Walt Disney, technologist [UPDATED]
Walt Disney — the man, not the company — was known for his imagination, his artistry and even his business acumen. But it turns out he also had a huge appetite for technology.
He pushed the
envelope at his own firm, developing new gadgets to help in the making of his
movies. He had a passion for the future, promoting ideas through places like
his Epcot Center in Orlando, Fla. And he often engaged with engineers from other
companies, such as Ford Motor Co. and General Electric Co., particularly as
he developed exhibits for the New York World’s Fair of 1964.
The geeky side
of Disney is one of the elements that will be on display at the Walt Disney
Family Museum in San Francisco when it opens in October.
Museum
organizers — particularly Disney’s daughter, Diane Disney Miller, and his
grandson and namesake, Walter E. Disney Miller — gave the press a preview
today, showing off the state-of-the-art $110-million facility in San Francisco’s
Presidio National Park.
The museum
itself makes heavy use of modern processing power, from admissions to displays.
To keep tight control of the number of visitors, the museum will sell tickets
on the Web for specific times. One could just show up and buy a ticket, “but I
wouldn’t recommend it,” executive director Richard Benefield said.
Inside, what
Benefield called “every kind of monitor known to man” will be on the walls. And
curators have taken advantage of 19 hours of recordings of Disney’s voice to
provide a guided tour through his life — his childhood, his early work as a
bankrupt cartoonist in Kansas City, Mo., and his most notable achievements, including
the creation of Mickey Mouse, “Snow White” and “Fantasia” and his television
and theme park operations.
Also on view will
be a two-story multiplane camera that Disney used for such effects as rooftop
shots in “Pinocchio” and an optical printer used to blend real-life characters
with animation in “Mary Poppins.”
Although the
museum is not formally affiliated with Walt Disney Co., the company has
provided many artifacts and may even provide some technical expertise. After
all, its Pixar animation unit is based right across the bay in Emeryville, and
a Disney executive told Benefield that the company is stepping up volunteer
efforts by employees.
The company even
offered to help the museum teach animation classes, Benefield said.
A 110-seat theater in the museum’s lower reaches will open with a three-week screening of “Fantasia.” Later, for the 50th anniversary of "Sleeping Beauty," Disney plans to re-release the film, “and we’ll be showing it in Blu-Ray in our theater,” Benefield said.
Corrected 10:30 a.m.: A previous version of this post incorrectly stated that Snow White's 50th anniversary would be celebrated this year. In fact, it will be Sleeping Beauty who will be celebrating her 50th anniversary in November.
-- Dan Fost
