NEW YORK (Playbill) – “Partial view" is not a new concept to the theatre. But usually the term refers to seats to the far right or left of a theatre without a complete view of the stage, or chairs whose sightlines are obstructed by a post or pillar. With Disney's Tarzan, however, the view producers are talking about is the one over your head. Four orchestra rows of the Richard Rodgers Theatre, the home of Tarzan, offer a slightly obstructed view of the production. Some of the action in the musical, which is currently in previews and will officially open May 10, occurs high above the stage and is not visible to theatregoers in the last four rows of the orchestra. Ticket buyers are warned that these seats are "partial view" prior to purchase, whether they are buying by phone, on-line or in person at the Richard Rodgers Theatre box office. Chris Boneau, a press representative for the show, said that viewers in the aforementioned four rows are probably missing no more than a few minutes worth of action. Boneau says that the situation is similar to another Disney musical, The Lion King, which plays the New Amsterdam Theatre. "If you see The Lion King from upstairs in the New Amsterdam, you don't see the elephants come in until they get up on the stage."
Thank God we still have the Tarzan Rocks! show at Disney's Animal Kingdom....or not.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Heart Patient on ABC's 'Miracle Workers' Dies
LOS ANGELES (AP) – A woman whose fight against heart failure was chronicled for ABC's reality series "Miracle Workers" died of complications following the last-ditch use of an experimental artificial heart pump. Priscilla "Prissy" Benoit, 56, of Lake Charles, La., whose heart was severely damaged by chemotherapy for breast cancer, received the titanium Jarvik pump last fall. She died March 22 at a Houston hospital after a series of setbacks, including a stroke and pneumonia. Her story will be shown on Monday's episode of "Miracle Workers," with an audience advisory signaling the unusual outcome for a program that typically delivers help and happy endings for the seriously ill. Dr. Billy Cohn, who is regularly featured on the series and already was treating Benoit when she agreed to be filmed, said the pump represented her only chance for survival. Its use for Benoit required U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. She consented to the operation after other treatments either proved ineffective or inappropriate, Cohn said. A heart transplant, for example, was ruled out because of her relatively recent cancer. Her treatment was not altered because of the TV series, Cohn said. The decision to show the episode came after Benoit's husband of 14 years, Jerry Primeaux, gave his approval, ABC and the series' producers said. "I want the episode to air. Prissy would want it to air," Primeaux said in a statement released through the network. "I still have faith in the Jarvik pump. ... It kept my Prissy with me for a little longer. I still have faith in all those doctors." "We knew exactly what we were getting into," Primeaux added. "We knew there could be complications. I would like this episode to be a tribute to Priscilla and her courage and her fight." David Garfinkle and Jay Renfroe, executive producers for the series, said they felt a responsibility to air Benoit's battle. She is last shown at home in early March, appearing to have made significant progress. Her death is explained on-camera by Cohn. The episode marks an unusual step for reality shows that offer help ranging from a makeover to a new house to good health, said Robert Thompson of Syracuse University's Center for the Study of Popular Television. "Miracle Workers" is disproving the idea that "by being tapped by a reality TV show, somehow everything is going to be all better," he said.
Narnia Takes Disney’s Box-Office Record
LONDON (Reuters) – “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" has out-stripped "Toy Story 2" as Disney's biggest UK hit at the box office, Disney Home Video said on Thursday. "Narnia" has grossed £44.4 million in the UK to date, trumping the previous record of £44.3 million held by the 1999 blockbuster "Toy Story 2." "Narnia", which hit the big screen in 2005, follows the adventures of four children who find a portal in the back of a wardrobe to a magical world, where they fight the evil White Witch with the help of a noble lion named Aslan. The film is based on C.S. Lewis's 1950 novel, which remains one of the best-loved children's books. Over 100 million copies of the Narnia book titles have been sold worldwide. Disney said it also expects strong sales of the DVD, due to be released on April 3. "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" has taken $403.5 million (£232 million) to date at the world box-office.
Pixar needs to get with the program and stop making such flops like Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. :)
Pixar needs to get with the program and stop making such flops like Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. :)
Disney Parks to Grow Volume 2-3%
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The Walt Disney Co. expects its US theme park volume to rise 2 percent to 3 percent annually even after the end of its 50th anniversary promotion, parks division Chief Financial Officer Jim Hunt told an investor conference on Wednesday. Disney's theme park arm, which accounts for about a quarter of its operating income, expects to realize savings from using more part-time employees and from managing benefits across its 11 parks, Hunt said. Disney's parks and resorts profit rose 51 percent to $375 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2006 as Hong Kong Disneyland posted its first full quarter of operations and the Disneyland 50th anniversary promotion spurred business at U.S. parks. The 18-month global promotion, which began last May, should drive traffic to the parks once the celebration has concluded, Hunt said. "The attractions which (consumers) view during this celebration will be available for guests to enjoy not only during 2005 and 2006 but for many years to come," Hunt said. Parks and resort employees, who account for about 70 percent of Disney's work force, will see a larger number of part-time workers providing more flexibility as attendance varies, Hunt said. "We adjust our mix of full- and part-time hours and, moving forward, expect to increase our part-time labor. While I'm only talking about several percentage points of shifts here, the results are expected to be significant," Hunt said. Labor and benefits initiatives were expected to be "significant contributors to cost productivity over the next several years," he said. Hunt also pledged that domestic capital expenditures at parks and resorts, which totaled $726 million in 2005, would stay below $1 billion in the foreseeable future.
