tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post8581523536795817199..comments2024-02-08T07:33:49.907-08:00Comments on Re-Imagineering: Audio Out-Source AtronicsMr Bankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12952506736745891323noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-89146272882281429172009-01-26T21:42:00.000-08:002009-01-26T21:42:00.000-08:00If they can do it cheaper it will free up more mon...If they can do it cheaper it will free up more money for other parts of the project or other projectsUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09103350253704175829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-39440689189920085772009-01-16T07:28:00.000-08:002009-01-16T07:28:00.000-08:00I grew up with Garner Holt and have known him sinc...I grew up with Garner Holt and have known him since he was 14 and back then the guy was consumed with Disney and Animatronics. when he was just 15 he built a figure that stood from a chair and delivered a speech ala Lincoln. His Wendell Uncyclist figures is one of the most amazing animatronics i've ever seen. Disney is in good hands with Garner!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-11427356602601537692008-09-19T14:23:00.000-07:002008-09-19T14:23:00.000-07:00"OK OK, it's been a month, time for something new ..."OK OK, it's been a month, time for something new to complain about, let's go, c'mon,"<BR/><BR/>Hey, just in time. From the press release for the new promotion at Disneyland.<BR/><BR/>"Park Décor: The parks will be decorated with colorful banners, balloons and festive party hats – as if awaiting your celebration."<BR/><BR/>And to think we just got over the Year of a Million Dreams crap. I hope they put a big party hat on the Matterhorn. I really want them to outdo the Mickey wand in terms of absurdity.Spokkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03244298044953214810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-22531539556228232062008-09-19T02:33:00.000-07:002008-09-19T02:33:00.000-07:00Why does it seem that other companies are doing wh...Why does it seem that other companies are doing what Disney used to do better?<BR/><BR/>Disney should be doing shows like "Walking With Dinosaurs" and yet a company in Australia created it and out did Disney.<BR/><BR/>Everyone else is way beyond Disney and Disney is just outsourcing projects so that they can save a few bucks.<BR/><BR/>What gives? Call us "Walties" or not, but Walt tried to do things a little bit better the next time and go beyond what others were doing and the current management wants to take a step backwards.<BR/><BR/>The Disney Company should be in the forefront of technology once again and not back in the past "Walking with the Dinosaurs".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-38752070591335588972008-09-17T18:39:00.000-07:002008-09-17T18:39:00.000-07:00OK OK, it's been a month, time for something new t...OK OK, it's been a month, time for something new to complain about, let's go, c'mon,Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-34535243495791033072008-09-16T20:08:00.000-07:002008-09-16T20:08:00.000-07:00This is nothing new. Disney has been out sourcing ...This is nothing new. Disney has been out sourcing since the first Disneyland was built.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-15612495760514394902008-09-09T17:50:00.000-07:002008-09-09T17:50:00.000-07:00As happened in the American Automotive industry, e...As happened in the American Automotive industry, eventually the people you once outsourced components to ( Japan) eventually figure out how to build the whole product and do it better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-55304944276630807202008-09-07T17:31:00.000-07:002008-09-07T17:31:00.000-07:00^^^^^ Well, not all outsourcing is as successful ...^^^^^ Well, not all outsourcing is as successful as that. The employee food service they outsourced had gotten some serious criticisms. Some other areas of Imagineering, other divisions and corporate wide, have resulted in some significant problems, many resulting in creative slippage. I don’t know what the extent of outsourcing has gone in the creative areas, but if they aren’t capable of getting the level of quality that Imagineering and Garner Holt strive for, it’s best that they keep it in-house.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-71778145808176405422008-09-06T12:02:00.000-07:002008-09-06T12:02:00.000-07:00I am not worried about the outsourcing. In the las...I am not worried about the outsourcing. In the last five years, the best new audio-animatronic figures put into the Disneyland park were Jack Skellington and OOgie Boogie in the Haunted Mansion. I know they were done by Garner Holt Productions. Jack is one of the best figures in the park.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-54869265386390329632008-09-04T14:44:00.000-07:002008-09-04T14:44:00.000-07:00No one is denying that she was important. But this...No one is denying that she was important. But this is also a free to read blog with no motivation to make profits. The people who post entries to it, I assume, have real jobs that demand their time and will post entries when they can.<BR/><BR/>Has The Walt Disney Co. posted a tribute anywhere to Burns anywhere? Shouldn't they be the ones to celebrate their history, and not in a "It's Disneyland 50th anniversary! BUY AN ANNUAL PASS YOU CONSUMER WHORES!!!" kind of way.Spokkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03244298044953214810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-25895096379695256472008-09-04T10:45:00.000-07:002008-09-04T10:45:00.000-07:00"I think the reason Mr. Potato Head isn't all that..."I think the reason Mr. Potato Head isn't all that impressive is because he's so big. "<BR/><BR/>GREAT point. Agree.