Brooke Staton’s power point

Thanks Brooke for your interesting Power Point.  With your opening statement about Disney’s shift “from man to beloved cultural icon,” and your focus on innovative techniques, including animation cels, photo transfers, and multiplane cameras; the implicit argument is that the techniques were the crucial part of this shift, that he did really good work.  This suggests some other questions, such as what made these techniques so good, and so appealing?  Their realism, such as recreating the depth of life, including such complex actions as spinning?  They looked true to life, so they produce a “you are there” feel?  That is wonderous in itself, but then why not live action film; isn’t there also something in Disney animation about the exaggerations beyond real life for visual expression of emotion and for just plain cuteness?

Also, about the book Animated Cartoons, how much of Disney’s technique is from this book, and how much did he develop his own approaches beyond this book?  Were there other sources of inspiration, or was his genius largely self-generated?

And the mention of David Spencer’s innovations, suggests a question about management style; what is the relation of manager Disney and innovative worker Spencer?

Finally, your focus on Disney as cultural icon suggests a transition to next week’s topic of influence (see my last blog post); how did he become an icon, and what kind of influence does an icon have; is it different from the influence of other people (other figures in popular culture, friends and family, political figures, religious or moral leaders, etc.)

Thanks again for your good work.

pjc

PS please send your work to the whole group