Yeah, I would hope so.
Yeah, I would hope so.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
A Disney Artist on the Future of Animation
(Rocky Mountain News) – After seeing his first animated movie – Disney's "Jungle Book" – at the age of 10, Andreas Deja wrote to the Walt Disney Studios about a job. To his delight, he got a letter back, encouraging him to study and "become an artist in your own right first," Deja recalled. A decade or so later, after completing his art training in his native Germany, Deja went to work as a Disney animator. Deja, 49, led the animation team for the recent DVD release of Disney's "Bambi II." Even after all these years, he said, "I always get a rush when I see my drawings move for the first time." Deja has had a hand in many Disney features over the years, including "The Lion King," "Lilo and Stitch" and the 1988 hybrid animation-live action movie, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," made in the days before computer-generated animation. But while computer animation has become more realistic, he noted, the medium is due for a change. It needs "more of a vision than just realism." He sees the future of animation as a "fusion" of cutting-edge computer animation and classic hand drawing. "I see big possibilities in the blending of the two mediums." Deja's next project is a new Disney feature called "Enchanted." The first 10 minutes are an animated "homage to fairy tales," he said, that will shift to live action for the rest of the movie. Deja is animating the witch character, to be voiced and acted by Susan Sarandon. "Enchanted" is scheduled to debut sometime next year.
I met Andreas a few years ago in Orlando and we talked about the future of animation. He has always maintained that traditional 2-d, hand-drawn animation can go further and his dream was to one day go back to the roots and make a classic animated film from the ground up, using all the old school techniques. I doubt that will ever happen today, but it seems like he is still holding on to the idea that 2-d animation will always have a legitimate place in story telling.
I met Andreas a few years ago in Orlando and we talked about the future of animation. He has always maintained that traditional 2-d, hand-drawn animation can go further and his dream was to one day go back to the roots and make a classic animated film from the ground up, using all the old school techniques. I doubt that will ever happen today, but it seems like he is still holding on to the idea that 2-d animation will always have a legitimate place in story telling.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Disney Sells Some of Its World
No wonder nobody built there before. Disney was holding out.
ORLANDO (Orlando Sentinel) – Walt Disney World is selling off chunks of excess land on the fringes of its empire, allowing developers to pursue their own real-estate magic. Disney recently sold 53 acres on Sherberth Road south of Disney's Animal Kingdom to a developer who wants to build hundreds of vacation town homes and condominium units, and another 47 acres on Reams Road, north of the Magic Kingdom, to a home builder. Another 30 acres is for sale on U.S. Highway 192. And more may be put on the market as soon as the company re-evaluates its vast land holdings in Central Florida, particularly parcels on the far edges. Disney owns 27,000 acres in southwest Orange and northwest Osceola counties, most of it purchased in the 1960s when Walt Disney stealthily assembled his holdings before the public learned of his plans to build Disney World. The new deals may illustrate a shift in thinking for Disney. Andrea Finger, spokeswoman for Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney's park planning division, said the 47-acre deal Disney made in December and the 53-acre deal in February are the first for the company in a while, other than land in the Little Lake Bryan and Celebration planned communities. Disney is not talking about the 30-acre tract, except to say it is in contract. Yet Disney asked its government agency, the Reedy Creek Improvement District, to de-annex the property, which is on U.S. 192, west of the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
ORLANDO (Orlando Sentinel) – Walt Disney World is selling off chunks of excess land on the fringes of its empire, allowing developers to pursue their own real-estate magic. Disney recently sold 53 acres on Sherberth Road south of Disney's Animal Kingdom to a developer who wants to build hundreds of vacation town homes and condominium units, and another 47 acres on Reams Road, north of the Magic Kingdom, to a home builder. Another 30 acres is for sale on U.S. Highway 192. And more may be put on the market as soon as the company re-evaluates its vast land holdings in Central Florida, particularly parcels on the far edges. Disney owns 27,000 acres in southwest Orange and northwest Osceola counties, most of it purchased in the 1960s when Walt Disney stealthily assembled his holdings before the public learned of his plans to build Disney World. The new deals may illustrate a shift in thinking for Disney. Andrea Finger, spokeswoman for Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney's park planning division, said the 47-acre deal Disney made in December and the 53-acre deal in February are the first for the company in a while, other than land in the Little Lake Bryan and Celebration planned communities. Disney is not talking about the 30-acre tract, except to say it is in contract. Yet Disney asked its government agency, the Reedy Creek Improvement District, to de-annex the property, which is on U.S. 192, west of the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Chairman Rules Out Disney Park in Mideast
DUBAI (Khaleej Times Online) – Disney will not be establishing a park in Dubai or, in fact, anywhere in the Middle East anytime soon, said James Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts speaking to Khaleej Times, during the IAA Congress. "When deciding on a location, we have to look at the size of economy and the distribution of income. We are a premium tourism product and we need certain characteristics. I don't see the Middle East today as a market that is quite ready for that, but I never say never," he said. However, India fulfils some of those requirements. He said: "There is a still a fundamental evolution of infrastructure that has to occur so that people can get to a single destination with the footprint that we would like to develop. Today that footprint is not in place." But that will not be the case forever, he added. "If you look at the population and economic realities of India, it is possible one day, but that day is not now." China is a slightly different matter. Although Hong Kong recently opened a Disney Resort, he sees the establishment of a second resort in China as a real possibility. "Someday I imagine that due to the sheer geography of China, a growing economy and population there may be a second destination in China," he said. But not in coming years. "We look with great anticipation to be able to deliver our very special formula and entertainment to all of the markets that can support it," he said.
