Disney Legend Marty Sklar, to speak at annual American Creativity Association conference

Marty Sklar is scheduled to appear Airport Hilton, for the American Creativity Association annual conference from March 21 - 23.

Marty will reveal the basic precepts that the Imagineers use whenever they design a new Disney theme park.

In-house, these WDI-specific tenets are known as "Mickey's 10 Commandments." And here are a few highlights of Sklar's list.

When designing a Disney theme park, you should ...

1. Know your audience - Don't bore people, talk down to them or lose them by
assuming that they know what you know.

2. Wear your guest's shoes - Insist that designers, staff and your board members
experience your facility as visitors as often as possible.

3. Organize the flow of people and ideas - Use good story telling techniques, tell good
stories not lectures, lay out your exhibit with a clear logic.

4. Create a weenie - Lead visitors from one area to another by creating visual magnets
and giving visitors rewards for making the journey

5. Communicate with visual literacy - Make good use of all the non-verbal ways of
communication - color, shape, form, texture.

Mr. Sklar will be speaking on Wednesday, and following his talk, he will be taking part in an on-site book signing.

This is a must attend for any imagineer in training!

Links:
American Creativity Association
American Creativity Association Conference Overview
Marty Sklar Bio

Walt Disney Feature Animation announce The Frog Princess [updated]

Disney today announced in a press release that in 2009 they will release an all new animated feature film, The Frog Princess.

The Frog Princess will introduce a new Disney Princess who will be called Maddy, who will take us on an "unforgettable tale of love, enchantment and discovery with a soulful singing crocodile, voodoo spells and Cajun charm". The film will be based upon an original story by John Musker and Ron Clements, who you may recognise as the duo behind such classics as The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, and will also feature music by Randy Newman, who you may also recognise from such films as the Toy Story series and Cars.

Speaking at Disney's annual shareholder's meeting, John Lasseter said of The Frog Princess: "Aside from being longtime friends and colleagues, John and Ron are two of the most influential and imaginative filmmakers in the animation medium, and I am so excited to be working with them in bringing their creative vision".

Further information is available in the official press release.

Update: There's a picture on the Yahoo News website which shows what The Frog Princess actually looks like. You can see it at this page.

Quickies: Jay Rasulo talks to the Orlando Sentinel

The Orlando Sentinel has a short interview with Jay Rasulo, the chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, in which he touches on the recently discussed urban hotel and nightlife centres away from the current parks and resorts.

From the article:

Jay Rasulo, 51, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and chairman of the Travel Industry Association of America. The association helped create and submit to Congress the Blueprint to Discover America report, recommendations for how the tourism industry and government can promote international tourism to the United States. Rasulo spoke with Beth Kassab of the Sentinel staff.

Links:
- Rasulo says U.S. can treat visitors more efficiently - Orlando Sentinel

John Lasseter profiled by The New York Times

Laura M. Holson of The New York Times has written a very interesting profile of John Lasseter, the Chief Creative Officer of Animation for the Walt Disney Company, which is available to read on the New York Times website.

From the article:

Enter Mr. Lasseter who, along with a close team of handpicked animators had made Pixar this generation’s premier storyteller with an unbroken string of hits including “Monsters, Inc.,” “Finding Nemo” and “The Incredibles.” The first filmmaker to run Disney’s animation operations since Walt Disney died in 1966, he said he wants to reclaim the studio’s golden era.

Links:
- He Runs That Mickey Mouse Outfit - The New York Times
- Official Pixar Executive biographies

Bob Iger to speak at the Bear Stearns 20th Annual Media Conference

Disney just released the following:

BURBANK, Calif., February 28, 2007 – A general discussion with Bob Iger, president and chief executive officer, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) will be hosted by Bear Stearns at its Twentieth Annual Media Conference on Monday, March 5, 2007, at 7:45 p.m. EST/4:45 p.m. PST. To listen to a live audio Webcast of the session, please point your browser to www.disney.com/investors approximately fifteen minutes prior to the start time. A re-play will be provided through Monday, March 19, 2007, at 4:00 p.m. PST.

We will have a recap of what he says, however, I recommend giving it a listen. Hopefully we will get some discussion about the classic animation division and perhaps some info on plans to expand the parks.