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-23398721016696476812008-09-02T18:04:00.000-07:002008-09-02T18:04:00.000-07:00You are absolutely right. No one is obligated to d...You are absolutely right. No one is obligated to do anything.<BR/><BR/> But when a blog practically deifies first generation Imagineers the way this one does, it almost screams louder when you read nothing about the first woman to be an "Imagineer" in a creative capacity at WED. <BR/><BR/>Here's a few things about her that might be interesting. Prior to WED, Burns was instrumental in bringing an abstract "Steinberg" graphic style to the Mickey Mouse Club and helped prototype the animatonic projects (Dancing man, Disneylandia) that would pave the way for Disneyland. <BR/><BR/>Harriet was at the right hand of the masters and played a strong supporting role in development of prototypes, color styling and could do practically anything in heels with a saw. <BR/><BR/>She was probably best known and seen beautifully dressed in books and on Disney specials doing "figure finishing" for the 1960's attractions like IASM, Tiki Room, Pirates, and Lincoln. I met her several times and she was an amazing and wonderful person to know that helped shape the "Disney Look".<BR/><BR/>More of Harriet's career can be found in Jeff Kurtti's new book, "Imagineering Legends" in which Harriet is described as one. <BR/><BR/>Again, no one has to do anything, but knowing a bit more about the supporting cast of WED helps us understand the dynamic of what it took to create that first park.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-51291299659756710452008-09-01T18:47:00.000-07:002008-09-01T18:47:00.000-07:00I think the reason Mr. Potato Head isn't all that ...I think the reason Mr. Potato Head isn't all that impressive is because he's so big. People see huge Disney characters walking all over the park and know there are people inside them. Mr. Potato Head has the same ambience, if you will, thanks to his size. If he were about half the size, he'd be more believeable. I know that the point of the ride is that the guests get "shrunk down" to toy level, but I don't think that comes across very well. You know, if the Living Character Initiative is ever applied to Mickey, I hope the Imagineers keep size in mind. I remember seeing the Mickey Mouse Review years ago at WDW, and Mickey was about the right size for a believeable AA figure. I mean, if the Imagineers make an AA, on-the-street interactive figure of Mickey who's the same size as the walk-around, what's the point?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-42514660344694691752008-08-31T15:37:00.000-07:002008-08-31T15:37:00.000-07:00"I can hardly wait for the tribute to Harriet Burn..."I can hardly wait for the tribute to Harriet Burns. It must have been outsourced to "Disney and More" in France."<BR/><BR/>Nobody is obligated to post a tribute to anybody. If she's so damn important to you post your own tribute.Spokkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03244298044953214810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-19667618757459954772008-08-31T14:26:00.000-07:002008-08-31T14:26:00.000-07:00I can hardly wait for the tribute to Harriet Burns...I can hardly wait for the tribute to Harriet Burns. It must have been outsourced to "Disney and More" in France.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-49922319322300469762008-08-25T20:50:00.000-07:002008-08-25T20:50:00.000-07:00I stood and watched the Mr. Potato head AA last ni...I stood and watched the Mr. Potato head AA last night at the "Toy Story Mania" attraction. No one seemed to care or looked impressed. Maybe it was the script.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-59972175227344739732008-08-24T16:18:00.000-07:002008-08-24T16:18:00.000-07:00"what i find sad is these outsourced companies lik..."what i find sad is these outsourced companies like garner holt do nothing to enhance or advance the technologies. What innovation has come out of garner holt productions? they just do the same thing that has been done for the last 40 some years." " i think Garner Holt is responsible for the dismally minimal animation of Monsters Inc." <BR/><BR/>Boy, Dun1 could not be more incorrect. I have contracted for Garner Holt, and know him personally. I have been in this business forever and no one even comes close to the level of commitment and innovation he has put into the art of Animatronics. If it were up to him, every figure in the parks would be A-100's. He will build the simplest figure or the most complex because thats what he is directed and bugeted to do by the client. Innovation you say? 20 years ago, he built "wendell the unicycle rider" (on youtube) and some of the things seen in his shop today are stunning. I know that Disney parks will only benefit because of their relationship. I am all for the continued use of animatronics in attractions...and I truly believe they are making a comeback. There are many attractions both Disney and non-Disney in the works that are animatronics based.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-89964943164867218622008-08-24T12:44:00.000-07:002008-08-24T12:44:00.000-07:00"Audio Antique-amatronics""Audio Antique-amatronics"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-38831879134135696702008-08-22T19:06:00.000-07:002008-08-22T19:06:00.000-07:00Spokker said... Darn you lou zucaro, I was rushing...