As one of the world's most global and successful brands, the reason for Disney's success is simple. "The basic principles of global brands come back, not shockingly, to consumer insights," said Rasulo. "If a brand does not speak to consumer need it will not be a global brand. It will simply be a globally distributed local brand." He said companies that have been successful in establishing a global brand speak to universal human values and the need to belong to communities. Rasulo explained that the branding is so consistent and universal that research shows that people all over the world see the Disney brand in the same way, "whether in a living room in Southern China or in California, where they have grown up with Disneyland," he said. He said the words that are consistently used to describe the Disney experience are magical, wonder and imagination, and phrases like: "Where my dreams can come true." "And we have built our brand around this," he said.
As one of the world's most global and successful brands, the reason for Disney's success is simple. "The basic principles of global brands come back, not shockingly, to consumer insights," said Rasulo. "If a brand does not speak to consumer need it will not be a global brand. It will simply be a globally distributed local brand." He said companies that have been successful in establishing a global brand speak to universal human values and the need to belong to communities. Rasulo explained that the branding is so consistent and universal that research shows that people all over the world see the Disney brand in the same way, "whether in a living room in Southern China or in California, where they have grown up with Disneyland," he said. He said the words that are consistently used to describe the Disney experience are magical, wonder and imagination, and phrases like: "Where my dreams can come true." "And we have built our brand around this," he said.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Peace Reigns at Disneyland
Whew!
ANAHEIM (Contact Music) – Ending the threat of a possible strike that could have shut down the Walt Disney Co.'s Disneyland park, the Disneyland Master Services Council of Unions, representing nearly 4,600 "cast members," announced Thursday that it had reached an agreement on a new contract. The union and Disneyland execs had been negotiating under the guidance of a federal mediator since March 15, when the previous contract expired. The union invited members to vote on the new agreement on Saturday in Millionaire Theatre in Disney's California Adventure Park.
ANAHEIM (Contact Music) – Ending the threat of a possible strike that could have shut down the Walt Disney Co.'s Disneyland park, the Disneyland Master Services Council of Unions, representing nearly 4,600 "cast members," announced Thursday that it had reached an agreement on a new contract. The union and Disneyland execs had been negotiating under the guidance of a federal mediator since March 15, when the previous contract expired. The union invited members to vote on the new agreement on Saturday in Millionaire Theatre in Disney's California Adventure Park.
'Toy Story' Creator Lasseter Gears Up for Animated 'Cars'
NEWSFLASH: John Lasseter likes Disney..which is nice, since he's in charge of a lot of it now. He also likes cars, which is also nice, since he just directed a movie about them.
LAS VEGAS (AP) – John Lasseter's latest flick combines his two lifelong loves:
The animated and automotive worlds. The director of the "Toy Story" movies and "A Bug's Life" and a prime creator behind "Monsters, Inc.", "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles," Lasseter returns with "Cars," the animated story of a haughty race car that gets a lesson on life in the slow lane. For Lasseter – who premiered the film Tuesday night at ShoWest, an annual theater owners convention – “Cars" rolled off the assembly line of his childhood. His mom was an art teacher whose work helped forge his early fascination with animation, while his dad ran the parts department at a Chevrolet dealership in Whittier, Calif., where Lasseter worked weekends growing up in the heyday of muscular Camaros and Corvettes. "I've always loved cars," Lasseter, 49, told The Associated Press. "I'm a gear-head and wanted to do a film about cars, like putting the two sides of my life, my two loves, together." "Cars" also is a reflection of the real-life lessons he learned about making time for family and friends amid his professional success. After a hectic run making "Toy Story," "A Bug's Life" and "Toy Story 2," a time when he and his wife also had four sons, Lasseter decided to pull over for a rest stop. Lasseter's wife warned him that if he kept up the work pace, he would wake up one day realizing their boys had all gone off to college and he had missed their childhood. So Lasseter figured it was time for a summer road trip, just him and the family. "We got so close as a family. We loved every single minute of it, and I came back from that journey and I knew what I wanted this movie to be about. It's about a character that learns the journey in life is the reward," said Lasseter, the key creative force behind Pixar Animation, which is being acquired by its longtime distribution partner Disney. "Cars" debuts in theaters June 9. The ShoWest screening also featured a showing of Pixar's Oscar-nominated short film "One Man Band" and a trailer for the company's next computer-animated flick, 2007's "Ratatouille," about a gourmand rat seeking fine eats in Paris.
