscopic home displays that will surpass the theatrical experience.

Disney’s announcement this week that they’re converting four older Disney and Pixar films to 3-D makes perfect sense in light of Gross’s interview. The company will clearly see some short-term benefit from theatrical re-releases of these films, but the huge earnings will stem from selling 3-D versions to consumers for auto-stereoscopic home display. In other words, expect to see a lot more 3-D conversions because they’re preparing for something much bigger.

From a Disney Research project: “Tactile Brush: Drawing on Skin with Tactile Grid Display”

5 Comments »   posted in 3-D, Disney, Tech, Bob Iger, Disney Research, Markus Gross

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Walt Disney’s Death Telegram

October 2, 2011 3:00 am

Here’s an unique piece of Disneyana. The un-happiest letter on Earth. Collector Philippe Videcoq is currently selling (on eBay) a very rare and unusual item: the original, complete telegram sent by Roy Disney to notify worldwide Disney offices the day after Walt’s death.

This is the original copy forwarded by Disney’s London office to their Paris branch, and received at 4:46pm on December 16, 1966. It starts with: “Please convey the following statement by Roy Disney to all employees and associates – The death of Walt Disney is a loss to all the people of the world” and ends with: “Private family funeral services. No flowers.” It is a very moving homage to Walt and his career and honestly states: “There is no way to replace Walt Disney“.

The sale ends this coming Wednesday. You can read the entire 6-page telegram by clicking each thumbnail below:

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11 Comments »   posted in Disney, Roy Disney, Walt Disney

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Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah!

October 1, 2011 11:00 am

Following up on our recent Song of the South post – here’s the legacy of that film, as far as the latter day Disney Company is concerned:

(Thanks, Rob Turner)

46 Comments »   posted in Disney, Song Of The South

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“Song of the South” can be yours – for $1,499

September 29, 2011 12:05 am

Forget that old PAL video tape or the Japanese laser disc. Someone is offering a 16mm IB Technicolor print of Song of The South on eBay. The bidding starts at $1,499.

We rarely plug specific items being sold on eBay, but the 1946 live action and animation feature is one of the few Disney classics never released on DVD. The seller says it’s an original grey track IB print with colors that will never fade. Technicolor prints in this shape are rare of any film, much less one of the most requested Disney titles of all time.

For more information about this 16mm print, click here. I also recommend joining the Song of the South page on Facebook and checking Song of The South.net for the most comprehensive coverage on the film. Oh, and I’m not bidding on the picture, so let me know if you get it.

UPDATE: Brew commenter Egbert Souse writes in our comments that, “Disney is remastering Song of the South from the original negatives in 4K resolution. It’s not in the immediate pipeline for a Snow White or Bambi level restoration, but they’ll have complete digital files by the end of next year.”

45 Comments »   posted in Disney, Song Of The South

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“Lion King 3D” talkback

September 16, 2011 2:00 pm

NPR loves The Lion King, but calls the 3D release a “cash grab”.

You know what I think. How about you? Intrigued enough to see a classic Disney hand drawn feature converted to 3-D? If so, share your thoughts with the rest of us in the comments below (Please respect our talkback rule and only post below if you’ve actually seen the 3D version).

UPDATE: The 3D Lion King was number one at the US box office this week.

46 Comments »   posted in 3-D, Disney, Feature Film, Lion King

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Obsessive Disney-related trivia: A Tyrus Wong in-joke

September 15, 2011 12:05 am

For those who must take note of everything (like me): inbetweener/inspirational artist Tyrus Wong (Bambi) was let go from Disney after three and a half years (1938-1941) and spent the next 25 years in the art department at Warner Bros. as a production illustrator, creating story boards and concept sketches for live action feature films.

Last night, I took a break to catch whatever movie happened to be playing on TCM. It turned out to be the star-studded wartime morale booster Thank Your Lucky Stars (Warner Bros. 1943) – and there I spotted, in one quick shot, on a wall behind actor Richard Lane (frame grab above), plaques for various businesses – including one that says “Tyrus Wong, Importer, Chinese Art“. Since Wong – who will be 101 next month – never got the proper credit he was due at Disney, I’d say this particular in-joke was poetic justice.

12 Comments »   posted in Disney, Tyrus Wong

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