<I> Spokker said... <BR/>Darn you lou zucaro, I was rushing here to mention Sinbad! <BR/><BR/>Sinbad was perhaps my favorite ride at DisneySea, even more than Journey to the Center of the Earth (which does the "one big animatronic at the end" thing).<BR/><BR/>Sinbad truly harkens back to a time when animatronics carried a show, as the Re-Imagineering post explains. Even if you don't understand the lyrics to the song that plays during your journey, the expressive and fluid figures more than make up for the lack of (understandable) dialogue. <BR/><BR/>Here's a better-than-YouTube- quality video of Sinbad that I took on my trip to DisneySea that I've hosted on my web space: <BR/><BR/>http://spokkerjones.com/TDS/Sinbad.wmv<BR/><BR/>While a video isn't quite the same as being there, it sort of gives you an idea of what a modern animatronic laden attraction looks like.<BR/><BR/>I don't think that the Re-Imagineering article explicitly states that outsourcing animatronics is a horrible thing, but that animatronics have taken a backseat to 3D projections, coasters, and queues. <BR/><BR/>I would definitely agree and it's a shame.<BR/><BR/>I wonder how heavy the Little Mermaid ride will be loaded with animatronics, or if that attraction too will be hijacked by CGI fish.</I><BR/><BR/>First of all, nice job camera man! That was one of the better on-ride videos I've seen. Second of all, wow! This ride brings a smile to my face just watching the video of it, I can only imagine being there, and imagine further if I understood what the heck they were singing about. This certainly demosntrates that the day of the animatronic is far from done. Nice post.Jasonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10700140078803763673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-75863138937324097942008-08-20T18:43:00.000-07:002008-08-20T18:43:00.000-07:00It's funny that the Alweg Monorail, VonRoll Skyway...It's funny that the Alweg Monorail, VonRoll Skyway, Arrow development for the Matterhorn, Vecoma, Rediffusion Simulators and other base technologies were based on "outsourcing" strategies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-16433816993542771722008-08-18T22:12:00.000-07:002008-08-18T22:12:00.000-07:00> So I'm not surprised to see these reports...<I>> So I'm not surprised to see these reports of outside vendors acting more Disney than Disney. <</I><BR/><BR/>Yup. At this point outsourcing the bodies really doesn't matter -- they outsourced the soul years ago.mr wigginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05690712121710850903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-81087756858134224552008-08-18T12:31:00.000-07:002008-08-18T12:31:00.000-07:00I think WDI/MAPO is the NASA of engineering. Outso...I think WDI/MAPO is the NASA of engineering. Outsource away.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-73939017522903906402008-08-17T20:43:00.000-07:002008-08-17T20:43:00.000-07:00Hmmm funny... last time I was on POTC there were f...Hmmm funny... last time I was on POTC there were four Asian guys in suits flashing their cameras like crazy. They kinda' spoiled the atmosphere for the rest of us, after a 45 min wait in line (muttering about walk the plank was heard). I joked about there being a POTC in Beijing next week. <BR/>Really, in a global economy it isn't a surprise.<BR/>I've spent I don't know how much time trying to get refund or replacements for Made in China items that don't work. My current project, a screw that is half the length it needed to be to hold my cell phone case to the belt clip, after three replacements (all the same problem) I found a longer screw that fits and repaired it myself.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-23117778237755210912008-08-16T09:57:00.000-07:002008-08-16T09:57:00.000-07:00It's true that some of the Imagineers that have le...It's true that some of the Imagineers that have left, did so because they were frustrated by the lack of ingenuity at WDI or the stifling layers of management. It's not like once they leave they forget everything or lose their desire to create. So I'm not surprised to see these reports of outside vendors acting more Disney than Disney.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-12236120597902926612008-08-16T01:38:00.000-07:002008-08-16T01:38:00.000-07:00"In the late 80's early 90's an outside Animatroni..."In the late 80's early 90's an outside Animatronics company was brought into MAPO to build all of the figures for Splash Mountain in Tokyo and Florida."<BR/><BR/>This last anonymous posting is simply not accurate. Every one of the Florida and Tokyo Splash Mountain AA figures were built in-house by MAPO.<BR/><BR/>"The Sinbad figures as exist today were re-built by TDL in 2006-2007. Going back to 1999 there was a lot of dis-pleasure with the original Sinbad figures MAPO had produced and a lot of money was spent making them work."<BR/><BR/>Another falsehood. The figures originally built by MAPO for the Sindbad attraction were just fine. Every attraction with this kind of scope (163 figures) has some adjustments necessary that are discovered during installation, but overall the animation was extremely successful. Perhaps the comment refers to the re-working some of the figures to accomodate the significant storyline alterations that occurred in 2006-2007. Several scenes were changed and a new score by Allen Menken was added. Figures were repurposed for the new scenes, but they were not rebuilt because of dissatisfaction with the animatronic animation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com