Once Disney's buyout of Pixar is completed, Lasseter will become chief creative officer for animation at both companies and principal creative adviser for Walt Disney Imagineering, which designs the company's theme-park attractions. Lasseter said he and Ed Catmull, the Pixar executive who will be president of the companies' combined animation studios, plan to split their time between Disney in Burbank and Pixar in Northern California. The change marks a homecoming for Lasseter, who caught the animation bug in his youth from the classic cartoons Walt Disney created. At the California Institute for the Arts, where he earned a film degree, Lasseter studied under former Disney artists and worked as an animator for Disney early in his career. "I've got Disney blood in my veins," Lasseter said. "Walt Disney is the reason I do what I do. I believe so strongly in making what he believed in, which is making family films that are not just for kids. They're for everybody, and that's one of the things I'm so incredibly proud of in the track record at Pixar. We're so proud because all the family loves these things. Even teenagers and young adults who don't have kids love our films. That's the testament, and that's what I believe Walt Disney always believed in, too."
LAS VEGAS (AP) – John Lasseter's latest flick combines his two lifelong loves:
The animated and automotive worlds. The director of the "Toy Story" movies and "A Bug's Life" and a prime creator behind "Monsters, Inc.", "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles," Lasseter returns with "Cars," the animated story of a haughty race car that gets a lesson on life in the slow lane. For Lasseter – who premiered the film Tuesday night at ShoWest, an annual theater owners convention – “Cars" rolled off the assembly line of his childhood. His mom was an art teacher whose work helped forge his early fascination with animation, while his dad ran the parts department at a Chevrolet dealership in Whittier, Calif., where Lasseter worked weekends growing up in the heyday of muscular Camaros and Corvettes. "I've always loved cars," Lasseter, 49, told The Associated Press. "I'm a gear-head and wanted to do a film about cars, like putting the two sides of my life, my two loves, together." "Cars" also is a reflection of the real-life lessons he learned about making time for family and friends amid his professional success. After a hectic run making "Toy Story," "A Bug's Life" and "Toy Story 2," a time when he and his wife also had four sons, Lasseter decided to pull over for a rest stop. Lasseter's wife warned him that if he kept up the work pace, he would wake up one day realizing their boys had all gone off to college and he had missed their childhood. So Lasseter figured it was time for a summer road trip, just him and the family. "We got so close as a family. We loved every single minute of it, and I came back from that journey and I knew what I wanted this movie to be about. It's about a character that learns the journey in life is the reward," said Lasseter, the key creative force behind Pixar Animation, which is being acquired by its longtime distribution partner Disney. "Cars" debuts in theaters June 9. The ShoWest screening also featured a showing of Pixar's Oscar-nominated short film "One Man Band" and a trailer for the company's next computer-animated flick, 2007's "Ratatouille," about a gourmand rat seeking fine eats in Paris.
Once Disney's buyout of Pixar is completed, Lasseter will become chief creative officer for animation at both companies and principal creative adviser for Walt Disney Imagineering, which designs the company's theme-park attractions. Lasseter said he and Ed Catmull, the Pixar executive who will be president of the companies' combined animation studios, plan to split their time between Disney in Burbank and Pixar in Northern California. The change marks a homecoming for Lasseter, who caught the animation bug in his youth from the classic cartoons Walt Disney created. At the California Institute for the Arts, where he earned a film degree, Lasseter studied under former Disney artists and worked as an animator for Disney early in his career. "I've got Disney blood in my veins," Lasseter said. "Walt Disney is the reason I do what I do. I believe so strongly in making what he believed in, which is making family films that are not just for kids. They're for everybody, and that's one of the things I'm so incredibly proud of in the track record at Pixar. We're so proud because all the family loves these things. Even teenagers and young adults who don't have kids love our films. That's the testament, and that's what I believe Walt Disney always believed in, too."
'Toy Story' Creator Lasseter Gears Up for Animated 'Cars'
NEWSFLASH: John Lasseter likes Disney..which is nice, since he's in charge of a lot of it now. He also likes cars, which is also nice, since he just directed a movie about them.
The animated and automotive worlds. The director of the "Toy Story" movies and "A Bug's Life" and a prime creator behind "Monsters, Inc.", "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles," Lasseter returns with "Cars," the animated story of a haughty race car that gets a lesson on life in the slow lane. For Lasseter – who premiered the film Tuesday night at ShoWest, an annual theater owners convention – “Cars" rolled off the assembly line of his childhood. His mom was an art teacher whose work helped forge his early fascination with animation, while his dad ran the parts department at a Chevrolet dealership in Whittier, Calif., where Lasseter worked weekends growing up in the heyday of muscular Camaros and Corvettes. "I've always loved cars," Lasseter, 49, told The Associated Press. "I'm a gear-head and wanted to do a film about cars, like putting the two sides of my life, my two loves, together." "Cars" also is a reflection of the real-life lessons he learned about making time for family and friends amid his professional success. After a hectic run making "Toy Story," "A Bug's Life" and "Toy Story 2," a time when he and his wife also had four sons, Lasseter decided to pull over for a rest stop. Lasseter's wife warned him that if he kept up the work pace, he would wake up one day realizing their boys had all gone off to college and he had missed their childhood. So Lasseter figured it was time for a summer road trip, just him and the family. "We got so close as a family. We loved every single minute of it, and I came back from that journey and I knew what I wanted this movie to be about. It's about a character that learns the journey in life is the reward," said Lasseter, the key creative force behind Pixar Animation, which is being acquired by its longtime distribution partner Disney. "Cars" debuts in theaters June 9. The ShoWest screening also featured a showing of Pixar's Oscar-nominated short film "One Man Band" and a trailer for the company's next computer-animated flick, 2007's "Ratatouille," about a gourmand rat seeking fine eats in Paris.
