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The Corporation

From its humble family-run beginnings, Disney has become a huge corporation, with diverse interests in many different aspects of the media (have a look at their presence on the web). They have a very well-defined corporate identity, and work very hard to control their public image. As such, they jealously guard the copyright of Disney characters, logos and images, and this includes policing the internet. There are not many "unauthorised" Disney sites as a consequence, and those that do exist tend to be short-lived. However, there are still plenty of places to find the information you require, just be very sensitive as to possible bias. A good economic overview is provided here. Their official site for investors is here.

The Beginnings

One of the essential elements of the Disney brand image is (even today) the shadow cast by the persona of Walt Disney, founder of the company. Disney play very heavily on the idea that, although they are one of the biggest companies in the world, they began as one man's dream. However, the truth is a little more complex than that, and the role of Roy Disney, and the creative input of the Nine Old Men, should never be underestimated when considering the history of the company. For a timeline of major events in Disney history, click here. Please note that this is aimed at potential investors, and does not include some of the less appealing events, such as the major strike in the 1930s. Another official history (ie no strikes or flops) can be found here.

Annoyingly slow to load, but still worth the wait is this guide to the history of the Walt Disney Studio, and you can try this for a thorough biography of Walt Disney himself.

As you know, one of the ways in which Walt Disney maintained high standards amongst all his artists was by sending them all back to school. Read about the history of the Disney Art School here.

Today

The success of today's Disney is seen as being down to one man - Mike Eisner. When he took over the reins as CEO in 1984, Disney was seen as a company reliant on its past glories. Eisner is credited with single-handedly turning it round, through his policy of expansion into television, the Internet, sports, publishing, and music. However, Disney's ownership of such a wide range of media companies cause it continual problems, and it is often criticised for poor economic management. Eisner is also unploular with members of the board, not least Roy Disney. Keep up to date with the latest stories relating to Disney - a quick search of any internet news service will reveal several per week. You should also find information on Jeff katzenberg, who also deserves some of the credit for Disney's renaissance, but who left their employ during a bitter contract dispute to form Dreamworks SKG with Steven Spielberg and David Geffen. Dreamworks are among Disney's biggest rivals now when it comes to producing animated feature films.

Click HERE for a GCSE task.

The Animated Features

As Disney are continually releasing movies, sites are not always completely up to date - check your information on something like ImDb for the very latest news. A good place to start is this index, which gives you the basic statistics (release date, length, songs etc) for all the Disney features from Snow White to The Hunchback of Notre Dame. This index also provides links to other sites, and includes some interesting trivia. This link provides you with the statistics, as well as image and sound extracts; just scroll down the images in the left hand frame till you fin the movie you want.

To view some of the original artwork from these features, click here. Note how valuable some of these drawings now are! Talking of money, this is a list of the highest-grossing Disney movies.

 

Theme Parks

Disneyland really began when my two daughters were very young. Saturday was always Daddy's Day, and I would take them to the merry-go-round and sit on a bench eating peanuts while they rode. And sitting there, alone, I felt there should be something built, some kind of family park where parents and children could have fun together. - Walt Disney

Ever since Walt Disney announced his plans for building Disneyland in 1952, these parks have played an important role in shaping the Disney identity, as well as being very successful tourist attractions in their own right. Try WDW Magic for a virtual tour around the main rides, as well as a place to pick up the latest news about Disney activities in this area. It's a very dynamic site packed full of information. For a detailed insight into the Disney California Adventure, click here.

For a comprehensive history of Disneyland, including a timeline of all the attractions ever opened and closed, try here. And if you fancy it, try this link for a virtual tour of different parks.

The Future

Walt Disney was a great innovator, and was constantly inventing and reinventing to keep his studio ahead of the game - and financially afloat. Since his death, the studio which bears his name has continued this philosophy, always leading the field in new techniques, attempting to do what has never been done before. However, the world of the animated feature is now more competitive than ever. Dreamworks SKG have produced some very successful movies (The Prince of Egypt, Antz), and they are also co-producers of Aardmann Animation's Chicken Run ( the first stop motion feature)which is eagerly anticipated by critics and audiences alike. Now, more than ever, Disney must keep investing in research and development in order to provide audiences with that all important factor - novelty.

FOR A GCSE PROJECT, CLICK HERE

Alternative Viewpoints

Although Disney are one of the most successful corporations in the world, they have their critics. There have been many objections to the way in which Disney present stories on screen and conduct business. Check out some of the anti-Disney sites (but be aware that they are vehicles for a very particular viewpoint and that some of the views are a little extreme):

"Disneyfication"

This word is used as a critical term. Read what Rob Errera (a journalist) has to say about the Disney effect here. Believe it or not, Disney also come under a lot of criticism for being violent and sexually explicit. Read this rather extreme view from a right-wing American Christian group. Do you think their accusations are valid?

 


 

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