Lauren Chivers

CASE STUDY

Fox Films CorportationLoew’s IncorporatedParamount PicutresRKO Radio Pictures

Warner BrothersUniversal PicturesColumbia Pictures

United Artists

Warner BrothersParamount Picutres

20th Century FoxWalt Disney Pictures

Columbia PicturesUniversal Pictures

Golden Era

Today

Hollywood Studios

Company OriginsThe 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.

Key Personnel

Walt Disney - Founder

Robert Iger – CEO & PresidentJohn E. Pepper jr. - Chairman

Board of Directors

Susan ArnoldJohn S. ChenJudith EstrinRobert Iger

Fred LanghammerAylwin Lewis

Monica C. LozanoRobert Matschullat

John E. Pepper, Jr., ChairmanOrin C. Smith

Sheryl Sandberg

Senior Executive Managment

Robert Iger – President and CEOJay Rasulo – Senior Executive Vice

President and CFOAlan N. Braverman – Senior Executive

Vice President, General counselRonald L. Iden – Senior Vice President,

Security

Brent Woodford – Senior Vice President, Planning and Control

Jayne Parker – Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

Zenia Mucha – Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications

Richard Bates – Senior Vice President, U.S. Government Relations

Christine M. McCarthy – Executive Vice President, Corporate Finance and Real

Estate and TreasurerKevin Mayer – Executive Vice President,

Corporate Strategy, Business Development and Technology Group

Leslie Goodman - Senior Vice President, Corporate Citizenship

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.

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.

Size & Resources

FinancingDisney 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.

DistributionWalt 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

Filmography

Key Texts

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 shemeets 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 1938

Director: - David HandProducer: - Walt DisneyWriter: - Ted SearsBudget: - $1,488,423 Box Office: - $184,925,486 Genre: - Fantasy/Fairytale

Animation

Cast: - Adriana CaselottiLucille La VerneHarry StockwellPinto ColvigRoy Atwell

Target Audience: - Primarily children, mainly girls who admire princesses/want to become princesses – imaginative. Age between 5-12.

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 extraordinaryproduction. With animation, the illusion of flying, this is shows the beginning of a new eraof film.

It is definitely worth the watch, and will have you whistling for days.

Release Date : - August 27, 1964 Director: - Robert StevensonProducer: - Walt DisneyWriter: - Billy Walsh Budget: - $6 millionBox Office: - $102,272,727Genre: - Musical

Cast: - Julie AndrewsDick Van DykeDavid TomlinsonGlynis JohnsKaren DotriceMatthew Garber

Target Audience: - familes, specifically young girls 7-12. Fun, outgoing, like singing, fantasy loving.

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 assome 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, somethingthat 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 : - Director: - Andrew StantonProducer: - Graham WaltersWriter: - Andrew StantonBudget: - $94 millionBox Office: - $867,893,978Genre: - Animated Comedy -

Drama

Cast: - Albert Brooks Ellen DeGeneres Alexander Gould

Target Audience: - family film, specifically young children, 7-12. Adventurous, outgoing, like exploring.

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.