Once Disney's buyout of Pixar is completed, Lasseter will become chief creative officer for animation at both companies and principal creative adviser for Walt Disney Imagineering, which designs the company's theme-park attractions. Lasseter said he and Ed Catmull, the Pixar executive who will be president of the companies' combined animation studios, plan to split their time between Disney in Burbank and Pixar in Northern California. The change marks a homecoming for Lasseter, who caught the animation bug in his youth from the classic cartoons Walt Disney created. At the California Institute for the Arts, where he earned a film degree, Lasseter studied under former Disney artists and worked as an animator for Disney early in his career. "I've got Disney blood in my veins," Lasseter said. "Walt Disney is the reason I do what I do. I believe so strongly in making what he believed in, which is making family films that are not just for kids. They're for everybody, and that's one of the things I'm so incredibly proud of in the track record at Pixar. We're so proud because all the family loves these things. Even teenagers and young adults who don't have kids love our films. That's the testament, and that's what I believe Walt Disney always believed in, too."
The animated and automotive worlds. The director of the "Toy Story" movies and "A Bug's Life" and a prime creator behind "Monsters, Inc.", "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles," Lasseter returns with "Cars," the animated story of a haughty race car that gets a lesson on life in the slow lane. For Lasseter – who premiered the film Tuesday night at ShoWest, an annual theater owners convention – “Cars" rolled off the assembly line of his childhood. His mom was an art teacher whose work helped forge his early fascination with animation, while his dad ran the parts department at a Chevrolet dealership in Whittier, Calif., where Lasseter worked weekends growing up in the heyday of muscular Camaros and Corvettes. "I've always loved cars," Lasseter, 49, told The Associated Press. "I'm a gear-head and wanted to do a film about cars, like putting the two sides of my life, my two loves, together." "Cars" also is a reflection of the real-life lessons he learned about making time for family and friends amid his professional success. After a hectic run making "Toy Story," "A Bug's Life" and "Toy Story 2," a time when he and his wife also had four sons, Lasseter decided to pull over for a rest stop. Lasseter's wife warned him that if he kept up the work pace, he would wake up one day realizing their boys had all gone off to college and he had missed their childhood. So Lasseter figured it was time for a summer road trip, just him and the family. "We got so close as a family. We loved every single minute of it, and I came back from that journey and I knew what I wanted this movie to be about. It's about a character that learns the journey in life is the reward," said Lasseter, the key creative force behind Pixar Animation, which is being acquired by its longtime distribution partner Disney. "Cars" debuts in theaters June 9. The ShoWest screening also featured a showing of Pixar's Oscar-nominated short film "One Man Band" and a trailer for the company's next computer-animated flick, 2007's "Ratatouille," about a gourmand rat seeking fine eats in Paris.
Once Disney's buyout of Pixar is completed, Lasseter will become chief creative officer for animation at both companies and principal creative adviser for Walt Disney Imagineering, which designs the company's theme-park attractions. Lasseter said he and Ed Catmull, the Pixar executive who will be president of the companies' combined animation studios, plan to split their time between Disney in Burbank and Pixar in Northern California. The change marks a homecoming for Lasseter, who caught the animation bug in his youth from the classic cartoons Walt Disney created. At the California Institute for the Arts, where he earned a film degree, Lasseter studied under former Disney artists and worked as an animator for Disney early in his career. "I've got Disney blood in my veins," Lasseter said. "Walt Disney is the reason I do what I do. I believe so strongly in making what he believed in, which is making family films that are not just for kids. They're for everybody, and that's one of the things I'm so incredibly proud of in the track record at Pixar. We're so proud because all the family loves these things. Even teenagers and young adults who don't have kids love our films. That's the testament, and that's what I believe Walt Disney always believed in, too."
Tarzan to Offer $20 Lottery Tickets
NEW YORK (Playbill) – The upcoming Disney musical Tarzan, which is set to begin performances March 24 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, will offer a limited number of $20 lottery tickets to each performance. Those interested in trying to obtain these tickets will be asked to fill out a lottery form two-and-a-half hours prior to that particular Tarzan performance. Winners for the seats, which are located in the first row of the orchestra, will be chosen two hours before curtain time. There will be a limit of two tickets per person, and tickets must be purchased using cash only. About the lottery system, Disney Theatricals President Thomas Schumacher said in a statement, "As someone who grew up wanting to see as much live theatre as I could, it is such a pleasure to be able to make these reduced price tickets available for Tarzan. The $20 Lottery Ticket Program will allow us to share this theatrical experience with audience members who may not otherwise be able to see Tarzan, and that is invaluable to me.” Tarzan will officially open at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on May 10.
If audiences can't get into the Disney Tarzan show on Broadway, they can always catch another Tarzan show, Tarzan Rocks, at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Fl.
What's that? Oh, it is? Uh, never mind. That amazing show is closed, soon to be replaced by...???? Why shutter a show that has its namesake making a Broadway debut? Are theyhonestly worried about brand confusion, or do the theme parks even call the theatre folks, even on Christmas?
