Behind the Scenes at Walt Disney’s Animation Studios

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Standing on the Shoulders…. of The Seven Dwarfs

If you’re familiar with the term, “dwarves standing on the shoulders of giants” then you would understand the impact that Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937) had on the company upon it’s release.

Mind you, prior to the release of “Snow White,” Disney’s animation was exactly what it was: black and white, slapstick, very little speaking roles and only a few minutes long. But the film, upon release, showcased the progress and vision the company had through use of technology well beyond its contemporaries. It also proved that there was, indeed, an audience for a full-length feature, resulting in a completely new genre of film, even influencing a category within the annual Academy Awards in Hollywood.

For over seven decades, Disney relied on the delicate hands of the artists within the Ink & Paint studio, to add depth to their characters. Animators created the characters and the artists added color, texture, and special effects, thus magically giving them life!

Although no longer used in the animation process of today, the Ink & Paint Studio carries on the sacred process in exclusively commissioned limited-edition artworks.

In celebration of the re-release of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” in digital HD, we had the privilege of taking a behind-the-scenes look on the painstakingly detailed work that the Ink & Paint Studio used before animation went digital.

Upon arriving in the Walt Disney Studio lot, we met with Disney staff in front of the Frank G. Wells building, (Wells was a beloved former president of the company from 1984-1994). Warmly welcomed, we were escorted to the Ink & Paint studio, where studio supervisors and Disney veterans Rikki Chobanian and Jim Lusby, greeted us with big smiles.

They led us directly through the paint mixing lab, and straight into their office, where we meet Sherri Vandoli, assistant supervisor and veteran of the Disney Ink & Paint studio.

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Chobanian, Lusby, and Vandoli have worked on several beloved films: “Frozen”, “Big Hero 6”, “The Fox and the Hound”, “Winnie the Pooh”, “Tangled”, and many more!

In their office, Chobanian shared the process of what happens in the studio when creating a limited-edition artwork:

The team will take an original, authentic drawing used in an actual film. The images are Xeroxed onto celluloid, using a type of camera developed by Xerox specifically for Disney.

Next, Vandoli led us to the Xerox camera, which took a picture of the image for artists to work on.

Afterward, Lusby shared the process of paint mixing…

We were then led to Antonio Pelayo, Head of Special Effects. With his steady hands, and with great care, (plus using his “shoulder” rather than wrist), he gingerly lines the image with color, paints it, and adds special effects to it such as pixie dust, or moonlight, color on the cheeks, etc.

Walt Disney was a huge fan of technology. He had commissioned inventor, William Garrity, to create the multiplane camera, which enabled several pieces of artwork and layers to be in placed in one shot at different angles, thus cutting time in the filming.

“The Little Mermaid” was the very last film that used the original process through the Ink & Paint studio. There is no question that Walt Disney would have loved the direction the company has taken. Many fans of animation long for the original process, and although beloved, going digital is exactly what Walt Disney would have wanted. The entire time he led the studio, he was constantly using the latest technology, sometimes even being the first to use such new inventions.

We had the wonderful privilege of meeting veteran Disney animator and Director at Walt Disney Animation Studios, Mark Henn, who worked on many favorite heroines such as Princess Jasmine, Belle, Mulan, Princess Tiana, Pocahantas, Anna from “Frozen” as well as many other characters from films such as “Bolt”, “Fox and the Hound”, “Big Hero 6” and notably, young Simba from “The Lion King”. He was also lead animator for the film, “John Henry”.

After giving us a little bit of background on his history with Disney, of Disney’s “Nine Old Men”, which consisted of the studio’s core animators, and mentioning a few mentors such as Eric Larson, Jack Hannah, and T. Hee, we were treated with a viewing of a lost-but-recently-discovered Oswald short from 1928, “Hungry Hoboes” and a featurette of current lead animators reflecting on characters and art used over the last 70 years.

We were also led on a very exclusive tour of an underground tunnel used by the studio to protect cels from exposure to the elements by Jeffrey Epstein, Senior Manager of Communications and Partnerships for the Walt Disney Company and Manager of D23, the official Disney fan club (https://d23.com/). As a Disneyland passholder, I’ve seen the store at Downtown Disney in Anaheim. But now that I am fully aware of what all the exciting and fun events one can participate in D23, I am signing up immediately!

The entire time I spent with the amazing artists within the Ink & Paint studio, meeting Mark Henn, seeing a special presentation, getting an exclusive tour by Jeffrey Epstein, I was trying very hard not to grin. It was thrilling to be in the exact place where so much of Disney animation history was made! The studios grounds itself were pretty impressive.

Because of the success of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, Walt Disney was able to invest in purchasing the current lot, and pursuing technological advances, preparing for the future, and what it had to hold. The film marked the beginning of something great, something that has forever changed the future of animation. Today, Disney is one of the most recognized brands in the world.

How fitting that the Seven Dwarfs appear to be holding up the Disney team building! Jeffrey Epstein of D23 mentioned the use of the Seven Dwarfs towering above the Team building is symbolic of the important role the film continues to play in their vision. There is no doubt that the iconic Walt Disney Company “stands on shoulders” of the Seven Dwarfs!

Experience the magic of Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” as you have never seen it before, now Digital HD & on Disney’s Movies Anywhere, and on Blu-ray, February 2nd!

 

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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