January 30, 2007
DISNEY ORGANIZATIONAL CHART - 1943
This chart, an separate pull-out from the 1943 booklet, The Ropes At Disney's (see below), explains the whole process.
You'll note that it all starts with "Walt". And his main focus was "Story" and "Direction".
January 29, 2007
THE ROPES AT DISNEY
Ever wonder what it was like to work at the Disney Studio during the Golden Age of Animation? Think it was the "happiest place on Earth"? Think again. This 1943 booklet, given to all new employees, spelled it out for you. Gals ain't allowed in the Penthouse Club, personal phone calls will be charged to you, and if you need to leave the studio, you cannot do so without an "Off the Lot Pass". Oh, and "Any violation of the U. S. Espionage Act" will get you discharged.
(Thanks to Mike Van Eaton for sharing this with us)
January 28, 2007
DON HERTZFELDT CONQUERS SUNDANCE
A hearty CONGRATS to Don Hertzfeldt who earlier tonight won the Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking at the Sundance Film Festival for his new film EVERYTHING WILL BE OK. An animated short winning top honors at Sundance is a rare and noteworthy event because at the festival, animated films compete alongside dramatic live-action shorts and documentary short subjects. It's refreshing to see Sundance recognize a piece of animation with a strong point of view, intelligent storytelling and legitimate artistic merit, particularly after the embarassingly subpar slates of animated short nominees chosen this year by ASIFA-Hollywood's Annie Awards and the Oscar's Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.