If audiences can't get into the Disney Tarzan show on Broadway, they can always catch another Tarzan show, Tarzan Rocks, at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Fl.
What's that? Oh, it is? Uh, never mind. That amazing show is closed, soon to be replaced by...???? Why shutter a show that has its namesake making a Broadway debut? Are theyhonestly worried about brand confusion, or do the theme parks even call the theatre folks, even on Christmas?
Disney on Track to Unwrap Pixar's ‘Cars’ on May 26th at Lowe's Motor Speedway
PRNewswire
CHARLOTTE, NC (PRNewswire) – Disney-Pixar's new computer-animated feature "Cars" will stage its world premiere on May 26th at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina in one of the most unique and elaborate movie events of all-time. Paul Newman, Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip, and others from the voice cast of the film will be joined by a host of stars from the racing world and 30,000 guests that are expected to attend the "Cars" World Premiere, taking place at the same location as that weekend's famous Coca Cola 600 NASCAR race. The screening of the film represents the first multi-screen digital cinema premiere ever, with Texas Instruments and its DLP Cinema technology serving as Disney's event technology partner in providing the digital cinema projectors. A series of four giant custom-built outdoor movie screens (115-feet wide and 50-feet tall) will be constructed at Lowe's Motor Speedway at Turn #2 of the track. Each screen will have three DLP Cinema 2K digital projectors dedicated to it. A state-of-the-art sound system is also being created and installed for the event. Academy Award-winning filmmaker John Lasseter, who directed "Cars," will also be attending along with other key players from Pixar Animation Studios and The Walt Disney Studios. Tickets for the premiere will be made available for purchase by the general public starting today. Proceeds will benefit Speedway Children's Charities, and Association of Hole in the Wall Gang Camps. To cap off the weekend, the #96 DLP HDTV car will be wrapped as the film's lead character "Lightning McQueen" for the NEXTEL Cup series race in Charlotte the same weekend.
CHARLOTTE, NC (PRNewswire) – Disney-Pixar's new computer-animated feature "Cars" will stage its world premiere on May 26th at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina in one of the most unique and elaborate movie events of all-time. Paul Newman, Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip, and others from the voice cast of the film will be joined by a host of stars from the racing world and 30,000 guests that are expected to attend the "Cars" World Premiere, taking place at the same location as that weekend's famous Coca Cola 600 NASCAR race. The screening of the film represents the first multi-screen digital cinema premiere ever, with Texas Instruments and its DLP Cinema technology serving as Disney's event technology partner in providing the digital cinema projectors. A series of four giant custom-built outdoor movie screens (115-feet wide and 50-feet tall) will be constructed at Lowe's Motor Speedway at Turn #2 of the track. Each screen will have three DLP Cinema 2K digital projectors dedicated to it. A state-of-the-art sound system is also being created and installed for the event. Academy Award-winning filmmaker John Lasseter, who directed "Cars," will also be attending along with other key players from Pixar Animation Studios and The Walt Disney Studios. Tickets for the premiere will be made available for purchase by the general public starting today. Proceeds will benefit Speedway Children's Charities, and Association of Hole in the Wall Gang Camps. To cap off the weekend, the #96 DLP HDTV car will be wrapped as the film's lead character "Lightning McQueen" for the NEXTEL Cup series race in Charlotte the same weekend.
Disney on Track to Unwrap Pixar's ‘Cars’ on May 26th at Lowe's Motor Speedway
CHARLOTTE, NC (PRNewswire) – Disney-Pixar's new computer-animated feature "Cars" will stage its world premiere on May 26th at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina in one of the most unique and elaborate movie events of all-time. Paul Newman, Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip, and others from the voice cast of the film will be joined by a host of stars from the racing world and 30,000 guests that are expected to attend the "Cars" World Premiere, taking place at the same location as that weekend's famous Coca Cola 600 NASCAR race. The screening of the film represents the first multi-screen digital cinema premiere ever, with Texas Instruments and its DLP Cinema technology serving as Disney's event technology partner in providing the digital cinema projectors. A series of four giant custom-built outdoor movie screens (115-feet wide and 50-feet tall) will be constructed at Lowe's Motor Speedway at Turn #2 of the track. Each screen will have three DLP Cinema 2K digital projectors dedicated to it. A state-of-the-art sound system is also being created and installed for the event. Academy Award-winning filmmaker John Lasseter, who directed "Cars," will also be attending along with other key players from Pixar Animation Studios and The Walt Disney Studios. Tickets for the premiere will be made available for purchase by the general public starting today. Proceeds will benefit Speedway Children's Charities, and Association of Hole in the Wall Gang Camps. To cap off the weekend, the #96 DLP HDTV car will be wrapped as the film's lead character "Lightning McQueen" for the NEXTEL Cup series race in Charlotte the same weekend.
Nick Hotel Buyer Eyeing San Diego, Hawaii
(Orlando Business Journal) – Miller Global Properties LLC says it plans to create a chain of Nickelodeon- themed hotels. The Denver developer recently acquired the remaining interest in the 777-room Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn resort near Walt Disney World. Jim Miller, Miller Global Properties president, told the Denver Business Journal that he has a site under contract for purchase in San Diego and hopes to begin construction on a second Nickelodeon hotel in early 2007. The Colorado company hopes to have four to six US Nickelodeon properties, and is looking at Hawaii and New York City as potential sites. Terry Whaples, the Orlando creator of the Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn concept, calls the expansion a no-brainer idea. Miller partnered with Whaples' company, Orlando-based Family Suites Hotel Holdings LLC, in 2004 to transform the Holiday Inn Family Suites Resort at Lake Buena Vista into the first-ever hotel/resort based on the Nickelodeon TV channel. The $120 million Orlando Nick hotel, which was remodeled and opened in 2005, features two- and three-bedroom KidSuites with children's bedrooms decorated with Nickelodeon characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and Jimmy Neutron. Suites also include an adult master bedroom, kitchenette and sitting room. In addition, the Nickelodeon resort has two water parks, a 3,000-square-foot arcade, spa, three live shows per night and an after-hours karaoke.I've never been inside this hotel, but it is a remodelled resort on State Road 536, oneof the many roads that leads directly into WDW. It is a very convenient location for the WDW scene.
Suit Says Girl Assaulted on Cruise
ORLANDO (Orlando Sentinel) – The parents of a girl sued Disney Cruise Lines after their daughter was allegedly sexually assaulted by a crew member while on board the Disney Wonder in October, court documents said. The girl and her parents, New York residents, boarded the ship in Port Canaveral on Oct. 2 for a cruise to the Bahamas, the lawsuit said. The suit, which seeks damages in excess of $75,000, alleges the crew member "falsely imprisoned, sexually assaulted, exposed himself to, and intentionally inflicted emotional distress" on the girl. The family was not identified in the lawsuit, which was filed in Orlando's federal court. Disney spokeswoman Rena Langley said Disney Cruise Lines takes the allegation very seriously. She said the cruise line was notified of the allegation in October and contacted the FBI and Bahamian law enforcement. She said the two agencies worked with the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, and no charges have been filed. The crew member no longer works for Disney, she said.
Disney Channel's "High School Musical" is 1st Full-Length Feature on iTunes
(Playbill) – Disney Channel's popular original movie "High School Musical" became the first full length feature film available to Apple iTunes users at the Music Store. Following its successful sales of video singles from the television movie – not to mention how well the soundtrack and singles are doing – the company decided to offer the movie as well. Apple iTunes users can download music videos for 99¢ or the entire film for $9.99. The show is slated to air again on the Disney Channel March 23 at 8 PM (ET). A sequel is already in the works and the debut DVD of the popular original movie will be released May 23 featuring two versions and extra features. Seven weeks following the Disney Channel's "High School Musical" soundtrack debuted, the album moved into the No. 1 slot at the top of the Billboard pop chart. The feat was the first time an original TV movie soundtrack ever charted at No. 1 and the first TV soundtrack to hit the top spot since 1986 (the "Miami Vice" album).
I still don't get it.
I still don't get it.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Disney Closes Unit Devoted to Pixar Sequels
From Pixaren't to Pixisn't...BURBANK (LA Times) – The first casualty of Walt Disney Co.'s acquisition of Pixar Animation Studios came Monday when the Burbank entertainment giant shuttered a computer animation unit created to make sequels to such Pixar hits as "Toy Story" and "Finding Nemo." Thirty-two employees, or nearly 20% of the 168 artists, production managers and support staff, were told they would lose their jobs effective May 26. The remaining 136 will be absorbed into Disney's feature animation division and redeployed to work on such productions as "Meet the Robinsons," "Rapunzel" and "American Dog." In a statement, Dis-ney confirmed Monday's developments with The Times and said it would help laid-off employees find new work. At least half a dozen or more hired to work on "Toy Story 3" were foreigners working in the US on visas. Workers should find themselves in demand, with computer animation enjoying a boom. Studios such as DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., 20th Century Fox and Sony Pictures are poised to release a slew of digitally animated movies this year. Dubbed "Circle 7" after the Glendale street where the unit sits, the sequels operation was quietly set up last year by former Disney Chief Executive Michael Eisner at a time when Disney's lucrative partnership with Pixar was strained and in danger of dissolving. Rivals de-rided the attempt to replicate Pixar's unique creativity, nicknaming the operation "Pixaren't." All of that changed in January, when Disney agreed to buy Pixar for $7.4 billion. Disney CEO Bob Iger and Pixar Chairman Steve Jobs pledged that any Pixar sequels would be produced at Pixar's Emeryville, Calif., headquarters using artists who worked on the originals. Disney declined to comment about the future status of Circle 7 chief Andrew Millstein, who announced the layoffs to his staff at a noon meeting. Also unclear is what will become of the multimillion-dollar computer animation facility in Glendale, although it is likely the company would use it for future productions.
Taking the Magic to Europe
(DCL Release) – On the morning of March 21 at the Walt Disney World Resort, Disney Cruise Line Presi-dent Tom McAlpin announced the newest itinerary for the Disney Magic – 10-night and 11-night Mediter-ranean cruises. First launched in July 1998, the Disney Magic sails mostly throughout the Caribbean from its home port in Port Canaveral, Fla., and also traveled west for several Mexican Riviera cruises in sum-mer 2005. Based on Disney Cruise Line Guest suggestions, Tom said Europe was an obvious choice for a new itinerary. “Our Guests have told us they would love to take a European vacation, but all of the planning and logistics can be daunting,” he said. “These special sailings will offer a hassle-free way to experience the beauty and culture of Europe combined with the fun of a Disney cruise.” The Mediterra-nean voyages will begin in May 2007, based out of the Port of Barcelona in Spain, and will include eight ports of call providing gateways to such famous cities as Florence, Rome, Pisa and Cannes. Additionally, two 14-night trans-Atlantic sailings will be available as the ship repositions itself to Spain in May and back to Florida in August. Bookings for the new itineraries are scheduled to open April 4, 2006.
Monday, March 20, 2006
New Round of Layoffs at Disney Animation and Circle 7
(O-meon.com) – Last week Disney CEO Bob Iger, responding to a shareholder’s question about there being a problem with “too many middle managers” at Walt Disney Feature Animation (WDFA), said he didn’t believe Disney had a problem with middle managers. Nevertheless, o-meon.com has confirmed that even as Disney management was preparing for last Friday’s annual meeting the company was continuing the reorganization of its animation division by laying off an unspecified number of “creative” and “development” executives. A source close to Disney animation said “that layoffs began last week.” The names and number of executives “cleaning out their offices,” according to this source, wasn’t known. An individual from within the Disney Company, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Layoffs will be announced next week, not only of certain WDFA executives but also of some artists and technicians at the Circle 7 facility.” Under previous CEO Michael Eisner, Disney created Circle 7 Animation for the sole purpose of producing sequels to the extremely successful series of computer graphic (CG) animated films it released from production partner Pixar Animation Studios. In January, Iger and Pixar CEO Steve Jobs announced that the Emeryville animation studio had agreed, in principal, to be acquired by Disney. As part of the deal, Disney and Pixar’s animation operations would be rolled into one, new Disney-Pixar studio. Pixar President Ed Catmull will head the new studio, and Pixar’s creative genius John Lasseter will be its chief creative officer. Following the announcement, both Catmull and Lasseter paid a visit to WDFA in Burbank. While there, Lasseter informed staffers that Toy Story 3, then in development at Circle 7, would not be done in Southern California, if at all. Questions then arose about the eventual fate of Circle 7 and its creative and management staff.
During last week’s shareholders’ meeting, Disney CFO Tom Staggs said the Disney- Pixar deal could close as early as April or May. That news was as eagerly greeted by Disney’s shareholders as the announcement by John Lasseter at the meeting that, “I promise you, we will make films that will entertain you from the time the lights go off in the theater.” Iger also drew enthusiastic applause when he said, “To truly live up to our legacy, animation must be great. We must create animated films that raise the standard of the art and become true classics for countless generations.” “Actions speak louder than words,” a Pixar shareholder anxiously awaiting the arrival of his shares in the Walt Disney Company told o-meon.com. “I think he’s (Bob Iger) on the right track. He’s openly acknowledged that Disney lost its way over the past ten years, and he’s cutting the deadweight out of Disney animation. I’m really excited by all of this.” The Walt Disney Company did not respond to repeated requests for information regarding restructuring in its animation division.
During last week’s shareholders’ meeting, Disney CFO Tom Staggs said the Disney- Pixar deal could close as early as April or May. That news was as eagerly greeted by Disney’s shareholders as the announcement by John Lasseter at the meeting that, “I promise you, we will make films that will entertain you from the time the lights go off in the theater.” Iger also drew enthusiastic applause when he said, “To truly live up to our legacy, animation must be great. We must create animated films that raise the standard of the art and become true classics for countless generations.” “Actions speak louder than words,” a Pixar shareholder anxiously awaiting the arrival of his shares in the Walt Disney Company told o-meon.com. “I think he’s (Bob Iger) on the right track. He’s openly acknowledged that Disney lost its way over the past ten years, and he’s cutting the deadweight out of Disney animation. I’m really excited by all of this.” The Walt Disney Company did not respond to repeated requests for information regarding restructuring in its animation division.
“High School Musical” Soundtrack Sells over 1 Million Digital Singles
BURBANK, Calif. (Business Wire) – Sales for the platinum-selling "High School Musical" soundtrack continue to rise with an 8% increase over last week's sales. The 138,035 units scanned for the week of March 8th secured the #3 spot on the Billboard Top 200 chart. Digital sales also were a huge component of the soundtrack's success. This week alone 64,208 single tracks were sold digitally, and to date over 1 million single tracks have been purchased digitally, primarily through Apple Computer's iTunes Music Store. The "High School Musical" soundtrack has generated one platinum single, "Breaking Free," and four gold singles – “What I've Been Looking For," "We're All in This Together," "Start of Something New" and "Get'cha Head in the Game." Additionally, this week "High School Musical" continues its reign at #1 on both the Billboard Soundtrack Chart (a position it has held for five out of the past seven weeks) and the Billboard Kids Chart (where it has topped the chart for eight consecutive weeks). "High School Musical," a contemporary musical comedy, has aired eight times (January 20-March 10) on Disney Channel. In its first six telecasts, it delivered 26.3 unduplicated Total Viewers, 8.4 million Kids 6-11 and 8.7 million Tweens 9-14.
Brace yourself for 10 years of sequels and knockoffs.
Brace yourself for 10 years of sequels and knockoffs.
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